AustLit

 (Publication summary)

'A group of teenagers on schoolies find themselves confronting life-changing tragedy head-on in this electrifying novel by an award-winning YA author.

A group of school-leavers- free at last, ready to party, expectations high. And even though a remote island on the Western Australian coast wasn't exactly the plan, they're not going to let that hold them back.

'Leonardo, geeky, asthmatic, shy and prone to anxiety, has landed with them. He's terrified-he's definitely not part of this cool gang. Super high-achiever Kaiya is trying to forget her frustration with her drug-addicted sister as well as dealing with pressure from the popular girls to lose her virginity. Mason, footy jock with the physique to match, is coming to terms with his secret desire for his best mate, Jared. And Jared wants a week off from his relationship with Val so he can have sex with as many girls as possible.

'But the party takes a dangerous turn when Val is drugged and a man is found dead on the beach. Blame, fear, mistrust, coverups, power plays and dark secrets tear the group apart and expose the deadly tensions beneath the surface. And each teen is forced to confront demons that will lead them either to devastating tragedy or transformative triumph.

'Whoever survives the week will never be the same again.

'The Brink is a raw, powerful novel that pulls no punches in its authentic exploration of masculinity, sexuality, mental health, drug and alcohol use, relationships and sex. Holden Sheppard takes the teenage experience to the next level.'  (Publication summary)

'Xiao Xin believes he is a red fire warrior but his family are always telling him to be careful. They believe the world is a dangerous place. Too dangerous for a little boy on his own.

'They don't understand what I can do!

'They don't understand what I can be!

'Renowned storytellers Alice Pung and Sher Rill Ng bring to life a beautiful and tender story about learning to conquer your own fears - as a child, and as an adult.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'A heartwarming queer Indigenous Own Voices love story, from a startlingly talented debut author.

'Seventeen-year-old Jackson is living with his family on the Mish (former Aboriginal mission), hanging out with his mates, having problems with his girlfriend, teasing the tourists, and avoiding the racist boys in town. Jackson’s Aunty and cousins are visiting from the city for the summer holidays again. And this time Tomas, a mysterious boy, has come with them. While his mum and Aunty try to finish artwork, Jackson and Tomas grow close. As their friendship evolves, Jackson struggles with the changing shape of their relationship, self-acceptance and identity, and whether he’ll still be accepted by friends, family, and his Aboriginal community.

'Compelling, honest and beautifully written, The Boy from the Mish is a first novel like no other.' (Publication summary)

'Bobby wakes up somewhere dark, enclosed. Has he been buried alive? Ella's trapped in quicksand. Will she escape before one of the jungle predators finds her? Kelsey's found a giant crocodile that's about to attack the city...' (Publication Summary)

'The Swimmer.

The Rebel.

The Nerd.

'All Ryan, Harley and Miles had in common was Isaac. They lived different lives, had different interests and kept different secrets. But they shared the same best friend. They were sidekicks. And now that Isaac's gone, what does that make them?

'Will Kostakis, award-winning author of The First Third, perfectly depicts the pain and pleasure of this teenage world, piecing together three points of view with intricate splendour.' (Publication summary)

'You said we could write anything we wanted. The first thing that came into our minds. Blue fish, red fish, green fish...

'Clementine Darcy is floundering. She wants to be the kind of fish who swims to the swish of her own fins - upstream, not simply carried along by the current.

'But she is finding the swirling waters of school and home difficult to navigate: her friendship group is splintering, her brother Fergus won't leave his room, her sister's life is not as perfect as Clem thought...and then there's the New Boy, who is dapper and intriguing, but hiding secrets of his own. Clem is desperate for everyone - including herself - to be happy, but she discovers that her idea of helping doesn't always work as well as she imagined.

'Can Clem be the girl she wants to be? Will she learn to accept that there are things she can fix and things she cannot? Will she find a way to know the difference?' (Publication summary)