Sarah’s Comments (group member since Jul 18, 2019)

Sarah’s comments from the Aussie Readers group.

Great work Mari!
You've inspired me - I've made sure every one of my 100-odd books for 2020 are either titles I already own (and haven't read yet) or available from my local library. I've also been amazed at how my range of reading and reading of Aussie authors has risen as a result of participating in the challenges. Roll on 2020!

Thanks Phrynne!

Brenda wrote: "If Hallie Rubenhold is the author of your "R" one Sarah, that would work :)"

Thanks Brenda - I was cutting and pasting across from the Crime A-Z challenge - I wasn't sure if The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper would qualify as crime. I've also been checking the nationality of authors - unfortunately Hallie Rubenhold is American/English, and I'm aiming for 100% AA on this challenge...

Hi Phrynne, I would love to join, and am aiming to get as many Aussie Authors as possible into my A-Z this year! (I was having a lot of trouble finding an Australian Author for "Q", so thank you PattyMacDotComma msg30 for the heads-up re: Terence J. Quinn!)
A-Z Authors
1/1/20 - 31/12/20
Progress: 24/26 AA: 24/26

A: The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott AA (28/5) 5*
B: Dark Emu, New Edition by Bruce Pascoe AA (25/2) 4.5*
C: Your Own Kind of Girl by Clare Bowditch AA (11/3) 5*
D: The Midnight Watch: A Novel of the Titanic and the Californian by David Dyer AA (11/6) 4.5*
E: The Octopus and I by Erin Hortle AA (17/5) 4*
F: 488 Rules for Life by Kitty Flanagan AA (6/5) 4*
G: Joe Cinque's Consolation, A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law by Helen Garner AA (24/1) 5*
H: Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris AA (30/5) 5*
I: The Shape of Us by Lisa Ireland AA (29/10) 4.5*
J: The Lost Man by Jane Harper AA (6/6) 5*
K: The Bluffs by Kyle Perry AA (14/8) 3*
L: Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko AA (17/1) 5*
M: The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan AA (17/3) 4*
N: The Botanist's Daughter by Kayte Nunn AA (1/8) 4*
O: 13-Point Plan for a Perfect Murder by David Owen AA (7/2) 4.5*
P: There Was Still Love by Favel Parrett AA (8/8) 5*
Q: The Scoop by Terence J. Quinn AA (7/6) 3.5*
R: Bruny by Heather Rose AA (29/2) 5*
S: Undara by Annie Seaton AA (29/4) 4*
T: A Lifetime of Impossible Days by Tabitha Bird AA (25/3) 5*
U: A Royal Abduction by Arthur W. Upfield AA (26/5) 4.5*
V: The Orchardist's Daughter by Karen Viggers AA
W: The Yield by Tara June Winch AA (6/4) 5*
X: Gathering Dark by Candice Fox AA (20/4) 4*
Y: Death at the Dog Show by Grace York AA (24/1) 3*
Z: Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak AA

Hi Brenda,
Here are my proposed reads (so-far!):
Annual Bingo Challenge 2020
Duration: 1/1/20 - 31/12/20
Aussie Authors ONLY
Level: To infinity and beyond (25 books - 5 rows)
Progress: 25/25

1 Across
1. Published 2020: The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan AA (11/4) 4*
2. 400+ pages: Deadman's Track by Sarah Barrie AA (416 pages) (7/6) 4*
3. Female author: Joe Cinque's Consolation, A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law by Helen Garner AA (24/1) 5*
4. Set in AU: Bruny by Heather Rose AA (1/3) 5*
5. Female MC: Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris AA (30/5) 5*


2 Across
1. Bright vibrant cover: The Octopus and I by Erin Hortle AA (17/5) 4*
2. Part of a series: Devil's Lair by Sarah Barrie (13/1) 2.5*
3. Favourite genre: Lost by Michael Robotham AA (6/8) 4*
4. Historical fiction: The Cinema at Starlight Creek by Alli Sinclair (6/1) 3.5*
5. Male MC: The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan (17/3) 4*


3 Across
1. Rated 4+ by friend: Dark Emu, New Edition by Bruce Pascoe (25/2) 4.5*
2. New author to me: Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko (17/1) 5*
3. On TBR 2+ years: The Midnight Watch: A Novel of the Titanic and the Californian by David Dyer AA (11/6) 4.5*
4. Crime/Mystery: The Lost Man by Jane Harper AA (6/6) 5*
5. Male author: A Royal Abduction by Arthur W. Upfield AA (26/5) 4.5*


