Staff holiday reading list 2020 compiled by Pat Pledger from suggestions from members of the OZTL_NET listserv.

The Trouble with Peace by Joe Abercrombie. Book Two. Savine dan Glokta, once Adua’s most powerful investor, finds her judgement, fortune and reputation in tatters. But she still has all her ambitions, and no scruple will be permitted to stand in her way. Anne Weaver.

Amnesty by Aravind Adiga. Danny is confronted with a choice: come forward with his knowledge about the crime and risk being deported, or say nothing, and let justice go undone? Illegal immigrant, moral issue particularly relevant to recent situation with Adelaide lockdown. Helen Eddy.

A Bookshop in Algiers by Kaouther Adimi. A Bookshop in Algiers celebrates quixotic devotion and the love of books in the person of Edmond Charlot, who at the age of twenty founded Les Vraies Richesses (Our True Wealth), the famous Algerian bookstore/publishing house/lending library. Anne Weaver.

Leave the world behind by Rumaan Alam. A magnetic novel about two families, strangers to each other, who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrong (Ethics, dystopia). Helen Eddy.

Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews (urban fantasy). On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Tehani Croft, Pat Pledger.

The Birdman’s Wife by Melissa Ashley. Melissa Ashley really likes birds. That’s why she has filled her novel with the earthly remains of hundreds of birds, courtesy of taxidermist John Gould, husband of Elizabeth Gould, the protagonist in her novel. Jenny Watts.

Dreams they forgot by Emma Ashmere. Emma Ashmere's stories explore illusion, deception and acts of quiet rebellion. Diverse characters travel high and low roads through time and place - from a grand 1860s Adelaide music hall to a dilapidated London squat, from a modern Melbourne hospital to the 1950s Maralinga test site, to the 1990s diamond mines of Borneo. Helen Eddy.

Future Girl by Asphyxia. An interesting, fictionalised insight to life as a deaf teenager. Beautiful illustrations, thought-provoking content set in the near future. Another #ownstory written by Deaf writer, artist and activist, Asphyxia (author of the Grimstones series). Linda Weeks.

The Handmaid's Tale Graphic Novel Adaptation by Margaret Atwood, Renée Nault (Illustrator). The artwork is fabulous. Jenny Watts.

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. Margaret Atwood’s sequel picks up the story 15 years after Offred stepped into the unknown, with the explosive testaments of three female narrators from Gilead. (Publisher) Recommended by Jenny Watts.

The Dark Lake by Sarah Bailey. A beautiful young teacher has been murdered, her body found in the lake, strewn with red roses. Local policewoman Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock pushes to be assigned to the case, concealing the fact that she knew the murdered woman in high school years before. Cherie Allan, Pat Pledger.

The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister. Emmeline lives an enchanted childhood on a remote island with her father, who teaches her about the natural world through her senses. What he won’t explain are the mysterious scents stored in the drawers that line the walls of their cabin, or the origin of the machine that creates them. Cherie Allan.

The End of the World is Bigger than Love by Davina Bell. YA. Twins Summer and Winter live alone on a remote island, sheltered from a destroyed world. Until a man arrives who will reshape their lives. Trish Buckley.

Field of Poppies by Carmel Bird. Another dark and humourous masterpiece from Carmel Bird. The symbolic anchor for this tale is a copy of Monet’s famous painting. Rural Muckleton holds its own dark secrets from the past – violence, murder and mystery, and they don’t improve with the passing years. Even the almost unnoticeable figures in the painting may be harbouring less than innocent intents. Jenny Watts.

Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner. Finally free from his nightmare marriage, Toby Fleishman is ready for a life of online dating and weekend-only parental duties. But as he optimistically looks to a future that is wildly different from the one he imagined, his life turns upside- down as his ex-wife, Rachel, suddenly disappears. Kara Bystrom.

The Penric and Desdemona series by Lois McMaster Bujold (fantasy novellas by the author of my favourite SF series, The Vorkosigan Saga) Feature Temple sorcerer Penric and his resident demon Desdemona. Tehani Croft, Pat Pledger.

Book of Colours by Robyn Cadwallader. In a small shop in Paternoster Row, three people are drawn together around the creation of a magnificent book, an illuminated manuscript of prayers, a book of hours. Even though the commission seems to answer the aspirations of each one of them, their own desires and ambitions threaten its completion. Cherie Allan.

