Category: CBCA

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February 2026 Reading Round Up

Ashleigh

This February I read 27 books. Most were review books, and most were by women. I reviewed 23 of the books I read, and there are some other reviews coming in the next few months. I’m also getting through my reading challenges for the year, and ticking off thing as I go or as I… Continue reading February 2026 Reading Round Up

#AussieAuthors2026, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Awards, Books, CBCA

CBCA 2026 Book of the Year Awards Notables

Ashleigh

The CBCA Notables for 2026 have been announced! This list has been chosen from 736 entries. There were 223 picture book entries, 181 Younger Reader entries, 144 Early Childhood entries, 77 Eve Pownall entries, 73 Older Reader entries and 38 New Illustrator entries. Wow! Good luck to everyone, I think its going to be hard… Continue reading CBCA 2026 Book of the Year Awards Notables

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Children’s and Young Adult Books Read in 2025

Ashleigh

In 2025, I read 198 children’s books, from picture books to middle grade books and young adult books. I covered every age range possible. I also have a separate post for young adult books. I covered a lot of different themes and ideas in this, as well as reading as diversely as possible. There seems… Continue reading Children’s and Young Adult Books Read in 2025

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Total Women

Ashleigh

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… Continue reading Total Women

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Australian Women Read

Ashleigh

In 2025, I read 210 books by Australian women, and may not have read as diversely as I wanted based on a focus for judging reading. That said, I did manage to get in as many diverse books as possible, where I could see or knew that the author was disabled, Indigenous or LGBTQIA, or… Continue reading Australian Women 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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Dymocks Reading Challenge 2025 Completed

Ashleigh

And just like that, another year of the Dymocks Reading Challenge is over. I managed to fill in each prompt for this one, and may have ummed and ahhed about the Gothic Ruins prompt, because I read a couple of books that seemed to fit it well. I did focus on Australian books and authors… Continue reading Dymocks Reading Challenge 2025 Completed

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Dymocks Volume 3 2025 Completed

Ashleigh

And that’s the third volume completed! I found the prompts in this one easy to fill. They had a good balance of being open and specific, and I had a few options for some whilst others I took a good guess at where they would fit. I chose a translated book for the Branching Out… Continue reading Dymocks Volume 3 2025 Completed

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The Wintrish Girl (Talismans of Fate #1) by Melanie La’Brooy

Ashleigh

Title: The Wintrish Girl (Talismans of Fate #1) Author: Melanie La’Brooy Genre: Fantasy Publisher: UQP Published: 30th August 2022 Format: Paperback Pages: 440 Price: $17.99 Synopsis: On Talisman Day in Arylia, every child receives an object that gives them special powers and reveals their destiny. Every child except for the Wintrish girl, Penn, that is.… Continue reading The Wintrish Girl (Talismans of Fate #1) by Melanie La’Brooy