For a quiet and thoughtful afternoon tea… Rain Birds by Harriet McKnight

Alan and Pina have led a peaceful existence in Boney Point, a town in rural East Gippsland, for 30 years, but their lives are thrown into disarray by Alan’s devastating early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis. With Alan adrift in his own mind, Pina struggles to face the consequences until the arrival of a flock of black cockat…

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Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films and TV shows we’re watching, and the music we’re listening to. Jo Case is reading Lynch on Lynch by David Lynch and Chris Rodley

My spare time is pretty much entirely absorbed with thinking about Twin Peaks: The Return right now (and anyone who wants to discuss the ending should bail me up). On Monday night, I fell asleep…

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Congratulations to the six authors shortlisted for this year’s Man Booker Prize for Fiction!

Chair of 2017 judges, Baroness Lola Young, writes: ‘Playful, sincere, unsettling, fierce: here is a group of novels grown from tradition but also radical and contemporary. The emotional, cultural, political and intellectual range of these books is remarkable, and the ways in which they challenge our thin…

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Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow is the first book in the magical new series Nevermoor. Our staff have been totally captivated by this debut Australian novel for kids aged 9 and up.

‘ Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow is a bewitching tale and one of the most compelling books I’ve read all year. This book should come stamped with a warning – be prepared for a marathon read because yo…

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Calling all book clubs! If you’re looking for your next book club read we highly recommend one of the six books on this year’s shortlist for the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction. You can read more about each title below, as well as download book club notes. This year, we’re also pleased to be running a special reading challenge to tie in with our shortlist. Participants can win a $100 R…

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The 91-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton Shallow in the Deep End by Tiwi College Al Alalinguwi Jarrakarlinga with Jared Thomas Pig the Star by Aaron Blabey A Tale of Two Kitties (The Adventures of Dog Man Book 2) by Dav Pilkey Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass Book 6) by Sarah J. Maas Wilder Country by Mark …

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The Book of Dirt by Bram Presser Try Hard by Em Rusciano (Pre-orders only, available 1 November) Ostro by Julia Busuttil Nishimura The Choke by Sofie Laguna A Legacy of Spies by John le Carré Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh City of Crows by Chris Womersley Inglorious Empire by Shashi Tharoor The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye by David Lagercrantz (tr…

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The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye by David Lagercrantz (translated by George Goulding)

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye is the fifth book in the Millennium series, and the second from David Lagercrantz. In this instalment, Lisbeth Salander has been sentenced to two months prison, which almost proves a welcome diversion for someone with her skill set. Meanwhile, her friend and partner Mi…

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The £30,000 Baillie Gifford prize (formerly known as the Samuel Johnson prize) is the UK’s most prestigious award for nonfiction writing. It covers all non-fiction in the areas of current affairs, history, politics, science, sport, travel, biography, autobiography and the arts.

This year’s longlist has recently been announced. Here is the longlist in full:

Red Famine: Stalin’s War on Ukraine b…

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Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films and TV shows we’re watching, and the music we’re listening to. Ellen Cregan is reading My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent

This week I read the debut novel from American newcomer, Gabriel Tallent. This is the sort of book I wish I’d been able to read as part of a book club, because I have so many feelings about it. The…

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