-
Five books I’d love to read in February
Rose Red by Sarah Biggerstaff Rose Red refigures the Snow White narrative as a feminist, coming-of-age fantasy about courage, self-discovery, and fighting for what matters most. The second daughter of the king, Rose is used to being in the background, despite being a gifted witch. But when her elder sister, Lily, suddenly disappears, Rose is forced to step up and confront dark truths about her family, discovering how little she really knows about those closest to her. This book caught my attention when i saw Sarah speaking on a panel at Conflux last year and was super grateful when Sarah sent me a copy. Rose Red is out now and you can find…
-
Book Review: On the Edge by Kate Horan
What is Kate Horan’s On the Edge about? Desperate people do desperate things… Sixteen years ago, teenage Maddie Marshall’s body was found on a desolate beach near her hometown, Carrinya. Vibrant, feisty Maddie was the only daughter of a high-profile politician. The case was the talk of the town but was ultimately never solved. Nel Foley, daughter of the town doctor and Maddie’s best friend, was the last known person to see her alive, and the Carrinya rumour mill was vicious. Nel fled the town and has never been back. Until now. Now a 32-year-old city GP, Nel returns after her father’s sudden death, determined to get in and out…
-
Book Review: The Lucky Sisters by Rachael Johns
I had the absolute please of meeting Rachael Johns this year at the Riverina Readers Festival. At the time, Rachael was preparing for the release of her next novel, The Lucky Sisters, and after hearing her talk about it I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. The lovely team at Penguin sent a copy to me after Rachael agreed to chat to me as part of my Canberra Writers Festival taster series on Instagram (you can see our chat here). The Lucky Sisters actually came out the same week as the Canberra Writers Festival and it was so lovely to hear Rachael talk about it to readers!…
-
Book Review: Isn’t it Nice We Both Hate the Same Things by Jessica Seaborn
Look, I love a story centred on a romance as much as the next girls, but something I’d really like to see (a lot) more of is books that look at the platonic loves of our lives. I don’t think friendship is given enough attention in literature – making friends, keeping friends, breaking up with friends, the whole. So you had better believe I jumped at the chance for an early copy of Jessica Seaborn’s new novel Isn’t It Nice We Both Hate the Same Things. Check out my thoughts below. What is Jessica Seaborn’s Isn’t It Nice We Both Hate the Same Things about? Charlie, a prime-time radio producer…
-
Book Review: Cockatoo Cove by Maya Linnell
I’ve talked here plenty of times about how much I enjoy Maya Linnell‘s writing – her rural romance novels are the perfect blend of sweet and serious, and come with such a feeling of familiarity and nostalgia that make them a perfect comfort read for me. So it probably comes as no surprise at all that I’ve been looking forward to her newest novel – Cockatoo Cove – hitting shelves today. The lovely team at Allen and Unwin kindly sent me an early copy, which I devoured in just a few sittings over the weekend, and I’m excited to share some of my thoughts. I’ve popped the blurb for Cockatoo Cove…
-
New books to look out for… June 2025
June is looking like a wild good month for new books here in Australia – perfect timing as we hunker down and cosy up for winter. Here are three brand new Aussie novels hitting shelves in the first week of June that I’m super excited to read. Cockatoo Cove by Maya Linnell Maggie West has worked tirelessly to prove herself, establishing a successful cattle stud instead of following her father into the crayfishing industry, though it’s never enough to stop local speculation about her family’s holdings. And with her teenage daughter veering off the rails, she knows all too well that money doesn’t provide immunity against heartache or hardship. Since…
-
Author chat: Summer reading & writing with Camille Booker
In January I had the pleasure of (virtually) chatting with a few Aussie writers about their summer reading and writing plans. Somehow the weeks have whizzed past without me sharing more than my first chat with lovely Laura Irvine, which you can see here. As we move into March and wave goodbye to the last of the warm weather (soon, I hope – we’re expecting mid-30s on the weekend!) I’m keen to hang on to the summer reading vibes and share more of these chats, starting tonight with Camille Booker who has a brand new novel, The Woman in the Waves out today! Check out our Q&A below and then…
-
New books to look out for… The Woman in the Waves by Camille Booker
Early 2025 is the season of the mermaid in Aussie literature and one of the books I’m really looking forward to is Camille Booker’s The Woman in the Waves. Camille is a new to me author, and this novel just sounds so good. I love historical fiction, and the twist on this, along with that stunning cover, really jumped out at me! The Woman in the Waves is out in Australia in March from Hawkeye Books. More info here. Here’s the synopsis: There’s something sinister lurking in the waves… It’s 1921 in Widow’s Peak, a gloomy fishing village on the south coast of New South Wales. Nineteen-year-old Missy Green fills her days helping her…
-
New books to look out for… The Crimson Road by A.G. Slatter
You might know that I adore A.G. Slatter’s writing, so it will come as no surprise that one of my most anticipated books for 2025 is her next gothic fantasy novel The Crimson Road, which comes out from Titan Books (New South Books here in Australia) in February. I touched a tiny bit on how excited I am about this one in my post about my favourite 2024 reads (Slatter’s new novel release last year, The Briar Book of the Dead made the list, natch). Here’s the synopsis from the publisher’s website: Violet Zennor has had a peculiar upbringing. Training as a fighter in underground arenas, honing her skills against…
-
Author Chat: Summer reading & writing with Laura Irvine
One of the things I love about summer is the way that the longer days and lightened load of school and extra-curricular responsibilities lends itself to a slower pace and more time to sink into some of the books I’ve been hoarding during the year. I know I’m not alone in loving a good summer reading session, so I thought it might be fun to chat with some authors about their summer reading and writing plans. I reached out to a few writers and was delighted that they were keen to be included in a little summer series. Keep your eyes out for a new chatty author post every few…
