Book Club – this month’s reads
Friday, 17 April 2026 Books+Publishing @booksandpublishing
Looking for your next great group read? Our monthly Book Club rounds up new release titles perfect for sparking conversation and perhaps even some debate. From compelling fiction to thought-provoking nonfiction, these are some of the books releasing this month that are worth stocking and recommending to readers.
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Circle of Wonders Kathryn Heyman Fourth Estate ISBN: 9781460768051 RRP: $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Circle of Wonders is one of those special novels that speaks directly to the heart. Inspired by Kathryn’s own experience of losing her sister and her mother within weeks of each other, it is a luminous and heart-expanding novel that expands our notion of what death means, what love is and what it is to truly live. I finished reading it in floods of tears – the last pages are so powerful, so moving. This novel is so uplifting, and while it is ostensibly a book about death, in the end, it’s really about how we should celebrate life, with all its imperfections, mess, flaws and failures. I think women in particular will love this book and will respond to it deeply. There’s so much here for book groups to discuss: how witnessing death can shed so much light on the way we want to live; how to live and love more honestly; and what, finally, is the most important thing – our relationships with people. It will generate such important conversations. For everyone who loved Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These, or Charlotte Wood’s Stone Yard Devotional.” – Catherine Milne, publisher, HarperCollins | |
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The Couples Retreat Mercedes Mercier Penguin ISBN: 9781761356698 RRP: $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “The Couples Retreat invites book clubs to look beyond the glossy surface of its characters’ lives and ask some uncomfortable questions. With its mix of toxic friendships, strained marriages and the pressure of comparison, it opens up rich discussion around what it really means to ‘have it all’ and why we measure ourselves against others. Add in a flawed, deeply relatable heroine and timely themes like coercive control, and you have a thriller that’s not just addictive, but genuinely thought-provoking, perfect for sparking lively, layered conversation.” – Anna Tidswell, senior publicist, PRH | |
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Flowers in July Anna Maynard Echo ISBN: 9781786585479 RRP $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Emergency doctor Mary Roberts appears to have her life under control. In reality, she is weighed down by the demands of her much-loved but difficult mother and sister, and stuck in an unsatisfying relationship with her boyfriend, Felix. After catching Felix cheating, Mary seeks escape on a wilderness expedition medicine course and finds herself sharing a room with Abel, a grumpy but captivating retrieval doctor, who sees her for who she truly is. Soon, she finds herself questioning everything she ever thought she wanted. Exploring themes of self-discovery, second chances and the bravery of opening yourself up to love, this big-hearted, slow-burn romance has a complexity and depth sure to spark book club discussion. Book club readers will love the authenticity and grit of the flawed, unpredictable and relatable characters and relationships, all portrayed with compassion and humour.” – Diana Hill, publisher, Echo | |
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Indigenous Rules of Engagement Shannon Best Big Sky Publishing ISBN: 9781923514461 RRP: $29.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Book clubs are drawn to books that challenge perspectives and encourage meaningful, real-world discussion. Indigenous Rules of Engagement is both thought-provoking and practical, offering a powerful exploration of how respectful, culturally informed relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can be built in contemporary Australia. It goes beyond theory, inviting readers to reflect on history, identity and responsibility while considering how genuine partnerships can be formed across sectors such as government, education and business. With its blend of lived experience and actionable insight, the book creates space for important conversations about reconciliation, leadership and what meaningful engagement truly looks like.” – Mika Gonzales, social media and marketing assistant, Big Sky Publishing | |
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Kill Your Boomers Fiona Wright Ultimo ISBN: 9781761154256 RRP: $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “How far would you go to enter the housing market? For anyone who has endured the rental hellscape of the Australian property scene, this descent into madness hits dangerously close to home. It is a provocative, book-club-ready exploration of the Australian Dream – complete with crumbling floors, rising mould and a desperate search for stability.” – Zoë Victoria, publicist, Ultimo | |
