From the must-read journalist on how power, money and influence work in this country, the full story of how one of the nation’s favourite brands brought itself to ground.

Before Covid, both Qantas and its CEO Alan Joyce were flying high, the darlings of customers, staff and investors. After Covid hit, only money mattered – in particular, the company’s share price and extraordinary executive bonuses. Illegally redundant workers, unethical flight credits, abysmal customer service, antique aircraft: these became Qantas’ new brand.

How did things go so badly wrong? Why were customers at the end of the queue? And how did an increasingly autocratic Joyce constantly get his own way, with the Qantas board and with both Liberal and Labor governments, which handed over billions in subsidies and protected lucrative flight routes from foreign competition? For the first time, The Chairman’s Lounge tells the full story of how one company banked the nation’s loyalty and then cashed in on it.

In his celebrated column Rear Window for the Australian Financial Review, Joe Aston’s reporting of the ethical failings of Qantas spurred the early retirement of its CEO and the resignation of its chairman. With fresh interviews and revelations, written in Aston’s trademark swashbuckling style, The Chairman’s Lounge is the definitive account of how Qantas was brought to ground and who did it. It is a parable of our times.

‘A masterclass in investigative journalism … A scathing, unflinching takedown of greed, delusion and a shameless abuse of power, both jaw-dropping and brilliantly incisive’
Adele Ferguson

‘You won’t get a better account than Maxwell’s own. It’s like having Phar Lap talk you through the 1930 Melbourne Cup. I heartily commend the book.’ Gideon Haigh

'It’s easy captaining Maxi. You just need to get out of the way.' Pat Cummins

Discover the exhilarating story of Glenn Maxwell, the daring batsman and all-round Australian cricket maestro.

During the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India, Glenn Maxwell played the most audacious, improbable innings in the history of one-day cricket. Yet less than a year earlier he had been in hospital with a shattered leg, unsure whether he would ever be able to play again.

This is the story of that year, from devastation to triumph; twelve months of frustration on the road to recovery, as well as jubilation when Glenn became a father. It’s also an exploration of his life before – the moments and decisions that informed this defining year.

For over a decade, Maxwell has batted with a style that is deeply creative and at times crazy-brave, while bearing the criticism of those who find his style more exasperating than exciting. At the same time, he has become a vital bowler and one of the world’s best fielders. However, his career has also been dogged by depression and self-doubt.

Now, one of cricket’s great entertainers tells his story in his own words. The Showman offers a captivating exploration of an enigmatic talent, whose name is synonymous with the thrill of the game.

'Maxi is about genuine care and connection. There’s so much more than meets the eye.' Virat Kohli

Acclaimed clinical nutritionist and bestselling author Sarah Di Lorenzo celebrates her Mediterranean heritage by sharing over 200 beloved recipes and cherished family stories.

Brimming with fresh vegetables, fruits, extra-virgin olive oil, fish and nuts, Sarah’s family-favourite recipes are delicious and easy to make. This book holds over two hundred recipes, including Mediterranean classics like spanakopita, stuffed tomatoes, roasted artichokes, pilafi and prawn saganaki. There’s also the perfect Mediterranean roast lamb for Sunday lunch, along with sweet treats like orange and honey paximathia, and baked ricotta figs.

Known for its bold fresh flavours and vibrant dishes, the Mediterranean diet is proven to help lower your rates of cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes, reduce inflammation and obesity, and increase your lifespan.

In My Mediterranean Life, Sarah aims to share not just the health benefits of the Mediterranean way of eating, but the key principles and lifestyle. For Sarah and her family, this way of eating is a way of life. Food is much more than eating – it’s a bonding experience.

What would you do if your husband suddenly left you with two kids to support? Go back to school? Go into real estate?

Or start a new career as a pimp?

Upon discovering that sex work is decriminalised in New Zealand, Antonia Murphy decides to build her own business: an ethical escort agency. It seems like a good idea, but she isn’t sure how it’s done, so she connects with the online sex worker community.

MadamAntonia: Hi! I’m new to all this, and I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about being a sex worker?

phryne: Well. There’s sex and there’s sex. What do you plan to offer?

These smart, sassy women teach her more than she could have dreamed of – the importance of pineapple juice, how to remove chilli oil from, ahem, sensitive places, and what ‘Greek’ means (hint: there are no togas).

Clueless but hopeful, Antonia launches The Bach: a healthy, safe place where women can earn great money and provide compassionate, shame-free pleasure for clients.
At least, that’s the idea . . .

A poignant and darkly comedic memoir from a mother who opened an ethical escort agency in small town New Zealand – and dared to make a difference. Now a major international TV series starring Rachel Griffiths and Martin Henderson.

When one enters a Collette Dinnigan-designed home there is nowhere else you would rather be.

Her style is one of simple yet sophisticated beauty. Bellissima: An Australian–Italian Affair takes you into Collette’s world of beauty – interiors, gardens, food, friends, curiosities, art and travel – in Italy and Australia. It shows us Collette’s remarkable eye for detail, vignettes, texture and colour. She shares her design inspiration and reveals stunning photos never before published of her homes in Bowral and Darling Point, along with a Rome apartment and holiday house in Puglia. Collette and her photographer, Earl Carter, travelled the length of Italy, from Naples to Turin, to capture the essence of what inspires Collette that she then brings home to Australia, the ‘great Southern light’.

​Collette not only takes us into her own private worlds but also those of her friends such as Mimi Thorisson in Turin, Neil Perry in Sydney, and Louise Olsen and Luke Sciberras in country NSW, where they share their recipes and art.

This is a book of inspiration and delight, a joyous journey of creativity with one of Australia’s foremost fashion designers. Full of glorious imagery, it is a must-have book for those who love travel and interiors.

