Cirrus@Austlit

'There’s a reason families usually live together — to contain the horror and not inflict it on others. A family holiday is a really, really bad idea! After a super embarrassing situation at school, Jakob decides the only way to escape the ridicule is to leave the country on a family holiday. But with a cheapskate worry-wart for a dad and an obnoxiously loud optimist for a mum, fresh humiliation is around every corner. Even worse, the weirdest girl at school is coming along for the ride and won’t let Jakob out of her sight. Jakob thinks he has hit rock-bottom. Little does he know there is always further to fall in a family holiday disaster!' (Publication summary)

'Heart loves puppies, and chocolate, and rollercoasters, and dancing along to music. Brain likes lists, and broccoli, and safety rails, and wearing sensible clothing. But, most of all, Brain likes always being right.

'A thoughtful and heartwarming story about being true to yourself, by bestselling picture-book creator, Scott Stuart' (Publication summary)

'When a circus trick goes horribly wrong and star magician Merry disappears in front of her daughter, Tulsi, everyone believes Merry’s gone forever. But then 11-year-old Tulsi discovers one tiny, impossible sliver of hope for bringing her mother back: If Tulsi learns enough Big Magic before the next full moon, she just might be able to rescue Merry by travelling to a parallel universe – a world where Tulsi has never been born, and which holds the key to saving their circus.

'There are reasons it's all but impossible: It can take a lifetime to learn Big Magic. Tulsi has never done any magic at all. And the only person who can teach her is her estranged grandmother, Sylvie – a strange, unlikeable woman who was banned for fifteen years from doing Big Magic herself.' (Publication summary)

'Good mums come in many different shapes and species.

'Get set to meet some of Mother Nature's most marvellous mums.

'Philip Bunting celebrates mothers with this laugh-out-loud book that combines his signature humour and glorious illustrations with fascinating facts about the what motherhood looks like across the animal kingdom.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Noni Blake knows she wants more: more adventures, more joy, more romance, more orgasms, more pleasure…more everything. Now she just has to figure out how to get it.

'Noni didn’t expect to be starting over again at the age of thirty-six. But eighteen months after the end of her long-term relationship, she knows it’s time to find out what’s next.

'While an encounter with a sexy blonde firefighter is a welcome entry back into the dating world, Noni soon realises she’s looking for more than just a series of brief—if pleasurable—encounters. She’s looking for more pleasure in, well, everything.

'That’s how she finds herself travelling to Europe to track down the one that got away: the alluring, elusive Molly. But Europe may have other surprises in store…' (Publication summary)

'One family's death-defying act to escape the Nazis and start a new life in Australia.

'Written by award-winning author and journalist Sue Smethurst, whose husband is Mindla and Michael’s grandson, The Freedom Circus is an epic story of courage, hope, humanity, survival and, ultimately, love.

When Sue Smethurst first sat down with her grandmother-in-law and asked how she survived the Holocaust, she was shooed away. By that time Mindla was in a Melbourne Jewish nursing home with other survivors, her body ageing but mind still razor sharp.

''Vhy do you vant to know?' she’d ask. 'My story is nothing special.'

'As death began approaching Sue became a little more pushy. She knew Mindla’s life had to be recorded and they were running out of time. Each week she’d bring cake from her favourite shop in St Kilda, a bottle of the brightest nail polish she could find, a handful of old pictures and her tape recorder. They’d chat and paint Mindla’s nails, and with each ‘chat’ her story unfolded. It was beyond anything Sue could have imagined.

'The tale of how Mindla and her husband Michael Horowitz, a circus performer for the famous Staniewski Brothers, escaped from Poland with their son and embarked on a terrifying journey across Russia, is nothing short of extraordinary.' (Publication summary)

'What do you get when you cross a painfully awkward boy, some lofty comedic ambition and a dead best friend? Answer- Norman Foreman.

'Norman and Jax are a legendary comedy duo in the making, with a five-year plan to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe by the time they're fifteen. But then Jax dies before they even turn twelve.

'Norman's mum Sadie knows she won't win Mother of the Year anytime soon, and she really doesn't know, or care, who Norman's father is. But her heart is broken when she discovers her grieving son's revised plan- 'Find Dad' and 'Get to the Edinburgh Fringe'.

'If meeting his dad and performing at the Festival are the two things that will help Norman through this devastating time, then Sadie is going to make them happen.

