Book picks similar to
AUSSIE STEM STARS: EDDIE WOO by Rebecca Lim


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Cry Blue Murder


Kim Kane - 2013
    Three bodies have been found, each shrouded in hand-woven fabric. From within the depths of a police investigation, clues are starting to emerge. But as Alice and Celia discover the truth, danger is closer than anyone knows. Who can you trust at a time like this? A contemporary fable about loyalty and betrayal from two exciting new voices in Australian young adult fiction.

Peace, Love and Khaki Socks


Kim Lock - 2013
    Struggling to come to terms with her rampant fertility, disillusioned with a haughty obstetrician, and infuriated by an inordinate amount of peeing, Amy finds solace in a decision to homebirth. After all, it worked for the cavewomen, right? But as a tropical cyclone threatens to whip down the main street, Amy finds herself facing more than biology.Peace, Love and Khaki Socks explores what it is to be a woman, an expectant mother, a lover and a friend in a patriarchy. Sometimes horrifying, sometimes hilarious and always honest, this unforgettable story is one woman’s struggle to turn the ordinary into something extraordinary.

Wolfborn


Sue Bursztynski - 2010
    Geraint is brave and kind, a good teacher and master - but he has a secret that he has kept from his family. He is bisclavret, a born werewolf. When Geraint is betrayed, Etienne must ally with the local wise-woman and her daughter, themselves bisclavret, to save his lord. But time is running out. If Geraint's enemies have their way, Geraint will soon be trapped in his wolf form.And Etienne has his own secret. The decisions he makes will change his life forever . . .Inspired by a medieval romance, this engaging novel forces us to question everything we thought we knew about werewolves.

Closet of Lies


Samruddhi Chandak - 2019
    “ Bogged down by the pressures of a daily hospital routine, 28-year-old cancer-stricken Riddhi's life suddenly picks up pace when she starts receiving mysterious letters from an anonymous sender, who means bloody business. Riddhi finds herself in the fast lane when a renowned top cop is found murdered as mentioned in one of the letters. It is only when CBI officer Kabir Rana gets involved in solving the case, does he realize there is more to Riddhi than meets the eye. When Kabir starts decoding secret clues that would lead him to the murderer, what he comes across shakes him to the core.

When It’s Real, It’s Unconditional


Nyerra - 2020
    But she managed to pick up the pieces of her wounded heart and relocates to Indiana to start a better life. During a trip back to her hometown, she crosses paths with an old friend, Phil Haze. Phil had always been forbidden fruit, but things have suddenly changed for the both of them. With an undeniable connection pulling them toward each other, they decide to spark the flame. However, Anissa’s brother is against the relationship and will do whatever needs to be done to make sure their bond doesn’t exist. But when a detrimental secret is revealed, Anissa is left devastated. When it’s real, it’s unconditional is an urban love tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Take a ride with Anissa and find out how this gritty love story ends.

Olive of Groves


Katrina Nannestad - 2015
    To tell the truth, dear reader, it is not what anyone expected!The headmistress is completely bonkers and Pig McKenzie, school bully and all-round nasty swine, is determined to make Olive's life unbearable.Olive, however, is clever, sweet and kind, and soon gains the loyalty and devotion of three rats, a short-sighted moose, a compulsive liar and a goose who faints at the sight of cherries.But will friendship and wits be enough when Pig McKenzie puts his Truly Wicked Plan into gear? Or will Olive be cast out of Groves forever?

The Good Daughter


Amra Pajalic - 2009
    Fifteen-year-old Sabiha has a lot to deal with: her mother's mental health issues, her interfering aunt, her mother's new boyfriend, her live-in grandfather and his chess buddy, not to mention her arrogant cousin Adnan. They all want to marry her off, have her become a strict Muslim and speak Bosnian. And Sabiha's friends are not always friendly. She gets bullied by girlfriends and is anxious about boyfriends, when she just wants to fit in. But two boys, Brian and Jesse, become the allies of this fierce and funny girl. The Good Daughter is a coming-of-age novel written with sensitivity and humour. It confronts head-on the problems of cultural identity in the day-to-day lives of teenagers. Amra Pajalic has a wonderful ear for idiomatic dialogue and the dramatic moment. '...a near-perfect rendering of a young woman on the cusp of adulthood who's fighting to be allowed to grow up...the clashing of the old traditional community and its young people is universal.' Canberra Times

The Red Cardigan


J.C. Burke - 2004
    She's wary of the other kids at school, of what they might see in her drawings, or of what they would say if they knew she was different. Most of the time she blocks it all out and pretends she's just like everyone else.But a missing girl is trying to tell Evie something. A girl who is very persistent, who will not give up until she is found. A girl who once wore the red cardigan Evie now wears. And Evie can no longer ignore the question that needs an answer...Who is the girl in the red cardigan?

