Books
The best new crime reads in July
Our crime specialist shares 10 great crime reads to look out for this month.
CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH
Stone Town by Margaret Hickey
A teenage boy takes a girl and her sister to Stone Town’s eerie bushland in the dark of night, in the hopes of impressing her with the alarming shrieks of a Barking Owl – but they find the dead body of local developer Aidan Sleeth instead. Sleeth’s death by gunshot sees local Senior Sergeant Mark Ariti…
Four anthologies from First Nations voices
This year, NAIDOC week is running from 3 – 10 July and focuses the theme of Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!. This year’s theme centres on the ongoing need for sincere and tangible action. By amplifying and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, we ‘can narrow the gap between aspiration and reality, good intent and outcome.’ We recommend reading the full explanation behind the 2022 focus (and exploring how you can become more involved this NAIDOC week) here…
Six bilingual picture books from First Nations creators
This year, NAIDOC week is running from 3 – 10 July and focuses the theme of Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!. This year’s theme centres on the ongoing need for sincere and tangible action. By amplifying and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, we ‘can narrow the gap between aspiration and reality, good intent and outcome.’ We recommend reading the full explanation behind the 2022 focus (and exploring how you can become more involved this NAIDOC week) here…
Dear Reader, July 2022
A few of us at Readings have just returned from the first in-person Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) conference since 2019. It was held in Sydney, after two years online– such a treat to travel out of the state! – and it was a great opportunity to catch up with booksellers and publishers from around the country. Our own children’s specialist and Readings Kids shop manager, Dani Solomon, was a brilliant contributor to a session called ‘De-centering whiteness and traditional forms…
Our books of the month, July 2022
OUR FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Diplomat by Chris Womersley
Reviewed by
‘The Diplomat is a tremendously moving tale of regret, atonement and redemption; I can’t remember the last time I read a book that manages this with such aplomb. It is easily the best Australian novel I have read since the wonderful In Moonland by Miles Allinson.’
Read the full review
OUR CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH
Stone Town by Margaret Hickey
Reviewed by
‘Hickey takes the genre…
On Events, with Chris Gordon
One of my favourite Melburnian traits is how resilient we all are. We understand how to dress in the middle of winter (wear layers), we make pots of soup (and freeze leftovers), we seek indoor entertainment (bookshops, art after dark, hidden bars) and we will not be deterred by sleet or wind that blasts through to our soul. We are tough and we do not stop for weather.
Our July month of events is designed to get you active. The…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
The Diplomat by Chris Womersley
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Things We Bury by Matthew Ryan Davies
Am I Black Enough For You? by Anita Heiss
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (translated by Geoffrey Trousselot)
Stone Town by Margaret Hickey
Quarterly Essay 86: Sleepwalk to War by Hugh White
Grimmish by Michael Winkler
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Eat Weeds by Diego Bonetto
Our best-seller from the past week is Chris Womersley’s, The Diplomat…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Solitaire by Alice Oseman
Heartstopper: Volume 3 by Alice Oseman
Heartstopper: Volume 4 by Alice Oseman
Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman
Maybe by Kobi Yamada
World’s Worst Pets by David Walliams
The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm: Miss Mary-Kate’s Guide to Monsters 1 by Karen Foxlee
The Guardians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 1 by Jordan Gould & Richard Pritchard
What to Say When You Don’t Know What to Say by Davina…
What we're reading: Stronach, Cleeves & Yang
Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films we’re watching, the television shows we’re hooked on, or the music we’re loving.
Ele Jenkins is reading The Dawnhounds by Sascha Stronach
I’m reading this Māori-inspired debut New Zealand fantasy, in which a disillusioned beat cop is murdered, but brought back to life by mysterious entities to defend her home city.
A queer fungal-punk romp with all the world-building richness of China Mieville’s Bas-Lag novels, and…
Six LGBTQIA+ fantasy & sci-fi must-reads
Six fantastic LGBTQIA+ fantasy and sci-fi novels to sink your teeth into.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction - but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society…
Old But Gold - Classic YA that deserves a revisit
Some books are just classic. Movies are made of them and thousands of words are written about them. They have weaved their way into popular culture so fully that it seems as if they have always been there. But the following books are classics for good reason. Their authors are masters at their craft, who hook you in, demand you keep reading, and don’t let you go until they toss you out at the end, forever changed.
