Annual Aussie Author Challenge 2013

[Dale]

Looks like you and me are both on the ball for a September read

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Dale wrote: "Looks like you and me are both on the ball for a September read"

:)

[Sharon]

I've finished my September read by Paul Jennings. I gave it 3 stars

[Janine]

I have finished my September read on my last day in Ireland.
Bombproof by Michael Robotham.
My first by this author and didn't really enjoy it. 2*

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Janine wrote: "I have finished my September read on my last day in Ireland.
Bombproof by Michael Robotham.
My first by this author and didn't really enjoy it. 2*"

I also read this one as my first from Michael, Janine, and also didn't like it! Don't let it put you off his writing as it did me...I love his full length novels now, but it took some convincing to read another one!

[Zoey]

Finished my September Male Author

Final Custody George Elliot 3★

[Neil]

Done and dusted. That's my 5th book out of the 6 I planned to read during this challenge. Now to start tomorrow.

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Finished my October read March by Geraldine Brooks. Such a disappointment. I loved Caleb's Crossing and People of the Book and Year of Wonders but I did not like this book much at all. Sure there was lots of good historical stuff but her characterisations of Mr and Mrs March were not to my taste at all. I have to forget it all now so as not to spoil my memories of Little Women

[Janine]

Finished my October book Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville 4*

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Janine wrote: "Finished my October book Sarah Thornhill by Kate Grenville 4*"

Ooh there's another one on my TBR!! Sounds like you enjoyed it:)

[Nicola]

While I'm still reading my September book I have actually finished my October one!
Batavia / Peter FitzSimons

It was very interesting and an engrossing read - I found it hard to put down! I was already aware of the story (what West Australian isn't!)and the details, but it was still an eye-opener.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Nicola wrote: "While I'm still reading my September book I have actually finished my October one!
Batavia / Peter FitzSimons

It was very interesting and an engrossing read - I found i..."

October is female author Nicola, Sept was male....so you have finished your Sept one;) Well done!

[Nicola]

Brenda! Trying to do things to quickly! Still reading my August one and Batavia was my September one! Have just got my October one off the shelf to take home!
Nicola (holds head down in shame!)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Hahahaha!!!! That's ok Nicola, you are doing well:)

[Sharon]

Have finished my October read by Rose Foster. I gave it 3stars.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I finished my first October read, which is Female Author - Darkening Skies by Bronwyn Parry

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

This is how my list looks now:)

January Male author - Ave Judas by Cassian Brown ★★★
Pulling Down the Stars by James Laidler ★★

February Female author - Shallow Breath by Sara Foster ★★★★
Fan Mail by P.D. Martin ★★★★★

March New Release - Web of Deceit by Katherine Howell released Feb ★★★★★
Bay of Fires by Poppy Gee ★★★ (3.5 if I could)

April Favourite Genre - Dangerous Deception by Sandy Curtis ★★★★ (mystery/thriller)
The Delta Chain by Iain Edward Henn ★★★★★ (thriller)

May Male author - Capable of Murder by Brian Kavanagh ★★★★
The Embroidered Corpse by Brian Kavanagh★★★★

June Female author - Ryders Ridge by Charlotte Nash ★★★★★
The Goodbye Ride by Lily Malone ★★★★★

July New Release - Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith ★★★★★
Blood Witness by Alex Hammond ★★★★

August Favourite Genre - Deadly Tide by Sandy Curtis (mystery/thriller) ★★★★★
Heist by Robert Schofield (Thriller) ★★★★

September Male author - Rotten Gods by Greg Barron ★★★★
Pretending to Love: How to Cheat Your Way to Relationship Bliss! by Ashton Cartwright ★

October Female author - Darkening Skies by Bronwyn Parry ★★★★★
Heartland by Cathryn Hein ★★★★★

November New Release - Watching You by Michael Robotham
The Narrow Road To The Deep North by Richard Flanagan

December Favourite Genre - TBA

[Kathryn]

Looks like some good reading for you this year, Brenda! Especially when combined with your Aussie author list (from memory, you have had quite a few 4 and 5 star reads in that list)!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Yes thanks Kathryn, it's been exceptionally good this year, very few low star reads. Hopefully that will continue:)

[Davina]

January - Male: Band-Aid for a Broken Leg by Damien Brown
February - Female: The Rumpelgeist by Fiona McIntosh
March - New Release: TBA
April - Fav Genre/Paranormal Emblaze by Jessica Shirvington
May - Male:The Price of Lifeby Nigel Brennan
June - Female: Dollhouse by Anya Allyn if I can find it.
July - New Release: Doomsday by Chris Morphew
August - Fav Genre/Paranormal: The Extinction Gambit by Michael Pryor
September - Male: Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide by Peter Allison
October - Female: Stray by Andrea K. Höst
November - New Release: The Red Queen by Isobelle Carmody
December - Fav Genre/Paranormal: Team Human by Justine Larbalestier
Ok so I'm a little behind and all over the place but I plan on finishing this challenge strongly. Highly recommend my last two books that I've read Stray and Emblaze. They are both a series and should come with a warning that you will not be able to resist wanting the next book.

