Dark Desert Road

 By: Tim Ayliffe 

Location: FIC AYL

Genre: Thriller

"It’s tense, gritty, emotional and blisteringly Australian. I flew through this one with my heart doing parkour!"   Rebecca

A fugitive sister. A dangerous father. A terror cell hiding in plain sight.

Kit McCarthy hasn't seen her identical twin sister, Billie, in more than a decade.

The sisters don't see eye to eye, which is understandable, considering Kit's a police officer and Billie followed their violent father into a life of crime.

Kit is no angel. Burnt out by years working in child protection, she has been accused of using excessive force in the arrest of a violent drunk. Kit has just been ordered to take time off work when she gets a frantic message from Billie, telling her she has a young son and that somebody is trying to kill her.

And then Billie disappears.

Determined to find her estranged sister, Kit's only lead comes after visiting their father in prison. Malcolm McCarthy claims Billie married a former United States Marine and has been living with a group of sovereign citizens in the desert country of the New South Wales Riverina.

Kit's journey to find Billie takes her through shuttered towns destroyed by drought, where everybody owns guns, nobody talks to cops, and people get lost for a reason.

Out here a war is brewing between a ruthless bikie gang and a separatist community that is re-engaging with society in the most violent way.

Kit will risk everything to find her sister and the nephew she never knew she had.

MEET THE AUTHOR: TIM AYLIFFE’s thriller novels have been informed by his 25-year career as a journalist in Australia and around the world. He writes about espionage, extremism, politics and the global power games at play in the 21st Century.

When he's not writing or chasing news stories, Ayliffe watches rugby and surfs. He lives in Sydney

The Watchmakers

 By: Danny Ben-Moshe 

Location: FIC BEN

Genre: Historical Fiction- Holocaust

Review: By Ellen

Wow what an interesting, informative read. Based on a true story The Watchmaker's War is the story of Yakov and his Brother Benny as they immigrate to Australia after the holocaust. It follows them as they settle into a new country and new way of life. What should be a brand new start is tainted when they discover that some of the Nazi's responsible for killing their family have snuck into Australia under new identities.

I really enjoyed the insights into the Jewish community and culture in St Kilda. I learnt a lot from this book and was fascinated by the story of Nazi hunters who took matters into their own hands when the Australian authorities wouldn't. There's photos at the end of the book about the real life people involved in the story was really cool to see too!

A new beginning. An old enemy. A perilous choice. 'With so many stories untold, The Watchmaker's War is a unique and wonderful telling of one of how after liberation peace doesn't automatically follow, particularly peace of mind for those who witnessed and experienced so much evil. To be human is to desire justice - or is it revenge? - for your family, your friends, your people' Heather Morris, author, The Tattooist of Auschwitz When Yakov Holtzman arrives in Melbourne - about as far away as he can possibly get from the graveyard that is Europe - he puts behind him the years he spent in the forests of Lithuania as a leader of the resistance, fighting the Nazis. He has come to join his brother - his only surviving family member - and start a new life as the watchmaker he once was. Yakov looks for solace - and love - in the fragile, traumatised community of Jewish refugees taking root in a new land. But when swastikas, threats and, most frightening of all, the faces of old enemies appear on the streets of suburban St Kilda, his new-found peace is shattered. Fierce instincts are reawakened in Yakov, and he knows he must act. But how can justice - or revenge - best be served? And will Yakov's drive to destroy his enemies overtake him too, and leave his new life in ruins? Based on a true story, The Watchmaker's War is a gripping, high-stakes tale of Nazi hunters in Australia and the war criminals they pursued - killers with links to the highest levels of Australia's spy agency. It offers profound insights into the lingering trauma of genocide, posing difficult questions about competing desires for peace and vengeance, and how far a victim should go in the pursuit of justice when the authorities fail to act.

Write me For You

 By: Tillie Cole  

Location: FIC COL

Genre: Romance

The story features a tender, "soul-deep" first love between two teenagers facing terminal illness. The intimacy is portrayed through gentleness, devotion, and shared vulnerability

Seventeen-year-old June Scott has always dreamt of becoming a novelist. To write the greatest love story ever told. One that would fill hearts and souls with happiness and joy. However, June has never been in love and when she receives some devastating news, there doesn’t feel as if there’s much time left for her own beautiful love story. That’s until she meets Jesse Taylor who treats every day as if it could be his last. Which could be true. For them both.

Together their worlds light up and a love so strong grows between them. With days slipping away like sand in an hourglass June begins to write their love story. June is determined to give the boy she loves the story of them. And the world a reminder of who they might have been if their stars were written differently. Because even when your heartbeat stops, a true love story never dies.

Here is a stunning review by Kaleigh

This book broke me into tiny little pieces. It was stunning, beautiful, hopeful, agonizing, heartbreaking and even though I knew how it would end, earth-shattering. I just kept on crying. It started with a scene here and there. But the last 20 pages I was bawling.