4 Across
1. One word title: Undara by Annie Seaton AA (29/4) 4*
2. Water on cover: The Bluffs by Kyle Perry (14/8) 3*
3. Cosy mystery: Death at the Dog Show by Grace York (24/1) 3*
4. Child on cover: Your Own Kind of Girl by Clare Bowditch AA (12/3) 5*
5. Speculative fiction: A Lifetime of Impossible Days by Tabitha Bird AA (25/3) 5*


5 Across
1. Young adult: The Nancys by R.W.R. Mcdonald (27/11) 5*
2. From the library: 13-Point Plan for a Perfect Murder by David Owen AA (7/2) 4*
3. Sky on cover: The Yield by Tara June Winch AA (6/4) 5*
4. Non fiction: The Arsonist: A Mind on Fire by Chloe Hooper (19/1) 4*
5. Set in another country: Crossings by Alex Landragin (set in South Pacific, Paris, Brussels and other locations) (20/6 & 29/7) 5*

Thanks Phrynne!

Hi Phrynne, I'd love to join the challenge! I'll attempt Hard and see how I go...
Progress: 1/10 AA: 1/3

Part 1:
1. Read a book with a title starting with the letter J: Joe Cinque's Consolation, A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law by Helen Garner AA
2. Read a book where one of the author's initials can be found in the word "January": The Cinema at Starlight Creek by Alli Sinclair AA (6/1) 3.5*
3. Read a book published in January (any year): Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton (due for publication 9 January 2020 - I'll need to make some changes if my library "on hold" copy doesn't arrive in time)
4. Read a book with a new to you author: The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
5. Read any book of your choice: T.B.A. (I'll put my top-rated book not already listed here)

Part 2. Spell-it-Out: PARTY
P: Wonder by R.J. Palacio
A: The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
R: The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
T: The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
Y: Death at the Dog Show by Grace York AA

Annual Challenges:
Aussie Readers' Annual A-Z Characters Challenge 2020 ✔
Aussie Readers' Annual A-Z Authors Challenge 2020 ✔
Aussie Readers' Annual Aussie Author Bingo Challenge 2020 ✔
Aussie Readers' Annual Aussie Author Challenge ✔
Annual Crime Group Challenge 2020 - A-Z Titles ✔
Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense A-Z with a difference! ✔
Popsugar Annual Reading Challenge; See prompts here ✔
Booklist Queen (formerly Pingel Sisters') 2020 Reading Challenge; See prompts here (fill in as I go) ✔
Seasonal Challenges:
Aussie Readers' Summer Challenge 1/12/19 - 28/2/20 ✔
Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Summer Challenge 2019-20 Bingo! ✔
Aussie Readers' Autumn Challenge 1/3/20 - 31/5/20 ✔
Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Autumn Challenge 2020 - Mystery at Booktown Library ✔
Aussie Readers' Extra Special Challenge 1 April - 30 September 2020 Part 1 ✔ Part 2 ✔
Aussie Readers' Winter Challenge 1/6/20 - 31/8/20 First Round ✔ Second Round ✔
Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Winter Challenge 2020 - Hide and Seek ✔
Aussie Readers' Spring Challenge 1/9/20 - 30/11/20 ✔
Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Spring Challenge 2020 - Exam Time! ✔
Aussie Readers' We have Wanderlust! Challenge - 1st October 2020 - 31 March 2021
Aussie Lovers of Crime/Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Summer Challenge 20-21 - Booktown Christmas Fayre
Aussie Readers' Summer 2020-21 Challenge 1/12/20 - 28/2/21

Monthly Challenges:
Aussie Readers' January Challenge ✔
Aussie Readers' February Challenge ✔
Aussie Readers' March Challenge ✔
Aussie Readers' April Challenge ✔
Aussie Readers' May Challenge ✔
Aussie Readers' June Challenge ✔
Aussie Readers' July Challenge ✔
Aussie Readers' August Challenge ✔
Aussie Readers' September Challenge ✔
Aussie Readers' October Challenge ✔
Aussie Readers' November Challenge ✔
Aussie Readers' December Challenge ✔

