Staff Reviews

The island retreat by Cathy Kelly

Available in print, large print and eBook

Rose Talisman is pinning it all on a fresh start.

Five years after her career as a therapist ended in one catastrophic instant, she is opening a retreat in Corfu. The understated, luxurious Villa Artemis is surrounded by wild pines and sea views.

Just six guests. One week. Time for Rose to help them face their secrets – and move forwards.

But Rose has staked everything on the retreat. It has to work – or she loses it all. And people’s secrets have a way of revealing themselves in ways no one expected.

Nobody’s past is staying hidden for long…

Will that include Rose’s, too?

The new neighbour by Valerie Keogh

Available in large print and eAudiobook

A quiet street holds deadly secrets…

Chloe Tomson wants a quiet life. A new home, a new street, and no more drama – she’s had more than her share. But the moment she steps in to help her elderly neighbour during a violent altercation, the peace she craves begins to crumble.

The street seems friendly at first. Until the questions start. Who exactly is Chloe? Why did she move here? And what really happened in the house she lives in before she arrived?

As some neighbours become friends and others become enemies, it isn’t always certain which is which. Because Chloe isn’t the only neighbour keeping secrets…and someone knows the truth about her past. Someone who wants her gone.

But as whispers turn to threats, Chloe realises she’s been here before. And last time, not everyone made it out alive…

The strawberry house by Rachel Burton

Available in large print and eAudiobook

1938: For Camilla Kerrigan, life at her family’s Oxford manor is a delicate balancing act – between duty to her family and a yearning for something more. When her brother Anthony returns for the summer, bringing with him a new friend, Camilla recognises a kindred spirit. Like her, Henry is thoughtful, restless and uncertain of his future.

But the arrival of four strangers – among them a gifted artist determined to paint Camilla’s sister Mabel – soon shatters the fragile peace of the manor. In the shimmering heat, desires are stirred and one impulsive act will set in motion a tragedy that echoes for decades.

1952: Haunted by war and the memory of that long-ago summer, the last thing Henry wants is to return to Montagu Manor. But when a photograph arrives, showing the painting he thought destroyed – the portrait that ruined so many lives – he is drawn back into the past.

Now, Henry and Camilla must face the secrets that shaped them, and the love that refuses to fade.

One unforgettable summer. One devastating secret. A love that time could not erase.

A stranger in the family by Diane Saxon

Available in large print and eAudiobook

I’ve just made the biggest mistake of my life.

As the last of my children leave home, I’ve persuaded my husband we should move house.

Clearing out thirty-odd years of rubbish is overwhelming, but nothing prepares me for what I find in my attic.

It’s a hint at a hidden horror. A box of secrets I only glimpsed, before I was disturbed.

And now it’s gone.

Someone in my home has removed it. Which means someone I love thinks I know their secret. A secret so dark, I refuse to contemplate it. Until I am forced to.

I need to find that box and take a better look.

I need to protect myself because if I’m right…

My life is in peril.

The Smartest & Longest Living Animals

Available in book-with-video

Enjoy stories about orangutans, dolphins, certified therapy pigs, elephants, crows, a special turtle named Jonathan, and the oldest clam. The smartest animal videos. Say hello to the smartest animal on the planet. If you think your dog or cat is a genius, then wait to see our incredible lineup of animal intelligence. Which animals are the smartest and why? The longest-lived animal. Are your grandparents old? How old is old? Introducing the longest-lived animal on the planet. You will learn about animals that can live for hundreds of years. That's right, hundreds of years old! What about the "immortal jellyfish"? Can it really live forever? Short quizzes will help you reinforce your understanding of the information in the videos and readings.

To explore other titles in this format click here.

Mini amigurumi food by Julia Chiang

Available in print

29 super-sweet amigurumi treats that will bust your stash and steal your heart!

Crochet your favourite fun, foodie projects, from sushi rolls, bubble tea and avocado toast to spicy hot sauce and juicy watermelon slices - all bursting with character and charm!

Perfect for beginners, this simple book uses only a handful of stitches and contains clear, easy-to-follow instructions to get you started. Using small amounts of yarn, these adorable amigurumi projects are a feast for the eyes and deliciously colourful - just too cute to eat! 

