Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while)’s
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Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while)’s
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from the Aussie Readers group.
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I'm all done! I'm in too, please Brenda. I'll be back with my book selections. 💖📚
April Featured Author - Richard Flanagan
Duration: 1/4/25 - 30/4/25
Level: HARD
9/9
AA🦘 4/4
TASKS
#1. Richard Flanagan was born in Tasmania in 1961.
**Read a book where the first letter of each title word fits into TASMANIA (min 2 words)
The Note by Alafair Burke COMPLETED 26.04.25 ⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#2. As well as being an author, historian and film director, Richard was president of the Tasmania University Union and a Rhodes Scholar.
**Read a book where the author's initials fit into RHODES SCHOLAR
Scrublands by Chris Hammer AA🦘COMPLETED 29.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#3. Each of Richard's novels has attracted major praise. His first, Death of a River Guide (1994), was short-listed for the Miles Franklin Award, as were his next two, The Sound of One Hand Clapping (1997) and Gould's Book of Fish (2001)
**As each of the above 3 books are set in Tasmania, read a book set in AUSTRALIA (extra points if in Tasmania)
Barren Cape by Michelle Prak AA🦘COMPLETED 13.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#4. Richard's genres are Literature & Fiction, Nonfiction, Outdoors & Nature
**Read a book which shows outdoors and/or nature on the cover (show cover)
The Keeper by Charles Martin COMPLETED 04.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...BONUS
**Read a book by Richard Flanagan
First Person by Richard Flanagan AA🦘 COMPLETED 15.04.25 ⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...SPELL OUT - FILM
F -
The Fourth Girl by Wendy Corsi Staub COMPLETED 04.04.25 ⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I -
The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer COMPLETED 16.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...L -
Trust Me on This by Lauren Parvizi COMPLETED 18.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...M -
Right Way Up by Fiona McCallum AA🦘 COMPLETED 08.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Apr 25, 2025 09:50PM
Brenda wrote: "Well said Sandy :)"Thanks Brenda, 💖📚
💖📚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...
Apr 15, 2025 10:57AM
People fall out over politics, over religion, over a myriad of different things. In this case it's a new tourist hotel being built in the Adelaide Hills. Passions run high as the townspeople divide themselves into two camps - those who support the hotel development and those who are against it. Families are divided, friendships torn apart. And in the middle of all this is Amber, a young pregnant woman living out of her car, who just wants a home for herself and her baby.This is a multi-layered book set in a small rural town where businesses and young families struggle to make ends meet. The characters are well depicted and realistic. Margot, while her intentions are good, doesn't like to be challenged. She sees things her way and, in her opinion, her way is the only way. Her sister Roslyn, while quieter and more retiring, is more thoughtful and kinder, which is how she ends up providing a temporary home for Amber, much to Margot's disgust and her assertions that it will all end badly for Roslyn.
Roslyn's kindness is the quiet kind. She's very much a behind-the-scenes person, while Margot likes to be front and centre of the picture. Margot even tries to organise her adult children's lives, telling them where and how they should live. I loved that although the sisters are polar opposites in many ways and are frequently at loggerheads, when it comes to the crunch, they do their best to put their differences aside and support one another.
I enjoyed this well-rounded story which brings home the point that while we might have differences of opinion, those differences are not as important as our friendships and family.
⭐⭐⭐.7
A quick, easy and entertaining read -
American Housewife by AA🦘Anita Abriel ⭐⭐⭐.7 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
COMPLETED!Yes, please - I'll join in too!
Annual Challenge - Book Bingo
Duration - 1/1/25 - 31/12/25
Level: 2 - 25 books - 6 Aussie authors
25/25
8/6 AA 🦘
#1 Down
✅a - Male author
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅b - Four word title
More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅c - Blue cover
The Secret Life of Beatrice Alright by Brooke Harris ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅d - House on cover
The Last Days of Kira Mullan by Nicci French ⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅e - Mystery
Tell Me What You Didby Carter Wilson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#2 Down
✅a - Cosy mystery
Deadly Crush by Maddie Day ⭐⭐⭐.7 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅b - New to me author
With This Ring by Amy Clipston ⭐⭐⭐.9 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅c - Set in Australia
The Glass House by Anne Buist AA🦘 and Graeme Simsion AA 🦘⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅d - Female MC - Ciara Fay
Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅ e - Place name in title
The Knitting Club at Wagtail Ridge by Janet Gover AA🦘 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#3 Down
✅a - Published 2025 - 25.02.25
The Housemate by Sarah Bailey AA🦘 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ✅b - Young Adult
Crazy House by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet ⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅c - Favourite author
One Dark Night by Hannah Richell AA 🦘⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅d - Male MC - Murphy Shepherd
The Record Keeper by Charles Martin ⭐⭐⭐.7 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅ e - Set in another country (Texas, USA)
Paradise for Christmas by Carolyn Brown ⭐⭐⭐.6 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#4 Down
✅a - Part of series
The Man in Black and Other Stories by Elly Griffiths #12.5 in the Ruth Galloway series ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅b - Favourite genre - psychological thriller
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅c - Title begins with D
Deadly Crush by Maddie Day ⭐⭐⭐.7 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅d - Book I bought
Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅e - Author's name begins T
The Bookseller by Tim Sullivan ⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#5 Down
✅a - One word title
book:Gunnawah|216463546] by Ronni Salt AA🦘⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅b - Female author
Serenity's Song by Cathryn Hein AA🦘 ⭐⭐⭐.8 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅c - Aussie author
Under Summer Skies by Tricia Stringer AA 🦘 and Joanne Speirs AA 🦘 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅d - Borrowed from library
The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅e - Colourful cover
The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin AA🦘 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I was spellbound by
The Evening Shades by Lee Martin ⭐⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All done!😃💖📚Sign me up please, Phrynne. I'll be back with my book selections. 💖📚
March Featured Author - Terry Pratchett
Duration: 1/03/25 - 31/03/25
Level: HARD
Books 10/10
AA 5/5
TASKS
#1. Sir Terry Pratchett OBE is an English author who died far too soon at 66 years of age
**Read a book by an English author AND **Read a book set in England
The Undoing of Violet Claybourne by Emily Critchley COMPLETED 09.03.25 ⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#2. Pratchett's best known work was his Discworld series which ran to 41 novels and sold more than 100 million copies.
