HARBINGER
OCTOBER 2026
Welcome to the first edition of Harbinger, an online magazine bringing together new releases, bookseller reviews, news and events from our three shops. We chose the name Harbinger because it means a “sign or warning of what is to come.” And in this first edition, I’d like to sound a warning about something we should all be paying much more attention to: the decline of teacher librarians in our schools. For many of us, it has always seemed perfectly normal that a school — public or private — would have a qualified teacher librarian. Someone who works in the library curating the collection, teaching research and information skills, helping students discover books they love, providing a safe and welcoming space at lunchtime, and, perhaps most importantly, fostering a lifelong love of reading. Because that is what we had. Increasingly, however, schools are not replacing teacher librarians when they retire or leave. In some cases, teacher librarians are being redeployed into classroom teaching, leaving them with less time and fewer resources to do the work that makes a school library valuable. Some schools are fortunate to have passionate teacher aides or other dedicated staff stepping into the gap. Their contribution is enormously valuable. But it is not the same as having a qualified teacher librarian whose role is specifically centred on developing the library, supporting students, teaching information literacy, and fostering a culture of reading across the school. This matters. At a time when we are increasingly concerned about children's reading outcomes, we should be asking what role school libraries and qualified teacher librarians play in supporting literacy. We are also seeing major changes in the way children access information and spend their time, including the rapid growth of digital and iPad use in schools.
prices and release dates are correct at the time of publishing but may vary
It seems to me that the decline of teacher librarians deserves far more attention and discussion than it currently receives. So, what can we do? If you have a child at school, there are some simple questions you can: Ask the principal Find out whether your school has a qualified teacher librarian and whether they are employed full-time in that role. Raise it with your school community Talk to your P&C or P&F association. Ask whether the school has a plan for maintaining and developing its library and library staff ing. Talk to your local representative Raise the issue with your state government representative and ask what is being done to support school libraries, qualif ied teacher librarians and children's reading. Libraries don't simply need bookshelves and books. They need people who know how to connect children with those books — and who understand the enormous role a school library can play in a child's education. If we value reading, literacy and informed young people, we need to make sure school libraries remain properly supported. Fiona
harbinger [hahr-bin-jer] anything that foreshadows a future event; omen; sign. A publication of Avid Reader Bookshop, Riverbend Books and Where the Wild Things Are Bookshop
SOME NEWS Meta bans ads for Virginia Woolf play in Spain because they relate to feminism Theatre told that Facebook and Instagram filter out ads mentioning ‘social topics’ such as civil rights or feminism. Read The Guardian article Mandate qualified teacher-librarians in schools! In mid-September teacher-librarians at 58 schools in the Newcastle/Maitland (NSW) diocese were informed they were either being made redundant or ‘redeployed’. This is not an isolated event: across Australia, teacher-librarians are quietly being phased out of schools. Children’s author and literacy advocate, Dr Kate Temple has created a petition that calls upon the Departments of Education across Australia, to mandate the employment of qualified teacher-librarians in all schools including: catholic, public and independent schools. They also call for teacher-librarians to be in the library doing what they are trained to do, not deployed to other roles. Sign petition. Singapore pays people to pick up a book in battle against doomscrolling Affluent city-state hopes plan will improve critical thinking and imagination ‘in a world of extraordinary abundance of stimulation’. Read The Guardian article ABC RN’s Top 100 Australian Books Countdown of the ABC Radio National’s Top 100 Australian Books airs Saturday 17 (books 100–51) – Sunday 18 October (Books 50–1). Listen live instore from midday (AEST) Sunday 17 October. See details.
