Category: Crime/Mystery

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Return to Sender by Lauren Draper

Ashleigh

Title: Return to Sender Author: Lauren Draper Genre: Mystery Publisher: Pan Macmillan Published: 25th Jube 2024 Format: Paperback Pages: 384 Price: $26.99 Synopsis: SHORTLISTED FOR THE QLD LITERARY AWARDS YOUNG ADULT BOOK AWARD 2025SHORTLISTED FOR THE AUSTRALIAN BOOK DESIGN AWARDS 2025 BEST DESIGNED YOUNG ADULT COVERAfter three years away, seventeen-year-old Brodie McKellon has returned to… Continue reading Return to Sender by Lauren Draper

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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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It Takes a Town…To Solve a Murder by Aoife Clifford

Ashleigh

Title: It Takes a Town…To Solve a Murder Author: Aoife Clifford Genre: Crime Publisher: Ultimo Press Published: 3rd April 2024 Format: Paperback Pages: 352 Price: $34.99 Synopsis: So many people had reason to hate her, but did anyone have reason to kill her? Everyone dies famous in a country town, but glamorous Vanessa Walton was a… Continue reading It Takes a Town…To Solve a Murder by Aoife Clifford

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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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Young Adult books read in 2025

Ashleigh

In 2025, I read 50 young adult books, mostly by Australian authors in all sorts of genres and styles, and who all had different identities. Some of these books probably crossed over with middle grade, but they’re here because they could also be enjoyed by a young adult audience, or in the case of the… Continue reading Young Adult books read in 2025

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Australian Authors Read

Ashleigh

Every year, I aim to focus by reading on Australian authors, because I see authors from the UK and the US get widely promoted, and I feel that a lot of Australian authors, unless they’re super popular, get overlooked. Particularly the kids and young adult authors. So in 2025 I read 239 Australian authors in… Continue reading Australian Authors Read

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The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

Ashleigh

Title: The Invocations Author: Krystal Sutherland Genre: Crime/Mystery Publisher: Penguin Australia Published: 30th January 2024 Format: Paperback Pages: 400 Price: $24.99 Synopsis:  From the author of New York Times bestseller House of Hollow comes a darkly seductive witchy thriller where, though both men and demons lurk in shadows, girls refuse to go quietly into the night. Three girls, one… Continue reading The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

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The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill

Ashleigh

Title: The Mystery Writer Author: Sulari Gentill Genre: Crime Publisher: Ultimo Press Published: 6th March 2024 Format: Paperback Pages: 304 Price: $34.99 Synopsis: Theo has one dream—to become a bestselling author. Determined to make her mark in the literary world, she heads to the US on a whim to stay with her brother Gus and… Continue reading The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill

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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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Safe Haven by Shankari Chandran

Ashleigh

Title: Safe Haven Author: Shankari Chandran Genre: Fiction Publisher: Ultimo Press Published: 1st May 2024 Format: Paperback Pages: 320 Price: $34.99 Synopsis: It was a beautiful evening. The wind gathered speed, lifting the frangipanis from the grove behind him, pink and yellow petals defying gravity. Beyond the trees, hidden by the foliage and rows of towering palm trees,… Continue reading Safe Haven by Shankari Chandran