It Found Us

Currie, Lindsay. It Found Us. 2023. 288p. ISBN 9781728259499.

Twelve-year-old Hazel Woods, a budding detective, finds herself unexpectedly drawn into a terrifying mystery when her friend Everett mysteriously vanishes after a game of hide-and-seek in the local cemetery. Hazel and her brother, Den, begin to uncover a series of eerie clues, including whispered counting, the scent of smoke, and a chillingly cold presence that seems to follow them. 

As they delve deeper, they realize that Everett's disappearance may be connected to the cemetery's dark history and the lingering spirits of its past. Hazel, with her keen observational skills and unwavering determination, must decipher the cryptic clues and uncover the truth before it's too late for Everett. 

This spooky mystery explores themes of friendship, loss, and the lingering power of the past, inviting readers to join Hazel on a thrilling and suspenseful journey to save her friend and unravel the secrets of the haunted cemetery.

No New Things: A Radically Simple 30-Day Guide to Saving Money, the Planet, and Your Sanity

 Piper, Ashlee. No New Things: A Radically Simple 30-Day Guide to Saving Money, the Planet, and Your Sanity. 2025. 288p. ISBN 9781250382160. 

In No New Things, author Ashlee Piper recounts her two-year personal challenge of purchasing nothing new, a journey that led her to financial freedom, decluttering, goal achievement, and an overall improvement in her health and happiness. She attributes her prior inability to achieve these goals to the distractions of mindless consumption. Now, after a decade of refining her method, Piper offers a simple yet transformative 30-day challenge that has empowered thousands globally to discover similar liberation and fulfillment.

This book delves into what Piper terms "conditioned consumerism," exposing how it subtly drains our time, money, and mental energy while simultaneously harming the environment. Readers are then guided through customizable daily actions designed to cultivate a more streamlined and abundant life, free from the burdens of excessive spending and material possessions, all without sacrificing personal style, convenience, or enjoyment. No New Things ultimately serves as a practical solution for anyone seeking to reduce their consumption, combat modern overwhelm, and live a more intentional life.

A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America

Lee, Trymaine. A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America. 2025. 272p. ISBN 9781250098016.

In this profound narrative, journalist Trymaine Lee confronts a life-altering event: a near-fatal heart attack at age 38, despite his physical fitness. His five-year-old daughter, Nola, innocently asked "why," prompting Lee to delve into the underlying causes of his health crisis. He realized the answer lay in the immense burden of being a Black man in America, grappling with the relentless exposure to Black death as a journalist, and the deep scars of his family's history. This includes the legacy of enslavement, lynching, the Great Migration, the pervasive yet insidious racism of the North, and the devastating impact of gun violence that claimed the lives of multiple family members, including two great-uncles, a grandfather, a stepbrother, and two cousins.

Lee masterfully interweaves three powerful threads throughout the book: the extensive and often brutal history of African Americans and firearms; his personal experiences documenting gun violence and exploring the economic forces behind both legal and illegal gun industries; and his own autobiography. This personal journey includes his near brushes with gun violence in his youth, a reflective trip to Ghana to trace his ancestors' journey from the Middle Passage, and the constant challenge of representing Black people accurately within a predominantly white and often antagonistic media landscape. Ultimately, A Thousand Ways to Die serves as Lee's comprehensive answer to Nola, offering a raw and complex portrayal of the Black experience while simultaneously celebrating the indomitable strength and beauty of his family and community, which forms Nola's inheritance.

Montgomery Bonbon: Mystery at the Manor

Becket-King, Alasdair. Montgomery Bonbon: Mystery at the Manor. Book 3 of the Montgomery Bonbon series. 2025. 288p. ISBN 9781536241686.

As her keen alter-ego, Montgomery Bonbon, Bonnie Montgomery takes on the crucial task of delivering a priceless diamond to Adderstone Manor, the residence of the renowned, now-retired master thief, Fergus Croke. However, the situation quickly escalates when Croke is discovered dead mere hours later. Suspicion immediately falls upon each of his four protégés, all of whom are seasoned criminals themselves. This presents a unique challenge for even the brilliant Bonbon: with every suspect being a known crook, discerning the true culprit becomes an intricate puzzle.

