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

Sarah’s comments from the Aussie Readers group.

I'd love to join, and will attempt the Hard level, but will need to put some more thought into my selections when I've finished the Spring Challenge (3 books to go!) and my annual challenge prompts are released.
Level: Hard Progress: 15/15 AA: 7/7

Book #1:
The Cinema at Starlight Creek by Alli Sinclair

My choices:
a) Exact Match - The Cinema at Starlight Creek by Alli Sinclair AA (6/1) 3.5*
b) Title starts with "C" - Cemetery Road by Greg Iles (15/12) 4*
c) Historical fiction - A Christmas Secret by Anne Perry (24/12) 3*
d) Reference to space in title - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (30/12) 4*
e) Female on cover - The Death of Lucy Kyte by Nicola Upson (13/12) 4*


Book #2:
Death at the Dog Show by Grace York

My choices:
a) Exact Match - Death at the Dog Show by Grace York AA (24/1) 3*
b) Author who writes under more than one name - The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (24/2) 4*
c) Author's first name begins with "G" - 1984 by George Orwell (10/12) 5*
d) Female author - To The Lions by Holly Watt (2/12) 4*
e) Australian Author - The Lost Girls by Jennifer Spence AA (5/12) 3.5*


Book #3:
The Secret Runners of New York by Matthew Reilly

My choices:
a) Exact Match - The Secret Runners of New York by Matthew Reilly AA (19/1) 4*
b) Title begins with "S" - Sweet Poison, Why Sugar Makes Us Fat by David Gillespie AA (15/12) 5*
c) Set in USA - The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen (14/2) 4*
d) Male author - Suspect by Michael Robotham AA (27/12) 4*
e) Australian author - Disaster's Children by Emma Sloley AA (19/12) 3*

Third book down, with Australian mystery author Kerry Greenwood's take on real-life mystery, Tamam Shud: The Somerton Man Mystery. 3.5 stars, review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A second NSW book completed with Silver by Chris Hammer (set in a fictional town south of Byron Bay on the NSW coast). 3.5 stars.

4th BINGO! down - 3 to go...

#3 Down - COMPLETED!
Male MC: The Pedant In The Kitchen by Julian Barnes (30/9) 4*
Male Author: Silver by Chris Hammer AA (8/11) 3.5*
One Word Title: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed (5/11) 4*
Novella (125pp+): The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (24/10) 3*
Female Author: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (22/9) 4*

Progress: 32/35 books (13/15 AA)

I'm going to swap in Silver by Chris Hammer in place of Sweet Poison, Why Sugar Makes Us Fat by David Gillespie for my "Male Author" in 3 Down (both are also Australian authors). I was lucky enough to pick up a copy of the recently-released Silver yesterday in the Library's Express Section!

P.S. For anyone also doing the November Roadtrip challenge, Silver is set on the north coast of NSW.

Phrynne wrote: "Nice work Sarah. I have changed your link to bring you to this post."

Thanks Phrynne!

I've decided to provisionally add four extra books, and attempt the full road trip!
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*

I'm still going Deborah!

Thanks Brenda - Three down, three to go... (only 5 books though)

Another row completed!

#1 Across
On Bestseller List: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (turns out it's currently well within the top 100 in Australia) (17/10) 4*
Dog on Cover (albeit a winged dog!): A Week without Tuesday by Angelica Banks AA (15/9) 5*
Male MC: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (11/10) 5*
Aussie Author: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion AA (18/9) 4*
Suspense / Crime: The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley (30/10) 4*

Thanks Brenda - well done on yours, too!

Finished NIGHTMARE! Thanks mods for another great challenge!
Progress: 9/9, AA: 3/3

N: Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson (5/10) 5*
I: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (12/10) 4*
G: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (20/10) 4*
H: The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (24/10) 3*
T: Cloudstreet by Tim Winton AA (20/10) 4*
M: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty AA (25/10) 4*
A: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (17/10) 4*
R: Redemption Point by Candice Fox AA (7/10) 4*
E: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (12/10) 5*

MaryG2E wrote: " Can I ask, Phrynne and/or Brenda, the book which has been selected for the AR November group read, ..."

If it helps, the author lives on Sydney's Northern Beaches, and says she was inspired to write the book by a statue of an older female swimmer there. The jacarandas of the title would also fit with the climate (although I think you can see them in most states other than Tasmania, they are most ubiquitous in northern NSW).

Hi Phrynne,

I was going to sit this one out, as I have mostly non-AA writers (and settings) in the remaining books for my annual challenges. However, having re-jigged things slightly, can I please attempt Easy? Thanks!

1. Queensland: Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
2. NSW: Crucifixion Creek by Barry Maitland
3. ACT: Six Minutes by Petronella McGovern
4. T.B.A (possibly either The Wife and the Widow by Christian White - set in Victoria or Bloodtree River by Sarah Barrie - set in Tasmania)

I've finished FRIGHT! (Still aiming to complete NIGHTMARE by end of the month)

F: Frankissstein: A Love Story by Jeanette Winterson (10/10) 4*
R: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (12/10) 5*
I: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (12/10) 4*
G: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (20/10) 4*
H: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (17/10) 4*
T: Cloudstreet by Tim Winton AA (20/10) 4*

Sounds good!

Are you going to post a list of your 100 books? I'd be interested to see it. I've got a couple of Big W Top 100 entries on my list for the next few weeks. I don't suppose it will be very long before they release their 2020 list... (I have a feeling that Better Readers members might get a chance to vote and a few lucky people win a full catalogue of the 100 books!).

Progress: 20/30 books (8/11 AA)
BINGO! Second row finished!

#4 Across
Set in Australia: The Slipping Place by Joanna Baker AA (15/9) 4*
Historical Fiction: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (12/10) 4*
Novella: Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote (30/9) 4*
Set in another country: How the Dead Speak by Val McDermid (2/9) 4*
Love that cover: Tell Me You're Mine: The chilling international bestseller by Elisabeth Noreback (22/9) 4*

Krystal wrote: "My third book starred a Male MC

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline spoke to my geek soul. :)

I just finished that one yesterday, too, Krystal! (also my Male MC too).

Progress: 14/25 books (6/9 AA)

B-I-N-G-O-! First row finished!

#3 Across
Female MC: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (7/10) 5*
Over 500 pages: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (my edition has 550 pages) AA (26/9) 4*
One Word Title: Frankissstein: A Love Story by Jeanette Winterson (11/10) 4*
Published in 2016: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (20/9) 5*
Favourite Genre: The Van Apfel Girls Are Gone by Felicity McLean AA (8/9) 4*

Brenda wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Can I attempt easy level, please Brenda? Although I've read/plan to read 30+ Aussie Authors this year, I'm having trouble achieving all the categories. Just a question - does thecolou..."

Thanks Brenda! The issue only relates to a couple of books I've yet to read (Cloudstreet and What Alice Forgot). The copies I have at home - one I own, and one borrowed from a friend - aren't the "right" colours, but I can easily borrow the right ones, which are the editions my library happens to have!