Total Women

Each year, I try my best to read as many books by women as possible, and to read as diversely as possible. In 2025, I read 234, participated in judging an award, and of course, continued to do my reviewing. Reading across as many styles and genres as possible, based on what I had from everything I was doing, and what I was sent. I had lots that I enjoyed in 2025, and keep aiming to read more diversely, but as stated in other roundups, only include authors under certain counts if they themselves have indicated that identity in a biography. I work hard to read diversely as well.

I write roundups that are broad and focused, and split them into men, women, Australian, non-Australian, children’s, young adult, adult, LGBTQIA, Disabled and co-authored books. There is also a post with everything and a summary at the end. So if people want to look at something in particular, they can.

1. Searching for Treasure by Johanna Bell and Emma Long
2. First Chapters: Your Kid’s Next Read Summer Series – Dani Vee, Riley’s Failproof Guide to Breaking a School Record
3. A Killer Among Friends by Andrea Barton
4. Chickenpox by Remy Lai
5. Panic by Catherine Jinks
6. Salty by Sandi Parsons
7. The Briar Book of the Dead by A.G. Slatter
8. Catherine Wheel by Liz Evans
9. Legend of the Lighthouse Moon by Helen Edwards
10. Riz Chester: The Evidence Track by RA Stephens
11. The Spirit Circle by Tara Calaby
12. Safe Haven by Shankari Chandran
13. How to Be Normal by Ange Crawford
14. The Other Shadow by Tania Ingram
15. Original Twin by Paula Gleeson
16. Shattered by Juanita Kees
17. Hello Butterfly by Leanne Frost
18. Kitty and Cadaver by Narelle M Harris
19. Down the Track by Stella Quinn
20. The Mail Train Murders by Kay Duke
21. Nephthys by Rachel Louise Driscoll
22. Square Me, Round World: Stories of Growing Up in a World Not Built for You by Chelsea Luker and Eliza Fricker
23. A Good Kind of Trouble by Brooke Blurton and Melanie Saward
24. The Whispering Palms by Annette Leigh
25. Bravepaw and the Rotwood Mire by L.M. Wilkinson and Lavanya Naidu
26. Clutterbugs by Maura Pierlot and Maya Bora
27. Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox
28. Little Bones by Sandy Bigna
29. The Search Party by Hannah Richell
30. Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson
31. The Bank by Miriam Verbeek
32. The Buried Life by Andrea Goldsmith
33. Epically Good Greek Myths by R.A. Spratt
34. Sunny at the End of the World by Steph Bowe
35. Parrot Palace by Susanne Gervay, Pooja Mathur and illustrated by Sarah Tabassum
36. Lest Tides Turn by Phillipa Nefri Clark
37. Spirit of the Crocodile by Aaron Fa’aoso and Michelle Scott Tucker with Lyn White
38. Moonboy by Anna Ciddor
39. The Potent Perfume by Helen Goltz
40. Halfway House by Helen Fitzgerald
41. Bold Ben Hall by Sophie Masson
42. The Missing Book by Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern
43. The Secret Ingredient by Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern
44. Between Husbands and Wives by Susannah Glenn
45. Wilder Zoo: Neeka and the Missing Key by Tina Strachan and illustrated by Max Hamilton
46. Bin Chicken Goes for Gold by Kate and Jol Temple, illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh
47. The Paradise Heights Craft Store Stitch-Up by Kate Solly
48. Missing by Nicole Morris
49. Volcano by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft
50. Jo and the No by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Judy Watson
51. Tubowgule: A Sydney Opera House History by Melissa-Jane Fogarty, illustrated by Dylan Finney
52. Song of a Blackbird by Maria van Lieshout
53. Crimes of the Cross: The Anglican Paedophile Network of Newcastle, its Protectors, and the Man who Fought for Justice by Anne Manne
54. The Close-Up by Pip Drysdale
55. Better Days by Claire Zorn
56. Myrren’s Gift by Fiona McIntosh
57. Stories from Magic Beach by Alison Lester and Robert Connolly
58. The Masterpiece by Belinda Alexandra
59. How to Sail to Somewhere by Ashleigh Barton
60. Black Silk and Sympathy by Deborah Challinor
61. The Paperbark Tree Committee by Karys McEwan
62. The Thylacine and the Time Machine by Renée Treml
63. The Crag by Claire Sutherland
64. Frog Squad: Sink or Swim by Kate and Jol Temple, illustrated by Shiloh Gordon
65. Heidi by Johanna Spyri
66. A Dance with Murder by Elizabeth Coleman
67. The Colt from Old Regret by Dianne Wolfer and Erica Wagner
68. The Thinning by Inga Simpson
69. The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman
70. Seven Wherewithal Way: Into the Faerie Realm by Samantha-Ellen Bound
71. Woodwitch by Skye McKenna
72. A Shadow at the Door by Jo Dixon
73. Every Last Suspect by Nicola Moriarty
74. Kip of the Karoo by Emma Gourlay
75. Me and You by Ellie Royce
76. My Cousins, My World by Sharara Attani and Michelle Pereira
77. Blood Moon Bride by Demet Divaroren
78. Bone Lands by Pip Fioretti
79. Win, Lose, Kill, Die by Cynthia Murphy
80. Splinters by Rachel Delahaye
81. Bitroux: High Country by Jordan Harcourt-Hughes
82. Ella at Eden: The Missing Piece by Laura Sieveking
83. Into the Wild by Hayley Lawrence
84.  Our Dance by Jacinta Daniher and Taylor Hampton, illustrated by Janelle Burger
85. The Only Branch on the Family Tree by Sherryl Clark
86. The Chilling by Riley James
87. On Gallant Wings by Helen Edwards
88. The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman
89. With Winter Comes Darkness by Robbi Neal
90. Stinkbug by Sinéad Stubbins
91. Poppy’s Monster by Shelly Higgs
92. The Potion Experiment by Elle McFadzean
93. Anzac Girl: The War Diaries of Alice Ross-King by Kate Simpson
94. Looking for Eden by Caroline Overington
95. The Surface Trials by HM Waugh
96. To the River by Vikki Wakefield
97. The Edge Of Everything by Miranda Luby
98. Williow Bright’s Secret Plot by A.L. Tait
99. The Lasting Harm: Witnessing the Trial of Ghislaine Maxwell by Lucia Osborne-Crowley
100. A Loo of One’s Own: A Mostly True Tale of Australia’s First Female Parliamentarians by Eleri Harris
101. This Dream Will Devour Us by Emma Clancey
102. The Last Egg by Sofie Laguna and Jess Racklyeft
103. The Girls Who Changed the World: Ming and Maria Explore the Universe by Jackie French
104. Down the Rabbit Hole by Shaeden Berry
105. Wait Here by Lucy Nelson
106. Shadow City by Natalie Conyer
107. Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
108. Vengeance Planning for Amateurs by Lee Winter
109. Somewhere Lost by Just Write for Kids and Friends
110. The Girl and the Ghost by Jacqueline Harvey
111. Woman, Missing by Sherryl Clark
112. Wombat Dreaming by Caz Goodwin and Zoë Bennett
113. Shadows of Winter Robins by Louise Wolhunter
114. Gone by Glenna Thomson
115. Welcome to Miracle by Shara Curlett
116. R.I.P Nanny Tobbins by Lucie Stevens
117. Sidney of Sydney by Sue Whiting and Liz Anelli
118. Music Camp by Penny Tangey
119. In Bad Faith: Inside Australia’s ultra-Orthodox sect and the brutal betrayal it tried to hide by Dassi Erlich
120. Golden by Jade Timms
121. What I Would Do to You by Georgia Harper
122. Everglade: Rise of the Witch by Kitty Black
