MarieClaire
  • News
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Career
  • Bridal
  • marie hair
  • Gifts
  • The Edit
  • Discount Codes
MarieClaire
  • News
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Career
  • Bridal
  • marie hair
  • Gifts
  • The Edit
  • Discount Codes
Subscribe
  1. Home
  2. News

The Six Best Books Of The Year, According To A marie claire Editor

Happy reading - by Alley Pascoe
  • 12 Dec 2018
The Six Best Books Of The Year, According To A marie claire Editor

Reading books for a living is a real tough gig (please note: sarcasm).

In my job as the culture editor at marie claire magazine, I get sent handfuls of books a day. My desk is covered in new release thrillers and heartwarming rom-coms; I'm physically drowning in Nordic noir and heart-wrenching memoirs. And you know what? I’m not in the least bit angry about it.

This year I’ve reviewed roughly 67 books for marie claire, and these are the six I couldn’t put down...

busyphilipps View Profile
87.4k likes - View Post on Instagram
Ok. NOW I CAN POST IT. HERE is the cover and title of MY BOOK!! It comes out in October but you can pre-order now at busypbook.com (link in profile). Everyone tells me pre orders are the most important thing but I don't know about that! All I know is I've worked so hard on this book, I'm really proud of it and I can't wait for you all to read it! Cover shot by the incredible incomparable @autumndewilde with glam by my ROD @kmannmakeup @karlawelchstylist @bobbyeliot @kristisword. Book is being released by @touchstonebooks #thiswillonlyhurtalittle 💞👏🏻💞👏🏻💞👏🏻💞👏🏻

THIS WILL ONLY HURT A LITTLE by Busy Philipps (Hachette, $32.99)

Busy Philipps made a name for herself on Instagram stories for being honest, hilarious and BFFs with Michelle Williams. Her memoir is exactly the same as her Insta feed. Growing up as a bit of a dork in Scottsdale, Arizona, this book follows Busy though her awkward teenage years to Hollywood and her breakthrough role on Dawson’s Creek. Much to my surprise, the least interesting part of the book is her friendship with BFF Michelle Williams. Reflecting on her childhood and the trauma she’s faced, Busy’s story is so much more than that of an aspiring actress who finds fame on TV. She’s been through hell, and you can feel it on every page. If you follow her on Insta, you’ll love her even more after reading this book.

janeharperauthor View Profile
837 likes - View Post on Instagram
*COVER REVEAL* I'm absolutely thrilled to reveal the beautiful Australian cover for my upcoming book, The Lost Man. It will be coming out in Australia on October 23, and in the UK and US early next year. It's a stand-alone novel set around a sudden and unexplained death on a remote family-run cattle station in Queensland, and I've absolutely loved the opportunity to make the most of that incredibly harsh and isolated landscape. I'll be touring in Australia in October and November, so stay tuned for details and please do come along and say hello! #TheLostMan

THE LOST MAN by Jane Harper (Pan MacMillan, $32.99)

Like the rest of the country, I was obsessed with Jane Harper’s debut novel The Dry when it came out in 2016. I was also a fan of her second book Force of Nature last year. But this year’s The Lost Man is some of Jane’s best work yet. Set in the harsh Australian outback, the book follows a family of three brothers after one of them turns up dead at the eerie stockman’s grave on the border of the family’s property. Nothing about this novel is predictable. The characters are compelling, the plot is thrilling and the ending is so very satisfying. There’s something special about getting to the end of a book and figuring out the mystery. You’ll be left feeling content, a little shocked and desperate for more. Please Jane may we have another?

allenandunwin View Profile
172 likes - View Post on Instagram
Look out for #EggshellSkull in shops this week, and @Bri.E.Lee all over the media - check out the links in our recent stories for an extract in @GoodWeekendMag and a recent @GuardianAus piece on speaking out about sexual assault. You'll also find Bri at events around the country in coming weeks discussing her experiences on both sides of the law, as student, judge's associate and then complainant: 23 May - Brisbane launch @AvidReader (booked out) 27 May - @MuseCanberra, in conversation with @zoyajpatel 28 May - @ReadingsBooks Melbourne, in conversation with @Clementine_Ford 29 May - Adelaide launch @Matilda_Bookshop , in conversation with Deb Tribe 30 May - Sydney launch with @BetterReadBookshop, in conversation with @writesfiona @camperdowncommons 31 May - @Dymocks_Sydney, in conversation with @WildVKate 1 June - Hobart @fullersbookshop, in conversation with Rachel Edwards 6 June - Brisbane @RiverbendBooks #BriLee #Memoir

EGGSHELL SKULL by Bri Lee (Allen & Unwin, $29.99)

Brave is a word that gets thrown around too easily these days, but it’s the best word to describe Bri Lee. As a judge’s associate at the Queensland District Court, Bri Lee saw first hand the injustice faced by women and girls who’ve experienced sexual abuse. Two years later, she returned to the court as a complainant in her own case, telling her story after years of keeping it a secret. Eggshell Skull is a powerful memoir about standing up, speaking out and fighting back. Every single word is well-thought and important. The title Eggshell Skull refers to a well-established legal doctrine that a defendant must “take their victim as they find them.” Bri Lee explains, “If a single punch kills someone because of their thin skull, that victim’s weakness cannot mitigate the seriousness of the crime. But what if it also works the other way? What if a defendant on trial for sexual crimes has to accept his 'victim’ as she comes: a strong, determined accuser who knows the legal system, who will not back down until justice is done?” Bri Lee isn’t afraid to ask the questions that need to be asked. She is bravery at its best. 

