Our latest blog posts
What we're reading: Alison Goodman, Rainbow Rowell and Xiaolu Guo
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.
Leane Hall is reading I Am China by Xiaolu Guo
It’s made me extremely happy that there seem to be more Chinese books appearing in English translations in recent years, making it much easier to keep up with contemporary Chinese voices. I’ve had my eye on Xiaolu Guo, a young Chinese-British novelist, for…
The best new kids' books in November
From secret hyena families to chicken-rescuing bad guys, here’s a roundup of the best kids’ books out in November.
FUNNY BUSINESS
Maybe it’s something in the water, but November has a bumper crop of funny reads. Bestselling series Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney and Tom Gates by Liz Pichon both have new entries on the shelves that are sure to have kids laughing out loud.
Laugh Your Head Off is an all-star cast of authors. This is…
Our top teen picks for November
YouTube sensations, epic space battles and haunted castles – here are six of the best November young adult releases.
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff have come together to pen one of the most heart-stopping and action-packed novels of the year. Part techo-thriller, part space-opera, Illuminae is told through a series of emails, transcripts and dossiers as it follows the stories of Kady and Ezra: one-time lovers now caught up in a conspiracy of…
Which recipe is the best from Karen Martini's new cookbook?
Yesterday we roadtested some recipes from Karen Martini’s latest cookbook, New Kitchen, in a bid to find the best one. Six of our staff selected recipes and we were thrilled (terrified) when Karen came in to select her favourite. Here are the results of the cook-off…
Danielle Mirabella made Kale and spinach gnudi with burnt butter (pg. 178) and Homemade ricotta (pg. 28):
I’m a huge cheese lover – frankly, who isn’t? – but I’ve always been a little…
Best new crime in November
CRIME FICTION OF THE MONTH:
Good Money by J.M. Green
This time is an unfair part of the year for picking my Book of the Month. When confronted with Gentill, Disher, Rankin, Galbraith and more, somehow I’m supposed to make a decision? Of course, like you, dear reader, I’m just going to gather all the November titles into a big pile of happiness, hug them to my chest and make no plans for the next few weekends. And along with…
Our children's and YA top ten bestsellers of the week
This & That by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek
The Singing Bones by Shaun Tan
Top of the Class (Nearly) by Liz Pichon
My Dog Bigsy by Alison Lester
The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers
In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey
What Do You Wish for? by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker
Good Night, Sleep Tight by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek
Our top ten bestsellers of the week
Keating (special edition) by Kerry O'Brien
The Moroccan Soup Bar: Recipes of a Spoken Menu and a Little Bit of Spice by Hana Assafiri
The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham
The Other Side of the World by Stephanie Bishop
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James
Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
M Train by Patti Smith
The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson
Reckoning: A Memoir by Magda Szubanski
Mark's Say, November 2015
One of the pleasures of my job is meeting authors and hearing about their books – and as most booksellers and authors do enjoy a drink, we often meet in most convivial surroundings. A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting Sydney author David Dyer, whose first novel, The Midnight Watch, will be published by Penguin Random House in March next year. It’s an historical story based on the sinking of the Titanic and centres on why…
What we're reading: Claire Vaye Watkins, Helen Ellis and Jon Morris
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.
Chris Somerville is reading Battleborn by Claire Vaye Watkins
Now that Claire Vaye Watkins’s second book, Gold Fame Citrus is almost upon us, it’s a great time to revisit her first book, Battleborn, a collection of short stories. Though these stories stand apart, they’re linked by place, in this case Nevada, which…
Six teen reads that will give you nightmares
Do you think you’re brave? Think you don’t scare easily? Do horrifying nightmares sound like your idea of fun? If you answered yes, yes and YES! then we challenge you to read these six spooky young adult reads which are guaranteed to terrify you. From haunted asylums to zombie wastelands, these chilling reads will have you glancing over your shoulder as you turn the page.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
After his grandfather dies, Jacob sets…
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