Our latest blog posts

My top five American novels of the year

by Nina Kenwood

Here is the best American literature I read this year, in order, with picks one and two pretty much tied as my equal favourites.

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

Elizabeth Strout is one of the best American writers working today, and My Name is Lucy Barton is Strout at the height of her powers. This novel is a masterpiece – short, sharp, thoughtful, simmering with emotion underneath the surface. It delves into trauma, memory, forgiveness and the…

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Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Shortlist 2017

The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards shortlist for 2017 has just been announced.

The winners of the five award categories – fiction, non-fiction, drama, poetry and writing for young adults – each receive a prize of $25,000, and go on to contest the Victorian Prize for Literature.

PRIZE FOR FICTION

Between a Wolf and a Dog by Georgia Blain

The Healing Party by Micheline Lee

Wood Green by Sean Rabin

Waiting by Philip Salom

The Rules of Backyard Cricket by Jock…

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Our children's and YA top ten bestsellers of the week

The Midnight Gang by David Walliams and Tony Ross

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (the original screenplay) by J.K. Rowling

Girl Stuff for Girls Aged 8-12: Your Real Guide to the Pre-Teen Years by Kaz Cooke

Ruby Red Shoes Goes to London by Kate Knapp

Wormwood Mire (A Stella Montgomery Intrigue) by Judith Rossell

Lots by Marc Martin

The Song from Somewhere Else by A.F. Harrold and Levi Pinfold

Artie and the Grime Wave by Richard Roxburgh

We

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The best crossover YA reads of 2016

Whether you’re an adult-aged reader who loves YA, or a teen-aged reader ready to tackle stories pitched for adults. Here are some of our favourite ‘crossover’ releases from the last year.

Recommended YA books for discerning adults

These reads – romance, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, high school politics, real world politics, and more – hooked us from page one. Read them to get swept up in the story, and maybe also read them to remember what it felt like to be

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What we're reading: Robin Talley, Ben Katchor and Steve Hely

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.

Ed Moreno is reading all the beginnings by Quinn Eades

Fans of genre outlaws, revel in Quinn Eades’ heartbreaking, powerful, mindblowingly-visceral all the beginnings. Immerse yourself in a text which bends, breaks and redefines all the rules, and then hands you a perfectly-crafted poem – a Dragonfruited sphere / shining tissue /

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Comics & graphic novels we loved in 2016

Our staff share some of their favourite comics and graphic novels from the past year.

Stella Charls, marketing and events coordinator

This year my favourite graphic novels have been ones that have made me snort-laughing. I’ve picked them up between reading longer books, usually when I’m feeling scatty and just need to sit down and read something straight through. Humour always helps, and these three by exceptionally funny women have been my stand outs from 2016: Miseryland by Keiler Roberts…

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St Kilda music picks for summer road trips

by Amy Vuleta

The official first day of summer is tomorrow! In preparation, Readings St Kilda Shop Manager Amy Vuleta shares her best album picks to pack for a hot Aussie road trip.

Hunky Dory by David Bowie

Kicking off with hits like ‘Changes’ and ‘Oh! you pretty things’, I challenge you not to have the best time cruising along the highway, just getting right into the best damn seat-dancing those passing trucks and caravans have ever seen. I promise you’ll know all…

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The Readings Foundation grant recipients for 2017

by Leanne Hall

The Readings Foundation has announced $128,349 worth of grants to support a range of projects and organisations within Victoria in 2017.

In 2017, The Readings Foundation grant funding will focus strongly on organisations that are delivering literacy and education support to the most disadvantaged people in our community, from as near as Carlton, to as far away as Ballarat.

The Readings Foundation received 67 applications this year, and is pleased to award grants to the following 10 organisations:

African Communities

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21 sci-fi & fantasy books to read over summer

For the purposes of this blog post, we’ve included either stand-alone reads, or the first books of new series. To counteract that – we’ve also included a list of 2016 books that are continuing some of our favourite series.

The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan

A thrilling epic fantasy of exploration and adventure, spies and assassins, explosive magic and the furious battle to forge an empire. For decades the lands of the Ironship Syndicate have been defended by the Blood-blessed…

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