From the author of The North Wind comes a dark and beguiling tale of forbidden love, inspired by the Greek myth of Hero and Leander and the Scottish ballad Tam Lin.

Brielle of Thornbrook has dedicated her life to the abbey. She spends her days forging iron and her evenings studying the Text, all in preparation of becoming an acolyte. Twenty-one years on this earth and she has never touched a man. And she never will.

But when she finds an injured stranger in the forest, Brielle can’t resist the urge to help him. The encounter leads her to the realm of Under, where the air breathes rot, and the fair folk dance and whisper. Where she discovers that the man she helped is actually a god: Zephyrus, the West Wind, Bringer of Spring.

There are few Brielle can trust in Under, least of all Zephyrus. He is charming, dangerously so, and never has a man so thoroughly ensnared her. As she embarks on a journey through the eerie banks and caves of Under, Brielle finds herself in a perilous situation. For here is where faith and heart collide – and where she risks not only her future … but her life.

Readings Best Books of 2024, Non-Fiction

The story of Australia’s Black convicts has been all but erased from our history. In recovering their lives, Santilla Chingaipe offers a fresh understanding of this fatal shore, showing how empire, slavery, race and memory have shaped our nation.

'The defining read of the decade. This is a work of global significance.' Meanjin

On the First Fleet of 1788, at least 15 convicts were of African descent. By 1840 the number had risen to almost 500. Among them were David Stuurman, a revered South African chief transported for anti-colonial insurrection; John Caesar, who became Australia’s first bushranger; Billy Blue, the stylishly dressed ferryman who gave his name to Sydney’s Blues Point; and William Cuffay, a prominent London Chartist who led the development of Australia’s labour movement. Two of the youngest were cousins from Mauritius—girls aged just 9 and 12—sentenced over a failed attempt to poison their mistress.

But although some of these lives were documented and their likenesses hang in places like the National Portrait Gallery, even their descendants are often unaware of their existence.

By uncovering lives whitewashed out of our history, in stories spanning Africa, the Americas and Europe, Black Convicts also traces Australia’s hidden links to slavery, which both powered the British Empire and inspired the convict system itself. Situating European settlement in its global context, Chingaipe shows that the injustice of dispossession was driven by the engine of labour exploitation. Black Convicts will change the way we think about who we are.

A small-town faking dating romance from the bestselling author of Flawless and Wild Love. Features an exclusive bonus scene, limited to this paperback edition!

Stefan Dalca is infuriatingly handsome and annoyingly persistent. We’re supposed to hate each other, but apparently he didn’t get the memo, because he’s been asking me out for years. And I always say no. Until today.

Today he has something that I need. Our time together starts out as a simple transaction: three dates, no touching, no telling anyone – and definitely no falling in love.

But with every intimate conversation, and each stolen glance, the tension between us builds. The way he looks at me gives me butterflies. And when he finally touches me? We sizzle. Stefan makes me feel seen in a way no other person has before. He cherishes my words as passionately as my body. He makes me laugh, he makes me blush. He’s not the villain he’s been made out to be.

And suddenly I find myself longing for him in a way the people closest to me wouldn’t understand. Giving in to Stefan Dalca is playing with fire. But, with him, I don’t even mind the heat.

The pocket guide to DIY beauty – use fresh fruit and pantry staples to create all natural treatments for your skin, body, hair and nails. Make your own face masks, cleansers, acne treatments, moisturisers, foot scrubs, lip balms and more!

What you put in your body is as important as what you put on it. Nature offers an amazing abundance of herbs, vegetables, and fruits to keep us looking beautiful and feeling healthy all year long.

Here, 30 superfoods are highlighted for their healing properties – each with an easy-to-make beauty treatment for a healthy glow, and a delicious recipe that nourishes from the inside.

A deliciously witty and inspiring memoir by One Tree Hill star Bethany Joy Lenz about her decade in a cult and her quest to break free.

In the early 2000s, after years of hard work and determination to breakthrough as an actor, Bethany Joy Lenz was finally cast as one of the leads on the hit drama One Tree Hill. Her career was about to take off, but her personal life was slowly beginning to unravel. What none of the show's millions of fans knew, hidden even from her costars, was her secret double life in a cult.

An only child who often had to fend for herself and always wanted a place to belong, Lenz found the safe haven she'd been searching for in a Bible study group with other Hollywood creatives. However, the group soon morphed into something more sinister - a slowly woven web of manipulation, abuse and fear under the guise of a church covenant called The Big House Family. Piece by piece, Lenz began to give away her autonomy, ultimately relocating to the Family's Pacific Northwest compound, overseen by a domineering minister who would convince Lenz to marry one of his sons and steadily drained millions of her TV income without her knowledge. Family 'minders' assigned to her on set, 'Maoist struggle session'-inspired meetings in the basement of a filthy house, and regular counselling with 'Leadership' were just part of the tactics used to keep her loyal.

Only when she became a mother did Lenz find the courage to leave and spare her child from a similar fate. After nearly a decade (and with the unlikely help of a One Tree Hill super-fan), she finally managed to escape the family's grip and begin to heal from the deep trauma that forever altered the course of her life.

Written with powerful honesty and dark humour, Dinner for Vampires is an inspiring story about the importance of identity, faith and independence.

She's back! Nikki Maxwell returns for her 16th Dork Diaries adventure and has to deal with . . . a bratty younger sister. Join the jokes, the drama and the aDORKable BFFs in this mega-selling series with over 50 million copies in print worldwide!

Chosen by WATERSTONES as one of their BEST POLITICS BOOKS of 2024

Two-time Pulitzer prize winner Bob Woodward tells the revelatory, behind-the-scenes story of three wars – Ukraine, the Middle East and the struggle for the American presidency.