You may think…
Petite novels for distractible minds
For those who are struggling to hold the threads of longer narratives right now, we recommend these six short novels for their brevity and staying-power. You’ll be thinking about each of these stories long after their final page.
At 112 pages:
Assembly by Natasha Brown
A blistering and unignorable literary debut about Blackness and whiteness in modern Britain.
Over the course of twenty-four hours, the whip-smart young narrator of Assembly receives a cancer diagnosis, decides not to tell her posh…
A spotlight on translated fiction this month
This month we’re reading novels translated from Dutch, Korean, Japanese, Finnish, and Arabic.
The Old Woman and the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo (translated from Korean by Chi-Young Kim)
Hornclaw is a sixty-five-year-old female contract killer who is considering retirement. A fighter who has experienced loss and grief early on in life, she lives in a state of self-imposed isolation, with just her dog, Deadweight, for company. While on an assassination job for the ‘disease control’ company she works for, Hornclaw…
Top picks for Kids and YA book clubs
Below are our top picks for book clubs from the recent crop of new releases for young people.
For readers aged 5-8
Open your Heart to Country by Jasmine Seymour
A moving account of reconnection to Country from a First Nations perspective. This picture book invites readers to reflect on the importance of place, not only for First Nations’ peoples but for everyone.
Themes include:
Country
language
identity
Explore the full teacher’s notes
Five sapphic must-reads for teens
I’m back with another YA post for Pride month. This time, I’m focusing on sapphic books and I have some great ones for you! Be prepared to ‘add to cart’ after reading about these glorious titles.
She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott
If you love romcoms, rollerskating and first kisses in libraries, then this adorable book is for you! Plus just look at that cover!
Alex Blackwood is a little bit headstrong, with a dash of chaos and a…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
World’s Worst Pets by David Walliams
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Heartstopper: Volume 2 by Alice Oseman
The Guardians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 1 by Jordan Gould & Richard Pritchard
Heartstopper: Volume 3 by Alice Oseman
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Bluey: Bluey and Bingo’s Fancy Restaurant Cookbook by Bluey
Bad Guys 15: Open up and Say Arrrgh! by Aaron Blabey
When the Waterhole Dries Up by Kaye Baillie and Max Hamilton
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
How to Lose Friends and Influence White People by Antoinette Lattouf
The Seamstress of Sardinia by Bianca Pitzorno (translated by Brigid Maher)
Eat Weeds by Diego Bonetto
Dancing With the Enemy by Diane Armstrong
Anna by Amy Odell
Bedtime Story by Chloe Hooper
Dropbear by Evelyn Araluen
An Exciting and Vivid Inner Life by Paul Dalla Rosa
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentil
Our best-seller from the past week is the historical novel from…
What we're reading: Bunyan, Madden & Joy
Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films we’re watching, the television shows we’re hooked on, or the music we’re loving.
Mike Shuttleworth is reading Wayward: Just Another Life to Live by Vashti Bunyan
In the mid-1960s under the guidance of the Rolling Stones’ manager Andrew Loog Oldham, Vashti Bunyan released several singles…all of which bombed. While The Beatles were filming Let It Be in 1969 Vashti Bunyan was traveling to the Isle of…
Meet the bookseller with Emma Clarke
In this Meet the Bookseller column we chat with Emma Clarke, one of our excellent St Kilda booksellers! We talk about everything from the favourite part of the job to the ideal fictional world to be trapped within.
Emma is also the new host of our weekly Readings St Kilda storytimes that take place every Saturday at 2pm.
What is your favourite part of your job?
There are a lot of things I love about my job. My favourite ……
Children's books with non-binary and trans characters
Stories for young people with non-binary and trans characters in them are gradually becoming more available and we warmly welcome every addition to our shelves. So, to celebrate Pride Month, we have put together a collection of some recent releases.
Katerina Cruickshanks by Daniel Gray-Barnett
Katerina Cruickshanks is a wild child, a trickster, and a ringleader. But when they wreak some serious chaos, their friends decide their shenanigans have gone too far and say, ‘No more!’
Brimming with humour and…
Young adult books with non-binary and trans characters
It is fantastic that non-binary and trans characters are becoming more prominent in books for young adults. To celebrate Pride Month, below are some recommended reads that include both.