Gulliver’s wife by Lauren Chater. London, 1702. When her husband is lost at sea, Mary Burton Gulliver, midwife and herbalist, is forced to rebuild her life without him. But three years later when Lemuel Gulliver is brought home, fevered and communicating only in riddles, her ordered world is turned upside down. Helen Eddy.

Sorcerer Royal series by Zen Cho (alternate/magic realism historical fantasy). In Regency London, Zacharias Wythe is England's first African Sorcerer Royal. He leads the eminent Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers, but a malicious faction seeks to remove him by fair means or foul. Tehani Croft, Pat Pledger.

The Woods by Harlan Coben. Paul Copeland's sister went missing twenty years ago. Now raising a daughter alone, Cope balances family life with a career as a prosecutor. But when a homicide victim is found with evidence linking him to Cope, the well-buried secrets of the past are threatening everything. Debra McGhee, Pat Pledger.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins. Hunger Games. It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. Anne Weaver.

The Last Mrs Parrish by Liv Constantine. How far would you go to make all your dreams come true? Audio book. Mary Davidson.

Puppet show by C.W. Craven. CWA Gold Dagger 2020. serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District's prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless. When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of. Pat Pledger.

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins. This is about a Mexican woman named Lydia, her son Luca and everything they sacrifice to survive the cartel that murdered their family and make it to the United States. Mary Davidson, Debra McGhee, Deborah Brown.

The lost love song by Minnie Darke. In Australia, Arie Johnson waits impatiently for classical pianist Diana Clare to return from a world tour, hopeful that after seven years together she’ll finally agree to marry him. On her travels, Diana composes a song for Arie. It’s the perfect way to express her love, knowing they’ll spend their lives together . . . Won’t they? Jen Johnson.

The mission house by Carys Davies. Fleeing the dark undercurrents of contemporary life in Britain, Hilary Byrd takes refuge in Ooty, a hill station in South India. There he finds solace in life's simple pleasures, travelling by rickshaw around the small town with his driver Jamshed and staying in a mission house beside the local presbytery where the Padre and his adoptive daughter Priscilla have taken Hilary under their wing. (Anxiety, depression) Helen Eddy. All Our Shimmering Skies by Trent Dalton. Darwin, 1942, and as Japanese bombs rain down, motherless Molly Hook, the gravedigger’s daughter, turns once again to the sky for guidance. She carries a stone heart inside a duffel bag next to the map that leads to Longcoat Bob, the deep-country sorcerer who put a curse on her family. Anne Weaver, Debra McGhee.

The sea and us by Catherine de Saint Phalle. After many years spent living in Seoul, a young man called Harold drifts back to Australia and rents a room above a fish and chip shop called The Sea and Us. Who he meets and what he experiences there propels him to question his own yearnings and failings, and to fight for meaning and a sense of place that can only be reached by facing what is lost. (Friendship, abuse) Helen Eddy.

Consolation by Garry Disher. Book 3 in series about Constable Paul Hirschhausen. A man enraged about the principal's treatment of his daughter. A little girl in harm's way and an elderly woman in danger. An absent father who isn't where he's supposed to be; another who flees to the back country armed with a rifle. Families under pressure. And the cold, seeping feeling that something is very, very wrong. Pat Pledger.

Rebuilding Tomorrow edited by Tsana Dolichva - follow up to Defying Doomsday, disabled and chronically ill protagonists build new worlds from the remains of the old. (Australian publisher, SF short stories) Tehani Croft.

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo. Twelve very different people, mostly black and female, more than a hundred years of change, and one sweeping, vibrant, glorious portrait of contemporary Britain. Bernardine Evaristo presents a gloriously new kind of history for this old country: ever- dynamic, ever-expanding and utterly irresistible. Cherie Allan, Kara Bystrom.

The Yield by Tara June Finch. A young Australian woman searches for her grandfather's dictionary, the key to halting a mining company from destroying her family's home and ancestral land in this exquisitely written, heartbreaking, yet hopeful novel of culture, language, tradition, suffering, and empowerment. Cherie Allan, Anne Weaver.