This beautiful book starts with June and her parents sitting in the doctor's office hearing that 17 year-old June is gonna die. There is nothing they can do and they are arranging palliative care for her. But a few days later Dr. Long calls them again and tells them a spot opened up in a clinical trial that might save her life. They instantly jump on the opportunity. 

They arrive at Harmony Ranch and June is part of a trial with 7 other teens who have acute myeloid leukemia. She instantly connects with Jesse. Their hearts just immediately open up to each other. And together with Emma and Chris they are a unit who fight AML together. They encourage each other, support each other and have each other's backs.

But the heart of the book is the love story of June and Jesse. I love how deep and meaningful it was. It wasn't driven by just mere lust. It's them truly seeing each other. 

It's a story of how they deal with setbacks and bad news. It's a story of how deep June's parents care for Jesse whose dad left him when he was 12. It's about friendship and ... my God my heart broke for Chris in the end. 

June is also a talented author and she is writing down her love story with Jesse. And she gives them a future after Harmony Ranch. And both she and Jesse are chasing that dream. To get wrinkles, get grey hairs and grow old together.

This quote squeezed my heart so tight I couldn't breath for a moment.

"If I die," I whispered a while later, "I want to go just like this-with you next to me, holding my hand."

These two show what unconditional love is. Their parents, Jesse's sisters, the other patients, the staff - they all show what love is. 

And that love broke me into utter pieces. 

I am glad Tillie explained why she wrote this book. How cancer suddenly popped up in her life, taking multiple people she loved. And that made me bawl again. Because like her I used to know no one close who had cancer. And then suddenly my father in law got diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Spread and untreatable. He withered away within two weeks. Poof gone. Then my brother got lymph-node cancer. Luckily the treatable kind. But I saw how the chemo attacked his body. How he got nerve damage and was in pain all the time. But his resurgence? I have never admired someone as much as I do him. He went to every doctor's session alone, and when I brought him to the hospital and he came out of that room with his hands in the air I burst with joy. He was still tired. He heard the news at 10 am. And he was at work at 12 am. Yes it was hard and difficult and he had to rest a lot. But he was done with sitting at home and instantly worked full time again. His strength was awe-inspiring. And soon after that my mother in law got blood cancer. A cancer that will never go away. She took part in a clinical trial and luckily she didn't wither away. She beat it. Recently it was noticeable in her blood again. A very small margin. So we don't know what the future brings. 

But thinking about my own experience. I think that made it even more emotional for me. I felt their pain, their love and their strength. 

Bitten

 By: Jordan Gray  

Location: FIC GRA

Genre: Romantasy

SENIOR FICTION

Crescent City meets Fourth Wing in this fast-paced and romantic debut, in which a teenage girl must survive ruthless werewolves, a glittering court, and deadly politics to exact revenge on the monsters who destroyed her.

After a vicious werewolf attack on the night of her seventeenth birthday party, Vanessa Hart loses everything she loves in a split second. Her best friend, her father, and even her home.

Bitten and imprisoned without explanation, Vanessa endures an agonizing transformation into the very beast that maimed her, and her captors make it clear she cannot escape: she will either swear her life to the Wolf Queen’s Court, or she will die.

With no other choice, Vanessa joins their enchanted Castle Severi—where flowering vines grow through the walls, gifts are bestowed by the stars, and a claw can break through skin as easily as silk—but she hasn’t forgotten what they stole from her.

Vanessa still seeks vengeance, scheming in the shadows even as she finds herself mesmerized by the golden prince Sinclair Severi, who threatens to steal her heart though he is promised to her nemesis. And by his brooding, disgraced cousin, Calix, whose smoldering gaze hides even darker secrets. Immersed in the magic of their whimsical yet cruel society, Vanessa soon learns not all is as it seems.

The Court is at war, and she may simply be a pawn in its lethal game.

For Fans of:
Forbidden Romance
Enemies to Lovers
Werewolves
Paranormal Romance

Heiress Takes it All

 By: Emily Wibberley &    Austin Siegemund- Broka

 Location: FIV WIB     

Genre: Mystery, Romance, Thriller- a bit of everything!

The Inheritance Games meets Ocean's 11 in this thrilling YA adventure about a teenager determined to pull off the perfect heist in the midst of her father’s wedding.

Seventeen-year-old Olivia Owens isn't thrilled that her dad's getting remarried...again. She's especially not thrilled that he cheated on her mom, kicked them out of their Rhode Island home, and cut Olivia out of her rightful inheritance.

But this former heiress has a plan for revenge. While hundreds of guests gather on the grounds of the gorgeous estate where she grew up, everyone will be thinking romance—not robbery. She’ll play the part of dutiful daughter, but in reality she’ll be redistributing millions from her father’s online accounts. She only needs the handwritten pass code he keeps in the estate's safe.

