ArtsHub reflects back on the year to see which Australian books reviewed by our stable of writers received five stars. Here are 17 that took out top billing. From feminism to chronic disease, climate change, mental health, Indigenous identity and mature love, the themes explored in these books are eclectic and wide-ranging.
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
