Category: Christmas

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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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September 2025 Reading Round Up

Ashleigh

In September, I read 20 books for review, and some reviews will be appearing at later dates for various reasons. I mostly read Australian authors, and focused on children’s and young adult books. I also made progress on reading challenges, and am almost done with my last few. Most books were by women authors, and… Continue reading September 2025 Reading Round Up

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The 12 Birds of Christmas by Jodie McLeod, illustrated by Eloise Short

Ashleigh

Title: The 12 Birds of Christmas Author: Jodie McLeod, illustrated by Eloise Short Genre: Christmas Publisher: Wollemi Press Published: 1st October 2025 Format: Hardcover Pages: 32 Price: $26.95 Synopsis: From the award-winning author and illustrator of The Black Cockatoo With One Feather Blue comes this original rhyming read aloud about giving, community and sharing the… Continue reading The 12 Birds of Christmas by Jodie McLeod, illustrated by Eloise Short

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Final Reading Log 2024

Ashleigh

In 2024 I read 244 books from authors covering a wide range of identities and nationalities, adult fiction, children’s and young adult books, and across a wide range of genres. There were some I loved some I didn’t, and some that I felt a bit middling about – they may not have been my thing,… Continue reading Final Reading Log 2024

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Australian authors read in 2024

Ashleigh

I read 206 Australian authors in 2024, many more than international authors, because I feel like Australian authors are often overlooked in favour of US or UK authors, unless they have a big name that is almost guaranteed to sell books. My Australian reading has been as diverse as possible, within genre and author identity.… Continue reading Australian authors read in 2024

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Total Men Read in 2024

Ashleigh

During 2024, I read 41 books by men from across the world. As with my other reading, I have done my best to be as diverse as possible with what I read for review and other reading, and I have included anthologies edited by women here because they include essays or stories by men, and… Continue reading Total Men Read in 2024

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Books by Non-Australian Men 2024

Ashleigh

In 2024, I read nine books by men who weren’t from Australia. Two of these books were anthologies that included works by men, which is why I have included them here. Some books have crossover in a few ways, so I have tried to reflect that as much as I can. As my focus was… Continue reading Books by Non-Australian Men 2024

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The Swordmaster’s Secret and Other Stories by Narrelle M Harris

Ashleigh

Title: The Swordmaster's Secret and Other Stories Author: Narrelle M Harris Genre: Crime/Historical Fiction Publisher: Dangerous Charm/Draft2Digital Published: 30th July 2024 Format: Paperback Pages: 116 Price:  $40.74 Synopsis: These stories are all set after the events of Narrelle M Harris' The Adventure of the Colonial Boy. The collection begins with "The Swordmaster's Secret", a few months… Continue reading The Swordmaster’s Secret and Other Stories by Narrelle M Harris

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Sally’s Lament (Twisted Tales #19) by Mari Mancusi

Ashleigh

Title: Sally’s Lament (Twisted Tales #19) Author: Mari Mancusi Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Scholastic Australia Published: 1st September 2024 Format: Paperback Pages: 352 Price: $17.99 Synopsis: Sally has mostly loved her creepy hometown of Halloween Town. But lately, she can't help but want something more. In a place full of the frightening, you'd think living in… Continue reading Sally’s Lament (Twisted Tales #19) by Mari Mancusi