#AussieAuthors2023, #LoveOZMG, Aussie authors, Australian literature, Australian women writers, Book Industry, Books, Children's Literature, Crime/Mystery, historical fiction, history, literary fiction, middle grade, Publishers, Reading, Reviews, series

Miss Penny Dreadful and the Mermaid’s Locks by Allison Rushby

Title: Miss Penny Dreadful and the Mermaid’s Locks Author: Allison Rushby Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction Publisher: Walker Books Published: 1st November 2023 Format: Paperback Pages: 160 Price: $15.99 Synopsis: The final exciting instalment in the Miss Penny Dreadful series from acclaimed author Allison Rushby.Searching for a new story idea for her aunt’s famous penny dreadfuls,… Continue reading Miss Penny Dreadful and the Mermaid’s Locks by Allison Rushby

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Ayla’s Christmas Wish by Pamela Jones and Lucia Masciullo

Title: Ayla’s Christmas Wish Author: Pamela Jones and Lucia Masciullo Genre: Christmas Publisher: NLA Publishing Published: 1st November 2023 Format: Hardcover Pages: 32 Price: $24.99 Synopsis: Christmas is coming, and Ayla wants a snowman just like in her book, but there is no snow to be found in her drought-stricken town, not even a drop of rain.… Continue reading Ayla’s Christmas Wish by Pamela Jones and Lucia Masciullo

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The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet (Kingdoms and Empires #5) by Jaclyn Moriarty

Title: The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet (Kingdoms and Empires #5) Author: Jaclyn Moriarty Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Allen and Unwin Published: 31st October 2023 Pages: 544 Price: $22.99 Synopsis: A magical book in the rich and whimsical world of the Kingdoms and Empires about a girl, a threat and a pickle jar filled with gold… Continue reading The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet (Kingdoms and Empires #5) by Jaclyn Moriarty

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Completion of QBD Reading Challenge 2023

I have completed the 2023 QBD Challenge. My last prompt was a funny memoir, which in some ways was hard to find, but I settled on Paul Jennings’ memoir, Untwisted, which was funny in parts, and I enjoyed the way he told the stories – with humour and empathy throughout. I reviewed twenty books for… Continue reading Completion of QBD Reading Challenge 2023

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Murder on a School Night by Kate Weston

Title: Murder on a School Night Author: Kate Weston Genre: Crime, Mystery Publisher: HarperCollins Australia/Electric Monkey Published: 6th July 2023 Format: Paperback Pages: 336 Price: $13.99 Synopsis: Sex Education meets A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder in this darkly hilarious YA murder mystery by Comedy Women in Print Prize and Carnegie Medal nominated author, Kate Weston. ‘Fiercely funny,… Continue reading Murder on a School Night by Kate Weston

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Dymocks Spring Reading Challenge

The final set of prompts for this year’s Dymock’s Reading Challenge for Spring are completed now too – a couple of them took me a while but I got there. One of the things I have liked about this challenge is how open to interpretation some prompts were, because a prompt will always have a… Continue reading Dymocks Spring Reading Challenge

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Rarity of Reviews of Australian Children’s Books

I have ‘some more thoughts’ – this time, about the rarity of reviews of children’s books in mainstream media, magazines, and newspapers – the media that most people would consume or have access to. Whilst they may review books, it’s always adult books and often the very literary ones. And whilst any book coverage is… Continue reading Rarity of Reviews of Australian Children’s Books

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Guest Post, Natalie Bayley – Author of Bone Rites

As part of Natalie's blog tour, she has written this post for me about her writing and research process for the novel to accompany the review. Thanks for the fascinating post, Natalie. Researching Historical Fiction: the Old, the Strange and the Downright Peculiar Most of my novels are set in the early or mid-twentieth century.… Continue reading Guest Post, Natalie Bayley – Author of Bone Rites

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The Turtle and the Flood by Jackie French and Danny Snell

Title: The Turtle and the Flood Author: Jackie French and Danny Snell Genre: Fiction Publisher: HarperCollins Australia Published: Format: Hardcover Pages: 24 Price: $24.99 Synopsis: A companion title to the best-selling The Fire Wombat, this is the story of Myrtle, a small turtle who, by heading uphill, tells the other animals that a flood is coming. Myrtle the… Continue reading The Turtle and the Flood by Jackie French and Danny Snell

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A Life Song by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker

Title: A Life Song Author: Jane Godwin and Anna Walker Genre: Fiction Publisher: Puffin Published: 3rd October 2023 Format: Hardcover Pages: 32 Price: $24.99 Synopsis: From the award-winning team that created classics such as Don’t Forget, All Through the Year, Tilly, and Starting School, comes an exquisite, universal and captivating picture book that carries us through a child's life journey on the… Continue reading A Life Song by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker