Aussie Readers discussion

Sweet Gail, going really well :D Have you worked out what will be your TBA yet?

I don't know if it's the weather or some other reason. I haven't been motivated to choose a summer related novel yet. I was hoping to get to the end and have a miraculous inspiration.

I think I am done with this challenge too, though I have only read 8 out of the 10 books. But there really was no chance I was going to finish Pillars of the Earth (the only Oprah recommended book I own) and romances are just not my cup of tea. All 8 books were from my TBR pile before the challenge started (thanks Mandy for the help in getting a few books off the mountain anyway)

1. Lethal Factor by Gabrielle Lord - great story with lots of action
2. A Canterbury Crime by Brian Kavanagh (another Aussie) - sweet mystery with historical overtones
3. The Ghost by Robert Harris was a bit disappointing - about ghost writing the memoirs of a British Prime Minister - won't be seeing the film
4. I'm not a fan of summer and neither is my TBR so all I had was The Body on the Beach by Simon Brett - very light/cosy mystery about a body that goes missing - not bad
5. skipped it - I've read the first half of Pillars of the earth twice but then I lose the will to live.
6. Rolling Thunder: A John Ceepak Mystery by Chris Grabenstein as narrated in audio by Jeff Woodman - marvellous - now I have to wait until 2012 for the next book :(
7. The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith takes place in 1950's Russia - it features the adopted teenage daughter of the main character who hates her new father (not unreasonably, he was responsible for the death of her real parents) and her hatred fuels much of the action in the book
8. Holiday Grind by Cleo Coyle featured dead santas (which I didn't mind as Christmas is not my favourite time of year)
9. I entered the name Elly Griffiths and as she's a relatively new author with only 3 books published there weren't many other names but one that did appear was Michael Connelly so I read The Overlook that I had in my TBR - not bad but not brilliant
10. Was never gonna happen :)

Well done Bernadette!

I finally finished my 7th book for this challenge. I'm slowly making my way to the end.
2. 206 Bones by Kathy Reichs.
I liked it but I still enjoy the TV show more.

Gail, #9, the Literature Map is fun but I totally agree, not infallible!

Cheryl wrote: "Gail, #9, the Literature Map is fun but I totally agree, not infallible!"

Not totally unexpected really. I love the literature map, it gives a fun new way to explore authors I wouldn't necessarily read otherwise. If you are in the mood for a particular type of book it can offer an alternative.

agreed :)

Congratulations to all who are continuing to get through this challenge. I have just read a book that I really enjoyed that would fit in 2 categories - New Realease and Romance - it is Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros and I recommend it if anyone wants to read it. It only has 222 pages so was a quick read and it's a very modern romance conducted over Twitter.

finished Mockinjay. I liked it, even though in places the violence and gore were over the top. I can understand however why there are mixed reactions to the book ... it is not in the same league as the first two.

So 8 down, 2 to go. I am half way through Succubus Blues but still need to find a copy of 'The Secret Life of Bees'.

1. Celebrate Australia! Parrot and Olivier in America. - currently reading - READ
2. Lighten the Load! Mockingjay READ
3. Movie, TV series or play. The Secret Life of Bees
4. Title related to Summer! Sizzling Sixteen - READ
5. Oprah's List - Shark Girl - READ
6. New Release! Eleven - READ
7. Schoolie's Week! iBoy or I Am Number Four - READ BOTH
8. Ho Ho Ho! - Shiver READ
9. Literature Map - Succubus Blues
10. Valentine's Day - Persuasion - READ

Carmel that is funny - it's not mean to laugh when your teen shows a childlike innocence. In my opinion. My 14 yo son might differ.

@ Dee-Ann...congratulations, you're doing well...you'll get finished. Heaps of time left..:)

Thanks Brenda, I have just checked the local library catalogue online and the my tenth book is available, so it is looking promising ... congratulations on finishing the challenge, did you enjoy the challenge? I am.

Bronwyn wrote: "Congratulations to all who are continuing to get through this challenge. I have just read a book that I really enjoyed that would fit in 2 categories - New Realease and Romance - it is [book:Goodn..."
I've added this book to my collection of TBR..It grabbed my interest after your comment!

Finished my 8th book today.
7. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.
It was a re-read but I love it so much.
2 to go!

Nice going Emily :D!

Dee-Ann wrote: "Thanks Brenda, I have just checked the local library catalogue online and the my tenth book is available, so it is looking promising ... congratulations on finishing the challenge, did you enjoy th..."

I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge, thanks Dee-Ann..I have never done anything like that before, and I'll certainly be doing as many as I can now...it's fun, plus getting through the TBR list is awesome :)

Emily wrote: "Finished my 8th book today.
7. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.
It was a re-read but I love it so much.
2 to go!"