War is an intimate and sweeping account of one of the most tumultuous periods in presidential politics and American history.

We see President Joe Biden and his top advisers in tense conversations with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. We also see Donald Trump, conducting a shadow presidency and seeking to regain political power.

With unrivalled, inside-the-room reporting, Woodward shows President Biden’s approach to managing the war in Ukraine, the most significant land war in Europe since World War II, and his tortured path to contain the bloody Middle East conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.

Woodward reveals the extraordinary complexity and consequence of wartime back-channel diplomacy and decision-making to deter the use of nuclear weapons and a rapid slide into World War III.

The raw cage-fight of politics accelerates as Americans prepare to vote in 2024, starting between President Biden and Trump, and ending with the unexpected elevation of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president.

War provides an unvarnished examination of the vice president as she tries to embrace the Biden legacy and policies while beginning to chart a path of her own as a presidential candidate.

Woodward’s reporting once again sets the standard for journalism at its most authoritative and illuminating.

BLOODTHIRSTY UNICORNS. UNLIKELY HEROES. A DEADLY CURSE.

The epic adventure continues.

Don’t miss the unputdownable new book for fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Eragon and Impossible Creatures.

As Skandar and his friends begin their fourth year at the Eyrie, the Island’s unicorns are struck by a terrible curse that threatens to change everything. Between a Commodore determined to eliminate the spirit element for good, and a sister hellbent on revenge, nowhere is safe for Skandar.

As more and more unicorns are affected by the curse, the clock is ticking for Skandar and his quartet, who find themselves literally racing for their lives. Can they stop the curse in its tracks before the Island is lost forever?

Get ready for unlikely heroes, elemental magic, sky battles, ancient secrets and ferocious unicorns in this highly anticipated adventure that will keep you reading after lights out!

'I am obsessed with this book.' Alice Oseman

A joyfully queer and stunningly romantic graphic novel inspired by the work of Jane Austen and perfect for fans of Heartstopper, Bloom and Lex Croucher.

George has always been in love with their best friend, Eleanor – and has always tried to ignore it.

Now Eleanor is coming of age and expected to marry a suitable man, it doesn’t matter how George feels – they have to let her go. Besides, George is busy avoiding their aunt’s matchmaking, taking over the failing family estate, and trying to keep their dressing in men’s clothes a secret.

Eleanor has always wanted to do everything ‘right,’ including falling in love – but she’s never met a boy she’s interested in. She’s more concerned with finding the perfect match for her cousin Charlotte, and working out why George is suddenly pulling away. But Eleanor’s friendships seem to be falling apart, and she’s beginning to realise that she likes George more than any man she’s met at a ball…

With a swoon-worthy friends-to-lovers romance, I Shall Never Fall in Love shines a light on what it means to be true to yourself and rewrites the rules of Happily Ever After.

'Packed with Austenian drama, heartache, scandal and yearning – this is the trans Regency era romance I’ve always wanted to read! Hari Conner’s characters are so lovable and the artwork, as always in Conner’s work, totally blew me away with its exquisite details, atmosphere, and emotion. I am obsessed with this book.' Alice Oseman

'An instantly compelling, deeply satisfying whirlwind of romance, friendship, and Regency manners. I couldn't put it down! With funny, sharp dialogue and skillful cartooning, Conner has done something extraordinary – they've made the queer past feel vibrant, relevant, and deeply alive.' Molly Knox Ostertag, author of Girl from the Sea

'This gorgeously upbeat celebration of queer love is funny, celebratory and joyful.' The Bookseller, Editor's Choice

‘Fans of the earnest sweetness found in Heartstopper or the Regency pining of Sarah Vaughn’s Ruined will be delighted.’ Booklist

'A time-old tale of youthful love and hubris, with a thoroughly wholesome glow.' The Telegraph

'This sparkling, joyous, Austenian 14+ graphic novel celebrates trans identities and queer love in a regency setting, with meticulously researched historical context at the back.' Guardian

‘A book like no other, beautifully braiding the poetry and practicalities of baking.’ Nigella Lawson

Nadine Ingram’s latest book features 50 utterly original, natural and romantic cakes that belong at the heart of every celebration. Her reliable cake recipes are written with the precision of a world-class pastry chef and the warm encouragement of a countrywoman.

To be a cake maker is to be woven into the sweetness of people’s lives, to bake layers of love crumbs as an exploration of romance, adventure and comfort. For Nadine Ingram, of beloved Sydney bakery Flour & Stone, it’s perfume, spice and fruit that awaken our senses and attract us to one another. In this book she honours the places and experiences that have formed us with a creative and soulful collection of cakes that are steeped in nature. Grounded in expert guidance, Love Crumbs will be an essential addition to your cookbook shelf for its unique, surprising and often dreamy flavour combinations.

A special collector’s hardback edition of the beloved bestseller and TikTok sensation. Featuring an exclusive bonus chapter and sprayed foil edges!

“You’re my favorite,” I whisper, leaning in to kiss her flushed cheek.
“Even if I had crab hands?”
“Even if you had crab hands, Anastasia.”

Anastasia Allen has worked her entire life for a shot at Team USA. She has a drive that few can match and, as she enters her third year on the Maple Hills ice skating team, everything is going according to plan.

Nothing will stand in her way, not even the captain of the ice hockey team, Nate Hawkins.

Nate’s focus as team captain is on keeping his team on the ice. Which is tricky when a facilities mishap means they are forced to share a rink with the ice skating team – including Anastasia, who clearly can’t stand him. But when her skating partner gets injured, Nate looks like her best option to advance in competition.

Sparks fly, but Anastasia isn’t worried. After all, she doesn’t have time for a relationship … right?

