Booktique

Booktique An independent bookshop in the heart of Wangaratta. Open 6 days a week, and online 24/7.

The delightful Victoria Purman called in to Booktique Wangaratta on Thursday - she has signed copies of her book The Mar...
14/05/2026

The delightful Victoria Purman called in to Booktique Wangaratta on Thursday - she has signed copies of her book The Marriage Trap.
Victoria Purman Author HarperCollins Books Australia

Sunday Ponderings....After a morning in the garden, I'm settling in to the delightful task of assessing a pile of proof ...
10/05/2026

Sunday Ponderings....
After a morning in the garden, I'm settling in to the delightful task of assessing a pile of proof copies that have been amassing on the table beside my fireside chair. Whereas it is physically impossible for me to read each and every new release that comes into the shop, I can get a sense of the story, plot and writing style by spending half an hour or so with each one.
There are times when that half hour turns into several, and before I know it I've read each and every word and it's well past bedtime. That's job satisfaction right there.
Hidden within this pile, under the Agatha Christie (definitely not a new release, Mark's bookclub) are Honey (Imani Thompson), Fire Exit (Morgan Talty), The Ending Writes Itself (Evelyn Clarke), Things I Cannot Say (Geraldine Mellet), and Whistler (Ann Patchett). I started this pile last night, and got stuck on the first book. Lisa See's Daughters of the Sun and Moon has me captivated and will make the transition to the 'read every word' pile. The others will just have to wait.

Antoinette Lattouf's book 'Women Who Win' is a new release title on our shelves now.Under the chapter "Slander Slam Dunk...
05/05/2026

Antoinette Lattouf's book 'Women Who Win' is a new release title on our shelves now.
Under the chapter "Slander Slam Dunks" is the story of a woman who filed a defamation suit in the Supreme Court of NSW against an online bully who threatened to take down her business. The serious harm threshold, not yet tried, resulted in a landmark decision being handed down by the Supreme Court of NSW.
That woman, Jasmin Newman, is my sister. My favourite quote from Antoinette's book:
"I can, however, introduce you to a woman who took these brand new serious-harm provisions for a test drive, then left tread marks doing victory burnouts in front of the courthouse steps."
Way to go!

In-Case-You-Missed-It: two fantastic novels that revolve around art.Mona's Eyes (Thomas Schlesser). 52 weeks. That’s all...
04/05/2026

In-Case-You-Missed-It: two fantastic novels that revolve around art.
Mona's Eyes (Thomas Schlesser).
52 weeks. That’s all the time Mona has left to learn about beauty before she loses her eyesight forever.
52 works of art. Every Wednesday, Mona’s grandfather picks her up after school and takes her to see a great work of art.
52 chapters. Together, on their visit to Paris’ museums, Mona and her grandfather will experience enchantment and sadness.
An enchanting novel about love and loss and art, and the special bond between a girl and her grandfather. I am still trying to wrest this book off Mark so I can finish reading it.
The Original (Nell Stevens).
‘There was a painting my family set on fire. It burned to ashes, and then it came back.’
This intriguing story is historical fiction, set around the turn of the 20th century. The protagonist, Grace, is a very fine artist - she can copy anything. But her life is complicated. I read this several months ago and loved it.
Set aside a few hours and dive right in, you will be surrounded in art and culture with every page.

Sunday Ponderings....Not just another brick in the wall! A little bit different, but still identifiable; this is the log...
03/05/2026

Sunday Ponderings....
Not just another brick in the wall! A little bit different, but still identifiable; this is the logo we used for Booktique Merimbula between 2009 and 2014.
The brick is actually a paver on the footpath in Merimbula, a joint effort with the Chamber of Commerce and Council. Community members and businesses purchased their own paver to help fund the project. Sometimes making a mark on a town can be quite literal!
We slipped into Merimbula quietly last week, and I found it surprisingly nostalgic. This is the town I grew up in, where my childhood friendships were forged, where my sense of self blossomed. I had my own children here. We have been gone for 14 years, and been back many times, but this visit was a bit different for me.
I am proud of our Booktique journey; we have created another two shops under the same branding ('a little bit different, but still identifiable') and I still love the industry we are part of. Hearing back from a customer that loved a book I suggested for them still gives me the same thrill as the first time it happened, all those years ago. How wonderful it is to share the passion!

A Far-Flung Life is a family saga set in the outback of Western Australia. ML Steadman has presented us with another mor...
27/04/2026

A Far-Flung Life is a family saga set in the outback of Western Australia. ML Steadman has presented us with another moral dilemma, as she sets before us the story of the MacBride family as they navigate life on their remote sheep station, Meredith Downs.
The MacBride family is forever altered when a tragic car accident leaves them reeling, and the station moves into another phase. This is a story of toil and guilt; of what was, what is, and what could have been.
The drama and startling beauty of the outback is brought to life with an intensity that is difficult to ignore on the printed page.
Be prepared for unutterable sadness, astonishing beauty, and kindness beyond measure. Decisions, good and bad, shape this story and will leave you thinking well beyond the last page.

Penguin Random House

I am loving Lauren Groff's short story collection, 'Brawler'. Each story comes as its own unique package, and I found th...
26/04/2026

I am loving Lauren Groff's short story collection, 'Brawler'. Each story comes as its own unique package, and I found that I needed a little bit of time between each one to let the characters settle. Although I usually prefer full-length novels, I reveled in this collection and in fact enjoyed them so much I may rethink my usual one-story-per-book bias!

Indeed.


Penguin Random House Library Marketing

Sunday Ponderings....My garden Sundays are turning back to Sundays by the fire! This year, sadly, we will be bidding a f...
26/04/2026

Sunday Ponderings....
My garden Sundays are turning back to Sundays by the fire! This year, sadly, we will be bidding a final farewell to the twin silver birch trees that have been standing sentinel over our back garden for the past 12 years (and many more... they were well established when we moved in). We lost one tree over a year ago, and let it stand beside its brother. For company? Maybe. When the second tree went, it was time to down them both.
I have always loved silver birches. Leaves that gave us rustly, whispery shade in summer that turned buttery yellow in autumn, before finally creating a golden carpet on the lawn. Winter gave us a different beauty; stunning silvery white trunks and elegant branches, ripe with the promise of spring.
But with all things that pass, we have been presented with an opportunity. A complete re-design of the back garden is underway, an orange tree has been planted and we are full of the wistful optimism that comes with starting something new.

Advance notice that we will be closed this Saturday for ANZAC Day.They went with songs to the battle, they were young,St...
20/04/2026

Advance notice that we will be closed this Saturday for ANZAC Day.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

For the Fallen (Laurence Binyon)

Sunday Ponderings....During the week we hosted our second BookTalk at the shop. Our theme for the evening was 'Aging Gra...
19/04/2026

Sunday Ponderings....
During the week we hosted our second BookTalk at the shop. Our theme for the evening was 'Aging Gracefully'. Our guest speaker to start the night was Caroline Pizzey, who many of you know from the shop. Caroline is the editor for Stephanie Alexander's The Cook's Companion. We thought this was a fitting start to the evening, as the popularity of The Cook's Companion over 30 years has not waned, and is surely proof of a book that has aged gracefully.
Our discussion turned to books of course - those that have stood the test of time with grace, and those which have not. And books that can teach us about living well and aging with dignity and respect.
But my key takeaway from the evening was the person (forgive me for not remembering your name!) who gently noted the difference between aging gracefully, and aging graciously.
And there it is. The power of words.

Address

51 Reid Street
Wangaratta, VIC
3677

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm

Telephone

+61357216235

Website

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