Book Recommendations Archives

Today marks 50 years since the assassination of JFK. Remarkably, we find ourselves no closer to piecing the puzzle together than we did on that day fifty years year, when Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested 90 minutes after the shooting and declared himself a patsy to millions of television viewers. No closer, that is, until now. In Colin McLaren’s The Smoking Gun, we discover one of the most ... Read more

Scottish actor Peter Capaldi has just been announced as the new Doctor Who, leaving most of the world outside Britain saying…. …who is Peter Capaldi? While a late blooming star in his native Britain, Capaldi has rarely ventured into film and is a relative unknown everywhere else in the world. To help with the transition, we’ve put together a fact file on Doctor Who version 12.0. Read more

There’s nothing tame about this bunch. This month is all about extremes. Extremes of desire, of  behaviour, of crisis situations, of people tested to the limits of desire, survival, transgression and boundaries crossed. Find out how far you’d be prepared to go. Live dangerously. Pick up a book. N.B. Caroline Baum and former Buzz editor, Toni Whitmont, will be chairing sessions at a ... Read more

As we say goodbye to July, award-winning novelist Kate Forsyth gives her verdict on the books she read for the month. Thanks to a lot of time spent in planes and airports, and a weekend sick in bed, I read 14 books this month, with an eclectic mix of fiction, non-fiction, children’s and adults, historical and contemporary. Stay: The Last Dog in Antarctica by Jesse Blackadder This is Jesse Black... Read more

Aaron Patrick, author of the brilliant book Downfall: How the Labor Party Ripped Itself Apart is not only an bestselling writer on politics, but also an avid reader. He was kind enough to share his five must read titles for those with a keen interest in the world of politics. Enjoy! Read more

With the Australian Cricket Team on the brink of annihilation, times are tough for cricket lovers. To soften the blow Booktopia’s resident cricket nerd Andrew Cattanach takes a look at some of the best cricketing memoirs around, and finds his love of the pun, as well as anecdotes of the leather and willow, comfortably satisfied. No Holding Back by Michael Holding Pun: It’s quite sim... Read more

Australian thriller writer Max Barry is back with a dazzlingly original high concept thriller. Booktopia’s Andrew Cattanach takes a closer look. I love writers who take risks. I live vicariously through them as I deliberate whether or not I add raspberry cordial to my lemonade, a gutsy maneuver. Max Barry is one of those writers, an Australian author who constructs worlds that exist withi... Read more

As part of Australian Romance Month, Romance Specialist Haylee Nash will be interviewing one Australian Romance author per day. Much like a beauty pageant, each author will be using their charm, wit and grace (and the power of social media) to take home the Booktopia Romance Bestseller crown. Booktopia invites bestselling Rural Romance author Mandy Magro to the stage. 1. Describe the perfect da... Read more

As part of Australian Romance Month, Romance Specialist Haylee Nash will be interviewing one Australian Romance author per day. Much like a beauty pageant, each author will be using their charm, wit and grace (and the power of social media) to take home the Booktopia Romance Bestseller crown. Booktopia invites bestselling Mills & Boon author Fiona Lowe to the stage. 1. Describe the perfect ... Read more

Booktopia’s Hayley Shephard is one of the most prolific readers. Here she reviews Scarlett Dawn’s new ebook King Hall. King Hall is a fantasy, full of love, friendship and heartbreak. Sound familiar? Well it’s not. The main character Lily Ruckler, is a hybrid: born from a vampire father and a shifter mother. While it’s surprising that these two types of creatures mix in this story, ... Read more