Aussie Readers discussion

Maggie wrote: "Have finishedPicnic at Hanging Rock and it was so much better than I remembered. 4 stars from me. Now I have one book left for June, waiting on it from the library."

Glad to hear you enjoyed it Maggie...I have it down for July. The reviews have been varied, so I'm not sure what to expect!

There is a 'mysterious' last chapter written by the author that wasn't published with the original book. I'm hoping to find it. And so many many theories about what the book means.

J-
June by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars
Letters From the Inside by John Marsden 4 stars
F-
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan 4 stars
Tom Appleby Convict Boy by Jackie French 1.5 stars
M-
Hell Island by Matthew Reilly 4 stars
The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta 4 stars
A-
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto 1 star (I really tried to read this but I just couldn't finish it)
Area 7 by Matthew Reilly 4 stars
M-
Possum Magic by Mem Fox 4 stars (decided to read an old favourite from when I was younger)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 4 stars
J-
They Came on Viking Ships by Jackie French 4 stars
Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay 2.5 stars
J-
The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan
Macbeth and Son by Jackie French 4 stars
A-
August by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars
Tashi by Anna Fienberg 4 stars
S-
Conspiracy 365 September by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars
Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally
O-
Oscar And Lucinda by Peter Carey
Conspiracy 365 October by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars
N-
November by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars
The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay 3 stars (borrowed from library)
D-
Conspiracy 365 December by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars (possibly the best)
The Bombing of Darwin: The Diary of Tom Taylor, Darwin, 1942 by Alan Tucker

Looking good Mickey!

Finished my June read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - was a 5 star read

Well done Sally:)

Have finished my 2nd book for June by John Flanagan. Enjoyed both my June reads. Now to work out what I'm going to read for July.

I have just finished my 3 books for June which I didn't rate more than 3 stars.
Destiny's Path. by Anna Jacobs by Anna Jacobs
Heritage by Judy Nunn
Love Begins With An A by Jeana Vithoulkas

You’re doing well Janine and Sharon

OOps - I did read the excellent highly recommended book Me Before You by Jojo Moyes but she was not my Aussie Author - my CORRECT June read was actually:

Little People by Jane Sullivan

Well done everyone, fantastic titles there for June!

For July I will be reading by Anna Jacobs and by Jaye Ford.

I have just finished my second book for this month by Joanne Van Os. 4* a good read.

Bronwyn wrote: "I have just finished my second book for this month by Joanne Van Os. 4* a good read."

I also enjoyed that one Bronwyn, she's one amazing lady!

Have finished my first book for July by Anna Jacobs. I really enjoyed this book and intend to read more books by Anna Jacobs. I can hear my TBR shelf groaning under weight of more books already. Now onto my second book by Jaye Ford. I'm abit of a scaredy cat and have a feeling this will scare me terribly.

Sharon wrote: "Have finished my first book for July by Anna Jacobs. I really enjoyed this book and intend to read more books by Anna Jacobs. I can hear my TBR shelf groaning under..."

I hope you enjoy Beyond Fear Sharon...I loved it, and her second one Scared Yet?.

Here is my updated list:

January - Outback Heart by Joanne van Os★★★★★
Five Bells by Gail Jones ★★

February - Come Back to Me by Sara Foster★★★★★
My Sister's Funeral by Stephen Bush★★★★

March - Granville A Mother's Grief by June ollerenshaw ★★★★
The Mistake by Wendy James ★★★★★

April - By The Sword by Alison Stuart ★★★★★
Murder At The Rocks by Jill Paterson ★★★★★

May - Frantic (Detective Ella Marconi #1) by Katherine Howell ★★★★★
The Darkest Hour (Detective Ella Marconi #2) by Katherine Howell ★★★★★

June - Deadly Trust by J.J. Cooper ★★★★
Scared Yet? by Jaye Ford ★★★★★

July - This Peaceful State of War by Patty Jansen ★★★
A Season Of Transformation by Jayne Fordham

August - It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong
A Distant Land by Alison Booth

September - The Secret River by Kate Grenville
Treespeaker by Katie W. Stewart

October - Matilda Is Missing by Caroline Overington
Hell on the Way to Heaven by Chrissie Foster

November - The Old School by P.M. Newton
Tiger Men by Judy Nunn

December - Precipice , The by Virginia Duigan
Desert Fish by Cherise Saywell

I have finished my second book for July by Jaye Ford. I really enjoyed it Brenda and I'm looking forward to reading Jaye's second book.
This challenge has been so good because I'm going out of my comfort zone and reading books from different authors that I wouldn't normally read and I'm enjoying most of the books immensely. I'm not sure my TBR shelf is thanking me though.

