Category: animals

#AussieAuthors2025, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOZMG, #loveozya, animals, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, biography, Blog Tour, Book bingo, Book Industry, challenges, check in post, Children's Literature, Crime/Mystery, Dymocks Reading Challenge, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, humour, Indigenous authors, Junior Fiction, Kate Temple, literary fiction, memoir, middle grade, mythology, non-fiction, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Scholastic, Sci-Fi, series, Speculative fiction, The Nerd Daily, Young Adult

Co-written/Anthologies Read

Ashleigh

In 2025, I read 23 books that were written by two or more authors, or that were anthologies. These books crossed into all the other categories: men, women, Australian, non-Australian, LGBTQIA, Disabled, children’s and young adult. There were all sorts of things here too, from picture books, novels, and non-fiction. There were some very good… Continue reading Co-written/Anthologies Read

#AussieAuthors2025, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOZMG, adventure, animals, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Blog Tour, Book bingo, Book Industry, Books, challenges, check in post, Children's Literature, Dymocks Reading Challenge, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, Indigenous authors, Junior Fiction, Larrikin House, literary fiction, memoir, middle grade, mythology, non-fiction, Picture Books, plays, poetry, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Scholastic, Sci-Fi, series, short stories, Speculative fiction, Verse novels, Young Adult

Total Men

Ashleigh

So, in 2025, I read 44 books by men from around the world, with a focus on lesser-known Australian men. Yes, they get their own post because it’s much easier to split things up when you’ve read over 200 books, and make separate posts for things so people can find what they want in these… Continue reading Total Men

adventure, animals, biography, Book bingo, Book Industry, Books, challenges, check in post, Children's Literature, Christmas, Crime/Mystery, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, Junior Fiction, literary fiction, memoir, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews

Non-Australian Men

Ashleigh

This one is a small list. I only read8 books by non-Australian men, and A Christmas Carol is there because I try to read it every December as my Christmas read. Most of the books in this list are from the UK, and ones that I stumble across in reviewing, or read for reading challenges.… Continue reading Non-Australian Men

#AussieAuthors2025, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOZMG, adventure, Alice-Miranda, animals, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book bingo, Book Industry, Books, challenges, check in post, Children's Literature, classics, Crime/Mystery, Dymocks Reading Challenge, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, Jacqueline Harvey, Junior Fiction, literary fiction, memoir, middle grade, mythology, non-fiction, Picture Books, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, series

December 2025 Reading Round Up

Ashleigh

In December 2025, I read 16 books. Some were for reviews that will appear later in 2026, whilst others were ones I read for my own interest. Some were review books or books I wanted to read and review. December was a slower review month, so I was able to catch up on some other… Continue reading December 2025 Reading Round Up

adventure, animals, Book bingo, Book Industry, Books, challenges, check in post, Children's Literature, classics, Cressida Cowell, Crime/Mystery, Dymocks Reading Challenge, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, humour, Jane Austen, Junior Fiction, literary fiction, memoir, middle grade, mythology, non-fiction, Picture Books, poetry, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Scholastic, series, Speculative fiction, spies, The Nerd Daily, translated works, Young Adult

Non-Australian authors read

Ashleigh

Because my focus is on Australian books, reading books by authors outside of Australia has often consisted of those from the UK, the US or translated from European languages. So I only read 33 books by authors outside Australia. This has often happened based on what is available in the Australian market as well. I… Continue reading Non-Australian authors read

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#AussieYAChallenge 2025 Completed

Ashleigh

And that’s a wrap on this year’s #AussieYAChallenge. 45 books read, and all the prompts marked off. Some of the books I read probably also crossed over into children’s and middle grade for various reasons, which I aimed to explain in the reviews. And I did my best to read as diversely as possible, as… Continue reading #AussieYAChallenge 2025 Completed

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My Favourite Books of 2025

Ashleigh

I haven’t done this for a while, because whenever I see posts about people’s top ten reads of the year, I never know what to put on mine. Somehow, I always end up with more than ten, or not quite ten, or I’ll have read a series during the year, and have enjoyed all of… Continue reading My Favourite Books of 2025

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Readings Book Bingo Completed-ish

Ashleigh

 One final challenge I took part in this year was the Readings book bingo. I managed to tick every prompt apart from the cookbook prompt off, which probably had more to do with time than anything else. 2024 Prize Winner:  A Gift from the Birds by Caroline Stills (Text Prize 2024) A debut author: Earth… Continue reading Readings Book Bingo Completed-ish

#AussieAuthors2025, #LoveOZMG, adventure, animals, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, Children's Literature, Fantasy, humour, Junior Fiction, literary fiction, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, series

The Travelling Bookshop: Mim and the Mother Muddle by Katrina Nannestad

Ashleigh

Title: The Travelling Bookshop: Mim and the Mother Muddle Author: Katrina Nannestad Genre: Fiction Publisher: HarperCollins Australia Published: 5th March 2025 Format: Paperback Pages: 240                Price: $16.99 Synopsis: The right book might just change your life ... Mim Cohen roams the world in a travelling bookshop, with her dad and brother and a horse called… Continue reading The Travelling Bookshop: Mim and the Mother Muddle by Katrina Nannestad

adventure, animals, Book Industry, Books, check in post, Children's Literature, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, literary fiction, middle grade, mythology, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Scholastic

Dawn of the Dragons by Mari Mancusi

Ashleigh

Title: Dawn of the Dragons Author: Mari Mancusi Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Scholastic Australia Published: 1st December 2025 Format: Paperback Pages: 320 Price: $19.99 Synopsis: The dragons are coming ... are you prepared? This thrilling, dystopian adventure story is perfect for fans of Wings of Fire and Impossible Creatures. Lucas isn't having the best summer. While… Continue reading Dawn of the Dragons by Mari Mancusi