Category: history

#AussieAuthors2026, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, challenges, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, Kate Forsyth, literary fiction, Publishers, Reading, Reviews

The Changeling by Kate Forsyth

Ashleigh

Title: The Changeling Author: Kate Forsyth Genre: Historical Fantasy Publisher: Penguin Australia Published: 7th July 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 416 Price: $34.99 Synopsis: Set against Scotland’s first witch-hunt, a young woman with faery blood must defy two queens to survive love, magic and treachery. On her fourteenth birthday, Caiti NicNeven discovers her true mother is… Continue reading The Changeling by Kate Forsyth

#AussieAuthors2026, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOZMG, #LoveOzYA, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, challenges, Children's Literature, Deltora Quest, Dymocks Reading Challenge, Emily Rodda, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, literary fiction, middle grade, poetry, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, series, Young Adult

Dymocks August Prompts completed

Ashleigh

Another month, and another set of prompts from Dymocks complete. I didn’t think I would get through as quickly as I did, but I managed. The Shift your perspective prompt threw me at first, but then I realised it was really open to interpretation. The poetry one I decided to use a verse novel, because… Continue reading Dymocks August Prompts completed

#AussieAuthors2026, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOzYA, adventure, animals, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, biography, Book bingo, Book Industry, Books, check in post, Crime/Mystery, Disney Reading Challenge, Dymocks Reading Challenge, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, humour, literary fiction, non-fiction, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, series, short stories, The Nerd Daily, Verse novels, Young Adult

Aussie YA Challenge Completed!

Ashleigh

Well, I pledged to read 40 YA books this year, and I did! Some crossed over from middle grade into YA, or would be suitable for lower YA, and the rest seemed to cover as much of the spectrum as possible. Most were fiction and I reviewed nearly all of them, and I did have… Continue reading Aussie YA Challenge Completed!

#AussieAuthors2026, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOZMG, #LoveOzYA, adventure, Anita Heiss, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, check in post, Children's Literature, Dymocks Reading Challenge, historical fiction, history, Indigenous authors, literary fiction, Picture Books, Publishers, Reading, Reviews

July Dymocks Completed

Ashleigh

I finished the July prompts in mid-July, but have been waiting for reviews to go live. I had to get a bit creative with the translated novel, because I wasn’t really interested in the ones I looked up. They often weren’t in a genre I found interesting. So I used a really cool bilingual picture… Continue reading July Dymocks Completed

#AussieAuthors2026, #AussieYAChallenge, #LoveOZMG, #LoveOzYA, adventure, animals, Anita Heiss, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, biography, Book Industry, Books, challenges, check in post, Children's Literature, Crime/Mystery, Disney Reading Challenge, Dymocks Reading Challenge, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, humour, Indigenous authors, Junior Fiction, literary fiction, memoir, middle grade, mythology, non-fiction, Picture Books, poetry, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Scholastic, series, short stories, The Nerd Daily, Verse novels, Young Adult

July 2026 Reading Round Up

Ashleigh

What a month July was. I read 21 books this month and reviewed as many of them as possible, and others were read for fun. I also didn’t have time to review everything. And what I did read was chosen for various purposes to fit in with reviewing and challenges. Some books were longer or… Continue reading July 2026 Reading Round Up

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The Festival of Ice and Snow by Angie Cui, Anna Wilson

Ashleigh

Title: The Festival of Ice and Snow Author: Angie Cui, Anna Wilson Genre: Non-Fiction Publisher: UQP Published: 4th August 2026 Format: Hardcover Pages: 40 Price: $26.99 Synopsis: Based on the author’s treasured childhood memories of attending the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China, this bilingual picture book is a spectacular celebration of family, cultural… Continue reading The Festival of Ice and Snow by Angie Cui, Anna Wilson

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Myths Meet Mayhem (Ludicrous Legends #2) by Jol Temple, illustrated by David Conley

Ashleigh

Title: Myths Meet Mayhem (Ludicrous Legends #2) Author: Jol Temple, illustrated by David Conley Genre: Fantasy Publisher: HarperCollins Australia Published: 28th July 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 112 Price: $16.99 Synopsis: Ludicrous Legends is a hilarious junior-fiction series that reimagines myths in a fun way for early readers, 7 to 10 years old. When his three-headed… Continue reading Myths Meet Mayhem (Ludicrous Legends #2) by Jol Temple, illustrated by David Conley

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Our History: Hill End Gold by Sue Whiting

Ashleigh

Title: Our History: Hill End Gold Author: Sue Whiting Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Walker Books Published: 1st June 2026 Format: Paperback Pages:n240 Price: $18.99 Synopsis: When Pa buys a stake in a gold mine at Hill End, Alfie knows his life is about to change. A golden future is just within reach, and fortune favours… Continue reading Our History: Hill End Gold by Sue Whiting

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June 2026 Reading Round Up

Ashleigh

In June, I read 21 books, and reviewed most of them. All but one were by Australian authors, and one or two were re-reads. I also finished reading the Alice-Miranda books that I hadn’t read yet, and have been staying on top of my review books. It’s meant I have been able to squeeze some… Continue reading June 2026 Reading Round Up

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Shakespeare in the Orchard by Danielle Binks

Ashleigh

Title: Shakespeare in the Orchard Author: Danielle Binks Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Lothian/Hachette Australia Published: 7th July 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 320 Price: $17.99 Synopsis: A coming-of-age story inspired by true events in Australia in World War I that explores the things that separate us and those that bring us together, from an award-winning author.… Continue reading Shakespeare in the Orchard by Danielle Binks