Buzz by Richard ‘Bugman’ Jones & Sarah Boccaccini Meadows

Available in print

Discover 15 bugs with extraordinary abilities and uncover the secrets of their survival in nature though fun and accessible text in renowned entomologist Richard "Bugman" Jones's first book for children.

Let your child's curiosity run wild with this beautifully illustrated book of beetles, butterflies, bees, and more!

Try to spot the Indian stick insect and see how its remarkable camouflage helps it evade predators. Admire the vibrant colours of the monarch butterfly and learn how its wings support an incredible migration. And take a closer look at the emperor dragonfly's compound eyes to see how its vision helps it catch its next meal.

Illustrated with stunning detail, this book is buzzing with the tiny creatures that make our world thrive.

Animals at work by Jess Hayman

Available in print

Animals are better at certain jobs than we are. Did you know that ferrets can be employed by electricians to safely lay cables in inaccessible areas? Or that bats can live in ancient libraries protecting the books from insects and other pests? Would you hang up a painting by a pig? Get to know the different jobs that animals can have, from helping people as therapy pets, to crafty spywork, as you meet photographer pigeons, geese guards, post office cats and much more.

Eat 30 plants a week by Katharina Seiser

Available in print 

More plants. Better gut. Happier you. It’s achievable with this cookbook!

Join the gut-health revolution—one delicious plant at a time! Eat 30 Plants a Week: A Cookbook is your friendly, no-nonsense guide to building a thriving gut microbiome by eating a greater variety of plants. Based on the popular science-backed challenge to eat 30 different plant foods per week, this cookbook gives you everything you need to boost your gut health without ditching your favourite meals or following a restrictive diet.

The new money strategy: the modern guide to rational, long-term investing by Brandon van der Kolk

Available in print

The New Money Strategy: The Modern Guide to Rational, Long-Term Investing shows new investors how to avoid common mistakes and build long-term wealth through value investing.

Readers will learn how to:

• Apply proven value-investing strategies to today’s market
• Use Warren Buffett’s approach to identify long-term winners
• Build a simple framework using index funds and quality stock selection

All the medals have been handed out by Guy Martin

Available in print

The million-selling truck mechanic is back with a thrilling new collection of extreme adventures, from cartel territory in Colombia to Arctic survival training and punishing motorbike endurance rides. Packed with danger, grit and dark humour, this is a no-holds-barred account of life lived well beyond the limit.

From being shot at and waterboarded in Colombia to freezing Arctic missions and brutal long-distance rides to Istanbul and Baku, he throws himself into every challenge with fearless determination. Add beach races, the legendary Scott Trial and his 300mph world speed record quest, and the result is an exhilarating story of risk, resilience and sheer nerve.

Babylon: the mother of all cities by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones

Available in print

Babylon often appears more myth than history. Purportedly the site of the Hanging Gardens and the Tower of Babel, its infamous presence in the Bible has made it a byword for sinful decadence. But Babylon was a real place teeming with life, a bustling mega-city on the Euphrates where schoolteachers, artisans, priests, slaves, prostitutes and soldiers rubbed shoulders in maze-like streets and busy marketplaces.

The city was home to some extraordinary rulers, from Hammurabi the great lawgiver to Nebuchadnezzar II, the conqueror-king, under whose reign the city glistened in gold and lapis lazuli.

In Babylon, Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones brings the city vividly to life, tracing its foundation through to its world domination, and subsequent decline, fall and ruin into dust. From ribald drinking songs to acerbic letters between rival kings, the extraordinary ancient sources help inform what is both a stunning work of scholarship and a fascinating evocation of a long-lost world.

In nature’s slipstream: how to turn your garden into a haven for nature by Carol Bruce

Available in print

Welcome to a new approach to gardening that gives equal weight to beauty and sustainability, creating a charming haven filled with flowers where the gardener and nature work in harmony.

Carol Bruce has spent over 20 years considering how we relate to nature and the implications this has for gardening. Driven to find a balance between a wild and cultivated environment, she developed a method that combines both in a holistic system, resulting in a garden of otherworldly beauty.

