Staff Reviews

Sewing perfect little bags & totes by Carolina Moore

Available in print

Whether you've been sewing for years or are looking for an approachable entry point to learn how to sew, this is a must-have guide for any kind of crafter. Featuring 15 easy-to-make pouch and bag sewing patterns, plus tutorials for various styles and techniques for applying straps, pockets, and hardware, have a blast mixing and matching to sew all kinds of bags.

From a simple clutch to an organizational tote or even a reusable gift bag, this guide will show you tons of the most common techniques used in bag making to build your sewing skills and even make your own original bag designs.

Crochet toy box: create toys & games the family will love

Published by Sona Books

Available in print

Every kid loves to have fun, so why not fill up their toy box with delightful handmade toys?

From bears and dolls to rattles and lovies, we've got everything you need to create crochet toys and games for the little ones in your life. They can take a trip to Mexico with an amigurumi doll, learn colours and shapes with fun geometric patterns, and battle each other in noughts and crosses.

For crochet beginners, we've also included a handy guide to get you started in the craft. So what are you waiting for? Straightforward text, ideal for the beginner.

Macrame: 25 projects to create with cord by Francoise Vauzeilles

Available in print

There are more than 30 simple and beautiful projects for readers to turn their hands to, including braided wreaths, fringed lampshades and woven wall hangings.

All the projects are shown in versatile Scandi neutrals, which would make a tasteful addition to any home, but if you decide to feature a bit of colour, there’s handy information on using natural dyes included. With helpful instructions on basic macramé knots as well as inspirational photography, it won't be long before your home is adorned in gorgeous macramé pieces.

Painting birds: expressive watercolour techniques by Sarah Stokes

Available in print

A guide to capturing the beauty of birds using modern, expressive watercolour painting techniques.

Painting watercolours in a loose style is a technique admired by many artists, yet there are a range of skills to master in order to achieve a sense of freedom and lightness of touch. Birds present us with a vibrant array of colours and textures – from the iridescent plumage of the hummingbird to the zingy turquoise blue of the kingfisher – and with such varied and lively characters they are a wonderful subject to paint.

Supported by instructional photos throughout, experienced artist Sarah encourages you to let go of the detail whilst providing you with all the techniques required to paint beautiful and characterful portraits of birds with colour and verve.

Minecraft the voyage by Jason Fry

Available in print 

Join a daring expedition into strange new lands with this official Minecraft novel! When a young man is ripped from his quiet life and stranded far from home, he must learn not only how to survive, but how to live.

Stax Stonecutter has lived a peaceful—if unremarkable—life in his small town in the Overworld. The son of great adventurers and wise builders, Stax prefers an easier life. He loves to tend to his gardens and play with his cats all day, rather than venturing out to explore the surrounding lands. It’s quiet on his estate, even lonely sometimes, but it suits Stax well enough.

His solitude is shattered when a mysterious stranger arrives with a band of merciless raiders. In one terrible night, Stax’s old life is taken from him, and he is left stranded in the middle of nowhere, angry and alone. 

The Autist’s guide to the galaxy by Clara Törnvall

Available in print

A playful guide to understanding the ways of ‘normal people’, The Autist’s Guide to the Galaxy flips our usual scripts about neurodiversity. Following on from her internationally successful memoir, The Autists, Clara Törnvall has written a fun, comprehensive, and accessible explanation of neurotypical, or ‘normal’, behaviour. Full of facts, tips, and tests, and developed with input from other autists, this book places the difficulties autists face in the context of a world built for the neurotypical majority. It will help neurodiverse people — and their families, friends, and loved ones — navigate this world, nurture stronger relationships, and thrive.

Long live evil by Sarah Rees Breannan

Available in print

A tale for anyone who's ever fallen for the villain...    

When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favourite fantasy series. She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He's impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she's not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor's tale.

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they're doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor's fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.

The girl who thought in pictures by Temple Grandin

Available in print

If you’ve ever felt different, if you’ve ever been low,
if you don’t quite fit in, there’s a name you should know…

Meet Dr. Temple Grandin—one of the world’s quirkiest science heroes!
When young Temple was diagnosed with autism, no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in modern science. Yet, the determined visual thinker did just that. Her unique mind allowed her to connect with animals in a special way, helping her invent groundbreaking improvements for farms around the globe!

The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin is the first book in a brand new educational series about the inspirational lives of amazing scientists. In addition to the illustrated rhyming tale, you’ll find a complete biography, fun facts, a colourful timeline of events, and even a note from Temple herself!

Unlock your aesthetic by Maris Jones

Available in print

Unlock Your Aesthetic guides readers on a journey of brand self-discovery through a series of personal stories, visually captivating guides, and quirky prompts. Jones helps you tap into your creative voice by building on your specific interests and tastes in everything from fashion, music, art, décor, colour, and more. You’ll learn how to bring your unique creative visions to life, whether you’re putting together a show-stopping look for a big party or creating a video for your social media channel.