'So mother and son set off from Cornwall, with their friend Leonard in his vintage Austin Maxi, on a pilgrimage to Edinburgh - to honour Jax and to track down a few maybe-fathers on the way . . .' (Publication summary)

'In 1982, two teenagers — serial killer survivor Emma Lewis and US Marshal candidate Travis Bell — are recruited by the FBI to interview convicted juvenile killers and provide insight and advice on cold cases. From the start, Emma and Travis develop a quick friendship, gaining information from juvenile murderers that even the FBI can’t crack. But when the team is called in to give advice on an active case — a serial killer who exclusively hunts teenagers — things begin to unravel. Working against the clock, they must turn to one of the country’s most notorious incarcerated murderers for help: teenage sociopath Simon Gutmunsson.

'Despite Travis’s objections, Emma becomes the conduit between Simon and the FBI team. But while Simon seems to be giving them the information they need to save lives, he’s an expert manipulator playing a very long game…and he has his sights set on Emma.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'An entertaining and enlightening look at how to wallop waste and reduce rubbish from renowned picture book creator Philip Bunting.' (Publication summary)

'England, 1939 Talented pilot Skye Penrose joins the British war effort where she encounters her estranged sister, Liberty, and childhood soulmate Nicholas Crawford, now engaged to enigmatic Frenchwoman Margaux Jourdan.

'Paris, 1947 Designer Christian Dior unveils his extravagant first collection to a world weary of war and grief. He names his debut fragrance, Miss Dior, in tribute to his sister, Catherine, who worked for the French Resistance.

'Present day Australian fashion conservator Kat Jourdan discovers a secret wardrobe filled with priceless Dior gowns in her grandmother's vacant cottage. As she delves into the mystery, Kat begins to doubt everything she thought she knew about her beloved grandmother.

'An unspeakable betrayal will entwine all of their fates.

'The Paris Secret is an unforgettable story about the lengths people go to protect one another, and a love that, despite everything, lasts a lifetime.' (Publication summary)

'It's the summer of 1982. The Man from Snowy River is a box office hit and Paul Hogan is on the TV.

'In a seaside suburb of NSW, housewife Theresa Howard takes up swimming. She wants to get fit; she also wants a few precious minutes to herself. So at sunrise each day she strikes out past the waves.

'From the same beach, the widowed Marie swims. With her husband gone, bathing is the one constant in her new life.

'After finding herself in a desperate situation, 26-year-old Leanne only has herself to rely on. She became a nurse to help others, even as she resists help herself.

'Elaine has recently moved from England. Far from home without her adult sons, her closest friend is a gin bottle.

'In the waters of Shelly Bay, these four women find each other. They will survive shark sightings, bluebottle stings and heartbreak; they will laugh so hard they swallow water, and they will plunge their tears into the ocean's salt. They will find solace and companionship in their friendship circle, and learn that love takes many forms.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'An elephant?’ Arthur gasped. ‘In your house? But... is it real?’

'Olive leaned a little closer and lowered her voice. 

'‘Well, that's the thing...’

'Olive’s father has a sadness so big that she imagines it as a large grey elephant following him around. With the help of her cheery grandfather and her best friend, Arthur, Olive sets out to chase away her father’s elephant.

'Beautifully written, this novel from acclaimed author and illustrator Peter Carnavas will stay with you long after you finish.' (Publication summary)

'Zoe Wylde is a woman at a crossroad. Five years ago, she fled her successful career as a concert harpist in London to return to her Bondi home. She still plays, but now her audience is on the way out ... literally. It's complicated and complication is something Zoe understands well. Her best friend is chasing a new love, her brother's chasing too much love and her father has been married far too many times. Compared to them she thought she was doing okay. She's met the guy she is sure is the ONE. He wooed her and has been sleeping with her for almost five years. It would all be perfect ... if he wasn't married.

'Zoe is learning that hearts, like harps, are capable of beautiful music if treated the right way and can be tricky to manoeuvre. She's over the old tune. But does Zoe have the courage to rewrite the song of her own life?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In 1978 the Northern Territory has begun to self-govern. Cyclone Tracy is a recent memory and telephones not yet a fixture on the cattle stations dominating the rugged outback. Life is hard and people are isolated. But they find ways to connect.

'Sybil is the matriarch of Fairvale Station, run by her husband, Joe. Their eldest son, Lachlan, was Joe's designated successor but he has left the Territory - for good. It is up to their second son, Ben, to take his brother's place. But that doesn't stop Sybil grieving the absence of her child.

