The Long Distance Playlist

The Long Distance Playlist
Author: Tara Eglington
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 268
Release: 2020-01-01
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1460709543

Told primarily in instant messenger conversations, Skype, emails and texts, this is Jaclyn Moriarty's Feeling Sorry for Celia for the modern teen. Longlisted in the 2021 Australian Book Design Awards. Taylor and Isolde used to be best friends - before THAT FIGHT, 18 months ago. It's been radio silence ever since - until Taylor contacts Isolde to sympathise with her breakup: the breakup that she never saw coming; the breakup that destroyed her confidence and ended her dreams of joining the National Ballet School. Taylor's had his own share of challenges, including a life-altering accident that has brought his hopes of competing at the Winter Olympics to a halt. Isolde responds to Taylor, to be polite. But what starts out as heartbreak-themed Spotify playlists and shared stories of exes quickly becomes something more. And as Taylor and Isolde start to lean on each other, the distance between them begins to feel not so distant after all ... A boy. A girl. A one-of-a-kind friendship. Cross-country convos and middle-of-the-night playlists. With big dreams come even bigger challenges. PRAISE FOR TARA EGLINGTON'S BOOKS 'My Best Friend is a Goddess is a sincerely sweet and seriously smart story with a lot of heart!' - Danielle Binks, YA author and reviewer 'Scary-relatable ... like seriously, has a piece of fiction ever hit this close to home? Author Tara Eglington just *knows* about girl stuff. And bestie stuff. And boy stuff' - Girlfriend magazine 'Tara Eglington perfectly captures the intensity, humour and heartache of female friendship' - Lili Wilkinson, bestselling author of Green Valentine

Wayward Son

Wayward Son
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2019-09-24
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1250146097

THE HOTLY ANTICIPATED SEQUEL TO THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER CARRY ON Simon Snow is back and he's coming to America! The story is supposed to be over. Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after... So why can’t Simon Snow get off the couch? What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light. That’s how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West. They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place. With Wayward Son, Rainbow Rowell has written a book for everyone who ever wondered what happened to the Chosen One after he saved the day. And a book for everyone who was ever more curious about the second kiss than the first. It’s another helping of sour cherry scones with an absolutely decadent amount of butter. Come on, Simon Snow. Your hero’s journey might be over – but your life has just begun.

Firefly Lane

Firefly Lane
Author: Kristin Hannah
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Total Pages: 532
Release: 2008-02-05
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1429927844

From the New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah comes a powerful novel of love, loss, and the magic of friendship. . . . now a #1 Netflix series! In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the "coolest girl in the world" moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all—beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer's end they've become TullyandKate. Inseparable. So begins Kristin Hannah's magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives. From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success . . . and loneliness. Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn't know is how being a wife and mother will change her . . . how she'll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she'll envy her famous best friend. . . . For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship—jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they've survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart . . . and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test. Firefly Lane is for anyone who ever drank Boone's Farm apple wine while listening to Abba or Fleetwood Mac. More than a coming-of-age novel, it's the story of a generation of women who were both blessed and cursed by choices. It's about promises and secrets and betrayals. And ultimately, about the one person who really, truly knows you—and knows what has the power to hurt you . . . and heal you. Firefly Lane is a story you'll never forget . . . one you'll want to pass on to your best friend.

Running Tracks

Running Tracks
Author: Rob Deering
Publisher: Unbound Publishing
Total Pages: 188
Release: 2021-08-05
Genre: Sports & Recreation
ISBN: 1800180454

Rob Deering has been listening to music his whole life, but it was only in his mid-thirties that – much to his surprise – he found himself falling in love with the hugely popular, nearly perfect, sometimes preposterous activity of running In this vividly conjured collection, Rob shares stories of when a run, a place and a tune come together in a life-defining moment. His adventures in running have spanned four continents, fifteen marathons and numberless miles of park and pavement, and the carefully chosen music streaming through his headphones has spurred him forward throughout. What makes the perfect running tune? Where can you find the best routes, even in an unfamiliar town? Why do people put themselves through marathons? In Running Tracks, Rob Deering shares his sometimes surprising answers to these questions, and explains how a hobby became an obsession that changed his life forever.

The Leavers (National Book Award Finalist)

The Leavers (National Book Award Finalist)
Author: Lisa Ko
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Total Pages: 369
Release: 2018-04-24
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 161620804X

FINALIST FOR THE 2017 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION Named a Best Book of 2017 by NPR, Entertainment Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed, Bustle, and Electric Literature “There was a time I would have called Lisa Ko’s novel beautifully written, ambitious, and moving, and all of that is true, but it’s more than that now: if you want to understand a forgotten and essential part of the world we live in, The Leavers is required reading.” —Ann Patchett, author of Commonwealth Lisa Ko’s powerful debut, The Leavers, is the winner of the 2016 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Fiction, awarded by Barbara Kingsolver for a novel that addresses issues of social justice. One morning, Deming Guo’s mother, Polly, an undocumented Chinese immigrant, goes to her job at a nail salon—and never comes home. No one can find any trace of her. With his mother gone, eleven-year-old Deming is left mystified and bereft. Eventually adopted by a pair of well-meaning white professors, Deming is moved from the Bronx to a small town upstate and renamed Daniel Wilkinson. But far from all he’s ever known, Daniel struggles to reconcile his adoptive parents’ desire that he assimilate with his memories of his mother and the community he left behind. Told from the perspective of both Daniel—as he grows into a directionless young man—and Polly, Ko’s novel gives us one of fiction’s most singular mothers. Loving and selfish, determined and frightened, Polly is forced to make one heartwrenching choice after another. Set in New York and China, The Leavers is a vivid examination of borders and belonging. It’s a moving story of how a boy comes into his own when everything he loves is taken away, and how a mother learns to live with the mistakes of the past.