**Read a book from a series - #1 in a new series
The Widows’ Guide to Murder by Amanda Ashby AA🦘 COMPLETED 06.03.25 ⭐⭐⭐.8 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#3. Apart from the Discworld Sir Terry is also famous for the book he wrote with Neil Gaiman called Good Omens. This has been made into a very popular TV series.
**Read a book which starts with a letter in GOOD OMENS
The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen COMPLETED 19.03.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.3 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#4. His genre is fantasy or comedic satire. His books have been translated into 43 different languages
**Read a fantasy
A Certain Kind of Starlight by Heather Webber COMPLETED 17.03.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.3 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...BONUS
**Read a book by Terry Pratchett
The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner: And Other Stories by Terry Pratchett COMPLETED 16.03.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...SPELL OUT - Omens
O -
Opalby Patricia Wolf AA🦘 COMPLETED 29.03.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...M -
Murder at the Loch by Dee MacDonald COMPLETED 04.03.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...E -
Flying the Coop by Ilsa Evans AA🦘 COMPLETED 23.03.25 ⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...N -
The Mademoiselle Alliance by Natasha Lester AA🦘 COMPLETED 25.03.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...S -
A Snowy River Summer by Stella Quinn AA🦘 COMPLETED 13.03.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Six Month Challenge - Autumn to SpringDuration: 1/4/25 - 30/9/25
Level: Medium 12+
12/12
8/3 AA🦘
✅F -
Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill AA🦘COMPLETED 17.08.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅R -
Right Way Up by Fiona McCallum AA🦘COMPLETED 08.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅E -
The Everyday and Far Away: The perfect bookclub read for fans of Rachel Joyce by Jacqueline Jones COMPLETED 10/05/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...S -
Finding Joy in Oyster Bay by Susan Duncan AA🦘COMPLETED 10.07.25 ⭐⭐⭐.6 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅H -
Scrublands by Chris Hammer AA🦘COMPLETED 29.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...* * * * * * * * * * *
✅V -
Vanish by Shelley Burr AA🦘 COMPLETED 04.05.25 ⭐⭐⭐.8 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...✅B -
Boney Creek by Paula Gleeson AA🦘 COMPLETED 09 June 2025 ⭐⭐⭐.9 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅R -
First Person by Richard Flanagan AA🦘
First Person by Richard Flanagan AA🦘 COMPLETED 15.04.25 ⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅A -
The Art of Keeping Secrets by Rachael Johns AA🦘 COMPLETED 10.05.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.2 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅N -
The Note by Alafair Burke COMPLETED 26.04.25 ⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... COMPLETED 24.04.25 ⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...✅T -
The Unquiet Grave by Dervla McTiernan AA🦘 COMPLETED 28.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...💖📚
A read that has left me absolutely in awe! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for
The Mademoiselle Alliance: A Novel by Natasha Lester https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
After finishing
The Summer Guests #2 in the Martini Club series by Tess Gerritsen, I can't wait for #3! ⭐⭐⭐⭐.3 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I'm in too, please Brenda. I'll be back with my book selections. 💖📚April Featured Author - Richard Flanagan
Duration: 1/4/25 - 30/4/25
Level: HARD
9/9
AA🦘 4/4
TASKS
#1. Richard Flanagan was born in Tasmania in 1961.
**Read a book where the first letter of each title word fits into TASMANIA (min 2 words)
The Note by Alafair Burke COMPLETED 26.04.25 ⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#2. As well as being an author, historian and film director, Richard was president of the Tasmania University Union and a Rhodes Scholar.
