The Woman Booker Prize Club is a local Hobart book club. Here they share their thoughts on books by Tasmanian authors, set in Tasmania, or about Tassie topics. Over to the club!

The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage (HarperCollins, November 2025) Review by Emily Schade

This month we’re loving a debut novel, The Heir Apparent from Rebecca Armit­age – perfect for any royalist fans. Then, Jodi Wilson will bring you gently back down to earth in her calming read, with ample tips on how to shed the stress (now we are all back at work and facing the reality that summer holidays are almost over).

Lexi Villiers is living the very normal life of a 29-year-old medical student; she’s working hard, broke, housesharing with friends, enjoying Tassie’s natural beauty and maybe falling in love.

The only thing that’s unusual about Lexi is that she’s also Princess Alexandrina, third in line to the British throne. Third in line until, after a tragic skiing accident, she becomes next in line – the heir apparent.

Lexi is summoned back to London where she comes face to face with an uncertain future and with a past she’d rather forget. Will she step into a role she never expect­ed to be hers? Or will she turn her back on duty to build a life of her own?

In her debut novel, Armitage walks a fine line between fiction and reality. Marrying her knowledge of royal life with beauti­ful writing, Armitage has crafted a story that is a joy to read. I had to remind my­self at times that this is, in fact, fiction.

As an added bonus to this brilliant debut, The Heir Apparent was picked up as the December read for Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club – big congrats Rebecca!

A Brain That Breathes by Jodi Wilson (Murdoch Books, January 2026) Review by Kathryn Montgomery

A Brain That Breathes is an evi­dence-based guide packed with practical tips for cultivating a calmer mind, better equipped for dealing with the constant change we can’t escape in modern life.

There’s a tenderness in Jodi Wilson’s writing as she explores the factors that cause us stress (spoiler, put down your phone), the dangers of too much stress and how we can create space to exercise our brains.

Each chapter focuses on a different theme and suggests five easy, simple, and often free strategies to try. She’s not prescribing how to change your life in an instant, but offering a gentle nudge toward moving in the right direction.

Reading this book is itself an act of self-care. Fun fact: reading is one of the most powerful forms of relaxation, and it also helps us feel empathy – some­thing the world could use a healthy boost of right now. I dare you to sit down with Jodi’s book and not feel a sense of calmness washing over you. Her writing style naturally corrals you into slowing your breathing, being present in the moment, and feeling your shoulders fall from your ears.

An absolute joy to read and I would highly recommend joining Jodi for her book launch at Fullers on Tuesday, 10 February. I have no doubt all attendees will leave feeling a little more restored and curious to explore the space our brains need to breathe.

Book Chatter Shout out to Tasmania’s poetry scene! The next iteration of the long-running Seasonal Poets series [Summer] is on 16 February at 5:30pm, featuring local stars Ben Walter, Adrienne Eberhard and Esther Ottaway. You can also check out Spill Poetry open mic nights in Launceston, and in March we’ll see the return (and revamp) of the monthly Silver Words spoken word poetry event at Shambles in Hobart. If you’re really (young and) keen, why not consider entering the Andrew Hardy Youth Poetry Prize later this year? And don’t forget the Tasmanian Poetry Festival in Launceston each October!

Keen to chat books with us? Find us on Instagram @thewomanbookerprizeclub or email thewbpc@gmail.com