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Motherhood, Labour and Care in the 21st Century: Contradictions in focus ed Sheree Gregory & Kate Huppatz SUP ISBN: 9781761540554 RRP: $50 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Motherhood, Labour and Care in the 21st Century is a timely collection that brings together diverse perspectives on how modern motherhood collides with shifting policies, cultural expectations and persistent inequities. With chapters exploring media portrayals of mothering, Indigenous and migrant experiences, challenges faced by working mothers across various industries, evolving government policies and initiatives, and issues of poverty and welfare, this collection is intellectually rigorous yet accessible and highly relatable. As such, Motherhood, Labour and Care in the 21st Century offers rich and thought-provoking material for book clubs seeking nuanced, meaningful discussion about modern motherhood, gender ideologies, family life, workplace participation and the broader care deficit.” – Rebecca Hamilton, commissioning editor, SUP |
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Mother Salad Helena Pantsis UWA Publishing ISBN: 9781760803261 RRP: $29.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Mother Salad is an easily consumed (although the body horror aspects may make you feel queasy!) short story collection. If your book club loved Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, we suggest taking a punt on this amazing Greek-Australian author who mixes feminism and womanhood with spiders and sea monkeys.” – Lauren Pratt, communications officer, UWA Publishing | |
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The Ruin of Magic Kate Holden Black Inc. ISBN: 9781760644918 RRP: $36.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Book clubs will love The Ruin of Magic. Firstly, because it is so compulsively readable, written in Kate Holden’s inimitable poetic style. Secondly, because there are so many themes pertinent to our times to fuel a robust conversation – from questions of home and belonging to the pleasures and perils of nostalgia, what is lost in modernity both spiritually and aesthetically, and the discomfort of being a settler on Indigenous land. Readers will also discover countless other writers and thinkers quoted and discussed in the book.” – Sophy Williams, publisher, Black Inc. | |
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The Society of Literary Marauders Sasha Wasley Pantera ISBN: 9781763550711 RRP: $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “The Society of Literary Marauders is the perfect book club read for lovers of Pip Williams’s The Dictionary of Lost Words or Sarah Penner’s The Lost Apothecary. This is historical fiction with a strong feminist angle – 4 young women in 1928 form their own rebellious book club, where they read banned books over hot chocolate. The characters discuss each book and what it has taught them, all while overcoming challenges as young women in interwar England. Plus, there’s a delightful romantic subplot that readers will love to discuss.” – Marilla Marshall Sloan, publicist, Hardie Grant | |
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To Be Honest… Dom Thurbon Major Street ISBN: 9781923186439 RRP: $32.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Since reading Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams, I’ve become increasingly interested in how misinformation is spreading and how easily we’ve come to accept untruths – even when they’re plainly in front of us. That’s what drew me to Dom Thurbon’s rollercoaster of a read, To Be Honest…, which explores some of the most incredible examples of lies, misinformation and untruth-telling across business, politics and everyday life. What I love about this book – and why I think book clubs will too – is that it doesn’t just expose the problem; it offers a practical toolkit to help restore our relationship with the truth, create cultures of truth-telling, and improve our personal and professional lives in ways that really matter. It’s fascinating, confronting and ultimately hopeful, with plenty of rich ground for discussion around honesty, leadership, technology and the choices we make every day. My hope (as is Dom’s) is that this book makes you think and take action to make truth happen.” – Lesley Williams, publisher, Major Street | |
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When I Am Sixty-Four Debra Adelaide UQP ISBN: 9780702271168 RRP: $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “When I Am Sixty-Four is a stunning reflection on friendship from one of our finest writers, Debra Adelaide. In her most personal novel yet, she traces the lifelong friendship between two writers, considering the fluctuations of friendship from school days through to adulthood; the intersections of their creative lives and their personal ones; and most critically, how to be there for a friend during dark times. Based on her friendship with the late Gabrielle Carey, it’s a short and tender novel that asks big questions, making it ideal for in-depth book club discussions.” – Sarah Valle, senior publicist, UQP | |
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Why We Garden Hannah Moloney Affirm ISBN: 9781923135345 RRP: $34.99 |
| Why book clubs will love it: “Hannah Moloney is known for her gardening nous, iconic pink hair and positive approach to climate activism, but in Why We Garden, she’s doing something a little different to her usual Gardening Australia work. ‘Why do we garden?’ might seem like a simple question, but it takes us deep into human history, psychology, anthropology and the big challenges facing our society, from climate change to division in our community, to migration and much more. Ultimately, it will spark conversations about what being out in nature does for us, why we feel the need to tame it and what coaxing life out of a little patch of earth can do to help our bodies, minds, relationships and the future of our species as a whole (it turns out, a lot!).” – Ruby Ashby-Orr, publisher, S&S | |
Category: Book Club Friday newsletter