The Lying Room by Nicci French. Neve Connolly looks down at a murdered man. She doesn't call the police. 'You know, it's funny,' Detective Inspector Hitching said. 'Whoever I see, they keep saying, talk to Neve Connolly, she'll know. She's the one people talk to, she's the one people confide in.' Cherie Allan.

A room made of leaves by Kate Grenville. What if Elizabeth Macarthur-wife of the notorious John Macarthur, wool baron in the earliest days of Sydney-had written a shockingly frank secret memoir? And what if novelist Kate Grenville had miraculously found and published it? Helen Eddy, Deborah Brown.

The Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths. Features Dr Ruth Galloway, forensic archaeologist and DCI Harry Nelson (trashy crime series but ridiculously hard to put down) Tehani Croft, Pat Pledger.

The other Bennet sister by Janice Hadlow. In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Mary is the middle of the five Bennet girls and the plainest of them all, so what hope does she have? Prim and pious, with no redeeming features, she is unloved and seemingly unlovable. The Other Bennet Sister, though, shows another side to Mary. Helen Eddy.

The Year of the Farmer by Rosalie Ham. The story is a familiar one in irrigation country – a five year- long drought, and farmers are battling the Water Authority in a bid to bag enough of an allocation to irrigate their crops. In town, businesses are suffering and money is short. Rowdy public meetings are held in Neralie’s pub, and the crowd is aggressive toward the water reps and each other. No holds barred. It would seem there are no secrets here – or are there? Jenny Watts.

The Survivors by Jane Harper. When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away. Katharine York, Anne Weaver, Pat Pledger, Deborah Brown.

Wink by Rob Harrell. Ross Maloy just wants to fit in. But after he is diagnosed with a rare eye cancer in Year Seven, he suddenly becomes the 'cancer kid' of his school. Now he has to deal with weird hats, a squinty eye and - hardest of all - disappearing friends, social media bullies, and the threat of losing his eyesight ... or worse. Dianne Wolfenden.

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes. The devastating consequences of the Trojan War stretch from Mount Olympus to Mount Ida, from the citadel of Troy to the distant Greek islands, and across oceans and sky in between. These are the stories of the women embroiled in that legendary war and its terrible aftermath, as well as the feud and the fatal decisions that started it all. Kara Bystrom.

The Southern Book Club's guide to Vampire Slaying by Grady Hendrix. Southern-flavored supernatural thriller set in the '90s about a women's book club that must protect its suburban community from a mysterious and handsome stranger who turns out to be a real monster. Audio book. Mary Davidson.

The History of Mischief by Rebecca Higgie. Following the death of their parents, Jessie and her older sister Kay move to their grandmother’s abandoned house. One night they discover The History of Mischief hidden beneath the floor: it is like no book they have ever seen. Trish Buckley.

Snow by Gina Inverarity (mature-ish fairy tale retelling by NZ author) Locked in a cell by her stepmother, Snow grows small but she still grows. The night the hunter takes her into the forest with orders to cut out her heart, Snow makes him a promise she isn't sure she can keep. Tehani Croft.

Sisters by Daisy Johnson. After a serious case of school bullying becomes too much to bear, sisters July and September move across the country with their mother to a long-abandoned family home. In their new and unsettling surroundings, July finds that the deep bond she has always had with September is starting to change in ways she cannot entirely understand. Debra McGhee.

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi. Escaping an abusive arranged marriage, Lakshmi's talents in henna and healing give her access to the upper-class ladies in Jaipur. But is she really free to live the life she desires? #ownstory. Linda Weeks.

Elementals trilogy by Amie Kaufman. Everyone in Vallen knows that ice wolves and scorch dragons are sworn enemies who live deeply separate lives. So when twelve-year-old orphan Anders takes one elemental form and his twin sister, Rayna, takes another, he wonders whether they are even related. (middle grade fantasy, Aussie author) Tehani Croft.

Grown Ups by Marian Keyes. They're a glamorous family, the Caseys. Johnny Casey, his two brothers Ed and Liam, their beautiful, talented wives and all their kids spend a lot of time together - birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, weekends away. While some people clash, other people like each other far too much. Debra McGhee.

Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kid. Raised in a wealthy family with ties to the ruler of Galilee, Anna is rebellious and ambitious, with a brilliant mind and a daring spirit. She is expected to marry an older widower, a prospect that horrifies her. An encounter with eighteen-year-old Jesus changes everything. Cherie Allan.

The Lady Astronaut trilogy by Mary Robinette Kowal. A meteor decimates the U.S. government and paves the way for a climate cataclysm that will eventually render the earth inhospitable to humanity. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated timeline in the earth’s efforts to colonize space, as well as an unprecedented opportunity for a much larger share of humanity to take part. (alternate history, space flight, SF) Tehani Croft, Pat Pledger.

Almost a mirror by Kirsten Krauth. Like fireflies to the light, Mona, Benny and Jimmy are drawn into the elegantly wasted orbit of the Crystal Ballroom and the post-punk scene of 80s Melbourne, a world that includes Nick Cave and Dodge, a photographer pushing his art to the edge. (Sexual abuse, music, art) Helen Eddy.

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour. Eighteen-year-old Mila has been in the foster system since her mother abandoned her. Now that she's graduating high school she has nothing to do and nowhere to call home. When she gets an offer to work as an intern on the Farm she readily accepts. Trish Buckley, Pat Pledger.

Butterfly yellow by Thanhha Lai. Hang doesn't believe in adventures. There are steps that must be done, and once done, another step awaits. The last step, after six years of minute planning by her grandmother, is a bus ride away. In A-ma-ri-lo her baby brother has to be waiting. In her imaginings, he is always waiting. (Refugees, Vietnam war) Helen Eddy.

The Sawkill Girls by Clare Legrand. A breathtaking and spine-tingling novel about three teenage girls who face off against an insidious monster that preys upon young women. Audio book. Mary Davidson.

HRT Husband Replacement Therapy by Kathy Lette. Ruby has always been the generous mediator among her friends, family and colleagues, which is why they have all turned up to celebrate her 50th birthday. But after a few too many glasses of champers, Ruby’s speech doesn’t exactly go to plan. Instead of delivering the witty and warm words her guests are expecting, Ruby takes her moment in the spotlight to reveal what she really thinks of every one of them. She also accuses her husband, Harry, of having an affair. Anne Weaver.

Again Again by E Lockhart. After a near-fatal family catastrophe and an unexpected romantic upheaval, Adelaide Buchwald finds herself catapulted into a summer of wild possibility, during which she will fall in and out of love a thousand times - while finally confronting the secrets she keeps, her ideas about love, and the weird grandiosity of the human mind. Mary Davidson.

Too much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko. A dark and funny new novel from the multi-award-winning author of Mullumbimby. Too much lip, her old problem from way back. And the older she got, the harder it seemed to get to swallow her opinions. Cherie Allan, Debra McGhee.

The mountains sing by Nguyen Phan Que Mai. Vivid, gripping, and steeped in the language and traditions of Viêt Nam, the story weaves between the lives of grandmother and granddaughter to paint a unique picture of the country's turbulent twentieth-century history. This is the story of a people pushed to breaking point, and a family who refuse to give in. (Vietnam war) Helen Eddy.

None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney. Interviewing convicted juvenile killers for the FBI leads Emma Lewis and Travis Bell on the hunt for a serial murderer who targets teenagers. Trish Buckley, Pat Pledger.

Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier. Warrior bards book 2. The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is devastated when her comrade Dau is injured and loses his sight in their final display bout. Blamed by Dau’s family for the accident, she agrees to go to Dau’s home as a bond servant for the span of one year. Pat Pledger.

Monstrous Heart by Claire McKenna (Gothic dark fantasy, Aussie author) Arden Beacon arrives in the salt-swept port of Vigil with a job to do. Tasked with using the magic in her blood to keep the lighthouse burning, she needs to prove herself worthy of her family name and her ancestors' profession. Tehani Croft.

The Pearl Thief by Fiona McIntosh. Severine Kassel is asked by the Louvre in 1963 to aid the British Museum with curating its antique jewellery, her specialty. Her London colleagues find her distant and mysterious, her cool beauty the topic of conversations around its quiet halls. No one could imagine that she is a desperately damaged woman, hiding her trauma behind her chic, French image. Debra McGhee.

