Reading progress:

New at LAPA in March

Mar 12, 2020

The long-awaited English version of Landi’s story is here. She is the amazing girl who has survived the ordeal of the Springs House of Horrors.

FICTION

’n Ballade vir Nkunzi

Ben Viljoen

Fiksie

9780799399219

R300,00

“Do you know what is the very best of being flat rock bottom? Once you are there, anything and everything can be your dream.” These are the words of Drien Welman to her eldest son Bennie when they, yet again, have no more food in the house.

Liewe Mamma

Esther Verhoef

Krimi (In Nederlans: Literaire thriller)

9780799399189

R315,00

Helen’s happy suburban life changes overnight when she kills an intruder in her home. That is just the beginning of her worst nightmare. She could never have foreseen how far she would go to protect her family.

As jy van moord droom

Deborah Steinmair

Fiksie

9780799399240

R300,00

Maryna, Erin’s daughter, disappeared at the age of six. Twenty years later, she knocks on her mother’s door again.

Maryna speaks Chinese fluently, is grotesque and obese, has a dagga habit and hardly-ever speaks. Who would not dream of murder, were you Erin?

Ter wille van jou

Magdaleen Walters

Romanse

9780799399158

R250,00

Christoff, a falsely imprisoned convict, finds work at a factory while he tries to uncover the truth of his arrest. Juanita, the owner’s daughter, doesn’t trust him one bit.

Bloedfamilie

Elsa Hamersma

Krimi

9780799399271

R300,00

Two murders are committed in one week in the Brink family. The killer leaves a message at the first murder pointing the finger at the family. Who is it and why does he or she murder?

NON FICTION

Afspraak met moord

Jana Marx

Niefiksie

9780799396003

R295,00

Who is Cecilia Steyn? How can one person manipulate five others to commit murder and perjury on her behalf? Through interviews with those in the inner circle, evidence given in court and police files covering a period of four years, Marx attempts to answer the public’s questions and provide a view of the inner workings of the cult Steyn supposedly belonged to.

House of horrors

Susan Cilliers

Non fiction

9780799393309

R245,00

“I kneel on the foot piece next to the bed and lower my head. A piercing, burning pain engulfs my entire face. Dad has kicked me. Blood is gushing from my nose. Then I feel cold water being poured all over my body. Electrical wires shock me, I can’t see through the blood. God, help me.” (Landi’s own words, translated from the Afrikaans.)

Landi is the eldest of five children who were rescued from the so-called Springs House of Horror.

She is 21 years old now and tells her astonishing story for the very first time.

In May 2014 police raided the house where a sadistic father had imprisoned, abused and tortured his wife and five children in a rat-infested den of sleaze.

In chilling detail Landi recalls how their father assaulted them with an electric prod, shooting them with a gas pistol and burning them with a blowtorch; how he researched torture methods and nearly drowned them in a bathtub.

Landi relates her memories to Susan Cilliers, an experienced journalist, who documents it with compassion.

Cilliers skilfully combines the facts that has emanated from the police investigation and court case with Landi’s very personal story.

House of Horrors is the shocking tale of a father who has taken everything from his family in the cruellest possible way, yet it also is a story of hope about a brave young girl who eventually finds happiness and healing.

Since its release in 2019, the Afrikaans version of this book has already made the Nielsens Best-sellers non-fiction list twenty two times, it is still going strong.

FOR THE YOUNG READER

Tales from the Marula Tree

Leon de Villiers

Illustrations: Linki Lutz

Kids’ fiction

Age: 7+

R280,00

9780799395693

Every evening at sunset a troop of baboons climb to the top of the big Marula tree. It is their favourite sleeper tree. They climb about looking for a comfortable spot. It takes a while for everyone to settle down, but eventually even Aunt Mangy has found the perfect branch for her tired body.

All is quiet.

The baboons are waiting for the evening star to appear. Who will be the first to see the star tonight? “There it is!” cries one of the little ones.

As soon as the star has appeared, a little voice begs: “Please tell us a story!”

“Yes, a story, a story!” it echoes in the branches.

This is a collection of fifteen highly original and entertaining animal stories.

Pixel

Fanie Viljoen

Kids’ fiction

Age: 9+

9780799391824

R145,00

Felix Foxly is lonely, completely and utterly lonely. His parents are always working. His home-school teacher, Miss Tiddlespout, has the temperament of a thunderstorm.

Felix has nobody to play with him or to keep him company.

Fortunately Felix is good at taking things apart and putting them back together again.

One day he decides to build himself a friend. He collects plans and equipment and all kinds of stuff.

The moment Pixel’s lights go on and his gears start crunching, Felix’s life changes.

Pixel is a brilliant robot! He can speak, play, read books and he is the world’s best tree climber.

With Pixel every day is an adventure and Felix will never have to be lonely again!

How long will they be able to remain friends before everything goes horribly wrong?

Thabo the space dude. Log book 1: Last days on Earth

Lori-Ann Preston

Illustrator: Alex van Houwelingen

Kid’s fiction

Age: 7+

9780799397901

R160,00

Five, four, three, two, one! Get ready for outer space.

“I’m doooomed!”

Thabo is horrified when his parents inform him that his family is moving to Mars. Could his life get any worse? The answer is yes, for his parents are forcing him to document his last days on Earth in a log book. Sigh.

Meanwhile, our young hero is scheming.

Will he survive Mars Boot Camp?

Will he be able to smuggle his two best friends on board the space shuttle?

Most importantly: will he manage to sneak a farewell kiss from Mbali?

This humorous youth novel is written in the form of a daily log book, full of laughs and pathos.

Supervillain

Jaco Jacobs

Illustrator: Nicolene Louw

Kid’s fiction

Age: 9+

9780799398090

R135,00

Wessel has to spend the entire holiday with his grandpa. This is going to be the LOUSIEST two weeks of his life. Grandpa Zirk is more grumpy than a hammerhead shark with a toothache and he HATES children.

Yet something seems to be rather odd. Why is Grandpa always sneaking around in the dead of night? What is he hiding in the strange little shed in the garden?

Wessel knows there is only one way of finding the truth.

Before long, Wessel is part of a fearsome rollercoaster ride filled with superheroes, villains, super-cool technology, underhanded plans and incredible explosions!

For Wessel the most boring holiday ever may just turn into the adventure of a lifetime.

Wo(o)rdslim 2

Jaco Jacobs

Illustrasies: Zinelda McDonald

Niefiksie

Ouderdom: 9+

9780799398007

R90,00

Get smarter while having tons of fun with this fantastic activity book! Wo(o)rdslim 2 contains many pages filled with creative crossword puzzles, wonderful word games and ridiculous riddles that will ensure plenty of fun-filled hours. The activities include thematic crosswords, word-search blocks, spelling games, letter blocks, cryptograms and other brilliant brain busters. All the answers are in the back of the book.

Rooimiere-in-die-broek, Idioom-Inkleurboek

Wendy Maartens

Illustrasies: Linki Brand

Niefiksie

Ouderdom: 5+

9780799397932

R100,00

This cheerful colouring book contains 22 idioms, each with interesting facts about animals.

Diereverkenners: Lola en die singende orgidee

Sharon Rentta

Kleuterfiksie

Ouderdom: 5+

9780799397239

R150,00

Lola the polar bear has a passion for plants, but there aren’t many flowers in the Arctic. There’s only one thing do: she will have to trek to the Amazon jungle to see them!

Hallo, menstruasie

Yumi Stynes & Dr Melissa Kang

Illustreerder: Jennifer Latham

Niefiksie

Ouderdom: 9+

9780799397888

R262,00

Hallo, menstruasie is a frank, funny, age-appropriate guide for pre-teens and teens about getting your period, something that can be mortifying the first time it happens; weird and messy too. Asking questions about it can feel even worse. It doesn’t have to be like that! This book is packed with honest advice on all the things you need to know.

Ek kan vlieg

Teks & illustrasies: Fifi Kuo

Kleuterfiksie

Ouderdom: 3+

9780799397796

R140,00

A small penguin sees all the birds in the sky and wants to fly like them. Penguin tries everything he can to copy them – but to no avail. When, by accident, he falls into the water with his dad at his side, our litter hero realises that penguins can fly, as long as they do it under water!

ROMANZA

Omdat ons saam is

Elsa Winckler

Romanse

9780799398717

R95,00

A sulking Bella arrives in Greyton. Her late aunt’s will requires that she should stay in the aunt’s cottage for a month to inherit a fair amount of money. Bella’s sisters have already redeemed their inheritance, and each won a groom in the process. Bella wants nothing to do with men – especially not with Wian.

Onverwags liefde

Elize Davies

Romanse

9780799398748

R95,00

What gives arrogant Steyn the right to distrust, insult and criticise Lizelle? He also forces her back to Nelslaagte, the place she never wanted to see again. If only he didn’t kiss so good…

Feniks uit die vlamme

Magda Fourie

Romanse

9780799399097

R95,00

Sonika’s life is radically altered due to a gas leak. She meets the plastic surgeon Jacques Aucamp who is known for pursuing perfection in all levels of his life. Will he ever be able to accept and love her damaged body?

Oudit op haar hart

Antoinette Venter

Romanse

9780799399127

R95,00

Luzaan closed her heart to love after Jacques left her like a hot potato during their matric year. Now her work sends her back to him.

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