AustLit

'A moving and explosive tale about what happens when tradition and the need to belong collide.

'Frankie Rescio is struggling with the death of his sister. Next door, Lochie Marsh is about to have his world invaded by his estranged, pregnant half-sister and her layabout boyfriend. Despite tensions simmering just below the surface for both boys and their families, they form a bond that connects their different worlds. Until tribal lores threaten to bring everything crashing down.'

(Source: publisher's blurb)

'Two teens from different sides of the country collide on the other side of the world in a little Italian village. Cynical and mistrusting of their heritage, Nick and Lia are thrust into a foreign world of their ancestors by a chance decision. Unknown to each other they set out on a long journey back to the 'old country' to appease their respective grandparents, only to find themselves involved in a mystery that could tear their individual families apart. Somewhere in the not too recent past, a misguided moment of youthful naivety threatened to crumble the hopes and aspirations of more than just the people involved. Now, with hindsight, and in an effort to know the truth before it's too late, Nick and Lia have to put aside their differences and put right the many past wrongs as they uncover a family secret that bonds them for life. In the process do they reveal their own hidden secrets? Little did they know they have more in common than they realised.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In the garage at the back of the family home sits Primo's father's pride and joy; a red Fiat 500 Classic. Bambino. It waits amongst the dust motes for Primo's father to recover, to come out of his paranoia and delusions. It waits and teases, like nothing else can - least of all the demands of everyday life, for things to return to normal. And that isn't going to happen any time soon...' (Publication summary)

'Alex banged on the windscreen with his fists, wolf-whistling and howling . . . "We are the brave Ces. No one has a clue about who we are.'"

Under the influence of his idol, the hot-headed seventeenth-century Italian painter Caravaggio, Alex draws his mate Ces into an uncontrollable cycle of destruction and hurt.' (From the publisher's website.)

'Claude is very big for his age. He has been teased about his size all his life, especially by Tom De Silva, "the school champion of everything". He's too slow to be good at running, football, soccer, swimming - any sport.Then he meets Mario, a small, skinny boy, and his life changes. Mario Milano, named after a famous wrestler, is a wrestler himself, and he can see Claude's potential. He begins training Claude in a makeshift ring set up in his backyard. Claude and Mario, professionally known as "Whitetail" ("small but lethal, that's me") become friends as they train for an exhibition bout celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of a famous charity bout.Then Claude discovers something about his father, who has passed away - something that links him with Mario, and with the wrestler who took part in that famous bout all those years ago. In the process he learns something about himself, and he knows he must win the exhibition bout not only for himself, but also for his father.' (Publication summary)

Troy's band, Laser Death, is being called 'Lethal Breath', his parents have separated, and his sister Grace is going out with the King of the Neanderthals!

Source: Publisher's blurb.