We asked you what books you’ve enjoyed reading recently, and here are your recommendations! Enjoy these mini book reviews to see what other students are reading – maybe they’ll help you choose what book to read next…

Want to submit a review of your own? Email msa-library@Monash.edu

Fiction

Pachinko – Min Jin Lee

“A captivating tale about a family through four generations of vibrant experiences from time of Japan occupied Korea in the 1930’s to the beginnings of Modern Asia in the 1980’s” -Beiyu

Available in our Fiction Collection

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Home Fire – Kamila Shamsie

“This book really surprised me! I started reading it based on just liking the writing style for the first few paragraphs, so I didn’t know what to expect from the plot (which is beautifully and sensitively adapted from a classic text – I won’t say which one!). The plot took me places I wasn’t expecting and fed me just enough detail to keep me reading all day, literally. It does go through multiple perspectives and jumps around the timeline a bit, but not in an annoying way. Really incredible use of language, loved it!”

Available in our Fiction collection. Also available by this author ‘Burnt Shadows’

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Ways to Disappear – Idra Novey

“Fast paced highly descriptive novel surrounding the disappearance of a writer in Brazil. The book allows you to clear imagine you have been transported to Brazil. Very different from any other books I have read” – Isabel

On order for Surly due to this recommendation!

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Normal People –Sally Rooney

“Read this over summer, amazing character study with effectively understated writing”

Available in our Fiction collection. Also available by this author –  ‘Mr Salary ’

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A Little Life – Hanya Yanagihara

“Devestating, gorgeous, sensational, sticks with you forever”

Available in our fiction collection. Also by this author – “The People in the Trees”

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A Spark of Light – Jodi Picoult

“Incredible, tackling complex issues in depth and engaging way. My favourite author” Emmaby

Available in our Fiction Collection.  Also available by this author – ‘Second glance’ ‘Nineteen Minutes’ ‘Between the Lines’ ‘My Sister’s Keeper’

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Confessions of a Shopaholic – Sophie Kinsella

“Light read, good book to read if you want a light and breezy read” – Nadine

Available in our Fiction Collection and on DVD. Also available by this author ‘I’ve Got Your Number’ ‘Remember Me?’ ‘Shopaholic abroad’ ‘The secret dreamworld of a shopaholic’ ‘The undomestic goddess’ ‘ Can you keep a secret?’

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The Song of Achilles – Madeline Miller

“The sweetest romance and Greek mythology” – Clarissa

Available in our Science Fiction collection. Also available by this author ‘Circe ’

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Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte

“Not as grim as I was expecting, lots of complex characters.” – Chloe

Available in our Fiction collection and as an eBook and audiobook in our online collection. Also available by this author – “Wuthering heights : Jane Eyre : Two great novels“; “The Brontes: Selected Poems

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Angels and Demons – Dan Brown

“This thriller got me back into my passion for reading after a well over due break. Its captive beginning makes you crave answers.” – Sarah

Available in our Fiction collection and as an eBook in our online collection. Also available by this author – “The Da Vinci Code”; “The Lost Symbol”; “Origin”

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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman

“Excellent book! Funny and charming with great characters/ character development.” – Bridget

Available in our Fiction collection.

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Any Human Heart – William Boyd

“This is a book with a 4.27/5 goodreads score for a reason. An absolutely haunting and lively in equal parts, reflection on the human condition. The era of the book left me pondering all the small details of life I overlook … very melancholic.’ – Santino

Available in our Fiction collection.

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A Life of Adventure and Delight – Akhil Sharma

“A great short story collection that’s easy to clip in and out of. The stories are set in India and in America where the author is from. Very funny and touching.” – Helena

Available in our Fiction collection. Also available by this author – “Family Life”

Fantasy & Sci-Fi

A Darker Shade of Magic – V.E. Schwab

“A mix of Harry Potter and X-men and royalty. The characters are so well-developed and diverse. It’s a cool story about responsibility but with diversity and magic.’ – Kyisin

Available in our Sci-Fi/Fantasy collection. Also available by this author – “Vicious”; “A Gathering of Shadows”; “A Conjuring of Light”

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Perfect Series – Cecelia Ahern

“This novel beautifully and realistically explores the downfall of humanity through man’s desire of power. It’s hard not to fall in love with the main character Celestine who, despite being flawed, heroically finds her courage.” – Arshia

Available in both our Fiction and Ebook collection. Also by this Author ‘Lyebird’, ‘If you could see me now’ ‘P.S. I Love You’ ‘Flawed’

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Inside Out – Maria V. Snyder

“In 2018, I loved reading the book: ‘Inside Out’. It was fun and interesting!” – Anie

Available as an eBook in our online collection. Also available by this author – “Storm Glass“; “Navigating the Stars“; “Poison Study”

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The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien

“That book will always be my favourite book.” – Vikki

“Don’t cut yourself short by this tiny hobbit with full ambitions.” – Samuel

Available in our Sci-Fi/Fantasy collection and as an eBook in our online collection. Also available by this author – “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: The Two Towers: The Return of the King”; “The Children of Hurin”; “The Silmarillion”

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Kingdom of Ash – Sarah J Maas

“Amazing end to an amazing series – Must read for fans of high fantasy” –Varnika

Available in our Science Fiction collection. Also available by this author ‘A Court of Mist and Fury’ ‘Crown of Midnight’

Non-Fic

How to win friends and influence people – Dale Carnegie

“It’s my favourite read this year and I would like to recommend it because in today’s day and life, people generally lack that social skill to communicate well and to make people like you. It’s a wonderful read” – Cnugala

Available in our Non-Fiction collection. Also available by this author “How to develop self-confidence and influence people by public speaking” and “How to stop worrying and start living”

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Becoming – Michelle Obama

“One of the best memoirs/nonfiction reads. Incredibly empowering for women and POC and something that everyone in their lifetime should read” – Jasmine

On order for Surly!

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Gray’s Anatomy – Henry Gray

“Per say not your average fiction book but this was such a pick from the library. Its about human body. It really can’t get more interesting than that!” – Prakriti

Available at the Monash Library.

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The Gulag Archipelago – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

“It’s an amazing and haunting nonfiction book on the horrors of communism and Soviet Russia. An essential read for any history or politics buff!” – Janet

Available at the Monash Library.

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Fight Like a Girl – Clementine Ford

“I love her passionate view and exposure of what life as a female entails. I didn’t even realise how not-okay some things society unconsciously does, until she pointed them out. So glad I picked this one up.” – Madeleine

Available in our Non-Fiction collection.

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The Extractive Zone: Social Ecologies and Decolonial Perspectives – Macarena Gomez

“Ecofeminist + decolonial academic. I like it because it gives new perspectives than traditional academia. It expands on what I study! Also documented indigenous Latinx activism art.” – Phillipa

Available at the Monash Library.

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The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine – Michael Lewis

“So cleverly written, blew my mind.” – Steffi

Available as an eBook in our online collection. Also available by this author – “Flash Boys”

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The Great Game – Peter Hopkirk

“Peters study is intense and works detailing. It gives neutral idea about some of the important global events. I definitely recommend reading as many books from Hopkirk as you can” – Abhidnya

Available at Monash Library.

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The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up – Marie Kondo

“I think anyone would benefit from reading this book. A step by step guide, real life examples, explanations and the philosophy” Gerardien

Available in our non-fiction collection.