Sharon wrote: "I have finished my second book for July by Jaye Ford. I really enjoyed it Brenda and I'm looking forward to reading Jaye's second book.
This challenge has been so good beca..."

That is really good Sharon, so happy you're enjoying moving out of your comfort zone! Glad you enjoyed your book:)

Here is my updated list with my second July one completed - A Season Of Transformation...my review http://www.africa-eu.com/review/show/...

January - Outback Heart by Joanne van Os★★★★★
Five Bells by Gail Jones ★★

February - Come Back to Me by Sara Foster★★★★★
My Sister's Funeral by Stephen Bush★★★★

March - Granville A Mother's Grief by June ollerenshaw ★★★★
The Mistake by Wendy James ★★★★★

April - By The Sword by Alison Stuart ★★★★★
Murder At The Rocks by Jill Paterson ★★★★★

May - Frantic (Detective Ella Marconi #1) by Katherine Howell ★★★★★
The Darkest Hour (Detective Ella Marconi #2) by Katherine Howell ★★★★★

June - Deadly Trust by J.J. Cooper ★★★★
Scared Yet? by Jaye Ford ★★★★★

July - This Peaceful State of War by Patty Jansen ★★★
A Season Of Transformation by Jayne Fordham ★★★★

August - A Stranger in My Street by Deborah Burrows ★★★★
A Distant Land by Alison Booth ★★★★★

September - The Secret River by Kate Grenville
Treespeaker by Katie W. Stewart ★★★★

October - The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Barry and the Fairies of Miller Street by Barry Dickins

November - His Name In Lights by Patty Jansen
You Can't Shatter Me by Tahlia Newland

December - Precipice , The by Virginia Duigan
Dark Country by Bronwyn Parry

Well done Brenda....I know it's a long way off but I'm looking forward to when you start reading The Precipice & Desert Fish - loved them both

Mish wrote: "Well done Brenda....I know it's a long way off but I'm looking forward to when you start reading The Precipice & Desert Fish - loved them both"

Thanks:) That's good to know...I own The Precipice but have to borrow the other from the library. Good to know you enjoyed it, as I sometimes change them if something different comes up:)

My books for August will be The Wishing Well by Anna Jacobs and Where the Streets Had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah.

Slowly plodding through - so as at July here is where my list is at:


J - Castaway: A Brumby Plains Adventure by Joanne van Os

F - A Rose for the ANZAC Boys by Jackie French

M - What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

A - Addition by Toni Jordan

M - The Blood Countess by Tara Moss

J - Little People by Jane Sullivan

J - Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

A - Tea with Arwa by Arwa El Masri

S - Pied Piper by Nevil Shute

O - Matilda Is Missing Caroline Overington

N - TBA

D - TBA

Great work Sally!

I have finished my 3 books for July. It took a bit longer than normal as my reading was interrupted by a trip to Hawaii.

Janine wrote: "I have finished my 3 books for July. It took a bit longer than normal as my reading was interrupted by a trip to Hawaii.


[bookcover:Outb..."

Not a bad interruption:) Hope you had fun!

Have completed the first of my August books What Alice Forgot because it became available at the library weeks ago, and it is due back in the next few days. I took it away with me while I had a couple of days visiting friends in the country. I mention all this because it meant I didn't have my usual collection of other books to turn to when the one you're reading isn't very good.

I did not enjoy this book. Too much about it annoyed me. I found I cared less and less for the characters or storyline, so I've given it 1 star. However I am aware that many people really enjoy it.

