News
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes
Violeta Isabel Allende
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
Love Marriage by Monica Ali
On Reckoning by Amy Remeikis
Love and Virtue by Diana Reid
Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher
All About Love by Bell Hooks
Our best-seller from the past week is Jessica Au’s, Cold Enough for Snow. Our reviewer and Readings Monthly editor Jackie Tang says of…
Our top picks of the month for book clubs
For book clubs seeking stories of reinvention…
Free Love by Tessa Hadley
It’s 1967. While London comes alive with the new youth revolution, the suburban Fischer family seems to belong to an older world of conventional stability: pretty, dutiful homemaker Phyllis is married to Roger, a devoted father with a career in the Foreign Office.
But when the twenty-something son of an old friend pays the Fischers a visit one hot summer evening, and kisses Phyllis in the dark garden…
What we're reading: Kang, Hadley & Baume
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 The White Book by Han Kang (translated by Deborah Smith)
Having loved Han Kang’s writing in the past, I knew going into The White Book that I would likely enjoy it. Turns out, ‘enjoyable’ is really too simple a word to describe the reading experience this book provides.
In…
A message from the outgoing Teen Advisory Board
Well, that’s a wrap.
It feels anticlimactic for the Teen Advisory Board of 2021/22 to sign off this way, given the incredible highs we’ve had these past few months. From meeting acclaimed authors to attending book launches, there’s been such an amazing array of activities on offer, it scarcely seems possible to identify the highlights.
Our first meeting was a blur, meeting each other for the first time and learning all about everyone’s likes and dislikes, the things that make…
The CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Medals longlists 2022
The longlists for the 2022 CILIP 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.
Here are the longlisted books for the 2022 Carnegie Medal:
October, October by Katya Balen, illustrated by Angela Harding
Musical Truth by Jeffrey Boakye…
Our top picks of the month for kid's and YA book clubs
We have some fantastic new releases that would be excellent reads to provoke discussion amongst young people in book clubs! Read on see this month’s top picks.
Books for readers aged 5-9
Looking After Country with Fire by Victor & Sandra Steffensen
This non-fiction book uses a story narrated by Uncle Kuu to teach children about cultural burning techniques. The book includes explores understanding ecosystems, the technique of cultural burning, and respect for First Nations practices.
You can read our…
Our books of the month, February 2022
OUR FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
Reviewed by
This highly anticipated follow-up to 2015’s A Little Life is an epic tour de force. In fact, it’s impossible for me to praise To Paradise enough. Set in an alternative America, this is a novel of three parts, its narratives traversing a slew of human experience and emotion.
Locational echoes and characters’ names recur from one story to the next, as if they are reincarnated or reimagined…
Fury and Joy: International Women’s Day
Join us for an event this International Women’s Day!
One of the most joyful ways I have chosen to celebrate International Women’s Day is to gift my son and my daughter, each year, a book about a woman that was or is incredible. I want their heads to be filled with women’s stories because we are not there yet.
All the way back in 1911, only eight countries allowed women to vote, equal pay for equal work was unheard of…
Books to reimagine our relationships with love, sex, and the self
There’s so much more to love than sex and romance. There’s also far more to sex and romance than their often pervasive white, cis, straight heteronormative definitions. This Valentine’s Day, we’re recommending books that challenge these narrow definitions about how we love.
Thankfully, our shelves are full of voices that both smartly and eloquently explore questions around love, sex, and the self. Below are some favourite reads from recent times, or browse the full collection of suggested titles here.
…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au
Making Australian History by Anna Clark
Black and Blue by Veronica Gorrie
Stolen Focus by Johann Hari
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
Love Stories by Trent Dalton
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Devotion by Hannah Kent
Love and Virtue by Diana Reid
Dune by Frank Herbert
Our best-seller from the past week is Jessica Au’s short and incisive novel, Cold Enough for Snow. Our reviewer and Readings Monthly editor Jackie Tang says…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
The Brightest Night: The Graphic Novel by Tui Sutherland
The First Scientists by Corey Tutt
You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus
Only A Monster by Vanessa Len
Friday Barnes 10: Undercover by R.A. Spratt
Rockstar Detectives by Adam Hills
Wandi by Favel Parrett
Somebody’s Land by Adam Goodes & Ellie Laing
Bumper Treehouse Book by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
This week sees the graphic novel adaptation of Wings of…
Kids books celebrating love in all its guises
Love is not just for lovers. It comes in many forms, such as a love of family and friends, a love of animals and nature, and a love of community. Here are a few recent books that celebrate different iterations of love that will be a joy to share with the children in your life.
