Millions of Amor Towles fans are in for a treat as he shares some of his shorter fiction: six stories based in New York City and a novella set in Golden Age Hollywood. The New York stories, most of which take place around the year 2000, consider the fateful consequences that can spring from brief encounters and the delicate mechanics of compromise that operate at the heart of modern marriages. In Towles’s novel Rules of Civility, the indomitable Evelyn Ross leaves New York City in September 1938 with the intention of returning home to Indiana. But as her train pulls into Chicago, where her parents are waiting, she instead extends her ticket to Los Angeles. Told from seven points of view, "Eve in Hollywood" describes how Eve crafts a new future for herself—and others—in a noirish tale that takes us through the movie sets, bungalows, and dive bars of Los Angeles. Written with his signature wit, humor, and sophistication, Table for Two is another glittering addition to Towles’s canon of stylish and transporting fiction. #newbook #newrelease #newfiction #literaryfiction #tablefortwo #amortowles #agentlemaninmoscow #book #books #reading #fiction #shortstories #novella #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The standalone pre-WW2 crime novel from Sunday Times bestselling Rory Clements - set in Munich in the early 1930s. The gripping new 2024 thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The English Fuhrer. In this brilliant standalone crime novel set in 1930s Munich, Detective Sebastian Wolff must walk a tight line between doing his job and falling foul of the Nazi party he despises. Munich in the 1930s is a magnet for young, rich, aristocratic Brits. They come to learn German, but also to go wild, free at last from the suffocating constraints of strait-laced England. They ski in the Alps, swim in the lakes, drink in the beer cellars and fall for the charms of dashing SS officers. What they don't see - or choose to ignore - is the cold, brutal, underbelly of the Nazi movement which considers Munich its spiritual home. But not every German is a Nazi. Murder squad detective Sebastian Wolff is one of those walking a tight line between doing his job and falling foul of the political party he abhors. When a high-born English girl is murdered, Wolff is ordered to solve the crime. He has a fine record and, importantly, he is fluent in English. But he realises the mission is a poison chalice, for Hitler is taking a personal interest in the case - as is his young English acolyte Miss Unity Mitford. Wolff is hemmed in on all sides. At work, he is watched closely by the secret police, at home he could be denounced at any moment by his own son, a fervent member of the Hitler Youth. And when he begins to suspect that the killer might be linked to the highest reaches of the Nazi hierarchy, he fears his task is simply impossible - and that he will become the killer's next victim. #newrelease #newbook #roryclements #munichwolf #thriller #thrillerfiction #newfiction #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Henry dreams of silence. A world without the clattering of carriages through cobbled streets, the distant cries of drunken brawls, the relentless ticking of the clock. Then he meets a fascinating, mysterious gentleman who sells just that. Precious silk that can drown out the clamour of the world – and everything Henry is so desperate to escape. Summoned to Sir Edward’s secluded factory to try to cure his young daughter’s deafness, Henry is soon drawn deeper and deeper into the origins of this otherworldly gift: a gift that has travelled from ancient Mediterranean glades to English libraries. Ignoring repeated warnings from the girl's secretive governess, he allows himself to fall under the spell of Sir Edward and his silk… but when he learns its true cost, will it be too late to turn back? From the #1 bestselling author of THE BINDING, this is an enthralling story about complicity, desire and corruption – a novel to lose yourself in. #newrelease #newbook #newfiction #fiction #book #thesilencefactory #bridgetcollins #thebinding #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Say hello to your Miles Franklin Longlist for 2024! ✨ Have you read any of these? Are any on your TBR? 📖 #milesfranklin #milesfranklin2024 #milesfranklinlonglist #milesfranklinliteraryaward

On the Coral Coast of Western Australia, solo traveller Katy is on a mission to find her free-spirited sister, Phoebe, who disappeared along the same route a year ago. But as she drives her campervan further into the wild north, Katy realises she's not as alone as she'd first believed. Soon she is pulled into a complicated web of secrets, lies, myths and stories that force her to question everything she thought she knew about her sister. In this nerve-shredding outback thriller, our obsessions with freedom and beauty collide with our fear of what lies in the wilderness, and the truth behind Phoebe's disappearance proves stranger and darker than Katy could ever have guessed... #newrelease #newbook #newfiction #crimefiction #crimethriller #redriverroad #annadownes #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Her family's story made Henry Lawson famous. But was it his story to tell? Fact and fiction meld into one in this stirring family saga set against shifting landscapes and pivotal moments in Australian history. Lillian was born in 1892, the same year Henry Lawson wrote 'The Drover's Wife' and cemented his place in Australia's literary canon. When Lillian reads the short story as a teenager, she is convinced that it is based upon her own family and becomes determined to prove it. But as the years pass, the truth becomes more problematic, and Lillian must decide what is more important: holding onto the past or embracing the future. The Story Thief is about mothers and daughters, love, loss and the power of words. Ultimately it is about how each of us must find our own way to live. #newrelease #newbook #newfiction #petrarchs #bookshop #book #books #thestorythief #kyrageddes #australianfiction #aussiefiction #aussieauthor #readmorebooks

Grace lives next door to old Mr Milligan and his goat Charlie. They are the best of friends. But when Mr Milligan’s beloved goat dies, everything changes. Will Grace be able to help her friend overcome his sadness? Grace and Mr Milligan is a heart-warming story of grief, love and the healing power of friendship. #newbook #kidsbook #childrensbook #graceandmrmilligan #cazgoodwin #pipkruger #book #books #picturebook #illustrated #newrelease #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

From the international and instant New York Times bestselling author John Connolly, the beloved and brilliant Charlie Parker series returns with a heart-wrenching crime only one man can solve. In Maine, Colleen Clark stands accused of the worst crime a mother can commit: the abduction and possible murder of her child. Everyone—ambitious politicians in an election season, hardened police, ordinary folk—has an opinion on the case, and most believe she is guilty. But most is not all. Defending Colleen is the lawyer Moxie Castin, and working alongside him is the private investigator Charlie Parker, who senses the tale has another twist, one involving a husband too eager to accept his wife’s guilt, a group of fascists arming for war, a disgraced psychic seeking redemption, and an old, twisted house deep in the Maine woods, a house that should never have been built. A house, and what dwells beneath. #newrelease #newfiction #newbook #johnconnolly #theinstrumentsofdarkness #book #books #crimefiction #crimethriller #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Sometimes you need to get lost to find your way Marnie is stuck. Stuck working alone in her London flat, stuck battling the long afternoons and a life that often feels like it's passing her by. Michael is coming undone. Reeling from his wife's departure, increasingly reclusive, taking himself on long, solitary walks across the moors and fells. When a persistent mutual friend and some very English weather conspire to bring them together, Marnie and Michael suddenly find themselves alone on the most epic of walks and on the precipice of a new friendship. But can they survive the journey? A new love story by beloved bestseller David Nicholls, You Are Here is a novel of first encounters, second chances and finding the way home. #newrelease #newbook #newfiction #davidnicholls #youarehere #fiction #book #books #reading #read #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Under what was left of the roof of the ruined cottage, a girl with pigtails perched on a pile of rubble, hunched over a book... 1918: As the Great War rages, Jessie Carson takes a leave of absence from the New York Public Library to work for the American Committee for Devastated France, a group of women determined to rebuild devastated French communities just miles from the front. Upon arrival, Jessie strives to establish something that the French have never seen - children's libraries. She turns ambulances into bookmobiles and trains the first French female librarians. Then she disappears. 1987: When NYPL librarian and aspiring writer Wendy Peterson stumbles across a passing reference to Jessie Carson in the archives, she becomes consumed with learning her fate. In her obsession, she discovers that she and the elusive librarian have more in common than their work at New York's famed library, but she has no idea their paths will converge in surprising ways across time. #newrelease #newbook #newfiction #fiction #historicalfiction #thelibrariansofruedepicardie #janetskesliancharles #theparislibrary #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

We had a night out at the Launceston Library last week to launch Rachael Treasure's Milking Time. 'Milking Time' is a call to arms to nuture and nourish both land and soul through regenerative agriculture, community building and embracing your inner strength. With a jumble of Tasmanian settings (and an Irish holiday) adding fictional fuel to the storyline your imagination will run wild. Limited signed copies in-store. Rachael Treasure @rachael.treasure HarperCollins Books Australia @harpercollinsaustralia

NEW - Christian White - The Ledge COMING OCTOBER 2024 (pre-order at Petrarch's) When human remains are discovered in the forests of regional Victoria, the police are baffled, the locals are shocked, and one group of old friends starts to panic. Their long-held secret is about to be uncovered. It all began in 1999 when sixteen-year-old Aaron ran away from home, dragging his friends into an unforeseeable chain of events that no one escaped from unscathed ... In The Ledge, past and present run breathlessly, tensely parallel, leading to a cliff-hanger nobody will see coming. This is a mind-bending new novel from the master of the unexpected #comingsoon #christianwhite #newfiction #christianwhite #thrillerbooks #australianauthor #upallnightreading Affirm Press @affirmpress

Don’t miss the unputdownable new book in the international bestselling SKANDAR series, for readers ages 9 to 99 and fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Eragon and Impossible Creatures. The Island always wins… Skandar and his sister Kenna are finally both at the Eyrie, but tensions are high. To survive their third year of training, Skandar and his friends must complete a series of terrifying trials across the Island’s elemental zones. Friendships, allegiances and rider-unicorn bonds will be pushed to the limit – only the strongest will make it. Meanwhile Kenna’s forged bond to a wild unicorn has left her alienated and alone. And when a terrible discovery puts the future of the Island in peril, all fingers point in one direction . . . As dark forces assemble, Skandar must decide how far is he willing to go – for Kenna, and for the Eyrie. Get ready for unlikely heroes, elemental magic, sky battles, ancient secrets and ferocious unicorns in this highly anticipated adventure that will keep you reading after lights out! #newrelease #newbook #skandar #skandarandthechaostrials #afsteadman #upperprimary #upperprimaryfiction #kidsfiction #childrensfiction #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mum's. We are open between 10am - 5pm today and we gift wrap!

