Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while)’s
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(group member since Nov 16, 2021)
Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while)’s
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from the Aussie Readers group.
Showing 21-40 of 358
⭐⭐⭐⭐.7 for #19 in the Tom Thorne series by Mark Billingham,
What the Night Brings. Easily able to be read as a stand-alone. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...💖📚
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 for the action-packed
Second Chance Station by Renae Black. P.S. The action is not all romantic! There's plenty of other stuff going on. 💖📚
⭐⭐⭐.6 for the lovely
Finding Joy in Oyster Bay by the late Susan Duncan https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 for the uplifting and heartwarming
One More Day of Us by Shari Low https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 for rural romance and family drama
Cockatoo Cove by Maya Linnell https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
COMPLETED 28.06.25Sign me up please Brenda. 💖📚
June Featured Author - Tea Cooper
Duration: 1/6/25 - 30/6/25
Level: HARD - Tasks & Spell Out (minimum 4 AA)
7/7
AA🦘 4/4
TASKS
✅#1. Tea Cooper was born in the United Kingdom.
**Read a book which is set in the UK AND a book where both the author's initials fit into UNITED KINGDOM
Don't Say a Word by David Mark COMPLETED 19.06.25 ⭐⭐.2 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#2. Prior to beginning her writing career, Tea was a teacher, journalist and farmer, where she cared for a herd of alpacas.
**Read a book which has a character (Addie) who is a journalist
Boney Creek by Paula Gleeson AA🦘 COMPLETED 10/06/25 ⭐⭐⭐.9 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#3. Tea's debut novel was The Horse Thief which was published in November 2015
**Read a book by an Australian author
Missing by Catherine Lee AA🦘 COMPLETED 06.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#4. Tea's great love is writing and researching historical fiction; she haunts museums & indulges her passion for storytelling. Her twisty historical mysteries mix fact with fiction.
**Read an historical fiction novel
The Baker of Lost Memories by Shirley Russak Wachtel COMPLETED 05/06/25 ⭐⭐.3 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...SPELL OUT Using either first letter of title (disregarding "A", "An" or "The" if you choose to) or either the first or last initial of the author. For the difficult letters - Q, X and Z, you may use a book in which the letter appears somewhere in the title or author's first or last name.
TEA
✅T -
The Women at Ocean's End: the new captivating saga of secrets and friendship from the Irish bestseller by Faith Hogan COMPLETED 20.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐.9 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅E -
When Sleeping Women Wake: sweeping historical fiction set during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II with female resistance at its heart by Emma Pei Yin AA🦘COMPLETED 24.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅A -
Melaleuca by Angie Faye Martin AA🦘 COMPLETED 13.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 for this sweeping story of family, love, resilience and survival set during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in WWII.
When Sleeping Women Wake by Emma Pei Yin https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
There's a new Jane Harper coming out . . . details on her FB page https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Bf6...
I'm in please!💖📚July Featured Author - Harlan Coben
Duration: 1/7/25 - 31/7/25
Level: HARD - Tasks & Spell Out (minimum 4 AA)
7/10
4/4 AA🦘
July 2025's Featured Author is Harlan Coben
This is a two-part challenge, where you are welcome to complete either the task section or the spell section, or both. A book may be used only one time for this challenge.
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※
TASKS
✅#1. Harlan Coben was born in Newark, New Jersey, USA
**Read a book which is set in America
Lightning in a Mason Jar by Catherine Mann COMPLETED 19.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#2. Coben's first job was in travel and at the same time he started writing. His debut novel was a romantic suspense thriller called Play Dead
**Read a book which involves travel OR
**Read a book where the first letter of each title word fits into ROMANTIC SUSPENSE (2 word minimum)
Second Chance Station by Renae Black AA🦘 COMPLETED 13.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#3. Coben writes thrillers, mysteries and suspense. He has written a long series about Myron Bolitar, ex FBI and now sports agent alongside his partner Win.
**Read a book from a series (#19 The Tom Thorne series)
What the Night Brings by Mark Billingham COMPLETED 18.07.24 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.7 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#4. Coben's books have been published in at least 40 different languages and are number one best sellers in many countries. He has received many awards and 11 of his books are being made into Netflix shows.
**Read a book written by a best selling author
The White Crow by Michael Robotham AA🦘COMPLETED 24.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
BONUS
**Read a book by Harlan Coben
The Match by Harlan CobenSPELL OUT Using either first letter of title (disregarding "A", "An" or "The" if you choose to) or either the first or last initial of the author. For the difficult letters - Q, X and Z, you may use a book in which the letter appears somewhere in the title or author's first or last name.
MYRON
M -
Moving On by Roisin Meaney✅Y -
Obedience by Jacqueline Yallop COMPLETED 13.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐.8 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅R -
The Drowning Man by Michael Robotham AA🦘 COMPLETED 19.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...O -
The Remedy by Shade Owens✅N -
Nemesis by Patricia Wolf AA🦘 COMPLETED 29.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The full five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for
A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan. an exquisite and nostalgic blend of mystery, suspense and family dynamics. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A superb debut Aussie crime novel
Melaleuca by Angie Faye Martin ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
An intriguing Aussie outback crime -
Boney Creek by Paula Gleeson ⭐⭐⭐.9 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Not a read I'll be recommending . . .