Her Last Missed Calls


A.K. Raj - 2017
    But as fate would have it, he ended up marrying Gayatri. He never cared for her or treated her as his wife but she was persistent and kept loving him. One evening when Rajiv got back home from work, he couldn't find Gayatri anywhere but even then he didn't bother, because he preferred to live in his past. But for how long can he ignore her?

The Thing About Oliver


Deborah Kelly - 2019
    Twelve-year-old Tilly dreams of becoming a marine scientist, but she doesn’t even own a swimsuit. She lives in a drought- stricken town with her mum and younger brother Oliver, who is autistic. Oliver’s meltdowns are making life unbearable. He needs so many different kinds of therapy that there’s never any time—or money—left over for swimming lessons. Tilly knows Oliver’s needs have to come first, but it’s hard feeling invisible all the time. When Mum announces they are moving to the Queensland coast, Tilly is excited at the thought of finally learning to swim— even snorkel! But she is also worried. The thing about Oliver is, he can’t cope with even the tiniest of changes to his routine. It isn’t long before the cracks begin to show. Could so many changes all at once threaten to shatter the whole family?

Living on Hope Street


Demet Divaroren - 2017
    We all fear something. Sometimes they live right next door - or even closer.Kane will do everything he can to save his mother and his little brother Sam from the violence of his father, even if it means becoming a monster himself.Mrs Aslan will protect the boys no matter what - even though her own family is in pieces.Ada wants a family she can count on, while she faces new questions about herself.Mr Bailey is afraid of the refugees next door, but his worst fear will take another form.And Gugulethu is just trying to make a life away from terror.On this street, everyone comes from different places, but to find peace they will have to discover what unites them.

Cherry Bomb


Jenny Valentish - 2014
    Have they got what it takes to stay on top or are they just a one hit wonder? Told through the eyes of a young singer who's seen it all, this is celebrated rock journalist Jenny Valentish's debut novel - a wild ride into Australia's music scene.'I didn't know it yet, but one day my Wikipedia entry would begin: 'Nina Dall is one half of Sydney pop-punk band The Dolls. Since forming the group as a sixteen-year- old with her cousin Rose Dall under the guidance of veteran producer John Villiers, she has written and recorded one gold album, It's Not All Ponies and Unicorns (2012), and one platinum album, Tender Hooks (2014), and has taken home six ARIA awards.' There will be more photographs of me in existence than the prime minister, the leader of the opposition and any visiting dignitaries put together. I will only stay in suburbs with a Park Hyatt in them.'Twenty-one year old Nina Dall has seen it all, including her own meteoric rise to fame and its inevitable aftermath. She created teen band The Dolls to escape suburban hell. Now she needs to prove she's not a one-hit wonder and convince veteran producer John Villiers to be her own personal svengali. But he's got his own problems.Rose Dall craves adoration, and through The Dolls, she gets it. But with the band's every move coming under media scrutiny and cousin Nina going off the rails, she's pushed to breaking point. Can The Dolls survive each other?Alannah Dall had a pop career in the 1980s before disappearing from public view. She's resurfaced to steer her nieces away from the same scandals, but with her own comeback on the cards, The Dolls start to become a threat.

Tahira in Bloom


Farah Heron - 2021
    Tahira will work in her aunt’s boutique in the small town of Bakewell, the flower capital of Ontario. It’s only for the summer, and she’ll get the experience she needs for her college application. Plus her best friend is coming along. It won’t be that bad.But she just can’t deal with Rowan Johnston, the rude, totally obsessive garden-nerd next door with frayed cutoffs and terrible shoes. Not to mention his sharp jawline, smoldering eyes, and soft lips. So irritating. Rowan is also just the plant-boy Tahira needs to help win the Bakewell flower-arranging contest—an event that carries clout in New York City, of all places. And with designers, of all people. Connections that she needs!No one is more surprised than Tahira to learn that floral design is almost as great as fashion design. And Rowan? Turns out he’s more than ironic shirts and soil under the fingernails. Tahira’s about to find out what she’s really made of—and made for. Because here in the middle of nowhere, Tahira is just beginning to bloom.

Black Book of Poems II


Vincent K. Hunanyan - 2018
    Hunanyan, the #1 bestselling author of Black Book of Poems, comes his highly-anticipated second collection of poetry.

Walk in My Shoes


Alwyn Evans - 2004
    I took Mum's hand, whispering, 'Are we really safe here?' After a perilous and terrifying journey from war-torn Afghanistan, Gulnessa and her family find themselves in Australia, a place they know nothing about. They are exhausted and traumatised, but so full of hope. At last-somewhere safe to call home. But they soon discover that their struggle isn't over yet. They are imprisoned in a detention centre for illegal immigrants, and forced to prove their refugee status. As the days drag into weeks and months, Gulnessa is determined to stay strong. She must keep her family together, and fight for Abdul, her special friend from home, with whom she has secretly fallen in love. She can never give up hope, of a temporary protection visa, and a chance to build a future in a beautiful foreign land.