123. Red River Road by Anna Downes
124. The Year We Escaped by Suzanne Leal
125. Shmoof by Heidi McKinnon
126. The Girl in the Painting by Dee White, illustrated by Sarah Anthony
127. The Enchantment of Gold Eagle by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Stephen Michael King
128. Made of Steam and Stardust by Bianca Breen
129. The Creeper by Margaret Hickey
130. Edie Tells a Lie by Ingrid Laguna
131. The Lies We Tell Ourselves by Maura Pierlot
132. Into the Mouth of the Wolf by Erin Gough
133. The Mushroom in the Sky by Jackie French
134. Peculiar Parents by Stephanie Owen Reeder and Ingrid Bartkowiak
135. Skipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue
136. The Autist’s Guide to the Galaxy: Navigating the World of ‘normal people’ by Clara Törnvall, translated by Alice E. Ossman
137. Breaking School Rules is Easy by Rosie Schonell
138. Ella at Eden Super Special: Paris Adventure by Laura Sieveking
139. When Dark Waters Burn by Zena Shapter
140. Friday Barnes: In Plain Sight by R.A. Spratt
141. Neeka and the Storm by Tina Strachan, illustrated by Max Hamilton
142. Lady’s Knight by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
143. Hedgehog or Echidna? Animals Who Are the Same but Different by Ashleigh Barton and illustrated by Amandine Thomas
144. A Gift from the Birds by Caroline Stills
145. My Name is Jemima by Olivia Muscat, illustrated by Allison Colpoys
146. Mango and Hopscotch: The Inspiring Story of a Brave Kangaroo and her Joey Rescued from the Floodwaters by Sophie Cunningham, illustrated by Anil Tortop
147. Moonlight and Dust by Jasmin McGaughey
148. Danger Road by A.L. Tait
149. Vesper Jones and Marshmallow by Karen Hendriks, illustrated by Francesca Corso
150.  Secret Keeper by Di Walker
151. The Set-Up Girl by Sasha Vey
152. High Wire by Candice Fox
153. Oceanforged #1: The Wicked Ship by Amelia Mellor
154. Looking Out and Beyond by Toby Hammserschlag
155. Raising Readers: How To Nurture a Child’s Love of Books by Megan Daley
156. The Mademoiselle Alliance by Natasha Lester
157. The Pull of the Moon by Pip Smith
158. Drift by Pip Harry
159. Our History:  A House Divided by Clare Hallifax
160. Miss Austen by Gill Hornby
161.  Bert’s Adventure in Bubbly Forest by Nicole Steyn
162. Song of a Thousand Seas by Zana Fraillon
163. Thunderhead by Sophie Beer
164. Promises and Other Lies by Sue Whiting
165. Flip by Rebecca Fraser
166. Bin Chicken Lights Up the Night by Kate and Jol Temple, illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh
167. Koala Fairies by Anna Pignataro
168. I Believe in You by Dani Colvin
169. 11 Ruby Road 1950 by Charlotte Barkla
170. Alice with a Why: Return to Wonderland by Anna James
171. This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska
172. How Big Is Love? By Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler, illustrated by Jade Goodwin
173. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
174. Evie P and Me by Petra James and illustrated by Andrew Joyner
175. Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent
176. The Peach King by Inga Simpson, illustrated by Tannya Harricks
177. Naynay and the Mermaid by Tasma Walton, illustrated by Charmaine Ledden-Lewis
178. Seawitch (Hedgewitch #3) by Skye McKenna
179. Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective by Kelly Gardiner and Sharmini Kumar
180. Liam the Chid and the Kangaroo Warriors by Meredith Downes
181. A Guide to Falling off the Map by Zanni L Arnot
182. Mega Rich Guinea Pigs by Kate and Jol Temple
