The Hummingbird Effect, Kate Mildenhall
The Hummingbird Effect follows four stories of women spanning nearly 250 years. Connected through family and place, their stories explore the progress of feminism, technology and climate change, among other topical concepts.
Intrigued by every page of every story, I couldn’t put this book down. Mildenhall takes inspiring women and looks at independence, violence and care in an ever-changing world. You'll be left asking, “What can we do to save humanity?"
I've been recommending this page turner to family and friends already, and they’ve been loving it too.
– Jaclyn
Shy, Max Porter
Porter's writing is confronting and never straightforward. It demands that the reader surrender themselves to the story in all of its fragmented and beautiful glory. In Shy, Porter tells the chaotic story of a troubled teen, named Shy in the novel, who has been sent to Last Chance - part school, part mental-health facility to help him figure out his life.
The writing reflects Shy's struggle with night terrors, his inexplicable rage and anger, and his frustration at not being able to untangle these parts of himself. It is a stunning insight into what it is like inside the mind of a drum-and-bass-addicted teen in the UK in the mid-90s—a perfect read for lovers of literary fiction and stories about complex family relationships.
– Hope
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a beautiful story of two people who meet as children and connect through gaming at times of great adversity. Video games bring them joy and meaning then and throughout their lives.
We follow their stories as they come together and fall apart, experiencing the highs and lows of life together and separately. Exploring friendship, love and and the journey that is life, gamers and non-gamers alike will adore this book. You won’t want to wait until tomorrow to keep reading.
– Jaclyn
Games and Rituals: Stories, Katherine Heiny
I love Heiny's razor-sharp wit; these short stories are some of her best writing. Somehow Heiny has this fantastic way of writing about the mundane world that makes it truly exhilarating. My favourite stories include "Damascus", "CobRa", and "561". Damascus follows the minutia of staff at the DMV who take people for their driver's exams. What starts out as a strange insight into office politics blooms into a heartwarming story of women supporting each other in difficult times. "CobRa" is about a woman who decides to "Marie Kondo" her life, and her husband fears that he might be the next thing thrown out for not "sparking joy". Lastly, "561" is about complex family relationships and what we do for love – like helping our ex-partner and their new lover move house.
– Hope
Pineapple Street, Jenny Jackson
Pineapple Street looks at the dynamics of a wealthy real estate dynasty family in Brooklyn Heights, one of New York's most coveted suburbs. This is a multi-POV narrative told from the perspectives of Darley - the older sister who wrote herself out of her trust fund for love; Sasha - the outsider who married Darley's brother and who is always referred to as the gold digger because she didn't come from money; and Georgina - the youngest sister who wants to give all of her money away. This is a great social commentary on how money, power, and inter-generational wealth affect our decisions in life.
– Hope
A Country of Eternal Light, Paul Delgarno
One of the most heartwarming books I've read all year. The narrator of the novel, Margaret, is dead. At the story's beginning, she finds herself in the afterlife, reliving past events repeatedly, and she can't quite figure out why. This is an exploration of love and grief - two sides of the same coin - and the plot twists and folds in on itself multiple times. Delgarno has written a beautiful novel asking us to confront who we are and why we do what we do. Find it here.
– Hope
Quietly Hostile, Samantha Irby
Samantha Irby is the funniest essayist I have ever read. She has me laugh-crying every time I read her work. Quietly Hostile is her fourth essay collection, and it is just as hilarious, strange, R-rated, and brutally honest as all of her others. Irby began her writing career as a blogger with a blog called "Bitches Gotta Eat", where she wrote about everyday life and her experiences. She was orphaned as a teen with her parents dying a few months apart, and she brings a lot of dark humour to everything she writes. She has also worked as a writer for the Sex and the City reboot. "What If I Died Like Elvis" was my favourite essay from this collection – and anyone with severe allergies will definitely be able to relate.
– Hope
Weasels in the Attic, Hiroko Oyamada
Weasels in the Attic is quirky Japanese fiction at its best. It explores contemporary Japanese family and friendship dynamics through three interconnected stories that centre on a couple who move to the countryside and have to battle a weasel infestation in their attic. This novella is excellent for people wanting bite-sized fiction to read while drinking tea on a long afternoon.
– Hope
The Mother, Jane Caro
Jane Caro's newest release, The Mother, is a gripping thriller that was difficult to put down. Having recently read Jess Hill's See What You Made Me Do and watched Maid, I found myself frequently thinking about this novel and the critical, relevant themes running through it.
