Young adult
Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton
Sarah J. Maas and Kate Murray fans, get ready for a new femme fatale on the dark, dystopian fantasy scene!
In Keirdre, a city cut off from the rest of the world to segregate fae from other species, Saoirse must…
Very Bad People by Kit Frick
There are a number of bad people in this pacey, dark thriller set in the world of academia. The fun is undoubtedly figuring out who the bad people are in the cast of potential suspects.
Calliope is escaping from the…
We Didn’t Think It Through by Gary Lonesborough
This novel contains an incredibly powerful narrative about injustice, family, and hope. It is deeply human and is written in a way that both exposes what is wrong in our world and highlights what is good. Sixteen-year-old Jamie Langton is…
Inkflower by Suzy Zail
Set in 1980s Melbourne, Lisa Keller’s life is completely normal. In high school, she has an amazing best friend, and a loving boyfriend. But one day, everything changes.
Her father, Emil, is diagnosed with motor neurone disease, and has six…
A Curse of Salt by Sarah Street
Although she has been brought up to fear it, Ria Lucroy has always loved the ocean. But when her father’s ship is destroyed by the infamous pirate known as the Heartless King, Ria’s father is given an ultimatum: die, or…
Saltwater Boy by Bradley Christmas
Matthew’s life is pretty complicated. His dad is in jail and his mum is struggling to pay the bills. So, together, Matthew and his mum head up the coast to fix up his grandparents’ house in the hope of selling…
Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai
Catfish Rolling is a whimsical debut about memory, grief, and finding your place in the world when time seems to be slipping through your fingers.
Beneath the islands of Japan lies a catfish of legendary size, and when it rolls…
The Lorikeet Tree by Paul Jennings
Alex is a young 15-year-old. He loves building things, and wants a kitten more than
anything. His twin sister, Emily, often feels twice her age, especially now that their father is terminally ill and the future is looking bleak. As…
Grace Notes by Karen Comer
This beautifully written verse novel set in Melbourne is a chronicle of the pandemic’s impact on teenagers and a powerful testament to the transformative power of art.
Grace is a violinist, like her father and also her beloved grandmother, who…
Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim
Maiya Ibrahim’s debut Spice Road is a beguiling Arabian-inspired fantasy, brimming with rich worldbuilding, deadly monsters, courtly intrigue, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. This book was an oasis in the desert, a diamond in the rough; I devoured it in…
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