Better Reading Top 100 Fiction

Not sure what to read? Better reading has help us and taken the hard work out of it with the help of the public, in compiling a voted top 100 of favourite fiction books.

Have a look and make a selection.

Something to add to the reading list.

Thirst
Benjamin Warner

What might you do to survive?

No man is an island
Adele Dumont

It is the story about immigration detention all australians need to read.

It ends with us
Colleen Hoover

Stunning debut into adult fiction.

Out of the Ice by Ann Turner

When environmental scientist Laura Alvarado is sent to a remote Antarctic island to report on an abandoned whaling station, she begins to uncover more than she could ever imagine.

Reminders of the bloody, violent past are everywhere, and Laura is disturbed by evidence of recent human interference. Rules have been broken, and the protected wildlife is behaving strangely.

On a diving expedition, Laura emerges into an ice cave where she is shocked to see an anguished figure, crying for help. But in this freezing, lonely landscape there are ghosts everywhere, and Laura wonders if her own eyes can be trusted. Has she been in the ice too long?

Back at base, Laura’s questions about the whaling station go unanswered, blocked by scientists unused to outsiders. And Laura just can’t shake what happened in the cave.

Piecing together a past and present of cruelty and vulnerability that can be traced around the world, from Norway, to Nantucket, Europe and Antarctica, Laura will stop at nothing to unearth the truth. As she comes face to face with the dark side of human progress, she also discovers a legacy of love, hope and the meaning of family. If only Laura can find her way . . 

Out of the ice.

BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS:

1. Antarctica is a unique setting for the novel. How does the location add to the suspense, and how crucial is this setting to the story? What place does Antarctica hold in our collective imagination?

2. Laura Alvarado has a troubled past. Do you think that this has played a part in her strong feelings towards Antarctica and its wildlife? How has it affected her view of the world? Is Laura an unreliable narrator?

3. How would you interpret the title Out of the Ice? Does it have more than one meaning?

4. Migration, of both wildlife and humans, is a theme in Out of the Ice. How is the long history of migration depicted?

5. The destruction, but also the survival of family is a continuing theme in the story. Does the book explore more than one type of family? Ultimately, does it raise questions regarding the notion of family and what it – and home – can mean?

6. The story looks at how the whalers’ actions in the past are judged in the present. It links this with global warming and how the potential destruction of the environment is perhaps not understood by some in the same way that the whalers didn’t comprehend the level of emotion that whales feel, and their evolved communication skills. Do you agree, or disagree, with these ideas? How do you view the past through the prism of the present?

7. Scientists conducting experiments are depicted in Out of the Ice. Can science ever be justified as being above ethics and morality if it is for the greater good of humanity?

8. Discuss how the book looks at human progress – from the whalers, to the scientists, to the migrants and refugees in search of a better life. How vulnerable are children in this?

9. Friendship between women is a fundamental aspect of this story. How is the friendship depicted between Laura, Kate and Georgia? And between Helen and Nancy? How does friendship help these women? And how do women fare in isolated, male-oriented environments?

10. Fredelighavn Whaling Station is a haunted place, and Laura feels a presence there, although she believes in ghosts of memory, not the supernatural. But in sites of bloody violence, can ghosts visit?

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Lou Clark knows lots of things.
She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. she knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

Who Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Trainer knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a steps to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.



"Me before You" is a love story and a family story, but above all it's a story of the bravery and the sustained effort needed to redirect the path of a life once it's been pushed off course. At some point you have heard about the book or someone has told you about their emotional rollercoaster while reading about the book, this still makes reading the book yourself worthwhile. Have your tissues handy, is the one of the words of advise I can give a future reader.

The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith

In 1631, Sara de Vos is admitted as a master painter to the Guild of St. Luke's in Holland, the first woman to be so recognised. Three hundred years later, only one work attributed to de Vos is known to remain -- a haunting winter scene, At the edge of a Wood, which hangs over the bed of a wealthy descendant of the original owner. An Australian grad student, Ellie Shipley, struggling to to stay afloat in New York, agrees to paint a forgery of the landscape, a decision that will haunt her. Because now, half a century later, she's curating an exhibit of female Dutch painters, and both versions threaten to arrive. As the three threads intersect, 'The Last Painting of Sara de Vos' mesmerises while it grapples with the demands of the artistic life, showing how the debits of the past can forge the present.

This is such a fascinating story, taking place in 3 distinct time eras: 17th century Netherlands, 1950s New York City and Sydney, Australia of 2000. The author is assure in  taking us through yes times and peoples' lives; learning their secrets, their inspirations, their pain and hope and love and loss. 

This beautifully written book was a pleasure to read.

The one who got away by Caroline Overington

"Loren Wynne-Estes appears to have it all: she's the girl from the wrong side of the tracks who's landed a handsome husband, a stunning home, a fleet of shinny cars and two beautiful daughters...

Then one day a fellow parent taps Loren on the shoulder outside the grand school gate, hands her a note ...and suddenly everything's at stake.

Loren's facebook-perfect marriage is spectacularly exposed - revealing an underbelly of lies and betrayal. What is uncovered will scandalise a small town, destroy lives and leave a family divided.

But who is to be believed and who is to blame? Will the right person be brought to justice or is there one who got away?

I found this to be a really compelling read. As I started reading I worried that it was going to try hard to replicate recent bestselling novels of late. The plot is really well developed and the character are intriguing and desire knowing that a twist was coming I still found myself unable to guess the specifics and wanting to read on to see where it went. This book should absolutely be on any 2016 must read list