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 Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

I’ve just finished reading Jennifer Mathieu’s young adult novel. This is the story of Vivian, a teenager living in small-town Texas. As far back as anyone can remember, Vivian’s school has worshipped their football team. The boys on the team are untouchable – they can say what they like, get away with wearing offensive t-shirts, and break any number of rules without facing consequences. Vivian and a number of her fellow students hate the status quo, but that’s just the way it is. But one day that all changes.

Vivian comes across a shoebox stored at the back of her mother’s closet labelled ‘my misspent youth’. Inside the box are the remnants of her mum’s time in the Riot Grrl scene of the 1990s – photographs, tickets for shows, and most importantly, zines about feminism. Vivian is inspired by what she finds, and decides to make her own. She calls this zine Moxie, and secretly distributes it around her school, frustrated by the inequality she sees every day in the classroom. As Moxie grows, and Vivian’s principal (also the father of the star of the football team) tries to track down the person behind it, Vivian struggles with keeping the zine a secret.

This book is so much fun – I loved all the talk of girl punk and revolutions in the classroom. In Vivian, Mathieu has created a relatable and believable protagonist. She feels angry and frustrated at the same time as feeling inspired and hopeful about the difference she can personally make. She is torn between wanting to keep her head down until school is over, and wanting to put a stop to the misogyny of the football team and the school administration who protect them. The other fantastic thing about this book is that it broaches intersectionality within feminism in a way that will appeal to younger readers (and budding feminists). Girls to the front!

Lian Hingee is reading Frogkisser! by Garth Nix

Frogkisser! has been sitting on my TBR pile for almost a year now, and I can’t explain why! Australian fantasy writer Garth Nix is one of my favourite writers – Sabriel is one of my ‘desert island reads’ – and everything I knew about this book suggested that I was going to love it. Taking its inspiration from classic fairytales, Frogkisser! is a sly, smart adventure with its tongue firmly planted in its cheek.

Heirs to the Kingdom of Trallonia, Anya and her older sister Morven are at the mercy of their terrible stepfather Duke Rikard who has one eye on the throne and the other firmly fastened on the string of suitors that come to the Kingdom of Trallonia in search of a princess. When the thoroughly likeable Prince Denholm makes the mistake of asking the duke for Morven’s hand in marriage it’s a veritable invitation for the Duke – also an accomplished sorcerer – to transform him into a frog, and it falls to Anya to track him down so that Morven can kiss him and turn him back. It’s not as straightforward as it seems, and soon Anya finds herself caught up in quest to save herself, her sister and her people.

This enormously fun book is perfect for readers aged 12+ who haven’t quite out-grown fairytales, but are looking for something with a bit of snark, and also for the kinds of grown-ups who secretly love Disney movies and know all the lyrics to ‘Let It Go’.

Bronte Coates is reading Sarah Waters and Louise Erdrich

When you’re working in a bookshop, it can be difficult to make time to ‘read backwards’ as there’s such an emphasis on staying on top of new titles. At the same time, you’re surrounded by fellow booklovers and their recommendations, many of which are for older much-loved books. Over the past few years, I’ve built up a rather enormous list of authors that I want to read, but never seem to get around to. So in 2018, I’m making efforts to carve out time to read backlist titles from some of these authors.

In January, I read my first Sarah Waters (Fingersmith) and my first Louise Erdrich (LaRose). Both these books were very different but very enjoyable – Fingersmith is a pacy Victorian romp with a thrilling love story at its centre, and LaRose is a moving familial tale that entwines magic with the contemporary world. I’m so glad I made the time to read these books, and I’m determined to read more. My next two backlist picks are The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark and Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.