The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan. Cormac Reilly : Book 3. Police corruption, an investigation that ends in tragedy and the mystery of a little girl's silence - three unconnected events that will prove to be linked by one small town. Debra McGhee, Pat Pledger.

Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer. Twilight Companion Novel. When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella's side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward's version in the long-awaited companion novel. Anne Weaver.

Circe by Madeline Miller. Circe is the daughter of Helios, the sun god, and Perse, a beautiful naiad. Yet from the moment of her birth, she is an outsider in her father's halls, where the laughter of gossiping gods resounds. Named after a hawk for her yellow eyes and strange voice, she is mocked by her siblings – until her beloved brother Aeëtes is born. Kara Bystrom.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a strange book hidden in the library stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Anne Weaver, Debra McGhee.

Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris. The sequel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz. In 1942 Cilka is just sixteen years old when she is taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp. The Commandant at Birkenau, Schwarzhuber, notices her long beautiful hair, and forces her separation from the other women prisoners. Cilka learns quickly that power, even unwillingly given, equals survival. Anne Weaver.

The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton. In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor on the banks of the Upper Thames. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe's life is in ruins. Cherie Allan.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. On the eve of the First World War, a little girl is found abandoned after a gruelling ocean voyage from England to Australia. All she can remember of the journey is that a mysterious woman she calls the Authoress had promised to look after her. But the Authoress has vanished without a trace. Cherie Allan.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (NZ author, absolutely bonkers horror/dark fantasy/SF - yes, it's weird but it's also excellent) Tehani Croft.

The Trespassers by Meg Mundell. Fleeing their pandemic-stricken homelands, a shipload of migrant workers departs the UK, dreaming of a fresh start in prosperous Australia. For nine-year-old Cleary Sullivan, deaf for three years, the journey promises adventure and new friendships; for Glaswegian songstress Billie Galloway, it’s a chance to put a shameful mistake firmly behind her; while impoverished English schoolteacher Tom Garnett hopes to set his future on a brighter path. Kara Bystrom.

The single ladies of the Jacaranda Retirement Village by Joanna Nell. Peggy Smart’s next birthday will be her 80th. She is content with her widow’s hum-drum life in the retirement village- a beige life in every aspect, and doesn’t want to think about the consequences of advancing years. One day, a ghost from her past appears and Peggy is not impressed. Jenny Watts.

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix. Eighteen-year-old art student Susan Arkshaw arrives in London in search of her father. But before she can question crime boss Frank Thringley he's turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin. Trish Buckley, Pat Pledger.

Little fires everywhere by Celeste Ng. Everyone in Shaker Heights was talking about it that summer: how Isabelle, the last of the Richardson children, had finally gone around the bend and burned the house down. Mary Davidson.

A Deadly Education Lesson 1 of the Scholomance by Naomi Novik. The bestselling author of Uprooted and Spinning Silver introduces you to a dangerous school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death - until one girl begins to rewrite its rules. Pat Pledger.

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. Winner of the 2020 Women's Prize for Fiction. Hamnet reveals for the first time in fiction the story of heartbreaking loss which inspired Shakespeare's most celebrated play. Anne Weaver, Linda Weeks.

Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill. They used to send each other letters. The return address was always the same: Dept. of Speculation.They used to be young, brave, and giddy with hopes for their future. They got married, had a child, and skated through all the small calamities of family life. But then, slowly, quietly something changes. Kara Bystrom.

The Library Book by Susan Orlean. The bestselling author of The Orchid Thief reopens the unsolved mystery of one of the most catastrophic library fires in history and delivers a dazzling love letter to a beloved institution - our libraries. Cherie Allan.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. (Publisher) Dianne Wolfenden, Deborah Brown.

The Bluffs by Kyle Perry. When a school group of teenage girls goes missing in the remote wilderness of Tasmania’s Great Western Tiers, the people of Limestone Creek are immediately on alert. Three decades ago, five young girls disappeared in the area of those dangerous bluffs, and the legend of ‘the Hungry Man’ still haunts locals to this day. Leanne Weeks.

The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Piccoult. Dawn Edelstein knows everything there is to know about dying. She specialises in helping her clients make peace with the end of their lives. But as she's flying home from her latest case, she is forced to confront her own mortality. Debra McGhee.

