St Andrew's Day V

The chaos clock by Gill Arbuthnot is another fantasy adventure, this time set in Edinburgh where time is coming unstuck. A war is raging between the Lords of Chaos and the Guardians of Time and this all centres round a strange Millennium Clock. Will an old golden necklace be enough to help Kate and David overcome the Chaos and retore order and time?

One of my favourite books is Kate Atkinson's Case histories. It is the first of her novels to feature retired policeman Jackson Brodie now operating as a private investigator. The opening chapter is very powerful and is the first of three linked cases which Jackson is drawn into and which only he can solve. The novel is beautifully written and once you start to read you have to keep going to find out what it is that the cases have in common.

St Andrew's Day IV

The chess piece magician by Douglas Bruton

Set on the Isle of Lewis this is an exciting adventure which tells a fictional story about the iconic Lewis chessmen. The hero of the story is Corrie who is not looking forward to the annual family holiday on the wet and windy island. Until he finds a carved chess piece on the beach that is and gets drawn into a battle as legendary creatures from the past appear in the present.

Being Emily by Anne Donovan is a story about life, love and family relationships. The novel explores how happy domesticity can be turned on its head in the course of a single day. When her family is thrown into turmoil Emily must try and find her own place in the world.

St Andrew's Day - Scottish Authors III

The Nostradamus prophecy by Theresa Breslin is set in sixteenth century France in the court of the young king Charles. The king's mother, Catherine de' Medici , believes that Nostradamus can foresee the future and that her son is in danger. Melisande is a minstrel's daughter whose fate is inextricably linked to that of Nostradamus. Before he dies Nostradamus gives Melisande important papers which relate to the French royal line. Will Melisande be brave enough to fulfil the prophecy foretold by Nostradamus?

Iain Banks - Espedair Street Daniel Weir was a famous rock star and at 31 maybe still is. As he contemplates his life Daniel realises how bad the past has been, but has he the energy and indeed the ability to change his future? (S4 -Staff)

St Andrew's Day - Scottish Authors II

J.A. Henderson - Colony: Living on remote Kirkfallen Island Gene Stapleton's curious nature is going to get the better of him. The more he finds out about the destruction of a secret research station which was overrun by ants, the more he realises that his whole lfe has been a lie. Will knowing the truth save him or end in the demise of all on Kirkfallen Island? A gripping thriller for students in S1 -3.

Matthew Fitt - But n ben a-go-go: In the year 2090 most of Scotland is under water as a result of global flooding the survivors live in fear of Senga, a supervirus whose victims are kept in a giant hospital warehouse. Written in Scots this tells the story of Paolo Broon's quest to save his beloved Nadia by uncovering the secret of his family's past and freeing her from Senga's grip.

St Andrew's Day - Scottish Authors I

St Andrew's Day is celebrated on 30th November each year. Over the next week I will recommend 2 books a day (one for S1-3 and one for S4 and above) by Scottish authors as part of the countdown to St Andrew's Day.

Fleshmarket by Nicola Morgan is set in early nineteenth century Edinburgh, a period when operations were carried out without anaesthetic and surgeons relied on body snatchers to supply them with corpses for their anatomy lectures. Robbie's mother dies in agony whilst being operated on by Dr Robert Knox and Robbie is intent on revenge. (S1-S3)

Fleshmarket Close is Ian Rankin's 15th Inspector Rebus novel. Set in Edinburgh there are more murders and sub-plots than you can shake a stick at. An illegal immigrant is murdered in a housing scheme, is it a racist attack? A teenager has disappeared from home; two skeletons are found buried under a cellar floor in Fleshmarket close and Rebus is under pressure to retire! (S4-Staff)

If you like The hunger games

Why not try
Patrick Ness’s
Chaos Walking series

The hunger games by Suzanne Collins

I have just finished the first and second books in this trilogy and have thoroughly enjoyed both. The hunger games is set in a post-apocalyptic world in a country divided into 12 main districts which supply goods to the rich central Capitol. Each year the 12 districts have to supply 2 teenagers to take part in the "hunger games" a televised event in which they have to survive in an unknown landscape and basically kill each other in order to survive. There can only be one winner. The plot is based around the feisty Katniss Everdeen who takes her 12 year old sister's place in the hunger games as one of the tribunes from District 12. On a roller coaster journey we follow Katniss from her life in subsistence life in District 12 through the lavish preparations for the games and on to her fight to survive.

The book did remind me of a science fiction film I have seen - so not original, nor is the love triangle that pervades the book. But that said it is an exciting read with some really clever ideas. To draw all teenagers in, the book has reviews by Stephanie Meyer and Stephen King on the cover!

I have said nothing about the second book because this is one trilogy where it is best to start at the beginning and enjoy the journey.

National Non-Fiction Day

Thursday the 4th November is National Non-Fiction Day. There is a huge display of information books in the Library for you browse through. Subjects cover everything from acids to zebras via cookery, guinea pigs, the middle ages and racing cars. There is possibly a book for every interest and every hobby you can think of and more!

For more information and fun facts: http://nnfd.org/