**Autumn Reading Challenge - 1/3/13 - 31/5/13**

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Brenda wrote: "Finished my 8th..TBR..Dark Horse by Honey Brown

Brilliant! Review closer to publication of 24th April."

Finally able to put my review up for this one!

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Trevor]

Book number seven finished The Secret Life of France by Lucy Wadham , my short review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Now onto book number eight Love and Death on Long Island by Gilbert Adair

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Doing well Trevor!

[Trevor]

Brenda wrote: "Doing well Trevor!"

Thanks, and apart from one book which I substituted, I'e enjoyed all the books so far

[Amber]

Brenda wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Finished my 8th..TBR..Dark Horse by Honey Brown

Brilliant! Review closer to publication of 24th April."

Finally able to put my review up for this one..."

Ooh, I'm putting that one on my TBR! Great review, Brenda, thank you :-)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Amber wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Finished my 8th..TBR..Dark Horse by Honey Brown

Brilliant! Review closer to publication of 24th April."

Finally able to put my review ..."

Thanks Amber!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Trevor wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Doing well Trevor!"

Thanks, and apart from one book which I substituted, I'e enjoyed all the books so far"

Great that you are enjoying the challenge Trevor!

[Ben]

Finished Kokoda for my ANZAC pick. Good read although I thought some of the narrative embellishments were a bit much.

1. Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh ★★
2. Riding the Rap by Elmore Leonard ★★★★
3. Raylan by Elmore Leonard ★★★★
4. Luther: The Calling by Neil Cross ★★★★
5. Every Dead Thing by John Connolly
6. A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane
7. The Cold Commands by Richard K. Morgan
8. The Jerusalem Syndrome: My Life as a Reluctant Messiah by Marc Maron ★★★
9. Kokoda by Peter FitzSimons ★★★
10. TBC
11. The Human Division by John Scalzi ★★
12. Wool by Hugh Howey

[Trevor]

On a bit of a roll, just finished book number eight Love and Death on Long Island by Gilbert Adair, will now start on Hide and Seek by Ian Rankin, my book about a worker.

[Steve]

Just proving Brenda right again, I have finished the tenth book of my second list, The Dragon Reborn -- I just couldn't stop tonight, and had to finish it. My review is here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Doing well guys:) You're a machine Steve!! lol

[Sally906]

I have just one more to read and I am done - it is one of my TBR pile and is:

The Time of the Hunter's Moon by Victoria Holt

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Sally!! I have 2 left:)

[Sally906]

Brenda wrote: "Well done Sally!! I have 2 left:)"

Gives me a month to be more-or-less challenge free before my big trip to Europe in June. Am hoping when the winter challenge comes out the two books i am taking on the plane with me can be slotted in - otherwise I will just be limited to the almost 200 e-books on my device :) LOL - how ever will I manage?

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Hahaha!! I'm sure you can fit them into the challenge SOMEWHERE!! I bet you are getting excited...it's not far away!

[Sally906]

6 weeks 1 day and 7 hours - NOT that I am counting!!!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

It certainly doesn't seem like you're counting Sally;) How awesome!

[Bronwyn]

I love the idea of the book mark for keeping a record of your challenge book. I think I will make myself one. I do my list on the computer and mark it off as I read. I am onto my last book for this challenge, a bit better than the last challenge where I did not manage to read very many of my choices. Thanks to all who have put up book ideas, my TBR list has grown a bit more.

1. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali ★★
2. Bad Behaviour by Liz Byrski ****
3. Bella’s Run by Margareta Osborn ****
4. Out of the Deep I Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming **** (policeman, clergy woman)
5. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne (Irish author) ****
7. The Secret Life of Dresses by Erin McKean ****
8. Chocolat by Joanne Harris ***
9. A Rose for the Anzac Boys by Jackie French ****
10. The Things we do for Love by Kristen Hannah
11. The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble *****
12. Fallen by Lauren Kate ****

[Bronwyn]

How do you do the stars large like some have, mine a tiny and don't stand out like others do.

[Mish]

Bronwyn wrote: "How do you do the stars large like some have, mine a tiny and don't stand out like others do."

Bronwyn I think you'll need to bold the stars

****

[Mish]

No it didn't work...sorry Bronwyn I'm not sure

[Zoey]

To get the big stars you need to type

& # 9 7 3 3

but without the spaces & that will give you the star ★

[Michael]

copy and paste works; ★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Your basic hints & tips will tell you http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

[Steve]

Zoey wrote: "To get the big stars you need to type

& # 9 7 3 3

but without the spaces & that will give you the star ★"

To be pedantic, they need to end with a semi-colon, as in "& # 9733;" without the spaces in the middle, but goodreads seems to be naughty and will accept either.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Steve wrote: "Zoey wrote: "To get the big stars you need to type

& # 9 7 3 3

but without the spaces & that will give you the star ★"

To be pedantic, they need to end with a semi-colon, as in "& # 9733;" witho..."

I always put the semi-colon, didn't realize it was or could be different:)

[Steve]

Brenda wrote: "I always put the semi-colon, didn't realize it was or could be different:) "

The term for them is 'Character entity reference' and they are strictly defined with the form of '&#nnnn;' or '&#xnnnn;' (and just to be confusing, that's a literal x in the second one.) Due to the "(some html is ok)", I'm guessing GR are quite liberal in terms of parsing it, and just dealing with things that aren't quite right.

But now I've bored everyone, haven't I? :-)

And my trick to show it correctly with no tricks works! '★'

[Bronwyn]

Thank you so much for that I will work on my stars when I get home from work tonight. I better get a move on I am already running late and I have not put my lunch together yet. Have a good day everyone.

