Cirrus@Austlit

'The old magician paused. "If this young woman is a natural, we should expect her to be more powerful than our average novice, possibly even more powerful than the average magician."

Each year, the magicians of Imardin gather together to purge the city streets of vagrants and miscreants. Masters of the disciplines of magic, they know that no ordinary lowlife can oppose them. But their protective shield is not as imprenetrable as they think. Sonea, angry, frustrated and outraged by the treatment of her family and friends, throws a stone at the shield, putting all her rage behind it. She is amazed when it sails unrestricted through the barrier and knocks a magician unconscious. The Guild's worst fear has been realised. There is an untrained magician loose in Imardin who must be found before her uncontrolled powers can destroy herself and the city.'

Source: Author's website www.trudicanavan.com (Sighted 16/4/10)

'Nicholas Sayre will do anything to get across the Wall. Thoughts of Lirael and Sam haunt his dreams, and he has come to realize that his destiny lies with them, in the Old Kingdom. But here in Ancelstierre, Nick faces an obstacle that is not entirely human, with a strange power that seems to come from Nicholas himself.

With "Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case," Garth Nix continues to explore the magical world of the Abhorsen Trilogy. In additional short stories that range from two widely different takes on the Merlin myth to a gritty urban version of Hansel and Gretel and a heartbreaking story of children and war, Garth Nix displays the range and versatility that has made him one of today's leading writers of fantasy for readers of all ages' (Amazon).

'Still, she dares not ignore the terrifying truths the High Lord would share with her, even though she fears it may be base trickery, a scheme to use her astonishing powers to accomplish his dark aims. For Sonea knows her future is in his hands -- and that only in the shadows will she achieve true greatness . . . if she survives'.

Source: bookseller's website.

'Cool, controlled Devi Greenheart's world is turned upside down when she discovers plans to destroy her beloved grove. Somehow, her boyfriend's power-mongering father is behind it all and, as she and the Circle desperately fight to save their sacred place, Devi becomes entangled in a dangerous web of intrigue and lies. Will she be strong enough to face the truth? Who is the enchanting boy Devi encounters in the forest and can he help her through the terrifying nightmare that sends her running for her life?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A strange hill. A hidden room. A book of spells. A gorgeous guy she cannot trust. When Jess travels to Glastonbury, she learns the secret her mother has been desperate to keep. But it doesn't end there. Someone is using dark magic to kill her grandmother. It is time for Jess to accept the power of the Gift...' (Publication summary)

'Ella sees herself as ugly and overweight, because that is what her shallow step-sisters tell her she is. She spends more and more time in front of the sinister mirror her step-mother gave her, its dark image giving her a distorted image of herself. Cruel teasing by a young guy triggers Ella into episodes of overeating and bulimia, and she becomes dangerously thin. Can Ella's friends in the Circle find a way to help? Or has Ella become so obsessed with her mirror world that she can no longer distinguish her true self from a false reflection?

'PRINCESS is a multi-layered retelling of the classic Cinderella tale of transformation, exploring issues of adolescent self-image, the beauty myth and the power of friendship.'

(Publication summary)

'The bonds of friendship. The possibilities of magic. The power of intuition. First the missing assignment, then the broken angel, and now the accident. Bad luck comes in threes, but Tara never suspected the third thing would be as horrendous as this ... When Troy Daniels, the guy Tara likes from school, is critically injured in a car crash, Tara needs help from her friends in the Circle. While Troy struggles for life, the girls draw on all their magic to try to turn the bad luck around. But when Tara's dreams start to become more real than waking life, she is forced to undertake a dangerous quest in the eerie realm of Gamova. Who is the imprisoned prince? How are Tara's dreams connected to Troy Daniels? And why is she too afraid to share them with the Circle? One thing becomes clear - to save the prince, Tara needs to understand a lot more about Troy's mysterious life ... ' (Publication summary)

'Mike Williams is leading a supposedly carefree life as an overland tour guide in Africa. But just a year ago, the former Australia Army officer had endured the brutal death of his girlfriend at the hands of ivory hunters in Mozambique.

'Now the South African Police are on the murderers' trail and need Mike's help. But he has a truckload of tourists who have no idea what has been asked of him... although one passenger has her suspicions.

'Following a chase through some of Africa's most spectacular locations, Mike gets his shot at revenge... but at what cost?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

"Arthur Penhaligon is supposed to be in bed - After all, it's only twelve hours since he saved the world. But there's no time to rest. Grim Tuesday has laid claim to the Lower House and the First Key, and now his misshapen servants are repossessing Arthur's world and plunging it into financial disaster. To stop them, Arthur must venture back into the House - that surreal, unpredictable realm where he almost met his death.

With companions old and new, Arthur embarks on a heart-stopping adventure that will take him from the dismal Pit of the Far Reaches, all the way to the heart of a sun and back. Racing furiously against time, Arthur must find the second piece of the Will, claim the Second Key, and save both his own world and the House from the destructive greed of Grim Tuesday." (Source: Publisher's website)

'Quiet, easygoing Paul never expected to be cast in the role of saviour, but his strong-willed sister, Julia, needs his help when she falls prey to the Ragwitch and is trapped inside the creature's tortured mind. Drawn inexorably into this dangerous otherworld, Paul battles for Julia's very existence - and his own.'

Source: Publisher's blurb (Allen & Unwin).