Love of family…
Big Love by Megan Jacobson and Bec Feiner
No matter how different our families may be, the one thing we all have…
What we're reading: Osman, Nunez & Amba
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.
Baz Ozturk is reading What Are you going Through by Sigrid Nunez
I’m enjoying this novel about a woman dealing with a friend who’s coming to terms with terminal cancer. Enjoying doesn’t seem like the right word because it sounds heavy, and it is! But only in subject-matter. Yes, it’s sad, and even…
A spotlight on translated fiction this month
February signals promising start to the year with a wonderful collection of new novels in translation. Below are six stories for readers looking to discover voices from beyond our shores.
Strangers I Know by Claudia Durastanti (translated from Italian by Elizabeth Harris)
Every family has its own mythology, but in this family none of the myths match up. Claudia’s mother says she met her husband when she stopped him from jumping off a bridge. Her father says it happened when…
ICYMI 50 – some recommendations to help you choose your next read
There’s still time to discover your next read within the excellent range of titles that make up the ICYMI 50: Must-read new Australian books you might have missed collection.
To celebrate our brilliant local authors (and ensure that you don’t miss out on their wonderful books) we’re offering 20% off fifty recent releases that might have flown under your radar. From brilliant short story collections, we highly recommend trying Hold Your Fire, She is Haunted, or Born into…
Rainbow family picture books
We’ve seen some beautiful new books recently that reflect diverse families in all their glory, whether it be two dads, two mums, a child who does not gender conform, or many other family groupings. Plus, who wouldn’t love a picture book celebrating the sheer fabulousness of drag queens?!
Here are some of our favourite rainbow family picture books as well as picture books that encourage self expression and exploring your identity. Each story celebrates curiosity, open-mindedness, and kindness, and would…
Recipe extract from the Mabu Mabu cookbook
From Melbourne-based First Nations chef Nornie Bero, Mabu Mabu: An Australian Kitchen Cookbook is filled with simple yet delicious recipes that champion native ingredients and invite you to innovate the way you cook.
Read on to discover a refreshing recipe from this unique soon-to-be best seller.
Spicy Desert Lime and Watermelon Salad
This sweet-savoury salad is power-packed with flavour. The sweetness of the watermelon – one of my favourite fruits – combines with the sharpness of desert lime and the…
The best new crime reads in February
Our crime specialist shares 10 great crime reads to look out for this month.
CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Cane by Maryrose Cuskelly
The northern Queensland town of Quala is reeling: oneof its own is missing. Young Janet McClymont walked through the cane fields early one evening to go babysit her neighbours’ kids, but never arrived. Her bag was found, and nothing else. Now her parents trawl through the vast expanse of cane, begging their neighbours not to light…
Recommended children's books and news for February
It’s February already!? We are so lucky that there are some fantastic new releases to ease us into the return to routine that inevitably happens at this time of year. We’ve got some beautiful new picture books, a look inside famous artist’s gardens that is also a fun activity book, some stunning new middle fiction and more.
You can read our round-up of new Young Adult titles here.
CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE MONTH
Recommended YA books and news for February
New year, new books! So many exciting new releases are coming our way this month with stories to suit a wide variety of young adult readers. We’ve got a fascinating historical novel, contemporary thrillers, a local debut fantasy, as well as the beginning of a fantasy series focused on Persian mythology, not to mention a collection of romantic short stories. Let’s get into it!
For our children’s book round-up please take a look here.