Good on you Emily!!! Makes you feel good, doesn't it..:)

Yepp. Hope I can finish. I have a book due back at the library on Monday I've barely started. Speed reading time.

I'm forever doing that...have 5 books all due back at the library on the 25/2..:)

Almost there finished 'The secret life of bees' and really enjoyed it. So 9 down, 1 to go.

1. Celebrate Australia! Parrot and Olivier in America. - currently reading - READ
2. Lighten the Load! Mockingjay READ
3. Movie, TV series or play. The Secret Life of Bees - READ
4. Title related to Summer! Sizzling Sixteen - READ
5. Oprah's List - Shark Girl - READ
6. New Release! Eleven - READ
7. Schoolie's Week! iBoy or I Am Number Four - READ BOTH
8. Ho Ho Ho! - Shiver READ
9. Literature Map - Succubus Blues
10. Valentine's Day - Persuasion - READ

Well done Dee-Ann!!!!

Fabulous Dee-Ann! Great feeling, isn't it...:)

Hello all

I have struggled a bit with this challenge but am still going to try to get to five books read. Every time I tried to pick up a Challenge book I got a look from a family member and the question ... "aren't you going to read your Christmas Books?". I couldn't remember who bought what gift so I didn't know whose feelings were being hurt because I hadn't picked up their books yet? Urrgh!!

Never mind, I will persist but, as an aside, if I ever try to list another Peter Carey title again as part of a list would someone please remind me (forcefully if necessary) that I won't enjoy it and poking my eyes out with a fork would be more fun.

Have fun everyone.

Jacinta

Jacinta wrote: "Hello all

I have struggled a bit with this challenge but am still going to try to get to five books read. Every time I tried to pick up a Challenge book I got a look from a family member and the ..."

LOL!! Jacinta why don't you just move some of the books to the Autumn challenge. That gives you another 3 months!;)

Mandy wrote: "why don't you just move some of the books to the Autumn challenge. That gives you another 3 months!;) "

oh that's an idea, I didn't think of that! :) Will review the list and rework! Brilliant idea Mandy thanks so much.

Finished my 9th book. I really want to see the movie now.
3. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden.
Only 1 to go, hopefully my library will have it. If not, well I almost finished.

An update
Three down, am keen to get two more finished before end of Feb.

A Fortunate Life Really I should have read this years ago (and still haven't) :)

Dragonfly in Amber Read in December and enjoyed the diversion.

The Kite Runner Good intentions :).

Monsoon Lol, our monsoon is a bit of a dirty word up here at the moment.

Parrot and Olivier in America Finished today and vowed never to pick up a Peter Carey title ever again.

The Distant Hours. Still very keen to read this one.

The Hunger Games Read - wow what a book! Very well written and I enjoyed something different. Not tempted to go on with the series though.

The Santa Chronicles Maybe

Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana or Ysabel Very keen to pick up a title and try this new author.

Voyager . Meh, sometime ...

Haha, go Jacinta.

Well done Carmel.

I know about not enough hours, at the moment my autumn challenge may be actually finding books for the challenge. The only time I get to read at the moment is on the bus to work ... which makes me almost want to go to work.

The bad thing about the end of this challenge is that the weather will now start to get cooler. It was been pretty miserable all summer anyway.

I'm going to have to pull out of this challenge, I know it's so close to the end but I really haven't had much time to read (found out I'm pregnant) and working full time makes me very tired and I haven't had alot of a chance to read the books on my list. Congrats to everyone who has finished though :)

Amber wrote: "found out I'm pregnant..."

That's wonderful news Amber! :)

Thanks Carmel & Mandy, very excited about it.. :)

oooo..congrats Amber :D!

Carmel wrote: "I've finally finished Before I Die & Heartsongs and have written reviews for both. Whilst I wait for The Secret Life of Bees from the library, I will read ..."

Well done Carmel...I read your review on Before I die, and have added it to my TBR pile as you suggested! Will let you know when I finally get to it, what I think :)

Congratulations Amber!! When are you due? So exciting for you..:)

Thanks Carmel! Nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon!:)

Brenda wrote: "Congratulations Amber!! When are you due? So exciting for you..:)"


Thanks Brenda, I'm due July

More congratulations Amber.....a new baby is so exciting!


I'm a little shocked that I've actually completed this challenge as I thought all the Christmas hooha would interfere with my reading!! It's been great fun although at times I wondered if the pressure of a deadline might take away some of my enjoyment of the books themselves. However, I don't think that's been the case.

Only one of the books received 5 stars from me and that was The Name of the Wind. I thought it was beautifully written, interesting storyline and characters, and a book I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to others who enjoy the Fantasy genre.