With the assistance of Grampa Banks and an unexpectedly undercover best friend, Bonbon dives into the investigation. It doesn't take long for her to unravel a web of hidden identities and discover a multitude of motives. The mystery also leads her to a rather peculiar hedge maze populated by monkeys, adding an eccentric twist to the case. The pressing question remains: can Bonbon and her team unmask the killer before they strike again or disappear without a trace?

Fans of light mysteries will enjoy this action-packed adventure. 

My Hero Academia, Vol. 9

Horikoshi, Kohei. My Hero Academia, Vol. 9. 2017. 192p. ISBN 9781421593401. Available in the graphic novels section of the library. 

Following their end of term exam in My Hero Academia, Vol. 8, Midoriya and the U.A. students are headed to summer camp, but this is far from a typical vacation. Instead, it's an intensive training regimen designed to push them to further develop their unique Quirks. Their teachers have prepared a series of rigorous challenges, aiming to enhance their abilities and prepare them for future threats. However, these planned obstacles will pale in comparison to an unforeseen danger that looms large over the camp.

A new and formidable group of enemies emerges, posing a threat far more difficult and life-altering than any training exercise. The true horror of the situation lies not only in the villains' power but also in the identity of their specific target and the sinister motivations behind their actions. This unexpected confrontation promises to be a pivotal and potentially devastating moment for Midoriya and his classmates, forcing them to face a danger that will test their resolve and abilities to their absolute limits.

Love in 280 Characters or Less

Stringfield, Ravynn K. Love in 280 Characters or Less. 2025. 320p. ISBN 9781250899385.

Sydney Ciara Warren, a Black college freshman, is embarking on the exciting yet nerve-wracking journey of her first year at Coastal Virginia University. While thrilled about this new chapter, she faces the challenge of being separated from her best friend, Malcolm, and the uncertainty of her future academic and career path, much to the disappointment of her parents who envision law school for her. Fascinated by fashion, Sydney finds comfort and a means of self-expression through blogging about her experiences, curating meaningful outfits, and engaging on Twitter as she navigates campus life and searches for her place in the world.

Within the digital realm, Sydney develops a connection and a crush on a mysterious online persona known as YoungPrinceX. However, her real-life romantic landscape becomes more complex when she begins a relationship with a kind classmate named Xavier, who might just be the person behind the screen. As Sydney juggles academics, burgeoning relationships both online and offline, and the pressure to define her future, she hopes to not only survive her first semester but to truly flourish in her real life as much as she seems to be online.

Filled with realistic characters who live their lives while confronting issues such as racism and gender differences. Love in 280 Characters or Less is a great transition from young adulthood into becoming an adult.

Frog: The secret diary of a paramedic

Gould, Sally. Frog: The secret diary of a paramedic. 2025. 352p. ISBN 9781761633379

Ever since she was a child, Sally Gould knew she wanted to be a paramedic, just like her father. In Frog, Sally Gould reveals the multifaceted reality of life working in an ambulance, which she describes as an unpredictable mix of traumatic, gross, dull, hilarious, and even magical moments. To succeed in this demanding profession, one must possess an unconventional problem-solving ability, maintain composure amid chaos, have a robust stomach, and be able to quickly process patient fatalities. These traits are crucial, in addition to a deep understanding of human physiology and the skills to address its failures, all often complemented by a dark sense of humor.

Frog offers an intimate look beyond the sirens and intense emergency scenes, delving into the human toll of the job and the cumulative impact of trauma, which is often far removed from public perception. Drawing from years of detailed journals, Sally Gould shares a searingly honest and inspiring personal narrative of feeling like a fraud and eventually having to confront her depression. Her memoir stands as a heartfelt tribute to the remarkable resilience, unwavering courage, and strong camaraderie that are essential to navigating the high-stakes world of emergency medicine.