Readathons
Aussie Readers' Quarterly Readathon - April 2020 ✔
Aussie Readers' Quarterly Readathon - June 2020 ✔
Aussie Readers' Quarterly Readathon - September 2020 ✔
Aussie Readers' Quarterly Readathon - December 2020 ✔

LOTS-A-SPELL Challenges
Lots-a-Spell December Challenge ✔

I've finished my "easy option", but am still on track to finish my hard challenge (See Message 23)
Progress: 7/7, AA: 2/2

Initial Book: A Child's Christmas In Wales by Dylan Thomas (23/12) 5*


Spell-it-Out: DUSTBIN
D: Disaster's Children by Emma Sloley AA (19/12) 3*
U: The Death of Lucy Kyte by Nicola Upson (13/12) 4*
S: Sweet Poison, Why Sugar Makes Us Fat by David Gillespie AA (15/12) 5*
T: To The Lions by Holly Watt (2/12) 4*
B: Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas by Stephanie Barron (3/12) 4*
I: Cemetery Road by Greg Iles (15/12) 4*
N: 1984 by George Orwell (for this challenge I'm interpreting the title as "Nineteen Eighty-Four" (10/12) 5*

Hi Brenda, I would love to join, please! Just getting my head around all the challenges I'm hoping to join, so will get back to you with proposed book list asap.
Thanks, Sarah

Carolyn wrote: "I'm also going to keep a list of links to all my annual challenges here so I can see how I'm tracking with them over the year.

Great idea! I might do the same.

Wow! That’s fantastic - well done everyone and best wishes for a speedy recovery, Mary.

My top 10 books by Australian authors were:
Any Ordinary Day: Blindsides, Resilience and What Happens After the Worst Day of Your Life by Leigh Sales
Flames by Robbie Arnott
Eggshell Skull: A Memoir About Standing Up, Speaking Out and Fighting Back by Bri Lee
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Factional Folly by Margaret Reynolds
The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
The Barefoot Investor: The Only Money Guide You'll Ever Need by Scott Pape
A Week without Tuesday by Angelica Banks
Sweet Poison, Why Sugar Makes Us Fat by David Gillespie
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton

My top 10 International reads of the year were:
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Circe by Madeline Miller
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
The Power by Naomi Alderman
Becoming by Michelle Obama (I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author)
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Morning all!

Well, I didn't quite make my goal of 1000 pages, but given what a busy few days it was, I'm still reasonably happy.
Finished The Death of Lucy Kyte (13/12) 68 pages
Cemetery Road (13/12 - 15/12) 587 pages
Sweet Poison, Why Sugar Makes Us Fat (15/12) 208 pages
GRAND TOTAL: 863 pages

Friday's total:
finished The Death of Lucy Kyte (68 pages)
started Cemetery Road (270 pages)
Running total: 338 pages

Tracey Allen wrote: "Am I the first to log some pages? Woohoo. I’m a night owl but I only managed 30 pages of ..."

Hi Tracey - I'm a fellow insomniac! I finished The Death of Lucy Kyte by Nicola Upson this morning: 68 pages.
Hoping to read Cemetery Road by Greg Iles (609 pages) over the weekend.

Phrynne wrote: "Great work Sarah.
I just finished Cedar Valley and it is partly about the Somerton Man mystery so I am very interested in your S.A. book!"
It was an interesting book, Phrynne, but I think I'd recommend the Casefile podcast episode on the case more.

I'm done, with less than a day to spare... Thanks moderators for a good opportunity to read some new Aussie books! (reviews linked to ratings)
Progress: 8/8

1. ACT: Six Minutes by Petronella McGovern (3/11) 3.5*
2. NSW: Crucifixion Creek by Barry Maitland (3/11) 4* AND Silver by Chris Hammer (8/11) 3.5*
3. N.T.: The Lost Boy: A Search for Life, a Triumph of Outback Spirit by Robert Wainwright (29/11) 4*
4. Queensland: Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton (16/11) 5*
5. S.A.: Tamam Shud: The Somerton Man Mystery by Kerry Greenwood 3.5* (14/11)
6. TAS: Bloodtree River by Sarah Barrie (19/11) 3.5*
7. VIC: The Wife and the Widow by Christian White (28/11) 4*
8. W.A.: Old Scores by David Whish-Wilson (27/11) 3.5*