I gave five of the books a 4 star rating:

In a Sunburned Countrywas fun to read since Bill Bryson played up the dangerous aspects of our lovely country while at the same time I learnt facts that I'd never been taught about our history. It was interesting to see the place from an outsider's point of view.

Having been a big fan of The Book Thief I approached I Am the Messenger with some trepidation but I needn't have worried. I really like this author's writing style and while it was a little off-beat it's a very "Australian" story still.

I've read every Kim Wilkins book I've been able to find so it was with pleasure that I read Giants of the Frost. She wonderfully weaves the Norse mythology into her alternate world storyline.

I was pleased to be able to conclude this trilogy with Mistress of the Empire. It's an intriguing Fantasy world that has been created ......the Lords of the great Houses of the Empire play a deadly Game of politics. Mara of the Acoma is one of the most interesting female characters I've found but perhaps a little "larger than life" by the end.

Ape House was quite close to my heart because I've always had an interest in endangered species and this story about a group of bonobos has a basis in fact and is quite disturbing. I sometimes found the apes to be more likeable than the human characters but perhaps that's as it should be.

I gave three of the books a 3 star rating:

I did enjoy reading The Black Prismand had high expectations after reading The Night Angel Trilogy. I found the Colour Magic an interesting concept but thought the first few chapters of the book to be unclear about how it worked. No spoilers here so I'll just say the "brothers" storyline has been done before, but even so there might have been an extra star if it hadn't been for an adolescent whose dialogue would have better suited a contemporary novel rather than the age in which this book is set.

The Last Rose Of Summer is the first novel I've read by Di Morrissey and although it was a story I wanted to keep reading it was disappointing that so much of it was contrived with coincidental meetings and convenient relationships. If there were supposed to be surprises to the storyline then unfortunately that didn't happen for me.

I can only hope that the movie version of The Emperor's Children has a great cast of actors because I found the book very heavy going with incredibly self absorbed characters about whom I had very little interest at all.

Only 2 stars for this one:

Last and unfortunately least is Crescendo which I read purely to keep my daughter company. She likes to discuss the books she reads afterwards so I'm "It",lol. I didn't particularly enjoy the first book Hush, Hush but the sequel is a shocker.


Thanks again for the opportunity to take part in my first Challenge....on to the Author Challenge now!

Kim, glad you enjoyed the challenge :D!

Amber wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Congratulations Amber!! When are you due? So exciting for you..:)"


Thanks Brenda, I'm due July"

Congratulations Amber. Is it your first?

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Amber wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Congratulations Amber!! When are you due? So exciting for you..:)"


Thanks Brenda, I'm due July"

Congratulations Amber. Is it your first?"

Hi Gail, it sure is. Still so much to do :)

Amber wrote: "Hi Gail, it sure is. Still so much to do:)

Wonderful. The first one is the most exciting and the most scary. I was lucky with my first. I friend of mine was pregnent at the same time with her second (we were due a week apart). I caught the train to work with her on a regular basis. It was fantastic having someone to talk to who had been through it before.

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Amber wrote: "Hi Gail, it sure is. Still so much to do:)

Wonderful. The first one is the most exciting and the most scary. I was lucky with my first. I friend of mine was pregnent at the same ti..."

I bet it was, I have a friend that's due about 6 weeks before me so I've been talking to her (it's her first child too so it's a little like blind leading the blind) but it's nice to talk to someone who's already gone through the things I'm experiencing at the moment :)

It is great to have someone. :)

Congrats Amber. You must be so excited. Hope it all goes well.

I finally finished my last book,
9. Alanna - Tamora Pierce.

Which means I finished!! I can't believe I made it. I did make a few changes to my list but I'm very pleased with myself.
Congrats to everyone who participated.

Emily wrote: "Congrats Amber. You must be so excited. Hope it all goes well.

I finally finished my last book,
9. Alanna - Tamora Pierce.

Which means I finished!! I can't believe I made it. I did make a f..."

Well done Emily!!;)

Finally ... finished. Was uncertain as a friend loaned me her car, whcih cuts down of the my bus/book reading time. Finished Succubus Blues which was hot stuff ... might have to go out and get the next one in the series.

1. Celebrate Australia! Parrot and Olivier in America. - currently reading - READ
2. Lighten the Load! Mockingjay READ
3. Movie, TV series or play. The Secret Life of Bees - READ
4. Title related to Summer! Sizzling Sixteen - READ
5. Oprah's List - Shark Girl - READ
6. New Release! Eleven - READ
7. Schoolie's Week! iBoy or I Am Number Four - READ BOTH
8. Ho Ho Ho! - Shiver READ
9. Literature Map - Succubus Blues - READ
10. Valentine's Day - Persuasion - READ