There’s a tag dangling from the centre of the red bow which says Love from Kayla in her beautiful, swirly handwriting. I read over the three words countless times, tracing the letters with my fingertip. How is this possible? Heather’s beloved daughter, Kayla, is her world. She is fifteen, a brilliant basketball player and a fierce friend. Heather and Kayla have always had a special relationship. For so many years it was just the two of them, watching Friends, baking cupcakes and laughing together. But now Kayla knows her time is short, and she wants to give something back to the mother she loves more than anyone else in the world. A gift that will change Heather’s life. With just a handful of days left, Kayla will need help from everyone around her to make this last surprise happen. Along the way, the people whose lives have been touched by Kayla’s light will be changed by her loss, and by her plan for Heather. And as Heather’s whole world threatens to fall apart, could Kayla’s forever gift be the key to piecing her life back together?

    Or can she? When her friends bet she can’t get a bad boy to fall for her, she agrees to the wager. Enter Bash Baker; Mitcham College's cherry popper. He’s the most egotistical, stereotypical jerk in the whole school. Either Bash’s fragile male ego is popped by the formal, or Paige has to give Mia’s nerdy cousin his first French kiss. Bash is Mitcham College's Cherry Popper; he’s popped more cherries than Casanova in all of Venice*. But there’s one cherry his mates bet he’ll never get. Enter Paige Nicholls; the school’s ‘it’ girl. Never one to shy away from a bet, Bash agrees to his mate’s wager. Either Paige’s cherry is popped by the formal, or Bash gives up his title to the nerdy band geek in the year below them. It’s War of the Romance as Paige and Bash try to seduce the other one without falling for the ruse themselves. Usual tactics don’t seem to be working, so the two of them might need to switch things up. Otherwise they might find they’re the one who’s popped. *possible exaggeration. This rom-com parody is not recommended for younger readers due to mature content. Please be aware that this story is set in Australia and therefore uses Australian syntax and grammar.

    Will they be ready? EYNON was excited to leave his village and set off on his wander year. He’d turned sixteen today, and hoped for at least a few adventures. At high noon, he arrived a crossroads and saw a shimmer of silver in the mud. It was a thin and dirty oval, about the size of his palm. He washed it with squirts of water from his goatskin, then marveled at what was revealed. It was a silver amulet, worked with complex, interlaced designs. An oval blue gem more than an inch across, with deep facets, was set in its center. The silver danced with reflected sunlight and the gem seemed to be filled with sparks. It was the most beautifully-crafted thing he’d ever seen. Eynon noticed strange writing on the back of the amulet. As he raised it to eye level for closer inspection, one of his fingers inadvertently pressed a small stud on the edge. A tremendous blast of blue fire shot out from the gem on the opposite side, striking an ancient leafless oak and turning it into a flaming torch. Someone behind him whistled. Eynon dropped the amulet, afraid of what else it might do, and turned to see an old farmer, leaning on a shovel. “Well, young man,” said the farmer. “It looks like you’re going to need a wizard.”

    She goes to school, gets good grades, and like any other kid, just wants to fit in, blend in and survive high school.She doesn’t talk about all the crap she has to deal with. Her mom in the hospital and a step-dad from hell.Rave Black sweeps into her life in the middle of the school year. He’s a dark loner. The quiet kid, and fascinates Jesse. She should stay away from him, but a budding friendship slips into a bond neither of them can deny.Rumors spread even as they share their secrets with each other.Can Rave help Jesse learn to open up and trust, or will his personal demons consume them both?