Category: Young Adult

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Every Word by Ellie Marney

Ashleigh

Title: Every Word Author: Ellie Marney Genre: Mystery/Crime Publisher: Allen and Unwin Published: 28th May 2024 Format: Paperback Pages: 352 Price: $24.99 Synopsis: Sparks fly when Watts follows Mycroft to London in this second sophisticated thriller about the teen crime-fighting pair. Rachel is still getting used to the idea of Mycroft being her boyfriend when… Continue reading Every Word by Ellie Marney

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Disabled Authors and Books Read

Ashleigh

Each year, I also try to read books that feature disability and by disabled authors. Much like my LGBTQIA count, this is limited by what I can find, what I am sent and by what is published. The latter is important, I think, because there aren’t as many books written by disabled authors that come… Continue reading Disabled Authors and Books Read

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LGBTQIA Authors and Books Read

Ashleigh

Another category I like to count is books written by LGBTQIA authors, or that feature those themes. There are many more than the 18 books in this category I have read, and when I create this list, I make sure that the themes are obviously there, that they are positive, and that an author has… Continue reading LGBTQIA Authors and Books Read

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Indigenous Authors Read

Ashleigh

Every year, I try to read as many Indigenous authors as possible, and these are often Australian First Nations authors and books, primarily because this is what I have access to. This year, it has been focused on what has come my way for review, and I am enjoying seeing how these authors work in… Continue reading Indigenous Authors Read

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Co-written/Anthologies Read

Ashleigh

In 2025, I read 23 books that were written by two or more authors, or that were anthologies. These books crossed into all the other categories: men, women, Australian, non-Australian, LGBTQIA, Disabled, children’s and young adult. There were all sorts of things here too, from picture books, novels, and non-fiction. There were some very good… Continue reading Co-written/Anthologies 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

Anna James, biography, Blog Tour, Book bingo, Book Industry, Books, challenges, check in post, Children's Literature, classics, Cressida Cowell, Crime/Mystery, Dymocks Reading Challenge, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, Junior Fiction, literary fiction, memoir, middle grade, mythology, non-fiction, Picture Books, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Scholastic, Sci-Fi, series, short stories, Speculative fiction, The Nerd Daily, Young Adult

Non-Australian Women read

Ashleigh

In 2025, I read 25 books by women who weren’t from Australia. These authors were, based on what I was able to get, what I was sent for review, or what I had on my shelves, European, British, and at least one from New Zealand, and a few from the USA. Some of these were… Continue reading Non-Australian Women read

Book bingo, Book Industry, Books, challenges, check in post, Crime/Mystery, literary fiction, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Scholastic, Young Adult

Wish You Dead by Rebecca Westcott

Ashleigh

Title: Wish You Dead Author: Rebecca Westcott Genre: YA Mystery Publisher: Scholastic Australia Published: 1st January 2026 Format: Paperback Pages: 368 Price: $19.99 Synopsis: Mean Girls meets manifestation and murder ... A contemporary teen thriller with a sapphic romance, perfect for fans of Heathers, Sue Wallman and Holly Jackson.Sixteen-year-old Morgana Merrick is all about control.… Continue reading Wish You Dead by Rebecca Westcott

adventure, animals, Book bingo, Book Industry, Books, challenges, check in post, Children's Literature, classics, Cressida Cowell, Crime/Mystery, Dymocks Reading Challenge, Fables, Fairytales, Fantasy, historical fiction, history, humour, Jane Austen, Junior Fiction, literary fiction, memoir, middle grade, mythology, non-fiction, Picture Books, poetry, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, Scholastic, series, Speculative fiction, spies, The Nerd Daily, translated works, Young Adult

Non-Australian authors read

Ashleigh

Because my focus is on Australian books, reading books by authors outside of Australia has often consisted of those from the UK, the US or translated from European languages. So I only read 33 books by authors outside Australia. This has often happened based on what is available in the Australian market as well. I… Continue reading Non-Australian authors read

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#AussieYAChallenge 2025 Completed

Ashleigh

And that’s a wrap on this year’s #AussieYAChallenge. 45 books read, and all the prompts marked off. Some of the books I read probably also crossed over into children’s and middle grade for various reasons, which I aimed to explain in the reviews. And I did my best to read as diversely as possible, as… Continue reading #AussieYAChallenge 2025 Completed