Happy Mother's Day, mums. We think you're pretty darn fantastic. 😍 PS - we're open today from 10am - 5pm for last-minute gift buying! 🎁

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mum's. We are open 10am - 5pm today and we gift wrap.

A lush and enchanting fantasy romance, inspired by Beauty and the Beast and the myth of Hades and Persephone. Beloved by readers on TikTok. Wren of Edgewood is no stranger to suffering. With her parents gone, it is Wren’s responsibility to ensure she and her sister survive the harsh and endless winter, but if the legends are to be believed, their home may not be safe for much longer. For three hundred years, the land surrounding Edgewood has been encased in ice as the Shade, a magical barrier that protects the townsfolk from the Deadlands beyond, weakens. Only one thing can stop the Shade’s fall: the blood of a mortal woman bound in wedlock to the North Wind, a dangerous immortal whose heart is said to be as frigid as the land he rules. And the time has come to choose his bride. When the North Wind sets his eyes on Wren’s sister, Wren will do anything to save her – even if it means sacrificing herself in the process. But mortal or not, Wren won’t go down without a fight. #newrelease #newbook #fantasy #fantasyfiction #thenorthwind #alexandriawarwick #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

It's time for another Mother's Day gift recommendation! ✨ A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common. Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra. Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak. Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them? But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right? #book #books #booksellerrec #booksellerrecommendation #funnystory #emilyhenry #read #reading #romcom #mothersday #giftidea #giftideas #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The new novel from the Miles Franklin award-winning author of Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens. It was a beautiful evening. The wind gathered speed, lifting the frangipanis from the grove behind him, pink and yellow petals defying gravity. Beyond the trees, hidden by the foliage and rows of towering palm trees, the detention centre slept fitfully in the heavy summer heat. The palms blocked the ocean gust that now swirled around him, filling his lungs with the taste of temple flowers and salt. It reminded him of home. He took a deep breath, stepped off the escarpment and felt the red sand rush up towards him. Arriving in Australia seeking asylum, Fina dedicates herself to aiding the refugees who are held in Port Camden, a remote island outpost. Over time she settles into a life within a community of like-minded people, finding a new family, far from her original home. After she speaks out for those being detained, Fina becomes the focus of a media storm that leads to her arrest, and the threat of deportation. When a security officer dies under suspicious circumstances, Lucky, a special investigator, arrives to uncover the truth. The mystery is tied to Fina’s fate—and the secrets she reveals will divide the town and the nation. Safe Haven is about displacement and seeking refuge—but ultimately it is a story about finding home—and the lengths you’ll go to find safety and love. #newrelease #newfiction #newbook #safehaven #shankarichandran #australianfiction #aussiefiction #chaitime #book #books #australianauthor #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

This week we're bringing you some Mother's Day gift ideas! 💐 An incomparable beauty. A promise to a king. A portrait that can never be completed. When Emilia Lennox loses everything after her husband’s lands and title are confiscated, her beauty is her best bargaining chip with the only man who can restore their fortunes: King Charles II himself. But the king’s favour comes at a price. He will pardon Emilia’s husband only if she agrees to be his mistress. Torn, Emilia comes up with a condition of her own: she will consent, but not until her portrait hangs among the famed Windsor Beauties, a series commissioned by the Duchess of York to showcase the fairest women in the royal retinue. For Henry Greenhill, ambitious assistant to the court painter, the opportunity to paint Emilia’s portrait is a chance to step out of his master’s shadow. But his sitter proves as evasive as she is beautiful, and with barely a sketch to show for his efforts, Henry’s career is on the line. As the king’s patience wears thin, it’s clear that more than creative talent will be needed to capture this incomparable beauty on canvas ... From the bestselling author of The Lace Weavercomes this seductive story of rivalry, artistic passion and a woman bold enough to wield her beauty as a weapon. #book #newrelease #bookrec #bookrecommendation #laurenchater #thebeauties #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks #bookseller #booksellerrec

We're coming at you this week with some Mother's Day gift inspo! There's more to every love story than what we choose to tell... It's spring and Lara's three grown daughters have returned to the family orchard. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the one story they've always longed to hear – of the film star with whom she shared a stage, and a romance, years before. Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents lead before their children are born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart. #book #booksellerrec #booksellerrecommends #tomlake #annpatchett @parnassusbooks #literary #fiction #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

We're giving you some Mothers Day gift ideas this week! 🥰 150 dinner recipes. Fail-proof. Delicious. Addictive. The food you want to cook, eat and share, night after night. Through her phenomenally popular online food site, RecipeTin Eats, Nagi Maehashi talks to millions of people a year who tell her about the food they love. Now, in her first cookbook, Nagi brings us the ultimate curation of new and favourite RecipeTin Eats recipes - from comfort food (yes, cheese galore), to fast and easy food for weeknights, Mexican favourites, hearty dinner salads, Asian soups and noodles, and special treats for festive occasions. Featuring a photo and how-to video for every recipe (follow the QR code), readily available ingredients, Nagi's famously helpful notes, and Dozer, Australia's best-loved food tester, this is a kitchen-shelf must have for the novice cook, the expert seeking to perfect technique (straight to the Beef Wellington!), and everyone in between. #book #cookbook #mothersday #books #giftideas #mum #mother #giftidea #recipetineats #recipetin @recipe_tin #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

So you’ve just bought an air fryer, now what? The Air Fryer Queen is here to help, sharing great foodie inspo and loads of helpful tips on getting the best out of your magic machine. Steph’s recipes are super easy to make and packed full of flavour – the whole family will want in on the fun. You’ll find plenty of new breakfast favourites to start your day, as well as quick dinner deliciousness (you have to try the roast chicken!). Of course let’s not forget the sweet stuff, with irresistible dirty desserts! And you can make them all with your new best friend in the kitchen. #newrelease #newbook #cookbook #airfryer #airfryerqueen #book #books #airfryerqueenbook #stephdesousa #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

We couldn't have said it better @staychatty "Anne and Graeme share some insights into 'The Glass House'. Albeit fictional, the book does a wonderful job of sharing different perspectives, increasing understanding, and exposing us to experiences we may otherwise never be exposed to 🤗 Thank you, Anne and Graeme, for creating a book that shows the intricacies of both living with a mental illness and supporting those experiencing mental illness. It was a great privilege to witness the fantastic work you are doing to further educate the community around the topic of mental health 💙" @graemesimsion @anneebuist

We're bringing you some Mother's Day gift ideas this week! 💐 A spicy contemporary rom-com set in the town of Knockemout from bestselling author and TikTok sensation, Lucy Score Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon. Knox doesn't tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride. Naomi wasn't just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way . . . with fists and beer. Usually in that order. Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn't changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi's car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn't know she had. Now she's stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of. There's a reason Knox doesn't do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi's life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life. At least, that's the plan until the trouble turns to real danger. #book #mothersday #mum #mother #giftidea #thethingswenevergotover #lucyscore #books #romantic #romanticmum #read #reading #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

So many opportunities to come along to one of our book events; 9 MAY - Milking Time with Rachael Treasure @rachael.treasure 16 MAY - Dragonflies and Damselflies of Tasmania by Nigel Forteath 23 MAY - Peter Manchester's Guide to Tasmanian Fossils. 1 JUNE - Photographs by Spurlings by Christine Burgess 6 JUNE - A Very Secret Trade by Cassandra Pybus Scan QR code on event tiles to book tickets

COMPETITION TIME! 🥳 Can you believe it's been 20 years since Where is the Green Sheep hit the shelves!? Buy ANY Green Sheep book and go in the draw to win this adorable, fluffy, giant green sheep! 🐑 🎊 Prize drawn at 4pm on Friday 31st of May! #competition #prize #win #greensheep #whereisthegreensheep #anniversaryedition #memfox #judyhoracek

We're coming at you over the next few days with some Mother's Day gift ideas! ✨ We all know about dad jokes but isn't mum just as funny? Absolutely, she is. She's running circles around those lame dad jokes. Jessica Rowe has compiled an awesome collection of quick and funny jokes, already road-tested and 100% guaranteed to embarrass anyone's kids. An ideal present for any mum this Mother's Day. #mothersday #mum #mother #giftideas #giftidea #mumjokes #jessicarowe #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A novel of enormous wit and profound emotional resonance from one of the world's finest writers. Eilis Lacey is Irish, married to Tony Fiorello, a plumber and one of four Italian American brothers, all of whom live in neighbouring houses on a cul-de-sac in Lindenhurst, Long Island, with their wives and children and Tony's parents. It is the spring of 1976 and Eilis, now in her forties with two teenage children, has no-one to rely on in this still-new country. One day, an Irishman comes to the door asking for Eilis by name. He tells her that his wife is pregnant with Tony's child and that when the baby is born, he will not raise it but will leave it with her. Eilis has choices to make, and what she does in the wake of this shattering news is at the heart of one of Tóibín's most riveting and emotional novels to date. #newfiction #newrelease #newbook #longisland #colmtoibin #fiction #literaryfiction #petrarchs #bookshop #book #books #readmorebooks

