Have no idea what books to choose as presents for loved ones or for yourself? Before you reach out for the household names and those that regularly dominate the bestseller (and even prize-winning) lists, maybe consider spreading the love a little and choosing some less well-known titles that deserve recognition. Here are some personally curated Australian books that may have been overlooked in this year’s publication schedules.
Thuy On is the Reviews and Literary Editor of ArtsHub and an arts journalist, critic and poet who’s written for a range of publications including The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, Sydney Review of Books, The Australian, The Age/SMH and Australian Book Review. She was the Books Editor of The Big Issue for 8 years and a former Melbourne theatre critic correspondent for The Australian.
She has three collections of poetry published by the University of Western Australian Press (UWAP): Turbulence (2020), Decadence (2022) and Essence (2025).
Threads: @thuy_on123 Instagram: poemsbythuy