Feeling Sorry for Celia

Feeling Sorry for Celia
Author: Jaclyn Moriarty
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Total Pages: 292
Release: 2014-06-17
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1466873779

A #1 Bestseller in Australia and Book Sense 76 Pick Life is pretty complicated for Elizabeth Clarry. Her best friend Celia keeps disappearing, her absent father suddenly reappears, and her communication with her mother consists entirely of wacky notes left on the fridge. On top of everything else, because her English teacher wants to rekindle the "Joy of the Envelope," a Complete and Utter Stranger knows more about Elizabeth than anyone else. But Elizabeth is on the verge of some major changes. She may lose her best friend, find a wonderful new friend, kiss the sexiest guy alive, and run in a marathon. So much can happen in the time it takes to write a letter... A #1 bestseller in Australia, this fabulous debut is a funny, touching, revealing story written entirely in the form of letters, messages, postcards—and bizarre missives from imaginary organizations like The Cold Hard Truth Association. Feeling Sorry for Celia captures, with rare acuity, female friendship and the bonding and parting that occurs as we grow. Jaclyn Moriarty's hilariously candid novel shows that the roller coaster ride of being a teenager is every bit as fun as we remember—and every bit as harrowing.

How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You

How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You
Author: Tara Eglington
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Total Pages: 317
Release: 2016-10-25
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1466850531

Sweet sixteen and never been kissed . . . That’s Aurora Skye’s big secret. And the way she wants it to stay. She’s not going to give away her first kiss to just anyone. Busy dodging suitors and matchmaking for her best friends, Aurora (not so) patiently awaits her prince. But everything changes when Aurora is coerced into a lead role in the school production of Much Ado about Nothing. Which means she’ll have to lock lips with her co-star Hayden Paris—the smart and funny boy next door who also happens to be the bane of her existence, always around to see her at her worst. Now Aurora is more determined than ever to have her first kiss with the one who’s truly worthy of it. But first she’ll have to figure out just who that person is. Romantic and funny, Tara Eglington's How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You is a feel-good tale of finding love where you least expect it.

I Might Regret This

I Might Regret This
Author: Abbi Jacobson
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Total Pages: 231
Release: 2018-10-30
Genre: Humor
ISBN: 1538713284

From the co-creator and co-star of the hit series Broad City, a "poignant, funny, and beautifully unabashed" (Cheryl Strayed) New York Times bestselling essay collection about love, loss, work, comedy, and figuring out who you really are when you thought you already knew. When Abbi Jacobson announced to friends and acquaintances that she planned to drive across the country alone, she was met with lots of questions and opinions: Why wasn't she going with friends? Wouldn't it be incredibly lonely? The North route is better! Was it safe for a woman? The Southern route is the way to go! You should bring mace! And a common one... why? But Abbi had always found comfort in solitude, and needed space to step back and hit the reset button. As she spent time in each city and town on her way to Los Angeles, she mulled over the big questions -- What do I really want? What is the worst possible scenario in which I could run into my ex? How has the decision to wear my shirts tucked in been pivotal in my adulthood? In this collection of anecdotes, observations and reflections--all told in the sharp, wildly funny, and relatable voice that has endeared Abbi to critics and fans alike--readers will feel like they're in the passenger seat on a fun and, ultimately, inspiring journey. With some original illustrations by the author.

My Best Friend is a Goddess

My Best Friend is a Goddess
Author: Tara Eglington
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 293
Release: 2016-11-01
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1460703928

'MY BEST FRIEND IS A GODDESS IS A SINCERELY SWEET AND SERIOUSLY SMART STORY WITH A LOT OF HEART!' -- Danielle Binks - YA author and reviewer Sixteen-year-old Emily and Adriana have been besties since Year One. Way back when Adriana had a gap between her teeth and was super skinny. Emily wasn't any less awkward looking, and ever since they've stuck together on the social sidelines. But when Adriana returns during Year 10, after having spent eighteen months overseas, she has gone from awkward to AMAZING. As in utter goddess. Thankfully, Adriana is no different on the inside. She's still the same best friend Emily knows and loves. But Emily just wishes that one guy, any guy, would want to get to know her for a reason other than being Adriana's best friend. Cue Theo ... Two best friends crushing on one very cute guy ... someone's going to get their heart broken. MORE PRAISE FOR MY BEST FRIEND IS A GODDESS 'My Best Friend is a Goddess is a sincerely sweet and seriously smart story with a lot of heart! It's a wonderful book for young girls in particular; a reminder that they are more than the sum of their parts, and encouraging them to celebrate their complexities by rejecting the labels that other people want to put on them and their bodies'-- Danielle Binks - YA author and reviewer 'Scary-relatable ... like seriously, has a piece of fiction ever hit this close to home? Author Tara Eglington just *knows* about girl stuff. And bestie stuff. And boy stuff. Grab a comfy spot (preferably right beside the pool) and get stuck in ...'-- Girlfriend Magazine 'Tara Eglington perfectly captures the intensity, humour and heartache of female friendship' -- Lili Wilkinson, bestselling author of Green Valentine 'Tara weaves the joy and angst of teenage friendship into an addictive read' -- Saray Ayoub, acclaimed author of Hate Is Such a Strong Word and The Yearbook Committee 'I think that this is an important book that everyone should read. It teaches you that things in life don't always stay the same' -- Mollie the Reader Blog, 5 star review

This Is How We Change the Ending

This Is How We Change the Ending
Author: Vikki Wakefield
Publisher: Text Publishing
Total Pages: 321
Release: 2019-09-03
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1925774902

A gritty, ultimately triumphant novel from one of Australia’s most loved YA writers, the author of award-winning Friday Brown