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!
Category: humour
July 2026 Reading Round Up
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
Aidan versus the Ocean by Dannika Patterson, illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith
Title: Aidan versus the Ocean Author: Dannika Patterson, illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith Genre: Contemporary Publisher: Wombat Books Published: 1st August 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 130 Price: $16.99 Synopsis: All Aidan thought he'd have to survive during the summer school holidays was yet another game of Fortnite with his mates. But his plans are suddenly… Continue reading Aidan versus the Ocean by Dannika Patterson, illustrated by Heidi Cooper Smith
The Lost Island by Samantha Wheeler, illustrated by Anke Noack
Title: The Lost Island Author: Samantha Wheeler, illustrated by Anke Noack Genre: Fantasy Publisher: UQP Published: 4th August 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 224 Price: $17.99 Synopsis: Bestselling and award-winning Australian author Samantha Wheeler returns with this thrilling desert island survival story full of action, mystery and adventure.Theo thinks there’s nothing worse than being stuck on… Continue reading The Lost Island by Samantha Wheeler, illustrated by Anke Noack
Fair Day Fun (Amira Swift #2) by Sarah Ayoub, illustrated by Niña Nill
Title: Fair Day Fun (Amira Swift #2) Author: Sarah Ayoub, illustrated by Niña Nill Genre: Contemporary Publisher: HarperCollins Australia Published: 28th July 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 128 Price: $15.99 Synopsis: Amira Swift is a chatty, energetic 7-year-old who loves to dance. A series celebrating friendship, family and Lebanese-Australian culture with highly appealing stories for all… Continue reading Fair Day Fun (Amira Swift #2) by Sarah Ayoub, illustrated by Niña Nill
Josie Mack and the Mega Division by Bethany Loveridge, illustrated by Jade Goodwin
Title: Josie Mack and the Mega Division Author: Bethany Loveridge, illustrated by Jade Goodwin Genre: Contemporary Publisher: Wombat Books Published: 3rd June 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 106 Price: $14.99 Synopsis: One night, a wombat knocks at Josie's window. She thinks her lifelong wish for a pet has come true! But Ursula the wombat is on… Continue reading Josie Mack and the Mega Division by Bethany Loveridge, illustrated by Jade Goodwin
Talent Show (Amira Swift #1) by Sarah Ayoub, illustrated by Niña Nill
Title: Talent Show (Amira Swift #1) Author: Sarah Ayoub, illustrated by Niña Nill Genre: Contemporary Publisher: HarperCollins Australia Published: 28th July 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 128 Price: $15.99 Synopsis: Amira Swift is a chatty, energetic 7-year-old who loves to dance. A series celebrating friendship, family and Lebanese-Australian culture with highly appealing stories for all to… Continue reading Talent Show (Amira Swift #1) by Sarah Ayoub, illustrated by Niña Nill
Myths Meet Mayhem (Ludicrous Legends #2) by Jol Temple, illustrated by David Conley
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
Eighty-Nine Questions for After by Ashleigh Barton
Title: Eighty-Nine Questions for After Author: Ashleigh Barton Genre: Contemporary Publisher: Hachette Australia Published: 28th July 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 304 Price: $16.99 Synopsis: A wise and beautifully written middle-grade novel about finding answers to the big questions in life from popular children's author Ashleigh Barton. Ester Star is a germophobe and hypochondriac and she's… Continue reading Eighty-Nine Questions for After by Ashleigh Barton
June 2026 Reading Round Up
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
The Book Muse 