The gorgeously funny, uplifting and entertaining new novel from Rachael Treasure, author of iconic, bestselling and much-loved stories of Australian rural life, including Jillaroo and The Farmer's Wife. Connie Mulligan, daughter of a fourth-generation Tasmanian dairy farmer, feels like she doesn't belong – anywhere. She's got big dreams and big ideas, but she made a mess of her university degree and has been sent home in disgrace. The man who was responsible for her failure won't get out of her nightmares, her father won't listen to any of her ideas on how to make environmentally positive changes to the way the dairy farm is being run, her mum thinks she should go on anti-depressants, and she keeps having what her psychologist calls 'episodes'. Connie is stifled, frustrated, out of sorts and out of step – with her family, her town, her community and her time. It's not until an opportunity arises to travel to Ireland that a chance encounter with a wise old woman – and a knock on the head – sees Connie regain her confidence. And it is in Ireland that Connie realises that everything she wants back home – family, friends, community and a healthy, healing land – is within her grasp; she's just got to reach out for what she wants and make it happen. The story of how Connie Mulligan uses all her wit, willpower and a community of strong women to seize the day, save her family farm and transform herself, her life and her small town will have you standing up and cheering. Earthy, funny, truthful and wise, this is Rachael Treasure at her emotional, heartfelt and feelgood best. #book #books #newrelease #newbook #newfiction #fiction #australianfiction #aussiefiction #rachaeltreasure #milkingtime #aussieauthor #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The bestselling author of Lost Connections and Stolen Focus takes a revelatory look at the new drugs transforming weight loss as we know it – sharing his personal experience on Ozempic and examining our ability to heal society's dysfunctional relationship with food, weight and our bodies. In January 2023, Johann Hari started to inject himself once a week with Ozempic, one of the new drugs that produces significant weight loss. He wasn't alone – some predictions suggest that in a few years, one in four of the British population will be taking these drugs. While around 80 per cent of diets fail, someone taking one of the new drugs is likely to lose up to a quarter of their body weight in six months. To the drugs' defenders, this is a moment of liberation from a condition that massively increases your chances of diabetes, cancer and an early death. Still, Hari was wildly conflicted. Can these drugs really be as good as they sound? Are they a magic solution – or a magical illusion? Finding the answer to this high-stakes question led him on a journey from Iceland to Minneapolis to Tokyo, and to interview the leading experts in the world on these issues. He found that along with the drugs' massive benefits come twelve significant potential risks. He also learned that these drugs radically challenge what we think we know about shame, willpower and healing. These drugs are about to change our world, for better and for worse. Everybody needs to understand how they work – scientifically, emotionally and culturally. Magic Pill is an essential guide to the revolution that has already begun – and which one leading expert argues could be as transformative as the invention of the smartphone. #newrelease #nonfiction #newnonfiction #ozempic #magicpill #johannhari #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A young widow grapples with the arrival of a once-in-a-lifetime comet and its tumultuous consequences, in a debut novel that blends mystery, astronomy, and romance, perfect for fans of Emma Cline's The Girls and Ottessa Moshfegh's Death in Her Hands. Sylvia Knight is losing hope that the person who killed her husband will ever face justice. Since the night of the hit-and-run, her world has been shrouded in hazy darkness--until she meets Theo St. John, the discoverer of a rare comet soon to be visible to the naked eye. As the comet begins to brighten, Sylvia wonders what the apparition might signify. She is soon drawn into the orbit of local mystic Joseph Evans, who believes the comet's arrival is nothing short of a divine message. Finding herself caught between two conflicting perspectives of this celestial phenomenon, she struggles to define for herself where the reality lies. As the comet grows in the sky, her town slowly descends further and further into a fervor over its impending apex, and Sylvia's quest to uncover her husband's killer will push her and those around her to the furthest reaches of their very lives. A novel about the search for meaning in a bewildering world, the loyalty of love, and the dangerous lengths people go to in pursuit of obsession, Bright Objects is a luminous, masterfully crafted literary thriller. #newrelease #newbook #book #books #fiction #newfiction #brightobjects #rubytodd #reading #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Congratulations to Waanyi author Alexis Wright for winning the 2024 Stella Prize! 😍 Alexis Wright is the first person to win this amazing prize twice! ✨ Praiseworthy is an epic set in the north of Australia, told with the richness of language and scale of imagery for which Alexis Wright has become renowned. In a small town dominated by a haze cloud, which heralds both an ecological catastrophe and a gathering of the ancestors, a crazed visionary seeks out donkeys as the solution to the global climate crisis and the economic dependency of the Aboriginal people. His wife seeks solace from his madness in following the dance of butterflies and scouring the internet to find out how she can seek repatriation for her Aboriginal/Chinese family to China. One of their sons, called Aboriginal Sovereignty, is determined to commit suicide. The other, Tommyhawk, wishes his brother dead so that he can pursue his dream of becoming white and powerful. This is a novel which pushes allegory and language to its limits, a cry of outrage against oppression and disadvantage, and a fable for the end of days. #stellaprize #stella #stellaprize2024 #stella2024 #stellawinner #stellaprizewinner #thestellaprize #praiseworthy #alexiswright #book #indigenousauthor #australianauthor #indigenousfiction #australianfiction #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

From horse thief to the merchant queen of Sydney Cove - how did one woman rise so far? 'It is a harsh land - yes, for you especially - but people can also rise here ...' Born into poverty in eighteenth-century England, her future was predetermined. But throughout her life Molly Thistle refused to follow the path laid out before her. Her headstrong nature, disdain for convention and desire for freedom were always destined to determine her fate. Following her involvement in a fatal childhood prank, Molly dresses as a boy and flees on a stolen horse. Her new-found freedom ends with her arrest and an uncertain journey towards Britain's farthest prison colony. Undaunted, Molly navigates her way through a society that denies power to her sex and scorns those who have not 'arrived free'. Her quick wit, resilience and ambition will attract the love of her life and the opportunity to forge a commercial empire. And those very same characteristics will create enemies intent on destroying all that she has battled to build for herself and her family. Inspired by historical figures and actual events, Free shines a light on the indomitable figure who first made her appearance in The Wreck. In a story told with warmth and compassion for those who struggled, survived and sometimes even prevailed - and for those who did not - Meg Keneally once again brings the complexity and brutality of colonial Australia vividly to life. #newrelease #newfiction #free #megkeneally #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #australianfiction #australianauthor #aussiefiction #aussieauthor #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Australia's leading social psychologist examines our society today and asks timely and urgent questions about its future Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. Yet none of our differences—whether based on ethnicity, politics, religion, cultural tastes and preferences, or gender—are nearly as significant as the humanity we share. Amidst our epidemics of loneliness, anxiety and depression, and the impacts of entrenched poverty and ubiquitous technology, The Way We Are examines the major trends that are shaking the foundations of the Australian way of life. Drawing on thousands of interviews over a lifetime of research, Hugh Mackay, much loved and highly respected social psychologist, presents a compelling portrait of Australia today. He celebrates the march towards gender equality and explains the stubborn persistence of misogyny, the anti-social consequences of social media, the complex legacy of the Baby Boomers, and the 'fake wisdom' that guides too much of our thinking. Exploring the steady decline in religious faith and practice, Hugh identifies the many gods we continue to worship, and points to the positive role that dreaming can play in our lives. Though some of his observations may not be easy reading, Hugh's analysis is suffused with affection for our country. Inspiring, provocative and powerfully argued, The Way We Are is the most important—and uplifting—book you'll read all year. It will encourage you to reflect deeply on the question: What kind of society do we want to become? #newrelease #newbook #psychology #psychologist #thewayweare #hughmackay #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Bastienne Scull is nearly twelve years old and lives a simple life as an apprentice to the Witnesser of Miracles in a small village mostly populated by women and girls. Basti knows that miracle-hunting is a lot like mystery-solving, and her little world is full of wonder and intrigue and unexpected adventure. A supremely enjoyable middle grade novel from the multi award-winning, bestselling author of How to Bee, The Dog Runner and The Raven's Song. That's what my photos are. Little moments. All the good moments, the kind moments, the moments of care and love that, if you add them all together, make a life sweet. Bastienne Scull is a young orphan who lives with the local Witnesser of Miracles, Lodyma Darsey, who investigates 'miraculous events' and spins them into stories she tells at the night markets. After Lodyma's husband and elder son died of a sickness that continues to sweep the land, she sent her teenage son Osmin into the hills to live with the mountain men. That was ten years ago, and Lodyma doesn't know if he's alive or dead. And she's taken Bastienne as an apprentice to fill the void of her lost family. One day, two young boys arrive in town asking Lodyma to go on a mysterious mission to a monastery. And when Lodyma and Bastienne arrive, what they discover will change their lives. A wonderful novel, full of hope, courage, resilience and family. #newrelease #newbook #kidsbook #childrensbook #brenmcdibble #theapprenticewitnesser #book #books #upperprimary #read #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Join Petrarch's Bookshop at Scotch Oakburn College - Penquite Campus as we launch A Very Secret Trade by Cassandra Pybus in-conversation with Dr Nick Clements (co-author of Tongerlongeter and author of The Black War). In the nineteenth century, collectors and museum curators in Europe were fascinated by the antipodean colony of Tasmania. But they were not just interested in animals and plants. The belief that the original people of the colony were an utterly unique race and facing possible extinction had the European scientific community scrambling for human exhibits. Worse still, the men responsible for the care and protection of the few original people who had survived the ravages of disease and the infamous Black Wars were prominent in the trade. Cassandra Pybus has uncovered one of the darkest and most carefully hidden secrets in Australia's colonial history. It is time we all knew the truth. Scan QR code or follow link for tickets https://www.trybooking.com/CRLAN @allenandunwin

Author of the bestselling Truganini, Cassandra Pybus has uncovered one of the darkest and best kept secrets in Australian colonial history. In the nineteenth century, collectors and museum curators in Europe were fascinated by the antipodean colony of Tasmania. They cultivated contacts in the colony who could supply them with exotic specimens, including skeletons of the thylacine and the platypus. But they were not just interested in animals and plants. The belief that the original people of the colony were an utterly unique race and facing possible extinction had the European scientific community scrambling for human exhibits. Many eminent colonial figures were involved in this clandestine trade, among them four colonial governors, several key politicians and even Lady Jane Franklin. In Britain, Sir Joseph Banks, the Duke of Newcastle and Professor Thomas Huxley were among many eminent men who solicited human specimens from the colony. Worse still, the men responsible for the care and protection of the few original people who had survived the ravages of disease and the infamous Black Wars were prominent in the trade. Cassandra Pybus has uncovered one of the darkest and most carefully hidden secrets in Australia's colonial history. It is time we all knew the truth. #newrelease #nonfiction #history #historybook #newbook #australianhistory #tasmanianhistory #tasmania #tasmanian #indigenoushistory #cassandrapybus #averysecretrade #truganini #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorenbooks

From internationally bestselling author John Boyne, an inescapably gritty story about one young man whose direction in life takes a vastly different turn than what he expected. It’s the tabloid sensation of the year: two well-known footballers standing in the dock, charged with sexual assault, a series of vile text messages pointing towards their guilt. As the trial unfolds, Evan Keogh reflects on the events that have led him to this moment. Since leaving his island home, his life has been a lie on many levels. He’s a talented footballer who wanted to be an artist. A gay man in a sport that rejects diversity. A defendant whose knowledge of what took place on that fateful night threatens more than just his freedom or career. The jury will deliver a verdict but, before they do, Evan must judge for himself whether the man he has become is the man he wanted to be. #newrelease #newbook #johnboyne #earth #newfiction #fiction #book #books #reading #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The extraordinary life story of Australia's beloved Julie Goodwin, first winner of MasterChef and bestselling cookbook author. Julie Goodwin was catapulted into our hearts as the first-ever winner of MasterChef Australia. In many ways her win was unlikely. As a child Julie adored music and art, but her career began in youth work, including in a juvenile detention centre housing troubled boys and a toxic all-male staff. After her three sons were born, she and her husband started an IT business. Then came MasterChef – a record-breaking juggernaut of a show. The attention and opportunities that flowed from Julie’s win were thrilling and overwhelming. She became a columnist for Australian Women’s Weekly, a presenter on Today, published numerous cookbooks and made appearances on many shows including facing off with snakes and alligators on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! For years she co-hosted an award-winning breakfast radio show, and she opened a thriving cooking school. It was by all appearances, a successful, rewarding life. But under the surface relentless pressure from Julie’s outer and inner worlds was taking its toll. Struggling with depression, anxiety and addiction, with bushfires blazing and lockdowns looming, Julie found herself hospitalised in a mental health unit. Her recovery, bumpy and circuitous, is an ongoing process that Julie tackles with tenacity. In this gloriously candid, deeply moving memoir, filled with beautiful food, astonishing people, humour and heart, Julie writes with brutal honesty about her struggles. We are brought into her story, into her unravelling and quest for healing as she seeks to resume a richly lived life. #newrelease #newbook #autobiography #biography #nonfiction #newnonfiction #juliegoodwin #yourtimestartsnow #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Set over one sizzling summer comes a shimmering, joyful new novel about the happily-ever-after that wasn't and the exes determined to make the best of it from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Happy Place and Book Lovers. Daphne always loved the way Peter told their story. That is until it became the prologue to his actual love story with his childhood bestie, Petra. Which is how Daphne ends up rooming with her total opposite and the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra's ex, Miles. As expected, it’s not a match made in heaven – that is until one night, while tossing back tequilas, they form a plan. And if it involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their adventures together, well, who could blame them? But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex... right? #newrelease #newbook #newfiction #fiction #funnystory #emilyhenry #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #romance #romancefiction #read #reading #readmorebooks

Rory observes the world from the safety of her third-floor apartment. But she's being watched too and will soon learn that no lock will protect her. The compelling, unsettling new psychological suspense novel from the bestselling author of Other People's Houses. Even a locked door can't keep you safe Twenty-six-year-old Rory rarely leaves her apartment, though her little dog Buster keeps her company. Days are spent working for her aunt's PI business, and watching and imagining histories for the homeless men, the Dossers, across the road. At night she walks Buster on the roof, gazes at the stars and wonders. The night before New Year's Eve, one of the Dossers is murdered, an incident which brings the world - police, new neighbours, her dark past and new possibilities - crashing through Rory's front door. She thought she was keeping her fears at bay. But has her sanctuary turned into her prison? Or is it safer for everyone if Rory stays locked away? #newrelease #newbook #apartment303 #kellihawkins #book #books #thriller #thrillerfiction #crimefiction #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Climbing Wild: A History of Rock Climbing in Tasmania is here, and it's a beauty! Our dramatic sea cliffs and remote mountains have been the stage for some extraordinary climbs on some of the most improbable rock features in the world. Climbing Wild brings to life the history of Tasmanian rock climbing with many stunning images and tales of adventure. #newrelease #newbook #tasmania #tasmanian #climbingwild #rockclimbing #history #tasmanianhistory #gerrynarkowicz #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

This unique, fun and informative introduction to the publishing world shows young readers how a book makes its journey from the writer’s notebook to the reader’s hands. What’s missing from the world of children’s books? A book about how a book gets made! This behind-the-scenes exploration features colorful and quirky double page spreads that depict every stage in the life of a book. Young readers will learn why an editor’s to-do list is so long; what’s important to a book designer; how a book gets sold to libraries and stores; and what a printing press looks like. They’ll discover jobs they might not have known about, including literary critics, librarians, and sales representatives. And they’ll learn about topics beyond publishing, such as fan fiction, ebooks and audiobooks, and book collecting. Most of all, they’ll realize how the book they are reading actually came to be made. Perfect for readers to peruse on their own or with their favorite grown up, this book is the first of its kind — a perfect complement to every young booklover’s library. #newrelease #newbook #booksandthepeoplewhomakethem #books #book #kidsbook #childrensbook #kidsnonfiction #childrensnonfiction #reading #read #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

"Salman Rushdie is my hero. His story is one of life, love and resilience. I am in awe. 'Words are the only victors.'" - Staff member Holly A moving and life-affirming memoir about survival and the power of love to heal, from internationally renowned writer Salman Rushdie. On the morning of 12 August 2022, Salman Rushdie was standing onstage at the Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York, preparing to give a lecture on the importance of keeping writers safe from harm, when a man in black – black clothes, black mask – rushed down the aisle towards him, wielding a knife. His first thought: So it’s you. Here you are. What followed was a horrific act of violence that shook the world. Now, for the first time, Rushdie relives the traumatic events of that day and its aftermath, as well as his journey towards physical recovery and the healing that was made possible by the love and support of his wife, Eliza, his family, his army of doctors and physical therapists, and his community of readers worldwide. Knife is Rushdie writing with urgency, gravity, and unflinching honesty. It is also a deeply moving reminder of literature’s capacity to make sense of the unthinkable. This an intimate and life-affirming meditation on life, loss, love, art – and finding the strength to stand up again. #newrelease #newbook #knife #salmanrushdie #memoir #autobiography #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #read #reading #booksellerrec #bookrec #booksellerreccomends #bookrecommendation #readmorebooks

Tonight we welcomed Anne Buist and Graeme Simsion to Petrarch’s Bookshop as they launched their latest co-authored novel ‘The Glass House’. Along with special guest Callum from SPEAK UP Stay ChatTy. After the success of what ‘The Rosie Project’ did to create a wider acceptance and understanding of autism with its main character Don Tillman. Graeme and Anne wanted to do see if they could do the same for mental health. So they used Anne’s knowledge from a career in mental health to fictionalise a story from the point of view of frontline workers. By focusing on numerous mental health topics but in an approachable novel format so we can all talk about mental health and its ripple effects on families and communities. Want to get your own signed copy? Please come and visit us Petrarch's Bookshop. Big thank you to Hachette Australia Books for touring them to Launceston.

Meet a children's author this school holidays and pop into petrarchsbookshop tomorrow at 10:30am to meet Rachel Baird.

We still have some tickets available for you to join us tomorrow (TUES 23/4) night to meet Anne Buist and Graeme Simsion as we launch The Glass House, set in an acute psychiatric ward: your favourite medical drama with a psych twist. They’ll talk about their books, writing as a couple and their mission to visit every bookshop in Australia. And (almost) anything you want to ask them. Scan QR code to book tickets or head to https://www.trybooking.com/COPLX

Have you started thinking about your Mother's Day shopping yet? No pressure, but it's swiftly approaching! We have some fab ideas for your mum or mother figure, so feel free to ask us if you're stuck for ideas 😉

Take an incredible journey back in time to a land of warriors, longboats and legends. Marvel at fabulous treasures and sagas of heroes, monsters and epic voyages. Travel back in time more than a thousand years to visit the world of the Vikings. Board a longship to go on a voyage of exploration, and see the weapons and armor used by a mighty warrior. Discover mythical tales of magic, monsters, gods, and goddesses. Learn about mysterious picture stones, how the Vikings honored their dead, and how they traveled to the ends of the known world. Dozens of ancient Viking treasures are depicted in detailed full-color illustrations accompanied by fascinating facts about their use, lore, and history. DOZENS OF ARTIFACTS: Learn about 36 iconic objects, from a Viking warrior’s axe to a longship that sailed the high seas. BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED: Vibrant, detailed images of the art, objects, people, and icons of the Viking world. FASCINATING FACTS: Includes hundreds of amazing facts about Viking treasures in an easy-to-read format that will enthrall budding historians of all ages. CLASSROOM TO COFFEE TABLE: This beautiful volume is equally at home on a school bookshelf to support student learning as in a living room to be enjoyed by the whole family. #newrelease #newbook #book #kidsbook #childrensbook #magnificentbookoftreasures #vikings #kidsnonfiction #nonfiction #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town in this riveting novel from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man. In a small Alaska town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven't seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who's responsible: a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods. Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing--and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a town like Deadhart, but Barbara isn't so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than almost anyone. As the pair delve into the town's history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle each other for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the truth: Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster . . . or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous? #newrelease #newbook #thegathering #cjtudor #book #books #read #reading #thriller #fiction #thrillerfiction #vampires #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson--creator of The Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn Saga, and countless bestselling works of science fiction and fantasy--comes this standalone novel showing a rare glimpse of a future Cosmere universe. Running. Putting distance between himself and the relentless Night Brigade has been Nomad's strategy for years. Staying one or two steps ahead of his pursuers by skipping through the Cosmere from one world to the next. But now, his powers too depleted to escape, Nomad finds himself trapped on Canticle, a planet that will kill anyone who doesn't keep moving. Fleeing the fires of a sunrise that melts the very stones, he is instantly caught up in the struggle between a heartless tyrant and the brave rebels who defy him. Failure means a quick death, incinerated by the sun... or a lifetime as a mindless slave. Tormented by the consequences of his past, Nomad must fight not only for his survival--but also for his very soul. #newrelease #newbook #fantasy #newfantasy #fantasyfiction #book #books #thesunlitman #cosmere #brandonsanderson #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