'With her oldest friend, Rita, now living in Alice Springs and working for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and Ben's English wife, Kate, finding it difficult to adjust to life at Fairvale, Sybil comes up with a way to give them all companionship and purpose: they all love to read, and she forms a book club.

'Mother-of-three Sallyanne is invited to join them. Sallyanne dreams of a life far removed from the dusty town of Katherine where she lives with her difficult husband, Mick.

'Completing the group is Della, who left Texas for Australia looking for adventure and work on the land.

'If you loved THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, THE LITTLE COFFEE SHOP OF KABUL and THE THORN BIRDS you will devour this story of five different women united by one need: to overcome the vast distances of Australia's Top End with friendship, tears, laughter, books and love.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A long-forgotten secret, a scandalous attraction - the captivating new novel from Kimberley Freeman.

'1926: Violet Armstrong is one of the few remaining members of staff working at the grand Evergreen Spa Hotel as it closes down over winter. Only a handful of guests are left, including the heir to a rich grazing family, his sister and her suave suitor. When a snowstorm moves in, the hotel is cut off and they are all trapped. No one could have predicted what would unfold. When the storm clears they must all keep the devastating secrets hidden.

'2014: After years of putting her sick brother's needs before her own, Lauren Beck leaves her home and takes a job at a Blue Mountains cafe, the first stage of the Evergreen Spa Hotel's renovations. There she meets Tomas, the Danish architect who is overseeing the project, and an attraction begins to grow. In a wing of the old hotel, Lauren finds a series of passionate love letters dated back to 1926, alluding to an affair - and a shocking secret.

'If she can unravel this long-ago mystery, will it make Lauren brave enough to take a risk and change everything in her own life?

'Inspired by elements of her grandmother's life, a rich and satisfying tale of intrigue, heartbreak and love from the author of the bestselling Lighthouse Bay and Wildflower Hill.' (Publication summary)

'From nineteenth-century England to present-day Australia - a riveting story of secrets and scandal.

'1891: Orphaned as a small child, Tilly Kirkland found a loving, safe home with her grandfather in Dorset. But nineteenth-century England is an unforgiving place for a young woman with limited means and as her grandfather's health fails, it seems perfect timing that she meets Jasper Dellafore. Yet her new husband is not all he seems. Alone in the Channel Islands, Tilly finds her dream of a loving marriage is turning into a nightmare.

'2012: Bestselling novelist Nina Jones is struggling with writer's block and her disappointing personal life. Nothing is quite working. After a storm damages Starwater, her house on Ember Island, she decides to stay for a while and oversee the repairs: it s a perfect excuse to leave her problems behind her on the mainland. Then Nina discovers diary pages hidden in the walls of the old home. And a mystery unravels that she is determined to solve.

'Though the two women are separated by years, Starwater House will alter the course of both their lives. Nina will find that secrets never stay buried and Tilly learns that what matters most is trusting your heart. '

'The Fiancee
Belinda's life is in free-fall after the sudden death of her fiancé Andy. But then ghostly signs begin to appear which suggest he might not really be gone. And Belinda begins to tumble even further. Will his final parting gift be enough to save her?

'The Mother
Evelyn McGavin, Andy's mum, is also struggling. She copes with her sorrow by shoplifting (once), hating Belinda (constantly) and jumping out of a plane. In her skydiving instructor, Baz, she finds an unexpected friend. But why is he so agitated when he hears how Andy died?

'Two women, united in their loss, separated by their grief. And yet still linked in a most unexpected way ...' (From the publisher's website.)

'Bindy is the smartest girl at Ashbury High. She ranks in the 99.9th percentile in everything she does (including extra-curricular activities - she is casual Employee of the Month every month at Kmart). She is also the kindest girl at Ashbury High. For example:

'Before each school year begins, she memorises departmental outlines of her subjects. That way, she can gently prompt those teachers who forget or stray from the course.

'She reads up on common teen anxieties, and offers lunch-time advisory sessions in a relaxed, convivial setting (the locker room).

'But Bindy suspects that something may be missing - something more than the 0.1 she needs to make the 100th percentile. And, on the first day of Year 11, at the first session of the FAD (Friendship and Development) Project, her worst suspicions are confirmed. Nobody likes her. So Bindy makes a decision. Enough of this compassionate Bindy; she has been wasting her time. The real and ruthless Bindy is about to emerge.'

(Pan Macmillan website)