YA BOOK OF THE MONTH
…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Somebody’s Land by Adam Goodes & Ellie Laing
Only A Monster by Vanessa Len
Looking after Country with Fire by Victor & Sandra Steffensen
Maisy’s Chinese New Year by Lucy Cousins
Your School is the Best by Maggie Hutchings & Felicita Sala
The Brightest Night: The Graphic Novel by Tui Sutherland
You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus
Animal Train: Wolf Girl 6 by Anh Do
Claris: Fashion Show Fiasco by Megan Hess
Plume: World Traveller by Tania…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
Making Australian History by Anna Clark
Stolen Focus by Johann Hari
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
Love Stories by Trent Dalton
Black and Blue by Veronica Gorrie
Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au
Love Marriage by Monica Ali
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Love and Virtue by Diana Reid
Violeta by Isabel Allende
Our best-seller from the past week is our Non-fiction Book of the Month for February, Making Australian History. This new release is already making waves…
What we're reading: Norman, Au & Reilly
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.
Karl Sagrabb is reading Permafrost by SJ Norman
This debut collection of short stories is striking and incisive, exploring desire and loss, and playing with, subverting, and inverting classic traditions of literature like the Romantic and the Gothic.
I absolutely adore work that plays around with Gothic traditions and, having written my thesis…
Applications are open for our Teen Advisory Board
Applications are now open for the 2022 Readings Teen Advisory Board!
We’re currently looking for a new intake of teenagers (aged 14–19) to join our advisory board, starting in April 2022 and running until March 2023.
The board is a volunteer group of teenagers who meet monthly to learn about the book industry, discuss young adult books, meet authors, publishers and book industry experts, write reviews, provide Readings staff with feedback on a range of topics, and more. This year…
The most anticipated books of 2022
Dare I say it: here we go again? With another Covid-dominated year on the horizon, it is easy to feel not a little despondent: I don’t mind admitting, dear reader, that I’m very, very tired, and after a particularly difficult but still pretty fun Christmas trading period following our 2021 lockdown (like retailers across the land, I could recount a gripping, personal account of the infamous supply chain issues, but I’ll save that for my memoir…), I am sure I’m…
Mark's Say: February, 2022
As I mentioned in one of my columns last year, the lockdowns had a terrible impact on the sale of books in bricks-and-mortar shops. For books that were first published during that period, they may never recover those lost sales. New South Wales and Victoria account for around 60% of all books sold nationally, so to lose a substantial amount of those sales is fairly significant. For most first-time authors, exposure in bookshops is very important in establishing a market…
Winners of the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2022
Congratulations to all the winners of the 2022 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards!
WINNER OF THE OVERALL VICTORIAN PRIZE FOR LITERATURE AND
WINNER OF INDIGENOUS WRITING
Black and Blue by Veronica Gorrie
A proud Kurnai woman, Veronica Gorrie grew up dauntless, full of cheek and a fierce sense of justice.
After watching her friends and family suffer under a deeply compromised law-enforcement system, Gorrie signed up for training to become one of a rare few Aboriginal police officers in Australia. In…
On Events, with Chris Gordon
Over the summer, I reread Susan Cooper’s 1964 thriller Mandrake. Set in an Orwellian future, England is under the thumb of a power-hungry Prime Minister who engineers a society of isolation that forces people back to their places of origin. (Sound familiar?) Standing against him is Dr David Queston. In an early scene, Queston waits for a train on a quiet platform and sees a sign; it reads: ‘Is your journey necessary?’
I have been asking myself this very…
Books to read aloud to children
Reading aloud to kids increases their vocabulary, helps improve their attention span, and is a great way to spend time with them. But really, the best reason to read to children is how much fun it is for everyone!
Wednesday, February 2 is World Read Aloud Day, which is now enjoyed by millions of people in 170 countries. To celebrate this special day, I have rounded up some perennial favourites that are truly magical when read aloud to children…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Somebody’s Land by Adam Goodes & Ellie Laing
The Brightest Night: The Graphic Novel by Tui Sutherland
Adam Spencer’s Maths 101 by Adam Spencer
First Scientists by Corey Tutt
Tomorrow is a Brand New Day by Davina Bell
Wandi by Favel Parrett
You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus
There’s a Zoo in my Poo by Felice Jacka
Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beatty
In an Artist’s Garden by Claire Orrell
Adam Goodes continues to hold onto the…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
Love Stories by Trent Dalton
Stolen Focus by Johann Hari
Adrift in Melbourne by Robyn Annear
Beautiful World, World Are You by Sally Rooney
The Promise by Damon Galgut
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
On Reckoning by Amy Remeikis
It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
Love and Virtue by Diana Reid
Our best-seller for the third week running is Hanya Yanagihara’s much anticipated, To Paradise. This is Yanagihara’s first novel since the acclaimed…
What we're reading: Wright, Towles & Bruchmann
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.