I have finished my 3 August Books
Gabriella's Book of Fire: A Novel by Venero Armanno 3*
The Trader's Sister by Anna Jacobs 3*
A Grand Passion: A Memoir by Anne de Lisle 4*

Wow, fast reading Janine. I'm struggling at the moment to read anything at all. Also waiting on a book from the library for this month's challenge.

Well done Janine:)

I finished my first one for August last night.. A Stranger in My Street by Deborah Burrows. 4 stars from me, my review will follow:)

I have finished my 2 August reads
The Wishing Wellby Anna Jacobs ****
Where the Streets Had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah ****

Well done Sharon:)

As promised, my review for my first August read A Stranger in My Street by Deborah Burrows http://www.africa-eu.com/review/show/...

Oh dear, August has not been such good reading for me. I've given 1 star to both the books I've read so far, An Authentic Life and What Alice Forgot. I have higher hopes for the third book which I can collect from the library tomorrow, The Autumn Castle.

That's bad luck Maggie! Hopefully your third one will be MUCH better! What is it?

It's The Autumn Castle. Sorry but there was a delay between me posting my initial note and adding the name of the third book.

I'm about to start reading Mistress of Rome not for any challenges but because I fancy the need for some old story telling. The other books I'm reading are for challenges and whilst I am enjoying one (The Buddha and the Borderline: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder through Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Buddhism, and Online Dating) it's not something I want to read quickly. Slowly slowly and absorb what I read. The other is Stumbling Toward Enlightenment and I'm not sure about it. So....roll on the good story telling!

Thanks Maggie! I hope you enjoy Mistress of Rome it has some good reviews! And The Autumn Castle has lots of pages:) I don't know how you read more than one at a time O.o!!!

Currently reading my August book - it is Tea with Arwa by Arwa El Masri

It is non-fiction and I am enjoying it - Arwa is relating her life story and how she managed to make Australia her home.

Have given up on The Autumn Castle - just cant get in to it and have no interest in the story r characters. So I've chosen another Aussie author's YA book Days Like This.

Maggie wrote: "Have given up on The Autumn Castle - just cant get in to it and have no interest in the story r characters. So I've chosen another Aussie author's YA book Days Like This."

I like Alison Stewart's writing Maggie...I'd like to know what you think of Days Like This when you're done please:)

I'm just starting my second one for August A Distant Land by Alison Booth.

My update:

J-
June by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars
Letters From the Inside by John Marsden 4 stars
F-
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan 4 stars
Tom Appleby Convict Boy by Jackie French 1.5 stars
M-
Hell Island by Matthew Reilly 4 stars
The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta 4 stars
A-
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto 1 star (I really tried to read this but I just couldn't finish it)
Area 7 by Matthew Reilly 4 stars
M-
Possum Magic by Mem Fox 4 stars (decided to read an old favourite from when I was younger)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 4 stars
J-
They Came on Viking Ships by Jackie French 4 stars
Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay 2.5 stars
J-
The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan
Macbeth and Son by Jackie French 4 stars
A-
August by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars
Tashi by Anna Fienberg 4 stars
S-
Conspiracy 365 September by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars
Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally
O-
Oscar And Lucinda by Peter Carey
Conspiracy 365 October by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars
N-
November by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars
The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay 3 stars (borrowed from library)
D-
Conspiracy 365 December by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars (possibly the best)
The Bombing of Darwin: The Diary of Tom Taylor, Darwin, 1942 by Alan Tucker

Will do Brenda, I can pick it up at the library on Monday.
Days Like This

Mickey, I'm thinking at the rate you're going you could have chosen to do 3 books a month. It's not too late!

Maggie wrote: "Will do Brenda, I can pick it up at the library on Monday.
Days Like This"

Thanks Maggie:)

Maggie wrote: "Mickey, I'm thinking at the rate you're going you could have chosen to do 3 books a month. It's not too late!"

I agree Maggie, she's flying through!

I was thinking that because I have end of year exams for every subject I should read as many books as I can now before September. Otherwise I'll be trying to read these and study. But if I can find some more books I'll try 3 books for each month.

Go for it Mickey!! You're flying, and I'm sure your exams will pass in a blur as well;)

My second August one is finished A Distant Land by Alison Booth with my review here http://www.africa-eu.com/review/show/...