Vale Terry Denton Beloved author, illustrator & collaborator with Andy Griffiths on The Treehouse Series died on Monday 21 September. His contribution to children's literature can not be underestimated. He will be missed. 2026 Brisbane Writers Festival BWF returns from 8–11 October 2026 at the Brisbane Powerhouse. See details. Novelist accused of using AI to write book removed from French prize list Canadian author, Thélyson Orélien had been in the running to win a top literary prize before the AI claim emerged on social media Read The Guardian article AI is rewriting the sound of storytelling With the growth of audiobooks on the increase so is the use of AI narration. Globally, 23% (2025) and 34% (2026) of new audiobook releases use AI narration. Lost for words Over the last couple of decades, the average number of words we say out loud each day has dropped year on year. Between 2005 and 2019, researchers in the US found a 28 per cent decline in the number of spoken words. Listen to ABC RN's Life Matters programme Book podcasts My favourite bookish podcasts are Secret Life of Books with Jonty Claypole and Sophie Gee, and The Book Club hosted by Dominic Sanbrook and Tabitha Syrett. I particularly recommend the The Book Club's episode on Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier as perfect background to Rose Tremain's new novel The Housekeeper. Fiona
Do you have a writing ritual? I’m a little chaotic so they often change week to week, but one that has never changed is that when I sit down for a day at the desk, I’ll allow myself an hour to truly sink into the work. I usually read for half an hour, then freewrite for the other half. It’s like I need to shift from being an external person who speaks words to an internal person who writes words. I’ve always found it very difficult to make that shift quickly. I wonder if it’s a little like the stretching or meditating you do to prepare for something else. Did you always have the title No One’s Looking?
FIVE MINUTES WITH BROOKE DAVIS...
Sort of – in that, before it was: [Title To Come]! I’m not really a Title Gal, I never feel confident about them and always assume someone else will come up with a much better one along the way. But this one stuck. Are you more Susan, Vicki or Gretel? I think I’m a recovering Susan, a closet Vicki, and an aspiring Gretel. What does a day in the life of Brooke Davis look like? I get up early, go for a walk or do some yoga. I read on my verandah with brekky and a cup of tea. If I’m working at the bookshop, I’ll usually do a quick writing session, then do all the things we do to be a person in the world (ie, be generally hygienic, put on clothes), and walk to work via my favourite café for a dandelion chai (genuinely best part of the day). I sell books, chat, lift some boxes, and eventually shut up shop and walk home. If it’s a writing day, I usually have two writing sessions, one in the morning and one in the arvo (I try to stick to writing in the morning and rewriting in the arvo, but pretty much never do, see aforementioned chaos), usually broken up by a trip to my favourite café for a dandy chai (seriously, they’re so good). Sometimes there’s a bougie exercise class in there somewhere. I try not to write in the evenings – because I get too amped! – so maybe there’s something fun to go to in the evening, or I chat to a pal on the phone, or I make dinner and cosy up to my shows. No matter what happens, at some point I’m getting my dandy chai, and I’m usually tucked up in bed by 9pm to read, and absolutely stoked about it. What is your favourite thing about being a bookseller? It’s a little corny but I love being a part of a community, and bookselling does that two times over – both in the town you work in and with booksellers all over the country and the world. It’s so lovely and nourishing. Also, recently I’ve loved when customers buy my brother Rhett’s book (Arborescence) and I get to say (very smug-like) – My brother wrote that.
ADULT BOOKS OF THE WEEK - OCTOBER Partita by Barbara Kingsolver DUE 7 OCTOBER - 14% OFF rrp $34.99 our price $29.99 paperback (fiction) Author of Demon Copperhead, Double Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction The story of a brief, passionate, life-changing love affair, wrapped up in what might be the greatest romance of all: our eternal human longing for art and beauty.
No One's Looking by Brooke Davis DUE 14 OCTOBER - 14% OFF rrp $34.99 our price $29.99 paperback (fiction) From the internationally bestselling author of Lost & Found comes a comedic and uplifting novel that brings home the secret rage of women through a lively suburban family and the brawling love between two middle-aged sisters - who no one is looking at anymore.
In One Brief Moment All Eternity by Elif Shafak DUE 21 OCTOBER - 10% OFF rrp $34.99 our price $31.49 paperback (fiction) During a time of great turmoil, Gustave Flaubert created literature's most scandalous heroine: Madame Bovary. He then poisoned her with arsenic. But what if, 175 years later, Emma – and the women history overlooked – could seize the quill from his hands and tell a different story? Boldly inventive, transporting and illuminating, spanning decades and continents. Music Against the Night by Yiyun Li DUE 28 OCTOBER - 10% OFF rrp $34.99 our price $31.49 paperback (fiction) Acclaimed Pulitzer-Prize winner Yiyun Li, returns with a sweeping historical epic, following two extraordinary musicians on the rise. Drawing inspiration from the past but finding entirely new forms, Music Against the Night is an exquisite, exhilarating epic from a writer at the height of her powers.