With the help of an eclectic crew of high school students and one former teacher, Olivia has plotted her mid-nuptial heist down to the second. But she didn't plan for an obnoxiously nosy wedding guest, an interfering ex-boyfriend intent on winning her back, greedy European cousins with their own agenda, or a vengeful second wife. When everything seems like it's going wrong, Olivia has to keep her eyes on what really matters: getting rich. And when she’s done, “something borrowed” will be the understatement of the year.

Review from Goodreads.com

Love me a good heist story!

I loved this! I’ve read all of this author duo’s books and this is definitely one of my favorites of theirs. I’m a big fan of heist stories anyway, so the premise got my attention.

The story follows Olivia, who, with the help of a team she has assembled, is attending her father’s wedding — to steal his fortune.

I love the urgency of a heist story. The need to plan for every contingency and the need to trust in the team. I was on the edge of my seat to see everything come together.

This book has a very fun cast of characters. I had no difficulty keeping them straight in my head because they all had totally different personalities and traits. I also loved the chess nicknames. They were so clever and fun! I would have to say, McCoy and Kevin stole the show for me. I loved both of them so much.

I wasn’t expecting the book to be as funny as was. A lot of times, heist stories and be tense and serious, and this one was at times, but there were also so many humorous moments and I laughed aloud quite a few times.

Both hilarious and heartfelt, with a cute romance and an engaging cast of characters, this was an excellent heist story. I can’t wait for the sequel! (Please????)

A Dog Called Hero

 By: Katy Birchall  

Location: FIC BIR

Genre: Animals

“Cleverly plotted, pacy and packed full of heart,
this is a real feel-good read. a standout cosy crime story.”
- The School Librarian

Heartwarming and powerful, a young girl and ex-police
dog bond over their grief and work together to solve crime.

Hero is young police dog who has been retired early - he's struggled to bond with anyone after his handler was injured. Hayley has withdrawn from the world and retreated into her shell ever since her police officer dad was killed in the line of duty a year ago. But when Hayley and Hero meet, two lost souls find one another. As they settle into their new lives, they quickly learn that old habits die hard when Hero is instantly onto a clue when the Whittaker Diamond is stolen. ...

Haley has withdrawn from the world and retreated into her shell
ever since her police officer dad was killed in the line of duty
a year ago. Hero is a young police dog who has been retired early
– his handler was injured in the line of duty and he cannot
seem to bond with anyone else. But when Haley and Hero
meet, two lost souls find one another.


As they settle into their new lives, they quickly learn that old
habits die hard when Hero is instantly onto a clue when
the Whittaker Diamond is stolen. And Haley is
furious when DI Doyle, a former rival of her dad's, is assigned
the case and immediately accuses ex-offender Dylan – an employee
of her mum's catering business which offers second chances
and rehabilitation.


Can Hero and Haley crack the case?

Marie

What a beautiful story this was between a girl and her dog who developed a wonderful friendship which helped relieve some of their sadness and heartbreak. This was such an emotional read which turned into a twisty crime novel.

I think anyone, young and old, who loves animal stories  will love this book.

Hot Chocolate on Thursday

 By: Michiko Aoyama   

Location: FIC AOY

Genre: Japanese Fiction

Japanese Fiction is my new binge, over Easter on the shores of Lake Taupo I nailed two books. I love how they use a constant theme to create stories that roll around what that constant is. Mini novellas wrapped up with a connection tying them together. I read one about a restaurant and the other about cats- stories of life, love, death, hope, memories, journeys- all different- all linked. I love it!

This one the link is hot chocky- it has to be good! It is also written by the same author as one of my favourites "What You Are Looking for Is in the Library"- that has to do with books and croquet and life and living and love and family!

Here is the blurb of Hot Chocolate on Thursday!

Across a bridge in a quiet neighbourhood in Tokyo, a seasonal cherry blossom sits on the river. Nearby is the Marble Cafe, where a woman writes in a notebook and a young waiter prepares her favourite hot drink. Both wonder about each other and about the other lives of the clientele who frequent this charming little cafe behind the trees...

Without even realizing it, we may touch and change someone else's life.

Taking a walk along the river, cooking the best tamagoyaki, ordering hot chocolate, forgetting to remove our nail polish... The small, everyday acts that we do can lead to unexpected encounters and reverberate far beyond our own lives to make a real difference in the world.

Hot Chocolate on Thursday is a tapestry of slice-of-life moments that open and close with a woman ordering her regular hot chocolate at the mysterious Marble Cafe.

What happens in between will touch and swell your heart, as we connect with a community of untold unfolding lives.

Review by Libroskate

I loved it! The setting, the mysterious aura, the way the stories are interwoven, the endearing characters, the memorable quotes, and so on. I liked it so much that it made me want to be in that café. ☕✨