Whether you are a seasoned professional or just beginning your creative journey, this book offers valuable insights and practical tips for finding your own aesthetic and expressing it through every aspect of your life. With Jones's expert guidance, you'll learn how to embrace your interests and passions and turn them into a visually stunning cohesive brand.

James by Percival Everett

Available in print and eBook

The Mississippi River, 1861. When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new owner in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson's Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father who recently returned to town.

Thus begins a dangerous and transcendent journey by raft along the Mississippi River, toward the elusive promise of free states and beyond. As James and Huck begin to navigate the treacherous waters, each bend in the river holds the promise of both salvation and demise.

With rumours of a brewing war, James must face the burden he carries: the family he is desperate to protect and the constant lie he must live. And together, the unlikely pair must face the most dangerous odyssey of them all . . .

From the shadows of Huck Finn's mischievous spirit, Jim emerges to reclaim his voice, defying the conventions that have consigned him to the margins.

Sister Viv by Grantlee Kieza

Available in print, large print, eBook and eAudiobook

Bangka Island, 1942: Australian Army nurse Vivian Bullwinkel was just twenty-six when Japanese soldiers marched her and her fellow nurses into the shallow waters of a remote beach to be executed.

Miraculously, Vivian would be the lone survivor - and she committed the rest of her long life to an exceptional peacetime career which she lived in tribute to her lost friends. The Lieutenant-Colonel would also be the first woman to be honoured with a statue at the Australian War Memorial for her extraordinary bravery and service - a country girl who became one of the highest-ranking women in the Australian army, and who spent her life caring for others.

Growing up in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Vivian started work at a local hospital and joined the Australian Army Nursing Service in World War II. When the Japanese attacked Singapore in 1942, she and sixty-four other nurses were ordered to evacuate, but soon their ship was bombed by enemy aircraft. Some of the women drowned, but Viv made it to Radji Beach on Bangka Island, off Sumatra, with twenty-one of her nursing colleagues.

Wing by Nikki Gemmell

Available in print and eBook

Students from an elite girls' school go on a camping trip into the Australian bush. Four of them - a girl gang, a group of best friends dubbed 'The Cins' by the teachers - become separated from the main group. A male teacher volunteers to look for them.

None of the five come back.

A major search immediately gets underway. Days crawl past, agonisingly, with no sign of the girls or their teacher. The principal of the school, godmother to one of the missing students, is desperately trying to hold the parents, the school community - and herself - together. She needs to find out what happened before the police do. Finally, separated and traumatised, the four girls re-appear. But the male teacher does not.

And The Cins aren't talking.

Just for the summer by Abby Jimenez

Available in print 

To find their soulmates, all they need is four dates, a kiss and a breakup . . .

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other's out, and they'll both go on to find the love of their lives. It's a bonkers idea . . . and it just might work.

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected - including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

This is why we lied by Karin Slaughter

Available in print 

Everyone here is a liar, but only one of us is a killer...

Welcome to the McAlpine Lodge: a remote mountain getaway, it's the height of escapist luxury living. Except that everyone here is lying. Lying about their past. Lying to their family. Lying to themselves. Then one night, Mercy McAlpine - until now the good daughter - threatens to expose everybody's secrets. Just hours later, Mercy is dead. In an area this remote, it's easy to get away with murder. But Will Trent and Sara Linton - investigator and medical examiner for the GBI - are here on their honeymoon.

And now, with the killer poised to strike again, the holiday of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock ...

From here to the great unknown by Lisa Marie Presley & Riley Keough

Available in print, eBook and eAudiobook

In 2022, Lisa Marie Presley asked her daughter to help finally finish her long-gestating memoir.

A month later, Lisa Marie was dead, and the world would never know her story in her own words, never know the passionate, joyful, caring, and complicated woman that Riley loved and grieved.

Riley got the tapes that her mother had recorded for the book, laid in her bed, and listened as Lisa Marie told story after story about smashing golf carts together in the yards of Graceland, about the unconditional love she felt from her father, about being upstairs, just the two of them. About her singular, lifelong relationship with Danny Keough, about being married to Michael Jackson, what they shared in common. About motherhood. About deep addiction. About ever-present grief. Riley knew she had to fulfill her mother's wish to reveal these memories, incandescent and painful, to the world.

This extraordinary book is composed of both Lisa Marie's and Riley's voice, a mother and daughter communicating across the transom of death as they try to heal each other. 

Maggie’s recipe for life by Maggie Beer

Available in print 

With over 200 delicious recipes and the latest scientific research, bestselling author Maggie Beer and leading Alzheimer’s researcher Professor Ralph Martins show us how to eat and live well to promote optimum brain health to help fight one of the most debilitating diseases of our later years. This second edition contains a new introduction and 13 recipes from the ABC TV series Maggie Beer’s Big Mission.