[Christy]

WHOO HOO!!! I'm DONE!!!!

1. International Women's Day by Patricia Cornwell 2 Stars

2. Reduce: by Tim Winton 2 Stars

3. Recycle: by Fiona Higgins 3 Stars

4. The Ides of March: by James Patterson 4 Stars

5. St. Patrick's Day: by Patricia Falvey 5 Stars

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

6. Australian Labour Day: by James Patterson 5 Stars

7. Colors of Autumn: by Tess Gerritsen 5 Stars

8. Easter: by Laura Esquivel 2 Stars

9. Anzac Day: by Tatiana de Rosnay 4 Stars Could've been 5 Stars, but just so hard to give such a sad book 5 Stars.

10. Mother's Day: by Kris Radish 4 Stars

11. TBR: by Stacy Green 5 Stars

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

12. TBR: by Fiona Mccallum 5 Stars

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

Also read
by Therese Anne Fowler 4 Stars

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

I can't believe I'm done, but after a horrible attempt at the Summer Challenge, maybe I'll start working on those I never read during the Summer.
I didn't review all of my reads, as some of them are quite old. Have been sitting on my shelf for years, but I hope the ones I have written are helpful.
I'm also glad I had some 4 and 5 Star books, as those are some of the books I chose were just not for me!

Happy Reading!!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Christy wrote: "WHOO HOO!!! I'm DONE!!!!

1. International Women's Day by Patricia Cornwell 2 Stars

2. Reduce: by Tim Winton 2 Star..."

Well done Christy! Great result:)

[Steve]

Christy wrote: "WHOO HOO!!! I'm DONE!!!!"

Nice work!

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

I just finished my "recycle' book Albert of Adelaide. It was like an Aussie version of Watership Down with a platypus as a hero instead of a rabbit. I liked it!!!
I have two books left to read in this challenge and plenty of time in which to do it.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Doing well Phrynne:)

[Christy]

Steve wrote: "Christy wrote: "WHOO HOO!!! I'm DONE!!!!"

Nice work!"

Thanks Brenda and Steve. I'd really had high hopes to read a second list but I'm not sure I'll make it. We'll see!! :)

Steve, you're a reading machine! I'm envious!

[Steve]

Christy wrote: "Steve, you're a reading machine! I'm envious!"

Thanks. :-) The fourth book of Wheel of Time is a tad over a 1,000 pages and is slowing me down.

However, I have a 13 hour flight to LAX on Saturday, and then a 3 hour layover (and that doesn't even count the time I'll be waiting in Sydney), so I should finish my second list and make a good dent on my third, which I will be unveiling tomorrow.

[Trina]

I'm actually not sure I'll finish this one. I've been so swept under with study and what not and I'm not even half way yet!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Trina wrote: "I'm actually not sure I'll finish this one. I've been so swept under with study and what not and I'm not even half way yet!"

Don't stress about it Trina...you can probably carry some of your books over into the next challenge:)

[Lesley]

Just finished my ANZAC read A Fortunate Life. I didn't intend to finish it today but just so happens. 3 stars from me, as I found the first half dragged out for me.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I finished my 11th - #8 Easter - Death by Chocolate by Julie Anne Lindsey

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

[Steve]

Without further ado, here is my third list. I have yet to finish my second list, but I suspect I will finish it while I am many thousands of feet in the air contained in a large metal tube.

1. International Women's Day ★★★☆☆

2. Reduce

3. Recycle

4. Ides of March ★★★★☆

5. St. Patricks Day ★★☆☆☆

6. Labour Day -- the main character is a blacksmith ★★★☆☆

7. Colours of Autumn ★★★★☆

8. Easter -- chickens lay eggs, and easter eggs are very common ★★★★☆

9. ANZAC Day ★★★☆☆

10. Mother's Day ★★☆☆☆

11. TBR

12. TBR

[Mish]

Good luck with your 3rd list Steve :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Wonderful Steve! Well done, and enjoy your reading in the metal tube!!

[Steve]

Brenda wrote: "Wonderful Steve! Well done, and enjoy your reading in the metal tube!!"

Thanks! I'll enjoy the reading, but not the metal tube. :-)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

How long will you be on board?

[Steve]

Brenda wrote: "How long will you be on board?"

It's a 13 hour flight to LAX, a 3 hour layover there, and then another 1.5 hour flight to Oakland.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Steve wrote: "Brenda wrote: "How long will you be on board?"

It's a 13 hour flight to LAX, a 3 hour layover there, and then another 1.5 hour flight to Oakland."

Oooh! That's not nice:( Hopefully you will sleep some of that time! Have fun anyway:)

[Steve]

Brenda wrote: "Oooh! That's not nice:( Hopefully you will sleep some of that time! Have fun anyway:)"

It's better than a trip to Europe, that's for sure. That is 8 hours to Singapore, 12 to London, and then another 2-4 hours to the final city.

My current plan is to watch the Hobbit and probably a few other things like Top Gear, and the rest of the time can be spent sleeping or reading. I've done a fair bit of travel for the company I work for, and pretty much all of it is in Europe or the US, so I've gotten pretty good at making best of sitting in cattle class.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Steve wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Oooh! That's not nice:( Hopefully you will sleep some of that time! Have fun anyway:)"

It's better than a trip to Europe, that's for sure. That is 8 hours to Singapore, 12 to London..."

Haha!! At least you're getting to see the world! How long will you be away for?

[Steve]

Brenda wrote: "Haha!! At least you're getting to see the world! How long will you be away for? "

I leave Oakland on the 4th of May, and land in Sydney on the 6th. So I'll be in the US for eight days, and away for ten.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Wow, rushed trip! Enjoy...you should get a fair amount of reading done anyway!