ADULT NEW RELEASES - FICTION The Disappearers by Marlon James $34.99 paperback (fiction) OUT NOW SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2026 The Disappearers is Marlon James's triumphant return to the Jamaica of A Brief History of Seven Killings - a place of heat and chaos, and of danger for anyone outside the heteronormal. The Weight of Angels by John Boyne $34.99 paperback (historical fiction) OUT NOW A gloriously reimagined life of Oscar Wilde from the bestselling author of The Heart's Invisible Furies. ...wise, imaginative, funny, and extremely moving. Art and Life, Tragedy and Love, you'll find them all here in this rich and magnificent novel. Tan Twan Eng The Housekeeper by Rose Tremain $34.99 paperback (historical fiction) OUT NOW She lifted me high, high up into another world, and then let me fall... Daphne du Maurier stole my life. From enduring bestseller Rose Tremain comes a sweeping and dramatic story of secret love and a bold imagining of how a Classic novel came to be written. Inter Alia by Suzie Miller $34.99 paperback (fiction) OUT NOW Suzie Miller's done it again. If you enjoyed Prima Facie, you're going to love Inter Alia. Can a woman be it all in a patriarchal world? Judge, Mother, Wife, Friend. Something has to give as Jess tries to please everyone. Katherine LyallWatson, Avid Reader
Threshing Day: (Empyrean 3.5) by Rebecca Yarros rrp $49.99 our price $39.99 hardback (fantasy, romance) OUT NOW Return to the Empyrean world with thirteen stories starring your favourite Fourth Wing characters. Deluxe first edition.
ADULT NEW RELEASES - FICTION The German Ward by Pip Williams $34.99 paperback (historical fiction) OUT NOW A breathtaking new novel from the author of global bestsellers The Dictionary of Lost Words and The Bookbinder of Jericho. A tale of love between enemies behind the lines of WW1 and the Australian artist who captures their secret. Royal Witch by Philippa Gregory $34.99 paperback (historical fiction) OUT NOW Ambition. Sorcery. Treason. How far will one woman dare to go? This is the tale of the woman they called witch. Who would have called herself queen. Philippa Gregory tells a breathtaking story of sorcery, ambition and one woman's extraordinary rise. Tell Me Something True by Michael Robotham rrp $34.99 our price $29.99 paperback (crime, thriller) A mystery, a coming-of-age tale and a love story wrapped into one, set against the simmering tensions of a small Australian town. Michael Robotham @ Loft West End Thursday 5 November - book here Life Out of Order by Audrey Niffenegger $40.00 paperback (fantasy) DUE TUESDAY 6 OCTOBER Two great loves. A world in chaos. And a life that never lands in order. Discover the long-awaited sequel to the bestselling phenomenon, The Time Traveler’s Wife. American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee rrp $37.99 our price $32.99 (fiction) OUT NOW Min Jin Lee delivers another masterclass in writing epic family sagas. Every character is so distinct and alive, and the sprawl and breadth of this novel renders it totally unforgettable. Heartfelt, layered, introspective and FABULOUS. One of my favourite books this year for sure. Marisa, Riverbend Books
ADULT NEW RELEASES - FICTION As We Fall Through Time by Claire North $34.99 paperback (science fiction) DUE TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER From the multi-award-winning Claire North comes an extraordinary and epic tale of time travel, betrayal and a love that echoes through the centuries. Fall through history on a thrilling journey of shattered time, broken futures and a love that can never be erased. The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse by Heather Morris $34.99 paperback (historical fiction) DUE TUESDAY 20 OCTOBER Epic in scope and based on astonishing true-life people and events, Heather Morris's new book is a novel of breathtaking beauty - gripping, heartbreaking and uplifting. Dodge City by Patrick deWitt $34.99 paperback (fiction) OUT NOW From the Booker-shortlisted author of The Sisters Brothers comes Dodge City, a thrilling novel about a young man on an amphetamine-fuelled cross-country road trip fleeing the Vietnam draft. A beautiful, sweeping and raucous portrait of a family in disarray and a country in flux. London Station by David McCloskey $34.99 paperback (thriller) DUE TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER What if the CIA and MI6 began spying on each other? Artemis Procter returns in David McCloskey's electrifying new spy thriller. One of the best thrillers I've ever read, propulsively realistic & prophetic. Simon Montefiore The Strangers by Naomi Alderman $34.99 paperback (fiction) OUT NOW From the bestselling, Women's Prize-winning author of The Power, a wildly audacious, deeply moving new novel that follows a writer wrestling with grief even as a new species is discovered, forcing humans to reconsider what it means to share our planet.