Note: Icebreaker contains 18+ content and is not suitable for younger readers.

Gina Chick, the inaugural winner of Alone Australia, tells the story of her extraordinary, indomitable life in one of the most powerful, moving memoirs you will ever read.

From day one of her wildly unconventional childhood, Gina Chick blazed her own trail, which led her to dance through the hidden world of ’90s Sydney nightlife into the arms of a conman. She fled to the wilderness to find healing, began a wondrous love affair with the deepest lessons life – and death – can offer, and found that all the answers are written in the wisdom of the body and the whirling silence of stars.

If you’re ready to get lost in jungles, wander into wolf-dens, sing with storms, rescue orphaned animals, dive to the depths, dance ’til your knees wobble, fall in love, find yourself by losing it all, and most of all be real; this book is for you.

We Are the Stars is a magic carpet ride through the exquisite mystery of the human heart. You’ve never read anything like it.

Readings Best Books of 2024, Picture Books

From the acclaimed author, and bestselling illustrator, this beautiful, heartfelt collaboration celebrates the magic of grandmothers (and their secret recipes).

‘It’s my everything cake,’ Grandma says. ‘My grandmother’s grandmother gave it to her, and my grandmother gave it to me.’

Grandma makes her everything cake for every special occasion. These days she sometimes needs a little help, but that’s what grandkids are for.

From the acclaimed author, Kate Mildenhall, and bestselling illustrator, Jess Racklyeft, this beautiful, heartfelt collaboration combines food and family to celebrate the magic of grandmothers (and their secret recipes).

Complete with Grandma’s everything cake recipe … and room to write down your own family favourite.


'Kate Mildenhall’s tender story is perfectly matched by Jess Racklyeft’s pastel-toned illustrations, delivering a heartwarming story celebrating the magic of food and family.’ The Australian

'Mildenhall sensitively introduces the topic of ageing and how children may feel seeing their loved one forget things ... Racklyeft’s illustrations are full of life and colour and integrate collage, including photos of Mildenhall’s own grandmama, on whom the story is based.' Books+Publishing

MONEY.
The object of our desires.
The engine of our genius.
Humanity’s greatest invention.

Whether we like it or not, our world revolves around money, but we rarely stop to think about it. What is money, where does it come from, and can it run out? What is this substance that drives trade, revolutions and discoveries; inspires art, philosophy and science?

In this illuminating, sometimes irreverent, and often surprising journey, economist David McWilliams charts the relationship between humans and money – from a tally stick in ancient Africa to coins in Republican Greece, from mathematics in the medieval Arab world to the French Revolution, and from the emergence of the US dollar right up to today’s cryptocurrency and beyond. Along the way, we meet a host of characters who have innovated with money, disrupting society and changing the way we live, in an ongoing monetary evolution that has, for the last 5000 years, animated human progress.

McWilliams unlocks the mysteries and power of money, explaining why it matters and how it shapes our world. The story of money is the story of earth’s most inventive, destructive, and dangerous animal: Homo sapiens. It is our story.

‘McWilliams has a great knack for bringing a complex economics story to life. He is also funny. In economics, that's a rare and persuasive combination’ Irish Times

From the number one bestselling author Catherine Doyle comes the most fiery enemies-to-lovers romantasy of the year. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo and Stephanie Garber.

In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins are pitted against each other in a deadly game of revenge, where the most dangerous mistake of all is falling in love…

In Fantome, a kingdom of cobbled streets, flickering lamplight, beautiful buildings, and secret catacombs, Shade-magic is a scarce and deadly commodity controlled by two enemy guilds: the Cloaks and the Daggers – the thieves and the assassins. On the night of her mother’s murder, 17-year-old Seraphine runs for her life. Seeking sanctuary with the Cloaks, Sera’s heart is set on revenge. But are her secret abilities a match for the dark-haired boy whose quicksilver eyes follow her around the city?

Nothing can prepare Sera for the moment she finally comes face-to-face with Ransom, heir to the Order of Daggers. And Ransom is shocked to discover that this unassuming farmgirl wields a strange and blazing magic he has never seen before…

Among rumours of monsters stalking the streets and the rival guilds grappling for control of Fantome’s underworld, Sera and Ransom are drawn together by something more than just magic and must face a deadly choice - forgiveness or vengeance? Kiss or kill? Dagger or Flame?

Note: The Dagger and the Flame is recommended for readers aged 16+

From the bestselling author of The Frozen River comes an enthralling historical mystery that unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson’s fifty-year battle to be recognised as Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian grand duchess or the thief of another woman’s legacy?

Countless others have rendered their verdict. Now it is your turn.

Russia, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police herd Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia, where they face a merciless firing squad. None survive. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.

Germany, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water or even acknowledge her rescuers, Anna Anderson is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless horrific scars. When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious young woman claims to be the Russian grand duchess. As rumours begin to circulate that the youngest Romanov daughter survived the massacre, old enemies and new threats awaken.

I Was Anastasia unravels the thrilling mystery around Anna Anderson in a tale that is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted.

A sapphic Netflix-esque Christmas movie meets How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days​ from the New York Times bestselling author duo of She Gets the Girl Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick.

Twelve days of fake dates. Two holidays.
One chance to convince everyone they’re in love.

Hollywood teen actor Arden James’ messy reputation is interfering with her career when a notoriously picky director won’t give her a role based on her party-girl image. So she and her publicist make up a lie – not only is she from a small town (true) but her childhood best friend Caroline, is her long-term girlfriend (false) and she can prove it when she goes home for Christmas.