Lian Hingee is reading She Kills Me by Jennifer Wright
Jennifer Wright’s collection of essays about terrible break-ups in history, It Ended Badly, remains one of the funniest and most entertaining non-fiction books I’ve ever read. Her second book, Get Well Soon, was an equally hilarious romp through history’s worst plagues…
SLV booksellers share their top reads this January
To celebrate the reopening of our State Library Victoria shop we asked our wonderful booksellers which book they were looking forward to recommending the most!
Claire Atherfold is recommending Medusa by Jessie Burton & illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill
Exiled to a far-flung island by the whims of the gods, Medusa has little company except the snakes that adorn her head instead of hair. But when a charmed, beautiful boy called Perseus arrives on the island, her lonely existence is…
Debut fiction to read this month
January is a quiet time for local debuts, but fortunately we have a plethora of fresh fiction from overseas to tide us over! Discover some of the most exciting debut voices of 2022 so far below, and pencil in February and March for stacks of Australian releases that are to come!
How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
Dr. Cliff Miyashiro arrives in the Arctic Circle to continue his recently deceased daughter’s research, only to discover a…
First Nations books to read with children
by Angela CrocombeStories are an accessible avenue for encouraging both curiosity and reflection. We recommend taking the time to read some of these wonderful picture books from Australian First Nations creators that focus on truth-telling and righting the wrongs of the past. These beautiful books allow us to have those important conversations with our children and move forward together.
Looking after Country with Fire by Victor Steffensen
A picture book that demonstrates respect for Indigenous knowledge, following the success of Victor Steffensen’s…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
The Promise by Damon Galgut
Love and Virtue by Diana Reid
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Adrift in Melbourne by Robyn Annear
Still Life by Sarah Winman
Dune by Frank Herbert
Beautiful World, World Are You by Sally Rooney
Devotion by Hannah Kent
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Our best-seller from the past week is To Paradise, the long awaited new novel from the acclaimed author of A Little…
Our children's and YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Somebody’s Land by Adam Goodes & Ellie Laing
Claris: Fashion Show Fiasco by Megan Hess
Tomorrow is a Brand New Day by Davina Bell
First Scientists by Corey Tutt
Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beatty
Claris: Palace Party by Megan Hess
Wild Guide to Starting School by Laura and Philip Bunting
The 143-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton
You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus
Cat Kid Comic Club 2 by Dav Pilkey
Picture books are…
Best-selling books celebrating 10 years
These best-selling books are currently celebrating 10 years since their local publication!
A decade on, it’s incredible to see how these works have endured and heartening to know how many of these authors have continued to produce fantastic literature. How many of the below blockbuster books have you read?
Blood by Tony Birch
Jesse has sworn to protect his sister, Rachel, no matter what. It’s a promise that cannot be broken. A promise made in blood. But, when it comes…
What we're reading: May, Billingsley & Steinkellner
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.
Lian Hingee is reading Wahala by Nikki May
I just started reading Wahala, a debut novel about three women whose close-knit friendship is blown apart with the arrival of a fourth woman. Boo, Simi, and Ronke are three anglo-Nigerian women who became friends while at university. Now in their thirties, each of…
The 100 bestselling books at Readings in 2021
We’ve run the reports and we’ve done the math. Here are our 100 bestselling books from the past year!
Our shops were closed for browsing for nearly a third of the 2021, making it difficult for our booksellers to do their to usual wonderful job of championing some of the diverse, emerging, and lesser-known books on our shelves.