Maggie Beer and Professor Ralph Martins have teamed up to fight one of the most debilitating diseases of our later years. Based on the latest scientific research, Maggie has created more than 200 recipes that help provide the nutrients we need for optimum brain health. More than one million Australians are affected every day by Alzheimer’s, directly or indirectly, but the good news is that you can eat well to age well, from this moment on.

Not just jam by Matthew Evans

Available in print

Farmer, former chef and food critic Matthew Evans shares the art of preserving when the bounty is at its best.

This book is Fat Pig farm's ode to the surplus of the seasons. Overwhelmed by ripe fruit, or mountains of rhubarb, we have found ways to preserve what we grow, and what grows near us.

Not Just Jam is farmer Matthew Evans' collection of more than 90 modern recipes for old-fashioned preserving methods. It is for the forager, who scours the suburbs looking for fruit trees whose bounty is overlooked by others; for the cook, who wants their dishes to resonate with flavours borne from their own hands; and for anyone who is passionate about flavour.

It’s not hysteria by Dr Karen Tang

Available in print

Did you know that up to 90% of women experience menstrual abnormalities or pelvic problems in their lifetime? Yet these issues are overwhelmingly misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or dismissed. Conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, PMDD, or pelvic floor dysfunction, don’t receive the stream of funding for research and new treatments that other conditions do, despite affecting up to half the population.

It's Not Hysteria shares critical knowledge that anyone impacted by these conditions desperately needs. Covering everything from the anatomy and reproductive health basics you wish you learned at school, to issues such as abnormal periods, PCOS, endometriosis, and fibroids, to more complex aspects of gynaecologic care like fertility, sexual health, and hysterectomies. Dr Tang's accessible advice empowers readers to act and advocate for themselves with healthcare professionals.

Archaeology by Colin Renfrew, Paul Bahn, Elizabeth DeMarrais

Available in print

Known for being an accessible and authoritative introduction, Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice has been updated in the Ninth Edition to include new discoveries in archaeology, innovations in field and laboratory methods, as well as covering the latest developments in archaeological theory.

Collaborating with Colin Renfrew and Paul Bahn, new co-author, Elizabeth DeMarrais, updates earlier editions’ clear presentation of archaeology’s history, theory and ethics. The contributions made by women, people of colour, and Indigenous communities to the study of the human past are highlighted. New theoretical sections address Indigenous archaeology, ontology, post-colonial theory and historical archaeology. Sections on the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and the changing role of museums are included. The Ninth Edition includes broader coverage of approaches to identity, ethnicity, and the archaeology of the modern world.

The caretaker by Gabriel Bergmoser

Available in print, large print and eAudiobook

Pushing fifty and reeling from an ugly divorce, Paul has decided it's time for an adventure. With the Bee Gees on the radio and the open road ahead, he sets out into the middle of nowhere, open to whatever comes.

But things take a sinister turn when he impulsively decides to pick up a hitchhiker. Clutching a ragged backpack with his eyes locked on the rear-view mirror, it's clear this twitchy young man is running from something. But what? And when the truth is revealed, how far will he - and Paul - go to survive?

A talent for murder by Peter Swanson

Available in print and eBook

Martha Ratliff conceded long ago that she'd likely spend her life alone. She was fine with it, happy with her solo existence, stimulated by her work as a librarian in Maine. But then she met Alan, a charming and sweet-natured salesman whose job took him on the road for half the year. When he asked her to marry him, she said yes, even though he still felt a little bit like a stranger.

A year in and the marriage was good, except for that strange blood streak on the back of one of his shirts he'd worn to a conference in Denver. Her curiosity turning to suspicion, Martha investigates the cities Alan visited over the past year and uncovers a disturbing pattern--five unsolved cases of murdered women. Is she married to a serial killer? Or could it merely be a coincidence?

Unsure what to think, Martha contacts an old friend from graduate school for advice. Lily Kintner once helped Martha out of a jam with an abusive boyfriend and may have some insight. Intrigued, Lily offers to meet Alan to find out what kind of man he really is . . .but what Lily uncovers is more perplexing and wicked than they ever could have expected.

The bell tower by R J Ellory

Available in print

Injured during a drug bust, Deputy Garrett Nelson finds himself out of the Sheriff's Department. Uncertain of his future, he takes a job at a Florida Penitentiary. Situated on the grounds of an old Spanish mission, the bell tower is now an execution chamber.

After a dangerous manhunt for escaped convicts through the Everglades, Nelson's belief in the justice system is tested to the limit. In a heartbreaking conflict of duty versus conscience, he must decide whether he's willing to let the State execute an innocent man or risk his own life and family in order to find the truth.

