Category: Verse novels

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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!

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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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A River I Must Be by Kate Foster

Ashleigh

Title: A River I Must Be Author: Kate Foster Genre: Contemporary Verse Novel Publisher: HarperCollins Australia Published: 28th July 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 272 Price: $18.99 Synopsis: A compelling and moving verse novel by award-winning author, Kate Foster, who combines her heart-felt writing with an authentic view of autism and the pressure of masking. And… Continue reading A River I Must Be by Kate Foster

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Once Upon a Tomorrow by Karen Comer

Ashleigh

Title: Once Upon a Tomorrow Author: Karen Comer Genre: Fiction Publisher: Hachette Australia Published: 28th April 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: Price: $19.99 Synopsis: Three girls. Three fates. Three interwoven stories. Spanning a hundred years from the present to the future, three girls on the cusp of life search for truth and connection amid family dysfunction, climate… Continue reading Once Upon a Tomorrow by Karen Comer

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#AussieYAChallenge Nix Level Completed

Ashleigh

I managed to complete my Nix level early this year, as I have already had quite a few young adult books cross my path in my reading and reviewing. They’ve covered quite a wide range of genres and stories so far, and it’s going to be interesting to see what else I come across over… Continue reading #AussieYAChallenge Nix Level Completed

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The Belly of a Wolf by Julianne Negri

Ashleigh

Title: The Belly of a Wolf Author: Julianne Negri Genre: Verse Novel Publisher: UWAP Published: 1st March 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 200 Price: $24.99 Synopsis: How can you grow up with grief pulling you down? Red is going back to high school six months after the death of her best friend Wolf. Their friendship began… Continue reading The Belly of a Wolf by Julianne Negri

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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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Total Men

Ashleigh

So, in 2025, I read 44 books by men from around the world, with a focus on lesser-known Australian men. Yes, they get their own post because it’s much easier to split things up when you’ve read over 200 books, and make separate posts for things so people can find what they want in these… Continue reading Total Men