ADULT NEW RELEASES - NON-FICTION The European Mind by Bruce Pascoe $36.99 paperback (philosophy & First Nations) OUT NOW The European Mind is a global examination of Western power informed by a First Nations perspective. It delves into Christianity, capitalism and colonialism, and how our colonial history directly impacts where we are now.
The Lucky Son by Li Cunxin $40.00 paperback (memoir) DUE TUESDAY 6 OCTOBER The sequel to Mao's Last Dancer. Li Cunxin shares not just the story of his life in the West, but his hard-won life lessons on love, learning, leadership and legacy, and the power and possibility of dreaming big. Remarkable and inspiring, The Lucky Son is a joyous book about life, family, following your heart – and gratitude. End Times Fascism by Naomi Klein & Astra Taylor $36.99 paperback (politics) OUT NOW A new far‑right alliance of fundamentalists, tech billionaires and ethno‑nationalists embraces looming catastrophe, preparing to shield themselves as democracy fractures. Klein and Taylor expose this man‑made Armageddon mindset and argue we must break the doom loop and imagine better futures. I Can't Tell You But I Will by Magda Szubanski rrp $55.00 our price $45.00 hardback (memoir) OUT NOW I Can't Tell You But I Will is the powerful and tender new memoir by Australian icon Magda Szubanski. For everyone who has loved or lost someone, or tried to hold themselves together when life demands everything at once.
BRUCE PASCOE @ BRISBANE CITY HALL WEDNESDAY 7 OCTOBER - BOOK HERE
ADULT NEW RELEASES - NON-FICTION Vibe by Adam Grant $36.99 paperback (personal development) DUE TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER The Secrets of Strong Connections in a Lonely World Vibe will change how you approach your interactions. No matter how good you are at connecting, you can always get better and help others get better too.
The Last Best Place on the Internet by Richard Cooke $36.99 paperback (reportage & social history) DUE TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER The Last Best Place on the Internet is a fascinating journey into the hidden world of Wikipedia, one of the most vital and most endangered - cultural achievements of our time.
A Life In Lyrics by Freddie Mercury with Mary Austin $60.00 hardback (music, biography) DUE TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest showmen of the twentieth century. A Life in Lyrics is the definitive creative record of one of the greatest songwriters of all time. A History of The World in Ten Wars by Terry Deary $36.99 paperback (world history) DUE TUESDAY 6 OCTOBER War: what is it good for? Throughout the ages, each generation has faced the same questions. Am I willing to fight for my way of life? How can I come up with something the enemy hasn’t thought of? And the important one that people often forget to ask: is there a way of solving this amicably? The American Way of Killing by Malcolm Gladwell $34.99 paperback (reportage & social history) OUT NOW Malcolm Gladwell returns with a brilliant new work: an incisive investigation into gun violence, America's deadliest and most polarizing crisis. Gladwell outlines the paradox, then walks the reader through a series of stories drawn from every corner of American life and culture looking for answers.
ADULT NEW RELEASES - NON-FICTION Profits, Prophets, Coaches and Kings by Jared Diamond $39.99 paperback (leadership) OUT NOW (When) Do Leaders Make a Difference? Drawing on the life and career of iconic leaders Diamond shows us how leadership effectiveness is determined by a range of complex interrelated factors. Profits, Prophets, Coaches and Kings is a thoughtprovoking assessment of when leaders can bring about effective change, when they don't, and perhaps whether we need them at all.
The Cauldron by Simon Sebag Montefiore $55.00 hardback (world history) OUT NOW The Making of the Modern Middle East This is the essential story of how the Middle East of 1900 became the Middle East of today - and tomorrow. Don't Say Palestine by Assal Rad $34.99 paperback (reportage) OUT NOW A searing indictment of Western media that lays bare how a so-called free press, long tasked with speaking truth to power, instead became a vital part of the machinery that enabled the genocide in Palestine.
Middle Rage by Myf Warhurst $34.99 paperback (memoir) OUT NOW Part confessional, part manifesto, Middle Rage is full of Myf Warhurst's humour, warmth and wisdom, with some tips thrown in to help women live their best middle-aged lives and recognise when things are not as they should be.