We loved being immersed in the early Australian yarn of ‘Cameleer’ last night with author Xavier Paul. Limited signed copies in-store petrarchsbookshop if you missed out. “Trudge through the dry sands of the early Australian outback with Charly, a young girl who wanted more. Following family tragedy Charly carves her own path to become a Cameleer.” Recommended by bookseller Andy. @shawline_publishing

Outside the island there is nothing: the world destroyed by a fog that swept the planet, killing anyone it touched. On the island: it is idyllic. 122 villagers and 3 scientists, living in peaceful harmony. The villagers are content to fish, farm and feast, to obey their nightly curfew, to do what they're told by the scientists. Until, to the horror of the islanders, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed to death. And they learn the murder has triggered a lowering of the security system around the island, the only thing that was keeping the fog at bay. If the murder isn't solved within 107 hours, the fog will smother the island – and everyone on it. But the security system has also wiped everyone's memories of exactly what happened the night before, which means that someone on the island is a murderer – and they don't even know it… #newrelease #newbook #thelastmurderattheendoftheworld #stuartturton #book #thriller #fiction #newfiction #read #reading #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

We loved being immersed in the early Australian yarn of ‘Cameleer’ last night with author Xavier Paul. Limited signed copies in-store @petrarchs Bookshop if you missed out. “Trudge through the dry sands of the early Australian outback with Charly, a young girl who wanted more. Following family tragedy Charly carves her own path to become a Cameleer.” Recommended by bookseller Andy. @shawline_publishing

How do you start again, after losing everything? Find out in the global no. 1 bestseller's latest heartstopper... Anna Walsh had a dream life - according to everybody else. She lived in New York, had a long-term boyfriend, and had The Best Job In The World working as a highly successful beauty PR. So why did she decide to take a flamethrower to the lot? Because now she's back Dublin, living with her parents. She's undeniably forty-eight, with no partner, no job, and no direction. Anna's lost her purpose. She needs a new challenge to help her fall back in love with life again. When an opportunity arises to solve a PR crisis in the tiny town of Maumtully, Anna leaps at the chance. But will the appearance of an old love interest derail her plans? #newrelease #newbook #book #books #myfavouritemistake #mariankeyes #read #reading #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Have your lost your flock of ducks?... We had a marvelous time finding them hidden around the shop but we lack a pond to keep them in 😄🐥

There are no witches, no dragons and no secrets in Quill, so how can Brim be trapped in the School for Prevention of Witches with Rose, a royal dragon with an injured foot, and a large mystery to untangle? A delightfully pleasing whimsical fantasy adventure with more knots and snarls than a skein of wool, suitable for readers who love the books of Cressida Cowell or Katrina Nannestad. Lian Tanner is heading to Launceston Library on SATURDAY 27 APRIL 10:30 - 11:30am book a free ticket at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/book-launch-lian-tanner-at-launceston-library-tickets-855569941727 Here are the three Laws of Quill, carved in stone outside every town hall, and learnt by every schoolchild: There shall be No Witches. There shall be No Dragons. There shall be NO SECRETS. Ten-year-old Brim has been sent to the Quillian School for Prevention of Witches, but she's sure it's a mistake. It's true that she has tiny feathers sprouting from her elbows, and that she's the only person who remembers the odd-looking calf that has been following her. But she is most definitely Not a Witch. Meanwhile, Queen Rose of Hallow has received reports of a secret weapon in the mountains of Quill, and goes to investigate. Alone. Luckily, she's not just a twelve-year-old girl with red hair and a wilful nature. She is also a dragon. Before long, Rose and Brim find themselves trapped in Quill, in the worst possible danger. Just a witch, a dragon and a LOT of secrets. A bewitching tale of bravery, betrayal and one very forgettable horned glob, from the award-winning author of Rita's Revenge and Spellhound. #newrelease #newbook #kidsfiction #kidsbook #childrensbook #book #books #reading #petrarchs #bookshop #lianetanner #fledgewitch #readmorebooks

Compiled over the past three years from a lifetime of research, Peter Manchester’s Guide to Tasmanian Fossils is an essential addition to Tasmanian geological history for the advanced layperson and professional alike. This is an entirely unique addition to the field – there has never before been a book written entirely on Tasmanian fossils. With over 900 illustrations for exacting observations and identifications, it has been divided for ease of use into a catalogue of phyla in photographic form. Other chapters include Tasmanian palaeontogical history, possible sites, and new recent discoveries. Peter Manchester is the author of the now sold-out Created from Chaos: 100 geological sites in Tasmania. Peter is a much sought after lecturer and educator in geology, geo-tourism, mineralogy and lecturers on topics as various as scientific toys, inventions, meteorites and orchid growing. #newrelease #newbook #tasmania #tasmanian #tasmanianbook #tasmanianfossils #fossils #petermanchester #petermanchestersguidetotasmanianfossils #booklaunch #booksigning #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A boy and his beloved budgie are thrust into an epic adventure that could change everything. Absolutely everything. Birds. Lots of birds. The people of the world are puzzled. Their feathered friends are trying to tell them something, and they’re not sure what it is. Then a boy and his pet budgie discover the secret. Join Jay and Clyde, and their friends Maxine and Dora, on an exciting, funny, risky journey to save their families. And every other family too. #newrelease #newbook #book #books #morrisgleitzman #tweet #kidsbook #childrensbook #read #reading #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

There is still space to join us this Thursday as we launch CAMELEER by Xavier Paul. "Trudge through the dry sands of the early Australian outback with Charly, a young girl who wanted more. Following family tragedy Charly carves her own path to become a Cameleer." Recommended by Andy FREE TICKETS https://www.trybooking.com/CPLIY

A dazzling, sunbaked Italian summer story from the global bestselling author of Call Me By Your Name. We spend more time than we know trying to go back. We call it fantasising, we call it dreaming. . . but we're all crawling back, each in his or her own way.A group of college friends find themselves marooned at a luxurious hotel on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. While their boat is being repaired, they can't help but observe the daily routine of a fellow hotel guest - a mysterious, white-bearded stranger who sits on the veranda each night and smokes one cigarette, sometimes two. When the group decides to invite the elegant traveller to lunch with them, they cannot begin to imagine the miraculous abilities, strange wisdom, and a life-changing story he is about to impart to one of the friends in particular... Deeply atmospheric and sensual, The Gentleman From Peru weaves achingly poignant insight into a story of regret, fate and epic love. #newrelease #newfiction #andreaciman #thegentlemanfromperu #hardcover #fiction #book #books #read #reading #petrarchs #bookhop #readmorebooks

From Sunday Times bestselling author of Ninth House, Hell Bent and the Shadow and Bone series comes a highly anticipated, gorgeously written novel with a dusting of magic brimming with peril and dark deeds In a shabby house in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil. But when her scheming mistress discovers her scullion is hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to win over the royal court. Determined to seize this chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of power-hungry nobility, desperate kings, holy men and seers, where the lines between magic, science and fraud blur. With the pyres of the Inquisition burning, she must use every bit of her wit and resilience to win fame and hide the truth of her ancestry – even if that means enlisting the help of an embittered immortal familiar, whose own secrets could cost her everything. From Sunday Times bestselling author comes a bewitching novel, brimming with peril in a world where a woman’s ambition can prove deadly. #newrelease #newbook #leighbardugo #thefamiliar #fantasyfiction #fantasy #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

New, from award-winning historical novelist, Pamela Rushby, exploring the roles, and struggles, of women in wartime. The poster had a picture of a tanned, healthy girl, wearing a regulation uniform hat and shorts that were, surely, anything but regulation. When Hilly volunteers for the Women’s Land Army in 1942, she’s sixteen years old. She expects to be picking sun-kissed fruit and bottle-feeding fluffy white lambs, all while she's wearing a flattering outfit. Travelling to farms across Queensland, Hilly encounters backbreaking work, but also friendship and fellowship with other Land Army girls, Aileen and Glad, all seeking independence for their own reasons. War is a chance for a life away from family and familiarity, offering adventure and romance. But the poster didn’t mention crutching sheep or 4 am starts. Or the prejudice they would face, and that some men needed to be fought off, rather than fought for. In the midst of adversity, Hilly finds exactly what she is capable of … and it might be more than she ever thought possible. She is one of ‘those girls with grit’. #newrelease #newbook #yafiction #ya #youngadult #youngadultfiction #thosegirls #pamelarushby #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The updated story of Taylor Swift’s stratospheric rise to fame; all any dedicated Swifty needs to know about the pop superstar who’s taking over the world with her Eras tour! A small-town girl with incredible talent – and the strength and determination to realise her dream – Taylor Swift has gone from America’s sweetheart to global megastar. But how did she get there? And how has she coped with the realities of fame? Fully updated in fascinating detail, Taylor Swift: The Whole Story explores Taylor’s musical evolution and her status as a fearless businesswoman operating on her own terms. From her early beginnings in Pennsylvania to the challenges she faced on the road to success, and from her relationships with Harry Styles, Joe Alwyn and Travis Kelce to her record-breaking Eras tour, this is the unmissable account of Taylor’s journey to world domination. #newrelease #newbook #updatededition #taylorswift #thewholestory #erastour #biography #book #musicbiography #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Grace is a thief: a good one. She was taught by experts and she’s been practising since she was a kid. She specialises in small, high-value items—stamps, watches—and she knows her Jaeger-LeCoultres from her Patek Philippes. But it’s a solitary life, always watchful, always moving. It’s not the life she wants. Lying low after a run-in with an old associate, Grace walks into Erin Mandel’s rural antiques shop and sees a chance for something different. A normal job. A place to call home. But someone is looking for Erin. And someone’s looking for Grace, too. And they are both, in their own ways, very dangerous men. #newrelease #newbook #thrillerfiction #crimefiction #crimethriller #sanctuary #garrydisher #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A stunning new YA thriller from the bestselling, award-winning author of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder! 18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness. Rachel is gone, presumed dead. The case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. But then Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again … #newrelease #newbook #ya #yafiction #youngadult #youngadultfiction #book #books #thereappearanceofrachelprice #hollyjackson #goodgirlsguidetomurder #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop

Fairy tales are as old as language itself. Long, long ago, storytellers all around the world told tales of wonder both to enchant and entertain us, and also to teach us that – if we are good and kind and courageous enough – we can change the world for the better. For this is what fairy tales do. They give us hope. As we travel through the dark and dangerous world of the fairy tale, as we fight dragons and outwit ogres and save our sisters and brothers, we learn that we are capable of anything. And then we return to our own world with all that we have learned along the way, stronger and braver than before. The stories in this book come from all the corners of the world. Some were told in deep time before history was recorded, and some were written not so long ago. All of them have been unjustly forgotten. In this collection of long-lost fairy tales, author Kate Forsyth and illustrator Lorena Carrington work together to bring tales of wisdom, compassion, and courage to life for the modern-day reader. #newrelease #newfiction #ya #yafiction #fairytales #kateforsyth #longlostfairytales #youngadult #youngadultfiction #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A bone-shaking new trilogy begins – the latest adventure in the bestselling Skulduggery Pleasant series! Six years ago, the universe ended. When it restarted, blinking back into existence, it brought with it a darkness that remains hidden from the mortal population. A week ago – fuelled by unimaginable hatred and unstoppable rage – a masked sorcerer killed one of those mortals. Then he killed another. And another. With their time running out, Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain must work to solve the puzzles the killer leaves behind before more innocents die, embarking on a journey that will force them to deal with the apocalypse they failed to prevent the first time around. And murder. Lots and lots of murder. #newrelease #newbook #skulduggerypleasant #dereklandy #amindfullofmurder #book #books #yafiction #yabook #youngadult #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

In the 1850s a young midwife braves the perilous journey west to Santa Fe in this captivating epic from the international bestselling author of Into the Wilderness and The Endless Forest. 1857: In a bid to outrun her past, Carrie Ballentyne accepts a nursing position with a doctor in the New Mexico Territory. She knows the journey from New York to Santa Fe will not be easy, but she relishes the adventure. However, nothing could have prepared her for the wilderness she encounters. To endure, she must rely on her fellow travelers - and one enigmatic man in particular. The trip west is only the beginning of Carrie’s challenges, though. In Santa Fe, she helps women bring new life into the world, making her beloved among new mothers. Soon, however, she realizes that her employer and his wife are keeping secrets from her, and she must ferret out the truth to protect their young daughter. But to save the little girl, Carrie will have to confront the demons in her own past - a feat that will take all of her bravery, and the help of the man she’s come to love above all others. With its breathtaking western landscape and its irresistible characters, The Sweet Blue Distance is the unforgettable story of one woman’s courage to heal herself, her family, and the women entrusted to her care. #newrelease #newfiction #historicalfiction #saradonati #intothewilderness #thesweetbluedistance #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The beloved author of Because of Winn-Dixie has outdone herself with a hilarious and achingly real love story about a girl, a ghost, a grandmother, and growing up. It’s the summer before fifth grade, and for Ferris Wilkey, it is a summer of sheer pandemonium: Her little sister, Pinky, has vowed to become an outlaw. Uncle Ted has left Aunt Shirley and, to Ferris’s mother’s chagrin, is holed up in the Wilkey basement to paint a history of the world. And Charisse, Ferris’s grandmother, has started seeing a ghost at the threshold of her room, which seems like an alarming omen given that she is also feeling unwell. But the ghost is not there to usher Charisse to the Great Beyond. Rather, she has other plans—wild, impractical, illuminating plans. How can Ferris satisfy a specter with Pinky terrorizing the town, Uncle Ted sending Ferris to spy on her aunt, and her father battling an invasion of raccoons? As Charisse likes to say, “Every good story is a love story,” and Kate DiCamillo has written one for the ages: emotionally resonant and healing, showing the two-time Newbery Medalist at her most playful, universal, and profound. #newrelease #newbook #ferris #katedicamillo #upperprimary #kidsfiction #kidsbook #childrensbook #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

After tragedy, how do we find hope? A memoir about what it takes to get through the very worst of times from Rosie Batty - a singular woman who has experienced tragedy, who had lost all hope, yet now is intent on finding it again. On a warm summer's evening in February 2014, eleven-year-old Luke Batty was killed by his father at cricket practice. It was a horrific act of family violence that shocked Australia. The next morning, his mother Rosie bravely stood before the media. Her powerful and gut-wrenching words about family violence galvanised the nation and catapulted her into the spotlight. From that day on, Rosie Batty campaigned tirelessly to protect women and children, winning hearts and minds with her courage and compassion, singlehandedly changing the conversation around domestic violence in this country. Rosie's remarkable efforts were recognised when she became the 2015 Australian of the Year and a year later she was named one of the World's Greatest Leaders by Fortune magazine. However, behind Rosie's steely public resolve and seemingly unbreakable spirit, she was a mum grieving the loss of her adored son. >What happens when you become an accidental hero? What happens the day after the worst day of your life? What happens when you are forced to confront the emptiness and silence of a house that once buzzed with the energy of a teenage son? You go to dark places from which you're not sure you'll ever recover. Following on from her runaway best-seller A Mother's Story, which detailed the lead up to her son's murder, Hope shares what happened to Rosie the day after the worst day of her life and how she reclaimed hope when all hope was lost. She shares her struggles with anxiety, PTSD, self-doubt and self-loathing and how she finally confronted her grief. She shares the stories of those who have inspired her to keep going, and given her hope when she needed it most. In this heartfelt, and at times heartbreaking memoir, Rosie tells how she found the light on her darkest days and how she found hope to carry on. #newrelease #newbook #rosiebatty #hope #autobiography #australianoftheyear #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

"Three Tasmanian gardens feature in this stunning new book from my favourite garden photographer - Claire Takacs. Here she teams up with Giacomo Guzzon to showcase gardens that are successfully addressing the challenges of a changing climate - my garden book of 2024!" - Book seller Karen In Visionary: Gardens and Landscapes for our Future photographer Claire Takacs and landscape architect Giacomo Guzzon introduce stunning private and public gardens from around the world that have addressed both sustainability and climate change with outstanding results. Be inspired by the new ways garden and landscape designers are thinking about planting and garden design in the face of climate change. Featuring more than 80 gardens from across the globe including the USA, UK, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, this beautiful book is guaranteed to inspire you with exciting gardens and innovative design solutions that look to the future. #newrelease #newbook #gardening #gardens #clairetakacs #hilaryburden #gardeningbook #landscapes #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Don Roberto Luciano, boss of the Sicilian Mafia, agrees to be chief witness in the trial of Paul Carolla, who murdered Luciano's firstborn son, Michael, 20 years ago. Despite round-the-clock protection, all the Luciano men are killed the night before a family wedding. The don's wife, Graziella, holds together what's left of the family - daughters-in-law Theresa and Sophia, and Theresa's daughter Rosa - while instructing their lawyer to sell off business holdings. Eventually the women become involved in the business themselves, trying to recover money that's disappeared into Carolla's hands. Following a courtroom shootout, Carolla's adopted son Luka, using his knowledge of organization politics and his mastery of murder, becomes the women's partner and protector. Once the Luciano women discover Luka's secret, however, they implacably take revenge in the ruthless manner of their age-old code, and the strongest of them becomes the new head of the family, the bella mafiosa... #newrelease #newbook #lyndalaplante #bellamafia #thriller #thrillerfiction #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

"I am such a huge Bri Lee fan, so I was so excited to hear about her first venture into fiction! It doesn't disappoint. The Work is reminiscent of Diana Reid or Sally Rooney in its analysis of messy relationships, whilst interspersing this with fascinating commentary on the art world both here in Australia and New York. I loved it!" - Book seller Holly Lally has invested everything into her gallery in Manhattan and the sacrifices are finally paying off. Pat is a scholarship boy desperate to establish himself in Sydney's antiquities scene. When they meet at New York's Armory Show their chemistry is instant - fighting about art and politics is just foreplay. With an ocean between them they try to get back to work, but they're each struggling to balance money and ambition with the love of art that first drew them to their strange industry. Lally is a kingmaker, bringing exciting new talent to the world, so what's the problem if it's also making her rich? Pat can barely pay his rent and he isn't sure if he's taking advantage of his clients or if they are taking advantage of him, and which would be worse? Their international affair ebbs and flows like the market, while their aspirations and insecurities are driving them both towards career-ending mistakes. If love costs and art takes, what price do we pay for wanting it all? The Work is about the biggest intersections of life: of art and commerce, of intimacy and distance, of talent and entitlement, and of labour and privilege. Dazzling, funny and unforgettable, it is an epic and forensic exploration of modern love and passion, politics and power. The Work announces a brilliant new voice in Australian fiction. #newrelease #newbook #fiction #newfiction #aussiefiction #australianfiction #staffrecommendation #staffrec #booksellerrec #thework #brilee #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop @bri.e.lee