With lessons from the countryside and her own garden, Carol takes you on a journey where you will learn: Sustainable Design and Maintenance Methods: How to incorporate natural processes within your garden without sacrificing its beauty. Adapting Existing Spaces: How to modify your existing flowerbeds to future-proof your garden and welcome wildlife. Personal Style and Colour Schemes: How to combine layout and colour scheming techniques to express your own personal style.

Sundowner of the skies: the story of Oscar Garden the forgotten aviator by Mary Garden

Available in print

In the early morning of 16 October 1930, Oscar Garden taxied his tiny Gipsy Moth across London's Croydon aerodrome. His plan was to fly to Australia, which was sheer madness as he only had a mere 39 flying hours under his belt. When he landed at Wyndham 18 days later no one was expecting him.

His flight - the third fastest after veteran aviators Bert Hinkler and Charles Kingsford - captured the world's imagination. The press dubbed him 'Sundowner of the Skies'. Unlike most of his contemporaries who died in crashes, Oscar survived and went on to a career in commercial aviation. Sundowner of the Skies is a fascinating and compelling biography of Oscar Garden, an unsung hero of aviation, written by his daughter.

5 ingredient Indian by Chetna Makan

Available in print 

Combining bold flavours and straightforward cooking methods, Chetna has created recipes and her signature spice blends to make and enjoy delicious Indian cuisine with minimal fuss.

Recipes include delicious main meals like a Tandoori Roast Chicken, Palak Paneer, or a Cod Fish Curry; dals such as Palak Dal (Spinach Lentils) and Whole Masoor Dal (Brown Lentils) , snacks such as Masala Papad and Sev (Gram Flour Noodles), and sweet treats such as Saffron Rice Pudding and Rasgulla, all with just five ingredients.

The secret: what great leaders know and do by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller

Available in print

In a world where 82 percent of managers struggle to lead effectively, this international bestseller reveals the one secret that separates great leaders from the rest. ''What do I need to do to be a great leader?'' Every person in authority wonders this question sooner or later. Ken Blanchard, whose books have sold over 25 million copies, and Mark Miller, who rose from line worker to Chick-fil-A vice president, uncover the secret great leaders already know in this international bestseller.

Using a classic business fable, newly promoted executive Debbie Brewster asks her mentor the crucial question: ''What is the secret of great leaders?'' His reply-''Great leaders serve''-confuses her, but he reveals five fundamental ways leaders succeed through service. Debbie discovers why great leaders focus on the future, how teams determine success or failure, what three arenas need continuous improvement, why leadership success has two essential components, and how to strengthen-or destroy-credibility. This fourth edition includes the proven SERVE model plus breakthrough content on leadership's most critical element-a leader's heart

Where truth ends by Mark Smith

Available in print, eBook and eAudiobook

Meg Maher thought she was doing the right thing. Now she's on the run.

When a peaceful climate protest ends with a violent explosion in the city centre, every member of the protest group becomes a suspect. The incident is declared a terrorist attack. But the authorities aren't the only ones hunting Meg.

Scared and alone, Meg seeks refuge with her father, Luke, knowing that every word she says puts him in danger too. But as the terrorism investigation closes in, Meg is forced to question everything: her friends, her cause, even herself. Was her group of activists infiltrated from the start? Or has someone twisted their mission beyond recognition?

What happens when the truth is the first thing to burn?

The secret garden club by Wendy Lynn Newton

Available in print

When Hilary finds her husband of thirty years dead on his way to the compost heap, it is the end of
the world as she knows it. In a fit of grief, she destroys every inch of the beautiful garden to which
George devoted his life. Only the trees are left standing - because Hilary can't get the safety off the
chainsaw.

In the hazy days after the funeral, a group of strangers knock at the door. Announcing themselves as
The Secret Garden Club, they tell Hilary that George was a member and one of their dearest friends.
So why has Hilary never heard of them? Could they be connected to the mysterious mourner, who
had George's favourite pale blue orchid pinned to her chest?

While the club vows to restore the garden, Hilary makes a promise of her own: to uncover the truth.
Will George's secret break her heart all over again - or show her the seeds of a new life filled with
hope and friendship?