Grand Ambition by James Curran $49.99 hardback (biography) OUT NOW Ambitious and provocative, this is both a portrait of a singular political mind and a reappraisal of a pivotal era. It argues that the questions Paul Keating grappled with – about independence, security and identity – remain unresolved, and more urgent than ever in a world defined by rising tensions between the United States, China and the rest of the world.
YOUNG ADULT The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth $29.99 paperback DUE TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER Beatrice Prior stands on the brink of a decision every person in her world must make: five factions, five futures, five lives. She has a plan: she's going to make the bravest choice. Her ensuing decision thrusts her into the crosshairs of an underground rebellion, and into the path of a boy with secrets as dangerous as her own — a boy with only a number for a name. Reap & Sow by Charlotte B. Plumb & illustrated by Alessandra Fusi $27.99 paperback DUE TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER Prepare to bargain everything for the gothic romantasy of the year . . . The penniless in Blackbridge only have two choices: sell your body, or sell your soul. And thanks to Eda Shaw, business is booming. Building 903 by Lois Lowry $17.99 paperback DUE TUESDAY 27 OCTOBER In the tradition of her bestselling, award-winning phenomenon, The Giver, Lois Lowry delivers a story about censorship, comfort, complicity, and the radical power of books to open portals and unlock our humanity through our most powerful tool: the imagination. Hometown by Shaun Tan $35.00 hardback OUT NOW From the internationally acclaimed and award-winning creator of The Arrival and Tales from Outer Suburbia comes a glorious graphic novel about belonging and identity, family and the power of 'home'.
Trust Fall by Lynn Painter $22.99 paperback DUE TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER From the bestselling author of Better Than the Movies, Lynn Painter, comes a rags-to-riches rom-com about a small-town girl whose family inherits a fortune and moves to New York City, where she meets a big-city boy hiding an explosive secret.
MIDDLE & PRIMARY Fight or Flight by Jeff Kinney $16.99 paperback DUE TUESDAY 20 OCTOBER Greg Heffley faces his biggest challenge yet as he becomes a target for the school bully. Luckily for Greg, his best friend, Rowley Jefferson takes karate, so at least Greg's got someone in his corner. But an unexpected twist makes Greg realize he's facing an uphill battle. Will Greg step into the ring or throw in the towel? One thing's for sure - Fight or Flight is a knockout! The Witches of Winderry Spires by Karen Foxlee $24.99 hardback OUT NOW An unforgettable and heartwarming quest fantasy from the award-winning and bestselling author of Dragon Skin and Lenny's Book of Everything. Karen Foxlee at Where the Wild Things Are 11.00am Sunday 1 November - book here
From the World of Percy Jackson: The Wild Zone by Rick Riordan & Annabelle Oh $29.99 paperback OUT NOW Discover what it means to be a hero in this major new middle-grade series full of demigods, monsters and mythology, set in the global bestselling world of Percy Jackson.
Seriously, Celia? by Terri Libenson $19.99 paperback OUT NOW The tenth book in the bestselling Emmie & Friends series, told from the alternating POVs of mean-girl Celia and gossipy Grace, delivers a new dose of friendship drama.
All of Us by Katrina Nannestad $24.99 hardback DUE TUESDAY 27 OCTOBER From multi-award-winning Australian author Katrina Nannestad comes a high-stakes yet heart-warming novel full of bravery, kindness ... and the power of pocket mice.