A fabulous trio of new Billie B Brown books have arrived! In The Snow Day, Billie is going to the snow for the very first time! She wishes her little brother could come too. How can she bring the magic of the snow back home for him? In The Bad Butterfly, Billie has started ballet classes. She is sure she’ll be a great dancer! But is Billie really cut out to be a ballerina? In The Wonderful Wedding, Billie's going to a wedding! She's got the perfect outfit, and she can't wait to see all the fancy decorations. But what happens when the wedding doesn't live up to her dreams? #newreleases #newbooks #billiebbrown #sallyrippin #thesnowday #thebadbutterfly #thewonderfulwedding #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Look who’s back in hot water! The highly anticipated new novel in The Tea Ladies mystery series, a runaway bestseller of the year. Ideal for fans of Richard Osman and Bonnie Garmus. In ZigZag Lane, in the heart of Sydney’s rag-trade district, tea ladies Hazel, Betty and Irene find themselves in hot water. Having already solved a murder, kidnapping and arson case, and outwitting an arch criminal, they have proved themselves a useful resource and earned the respect of a local police officer. Now he needs their help to solve a plot that threatens security. As if that’s not enough, Irene gets a coded message directing her to the spoils of a bank robbery, which sends the tea ladies on a treasure hunt with an unexpected outcome. There’s also trouble brewing within the walls of Empire Fashionwear, where an interloper threatens not just Hazel’s job but the very role of tea lady. It’s up to Hazel to convince her friends to abandon their trolleys and take action to save their livelihoods – before it’s too late. #newrelease #newfiction #fiction #australianfiction #aussiefiction #thetealadies #thecrypticclue #amandahampson #atealadiesmystery #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Tasmanian Author @Lian Tanner Author @liantannerbooks is heading North this school holidays with these great events with the Launceston and George Town Library. We're heading along with some books if you'd like to buy a copy to take home. Sign up via the links below. 26 APRIL George Town - BOOK LAUNCH https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/book-launch-lian-tanner-at-george-town-library-tickets-852603157997 George Town - WORKSHOP https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/author-workshop-lian-tanner-at-george-town-library-tickets-852578223417 27 APRIL Launceston - BOOK LAUNCH https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/book-launch-lian-tanner-at-launceston-library-tickets-855569941727 #launceston #launcestonlibrary #LauncestonLibrary #GeorgeTownLibrary #georgetownlibrary #reading #schoolholidayfun #schoolholidayactivity #instaforteachers #tasmanianlibrarians

Calling all rural fiction readers! Join Petrarch's Bookshop at Launceston Library at 5:30pm on THURS 9 MAY as we launch Milking Time with Rachael Treasure in-conversation with our bookseller Andy. FREE TICKETS https://www.trybooking.com/CQNOV or scan QR code. The gorgeously funny, uplifting and entertaining new novel from Rachael Treasure. Connie Mulligan, daughter of a fourth-generation Tasmanian dairy farmer, feels like she doesn't belong – anywhere. She's got big dreams and big ideas, but she made a mess of her university degree and has been sent home in disgrace. Connie is stifled, frustrated, out of sorts and out of step – with her family, her town, her community and her time. #launceston #LauncestonLibrary #bookevent #bookstagram #launcestontasmania #readingtime #milkingtime #ruralromance

An incomparable beauty. A promise to a king. A portrait that can never be completed. When Emilia Lennox loses everything after her husband’s lands and title are confiscated, her beauty is her best bargaining chip with the only man who can restore their fortunes: King Charles II himself. But the king’s favour comes at a price. He will pardon Emilia’s husband only if she agrees to be his mistress. Torn, Emilia comes up with a condition of her own: she will consent, but not until her portrait hangs among the famed Windsor Beauties, a series commissioned by the Duchess of York to showcase the fairest women in the royal retinue. For Henry Greenhill, ambitious assistant to the court painter, the opportunity to paint Emilia’s portrait is a chance to step out of his master’s shadow. But his sitter proves as evasive as she is beautiful, and with barely a sketch to show for his efforts, Henry’s career is on the line. As the king’s patience wears thin, it’s clear that more than creative talent will be needed to capture this incomparable beauty on canvas ... From the bestselling author of The Lace Weaver comes this seductive story of rivalry, artistic passion and a woman bold enough to wield her beauty as a weapon. #newrelease #newbook #fiction #historicalfiction #newfiction #laurenchater #thebeauties #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A powerful, insightful and provocative debut novel that explores the challenge of finding a way to be true to yourself and your roots without ignoring where you have come from or denying where you want to go. 'Islanders must do everything together. We painted ngatu together. We crossed the ocean together. We settled on isles together. We took up Christianity together. We entered into new citizenships together. We became wage workers together. We lived with generations upon generations stacked in fibro houses together. We became half-White together. We got nits together. We sooked together. We stayed poor together. Together. Together. Together.' Meadow Reed used to get confused when explaining that she had grandparents from Australia, Tonga and Great Britain. She'd say she was full-White and full-Tongan, thinking that so many halves made separate wholes. Despite the Anglo-Saxon genetics that gave Meadow a narrow nose and light-brown skin, everybody who raised her was Tongan. Everybody who loved her was Tongan. This was what made her Tongan. Growing up in the heat-hummed streets of Mt Druitt in Western Sydney, Meadow will face palangis who think they are better than Fobs, women who fall into other women, what it means to have many mothers, a playful rain and even Pineapple Fanta. For this half-White, half-Tongan girl, the world is bigger than the togetherness she has grown up in. Finding her way means pushing against the constraints of tradition, family and self until she becomes whole in her own right. Meadow is going to see that being a dirt poor Islander girl is more beautiful than she can even begin to imagine. Dirt Poor Islanders is a potent, mesmerising novel that opens our eyes to the brutal fractures navigated when growing up between two cultures and the importance of understanding all the many pieces of yourself. #newrelease #newbook #aussie #aussiefiction #australianfiction #newfiction #fiction #winniedunn #dirtpoorislanders #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The smash hit Fourth Wing is now in handy smaller format paperback! Fourth Wing is "perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas" and "definitely lives up to the hype!" according to our booksellers Phoebe and Holiday! Friends. Enemies. Lovers. Everyone has an agenda... Violet Sorrengail expected to live a quiet life surrounded by books, until she was forced onto the world's deadliest training ground. Now she must fight to join the army's elite: dragon riders. But dragons don't choose fragile riders, they incinerate them, and when your body breaks as easily as Violet's does - death is only a heartbeat away. Every night could be your last. Many cadets would kill Violet to better their own chances of success; the rest would kill her just because of her last name . . . including the ruthless Xaden Riorson, her family's greatest enemy. With the odds stacked against her, Violet must use every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise, because once you enter Basgiath War College, there are only two ways out: Graduate, or die. #newrelease #newedition #fourthwing #booktok #tiktok #rebeccayarros #ironflame #smalledition #book #books #read #reading #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

From the international bestselling author of the smash hit, Penguin Bloom! Grab a copy of Broken Girl at the following link: The powerful, deeply moving true story of Caroline Breure, whose mind and body were shattered by a horrific accident - forcing her to find a way to piece her broken life back together after she discovers that everything she believed about herself and her lover was wrong. Sometimes the whole truth is the death of everything. Caroline Laner Breure was on holiday in Spain with her boyfriend when her skull was crushed. A year later, following starless months in a coma and painful rehabilitation, Caroline returned to her beachside apartment in Sydney, only to find that her home was not her home, her lover was not her lover and her friends were not her friends. Everyone and everything she'd loved had vanished. Physically broken and no longer able to trust her own mind, she painstakingly searched for clues to explain the cruel disparity between her past and present. This is the true story of how Caroline solved her own mystery and reclaimed her life. A jagged and luminous survivor's account and a defiant celebration of imperfection, Broken Girl is a powerful and poetic work of staggering loss and betrayal, fierce beauty, dark humour, love and rage. #newrelease #newbook #brokengirl #bradleytrevorgreive #carolinelanerbreure #biography #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks #read #reading

‘Sometimes you need to repeat something a hundred times before a bell rings in the colony.’ From the bestselling author Bruce Pascoe comes a deeply personal story about the consequences and responsibility of disrupting Australia’s history. When Dark Emu was adopted by Australia like a new anthem, Bruce found himself at the centre of a national debate that often focussed on the wrong part of the story. But through all the noise came Black Duck Foods, a blueprint for traditional food growing and land management processes based on very old practices. Bruce Pascoe and Lyn Harwood invite us to imagine a different future for Australia, one where we can honour our relationship with nature and improve agriculture and forestry. Where we can develop a uniquely Australian cuisine that will reduce carbon emissions, preserve scarce water resources and rebuild our soil. Bruce and Lyn show us that you don’t just work Country, you look, listen and care. It’s not Black Duck magic, it’s the result of simply treating Australia like herself. From the aftermath of devastating bushfires and the impact of an elder’s death to rebuilding a marriage and counting the personal cost of starting a movement, Black Duck is a remarkable glimpse into a year of finding strength in Country at Yumburra. #newrelease #newbook #australian #brucepascoe #indigenoushistory #blackduck #book #books #nonfiction #newnonfiction #lynharwood #readmorebooks #read #reading

Following the year Rachael Mogan McIntosh gave birth to her third child and shapeshifted from wild to mild, Mothering Heights is an hilarious, moving celebration of early parenthood – written by a survivor. As Rachael navigates her way through the confusing rules of modern-day motherhood and grapples with the crazy-making Sisyphean beast that is housework, her three children under five grow like weeds, eat like footballers and deliver non-stop comedic shenanigans. Rachael adapts to the realisation that her old identity no longer quite fits, and neither do her trousers. The year is beyond tough but the hard-won wisdom of motherhood cracks her heart wide open. A comedy, tragedy and farcical romp all rolled into one, Mothering Heights is a love story about becoming a mother. #newrelease #newbook #parenting #parentingbook #motheringheights #rachaelmoganmcintoish #motherhood #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Lift the flaps to help Little Angler illuminate a cast of beloved ocean animals! Discover an octopus, a starfish, a seahorse and ... OH NO, a shark! Can Little Angler swim fast enough to reach the safety of his family? With bright, bold artwork, catchy repetition and a whole host of favourite animals, Little Angler is a modern preschool classic. The chunky, sturdy pages make it perfect for small hands and countless rereads. #newrelease #newbook #kidsbook #childrensbook #boardbook #picturebook #anglerfish #littleangler #heidimckinnon #zoegaetjens #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