Bruised by Tanya Boteju
This is a vibrant coming-of-age story about a teen girl navigating first love, identity, and grief as she immerses herself in the colourful, brutal, beautiful world of roller derby. There is a beautiful tapestry of characters, both young and old, and many identify as non-binary and queer…
The Miles Franklin Literary Award shortlist 2022
The 2022 shortlist for the Miles Franklin Literary Award has been announced!
The Miles Franklin Literary Award was celebrates novels of the highest literary merit that tell stories about Australian life, shining a light on some of the country’s most talented writers. Each of the 2022 shortlisted authors will receive $5,000.
Below are the five shortlisted titles:
One Hundred Days by Alice Pung
The Other Half of You by Michael Mohammed Ahmad
Scary Monsters by Michelle de Kretser
Five LGBTQIA+ horror must-reads
Five fantastic LGBTQIA+ horror recommendations. That’s really all you need to know before you let these inventive, thought-provoking narratives consume you.
They by Kay Dick
Lost for over forty years, They (1977) is a rediscovered dystopian masterpiece.
They are coming closer. They begin with a dead dog, shadowy footsteps, confiscated books. Then, the National Gallery is purged; motorway checkpoints demarcate Areas, violent mobs stalk the countryside, destroying cultural artefacts - and those who resist. The surviving writers, artists and thinkers…
The best food & gardening books of the month
Feel Good: Quick and Easy Recipes for Comfort and Joy by Melissa Hemsle
You know what I need now? A night in with a good book and a delicious home- cooked meal that will make me feel healthy and satisfied – the type of meal that encourages herbal tea as the beverage rather than (too much) wine.
This cookbook will help those that share my fantasy for the perfect evening. There are more than 100 recipes that are literally designed…
Our books of the month, June 2022
OUR FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Reviewed by
‘As with each of Brooks’ books, the historical detail is astonishing, and you can’t escape the sense that this is really and truly the way things happened. The barns, the barbers, the drawing rooms, the streets, are all skilfully and convincingly drawn. The cruelty of humankind towards animals, as well as the cruelty of humankind towards itself feels real. This is a huge book, with enormous themes, beautifully…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Soldiers and Aliens by June Factor
An Exciting and Vivid Inner Life by Paul Dalla Rosa
Eat Weeds by Diego Bonetto
Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentil
The Seamstress of Sardinia by Bianca Pitzorno (translated by Brigid Maher)
The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan
Bedtime Story by Chloe Hooper
Our best-seller from the past week is the latest…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
World’s Worst Pets by David Walliams
Heartstopper: Volume 2 by Alice Oseman
Solitaire by Alice Oseman
The Guardians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 1 by Jordan Gould & Richard Pritchard
Zadie Ma and the Dog who Chased the Moon by Gabrielle Wang
Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman
Loveless by Alice Oseman
Heartstopper: Volume 3 by Alice Oseman
Bad Guys 15: Open up and Say Arrrgh! by Aaron Blabey
Possum Magic by Mem Fox
At the top of our charts this…
The Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Medals winners 2022
The winners of the 2022 Yoto Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals have been announced!
The Carnegie Medal is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people. The Kate Greenaway Medal is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people.
The Yoto Carnegie Medal has been awarded to Katya Balen for her second novel October, October, illustrated by Angela Harding.
October and her…
The best new crime reads in June
by Fiona Hardy & Julia JacksonOur crime specialists shares 10 great crime reads to look out for this month.
CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
Under the soaring dome of the Boston Public Library, four people meet. Whit, studying to become a lawyer and doing his best to fail; handsome novelist Cain; tattooed Harvard student Marigold; and our protagonist, Freddie, who has arrived in America from Australia on a writing fellowship. Their connection is still tentative and new…
What we're reading: Farrell, Marney & Styles
Grace Gooda is reading The Singapore Grip by J.G Farrell
The humour J.G Farrell uses to ridicule colonialism and the arrogance of British Imperialism is unlike anything I’ve ever read.
