Cirrus@Austlit

'A darkly funny illustrated novel from the Victorian Premier's Literary Award-winning creator of Ghost Book about a young girl who is being haunted by an evil spirit. For fans of Goosebumps.

''Frightfully fun. A masterpiece of storytelling.' Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood, bestselling creators of the Real Pigeons series

'Once upon a time, I skipped assembly, snuck into the attic, awakened an evil and now I'm h(a)unted.

'When Hannah and her friends play the game Spirit of the Coin, they don't really expect to unleash something evil. But now Hannah is experiencing unfortunate 'accidents' and her journal is talking to her. Is there any way to escape the curse?' (Publication summary)

'With tensions rising and their powers no longer a secret, the Nightbirds must decide for whom and for what they are willing to fight for and how far they will go in the spellbinding conclusion to the international bestseller Nightbirds.

'The Nightbirds were once their city's best-kept secret, but now the secret's out. Everyone knows there are girls who can gift their magic with a kiss, and everyone wants a piece of them. Such girls are in more danger than ever. But Matilde, Sayer, Æsa, and Fenlin can do feats of magic no one has seen in centuries. They're like the Fyrebirds of old: powerful women who once moved mountains, parted seas, and led armies. But they don't want the world to know the full extent of their power – not yet.

'Matilde is too busy trying to show the city that girls with magic can be trusted while Sayer stalks the night, punishing any man who dares cross her. Fen struggles to keep her gang together and her magic hidden while Aesa tries to settle back into life in the Illish Isles.

'But fate tugs them inexorably toward each other, and back into the fight to protect magical girls. As the new suzerain works to lift the prohibition on magic, the churchmen who support it – and the gang lords who profit from it – whisper rebellion. The Nightbirds' old enemies are rallying, too. Smelling blood in the water, a magic-mad Farlands king threatens to invade Eudea. As war looms, and the Republic's fate hangs from a knife's edge, the Nightbirds have to decide if becoming Fyrebirds is worth risking the lives and loves they might have had.' (Publication summary)

'First, the bad news: an ancient evil–you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal–is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They’ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first.

'Like the clan of gremps who’d like to rearrange their favorite faces.

'And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.

'Then there’s Kal’s long-lost sister, who’s not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.

'When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it’s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can’t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.

'Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion’s most unforgettable heroes–and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In this moving and hilarious illustrated novel from the critically-acclaimed author of Pie in the Sky, a twelve-year-old boy goes on a (forbidden) solo journey halfway around the world to prove his independence to his overprotective family.

'Henry Khoo's family treats him like a baby. He’s not allowed to go anywhere without his sister/chaperone/bodyguard. His (former) best friend knows to expect his family’s mafia-style interrogation when Henry’s actually allowed to hang out at her house. And he definitely CAN’T take a journey halfway around the world all by himself!

'But that’s exactly his plan. After his family’s annual trip to visit his father in Singapore is cancelled, Henry decides he doesn’t want to be cooped up at home with his overprotective family and BFF turned NRFF (Not Really Friend Forever). Plus, he’s hiding a your-life-is-over-if-you’re-caught secret: he’s the creator of an anonymous gossip cartoon, and he's on the verge of getting caught. Determined to prove his independence and avoid punishment for his crimes, Henry embarks on the greatest adventure everrr. . . hoping it won’t turn into the greatest disaster ever.

'Remy Lai takes readers on an adventure filled with humor, heart, and hijinks that’s a sure bet for fans of Jerry Craft, Terri Libenson, and Shannon Hale!'  (Publication summary)

'When Jingwen moves to Australia, he feels like he’s landed on Mars. Making friends is impossible, since he doesn’t speak English, and he's stuck looking after his little brother Yanghao. But Jingwen knows how to make everything better. If he can just make all of the cakes on the menu of the bakery his father had planned to open—and complete the dream he didn’t have time to finish—then everything will be okay. Sure, he’ll have to break his mother’s most important rule about not using the oven when she’s at work, keep his little brother from spilling his secret, and brush up on his baking skills, but some things are worth the risk. In her debut novel, Remy Lai captures with humour and heart, what it means to want desperately to belong and just how powerful one wish can be.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Second-hand bookshops are full of mysteries

'This is a love story.

'It's the story of Howling Books, where readers write letters to strangers, to lovers, to poets, to words.

'It's the story of Henry Jones and Rachel Sweetie. They were best friends once, before Rachel moved to the sea.

'Now, she's back, working at the bookstore, grieving for her brother Cal. She's looking for the future in the books people love, and the words that they leave behind.

'Sometimes you need the poets

'The new novel from the award-winning author of Graffiti Moon.' (Publication summary)

'Clariel is the daughter of the one of the most notable families in the Old Kingdom, with blood relations to the Abhorsen and, most importantly, to the King. When her family moves to the city of Belisaere, there are rumors that her mother is next in line for the throne. However, Clariel wants no part of it—a natural hunter, all she ever thinks about is escaping the city’s confining walls and journeying back to the quiet, green world of the Great Forest.

'But many forces conspire against Clariel’s dream. A dangerous Free Magic creature is loose in the city, her parents want to marry her off to a killer, and there is a plot brewing against the old and withdrawn King Orrikan. When Clariel is drawn into the efforts to find and capture the creature, she discovers hidden sorcery within herself, yet it is magic that carries great dangers. Can she rise above the temptation of power, escape the unwanted marriage, and save the King?' (Publication summary)