[Nicola]

Finished my October female author read
A Rake's Midnight Kiss Anna Campbell
4 stars. I really enjoyed it!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Nicola:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Finished my second October read Heartland by Cathryn Hein 5★s

[Zoey]

Finished my October read There's a Bear in There Merridy Eastman4★

[Leonie]

Zoey wrote: "Finished my October read There's a Bear in ThereMerridy Eastman4★"

I saw the title of your October read, and thought, "That looks like some kind of Playschool retrospective..." So I took a look and read the blurb :) Perhaps not...

[Dale]

Great minds think alike, Leonie. That's what I thought too, Playschool till I read the blurb.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

And I as well!!! lol

[Elaine]

Just realised I haven't been doing this challenge for a while but I've looked back at the books I've read and realised that some of them fit in nicely with this challenge.
May male author Kinglake-350
June female author Christina Stead
August favourite genre historical fiction Burial Rites
September Watching You and for
October I'll be reading The Perfect Location.

I did read The Rosie Project and A Long Way Home but it may be a bit of a stretch to try and somehow fit them into July's new release. So that's the only month I've missed out on.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Elaine:)

[Dale]

Just received The Inheritance which will be my October female read. Need to finish a couple of others that don't fit into this category first though.

[Dale]

Forgot to add also reading this Wife For Hire which I started yesterday as another female author read for October.

[Zoey]

Leonie wrote: "Zoey wrote: "Finished my October read There's a Bear in ThereMerridy Eastman4★"

I saw the title of your October read, and thought, "That looks like some ..."

LOL!!! Well it does have a bit to do with Play School. The author is an actress & ex Play School presenter & it is her memoir on "How her brilliant career went from Play School Presenter to Receptionist at a Brothel"

[Kathryn]

Dale wrote: "Just received The Inheritance which will be my October female read. Need to finish a couple of others that don't fit into this category first though."

I like the sound of this, Dale. Great review, too! Yet another to add to my list!

I changed my October read from Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley Freeman (too much in demand at the library!) to The Harp In The South by Ruth Park which I had intended to read for my female author read in June, but I read Frantic by Katherine Howell instead - my poor list has had a lot of changes made to it!

Overall, I wasn't that fussed with The Harp in the South - I think possibly because it was echoed too much by Tim Winton's Cloudstreet, to my way of thinking, although I couldn't finish Cloudstreet, giving up after about 1/4 of the book. Ruth Park's story is the tale of a poverty-stricken family living in Sydney's Surry Hills and sharing a house with 2 lodgers. The father drinks any spare money he has, one of the girls is bright, one gets "into trouble", an older brother meets a tragedy about 10 years before the story begins.

I did finish this one (which pre-dates Winton's offering by several decades) and it was OK, but I'm not desperate to read the others in the trilogy.

[Nicola]

Finished my 2nd Female Author for October
Gang of Four / Liz Byrski
Enjoyed it and gave it 4 stars
Also my first Liz Byrski book as well!

[Dale]

I've read most of her books and love them.

[Nicola]

Dale wrote: "I've read most of her books and love them."

She's aways been on my list to try but have never before gotten round to them. As she pops into uni every so often to help out with classes and do a couple of lectures it seems strange that it's taken e so long!

[Dale]

I'm sure that must be great having her for some classes.

[Marianne]

Nicola wrote: "Dale wrote: "I've read most of her books and love them."

She's aways been on my list to try but have never before gotten round to them. As she pops into uni every so often to help out with classe..."

I love that her main characters are more my age, so easy to relate to. Have enjoyed a few of hers already

[Dale]

Yes, have to admit Marianne that appeals to me as well. The characters like the author have had life experience.

[Nicola]

Dale wrote: "Yes, have to admit Marianne that appeals to me as well. The characters like the author have had life experience."

Totally agree with the age and life comments. Sometimes it's very boring to keep reading about 20 somethings - I wasn't like most of them at that age!

[Dale]

Me neither.

[Jo]

Yes I too like her books for the same reason she writes about older characters.

[Sharon]

Finished my November read by John Flanagan. I love this series 4 stars for this one.

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Sharon wrote: "Finished my November read by John Flanagan. I love this series 4 stars for this one."

That was quick! I have my book ready but it has to wait until I have read a couple of others.

[Davina]

Another one bites the dust. From my Aussie authors challenge, from my TBR list and it is another series completed this year (how sad). I loved this series and the book didn't disappoint.It was Doomsday by Chris Morphew

[Janine]

I have finished my November NR
House for all Seasons by Jenn J. McLeod 4*

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I've finished my two November reads, New Releases Watching You by Michael Robotham 5★s

The Vale Girl by Nelika McDonald 4★s

[Kathryn]

I don't think I originally listed a November read, since it's a TBR, so I decided on The Inheritance by Jo-Anne Berthelsen and I really enjoyed it. It's a while since I've read any Christian fiction and it was well-written, not overly sentimental and it was nice to read one that isn't set in the US! 4 stars from me.

I can't believe there's only one month to go in 2013!!

[Elaine]

Watching You was good, wasn't it Brenda? Look forward to reading your review. Must say I'll be interested to see what you say about The Vale Girl. I've heard only good things about it so far.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Kathryn wrote: "I don't think I originally listed a November read, since it's a TBR, so I decided on The Inheritance by Jo-Anne Berthelsen and I really enjoyed it. It's a while si..."

November in this challenge was a New Release Kathryn:) Think you might be getting your challenges mixed up;)