Leaving Time by Jodie Picoult. Alice Metcalf was a devoted mother, loving wife and accomplished scientist who studied grief among elephants. Yet it's been a decade since she disappeared under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind her small daughter, husband, and the animals to which she devoted her life. All signs point to abandonment - or worse. Dianne Wolfenden.

Son of the Hittites by Kylie Quillinan. The Amarna Age. Mourning Thrax's death, Ankhesenamun tries to find peace again. But as she resumes her normal life, her world is upended by another death - - this time, that of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Follows Queen of Egypt. Anne Weaver.

The Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn (Regency romance, Netflix show by Shonda Rhimes coming in December!) Tehani Croft, Pat Pledger.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn. On the icy edge of Soviet Russia, bold and reckless Nina Markova joins the infamous Night Witches – an all-female bomber regiment. But when she is downed behind enemy lines, Nina must use all her wits to survive her encounter with a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress. Audio version. Mary Davidson.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid. When Emira is apprehended at a supermarket for 'kidnapping' the white child she's actually babysitting, it sets off an explosive chain of events. Her employer Alix, a feminist blogger with a 'personal brand' and the best of intentions, resolves to make things right. Kara Bystrom, Deborah Brown.

Daisy Jones and the six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. A thrilling story told in the form of an extended oral history, Daisy Jones and the Six transports the reader to the world of '70's rock 'n roll; creative chaos, musical alchemy and an iconic sound. Mary Davidson.

The two lost mountains by Matthew Reilly. A Jack West Jr Novel 6. Against all the odds, Jack West Jr found the Three Secret Cities but at a heartbreaking cost. His beloved daughter Lily, it appeared, was slaughtered by Sphinx in a cruel ancient ritual. Debra McGhee.

The Glad Shout by Alice Robinson. After a catastrophic storm destroys Melbourne, Isobel flees to higher ground with her husband and young daughter. Food and supplies run low, panic sets in and still no help arrives. To protect her daughter, Isobel must take drastic action. Kara Bystrom.

The Great Godden by Meg Rosoff. In a holiday house by the sea, in a big, messy family, one teenager watches as brothers and sisters, parents and older cousins fill hot days with wine and games and planning a wedding. Enter the Goddens, irresistible, charming, languidly sexy Kit and surly, silent Hugo. Suddenly there's a serpent in this paradise, and the consequences will be devastating. Mary Davidson, Pat Pledger, Deborah Brown.

The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel. Vincent is a bartender at the Hotel Caiette, a five-star glass and cedar palace on an island in British Columbia. Jonathan Alkaitis works in finance and owns the hotel. When he passes Vincent his card with a tip, it’s the beginning of their life together. (Goodreads) Anne Weaver, Deborah Brown.

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie. Winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction 2018. Isma is free. After years spent raising her twin siblings in the wake of their mother's death, she is finally studying in America, resuming a dream long deferred. But she can't stop worrying about Aneeka, her beautiful, headstrong sister back in London - or their brother, Parvaiz, who's disappeared in pursuit of his own dream: to prove himself to the dark legacy of the jihadist father he never knew. Anne Weaver.

Honeybee by Craig Silvey. Late in the night, fourteen-year-old Sam Watson steps onto a quiet overpass, climbs over the rail and looks down at the road far below. At the other end of the same bridge, an old man, Vic, smokes his last cigarette. The two see each other across the void. A fateful connection is made, and an unlikely friendship blooms. Debra McGhee, Deborah Brown.

Song of the crocodile by Nardi Simpson. Darnmoor is the home of the Billymil family, three generations who have lived in this 'gateway town'. Race relations between Indigenous and settler families are fraught, though the rigid status quo is upheld through threats and soft power rather than the overt violence of yesteryear. (Aboriginal culture, racism) Helen Eddy.

Wolfe Island by Lucy Treloar. For years Kitty Hawke has lived alone on Wolfe Island, witness to the island’s erosion and clinging to the ghosts of her past. Her work as a sculptor and her wolfdog Girl are enough. News of mainland turmoil is as distant as myth until refugees from that world arrive: her granddaughter Cat, and Luis and Alejandra, a brother and sister escaping persecution. Cherie Allan, Mary Davidson.

