what the frankie team is reading this month

We love curling up with a good book here at frankie. Whether it’s on the train, in the bath or before bed… anytime works for us (although we’ll probably draw the line at showering). We’ve asked a few bookworms from the frankie team to share some recent reads they loved. 
Heat of the Everflame, Penn Cole

If you’re into slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy, then The Kindred's Curse Saga is for you. Heat of the Everflame is the third book in the four-part series. I devoured all 825 pages (after devouring the first and second novels) and I cannot wait to get my grubby little hands on the fourth instalment when it comes out in Australia later this year. 

The series follows Diem Bellator, a feisty young woman who lives in a mortal world that is ruled by the Descended – cruel beings who are the lineage of gods and possess magical powers. While the mortals are forced to live in poverty, the Descended reside in wealthy cities that are overseen by royalty. (Think The Hunger Games’ Panem but with magic.) The series is filled with loads of world-building, and I find the politics and intricacies of the Descended world super-interesting.

I can’t talk too much about the plot of Heat of the Everflame without giving away spoilers for the first two books, but I’ll just say I really couldn’t put it down. I read it in about three days and, if you’ve seen the size of this hefty thing, you’ll know that means I didn’t do much else with those three days. It was so worth it. 

Wildfire, Hannah Grace
School camps in America have always fascinated me in movies and TV shows – we just don’t have that kind of send-your-kids-away-for-summer mentality here. Wildfire is set at one of these camps and is about two camp counsellors who have intense chemistry working out their relationship in high-stakes circumstances. They met during a one-night stand the week before and didn’t know that they’d be spending summer together at the same camp. There’s lots of spice, sexual tension and straight-up sex. However, there is also a lot of wholesome vulnerability between the two characters which I found really endearing and sweet. This is a different kind of book to what I’d usually pick up, but it was a super easy and fun read. It’s the second book in the Maple Hills series, which I didn’t know about until I finished it. You don’t need to have read the first to enjoy this one.
-Emily Naismith, branded content director

How to Chase Change, Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa

It’s no secret that I love Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa (her podcast was what I was listening to on IWD back in 2023!). Her podcast is called Do You F**** Mind and it’s all about becoming your best self, backed by neuroscience (but without the science-y jargon), and her book, How to Chase Change: 30 Days to Master Your Mindset, is no different. I’ll admit, I’m not usually the biggest fan of self-help books. I find lots of them are very technical without actionable steps and I’m left more confused and my mind is more jumbled than when I began. However, Alexis’ writing is easy to digest and she breaks down all the technical terms with examples. Plus, Alexis added daily tasks throughout the book, so I felt like she was guiding me through the process. I really enjoyed taking the time to pause and reflect on the tasks given and to soak up all her wisdom!

-Iris McPherson, marketing coordinator

I Want Everything, Dominic Amerena
We follow a writer hell-bent on making his mark on Australia’s literary map and the moral lines he’ll tiptoe in the process. I Want Everything traverses the ethics of writing, who owns stories and who we trust with our words.  At times I wanted to write myself into the narrative so I could shake a bit of sense into our protagonist, whose fate I’d found myself so invested in. The book is set in and around my ‘hood too (inner Melbourne), and I know it’s a simple pleasure, but I get such a kick when I recognise street names. If you’re a writer, this is a must read.  If you’re a reader, hey, it’s a must read too! A page-turner from the get go, I highly recommend this book.  I challenge anyone to find a better opening line in a novel, too.
-Claire Mullins, partnerships manager

These handy book recommendations were published in partnership with Simon & Schuster. For even more books to devour, check out the Simon & Schuster website.