True to form, Sally Rooney's Intermezzo has maintained its number one status this month, correctly proving the book is worth all the hype!

Two great Australian crime authors have released books this month: Christian White's The Ledge, a mind-bending novel where past and present run breathlessly, tensely parallel, leading to a cliff-hanger nobody will see coming; and Chris Hammer's The Valley, which sees the return of Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic in a page-turning plot with an evocative…

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Discover the new books for young adult readers that our booksellers are excited about this month! From a gothic fairytale to a complex YA dystopia, a classic fantasy favourite, and more.

Don’t Let the Forest In by C.G. Drews

Reviewed by Bella Mackey, digital content lead

C.G. Drews’ return to young adult fiction is a gloriously gothic exploration of fairytales, isolation and obsessive friendship, set in an elite boarding school and a dark, untouched forest.

Andrew feels too fragile…

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Discover the new crime books our booksellers are excited about this month!

Leave the Girls Behind by Jacqueline Bublitz

Reviewed by Aurelia Orr from Readings Kids

The author of the award-winning debut Before You Knew My Name, Jacqueline Bublitz’s newest novel challenges the glamourisation, by the media and in pop culture, of male serial killers and redirects our attention to the lives of the girls and women taken by travesty.

Ruth is haunted by the disappearance and murder of…

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It's swooping season and if you're like me, you're probably thinking 'I hate those blasted feathered beasts!'. If so, then it's time to hit pause and remember just how beautiful our feathered friends in the sky really are. So, instead of swearing at the birds in the park, have a read through this collection of books that are guaranteed to remind you that you do actually love birds . . .

For the bird watchers . . .

Enchantment by…

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Theory & Practice by Michelle de Kretser

It's 1986, and 'beautiful, radical ideas' are in the air. A young woman arrives in Melbourne to research the novels of Virginia Woolf. In bohemian St Kilda she meets artists, activists, students – and Kit. He claims to be in a 'deconstructed' relationship, and they become lovers. Meanwhile, her work on the Woolfmother falls into disarray.

Theory & Practice is a mesmerising account of desire and jealousy, truth and shame. It makes and…

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The Goldsmiths prize has announced Rachel Cusk as the 2024 winner for her novel Parade. The prize was created by Goldsmiths College at the University of London 12 years ago, to celebrate creative daring and novels that are experimental and innovative in form and themes. It is awarded annually, with a prize of £10,000 for the winner.

🏆 Winner of the Goldsmiths Prize 2024

Parade by Rachel Cusk

A path-breaking novel of art, womanhood and violence, from the author…

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Discover the new kids books our booksellers are excited about this month! From picture books to nonfiction, early chapter books to middle grade novels.

Kids Nonfiction

Australia’s Baby Animals by Jess Racklyeft

Reviewed by Kim Gruschow, co-manager of Readings St Kilda

Melbourne illustrator Jess Racklyeft has created a beautiful book that showcases an array of Australia’s animals which is not only magnificent but also extraordinarily cute. The spreads in this book display the various habitats of Australia in gorgeous…

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Explore our books of the month for November.

Each of the below titles has been read and recommended by our booksellers before being selected as our book of the month for its category.

FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH

Theory & Practice by Michelle de Kretser

Reviewed by Alison Huber, head book buyer

The narrator of Theory & Practice relocates to Melbourne from…

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Do you love being out in the garden but you're struggling to get your kids to love it as much as you? Well then look no further! Here is a collection of gorgeous picture books that will inspire children to get their hands dirty and enjoy the magic of gardens.

Off to the Nursery by Alice Oehr

Spring is here, and it's time to plant the garden. We're planning to grow tomatoes, lettuce, and herbs – and maybe even add…

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The start of a new month means that there's a new issue of Readings Monthly available online and in our shops. Below you can read the foreword from the latest issue – and keep an eye on the blog for more updates and recommended new releases throughout the month!

This is the last issue of the Readings Monthly for the year. We’ve been publishing this newsletter for over 30 years now. It is a lot of work to put together…

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