CHILDREN’S PICTURE & BOARD BOOKS How Do You Enter A Room? by Madeline Harris Chan & illustrated by Dawn Lo DUE TUESDAY 6 OCTOBER $27.99 hardback (Australian picture book) In this playful and perceptive picture book, readers explore the wonderfully diverse ways people navigate social situations. Do you burst through doors with a smile, ready to chat with everyone? Or do you slip in quietly, preferring to observe? Maybe you head straight for the snacks, or pause dramatically to make an entrance? Lots of Dots by Yayoi Kusama $24.95 (board book) OUT NOW Introduce the littlest learners to color, patterns and numbers with this interactive pumpkin-shaped board book by legendary artist Yayoi Ksuama. Eye-catching, educational and a joy to read, Lots of Dots is an exuberant introduction to early concepts and the world of art. Gruffalo Granny by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler $26.99 hardback (picture book) OUT NOW Return to the deep dark wood with the first new Gruffalo story in over 20 years, and meet Gruffalo Granny as she visits the Gruffalo family. This fresh and exciting new Gruffalo adventure features the return of much-loved characters and is destined to become a classic. Broke by X. Fang $29.99 hardback (picture book) OUT NOW When Mei Mei accidentally breaks her ama's favourite cup, she's convinced it's the end of the world! So Mei Mei decides not to say anything. But when Mimi, her ama's innocent cat, gets blamed, the guilt is too much! And as hard as she tries to hide from it, Mei Mei can't stop the truth from rushing out. Wanyjika-warla by Leah Leaman, Lisa Smiler, Rosie Smiler, Cassandra Algy, Felicity Meakins & Briony Barr $29.99 hardback OUT NOW From the authors of the award-winning Tamarra, Wanyjikawarla is inspired by the complexity of Gurindji navigational language, deep connections to Country and the incredible ability of some Gurindji People to sense the Earth’s magnetic field.
STAFF REVIEWS Ply by Hernan Diaz $34.99 paperback (fiction) OUT NOW Diaz continues to surprise with his ambitious follow up to the unforgettable Trust. An unnamed protagonist in a postapocalyptic world pinches electricity from the grid for energy and currency. Fiercely independent and a gifted tinker (engineer), she is quickly targeted by interested parties before getting pulled into an experiment that could alter their reality. Sarah D, Avid Reader Stations by Louise Kennedy $32.99 paperback (fiction) OUT NOW From the prize-winning author of Trespasses, Stations is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel about loss, belonging, love and addiction. Set in Ireland and London, the characters will burrow their way into your heart even as they seem set to destroy themselves. I didn’t want it to ever end. Katherine, Avid Reader
Whistler by Ann Patchett $34.99 paperback (fiction) OUT NOW What a joy to discover another Ann Patchett book in the world! Whistler mines her trademark themes of memory, family, courage, loss, friendship and optimism, wrapped in a story of older people reconnecting and reconciling a traumatic event from forty years earlier. An unforgettable encapsulation of life and humanity. Cass Moriarty, reader & writer The Country Schoolmaster by Kate Grenville rrp $36.99 our price $32.99 paperback (memoir, biography, fiction) OUT NOW The Country Schoolmaster is a clever, intimate delight Kate Grenville turns 88 letters from the archives into a vivid mystery full of charm, insight and emotional depth. It’s a beautifully crafted portrait of characters, community and quiet secrets. Part biography, part memoir, part fiction. Completely immervise. Kev, Riverbend Books
STAFF REVIEWS Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus $34.99 paperback (fiction) DUE TUESDAY 13 OCTOBER A page-turning, joyous novel about a would-be poet who sucks at writing poetry but loves it to his core. There’s a publishing house that’s like a gateway to another world, eccentric millionaires and some serious sibling rivalry. And fonts finally get the attention they deserve! Katherine, Avid Reader
Redwood by Ben Macintyre $36.99 paperback (memoir) OUT NOW This a compelling investigation into the politics of Iran in the Cold War and the art of spycraft with M16, the CIA and the KGB. If watching Slow Horses has left you with an appetite to know more about the world of espionage this is the non fiction book for you! Fiona, Avid Reader
One for Sorrow by Favel Parrett $34.99 (fiction) DUE TUESDAY 3 NOVEMBER Norway, on the brink of Nazi occupation - a quietly devastating novel about love and betrayal, and the small moments that change a life. Written almost like a fable, Parrett manages to say so much with so few words and still manages a gentle gut punch. For fans of Claire Keegan and Elizabeth Strout. Sarah D, Avid Reader The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vols 1 & 2 by Beth Brower $19.99 paperback (historical fiction) OUT NOW These two slim volumes are just what is needed if you are in a reading slump. The year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to the house she inherited in St Crispian’s in London. It’s clever, it’s witty. Perfect if you like Jane Austen, Nancy Mitford or Bridgerton. Fiona, Avid Reader