Cedar Valley by Holly Throsby. 'Stunning ... a distinctly Australian coming-of-age story ... balancing carefully evoked dread with genuine warmth, it's an assured and singular debut.' The Big Issue. Cherie Allan.

Ice Cold Heart by PJ Tracy. It's a bitter winter in Minnesota—too cold to kill. There hasn't been a murder for a month, but the lull quickly comes to an end for Detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth, when they're called to the gruesome homicide of Kelly Ramage. Found in a friend's vacant house, this was no random attack, and clues reveal that she was living a very dangerous secret life. Cherie Allan.

Murderbot series by Martha Wells. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied 'droid - a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as "Murderbot." (SF novella series & latest book is a novel) Tehani Croft, Pat Pledger.

The Best Kind of Beautiful by Frances Whiting. Florence Saint Claire is a loner. Albert Flowers is a social butterfly. Good friends who think they know each other. But, somewhere between who they are, and who people think they are, lies The Best Kind of Beautiful. Anne Weaver.

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. Esme is born into a world of words … she spends her childhood in the 'Scriptorium', a garden shed in Oxford where her father and a team of dedicated lexicographers are collecting words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. One day a slip of paper containing the word 'bondmaid' flutters to the floor and she begins to collect other words from the Scriptorium that are misplaced, discarded or have been neglected by the dictionary men. Cherie Allan, Anne Weaver. The J.M Barrie Ladies Swimming Society by Barbara J Zitwer. I’m a soft touch for a curious title, especially one that includes the name of an iconic writer. There is something appealing in this piece of classic chick-lit and its array of idiosyncratic characters. Jenny Watts.

Paper bark tree mystery by Ovidia Yu. 1936 in the Crown Colony of Singapore, and the British abdication crisis and rising Japanese threat seem very far away. When the Irish nanny looking after Acting Governor Palin's daughter dies suddenly - and in mysterious circumstances - mission school- educated local girl SuLin - an aspiring journalist trying to escape an arranged marriage - is invited to take her place. Pat Pledger. Non Fiction

Untamed : Stop Pleasing, Start Living by Glennon Doyle. Untamed explores the joy and peace we discover when we stop striving to meet the expectations of the world, and instead dare to listen to and trust in the voice deep inside us. Marie Miegel.

Know your place by Golriz Gharaman. When she was just nine, Golriz Ghahraman and her parents were forced to flee their home in Iran. After a terrifying and uncertain journey, they landed in Auckland where they were able to seek asylum and - ultimately - create a new life. (biography, refugee) Helen Eddy.

The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku. Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed in November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp. Debbie Berger, Linda Weeks.

Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon. An historical novel based on the amazing life of Nancy Wake. A thrilling and courageous story of espionage, resistance and love during World War II. Karen Malbon.

Year of living Danishly by Helen Russell. When she was suddenly given the opportunity of a new life in rural Jutland, journalist and archetypal Londoner Helen Russell discovered a startling statistic: the happiest place on earth isn't Disneyland, but Denmark, a land often thought of by foreigners as consisting entirely of long dark winters, cured herring, Lego and pastries. What is the secret to their success? Are happy Danes born, or made? Cherie Allan.

So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo. In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo guides readers of all races through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to "model minorities" in an attempt to make the seemingly impossible possible: honest conversations about race and racism, and how they infect almost every aspect of American life. Mary Davidson.

Invisible women by Caroline Criado Perez. From government policy and medical research, to technology, workplaces, and the media. Invisible Women reveals how in a world built for and by men we are systematically ignoring half of the population, often with disastrous consequences. Mary Davidson.

The Resilience Project by Hugh van Cuylenburg, who was a primary school teacher volunteering in northern India when he had a life-changing realisation: despite the underprivileged community the children were from, they were remarkably positive. By contrast, back in Australia Hugh knew that all too many children struggled with depression, social anxieties and mental illness. Mary Davidson.

Healing lives by Sue Williams. Healing Lives reveals the untold tale of Mamitu Gashe, Dr Catherine Hamlin's protégée, and the inspiring almost 60-year friendship between the two women. Helen Eddy.

More lists can be found here: https://monte.libguides.com/c.php?g=174654&p=6753973 . Deborah Brown.

https://allhallowsschoollibrary.com/2020/10/29/summer-staycation-reads/ Anne Weave