Explore our books of the month for August!
Each of the below titles has been read and recommended by our booksellers before being selected as our book of the month for its category.
Fiction Book of the Month
Arborescence
Rhett Davis
Are we, as a species, the planet’s most selfish housemate? The one who, when the heat reaches breaking point and the question is finally raised, the pointed finger will fall: who on earth caused this mess? For fans of Inga Simpson and Grace Chan, Arborescence by Rhett Davis explores our relationship to the planet, climate guilt, and what it means to hope for a better, greener future.
Set in Melbourne, our protagonist, Bren, works at a completely remote, seemingly purposeless job, and lives with his chaotic, unemployed partner, Caelyn. The couple face an early-20s ennui: Bren begins to think that his colleagues might just be artificial intelligence, and Caelyn finds a job but is fired for stealing. Then, the duo uncovers a strange community of people camping in the forest and attempting to transform themselves into trees. Initially existing only on the fringes of society, this peculiar phenomenon soon proliferates, and people begin to disappear while strange, beautiful trees subsume the world.
This intriguing, utterly original novel is an exploration of grief, hope, and the limits of personal sacrifice. Vignettes within chapters read like diary entries, piecing together a story of humanity amidst chaos. While a work of science fiction, the heart of this narrative lies in its relationships. Set over multiple years, Bren and Caelyn’s story takes them across the world. Initially stumbling through their 20s, the pair must decide whether they’ll grow together or apart as their ambition and values gradually begin to divide them. Together, they navigate friendship and loneliness in a digitally saturated world. Rhett Davis’s second novel leaves a lasting impression and rings with unsettling questions: What does the end of humanity look like? Will it be beautiful? Will it be for the best?
Reviewed by Aideen Gallagher.
Crime Book of the Month
Don’t Say His Name
Rachel Givney
’Twas the night before Christmas, when lights and ornaments adorn the trees and families reunite to celebrate the holidays, including our protagonist, Detective Stayer, who takes a job in the coastal town of Thoorgala, NSW, to reconnect with his estranged sister, Ruby. But, immediately, he is called to investigate the strange murder of a woman found on the beach. There are no bruises on her body, no blunt force trauma or poisons coming up on the autopsy report. The only clue is a symbol carved onto her hand, a symbol everyone in the town recognises as the mark of Tall Harry, a terrifying urban legend who sucks the soul out of his victims. As more bodies are found with this peculiar symbol, and more women go missing, including Ruby, Detective Stayer begins to question his reality, wondering if he ever really knew his sister at all.
Rachel Givney has concocted the perfect potion, weaving together a small-town murder mystery, folklore and witchcraft, and a mystifying blend of what’s real and what’s not. Detective Stayer, a sceptical cop, makes the perfect counterpart to his companion, Sister Catherine Kelley, a superstitious nun whose knowledge of folkloric and urban legends comes in handy as they try to uncover Tall Harry – and whether he is a man in a mask or the real (supernatural) thing.
Urban legends have always spooked me, maybe because they are inherently tied to modernity – there’s a possibility of their reality being closer to mine than any ancient myth or fairytale. This novel had me on the edge of my seat, compelled and too chilled to the bone to look away. We’ve all heard of Bloody Mary and Slenderman. Now it’s time to introduce yourself to the horror that is Tall Harry. This book will cast a spell over you from the first page to the very last.
Reviewed by Aurelia Orr.
Nonfiction Book of the Month
Conspiracy Nation
Ariel Bogle & Cam Wilson
During the pandemic, conspiracy theories seeped out from the shadowy recesses of the internet and into the mainstream, but they’ve been a part of Australian culture for far longer than you’d think. Even before the internet, everyday Australians have been fascinated by conspiracy theories about the Port Arthur massacre, vaccines, fluoride and the legitimacy of the Australian legal system, just to name a few. Journalists Ariel Bogle and Cam Wilson investigate homegrown and imported conspiracies, with first-hand accounts from friends, family and communities left behind, and some of the rare few who’ve come through the wormhole to the other side.
Conspiracy Nation engages with scholars, researchers, activists and experts, and takes readers on a tour through time, on the internet and into the streets, even covertly infiltrating Pete Evans’ $2,750 per weekend wellness retreat. Painting vivid but compassionate portraits of conspiracists, their followers and victims, Bogle and Wilson do not catastrophise, but instead focus on the causes and consequences of conspiracy theories, and our shared responsibility to take action.
Delving into the histories and perpetrators of the Port Arthur, Christchurch mosque and Wieambilla shootings, Bogle and Wilson interrogate the root causes of conspiracy-seeking – isolation, fear, inequality and feelings of powerlessness – providing thoughtful insights into potential interventions that might provide relief to these symptoms before conspiracies take hold. Conspiracy Nation also highlights the ways that conspiracy theorists co-opt language and divert attention from movements working to address real injustices in a chapter on First Nations sovereignty with Gumbaynggirr man Roxley Foley.
Conspiracy theories aren’t just a fringe concern; they’re having real-world ramifications in local and global politics, education, health and communities. From pseudolaw to the ‘plandemic’, conspiracy-motivated racism and homophobia to conspirituality, Conspiracy Nation is a fascinating insight, a compassionate call to action, and an altogether unputdownable read.
Reviewed by Tamuz Ellazam.