Caroline Beckett hasn’t thought about her ex-best friend Arden James for years, focusing instead on her dreams about becoming a journalist. When Arden turns up on her doorstep and promises her an article in Cosmopolitan magazine on their twelve snow-covered romantic days together, Caroline agrees to play along. But when old feelings start to bubble up, what will fall faster – Arden and Caroline or the Christmas Eve snow?

Live large, do tough stuff and give back.

FIRE UP! shares some of the lessons I’ve learned from the first twenty-five years of my life, from growing up in the bush to running across Australia. This is what fires me up every single day.

I’m aware I’m just one person among billions, many of whom are far wiser than I am.

While this is what works for me, by no means am I suggesting it’s some sort of guaranteed formula for success. You may read something that sparks a fire in your belly (as it does in mine), but ultimately it comes down to you having a red-hot crack.

I hope that, among these insights and stories, you’ll find some words of inspiration that encourage you to chase your dreams and give you the self-belief to back yourself along the way.

An instant no. 1 YA bestseller, discover a romantic, heartfelt sequel to the tiktok sensation Better than the Movies that will sweep you off of your feet!

'If the teen in your life isn’t familiar with this series, this could be the best stocking gift they’ll receive' Women's Weekly

Wes had his dream girl but then he lost her – and the only way to get her back is to scheme like a rom-com hero…

For a few beautiful months, Wes and girl-next-door Liz were together. But right as the two were about to set off to UCLA together, tragedy struck and their relationship ended.

Flash forward and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart, but is determined to make her fall back in love with him. And he has a foolproof plan to win her back with the rom-com worthy big gestures she loves. Only … Liz will have none of it. Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend…a guy friend.

Still, Wes won’t give up and is determined to win back Liz’s affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, he’s is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good.

Nothing Like the Movies is perfect for hopeless romantics, lovers of grumpy x sunshine energy and for fans of Emily Henry and Ali Hazelwood!

Don’t miss The Do-Over, Betting on You and where it all started in Better Than the Movies from Lynn Painter!

Nothing Like the Movies was YA #1 bestseller in the TCM chart on 8th October 2024.

Can you solve the mystery before the greatest detective of all time?

Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend, Dr John Watson, have been hired by actor George Reynolds. George wants them to find out why the audience who comes to see him perform every night are the same people, only wearing disguises. Is something sinister going on and, if so, what?

Meanwhile, Holmes’ archenemy, Professor James Moriarty is having problems of his own. Implicated in the murder of a gang leader, Moriarty and his second, Moran, must go on the run from the police in order to find out who is behind the set-up.

But their investigation puts them in the way of Holmes and Watson and it’s not long before all four realise that they are being targeted by the same person. With lives on the line, not just their own, they must form an uneasy alliance in order to unmask the true villain. With clues leading them to a hotel in Switzerland and a conspiracy far greater than any of them expected, who can be trusted and will any of them survive?


Praise for The Turnglass:

'Not just a book, but an experience - one in which twists and turns are both on the page and in the very act of reading itself. Two haunting narratives conspire to create a dark, menacing tale that spans half a century of secrets as they echo back and forth' Janice Hallett

'A stunning, ingenious, truly immersive mystery. The Turnglass is a thrilling delight' Chris Whitaker

'An intricate and thoroughly mesmerising tale of family plots and schemes across several generations' Guardian

‘Murder, mystery and secrets combine to create a dazzling achievement that will hook you in' Best

'Your initial amazement at his ingenuity comes to sit alongside an appreciation of the heart and depth he brings to his stories. A risky idea, beautifully executed' Telegraph

Beloved by readers on TikTok and Instagram, Spark of the Everflame is the first book in The Kindred’s Curse Saga, a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers epic romantasy series. Now in an exclusive paperback edition featuring a never-before-seen bonus chapter and collectible design.

When old secrets catch fire, everything will burn.

In a mortal world colonised by the gods and ruled over by the Descended ­– their cruel, magic-wielding offspring – Diem Bellator yearns to escape the insular life of her poor village.

When her mother suddenly disappears and Diem discovers a dangerous secret about her past, she seizes an unexpected opportunity to enter the dark world of Descended royalty and unlock the web of mysteries her mother left behind.

With the dying King’s handsome, enigmatic heir watching her every move, and a ruthless rebel alliance recruiting her to join the growing civil war, Diem will have to navigate the unwritten rules of love, power and politics in order to save her family – and all of mortalkind.

What would it be like to sit down for an impassioned, entertaining conversation with Hillary Clinton? In Something Lost, Something Gained, Hillary offers her candid views on life and love, politics, liberty, democracy, the threats we face, and the future within our reach.

She describes the strength she draws from her deepest friendships, her Methodist faith, and the nearly fifty years she’s been married to President Bill Clinton—all with the wisdom that comes from looking back on a full life with fresh eyes. She takes us along as she returns to the classroom as a college professor, enjoys the bonds inside the exclusive club of former First Ladies, moves past her dream of being president, and dives into new activism for women and democracy.

From canoeing with an ex-Nazi trying to deprogram white supremacists to sweltering with salt farmers in the desert trying to adapt to the climate crisis in India, Hillary brings us to the front lines of our biggest challenges. For the first time, Hillary shares the story of her operation to evacuate Afghan women to safety in the harrowing final days of America’s longest war. But we also meet the brave women dissidents defying dictators around the world, gain new personal insights about her old adversary Vladimir Putin, and learn the best ways that worried parents can protect kids from toxic technology. We also hear her fervent and persuasive warning to all American voters. In the end, Something Lost, Something Gained is a testament to the idea that the personal is political, and the political is personal, providing a blueprint for what each of us can do to make our lives better.

Hillary has “looked at life from both sides now.” In these pages, she shares the latest chapter of her inspiring life and shows us how to age with grace and keep moving forward, with grit, joy, purpose, and a sense of humor.

A steamy and swoonworthy standalone novel in the iconic Formula 1 romance series, from the bestselling author of The Fine Print and Love Redesigned.

Jax: Pills. Alcohol. Adrenaline.

I'm addicted to destructive decisions that numb my pain, until I make a catastrophic mistake that jeopardises my career. So, to repair my broken reputation, my Formula 1 team hires Elena Gonzalez.

She is a glorified babysitter paid to keep me in check during the race season, and I’m hell-bent on making her quit before either of us act on our attraction to one another. The chemistry between us might be undeniable, but so are all the reasons we should stay away from each other.

She's my damnation disguised as my salvation… and my newest addiction.

Elena: I begged the universe to help me with my financial struggles, and it answered my call with a Formula 1 team desperate for a public relations miracle.

The job sounds simple in theory, but the broody British driver I’m paid to help is anything but easy. Jax Kingston turns our hotel suite into a battleground, wielding his words as a weapon and his demons as an escape.

I soon learn that to beat the enemy, I need to exploit his weaknesses. Only to realise I’m his biggest one.

Love is a war zone, and neither one of us plan to surrender, even if it means destroying my future in the process.

NOW A NO.1 FILM ON NETFLIX

The first book in Scott Westerfeld's international bestselling Uglies series - over six million copies of the series have been sold worldwide!

In Tally Youngblood’s world, looks matter. At sixteen everyone undergoes a transformation from “Ugly” to “Pretty” and is catapulted into a high-tech paradise where the only thing that matters is having a great time and you never have to worry or think for yourself. Tally can’t wait.

But then, with just weeks to go to Tally’s birthday, her friend Shay runs away and the ugly truth about the world of the Pretties starts to reveal itself. What if the beauty of the Pretties utopia really is just skin deep?

‘Fast paced, exciting and thought-provoking.’ The Bookseller's Choice
‘Superb sci-fi.’ Amanda Craig, The Times Supplement
‘Westerfeld introduces thought-provoking issues’ Publishers Weekly
‘The longing for fairy-tale beauty has never looked so sinister’ Amanda Craig, The Times
‘With a beginning and ending that pack hefty punches, this introduction to a dystopic future promises an exciting series.’ Kirkus *starred review*
‘Naughty children, from Max in Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, to Tally in Scott Westerfeld's Uglies trilogy, have the imagination and energy to go beyond convention.’ The Times
‘This exciting story makes you realise how important it is not to judge people by appearances.’ Newcastle Upon Tyne Journal
‘This book is a real thrill-ride and the world utterly convincing.’ Trashionista.com
'Fun, and the many by-the-skin-of-your-teeth escapes and hoverboard chases, plus the non-stop action plotting were enough to catch my attention and have me eagerly wanting more.’ The Book Smugglers

Also by Scott Westerfeld:
Pretties
Specials
Extras

Apple Audiobooks Best of 2024

Host of the hit podcast Do You F*cking Mind? offers you the ultimate guide to shifting your mindset to create the change you envision for your life – from your physical and mental health to your relationships, career, self-confidence and beyond – in this actionable, step-by-step 30-day program.

If you want to change your life, but you don’t know where to start, know that you already possess your most powerful tool: your mind. How to Chase Change is the ultimate guide to utilising your mindset to become your best self. This 30-day program covers everything from turning aspirational goals into action, increasing self-confidence and overcoming heartbreak, to eliminating negative self-talk and committing to small changes that will help you achieve big results.

Each module is designed around timeless wisdom you can return to again and again as you work through different challenges and transitions. Alexis combines fascinating tidbits of research on the human brain, poignant inspirational moments, and insight from her own experiences to give you everything you need to create lasting, positive change. How to Chase Change improves your mental, physical, and emotional health one day at a time.

Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa, neuroscientist turned beloved podcast host, is known for her no-holds-barred, tough love attitude, and accessible approach to scientifically proven mindset hacks. Fans around the world know that listening to her pep talks and deep dives on the hit podcast Do You F*cking Mind? feels like getting advice from a trusted friend and loyal supporter. In How to Chase Change, Alexis offers her foundational advice as an accessible guide to the life you've always wanted.

The third installment in the bestselling Maple Hills series follows fan-favourite Henry and a bookish fellow student who come up with a plan to help each other in and out of the classroom.

When procrastination lands him in a difficult class with his least favorite professor, Henry Turner knows he’s going to have to work extra hard to survive his junior year of college. And now with his new role as ice hockey captain – which he didn’t even want – Henry absolutely cannot fail. Enter Halle Jacobs, a fellow junior who finds herself befriended by Henry when he accidentally crashes her book club.

Halle may not have the romantic pursuits of her favorite fictional leads, but she’s an academic superstar, and when she hears about Henry’s problems with his class reading material, she offers to help. But being a private tutor isn’t exactly ideal given her own studies, job and the novel she’s trying to write. New experiences are the key to beating her writer’s block, though, and Henry’s promising to be the one to give them to her.

They just need to stick to their rulebook. Oh, and not fall in love.

Note: Daydream contains 18+ content and is not suitable for younger readers.

Readings Best Books of 2024, Fiction

A tweet. A storm. A secret. A revelation. In this age of isolation, what brings six very different people together?

Fi is about to get fired over a viral tweet.

Lexi Bostick is losing her grip on the environmental organisation she’s devoted decades of her life to. Sidney is avoiding everyone—including the persistent stranger who keeps coming into the café bookstore where she’s been hiding since she dropped out of her PhD. Govita is living in their studio space illegally and taking ketamine instead of working on their art. Somehow, they’ve also managed to adopt a dog. Thirty-something single dad Tomas watches too many movies alone at night—visited by memories of the housemate who once made the place feel like a home.

