My Family and Other Suspects
By Kate Emery Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Kate made her debut with the sparkling The Not So Chosen One, a YA fantasy. She has switched genres with My Family and Other Suspects, a seriously funny mystery story full of red herrings, suspicious
How to Free a Jinn
By Raidah Shah Idil Reviewed by Helen Gearing It is difficult to believe this book is a debut. Malay-Australian author Raidah Shah Idil brings Kuala Lumpur to vivid (humid!) life in this thrilling middle-grade adventure exploring themes of migration, family, and faith. ‘Mama
Never a Hero: Only a Monster 2
By Vanessa Len Reviewed by Helena Never a Hero, written by Vanessa Len is the second in a three-book series, following Only a Monster. This fantasy-romance, set in England, tells the story of a high school girl named Joan Chang-Hunt, who is a
Dusty in the Outwilds
By Rhiannon Williams Reviewed by Sarah Custance Australian author Rhiannon Williams is the mind behind the award winning Ottilie Colter and the Narroway Hunt Trilogy. Since the first book’s original publication in 2018, the trilogy has also been released in Dutch and
The Vexatious Haunting of Lily Griffin
By Paula Hayes Reviewed by Sarah Custance Paula Hayes is an Australian writer of magical realism for middle-grade audiences. Her first book Lily in the Mirror was a Notable book for the 2017 CBCA awards. The Vexatious Haunting of Lily Griffin is
Sugar Town Queens
By Malla Nunn Reviewed by Mia Macrossan Malla Nunn, a South African now living and working in Australia, writes adult crime novels as well as YA fiction. This is her second YA title after the much praised When The Ground Is Hard.
Mercy Point
Written by Anna Snoekstra Reviewed by Inda Ahmad Zabri Mercy Point, Anna Snoekstra’s second novel, is a YA thriller with an intriguing premise. A group of teens meet on an online messaging board, sharing a suspicion that they are adopted. Grappling with