Helen Plum Library: Fantasy and Science Fiction: March 2026

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter
by Heather Fawcett

Agnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life, and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for stray cats. Now it's the shelter that needs a new home. And the only landlord who will rent a space to a cat rescue is a mysterious man called Havelock--who also happens to be the world's most infamous magician, running an illegal magic shop out of his basement. Havelock is cantankerous and eccentric, but not not handsome, and no, Agnes absolutely does not feel anything but disdain for him. After all, rumors swirl about his shadowy past--including whispers that his dark magic once almost brought about the apocalypse. Then one day a glamorous magician comes looking for Havelock, putting the magic shop--and the cat shelter--in jeopardy.

Crown of War and Shadow: Kingdoms of the Compass
by J. R. Ward

An outcast burdened with a curse. A mercenary out for himself. A kingdom that must be saved. In the deep, dark, dead of night, passions rise, and empires fall... The Fulcrum is failing, and demons are slipping into the mortal world. No one is safe. Especially not Sorrel. An orphan and an outcast within the walls of her small village because of her mystical abilities. She wants to survive...and find somewhere she can call her true home. But Fate has other plans. Sorrel has been chosen. Cursed. She must cross the Badlands to return the Queen's crown and convince the fearsome female to save their world from destruction. exchange for her safe passage.

Stranger Things: One Way or Another
by Caitlin Schneiderhan

Following the events of Stranger Things Season 4, Nancy Wheeler and Robin Buckley are hot on the heels of a new mystery--and they won't stop until they solve it.

Hawkins, Indiana, is in recovery. It's been two months since Vecna's earthquake tore through the town, and its residents are still reeling from the devastation. Nancy Wheeler has spent every waking minute on the hunt for Vecna, but he's continued to elude her. How can she head to Emerson for college in the fall if Hawkins is still under the influence of the Upside Down?

Operation Bounce House
by Matt Dinniman

All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do was run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family's aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. He figures it will be a good thing when the transfer gate finally opens all the way and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora. But there's a complication. Even though the settlers were promised they'd be left in peace, Earth's government now has other plans. The colossal Apex Industries is hired to commence an eviction action. But maximizing profits will always be Apex's number one priority. Why spend money printing and deploying AI soldiers when they can turn it into a game?

Treaty
by Davis Bunn

Changing her destiny could alter life as they know it . . . Kirra Barret lives with her clan in a mining community in the Fifth Ward of Florian, a city in a human-occupied zone on planet Treaty. She is determined to have a brighter future--and her unique connection to the planet's flying alien beasts could be the key to improving her fortunes. In Florian's upmarket Second Ward, Eva Fourier is offered the chance to become a secret government agent and go after criminals accumulating wealth and power on Treaty by dubious means. From different ends of Florian's social spectrum, battle lines are drawn as Kirra and Eva's lives intertwine in unexpected and high-stakes ways,

Contact your librarian for more great books!

Happening soon at HPL

Babel-On with R.F. Kuang
Tue, May 19 at 7pm

Live on Zoom

Join bestselling author of Babel and Katabasis, R.F. Kuang, live on Zoom. Kuang’s work combines history, magic, and classical literary tradition to render powerful critiques of academia, the publishing industry, and even contemporary popular culture.