10 local books to add to your TBR
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Meet your next favourite local book.
With autumn officially here and cooler weather on the horizon, there’s nothing like curling up with a good book – especially when it’s by a local author.
Spanning poetry, middle grade fiction, memoir and more, there’s something for every kind of reader on this list. Read on (pun intended).
HerCapital Stories by CMS Radio
Led by CMS Radio Station Manager, Joyce Yang, HerCapital Stories shares the professional journeys of women from multicultural, migrant, and refugee backgrounds in Canberra and beyond.
Inspired by the CMS HerCapital Stories radio series – which debuted on the airwaves in 2025 – the book recognises 20 multicultural women whose heritage spans Taiwan, Cameroon, Afghanistan, Fiji, Sri Lanka, China, the Philippines, Nigeria, India, Samoa, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Tonga, and Australia.
Exploring reinvention, resilience, advocacy, and intergenerational impact across various sectors( including science, medicine, public service, law, engineering, mental health, media, and community leadership), it’s an inspiring celebration of Canberra’s multicultural community.
The Balanced Life: Unlocking Happiness by Stephen Lovett
Following the publication of his memoir Tough is not Enough in 2024, retired professional boxer, stonemason, and local author Stephen Lovett is back with another book.
Drawing from his own personal journey and practical wisdom, The Balanced Life: Unlocking Happiness is a guide for anyone looking for support in balancing work, relationships, and self-care.
It dives into how to embrace imperfection, shift your mindset, and prioritise purpose. Stephen hopes to help readers find lasting happiness through mindful choices.
The Last Pieces of Me by Lyn Groves
Published at the end of 2025, The Last Pieces of Me is a piece of contemporary fiction about pain, love, loss and hope.
It’s a moving Australian family saga that spans decades, and follows Elise – a woman whose life has been pieced together from love, loss, and long-buried secrets. As illness and the slow erosion of memory threaten to undo her, Elise must reckon with the puzzle of her life. What follows is a beautiful story about how to make peace with the past.
Shaw Salvation by Xavier Wallace
This is the sixth book in the Max Shaw Spy series, so if you haven’t read the others, you’d better get cracking.
Written by Canberra-based author Xavier Wallace, the series follows Australian Intelligence Service agent Max Shaw as he navigating high-stakes terrorism threats, personal loss, and intense, action-packed missions.
Picking up after Shaw Intervention, Shaw Salvation follows a retired Max as he’s pulled back into action to stop a new wave of terror. But here’s a twist readers will enjoy – it’s set in Canberra. With scenes in Government House, the Lodge and even the Canberra Centre, it promises to be a thrilling local read.
Emergence: A Collection of Unsaid Truths by Halima B.H.
The debut collection of poems is more than a collection of words – it’s described as a confessional. Power and evocative, the essays and stories in Emergence: A Collection of Unsaid Truths explore the raw and unsaid truths of life.
Using her writing to make sense of feelings she once felt ashamed of, author Halima B.H. will take you on a journey through the rawness of humanity.
Little Bones by Sandy Bigna
A grieving girl stumbles into a magical dilemma that may just set her on the path to healing. That’s the premise of Sandy Bigna’s debut novel Little Bones.
A unique and lyrical verse novel for middle-grade readers, this book was named the winner of the 2025 Queensland Literary Awards – Children’s Book Award and was shortlisted for the 2025 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards (eight to ten years). Recommended for ages nine to 12, it mixes magic, science, and exploration with the power of friendship.
Cult Bride: How I Was Brainwashed – and How I Broke Free by Liz Cameron
Did you know this true story is by a local author? As an 18-year-old on a gap year in Canberra, Liz was approached at a shopping centre by a woman. What followed is an extraordinary story of how she was broken down by a secretive, predatory cult – and how she broke free.
Taking readers behind the scenes to show how cults operate in plain sight, if you only choose one book from this list, make it Cult Bride.
Alight on all things precious by Sarah Rice
Poet, artist, lecturer, and theorist Sarah Rice has woven together a collection of poetry with Alight on all things precious.
Written in response to visual art, the book not only contains her most recent work but also examples from earlier projects, commissions, and collaborations with artists working across the fields of painting, glass, ceramics, metal, photography, and print.
Combining the creative world of both visual and literary works, it explores how people both shape and are shaped by the things they touch.
Into the Light by Daniela Koulikov
Written for anyone who has ever “felt caught between who they are and who they thought they had to be”, Into the Light is an evocative and beautiful poetry collection exploring love, heartache, and self-acceptance.
Daniela Koulikov’s debut poetry collection is structured in three celestial movements – The Stars, The Moon, and The Sun – and a journey of personal growth, capturing the experience of losing yourself in love, the weight of hiding your truth, and the slow, brave process of reclaiming your identity. Pick it up to explore the joy of letting go of it all and reclaiming your voice.
Tara the Capybara by Annie Brill
Written and self-published by a local primary school teacher, Tara the Capybara is for children with ADHD or anxiety, sensitive or highly emotional children and parents wanting to build confidence and self-acceptance.
A heartfelt story about growing self-belief, resilience and learning to love who you are, the book follows Tara as she navigates her daily life, diving into many things that neurodivergent people find difficult: maintaining focus, organising tasks, managing time, and regulating emotions. A gentle and uplifting picture book, it’s a heartfelt story about growing self-belief, resilience and learning to love who you are.
Feature image: Paperchain Manuka. Credit Pew Pew Studio.
