Exciting news! The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2024 shortlist has just been announced. The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards were inaugurated by the Victorian Government in 1985 to honour literary achievement by Australian writers. The awards are administered by the Wheeler Centre on behalf of the Premier of Victoria.

★ Prize for Fiction

But the Girl by Jessica Zhan Mei Yu

Edenglassie by Melissa Lucashenko

Only Sound Remains by Hossein Asgari

Serengotti by Eugen Bacon

Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood

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2023 was a wonderful year for LQBTQIA+ stories. Our selection of highlights includes both local and international releases, and spans everything from supernatural adventures to the all too real trials and tribulations of high school.

Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens

Two rival apprentice sorcerers must team up in a quest to save their teachers and protect their own magic in this lively romantic adventure.

Edison Rooker isn’t sure what to expect when he enters the office of Antonia Hex, the…

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Poppy from our Teen Advisory Board takes a closer look at Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper series adaptation; specifically, what is the key bookish character of Isaac seen reading throughout the television series – and would you enjoy the books, too?

All fans of the graphic novel series Heartstopper will be excited to read Alice Oseman’s latest volume (Volume 5), and just like me, will be rereading her books and rewatching the Netflix series adaptation in anticipation. But when they're…

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It's been a huge year of reading for our Teen Advisory Board. Below you can discover some of their favourite books from 2023, what their go-to summer break reads are, as well as the books they're hoping to buy, borrow or be gifted these holidays.

Favourite book of the year?

'At the beginning of this year, I picked up a beautiful copy of Jane Eyre, which had been given to me as a Christmas gift. Delightedly, I flew through…

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2023 has seen the release of many inspirational and thoughtful cookbooks from local and international chefs. Whether you're earth conscious, need to reduce your spending or want to recreate a meal from your favourite restaurant or country's cuisine there are options galore to suit every home cook. Below are twelve of our top choices to get you inspired.

CDMX: The Food of Mexico City by Rosa Cienfuegos

CDMX is a celebration of the food of Mexico City, the dishes that…

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This selection of beautiful books – from wildlife bedtime stories and magnificent trees to amazing plants, tigers and a book inspired by David Attenborough's Planet Earth III – are perfect gifts for the earth conscious child.

Secret Stories of Nature: A Field Guide to Uncover Our Planet's Past by Saskia Gwinn & Vasilisa Romanenko (illus.)

This beautifully illustrated field guide explores the histories and mysteries hidden in the wild, just waiting to be shared. Readers are invited on a journey…

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It has been a bonza year for all things fantasy, sci-fi and speculative fiction! We've rounded up some of our favourite reads that include cozy fantasies, epic space operas, and multiple not-too-distant dystopias.

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong

Every year, thousands flock to San-Er, the dangerously dense capital twin cities of the kingdom of Talin, where the palace hosts a set of deadly games. Those confident in their ability to jump between bodies can enter a fight to the death…

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From Roman to modern times, Alexandria to Melbourne, unruly monarchs and women in science there is something to please most history enthusiasts in our recommendations for 2023.

Corners of Melbourne by Robyn Annear

What better defines a city than its street corners? A corner gives you a starting point, a destination and a place to turn. It's furnished with pillar boxes, newsstands and tram stops, and lamp-posts for light and lounging. Where would you be likeliest to find a pub…

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From fast-paced adventures to an illustrated history of Songlines, there's something for every young reader within these pages.

Tamarra: A Story of Termites on Gurindji Country by Violet Wadrill, Topsy Dodd Ngarnjal, Leah Leaman, Cecelia Edwards, Cassandra Algy, Felicity Meakins, Briony Barr & Gregory Crocetti

Did you know there are four types of termite poo? Or that a warm paste made from termite mound is used to strengthen a Gurindji baby's body and spirit? Or that spinifex (which termites eat)…

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Crime readers, rejoice! It has been another stellar year for Australian and international authors, including books from longtime favourites as well as those making their debut. From cosy and rural crime to thrillers and high-paced noir we've got you covered!

Everyone On This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

Ernest Cunningham returns in a deliciously witty locked room (train) mystery.

When the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society invited me to their crime-writing festival aboard the Ghan, the famous train between…

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