We’ve rounded up some of the library staff’s favourite books of 2023. As you can see, we read across a variety of genres and we have eclectic tastes. To reserve any of the books, click on the cover image which will take you to our catalogue record.
This is the sequel following on from “The Left-handed Booksellers of London”. Sinister used to mean left-handed and our left-handed “booksellers”, who are not at all sinister, are back to solve another mystery, this time, in the beautiful and historic county of Bath. Filled with fantasy, magic and old world charm, it left me wanting more. (Andrea’s pick)
This is an incredibly well written debut novel that takes a broad-eyed view at the carnage of war, in this case World War I, while also focusing on two young men and their love for each other. Devastating, beautiful, a timeless epic, this novel will have you enthralled. (Bianca’s pick)
Thirty-something Yael has suffered a major mental breakdown. While she’s trying to put herself together, she discovers a women’s only seaside safespace where she finds community. Nadine J Cohen’s debut novel tackles mental illness, grief, trauma and existential angst which are perfectly balanced with wry and self-deprecating observations. I cried, I laughed and everything in between. (Bianca’s pick)
There is no escaping Articifical Intelligence (AI). Australian journalist Tracey Spicer has written a topical book focusing on AI and its bias against women, people of colour and other minorities. Written in an accessible way, this is a must read. (Bianca’s pick)
Lisa Tadeo interviewed three different women about their relationships, sex lives, their hopes, obsessions, and disappointments. I couldn’t put it down. (Brittany’s pick)
J.P. Pomare’s sophomore novel is written from the point of view of two women, Amy and Freya. How are they connected is slowly revealed. This suspenseful thriller will appeal to those interested in cults, who appreciate red hearings and satisfying twists. In the Clearing was a great read. (Brittany’s pick)
Britney Spears needs no introduction, she’s been an important part of the music industry of the 1990’s and the early 2000’s. I read it because I needed some answers. (Brittany’s pick).
A historical fantasy that Rushdie had cleverly styled as a translation of a rediscovered ancient text, this book is at its core, a commentary on human nature at its best and at its very worst. As with all of Rushdie’s work, the language is simply divine, and the prose is so beautiful that it will stop you in your tracks. (Carlie’s pick)
This is a well-researched, but simply written novel that tells the story of Pericles and Athens during the early days of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. It is action packed with a lot of history jammed into one book. Full of political intrigue and bloody battles, this book will leave you wanting to know more about the history of classical Greece. (Carlie’s pick)
A comedic Sci-Fi about a man who wakes up in the woods in medieval England with no idea how he got there. This is a fun, silly adventure that explores self-discovery and ultimately, redemption. Fans of Sanderson’s fantasy writing may not love this, but as a standalone book, it’s a fun, easy read. (Carlie’s pick)
US contemporary queer fiction – quirky, memorable characters in a modern story of love and therapy. (Cassandra’s pick)
Australian historical fiction – different POVs give an interesting take on the dilemmas that mothers face while struggling to live an artistic life. (Cassandra’s pick)
US/Australian memoir – achieves the unlikely feat of relating the stresses of caring for a parent with dementia into an entertaining and even humorous read. (Cassandra’s pick)
This is a short and surprisingly humorous novel about growing up in East Berlin prior to the fall of the Wall. (Clive’s pick)
It’s a very interesting travelogue about journeying through the countries around Russia such as North Korea, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway. (Clive’s pick)
I loved this family memoir about growing up in the incredibly diverse Malaysia. A book about family, nationalism and I think, above all, identity. (Clive’s pick)
This novel surprised me as it’s about people who create video games which doesn’t really interest me but the story was captivating. (Deb’s pick)
Indigenous mother and lawyer daughter reconnect and heal their relationship while in UK touring literary idols’ homes and other important institutions. A touching story. (Deb’s pick)
This novella is set in 1985 in a small Irish village. At its centre is Bill Furlong a coal merchant affected by the economic downturn. When delivering coal to the local convent, he discovers something confronting. A small book that says a lot. (Deb’s pick)
This is a sprawling adult fantasy about a girl who lives in a massive ancient library that has portals to other times and dimensions inside it. This one was not only my top read of the year but possibly one of my favourite reads of all time. This book defies any attempt I make to describe what made it so awesome, so my review is: just read it. (Emily’s pick)
Dalton’s third fiction novel is (in my opinion) his best work yet. It’s the story of a 17-year-old houseless girl in Brisbane, trying to find her own name and her place in life. Dalton’s trademark voice is in full bloom, lyrical yet cheekily Australian, not holding back from darker themes and scenes yet laced with whimsical, vulnerable hopefulness – all interwoven, of course, with a healthy dash of magical realism and redolent metaphor. A book for those who see magic in the mirror and light in even the darkest of places. (Emily’s pick)
A pandemic-era YA verse novel about a boy who loves street art and paints a girl he sees online playing the violin, and the way their worlds collide with the fragile uncertainty of the 2020 COVID pandemic and Melbourne shutdowns as backdrop. A lovely story about the value of art in a world that wanted to divide us into “essential” versus “non-essential”, about being true to yourself even in the face of resistance, and a perfectly rendered fictional time capsule of that unsettling pandemic year that felt so big at the time and has rapidly become a piece of history. (Emily’s pick)
This is an unbelievable story of an extraordinary American family. Six of the twelve children were diagnosed with schizophrenia. The story is set in the mid 1970’s when science and genetics were disagreeing about what causes schizophrenia. Told chronologically over three decades, it is an amazing story of science, culture and the bonds of family. I could not put this book down. (Fiona’s pick)
Wallace Stegner is one of the finest American writers of the 20th century. Crossing to Safety is a novel about the friendship and woes of two couples. Their story is told via lyrical and evocative prose of the highest calibre. (Mally’s pick)
I was a no holds barred fan of George Orwell prior to reading this book. But when Anna Funder uncovers his forgotten wife – Eileen O’Shaughnessy, I questioned my devotion, as his wife’s literary brilliance shaped Orwells’ s work, her practical nous saved his life, but she never received any credit and was hardly ever mentioned. Their marriage through the Spanish Civil War and WWII in London is explored by Funder and is testament to the importance of Orwell’s first wife and indeed to the unsung work of all women. (Mally’s pick)
Published in 2001, this novel has at its centre an elderly couple and their three adult children. Each member of the Lambert family has their own worries, dementia, depression and financial ruin, to mention just a few, mirroring the woes of the USA facing technological development and globalisation. It’s not a happy book but it’s full of dark humour and very familiar family situations; it’s a good guide for those of us entering the ‘nuisance to children ’ age on how not to act. (Mally’s pick)