**Read a book where the author's initials fit into RHODES SCHOLAR
Scrublands by Chris Hammer AA🦘COMPLETED 29.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#3. Each of Richard's novels has attracted major praise. His first, Death of a River Guide (1994), was short-listed for the Miles Franklin Award, as were his next two, The Sound of One Hand Clapping (1997) and Gould's Book of Fish (2001)
**As each of the above 3 books are set in Tasmania, read a book set in AUSTRALIA (extra points if in Tasmania)
Barren Cape by Michelle Prak AA🦘COMPLETED 13.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#4. Richard's genres are Literature & Fiction, Nonfiction, Outdoors & Nature
**Read a book which shows outdoors and/or nature on the cover (show cover)
The Keeper by Charles Martin COMPLETED 04.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...BONUS
**Read a book by Richard Flanagan
First Person by Richard Flanagan AA🦘 COMPLETED 15.04.25 ⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...SPELL OUT - FILM
F -
The Fourth Girl by Wendy Corsi Staub COMPLETED 04.04.25 ⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I -
The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer COMPLETED 16.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...L -
Trust Me on This by Lauren Parvizi COMPLETED 18.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐.4 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...M -
Right Way Up by Fiona McCallum AA🦘 COMPLETED 08.04.25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3 for
A Certain Kind of Starlight by Heather Webber combines a little southern magic with warm-hearted common sense. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The BEST Aussie rural romance I have EVER read
A Snowy River Summer by Stella Quinn ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mar 09, 2025 07:23PM
Tea Cooper skillfully weaves actual historical events and facts into her narrative to produce a tale rich in family secrets, hidden gold, theft, blackmail and horse-race fixing. I have read several of this author's previous books and The Golden Thread is undoubtedly my favorite to date.Tea Cooper has produced some strong female characters - Connie, Nell and Taylor being the most notable, and it is these women who drive the novel forward. They are no fainting violets and make a formidable team.
I loved the close relationship between Connie and her grandmother Nell. Connie's mother, Faith, is a very different character to the other women in the family, but also has an inner strength that I couldn't help but admire at times.
There is a golden yellow dress, created in the mid-eighteenth century in Spitalfields, London, now abandoned in an attic, that is pivotal to this story.
If you are reading this novel - and if you are a lover of historical fiction, I sincerely recommend you do - don't forget to read the author's historical notes at the end of the book in which Tea Cooper tells the true story of the featured dress and explains just how she came to write this novel. She also explains the provenance of the other bits and pieces of history that snuck into this story.
The Golden Thread is a page-turner. Tea Cooper's writing is elegant and confident, the mystery absorbing and intriguing. This was an absolute delight to read.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
⭐⭐⭐.8 for the first in a new series -
The Widows’ Guide to Murder by Amanda Ashby. An easy fun read and I have #2 lined up, ready to go. 💖📚
⭐⭐⭐.8 for #11 in the Irish Village Mystery series -
Murder in an Irish Garden by Carlene O'Connor https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
A gem of a book!
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...
FINISHED!Sign me up please, Brenda! I'll fill in all the blanks later. 💖📚
February Featured Author - Liz Byrski
Duration: 1/2/25 - 28/2/25
Level: HARD 10/10
AA🦘 6/6
HARD - Tasks & Spell Out (minimum 4 AA)
TASKS
#1. Liz Byrski was born in London and spent most of her childhood in Sussex. As an only child she spent a lot of time alone, much of it buried in books.
**Read a book about books
The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin AA🦘⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 02.02.25 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2. After moving to Perth with her family in 1981 Liz again established a freelance career writing for Australian publications including The Australian, Homes and Living, Cosmopolitan and Weekend News.
**Read a book where the author's initials fit into COSMOPOLITAN
If We Could Turn Back Time by Siân O'Gorman ⭐⭐⭐⭐.2 08.02.25 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#3. In the nineties Liz was a broadcaster and executive producer with ABC Radio in Perth and later an advisor to a minister in the Western Australian State Government; she now lectures in Professional and Creative Writing at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, and has PhD in writing with a focus on feminist popular fiction.
**Read a CONTEMPORARY fiction novel
We Don't Talk About Emma by J.D. Barker ⭐⭐⭐ 05.02.25 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...#4. Liz lives between Perth and Fremantle and in addition to enjoying the company of family and friends, she spends most of her time reading, writing and walking. She has two adult sons and twin grandsons.
**Read a book set in Australia
Body of Lies by Sarah Bailey AA🦘⭐⭐⭐.6 COMPLETED 12.02.24 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
BONUS
**Read a book by Liz Byrski
A Month of Sundays by Liz Byrski AA🦘 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ COMPLETED 28/02/25 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...SPELL OUT - PERTH
P -
The Party Line by Carolyn Brown ⭐⭐⭐.9 COMPLETED 16.02.24 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...E -
Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis COMPLETED 21.02.25 ⭐⭐⭐.5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...R -
The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers AA🦘 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ COMPLETED 13.02.25 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...T -
Trip of a Lifetime by Liz Byrski AA🦘 COMPLETED 20.02.25 ⭐⭐⭐.8 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...H -
The Housemate by Sarah Bailey AA🦘 COMPLETED 23.02.24 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A book for every stressed, perimenopausal wife/mum/career woman trying to do it all!
The Woman with All the Answers by Linda Green ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