Young Adult Book of the Month
This Fatal Kiss
Alicia Jasinska
When Gisela drowned a year ago, she was transformed into a rusalka – a kind of water nymph notorious for drowning humans to avenge their own untimely deaths. And while Gisela hasn’t drowned anyone in her year as a spirit, she has become a chronic nuisance to the local exorcist, Kazik, who sees her attempts to befriend and flirt with the local humans as the opening gambit in a plan to drag them to a watery grave. But when Gisela reveals that she’s trying to get a kiss from a mortal in order to become human again, she and Kazik strike up a deal – he’ll play matchmaker for her, and she won’t let slip to the other spirits that his magic is waning. Despite their rocky relationship, Kazik is determined to do what he can to help Gisela, but unfortunately the mortal she has her eye on is the same boy Kazik has been harbouring a crush on for years.
Reading this book feels like looking at a gorgeous Art Nouveau painting of a water nymph, and then having the nymph come to life and start making jokes – it’s beautiful, surprising and will make you giggle. Alicia Jasinska manages to expertly bring together the lush, fairytale-esque setting with characters that are both funny and relatable – it’s a tough needle to thread in a historical fantasy, but Gisela’s wisecracking and Kazik’s dry humour make the world feel more vivid, rather than undermining it.
I love a book that embraces grey areas, rather than purely the black and white, and This Fatal Kiss brings satisfying nuance to everything, from the queer love triangle to the magical setting, to the ending itself. I’m sure teen and adult fantasy readers alike will be delighted by it! Recommended for ages 13+.
Reviewed by Bella Mackey.
Kids Book of the Month
The Wicked Ship (Oceanforged, Book 1)
Amelia Mellor
The Wicked Ship is the first book in Oceanforged, a new series by Amelia Mellor, author of The Grandest Bookshop in the World. It follows the story of Cori, a young orphan girl who unwittingly becomes a pirate on a ship with a horrendous captain, crew and reputation. During one village pillage, she is sent into a decrepit, booby-trapped vault to find a weapon. It turns out this weapon is the Oceanforged Gauntlet: an instrument that belonged to long-forgotten champions who used to rule Cori’s world with fairness and strength. Much to her captain’s chagrin, the gauntlet has chosen Cori to be its champion – and so the fun begins! Cori must find the other pieces of armour before the captain does, with only the ragtag crew she pulls together to help – which I assume will be the genesis of the remaining books in the series. The sentences are short, the pace is quick, and the scene is set beautifully, making this a good read-alone or a fun read-along.
My eight-year-old was meant to review this book, and while he isn’t on the payroll, I think he gets enough perks (free books), however, when asked to put pen to paper he said, enthusiastically:
‘Five stars.’
‘Great,’ I said, ‘and …?’
‘And what?’
‘You need to give the people more than that!’
‘It’s good, and they should read it.’
I tried to pull more out of him for three weeks and this is what I got: ‘Fun, interesting, entertaining; I want to read the whole series, when is the next book coming out? Where is Oceanforged? I want to read it again.’
The verdict is in!
Reviewed by Rosalind McClintock.
Contributing Readling reviewer: Hubert, age 8
I liked this story very much and am looking forward to Book Two. Cori and her friends are adventurous and brave. The story is filled with detail, excitement and suspense. Some younger readers might get a little bit scared at times, but not too scared to stop you reading. Readers of the Rainbow Magic series may like this series because the characters also try to find things and make friends along the way.
Contributing Readling reviewer: Imogen, age 8
Picture Book of the Month
Hello Cocky: A Stickybeak at the Cockatoo
Hilary Bell, illustrated by Antonia Pesenti
Cockatoos are smart and beautiful birds with boundless personality and vocalisations. This excellent new picture book perfectly captures the unique character of the cockatoo. It’s a wonderful rhyming story that is a complete joy to read aloud. Antonia Pesenti is well-known for her stylish, bold and fun illustrations. She has done a great job of showcasing the cheeky habits of cockatoos, as well as celebrating their striking looks. Pages that feature cockatoos sneaking a hot chip or two are sure to provoke lots of giggles and maybe even a few shrieks.
This is another top-tier picture book, produced to the highest standard by Melbourne-based publisher Scribble, and everyone aged 2+ will have a great time sharing this book.
Reviewed by Kim Gruschow.
Kids Classic of the Month
Madeline
Ludwig Bemelmans
Some books are so familiar, so sturdy and welcoming, reading them feels like arriving home. Rereading Madeline for the first time in years felt like entering a time machine, brimming with nostalgia. As I read, I could only hear the words in my mother’s bedtime-story voice, which I hadn’t known I remembered.
Only Ludwig Bemelmans could pack so much into so few words that have continued to resonate for over 85 years. Twelve little girls, two straight lines, our bold and irreverent protagonist, and a medical emergency, all sealed with the universal adolescent experience of comically misplaced jealousy.
This book had such an impact on me because of its simple but expressive illustrations and the steady beat of its prose. The image of a rabbit-shaped crack in a hospital ceiling lives in a permanent spot in my mind.
Equal parts precious and mischievous, it is easy to see why Madeline is a classic that has stood the test of time. If it’s been a while since you’ve read it, I’d highly recommend refreshing your memory. For ages 2+.
Reviewed by Celeste Perry.