STAFF REVIEWS The Pools by E. Lockhart $26.99 paperback DUE TUESDAY 6 OCTOBER Steeped in legend, a small spa town revolves around twelve hot spring pools. In this unique setting a girl running from her past, falls for a golden boy hiding deep secrets. When a freezing winter swim triggers an impossible transformation, their world completely fractures. Told in short verse chapters, this atmospheric abstract story beautifully connects intense first love with raw grief, depression and identity. 14+ Pauline, Riverbend Books The Garden of Lost Girls by A.L. Tait $18.99 paperback DUE THURSDAY 15 OCTOBER Thirty years after Jessica vanishes from her own play’s opening night, her family still leaves the night light on, hoping for her return. Seeking answers, Sam, and his cousins Gracie and Archie, join an anniversary production but dangerous accidents begin to plague the show, and the teens must confront dark family secrets to find the truth. This is a fast-paced, action-packed mystery that keeps the reader guessing to the end. 11+ Pauline, Riverbend One Summer (Two Hearts #5) by Tami Sussman $17.99 paperback DUE TUESDAY 3 NOVEMBER This delightful young teen romance — the fifth Two Hearts book — takes place on a Turkish island. Alternating chapters follow Sibel and Ardy as they battle her strict parents, his family’s grief, and their quiet internal struggles to feel brave and worthy. Brought together by a search for a stray dog, their heartwarming, chaotic connection proves that life’s best moments are completely unplanned. 11+ Pauline, Riverbend Books Coming Out at the End of the World by Ben Ryan $22.99 paperback OUT NOW Zombies are invading, society has collapsed, and the apocalypse is here. Running for his life with his older brother Brody, Alex realizes that outrunning the monsters isn’t enough. In order to truly live, he must find the courage to come out to his brother and embrace who he really is. A thrilling, emotional blend of dystopian survival and tender queer romance. 14+ Pauline, Riverbend Books
STAFF REVIEWS The Secret World of Bird Nests by Lucy Menzies & illustrated by Namasri Niumim $32.99 hardback (picture book) OUT NOW Birds are magnificently unique, coming in a million different shapes and sizes - and their nests are no different! Marvel at the architecture and creativity behind some of the world's bird nests, from woven nests that hang from branches to floating nests constructed entirely on water. Jess, Where the Wild Things Are Sometimes It Rains by Rachel Bright & illustrated by Richard Jones $26.99 hardback (picture book) OUT NOW A heartwarming story of love and adventure, finding the joy in the little things all around us. Sharing moments with those close to you and being grateful are central themes. A perfect opportunity to share joy with your loved ones by enjoying this book together. Amanda, Where the Wild Things Are
I See Red by Maggie Hutchings & illustrated by Sarah Zweck $26.99 hardback (picture book) OUT NOW A warm hug for any little ones experiencing big emotions and learning about the complexities of sibling relationships for the first time. Maggie & Sarah perfectly encapsulates the highs and lows of sibling blows. Jess, Where the Wild Things Are
Bart is Different by Stephane Barroux $26.99 hardback (picture book) OUT NOW Bart is a spider who has always been different but eventally learns that it is okay to be himself. His special talents come into play, giving him confidence and happiness.This is a beautiful story to acknowledge and truly accept our differences. Amanda, Where the Wild Things Are
OCTOBER AUTHOR EVENTS & WORKSHOP
OCTOBER AUTHOR EVENTS & WORKSHOP
YOUR FREE WEEKLY WORKOUT FOR THE MIND! No bookings. No pressure. No discussion. Just you, your book of choice and a room full of fellow readers.
6.30 TO 7.30PM EVERY TUESDAY INSTORE @ AVID READER WIN A $1,000 GIFT CARD
FIND THE GOLDEN TICKET
Thanks to Letterwing, one lucky reader will win a $1,000 Love Your Bookshop Gift Card to spend at participating ABA member bookshops.
We’ve partnered with @Librofm to give one winner at Avid Reader & at Riverbend Books 12 free audiobooks on Love Your Bookshop Day!
On Love Your Bookshop Day purchase a book by an Australian author or illustrator, keep the receipt and enter online.
DETAILS IN SHOPS
Visit Avid Reader and/or Riverbend Books on Saturday, 10 October to find the hidden Golden Ticket!
AVID READER BOOKSHOP 193 Boundary Street, West End, (07) 3846 3422 avidreader.com.au RIVERBEND BOOKS 77 Oxford Street, Bulimba (07) 3899 8555 riverbendbooks.com.au WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE BOOKSHOP 191 Boundary Street, West End, (07) 3255 3987 wherethewildthingsare.com.au