The informant by Christine Gregory

Available in print and eBook

The town of Hopeville is thrown into chaos when the body of Silas Ziccone, president of the notorious bikie gang the Outcasts, is found next to his abandoned car on a dirt road. Evidence suggests Silas was not alone when he was murdered, but there are no witnesses and the locals aren’t talking. When Silas’s son Anton steps into his role determined to get revenge on those responsible police fear an all-out bikie war.

Journalist Lars Nilsson is writing a book on outlaw motorcycle clubs and is sent by his former editor to cover the story. Police warn Lars to stay away, but undeterred he pursues a lead that takes him into the centre of the gang rivalry. 

With debts to pay and a teenage son to raise alone, all Silas’s girlfriend Ashley wants is to escape to Western Australia and start afresh but Anton is keeping her close. There’s one person who may be able to help her get out but when your whole life’s a lie, how do you know who’s telling the truth? 

The palace of lost virtue by Anthea Hodgson

Available in print

In 1898, Marigold Harrington arrives on the goldfields of Western Australia with conviction in her heart. The daughter of a prospector and a proud member of the Christian Women’s Temperance Union, she dreams of rescuing women the gold rush has forgotten, those trapped in the shadows of brothels and bars.

Across town, Pansy Arlington presides over the Palace of Pleasure, her own small empire built from ruin. When Marigold arrives at her door, offering God’s forgiveness, Pansy surprises her with unexpected kindness.

The two women spark an unlikely friendship, but in a rough, lawless town built on greed and desire, their bond will be tested by betrayal, violence and a crime that will echo through the years.

Inspired by true events and the real women of the gold rush, The Palace of Lost Virtue dares to rewrite history books, giving voice to the lives of the formidable women who lived and died in the goldfields.

Prioritise this: a practical guide for thriving in a world that won’t slow down by Lily Silverton

Available in print

Blending real-world case stories with effective, evidence-based approaches the author provides an accessible framework and tool kit that will equip you to meet yourself with compassion, calm your mind, focus and thrive with a purpose.

AI chatbots for dummies by Kelly Noble Mirabella and Eric Butow

Available in print

In this book the authors provide a guide to deploying AI-powered chatbots that keep your business’ customers happy. Offering step-by-step instructions to building your bot and putting it into use you will learn how to reduce your workload, improve your company’s efficiency, and increase customer satisfaction.

Various scenarios and examples are discussed where chatbots can be used from generating leads and sales to customer data and growing an audience. You’ll also learn how to automate customer service and support; measure the success of your chatbots and expand their capabilities over time and connect your chatbots to other systems and tools, including email, CRMs and calendars.

AI in business for dummies by Jeffrey Allan

Available in print

There has been much written about how artificial intelligence will revolutionize business, but maybe you’re not sure how it will revolutionise your business. In this book, the author provides insights into the capabilities of AI, the AI tools that get the job done, and how to best put artificial intelligence to work in your company.

The author outlines how to build the latest AI tech in your business strategies and also discover real-world examples of effective AI implementations in tasks like workflow automation, closing sales, handling data analytics, and driving innovation. The book also discusses ideas on how to get your staff and colleagues on board as well as how to use AI in an ethical manner.

Joy through the journey by Amberly Lago

Available in print

In the book, the author brings together personal stories, practical wisdom, and profound insight into creating more joy for yourself regardless of what you’re going through. You’ll find actionable solutions rooted in mindfulness, resilience, and gratitude, all backed by relatable and powerful stories that will help you create a renewed sense of purpose and wellbeing.

The author also includes techniques for coping with the lack of fulfillment and enjoyment that so many experience in their day-to-day lives and work; practical exercises and mindset-shifting strategies to help you embrace and accept your present moment and tools to help you navigate some of life’s most formidable obstacles and go from surviving to thriving.

Authentic Italian by Vincenzo Prosperi and Suzanne Prosperi

Available in print

A classic Italian cookbook celebrating family, tradition and the joy of meals bursting with love. Globally loved online Italian food ambassador Vincenzo Prosperi and his wife, Suzanne, open their family cookbooks, sharing dishes passed down from Abruzzo and Calabria alongside timeless classics. Each simple, authentic recipe is a reminder that you don’t need to dine out to experience the real taste of Italy.