by Claire Chow
24 November 2023
Who doesn’t love a good book in their stocking? We’re stoked to bring you another annual list of great reads from RL members and authors in our extended social media community.
And what a mix! There’s romcoms, picture books, non-fiction and how-to guides.
Jodi Gibson – Reinventing Emily Brown. A fictional narrative which explores second chances in both life and love.
Jessica Dettmann – Without Further Ado. A feminist romcom about a woman obsessed with Kenneth Branagh’s 1993 film version of Much Ado About Nothing.
Carolyn Swindell – We Only Want What’s Best. The tagline explains it all: ‘A long-haul flight. Two ambitious dance mums. A child in danger.’
Susan Paterson – Where Light Meets Water. A debut novel of love and art.
Heidi Walkinshaw – Some Fish Have Moustaches. A gorgeous picture book that celebrates all kinds of fish…especially those with moustaches!
Jackie Dent – The Great Dead Body Teachers. An adventure into the world of anatomy and dissection.
Sarah Ayoub – How to Be a Friend. Another fantastic picture book for the kiddos.
Jessica Mudditt – Once Around the Sun. A travel memoir from Cambodia to Tibet. (Pre-order for March). Also, Holly’s Hell – true crime memoir by Holly Deane-Johns and edited by Hembury Books (Jessica’s new business venture.)
Rachel Hanson edited Running Deep, Unheard Voices and A Place in the Country. All are non-fiction and published by Fremantle Press.
Cassie Polimeni – The Garden at the End of the World. A debut picture book, about a young girl’s fairytale adventure to the real-life Global Seed Vault in Norway.
James Nicholson – I’m Glad I’m Me. A book about seeing values in ourselves. For readers 4 and 11.
Sandy Barker – Match Me If You Can. A laugh out loud romcom.
Emma Bowd – The Day You Were Born. A beautiful hardcover picture book and a modern retelling of the old English poem ‘Monday’s Child’.
Lachlan Nicolson – Offload. A how-to guide on growing a small business without the burnout.
Want more good book gift ideas? Here’s last year’s list. You can also check out Rach’s Wrap-Up recommendations from the past six months here. If you too published a book this year, pop the title and where to buy in the comments.