A compelling, addictive novel for readers of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine told with heart, humour and insight by Anne Buist and The Rosie Project's Graeme Simsion. Psychiatry registrar Doctor Hannah Wright, a country girl with a chaotic history, thought she had seen it all in the emergency room. But that was nothing compared to the psychiatric ward at Menzies Hospital. Hannah must learn on the job in a strained medical system, as she and her fellow trainees deal with the common and the bizarre, the hilarious and the tragic, the treatable and the confronting. Every day brings new patients: Chloe, who has a life-threatening eating disorder; Sian, suffering postpartum psychosis and fighting to keep her baby; and Xavier, the MP whose suicide attempt has an explosive story behind it. All the while, Hannah is trying to figure out herself. With intelligence, frankness and humour, eminent psychiatrist Anne Buist tells it like it is, while co-writer Graeme Simsion brings the light touch that made The Rosie Project an international bestseller and a respected contribution to the autism conversation. #newrelease #newbook #theglasshouse #annebuist #graemesimsion #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #fiction #newfiction #aussiefiction #australianfiction #readmorebooks

Let us know what you're devouring currently!! 📚😍 #currentlyreading #reading #book #books #whatareyoureading

She wonders if they have discovered her missing yet. Has it broken in the news? Who has been assigned to cover her story? Have they started spooling through her social media and pulling out photographs? Constructing a narrative about who she is and what possible reason any person has to kidnap or (let's be frank) kill her? She tries not to let out the whimper that's building in her sternum, at the thought that he might. Kill her, that is. He might kill her. Kate Delaney has made the biggest mistake of her life. She picked the wrong guy to humiliate on a girls' night out and now she is living every woman's worst nightmare. Kate finds herself brutalised, bound and gagged in the back of a car being driven god knows where by a man whose name she doesn't know, and she is petrified about what's in store for her. As a journalist who is haunted by the crimes she's had to report over her career, Kate is terrifyingly familiar with the statistics about women who go missing—and the fear and trauma behind the headlines. She knows only too well how those stories usually end. Kate can only hope the police will find her before it's too late, but she's aware a random crime is hardest to solve. As the clock ticks down, she tries to keep herself sane by thinking about her beloved boyfriend and friends, escaping into memories of love and happy times together. She knows she cannot give way to despair. As the suspense escalates, Kate's boyfriend Liam is left behind, struggling with his shock, fear and desperation as the police establish a major investigation. The detectives face their own feelings of anguish and futility as they reflect on the cases they didn't solve in time and the victims they couldn't save. They know Kate's chances of survival diminish with every passing hour. Acclaimed and award-winning writer and journalist Louise Milligan has written a stunning and surprising thriller with a gigantic heart: a gripping, propulsive and brilliantly original debut. #newrelease #newfiction #newbook #fiction #crimefiction #louisemilligan #pheasantsnext #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

The Tasmania Gold Mining & Quartz Crushing Company mine at Beaconsfield, then the most important gold mine in Tasmania, was taken over in 1903 by the London-based Tasmania Gold Mining Company Ltd, managed by John Taylor and Sons. Geologist and former tin-miner Nick Langsford has written a thoroughly-researched, highly readable, and well-illustrated account of the financing, construction and development of the mining operation, which employed the latest steam technology. This included three huge Hathorn, Davey pumping engines and a magnificent Fraser-Chalmers highspeed steam winder. In spite of the advanced technology the mine was not a financial success and closed in 1914, the result of declining ore grades, poor gold recoveries and high mining costs. #newrelease #newbook #tasmanian #tasmania #tasmanianbook #goldmining #nicklangsford #quartzcrushing #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop

A sumptuous novel of war, survival and enduring love. If he had died, I would know it in my heart. In 1939, Anton, a captain in the Polish army, says goodbye to his wife, Elisabeth. He is leaving to defend their homeland against the invasion by Nazi Germany and Russia. They make a vow that – whatever happens, however much time passes – they’ll meet again at the Winter Palace, their stately home in the Polish countryside. The winds of war draw them far apart. Anton is captured and sent to Siberia as a POW. He eventually joins a lost army that battles through snowstorms and scorching deserts in Central Asia to find freedom. Anton survives, driven by his determination to join Elisabeth again. She, meanwhile, is forced to be the ‘mistress’ of a Nazi officer before escaping to join the Polish resistance. As the war ends, Anton and Elisabeth are at the opposite ends of the world. Anton is in Australia. Elisabeth is in Poland, awaiting his return for months and then years. Will they ever meet again at the Winter Palace? From 1930s Europe to present-day Australia, this is a sweeping story of love that cannot be broken by time, distance, war or even death. #newrelease #newbook #thewinterpalace #paulmorgan #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #fiction #historicalfiction #ww2fiction #read #reading #readmorebooks

Candice Fox’s latest thriller is the definition of nailbiter, as a female agent goes undercover in a New York firefighting crew that is far more dangerous than the fires they fight. When a city’s heroes become its boldest criminals... For years the firefighters of New York’s Engine 99 have rushed fearlessly into hot zones, saving countless lives and stopping devastating blazes in their tracks. They’ve also stolen millions from banks, jewellery stores and art galleries. With their inside knowledge and specialist equipment, they’ve become the most successful heist crew on the East Coast. Their newest member, Andrea ‘Andy’ Nearland, is not what she seems either. She’s an undercover operative, hunting the men of Engine 99 for a host of crimes – including the murder of an off-duty cop and the disappearance of a mother and child. As the clock counts down to the gang’s most daring heist yet, loyalties begin to fray and mistrust boils over. Andy’s career is all smoke and mirrors, but infiltrating this crew of ‘heroes’ might prove to be her most dangerous job of all... #newrelease #newbook #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #candicefox #devilskitchen #thriller #crimethriller #read #reading #readmorebooks

Nigel Forteath has spent a lifetime observing and recording the aquatic faunas of fresh and marine habitats. He was brought-up in the Scottish Highlands where he spent many happy hours observing and identifying birds, fish and aquatic insects and for the past 40 years has carried out his research in Tasmania. This colour-coded guide, lavishly illustrated with high-resolution macro images, is the result of some twenty years of study of the aquatic insect fauna of two Tasmanian lakes and some six years or more of the aquatic invertebrates in various other water freshwater bodies within the State. The content includes an overview of dragonfly natural history, detailed descriptions of the different species and information about the field study locations. A joint effort with the Launceston Field Naturalists Club, this book is intended for field naturalists and students, and indeed for all those interested in the conservation of our precious Tasmanian aquatic fauna and freshwater habitats. Dragonflies and damselflies now are facing extinction in many parts of the world and recognition of the Tasmanian species is a key step to ensuring their protection here in Tasmania. #book #newrelease #dragonfliesanddamselfliesoftasmania #fieldguide #nigelforteath #dragonflies #damselflies #books #reading #read #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Based on the hit ABC KIDS TV show! What would Bluey’s Mum do? Find out all the answers for real life with Chilli’s very own checklist. A gorgeous hardback book for kids of all ages. Bluey is an award-winning preschool show about Bluey, a blue heeler pup, and her family. Airing on ABC KIDS, the show has amassed legions of dedicated fans and hugely popular ranges of books, toys, clothes, games and more. #book #newbook #newrelease #books #bluey #whatwouldblueysmumdo #blueybook #kidsbook #childrensbook #mothersday #read #reading #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

If you loved the Ancient Greek retelling of Circe, we reckon you'll devour Medea! Medea is a dark and epic feminist retelling that boldly reclaims the myth of the most formidable and feared witch in Ancient Greece. #book #bookrec #circe #medea #ancientgreece #ancientgreek #myth #retelling #madelinemiller #rosiehewlett #reas #reading #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

This book encapsulates the history of the RAAF's wartime base at Western Junction in Northern Tasmania from 1940 to 1945, and the product of that base, the young men, often just out of school, who went there aspiring to become fighter pilots. The aim of the story is not only to portray the daily operations of the base, but, more importantly, immerse the reader in some of the individual trainees' experiences - their exuberant highs when they were sent solo for the fist time and their desperately profound lows when they were 'scrubbed'. The experiences of some of the pilots who did graduate are recorded but, sadly, after years of training, many made the extreme sacrifice. Those who were killed in action or died in training accidents, of which there were many, deserve to be remembered and honoured. The ones who served and who made it home are also venerated. #newbook #book #books #reading #read #raaf #raafpilotsofwesternjunction #georgeashwood #tasmania #tasmanian #tasmanianhistory #tassie #tassiehistory #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks

Tomorrow is SUPER SALE SATURDAY and we’ve got boxes full of bargains. Sale starts 8:30am. Launceston Central

We had a great time launching Running Home by local Author Karen Mace as part of Boutique Week in Launceston City. Running Home is a novel about tremendous grief and unprecedented loss, a story of struggling to find your way when everything you've based your faith on is torn from you. Mollie Brennan thought her life was perfect when she and her best friend and cousin, Claire, moved to Tasmania from Queensland. When the unthinkable happens, grief stricken Mollie returns home to Paradise Cove hoping to find peace... Along the way family secrets are revealed and the truth emerges. @launcestoncentral Launceston Central #TasmaniaReads #tasmanianauthor

It’s Tasmania Reads Week so I’ve reached into the archives and found this image. #tasmaniareads #wheredoyouread #locallyownedandoperated #husbandandwifeteam Petrarch's Bookshop

The final new thrilling adventure in the bestselling bookwandering series for readers aged eight to twelve! The Pages and Co. series comes to a thrilling end in this perfect final instalment. When Tilly, Oskar, Milo and Alessia venture into King Arthur’s realm in search of the wizard Merlin, they discover that the magic of bookwandering is not at all what they thought. Together, they must journey into myth and legend – to bargain with the trickster Loki and unlock their destinies with the help of the Three Fates – and find a way to untangle the Alchemist’s grip on the world’s imagination. To save Pages & Co. and the very foundations of bookwandering, Tilly and her friends will have to learn the true power of imagination in a thrilling final adventure, but an unexpected enemy stands in their way... 📸 LJ Ireto #newrelease #fiction #kidsfiction #childrensfiction #upperprimary #tillyandthebookwanderers #pagesandco #thelastbookwanderer #annajames #book #books #petrarchs #bookshop #readmorebooks