The Baker of Lost Memories by Shirley Russak Wachtel ⭐⭐.3 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
💖📚May Featured Author - Lisa Regan - COMPLETED 25.05.25
Duration: 1/5/25 - 31/5/25
Level: HARD- Tasks & Spell Out (minimum 4 AA)
9/9
AA🦘 = 4/4
May 2025's Featured Author is Lisa Regan
This is a two-part challenge, where you are welcome to complete either the task section or the spell section, or both. A book may be used only one time for this challenge.
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※
TASKS
✅#1. Lisa Regan is an American author. She lives in Philadelphia.
**Read a book which is set in America
The Best We Could Hope For by Nicola Kraus COMPLETED 07.05.24 ⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#2. Lisa writes in the genres of mystery and suspense.
**Read a mystery with a female main character
When She Was Gone by Sara Foster AA🦘 COMPLETED 21.05.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#3. Lisa first published novel was Finding Claire Fletcher in 2012. this was followed by some other short series until in 2018 her publisher suggested she should write a series about a troubled female detective, This was the start of Josie Quinn.
**Read a debut novel
The SILO by Greg Heist COMPLETED 10.05.25 ⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#4. Lisa's best known work is her Detective Josie Quinn series. There are currently 22 published books in the series and more to come.
**Read a book from a long series and with a detective in it.
Friend of the Devil by Peter Robinson Book #17/28 Chief Inspector Banks series COMPLETED 16.05.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅BONUS
**Read a book by Lisa Regan
Losing Leah Holloway by Lisa Regan COMPLETED 14.05.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...SPELL OUT Using either first letter of title (disregarding "A", "An" or "The" if you choose to) or either the first or last initial of the author. For the difficult letters - Q, X and Z, you may use a book in which the letter appears somewhere in the title or author's first or last name.
Lisa
✅L -
The Revenge Club by Kathy Lette AA🦘COMPLETED 18.05.25 ⭐.7 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅I -
It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover COMPLETED 25.05.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅S -
Down the Track by Stella Quinn AA🦘COMPLETED 22.05.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅A -
The Scent of You by Maggie Alderson AA🦘 COMPLETED 05/05/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sign me up please Brenda. 💖📚June Featured Author - Tea Cooper
Duration: 1/6/25 - 30/6/25
Level: HARD - Tasks & Spell Out (minimum 4 AA)
7/7
AA🦘 4/4
TASKS
✅#1. Tea Cooper was born in the United Kingdom.
**Read a book which is set in the UK AND a book where both the author's initials fit into UNITED KINGDOM
Don't Say a Word by David Mark COMPLETED 19.06.25 ⭐⭐.2 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#2. Prior to beginning her writing career, Tea was a teacher, journalist and farmer, where she cared for a herd of alpacas.
**Read a book which has a character (Addie) who is a journalist
Boney Creek by Paula Gleeson AA🦘 COMPLETED 10/06/25 ⭐⭐⭐.9 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#3. Tea's debut novel was The Horse Thief which was published in November 2015
**Read a book by an Australian author
Missing by Catherine Lee AA🦘 COMPLETED 06.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅#4. Tea's great love is writing and researching historical fiction; she haunts museums & indulges her passion for storytelling. Her twisty historical mysteries mix fact with fiction.
**Read an historical fiction novel
The Baker of Lost Memories by Shirley Russak Wachtel COMPLETED 05/06/25 ⭐⭐.3 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...SPELL OUT Using either first letter of title (disregarding "A", "An" or "The" if you choose to) or either the first or last initial of the author. For the difficult letters - Q, X and Z, you may use a book in which the letter appears somewhere in the title or author's first or last name.
TEA
✅T -
The Women at Ocean's End: the new captivating saga of secrets and friendship from the Irish bestseller by Faith Hogan COMPLETED 20.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐.9 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅E -
When Sleeping Women Wake: sweeping historical fiction set during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II with female resistance at its heart by Emma Pei Yin AA🦘COMPLETED 24.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅A -
Melaleuca by Angie Faye Martin AA🦘 COMPLETED 13.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sign me up please, Brenda! I'll be back later to sort out my books.**Winter Reading Challenge**
Duration: 1/6/25 - 31/8/25
Level: Easy: Christian name x 3 - minimum 4 AAs
19/19
AA🦘 7/4
June - favourite author: MICHAEL ROBOTHAM
✅M -
Don't Say a Word by David Mark COMPLETED 19.06.25 ⭐⭐.2 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅I -
Imogene's Grand Fiasco: The Misadventures of Imogene Taylor by David Putnam COMPLETED 25.06.25 ⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅C -
Chasing Shadows by Robert Bryndza COMPLETED 28.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅H -
The Women at Ocean's End by Faith Hogan COMPLETED 20.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐.9 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅A -
Melaleuca by Angie Faye Martin AA🦘 COMPLETED 13.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ✅E -
When Sleeping Women Wake by Emma Pei Yin AA🦘 COMPLETED 23.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ✅L -
Missing by Catherine Lee AA🦘 COMPLETED 06.06.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...July - favourite author: CHRIS HAMMER
✅C -
Cockatoo Cove by Maya Linnell AA🦘COMPLETED 06.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅H -
Hard Country: A Golden Bay Life by Robin Robilliard COMPLETE 26.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.2 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅R -
Moving On by Roisin Meaney COMPLETED 03.08.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅I -
No I Don't Want To Join A Bookclub by Virginia Ironside COMPLETED 01.08.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅S -
Second Chance Station by Renae Black AA🦘 COMPLETED 13.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...August - favourite author: STEPHEN KING
✅S -
The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley COMPLETED 19.08.25 ⭐⭐⭐.6 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅T -
The Ghost Walk by Karen Herbert AA🦘 COMPLETED 08.08.25 ⭐⭐⭐.6 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅E -
End of August by Paige Dinneny COMPLETED 30.08.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅P -
The Paradise Petition by Carolyn Brown COMPLETED 15.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐.8 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅H -
Hello? Who Is This? Margaret?: Essays by Dani Alpert COMPLETED 09.08.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅E -
Once You Were Mine by Elizabeth Langston COMPLETED 31.08.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.2 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅N -
Nemesis by Patricia Wolf AA 🦘 COMPLETED 28.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
ALL DONE! 💖🦘📚Sign me up please Brenda. I'll select my books later. 💖📚😊
HERE WE GO!
**Autumn Reading Challenge**
Duration: 1/3/25 - 31/5/25
Level: HARD - 10 books - #1 through to #6 (minimum 4 AA)
10/10
7/4 AA🦘
1. Make a cup of tea!
✅a) Boil the water - Read a book which is "steamy", set in a hot climate AND read a book where the book title begins with B, O, I or L .
Opal by Patricia Wolf AA🦘 COMPLETED 20/03/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅b) Choose your tea - Read books with a colour on the cover to match the type of tea you choose:
Green - green tea -
Flying the Coop by Ilsa Evans AA🦘 COMPLETED 23.03.25 ⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅c) Steep the tea - Read a book with page counts to indicate how strong you like your tea: Medium - 151 to 300 pages
Walk the Blue Fields by Claire Keegan (1-May-2008) Paperback by Claire Keegan 183 pages COMPLETED 05/03/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅d) Sweet? - Read a book to indicate how sweet you like your tea:
No sugar - Stand alone novel -
American Housewife by Anita Abriel AA🦘COMPLETED 06/04/25 ⭐⭐⭐.7 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
✅e) Black or white? - Read a book to indicate what else to add to your tea:
No milk - General fiction
The Evening Shades by Lee Martin COMPLETED 01.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Now your cuppa is made, you're ready to continue reading!
✅2. March 2nd 2025 is Clean up Australia Day - read a book by an Aussie Author which has been on your TBR for at least a year... This has been on my shelf since September 2016 😬
The Art of Keeping Secrets by Rachael Johns AA🦘 COMPLETED 10.05.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.2 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅3. March 20th 2025 is International Day of Happiness so pick up a book you've been desperate to read OR re-read an old favourite - either will make you HAPPY
The Unquiet Grave by Dervla McTiernan AA🦘COMPLETED 28.04.24 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅4. April 18th 2025 is Good Friday - read a book about a family...
The Stranger at the Table by Cassie Hamer AA🦘 COMPLETED 11.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐.6 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅5. May 11th 2025 is Mother's Day (in Australia) - read a book which features a strong female MC...
The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick COMPLETED 28.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅6. New Release by an Aussie Author - Read a book which is released in Autumn 2025 - March, April or May...
Right Way Up by Fiona McCallum AA🦘 COMPLETED 08.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All done!I'm in!
Annual Australian Authors Challenge 2025 🦘
Duration: 1/1/25 - 31/12/25
Level: ONE (though this may change during the year 😉)
12/12
Male Authors
✅1.
The Oasis by Anne Buist & Graeme Simsion ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅2.
First Person by Richard Flanagan AA🦘 COMPLETED 15.04.25 ⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅3.
Scrublands by Chris Hammer COMPLETED 29.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... Female Authors
✅ 1.
Gunnawah by Ronni Salt ⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...✅2.
Serenity's Song by Cathryn Hein ⭐⭐⭐.8 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅3.
The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin AA🦘 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...2025 New Releases
✅1.
One Dark Night by Hannah Richell ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 Published 01.01.2025https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
✅2.
The Knitting Club at Wagtail Ridge by Janet Gover ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 published 01.01.2025 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅3.
Under Summer Skies by Tricia Stringer and Joanne Speirs ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Favourite Genre
✅1. (set in a Psychiatric Hospital)
The Glass House by Anne Buist and Graeme Simsion ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅2. Mystery/Thriller
Body of Lies by Sarah Bailey ⭐⭐⭐.6 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅3. Mystery/Thriller
The Housemate by Sarah Bailey ⭐⭐⭐⭐.1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