We’ve noted a definite dip in the number of titles by First Nations authors this year, with just 6 books making the…
Activity bundle ideas for kids during COVID isolation
Our shops have been getting a lot of requests for activities for kids to do while their family needs to isolate. So, with this in mind, our Kids Shop manager, Dani Solomon, has put together some handy ideas for activity bundles to help occupy young minds and help out frazzled parents during this challenging time. These self-directed activity books and puzzles, as recommended by Dani, will keep kids busy for hours.
Below, you’ll find Dani’s suggestions for activity books to…
Our top picks of the month for book clubs
For book clubs interested in who writes history…
Learwife by J. R. Thorp
Word has come. Care-bent King Lear is dead, driven mad and betrayed. His three daughters too, broken in battle. But someone has survived: Lear’s queen. Exiled to a nunnery years ago, written out of history, her name forgotten. Now she can tell her story. A breathtaking novel of loss, renewal and how history bleeds into the present.
For book clubs who relish subversive stories of complex friendships…
…
Children's books to celebrate Lunar New Year
by Angela CrocombeLunar New Year is a wonderful celebration of family and good fortune in the coming year. This year, as we move from the Year of the Ox into the Year of Tiger, the festivities begin on February 1 and culminate in the Lantern Festival on February 15.
Here are some gorgeous books to introduce young people to the celebrations of Lunar New Year.
Maisy’s Chinese New Year by Lucy Cousins
Maisy’s friend Tiger is coming home especially for Chinese New…
25% off 25 personal development favourites
Right now we’re offering 25% off a select range of our personal development favourites! Simply apply the code PD25 at checkout to receive a 25% discount on all participating titles.
A new year is the perfect time to reflect on how we can ensure both our own wellbeing as well as how to live more consciously and empathetically towards others. With this in mind, our 25% off collection features both titles focused on personal development as well as additional…
Fight the doomscroll when you read these hopeful non-fiction picks
Right now it’s understandable to be overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness and fear. But in current times, when we’re feeling increasingly disillusioned and disenfranchised, books can be the path to reclaiming our empowerment. The following non-fiction books can help reinvigorate your resolve for enacting change while also reminding us there’s still hope yet.
Luminous Solution by Charlotte Wood
Writer Charlotte Wood shares the insights she has gained over a career paying close attention to her own mind, to the world…
Our top 10 bestsellers of the week
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
Love Stories by Trent Dalton
Adrift in Melbourne by Robyn Annear
The Labyrinth by Amanda Lohrey
The Promise by Damon Galgut
Dune by Frank Herbert
Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
Love and Virtue by Diana Reid
Devotion by Hannah Kent
Still Life by Sarah Winman
Our best-seller from the past week is To Paradise, the long awaited new novel from the acclaimed author of A Little Life, Hanya Yanagihara. The novel is…
2021 literary prize winners for younger readers
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
Winner of the 2021 National Book Award for Young People
Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club. America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone…
Like this? Try this!
Two books, both alike in appeal, in fair bookshop, where we lay our scene. Today we’re recommending appealing alternatives to excellent books we’ve already read.
If you enjoyed Devotion by Hannah Kent
Matrix by Lauren Groff
Born from a long line of female warriors and crusaders, yet too coarse, too wild, too rough-hewn for 12th-century courtly life, Marie de France is cast from the royal court. To her dismay, she is sent to the muddy fields of Angleterre to take…
21 literary prize winners from 2021 to read over summer
The Promise by Damon Galgut
Winner of the 2021 Booker Prize for Fiction
A taut and menacing novel that charts the crash and burn of an Afrikaans family, the Swarts. Punctuated by funerals that bring the ever-diminishing family together, each of the four parts opens with a death and a new decade. The characterisations are razor sharp, the dialogue dramatic, the action gripping. As we traverse the decades, Damon interweaves the story of a disappointed nation from apartheid to Jacob…
Disappear into these other-worldly and immersive novels
Tired of feeling as though you’re in some kind of suburban purgatory? Take a one way ticket out of this timeline when you read one of the below novels; our chosen books are a mix of both fantasy, mythology & science fiction, and particularly immersive historical fiction.
A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark
Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha'arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially…
Browse our blog by category