I love the strong personalities which make up this book – each character is a bit of an icon in their own way. The thoughts and conversations between characters intertwine perfectly to paint an image of what 1940s Singapore was to multiple demographics, and how the motivations of different nations…
Dear Reader, June 2022
I’m writing this in mid-May, and you’re probably reading this in June some time, and I’ve just spent my day today with my head in August, buying new releases from that month, such as Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s new cookbook, Around the Table; Eddie Betts’s anticipated memoir, The Boy from Boomerang Crescent; and Norman Swan’s next essential compendium of health advice, So You Want to Live Younger Longer? (Not to mention I’m fielding the seemingly impossible-to-contemplate question of how…
Ruth Ozeki wins the Women's Prize for Fiction 2022
Ruth Ozeki has won the 2022 Women’s Prize for Fiction for The Book of Form and Emptiness.
After his father dies, Benny Oh finds he can hear objects talking: teapots, marbles and sharpened pencils, babbling in anger or distress. His mother, struggling to support their household alone, starts collecting things to give her comfort. Overwhelmed by the clamour of all the stuff, Benny seeks refuge in the beautiful silence of the public library. There, a book reaches out to…
Sci-fi and horror for younger fans of Stranger Things
Many of us, young and old, are obsessed with the new season of Stranger Things on Netflix, and as we wait for the second part to drop in July, here are some spooky sci-fi and horror titles that will transport imaginations to an alternate universe not unlike the Upside Down.
Mars Awakens by H.M. Waugh
Raised in rival colonies on Mars, each long ago abandoned by Earth, Dee and Holt have been brought up to hate even the idea of…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
The Guardians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 1 by Jordan Gould & Richard Pritchard
Solitaire by Alice Oseman
Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman
Treehouse Tales by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
Heartstopper: Volume 2 by Alice Oseman
The Blood Traitor by Lynette Loni
World’s Worst Pets by David Walliams
Open your Heart to Country by Jasmine Seymour
Stunt Kids by Trent Roberts
Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
At the top of our charts after this long weekend…
The Readings Guide to the Women’s Prize 2022 Shortlist
With the winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction announced later this week, you still have time to pick up books from the excellent shortlist. Wondering which one to dive into next? (Or first – we won’t judge!) Just follow our handy reading guide – a lightning quick round-up of our booksellers’ thoughts on the six shortlisted titles.
The Bread the Devil Knead by Lisa Allen-Agostini Myriad
Author (and stand-up comedian) Lisa Allen-Agostini’s novel hums with the rhythms of life…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
Basin by Scott McCulloch
An Exciting and Vivid Inner Life by Paul Dalla Rosa
Sunbathing by Isobel Beech
Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentil
Eat Weeds by Diego Bonetto
Bedtime Story by Chloe Hooper
Dropbear by Evelyn Araluen
Our bestselling book this week is the debut novel by Scott McCulloch, which was launched at the Carlton shop on…
The 2022 ABIA winners
The winners of the annual Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) were announced last night! Our congratulations to the winning authors, illustrators and publishers.
2022 ABIA BOOK AWARD WINNERS
ABIA Book of the Year:
Love & Virtue by Diana Reid
Biography Book of the Year:
My Adventurous Life by Dick Smith
General Fiction Book of the Year:
Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz
General Non-fiction Book of the Year:
She’s on the Money by Victoria Devine
Literary Fiction Book…
What we're reading: Christopher & Tan
Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films we’re watching, the television shows we’re hooked on, or the music we’re loving.
Tracy Hwang is reading Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
It’s been a while since I picked up a fantasy novel and I’m really enjoying dipping my toes back in with Sue Lynn Tan’s Daughter of the Moon Goddess.
I’ve only read a few chapters so far but the…
Interview with Yassmin Abdel-Magied
With her major new essay collection, Talking About a Revolution, Yassmin Abdel-Magied explores themes of resistance, transformation and revolution with clarity and a confidence of vision. She talks to Readings about preparing the collection, the essay she’s most excited for people to read and her new home in London.
Hi Yassmin! Tell us about your new essay collection, Talking About a Revolution.
Talking About a Revolution is a collection of essays, reflecting on, critiquing and analysing the challenges…
Mark's Say: June 2022
In the digital age, bookselling is often a rather thankless task; Jeff Bezos was able to use books as the springboard to create his empire because it was an industry run by smart, passionate people who’d invented ways to organise a complex system, making it ripe for an opportunistic player to use it to their advantage. Amazon cut a swathe through bookshops globally, but thanks to the booksellers who make careful selections and recommendations and create places where people can…
Recommended children's books and news for June
It’s wintertime and what is better than snuggling under the covers with a good book and reading, either together or alone. Here are some fantastic new books released just in time for the winter school holidays. Get a warm blanket and find a cosy spot for a good read.