allenandunwin View Profile
87 likes - View Post on Instagram
"A superbly drawn, utterly compelling evocation of a small town riven by a shocking crime." @MB_randi, author of #Wimmera, on #Scrublands - out next week! Discover the shocking crime and read the opening chapters, as well as other great reviews from some of Australia's finest crime writers, over on our blog http://bit.ly/ScrublandsReviews (link in profile)

SCRUBLANDS by Chris Hammer (Allen & Unwin, $32.99)

I haven’t felt this way about a book since I read Jane Harper’s aforementioned debut novel The Dry in 2016. Scrublands, written by journalist Chris Hammer, is a true hold-your-breath thriller. I physically could not put it down and read the whole thing in two days – it’s a 496-page book. The story centres on the anniversary of a mass shooting in a drought-stricken Riverina town. Troubled journalist Martin Scarsden travels to Riversend a year after the town’s young priest opened fire on his congregation, killing five locals and then himself. As Martin starts to ask questions about the shooting and the priest, he realises the town is overflowing with secrets. This book has more twists than the Murray River (see what I did there?). You simply must read it.

lilyallen View Profile
18.7k likes - View Post on Instagram
There she is ! Heres my book cover! #MyThoughtsExactly , pre-order now on Amazon or any next retailer 😉

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY by Lily Allen (Penguin, $34.99)

For over a decade, Lily Allen has been painted as a caricature in the British press: a drunk, wild, party girl. She redefines herself in this brutally honest memoir, writing, “So, this is me. Lily Allen. I am a woman. I am a mother. I was a wife. I drink. I have taken drugs. I have loved and been let down. I am a success and a failure. I am a songwriter. I am a singer. I am all these things and more.” Despite making headlines for admitting she hired female sex-workers when she married and touring the US, the real story in this book is one of vulnerability, heartache and strength. Lily writes openly about her unconventional childhood as the daughter of comedian Keith Allen and producer Alison Owen, her traumatic stillbirth, the breakdown of her marriage and her stalking ordeal. It’s a fascinating story; best read while listening to her breakthrough album Alright, Still.

harpercollinsaustralia View Profile
201 likes - View Post on Instagram
"Call it a hunch, but I think Trent Dalton might've just written an Australian classic." - Benjamin Law #BoySwallowsUniverse #TrentDalton #YourEndisaDeadBlueWren #AustralianClassic #AustralianFiction #Brisbane #tbrpile #bookstagram

BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE by Trent Dalton (HarperCollins, $32.99)

This isn’t just my favourite book of the year – it’s my favourite book of all time, by my favourite writer in the ~universe~. I’m not exaggerating when I say Trent Dalton’s debut novel is a masterpiece. Based on his own childhood in blue-collar Brisbane, the book tells the story of Eli, a young boy with “a lost father, a mute brother, and mum in jail, a heroin dealer as a stepfather and a notorious crim for a babysitter.” It’s enthralling, addictive and so very emotional. (When I finished reading it, my boyfriend asked me if I was okay because I was sobbing so hard). If you’ve grown up in a dysfunctional family, fought your way out of your circumstances or tried your best to be a “good man,” this book will hit you in the guts. In the best possible way.

  • News
  • Lifestyle
  • Celebrity
Alley Pascoe
Alley Pascoe
Alley Pascoe is contributor to marie claire Australia. She spends her days interviewing inspirational women, including career highlights Kasey Chambers, Serena Williams and Julia Roberts (for seven minutes on the phone).

Subscribe to Marie Claire-+ save!

Subscribe to marie claire

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to Marie Claire

Subscribe to Marie Claire-+ save!

Subscribe to marie claire

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to Marie Claire

Recommended to you

MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows
Watch 4:43

MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows

{headline}

{headline}

The 10 Best Books Of 2020

The 10 Best Books Of 2020

Relax With The Latest Reads From Australia's Up-And-Coming Novelists

Relax With The Latest Reads From Australia's Up-And-Coming Novelists

Marie Claire Book Club: Must-Reads This April

Marie Claire Book Club: Must-Reads This April

Marie Claire Book Club: International Women's Day Edition

Marie Claire Book Club: International Women's Day Edition

{headline}

{headline}

Marie Claire Book Club: Must-Reads This Month

Marie Claire Book Club: Must-Reads This Month

The Most Popular Books Of 2019 Have Been Unveiled

The Most Popular Books Of 2019 Have Been Unveiled

Marie Claire Book Club: What To Read This Month

Marie Claire Book Club: What To Read This Month

{headline}

{headline}

The Four Very Best Books Of The Month

The Four Very Best Books Of The Month

The Must-Read Books Of The Moment

The Must-Read Books Of The Moment

The Wild Life Of Investigative Journalist Holly Watt

The Wild Life Of Investigative Journalist Holly Watt

Life Lessons From Human Rights Lawyer Alice Clark-Platts

Life Lessons From Human Rights Lawyer Alice Clark-Platts

This Is The Book That Changed My Life

This Is The Book That Changed My Life

Lily Allen Reveals Shocking Underage Sex Claim In Her New Tell-All Book

Lily Allen Reveals Shocking Underage Sex Claim In Her New Tell-All Book

12 Books You Need To Read In March

12 Books You Need To Read In March

MarieClaire
  • About Us
  • Discount Codes
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
MarieClaire Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Discount Codes
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • Beauty Crew
  • Home Beautiful
  • Elle
  • Who

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • beautyheaven
  • New Idea food
  • New Idea
  • Girlfriend
  • That’s Life
  • Practical Parenting
  • All Recipes
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • 7mate
  • 7NEWS
  • 7Sport
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from Marie Claire

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe to Marie Claire-+ save!

Shop This Offer
Subscribe to Marie Claire