No matter which characters you believe to be in the right or in the wrong, you will be left grappling with indecision over what you would do if you were in the situation. Be prepared to read this entire book in one sitting!
– Jaclyn
Happy Hour, Jacquie Byron
Franny Calderwood has found herself alone at 65 after unexpectedly losing her husband three years earlier. Her days are filled with art, gin, her two dogs, and an avoidance of her former life… until her new neighbours move in.
This story reminded me of one of my all-time favourites, A Man Called Ove, but with a female protagonist and a local setting – perfect. A story of hope, community and the things that matter most, Happy Hour will have you laughing and crying, and leave you wanting to hug your friends and family.
– Jaclyn
The Four Winds, Kristin Hannah
The Four Winds follows the story of protagonist Elsa Martinelli through the great depression and dust bowl era in Texas in the 1930s.
This epic tale is historical fiction at its best for me. It's written so vividly and beautifully and although this is a somewhat heart-breaking story, I have truly never rooted for a character as much as I did for Elsa Martinelli – I was with her every step of the way and was completely drawn into her amazing story.
– Sarah Z
The Younger Wife, Sally Hepworth
Tully and Rachel's father has announced he is getting married. To a woman half his age. While he is still married to their mother. But it turns out there are many more family secrets just waiting to be exposed.
The Younger Wife is a page-turner that will keep you reading ‘just one more’ chapter (and before you know it, it will be 3am and you’ll be deciding which of Sally’s books to read next!)
If you love Liane Moriarty, add this to your to-read list!
– Jaclyn
Yellow Notebook, Helen Garner
Someday I'll Remember This, Helen Garner
How to End a Story, Helen Garner
The beauty of these diaries — and why they’re such a dream to read — is that the prose reads like a (poetic) fictional story.
Helen Garner is known for her ability to observe details of the inner and outer life and make it fascinating, moving and relatable. That she offers us the chance to notice more, to observe the weather of our days, makes it more of a gift. I couldn’t put this down!
– Sarah S
Love & Virtue, Diana Reid
This is not your usual coming-of-age story. It brings a mature perspective to the genre, with beautiful descriptions woven throughout.
Exploring the fragility of relationships between friends, lovers and parents, Love & Virtue dives deeply into trust, betrayal and the social constructs of institutional privilege. I was thoroughly engaged in this story from start to finish.
– Jaclyn
Apples Never Fall, Liane Moriarty
Joy Delaney, mother to four adult children and beloved wife in this tennis-obsessed family, goes mysteriously missing. The children are reluctant to notify the police – for fear that the blame will fall on their dad, Stan. As the police start asking questions about her disappearance, it becomes clear that everyone has their own secrets and stories to tell.
This book centres on the dysfunctional Delaney family and their relationships. Liane has written a wonderful cast of characters, with beautiful complexities and witty, sharp dialogue. As we've come to expect from Moriarty, this book is full of mystery, humour and an exporation of the dynamics of family relationships. I found this book impossible to put down, I loved every minute of it – and 'Apples Never Fall' is definitely up there with her best!
– Sarah Z
Second Place, Rachel Cusk
In the remote quietude of the home she makes with her husband, M longs for something else, a connection to the world and creativity. They build a retreat for artists and writers: a secluded space within their property. Inviting a particular artist to stay has particular consequences, and herein is the magic of this fascinating books.
Cusk quietly weaves existential and sociocultural knots into the fabric of her story, all the while examining relationship, place, purpose and love. We are drawn to her characters as much as we're repelled by them; the tow of the book's undercurrent draws us in regardless. It's a deft exploration of art, identity, and the unmoored self with a story and setting that keep us there, holding on.
– Sarah S
The Labyrinth, Amanda Lohrey
Big congratulations to Amanda Lohrey on her book The Labyrinth winning the Miles Franklin Literary Award for 2021. This is one of our favourite books of the last year.
Understated prose leads the reader to contemplate both vastness and detail, reflective of treading a labyrinth. Lohrey’s fascination with the way secular society has taken up the building of sacred spaces, independent of religious institutions, has informed this beautiful, moving and subtle novel.
The Animals In That Country, Laura Jean McKay
That country is wild and the terrain is unpredictable — there’s chaos, love, instability and terror; all the while I’m rooting for McKay’s flawed and heartbreaking narrator as she barrels towards who-knows-where with her soul mate.
The experience of reading this book was like being on a new planet where I couldn’t speak the language and didn’t know the roads. It felt like something new and disconcerting, yet so alluring, all at once. I’m still floored by the dialogue, impressed by the narrative and so pleased to have read it.
– Sarah S