And then there’s Henry, a Vietnam veteran aging out in rural isolation, writing hateful letters to the person he blames for ruining his life …

Written with an extraordinary range of understanding, The Temperature is a compelling portrait of life in our fracturing society. Following the award-winning Women I Know, it confirms Katerina Gibson as one of the most ambitious, engaging and significant of our emerging writers.

‘Gibson is a masterful storyteller. These characters became kin, their humanity palpable and familiar. I am obsessed.’ Ella Baxter, author of New Animal

‘An exquisite, complex and timely novel … With sharp awareness and a wry playfulness, The Temperature explores the questions, connections and devastating truths of the times we find ourselves in.’ Else Fitzgerald, author of Everything Feels Like the End of the World

‘A smart, tender and sometimes deliciously vicious study of six very different people trying to find their way through broken times.’ Kate Mildenhall, author of The Hummingbird Effect

​‘Jane Halifax out of her depth and at her best. I could not put it down.’ Rebecca Gibney, television's Jane Halifax

​JANE HALIFAX IS ABOUT TO DISCOVER THE GRITTY UNDERBELLY OF SILICON VALLEY

Within hours of arriving in New York City, Jane is dragged into a case and finds herself up against one of the toughest minds she’s ever had to crack: a Silicon Valley billionaire whose ex-business partner has just been murdered.

Sarah Noble is the darling of the tech world – the genius behind an AI defence system that hijacks enemy missiles. But when Sarah’s estranged business partner is killed in a mysterious plane crash, suspicion immediately falls on one of the few people who could hack the plane’s guidance system and had a motive to do so: Sarah herself.

Against her better judgement, Jane agrees to profile Sarah and is immediately drawn into a world beyond her control, where money is no object, murder a tool of trade and the stakes go straight to the heart of the United States itself.

Jane Halifax will need all her forensic experience to unlock the secrets of one of the world’s most formidable minds.

Mitch Rapp faces an old foe from Iran in the new thriller in Vince Flynn's #1 New York Times bestselling series, now written by bestselling author Don Bentley.

In 2011, on a remote Iranian mountain, a group of high-level officials have just witnessed the successful demonstration of a new weapons system meant to upend the American-led war in Afghanistan by essentially decimating the population.

The intelligence officer recognises what this development signifies even if his contemporaries do not. A fellow participant seems to agree with the intelligence officer’s reticence, remarking that he wished there was someone they could tell about this madness. But there is someone the intelligence officer can tell. One man who might just make a difference.

In D.C., CIA Director Irene Kennedy presents the President with news that Bin Laden may have been found, but the President wants proof of Bin Laden's presence, and he only trusts one man to provide it.

In Pakistan, Mitch Rapp encounters Azad Ashani, director of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security, the master spy who once functioned as Irene Kennedy’s back channel to the Iranian government. Ashani owes Rapp, and he intends to settle his debt by providing a piece of intelligence about an American special operations team in Afghanistan, about to interdict a high value target. However, Ashani knows the new Iranian weapons plan is a trap, and to stop it, he's willing to partner with only one man: Rapp.

For the first time, the First Nations story of Cook’s arrival, and what blackfellas want everyone to know about the coming of Europeans.

Winner, First Nations History award, Canberra Critics’ Circle Awards 2024

Both 250 years late and extremely timely, this is an account of what First Nations people saw and felt when James Cook navigated their shores in 1770.

We know the European story from diaries, journals and letters. For the first time, this is the other side. Who were the people watching the Endeavour sail by? How did they understand their world and what sense did they make of this strange vision? And what was the impact of these first encounters with Europeans? The answers lie in tales passed down from 1770 and in truth-telling of the often more brutal engagements that followed.

Darren Rix (a Gunditjmara-GunaiKurnai man, radio reporter and Archie Roach’s nephew) and his co-author Craig Cormick travelled to all the places on the east coast that were renamed by Cook, and listened to people’s stories. With their permission, these stories have been woven together with the European accounts and placed in their deeper context: the places Cook named already had names; the places he ‘discovered’ already had peoples and stories stretching back before time; and although Cook sailed on, the empire he represented impacted the people’s lives and lands immeasurably in the years after.

‘Warra Warra Wai’ was the expression called to Cook and his crew when they tried to make landfall in Botany Bay. It has long been interpreted as ‘Go away’, but is perhaps more accurately translated as ‘You are all dead spirits’. In adding the First Nations version of these first encounters to the story of Australian history, this is a book that will sit on Australian shelves alongside Cook’s Journals, Dark Emu and The Fatal Shore as one of our foundational texts.

In this spine-chilling gothic thriller, a woman on the brink travels to a remote writers’ retreat to uncover the secrets of her past and lands herself in a deadly situation that could destroy her future.

Kate arrives on the wild, remote island of Rathlin in the freezing Irish Channel for a ten-day writers’ retreat. Plagued by memories she can’t unravel and desperate to understand the breakdown of her marriage, Kate is determined to leave the retreat with answers.

As the retreat’s director uses techniques that tap into the eerie mythology of the island, Kate becomes increasingly fascinated by him and her surrounds. But when the temperature plummets and the strange therapy intensifies, her memories unspool. Triggered into a series of disturbing flashbacks, Kate realises her past hides a frightening truth, but can she trust her own mind?

Faced with dark secrets and duplicity, Kate must unlock the answers she’s so desperate to find – and survive the danger she has unwittingly walked into.

‘An eerily atmospheric debut.’ Anna Downes, author of Red River Road

‘... will keep you on edge until the very last page.’ Petronella McGovern, author of The Last Trace

‘A mind-bending gut punch of a novel.’ Dinuka McKenzie, author of Taken

'A disorientating Gothic novel and an intense psychological thriller with a startling conclusion.' Books+Publishing

It took ten years in the coal mines for Mitchell Burns to realise that no pay cheque is worth sacrificing your dreams. Now he’s making up for lost time.