The mercy chair by M W Craven

Available in print and eAudiobook

Washington Poe has a story to tell. And he needs you to listen. You'll hear how it started with the robber birds. Crows. Dozens of them. Enough for a murder . . . He'll tell you about a man who was tied to a tree and stoned to death, a man who had tattooed himself with a code so obscure, even the gifted analyst Tilly Bradshaw struggled to break it. He'll tell you how the man's murder was connected to a tragedy that happened fifteen years earlier when a young girl massacred her entire family. And finally, he'll tell you about the mercy chair. And why people would rather kill themselves than talk about it . . . Poe hopes you've been paying attention. Because in this story, nothing is as it seems . . .

The ski trip by Sarah Clarke

Available in print and eAudiobook

When four friends embark on a boys’ skiing holiday in the Alps, they anticipate a weekend of fun, drinking, and some healthy competition on the slopes. But their trip is cut short when one of them falls to his death.

A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT… Tom’s widow, Zoe travels to France with her friend, Ivy to collect his body. While Zoe is consumed by grief, Ivy starts to question everything. OR COLD-BLOODED MURDER? The slope Tom fell from wasn’t dangerous, and tensions between the group were at breaking point in the days before his death.

But if Ivy’s suspicions are correct, Tom was killed by one of his closest friends. And they are still in the chalet…

Back Roads: the great Aussie road trip by Heather Ewart

Available in print and eBook

There's no better way to see this vast country of ours than by hitting roads along the coastline, or heading inland to the mountains, deserts and wide, open plains. As host of ABC TV's Back Roads, Heather Ewart has travelled thousands of kilometres over a multitude of routes - some bitumen, some little more than rough dirt tracks - to bring a taste of life beyond the cities to viewers.

At a time when Australians are embracing the country they live in and wanting to explore our richly diverse landscapes more than ever, Heather has some fabulous suggestions to get you started. From the dusty Oodnadatta Track to the spectacular Great Alpine Road to byways along the sparkling and pristine topaz waters around Esperance, Heather's road trips reflect her own distinct experience and come with personal tips on getting the best out of your journey.

You'll learn what sites are a must-see, where to find the town characters, when the festivals and big events are on and what preparations she considers essential. While no selection can do justice to the glorious uniqueness of Australia, Heather's recommendations, across all our states, showcase some absolute ripper road trips, along with some well-kept secrets.

So what are you waiting for? Get planning and get cracking. Pack your bags and your swags. Load your vans, fuel up, and let Heather take you across the country to discover the jewels she knows about and ones the locals wouldn't want you to miss.

The secret life of flying by Captain Jeremy Burfoot

Available in print and eAudiobook

How does a plane stay up in the air?
Does the Mile-High Club actually exist?
When you flush the toilet, where does it all go?

Buckle up for some turbulence because nothing flies under the radar for Captain Jeremy Burfoot.

With more than 35 years of airline experience, the former Qantas pilot presents an Airbus-load of stories about unruly passengers and cockpit clashes, and expertly navigates the bizarre myths surrounding everyday air travel. He explains important details like why plane wings actually bend, which in-flight surfaces carry the most germs and how to make plane food taste better.

Jam-packed with hilarity, horror stories and honest insights, The Secret Life of Flying is part memoir and part guide to the skies - a razor-sharp and First Class read for anyone who has ever wondered who's really flying the plane ...

Staying healthy when you travel by Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth

Available in print

This essential travel book is filled with over 300 pages that will prepare you for anything! Staying Healthy When You Travel is your must-have guide to staying healthy while you travel abroad, with practical advice on what to do if sickness strikes, including case histories that provide detailed, real-life perspectives. Learn how to prepare for healthy travel and avoid common ailments like bug bites, upset stomach, diarrhea, viruses, and more.

Author Dr. Jane Wilson-Howarth is an expert in parasitology, vector ecology, and child health, and she's also travelled around the world to treat the sick. In this updated edition she condenses all her years of medical experience into this incredibly helpful guide that's packed with international travel tips and crucial case histories, advice on immunizations and other precautions to take, tables and maps that match disease risk to countries, health tips to protect yourself from insects and worms, and so much more.

Before you prepare to travel in a post-COVID world and head to the airport, do your research with Staying Healthy When You Travel, and you'll be good to go!

Off the leash in Australia by Shandos Cleaver

Available in print

Planning on travel with your dog can be very stressful; whether you've already taken a few trips with your dog or you're looking for the best place to begin, this book will provide information on the top destinations in each state, with recommended pet-friendly accommodation, sightseeing, nature experiences and bucket list trips you can do with your pooch.

With a sleek design and heaps of practical information and helpful overview maps, Off the Leash in Australia will help you find inspiration for daytrips or longer adventures that will make for lasting memories with your favourite furry family member.