City Spies (City Spies #1)

James Ponti

Sara Martinez is a hacker. She recently broke into the New York City foster care system to expose her foster parents as cheats and lawbreakers. However, instead of being hailed as a hero, Sara finds herself facing years in a juvenile detention facility and banned from using computers for the same stretch of time. Enter Mother, a British spy who not only gets Sara released from jail but also offers her a chance to make a home for herself within a secret MI6 agency. Operating out of a base in Scotland, the City Spies are five kids from various parts of the world. When they’re not attending the local boarding school, they’re honing their unique skills, such as sleight of hand, breaking and entering, observation, and explosives. All of these allow them to go places in the world of espionage where adults can’t. Before she knows what she’s doing, Sarah is heading to Paris for an international youth summit, hacking into a rival school’s computer to prevent them from winning a million euros, dangling thirty feet off the side of a building, and trying to stop a villain…all while navigating the complex dynamics of her new team. No one said saving the world was easy…

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Art Attack (The Sherlock Society)

James Ponti

Setting: Miami art scene

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Art Attack (The Sherlock Society)

James Ponti

Setting: Miami art scene

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The Lost Flock: Rare Wool, Wild Isles and One Woman’s Journey to Save Scotland’s Original Sheep

Jane Cooper

The Lost Flock is the story of the remarkable and rare little horned sheep, known as Orkney Boreray, and the wool-obsessed woman who moved to one of Scotland’s wildest islands to save them. It was Jane Cooper’s passion for knitting that led her to discover the world of rare-breed sheep and their wool. Through this, Jane uncovered the ‘Orkney Borerary’ – a unique group within the UK’s rarest breed of sheep, the Boreray, and one of the few surviving examples of primitive sheep in northern Europe. As her knowledge of this rarest of heritage breeds grew, she took the bold step to uproot her quiet suburban life in Newcastle and relocate to Orkney, embarking on a new adventure and life as farmer and shepherd. Jane was astonished to find that she was the sole custodian of this lost flock in the world, and so she began investigating their mysterious and ancient history, tracking down the origins of the Boreray breed and its significance to Scotland’s natural heritage. From Viking times to Highland crofts and nefarious research experiments in Edinburgh, this is a so-far untold real-life detective story. It is also the story of one woman’s relentless determination to ensure a future for her beloved sheep, and in doing so revealing their deep connection to the Scottish landscape. An unforgettable story of a heritage breed and the importance of its existence.

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Trapped! (Framed, #3)

James Ponti

“A top-shelf test of courage, friendship, and ingenuity.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Florian Bates—the only kid on the FBI Director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists—must save his friend from being framed for a crime he didn’t commit in this hilarious third novel in the Framed! series. Middle school is hard. Solving cases for the FBI is even harder. Doing both at the same time, well that’s just crazy. But that doesn’t stop Florian Bates! Along with his best friend, and Watson to his Sherlock, Margaret, Florian’s making the case that kids can do anything. When Florian and Margaret’s FBI supervisor, Marcus Rivers, is accused of a crime, it’s up to this mystery solving duo to jump into action and clear his name, because Marcus is more than their boss—he’s family. The case involves one of Marcus’s first investigations for the FBI and a Russian spy ring. However, when the spy they are chasing learns what they’re up to, the tables are turned, and Marcus finds himself implicated in a variety of crimes, including theft, corruption, and espionage. For Florian and Margaret, it just got personal. They’re going to catch the spy and clear Marcus’s name…even if they have to break into (and out of) the Library of Congress to do it.

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Trapped! (Framed, #3)

James Ponti

“A top-shelf test of courage, friendship, and ingenuity.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Florian Bates—the only kid on the FBI Director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists—must save his friend from being framed for a crime he didn’t commit in this hilarious third novel in the Framed! series. Middle school is hard. Solving cases for the FBI is even harder. Doing both at the same time, well that’s just crazy. But that doesn’t stop Florian Bates! Along with his best friend, and Watson to his Sherlock, Margaret, Florian’s making the case that kids can do anything. When Florian and Margaret’s FBI supervisor, Marcus Rivers, is accused of a crime, it’s up to this mystery solving duo to jump into action and clear his name, because Marcus is more than their boss—he’s family. The case involves one of Marcus’s first investigations for the FBI and a Russian spy ring. However, when the spy they are chasing learns what they’re up to, the tables are turned, and Marcus finds himself implicated in a variety of crimes, including theft, corruption, and espionage. For Florian and Margaret, it just got personal. They’re going to catch the spy and clear Marcus’s name…even if they have to break into (and out of) the Library of Congress to do it.

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Europa (City Spies #7)

James Ponti

In this seventh installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies work to prevent a dangerous criminal from escaping prison in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Charlie Thorne. The City Spies are ready to start fresh with a new home, new schools, and a new directive now that Clementine has come in from the cold and Le Fantôme has been put behind bars. But their plans are put into jeopardy when Umbra threatens to attack multiple high-level targets across Europe unless he is released from prison. With intel leading them to Rome, Paris, London, and Amsterdam, the City Spies split up and race across the continent solving codes and chasing clues in an effort to thwart the attacks. With so many moving parts, the City Spies are going to have pull out all the stops if they have any chance to succeed at this latest mission.

