Reviews

Independent reviews of recently released fiction, non-fiction and kids’ books.

Magazine Issue DateD1.23.12 Dec 2023

Complication by Fikret Pajalic

Complication by Fikret Pajalic

This is a compilation of 16 stories from a writer who came to Australia in his 20s as a refugee from the Balkans. ...
The Only Girl in Town by Ally Condie    

The Only Girl in Town by Ally Condie    

In the small US town of Lithia, a group of girls run in the cross-country team for their local high school. July ...
Day by Michael Cunningham

Day by Michael Cunningham

Observation is an essential skill for writers, but observation without incisiveness is just a laundry list. ...
Late by Michael Fitzgerald

Late by Michael Fitzgerald

What if Hollywood’s quintessential blond bombshell didn’t die from an overdose, but staged her death and moved to ...
The Conversion by Amanda Lohrey

The Conversion by Amanda Lohrey

To pick up an Amanda Lohrey novel is to be drawn in from the first page. A subtext of underlying themes however ...
Pine Creek by Kamille Roach                                  

Pine Creek by Kamille Roach                                  

The Hamiltons live on a farm around Pine Creek, a fictional town in NSW’s Central West. The story is set in two ...
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon 

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon 

On a grey frosty night in the late 1700s, in Hallowell, Maine, by the banks of the Kennebec River, the dead body ...
How To Love by Alex Norris

How To Love by Alex Norris

Oh my goodness, this book is so clever and readable and, well, cute! Written in a graphic-style type of ...
Water by John Boyne

Water by John Boyne

Willow Hale has arrived on the island. She has rented a cottage. She’s not sure for how long. Her name is not ...
Dirrarn by Carl Merrison & Hakea Hustler

Dirrarn by Carl Merrison & Hakea Hustler

We first met Mia in the authors’ award-winning book Black Cockatoo as she struggled with family relationships. ...
The Bannerman Shortlist by Colin Batrouney

The Bannerman Shortlist by Colin Batrouney

Gideon Bannerman’s father established The Bannerman Prize for Literature in 1956. His father planned on becoming a ...
A Therapeutic Journey by Alain de Botton

A Therapeutic Journey by Alain de Botton

De Botton’s experience with his educational venture, The School of Life, is far-reaching in the topics that matter ...
Held by Anne Michaels

Held by Anne Michaels

Held, the new novel by Anne Michaels, is a haunting meditation on our need to find meaning, to rediscover hope ...
Spies In The Sky by Beverley McWilliams

Spies In The Sky by Beverley McWilliams

Spies in the Sky is set in England during World War II. The main character is a pigeon called Royal Blue, a ...
Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare’s name is already YA fantasy royalty thanks to her incredible ‘Shadowhunters’ series. But Clare is ...
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

This book has been likened to a giant hug. While it may seem simple in its quiet and reassuring way, there is so ...
Beeswax and Tall Tales by Jane Crowley

Beeswax and Tall Tales by Jane Crowley

Crowley starts this memoir of her father’s life as an antiques dealer by describing how, as a child, she would ...
The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves

The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves

I must confess to loving a police procedural series where you can get to know the main characters. Ann Cleeves’ ...
The Freedom of Emma Herwegh by Dirk Kurbjuweit

The Freedom of Emma Herwegh by Dirk Kurbjuweit

This is an interesting novel, based on the life of Emma Herwegh, a German woman who held court over a glittering ...
The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo

The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo

Once upon a time there was an old sea captain. He lived alone in a small room above a shop. He had no family. He ...
The Beasts of Paris by Stef Penney

The Beasts of Paris by Stef Penney

A set of diverse characters, each with a connection to the animals of the Pairs menagerie move through life ...

Discover More Reviews

Fiction

Modern & Contemporary

Historical Fiction

Romance

Crime / Thrillers

Fantasy / Sci-fi

See more

Non-Fiction

Biographies & True Stories

Lifestyle, Sport & Leisure

Health & Personal Development

Finance / Business

History, Science & Environment

See more

Younger Readers

Young Adults

Primary Kids

Picture Books

Non-Fiction For Kids

Books By Age

See more

The Latest List