To Rule A Ruler
By Kaarina Parker
Kaarina Parker’s Fulvia reaches a thrilling and ambitious conclusion, bringing ancient Rome vividly to life through the eyes of one of history’s most overlooked women. Full of political intrigue, shifting loyalties, war, and power plays, this is a sweeping feminist epic about legacy and survival in a world ruled by men.
The Children
By Melissa Albert
A gripping and emotionally layered novel about family mythology, artistic legacy, and the stories we tell to survive. Set between 1990s Vermont and present-day New York, The Children follows Guinevere Sharpe as the carefully curated version of her idyllic childhood begins to unravel. Atmospheric, unsettling, and full of simmering tension, this is a compelling exploration of memory, fame, and sibling relationships.
The Valley
By Asher Emanuel
The culmination of over two years of field research and hundreds of hours of interviews, The Valley follows three Hutt Valley men through courtrooms, prison, hospitals, rehab, boarding houses, and welfare offices. Told largely through verbatim dialogue, this intimate account brings the realities of New Zealand’s criminal justice system to life through the voices of those experiencing it first hand.
Famesick
By Lena Dunham
Raw, funny, and remarkably candid, Famesick sees Lena Dunham reflect on the intersections of fame, ambition, chronic illness, addiction, relationships, and creativity. Charting her rise from the creator of Girls to one of the most scrutinised women on the internet, Dunham examines the personal cost of success with unflinching honesty.
Whistler
By Anne Patchett
When Daphne unexpectedly reconnects with her former stepfather decades later at the Met, old emotions and unanswered questions resurface. Quietly powerful and full of heart, Whistler explores the lasting impact of feeling truly seen by another person, and how love, grief, and family continue to echo across a lifetime.
Medea Sang Me a Corrido
By Dahlia de la Cerda
A fierce, punk-infused reimagining of Medea set against the brutal realities of Northern Mexico. Blending myth, violence, dark humour, and social commentary, Dahlia de la Cerda introduces a Gothic anti-heroine who moves through a world shaped by cartels, corruption, femicide, and survival. Bold, visceral, and electric with rage, this is a powerful exploration of womanhood, justice, and resistance.
Words: Mandy Myles of Bookety Book Books
Imagery: Supplied