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Europa (City Spies #7)

James Ponti

In this seventh installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies work to prevent a dangerous criminal from escaping prison in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Charlie Thorne. The City Spies are ready to start fresh with a new home, new schools, and a new directive now that Clementine has come in from the cold and Le Fantôme has been put behind bars. But their plans are put into jeopardy when Umbra threatens to attack multiple high-level targets across Europe unless he is released from prison. With intel leading them to Rome, Paris, London, and Amsterdam, the City Spies split up and race across the continent solving codes and chasing clues in an effort to thwart the attacks. With so many moving parts, the City Spies are going to have pull out all the stops if they have any chance to succeed at this latest mission.

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London Calling (City Spies #6)

James Ponti

In this sixth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies stage a rescue in Rome in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Charlie Thorne. Cairo, the newest member of the City Spies, takes the lead when his sister disappears in Istanbul. Determined to save the family of one of their own, the team risks discovery as their search leads them to Rome. Meanwhile, there’s been intel that seems to threaten the royal wedding about to take place in Westminster, bringing the team back to the UK on an official case for MI6. With so much security all over the city, it’s harder than ever for the City Spies to go unnoticed. Will their skills be up to the task?

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London Calling (City Spies #6)

James Ponti

In this sixth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies stage a rescue in Rome in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Charlie Thorne. Cairo, the newest member of the City Spies, takes the lead when his sister disappears in Istanbul. Determined to save the family of one of their own, the team risks discovery as their search leads them to Rome. Meanwhile, there’s been intel that seems to threaten the royal wedding about to take place in Westminster, bringing the team back to the UK on an official case for MI6. With so much security all over the city, it’s harder than ever for the City Spies to go unnoticed. Will their skills be up to the task?

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Mission Manhattan (City Spies #5)

James Ponti

The City Spies head to the Big Apple when a credible threat is made to a young climate activist who is scheduled to speak in front of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. With Rio acting as alpha and a new member in their ranks, the team’s mission to protect a fellow teen takes them on an exciting adventure in, around, and even under the greatest city in the world as they follow leads to the outer boroughs, the UN Headquarters, and even the usually off-limits stacks that extend deep under the main branch of the New York Public Library.

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Flour Girl

Meryl Wilsner

A swoony, slow burn sapphic romance about finding love—and yourself—where you least expect it from the bestselling author of Cleat CuteWhen June hooks up with Cora, her former stall neighbor at the farmers’ market where she sells flowers, she makes it clear it’s a one-time thing. June has never quite understood romance and doesn’t want to accidentally break someone’s heart. Cora spent market season drooling over June, so she agrees, though as a hopeless romantic she wishes it was the start of a happily ever after. Together, they have an unforgettable night, one so good, June almost breaks her rule–until they realize they’ll be working the same wedding. What was supposed to be a one-night stand turns into a growing friendship. As Cora’s now very good friend, June is dead set on helping her in any way she can. So, while June helps Cora with the administrative side of her bakery, in return, Cora goes to open houses with June so she doesn’t have to make small talk with realtors. As they grow closer, Cora tries to control her crush but it can’t help but escalate. And June is starting to think she might have feelings for Cora after all. But can June give Cora the happily ever after she deserves? And will Cora realize she's worthy of the love she wants?Meryl Wilsner’s Flour Girl is a celebration of queer joy and community, and the kind of happily ever after that June and Cora never would’ve expected, but it’s theirs, so it’s perfect.

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Mission Manhattan (City Spies #5)

James Ponti

The City Spies head to the Big Apple when a credible threat is made to a young climate activist who is scheduled to speak in front of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. With Rio acting as alpha and a new member in their ranks, the team’s mission to protect a fellow teen takes them on an exciting adventure in, around, and even under the greatest city in the world as they follow leads to the outer boroughs, the UN Headquarters, and even the usually off-limits stacks that extend deep under the main branch of the New York Public Library.

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City of the Dead (City Spies, #4)

James Ponti

In this fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies go codebreaking in Cairo in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls . Codename Kathmandu, better known as Kat, loves logic and order, has a favorite eight-digit number, and can spot a pattern from a mile away. So when a series of cyberattacks hits key locations in London while the spies are testing security for the British Museum, it’s clear that Kat’s skill for finding reason in what seems like randomness makes her the perfect candidate to lead the job. And while the team follows the deciphered messages to Egypt and the ancient City of the Dead to discover who is behind the attacks and why, Kat soon realizes that there’s another layer to the mystery. With more players, more clues, and involving higher levels of British Intelligence than ever before, this mission is one of the most complex that the group has faced to date. And it’s also going to bring about a change to the City Spies…

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Joyful, Anyway

Kate Bowler

The bestselling author and Duke University professor discovers the true magic of it appears when we least expect it—and even if we don’t feel happy, we can be joyful, anyway.Life aches. Joy is the cure.After surviving a stage-four cancer diagnosis, Kate Bowler knew she was supposed to be grateful. Alive. Blessed. But she still ached—for more connection, more surprise, less resentment on an ordinary day.So she went looking for joy. Not the toxic positivity kind. Not a 5-step plan. But the type that sneaks in unexpectedly, seemingly out of nowhere. A lemur sunbathing. A belly laugh at a funeral. A dive into the Atlantic with a shark wrangler.In Joyful, Anyway, Bowler takes us on a hilarious and tender journey through big questions and small delights. With wry wit and deep honesty, she explores how joy can surprise us even in the middle of pain, boredom, and longing.This is not a book about fixing your life. It is about how we can all find more—feel more—by making room for small extraordinary moments. For anyone who has ever felt stuck, who is achy for meaning, who feels undone by loss, who feels that joy is just out of reach, who wants, simply, to have more fun, Joyful Anyway is a delicious, insightful tour through the questions that sit in the deepest part of our souls. It proves that for every time we Is this it? Joy will there is more.

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