183. Mooshy Crackerjack’s Big Day by Suzanne Patterson and illustrated by Maia Batumashvili
184. Dogs with Jobs by Max Hamilton
185. The Callers: The Hidden Forest by Kiah Thomas
186. Maisy Hayes is Not For Sale by Allayne L Webster
187. The 12 Birds of Christmas by Jodie McLeod, illustrated by Eloise Short
188. Dinner at the Night Library by Hika Harada, translated by Philip Gabriel
189. Catch by Sarah Brill
190. Worst Pets Ever: Locked Up by Eva Amores and Matt Cosgrove
191. Millie Mak Makes Her Mark by Alice Pung and illustrated by Sher Rill Ng
192. Oxford Blood by Rachael Davis Featherstone
193. There’s a Prawn in Parliament House by Annabel Crabb, illustrated by First Dog on the Moon
194. The Messy Bath Monster by Tina Wilson, music by Matt Ottley
195. The Story Writer’s Handbook: Adventures in Creative Writing by Katrina Nannestad, illustrated by Cheryl Orsini
196. The Keeper of the Octopus by Neridah McMullin
197. Frances Bloom by Katrina Nannestad, illustrated by Marina Zlatanova
198. Do We Deserve This? by Eleanor Elliott Thomas
199. Spud and Snowball and the Fancy Fish by Judith Rossell
200. Stonewitch (Hedgewitch #4) by Skye McKenna
201. The Friendship Book by Zanni Louise, illustrated by Nicky Johnston
202. Where Would You Go by Alison Lester and Jane Godwin and the children at Yalingu Yirramboi – the Royal Children’s Hospital School
203. The Wintrish Girl (Talismans of Fate #1) by Melanie La’brooy
204. Being Indy by Zoe Gaetjens, illustrated by Estee Sarsfield
205. Whatever the Weather, We’re In This Together by Jessica Braithwaite and Rebecca Ralfe, art by Laura Bee
206. This is Us: Essential Poems for Young People by Libby Hathorn and Jude Fell, illustrated by Tull Suwannakit
207. What Have They Done to Liza McLean? by Amy Doak
208. A Murder Is Going Down by Kate Emery
209. Juniper’s Painting by Catherine Bauer, illustrated by Jennifer Horn
210. The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe by Karen Foxlee
211. All Shall Mourn by Ellie Marney
212. The Ship of Doom (The Butterfly Club #1) by M.A. Bennett
213. The Official Agatha Christie Detectives Club: 50 Mystery Puzzles for Children by Agatha Christie Ltd, Dr Gareth Moore, Laura Jayne Ayres
214. Slashed Beauties by A Rushby
215. The Mummy’s Curse (The Butterfly Club #2) by M.A. Bennett
216. The Binding Spell by Marisa Linton
217. giwang by Belinda Bridge, illustrated by Peta-Joy Williams
218. Space Demons by Gillian Rubinstein
219. The Mona Lisa Mystery (The Butterfly Club #3) by M.A. Bennett
220. Trip to the Moon (The Butterfly Club #4) by M.A. Bennet
221. Dawn of the Dragons by Mari Mancusi
222. The Dictionary People: The Unsung Heroes Who Created the Oxford English Dictionary by Sarah Ogilvie
223. The Girl and the Ghost: Family Secrets by Jacqueline Harvey
224. Someone Like Me: An Anthology of Non-Fiction by Autistic Writers edited by Clem Bastow and Jo Case
225. The Colours of Nature: Discover the beautiful colours that brighten our world by Catherine Barr, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat
226. Wish You Dead by Rebecca Westcott
227. Travelling Bookshop #6: Mim and the Mother Muddle by Katrina Nannestad
228. Alice-Miranda on Holiday by Jacqueline Harvey
229. Cape Fever by Nadia Davids
230. The Tempus Imperium by Juliet A Paine
231. The Flower Garden by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Lucia Masciullo
232. Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead by Jacqueline Harvey
233. Alice-Miranda at Sea by Jacqueline Harvey
234. Growing into Autism by Sandra Thom-Jones