Find our June YA round-up here.
OUR CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE MONTH
Open Your Heart to Country by Jasmine Seymour
Told in English and Dharug, this is a moving account…
Recommended YA books and news for June
It’s finally winter and the days are so cold that the best thing we can do - if we can get away with it - is dive into bed with a cuppa and a good book! Well, we have some fantastic young adult novels that will have you enthralled and keep you warm and cosy from the inside out.
Find our June kids round-up here.
YA BOOK OF THE MONTH
My Spare Heart by Jared Thomas
Phoebe’s non-Indigenous mother…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
Eat Weeds by Diego Bonetto
When Jokers Were Kings by John Tesarsch
The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan
An Exciting and Vivid Inner Life by Paul Dalla Rosa
Bedtime Story by Chloe Hooper
How to Lose Friends and Influence White People by Antoinette Lattouf
Sunbathing by Isobel Beech
Losing Face by George Haddad
Dropbear by Evelyn Araluen
Pure Colour by Sheila Heti
Our best-seller from the past week is the fantastic guide to foraging, Eat Weeds. This book is…
Events to attend this Emerging Writers' Festival
The Emerging Writers’ Festival will begin later this week and the amazing program team have put together another stellar hybrid program! With events taking place both in-person and online there’s a trove of new authors and creators to discover and learn from, wherever you are and whatever your budget.
Writers Night School: Intro to Narrative Audio
This workshop will explore how to find a good story for audio, as well as the specifics of writing audio stories, getting the most…
On Events, with Chris Gordon
Bookshops become more magical as the nights grow colder. There is something about a place filled to the brim with books waiting to be read that can generate a certain warmth in your soul during the winter nights. It may be sleeting outside, the wind may be brutal, but inside a bookshop there are endless possibilities for escape. This month we are hosting events with several crime writers. Reading crime novels in the middle of winter always seems just right…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Stunt Kids by Trent Roberts
Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman
Heartstopper: Volume 2 by Alice Oseman
The Blood Traitor by Lynette Loni
World’s Worst Pets by David Walliams
Ceremony by Adam Goodes, Ellie Laing & David Hardy
Zadie Ma and the Dog who Chased the Moon by Gabrielle Wang
The Guardians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 1 by Jordan Gould & Richard Pritchard
Treehouse Tales by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
Real Pigeons Duck Trouble by Andrew McDonald & Ben…
Book recommendations from the EWF programming team
The team at Emerging Writers’ Festival (running 15–25 June) have been busy preparing for the beginning of this year’s festival, but – fabulous overachievers that they are – they’ve still managed to find the time to tell us about the books they’re currently reading and enjoying!
Ruby-Rose Pivet-Marsh, Artistic Director
As always, I am reading far too many books at once!
I was lucky enough to be sent a few books by Revarena Ediciones recently, including Residencia Permanente by Alejandro…
25% off 25 genre fiction favourites
Take 25% off a select range of genre fiction titles in June!
Whether you’re looking for the perfect excuse to read more genre fiction or you’re already an avid fan, we have a terrific offer available with 25% off some of our favourite works of crime, romance, horror, sci-fi and fantasy.
Including award-winning sci-fi classics like Dune and Parable of the Sower, irresistible contemporary crime such as In the Woods and Wimmera, feel-good romantic comedies The Hating Game…
Books to support children with anxiety
by Angela CrocombeAnxiety is a common response to the challenges of the last two years, not to mention the stress of everyday life, and children are just as susceptible to it as adults. We have noticed more people asking for books to help children manage stress, anxiety and depression. While there are no easy answers, and professional help is often needed, there are some useful techniques and it can be helpful for a young person to see a character in a book…
Six books to read before watching the adaptation
There are so many incredible books being adapted for the big and little screen in 2022. But we all know, the book is better. Here are 6 books to read before watching the adaptation.
Sally Rooney, author of Normal People (already an adaptation on Stan) is an incredible storyteller and Conversations with Friends is proof of that.
Frances is a cool-headed and darkly observant young woman, vaguely pursuing a career in writing while studying in Dublin. At…
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