Mitchell Burns never wanted to be a miner. Growing up in a Queensland coal mining town with parents in the industry, pursuing his passion for photography just didn't feel like an option. So, he went in the only direction he knew – straight into the mines.

After a decade in a job he hated, Mitch realised that he had put his dreams on hold for too long. With no blueprint for success, he turned away from mining to forge his own path in photography. In a vulnerable moment, he posted online about taking the leap – the now-viral video has inspired millions of people around the world not to give up on their goals.

These days, hundreds of thousands of viewers follow Mitch as he travels Australia and abroad, sharing his breathtaking landscape photographs and how he captures them. His story is a compelling call to action for anyone who has ever longed to quit their day job and pursue their passion, proving that some risks are well worth taking – you just need to be brave enough to take the shot.

Life, Camera, Action is an inspiring story about choosing your own adventure, and the beauty to be found in following your dreams.

THE NUMBER ONE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
CHOSEN BY WATERSTONES AS ONE OF THEIR BEST CRIME & THRILLER BOOKS OF 2024

'As a comedian, Bob Mortimer spins a shaggy-dog story like nobody else, and this is a rollicking old-school yarn' The Guardian

‘Mortimer’s verbal specificity and off-kilter humour will keep his fans chuckling’ The Times

WARNING - this book includes: heavy crimes, car journeys, dreadfulness, large fruits, romance, planning applications, and a lot of pie.

Gary Thorn is struggling with a big decision. Should he stay in London, wallowing in the safety of his legal job in Peckham and eating pies with his next door neighbour, Grace and her dog Lassoo, or should he move to Brighton, where his girlfriend Emily is about to open The Hotel Avocado? Either way, he’d be letting someone down.

But sinister forces are gathering in a cloud of launderette scented-vape smoke, and the arrival of the mysterious Mr Sequence puts Gary in an even worse predicament: soon he might be dead.

All Gary wants is a happy life. But he also wants to be alive to enjoy it…

THE HILARIOUS AND GRIPPING NEW NOVEL BY NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR BOB MORTIMER

‘Sweet and funny’ Closer

‘A stunning sequel… It’s genuinely difficult to put this book down – you’ll be entranced by Mortimer’s humour and obvious story-telling skills’ Press Association

‘Characters are layered with carefully observed detail and a huge serving of hilarity’ Heat

*LONGLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD*

Chosen by WATERSTONES as one of their BEST POLITICS BOOKS of 2024

‘Anupreeta Das tracks the ups and downs of Bill Gates’s career in her eye-opening book’ The Times

Bill Gates is one of the most powerful figures of the past four decades. But the world-famous public image he has so carefully crafted is not the whole truth. In this explosive new book, Anupreeta Das (finance editor of the New York Times) takes you behind the façade.

From his early years, when he was a divisive figure in the burgeoning tech industry, we see the Microsoft co-founder morph into a ruthless capitalist, only to change yet again when he fashions himself into a global do-gooder. But as Das’s revelatory reporting shows us: billionaires have secrets and philanthropy can have a dark side.

Drawing upon hundreds of interviews with current and former employees of the Gates Foundation, Microsoft, and those with insight into the Gates universe, Das delves into Gates’s relationships with Warren Buffett, Jeffrey Epstein, Melinda French Gates and others to uncover the man behind the persona. In telling Gates’s story, Das also provides a new way to think about how billionaires wield their influence, manipulate their image and pursue philanthropy to achieve their own ends.

Billionaire, Nerd, Saviour, King is a gripping story of wealth, power and reputation; it will open your eyes to the ways in which the world’s richest people hold us in their thrall.

When, at age forty-six, Nancy Pelosi, mother of five, asked her youngest daughter if she should run for Congress, Alexandra Pelosi answered: “Mother, get a life!” And so Nancy did, and what a life it has been.

In The Art of Power, Pelosi describes for the first time what it takes to make history – not only as the first woman to ascend to the most powerful legislative role in our nation, but to pass laws that would save lives and livelihoods, from the emergency rescue of the economy in 2008 to transforming health care. She describes the perseverance, persuasion, and respect for her members that it took to succeed, but also the joy of seeing America change for the better. Among the best-prepared and hardest working Speakers in history, Pelosi worked to find common ground, or stand her ground, with presidents from Bush to Biden. She also shares moving moments with soldiers sent to the front lines, women who inspired her, and human rights activists who fought by her side.

Pelosi took positions that established her as a prophetic voice on the major moral issues of the day, warning early about the dangers of the Iraq War and of the Chinese government’s long record of misbehaviour. This moral courage prepared her for the arrival of Trump, with whom she famously tangled, becoming a red-coated symbol of resistance to his destructive presidency. Here, she reveals how she went toe-to-toe with Trump, leading up to January 6, 2021, when he unleashed his post-election fury on the Congress. Pelosi gives us her personal account of that day: the assault not only on the symbol of our democracy but on the men and women who had come to serve the nation, never expecting to hide under desks or flee for their lives – and her determined efforts to get the National Guard to the Capitol. Nearly two years later, violence and fury would erupt inside Pelosi’s own home when an intruder, demanding to see the Speaker, viciously attacked her beloved husband, Paul. Here, Pelosi shares that horrifying day and the traumatic aftermath for her and her family.

The woman who has been lauded by her opposition as “the most powerful Speaker” ever shows us why she is not afraid of a good fight. The Art of Power is about the fighting spirit that has always animated her, and the historic legacy that spirit has produced.