Cirrus@Austlit

'In the second book from the Eleanor of Aquitaine Series, as the blind seer from Antioch predicted, Eleanor marries the love of her life, Henry II of England. Passion rules the marriage as alpha male and alpha female compete for dominance. Meanwhile, to drag his war-torn kingdom back from the brink of anarchy, Henry must rely on the resources of the Eleanor’s Aquitaine. Marriage to the beautiful, intelligent Eleanor delivers Henry an empire from Scotland to the Pyrenees. Often, she must act as his regent in England while he tries to dampen dissent from across the Channel. Henry comes to fear that Eleanor is a more successful ruler. Only she can control the nobles of the Aquitaine, and, much to Henry’s jealousy, she tames and enchants the rebellious Welsh king. Over ten years, Eleanor gives birth to nine children. Again, as foretold, many are sons, future competition for Henry’s crown and his affection for their mother, which makes him an ambivalent father. Then there is the ambitious Thomas Becket., who Eleanor suspects is the greatest threat of all to her regal plans... ' (Publication summary) 

In Ireland in 1795, young housemaid Elizabeth is arrested and charged with sedition.  

'On the transport ship, confined to the captain's cabin, Elizabeth must please and obey. As the captain's ship wife, she survives one of the most notorious transportation voyages to New South Wales. Six convicts are flogged to death. This so exceeds the usual brutality of transportation that Governor Hunter convenes a magistrates' court to hear charges against the captain. 

'Shunned by her fellow convicts, scorned by free settlers, and pregnant with the captain's child, Elizabeth must establish a home and a life in the rough town of Sydney.  

'The Ship Wife challenges assumptions about female convict history. It tells the story of a real woman's struggle for dignity and independence in an Empire built on slavery and injustice.' (Publication summary)

'After selling his start-up business, Sam has the kind of money only dreams are made of. Young, and married to the love of his life, it's time for Sam to enjoy his good fortune.

'That is, until Sam's Chief Financial Officer is taken hostage by a ruthless criminal demanding a document in his possession. A brutal murder follows, Sam is the prime suspect, and soon he and his wife, Lauren, are on the run from both the police and a faceless network of conspirators somehow connected to the company that just bought them out.

'In a fight for survival, you need to know who to trust. And when it's no longer the company you work for, and your best friend is dead, who do you turn to?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

(Publication summary)

'Izumi, Ren and little Yoshi are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the famous poet Bashō in their village. It is 17th century Japan and the poet is walking far to the north, writing his now world-famous haiku.

'Libby Hathorn's endearing story describes their encounter with Bashō. Sadami Konchi's sensitive paintings light up the story with a grace and beauty to ably match the text.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Rosie is a little girl with big worries. Today is her sixth birthday, and she is having a party at the space museum with all her friends. She loves everything about space... but she cannot stop worrying about all of the things that might go wrong. What if nobody comes to her party? What if it's too loud? What if it's scary? Her 'worry whisperer' often twists her tummy into knots with questions like this.

'This is the story of how Rosie begins her journey to accept and love her worry whisperer for what it is - a protector that sometimes does its job a little too well. Sometimes, Rosie discovers, she can be brave too.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Not 98. Not 99. Come harvest time, the proud Mr. Macaroni has 100 big, round, juicy watermelons. But tragedy strikes as he attempts to unload them. The forklift topples over and 99 watermelons go tumbling down the alarmingly steep sides of William Street causing sticky chaos and sweet confusion. 99...? That means there's still one watermelon on the loose! Watch out!'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Eleanor of Aquitaine, intelligent and beautiful, her immense wealth desired by kings. was married to monkish Prince Louis of France. Her education was scorned for emulating men, her 'betters'. Eleanor, 12th century feminist fought back, remained true to herself and kept a journal of her thoughts and observations.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Soldier crabs running…
'Pippis wiggling…
'Jellyfish floating…
'Pelicans gliding…

'These are just some of the things you can photograph when you’re out and about during the day.

'What photos of native creatures have you taken lately?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'This is the tale of the critters who reside behind the locked gates of a Botanical Gardens at night. It's the first formal offering from author/illustrator War Of The Real.

'The idea for characters like those in this book was hatched in a Cooktown (Far North Queensland, Australia) public restroom.

'It all came together after the discovery of a permanent marker discarded on the bathroom floor, a fleeting inspiration and an unoccupied moment in an otherwise occupied cubicle.

'From then on, wherever the road led, the artist is always armed with his trusty Sharpie on the trail of bug-eyed oddities, smiling down from where they've been scrawled.

'The mission for War Of The Real is to deliver wackiness to the world, encouraging you to never take anything too seriously, question everything you run into and most of all have fun while you're doing it.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Heard of a hippo with a sore hip? Or a giraffe with a crick in the neck? Or a monkey with nose-pinching halitosis? Who can come to their rescue? The Animal Doctor, of course!

'This book’s rollicking verse and colourful illustrations are guaranteed to delight kids everywhere.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In this moving, literate memoir, Dr Elisabeth Hanscombe retraces and reflects on her experiences as a witness to and victim of sexual abuse by her father

'In a vivid but always objective narrative, Elisabeth shows how this trauma affects the personality, personal relationships and working life of its victims, but her story is one of perseverance and ultimately transcendence, giving hope to those who have suffered abuse.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Lucy's beloved blanket Pinky, made by her grandma, has gone missing! She's desperate to find Pinky, so she looks in all the usual places and then in some more unusual places. Where could her special blanket be? And who will help her find Pinky?' (Publication summary)

'In this compelling book, Harold Hunt OAM charts his life from his childhood during the Great Depression to the present. One of eight children raised by a single Mum in New South Wales bush towns, with only a primary school education, he forged a career as a stockman and shearer, but then graduated as a drunk. His recovery set him on a path to help others experiencing the same horrors he had.'

'Though he never achieved his dream of becoming a boss drover, Harold was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2014 for services to the community. This is a good yarn by an ordinary man at 90 years who has led an extraordinary life – with humour, sorrow and ambition.' (Source: On-line)

'This collection recounts the story of leaving America, where the author was born, and of arriving in Australia, where she did not plan to stay. It is a tale of unsettling and resettling, of leaving as an ongoing process. Each micro-scene is a snapshot of time and place – spanning decades and moments, continents and conversations, wars, dreams and kitchen tables – to capture the psychological and spatial tensions between ‘here’ and ‘there’. Leaving New Jersey is a lyrical re-experiencing of putting down roots and tearing them up, an extraordinary poetic account of an ordinary woman's quest for home.' (Publication summary)