January Challenge - Aussie Readers Book Recommendations PLUS lots from your TBR!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

In our first monthly challenge for 2014 we ask you all to select at least one (1) book from the list of recommendations by our members (from the link below) and then read as many as you can from your TBR list...



In other words, it must be a book which has been read in 2013 and recommended in this thread:)

Top 5 Reads for 2013



Then ATTACK that TBR list - make your list and post it here, crossing them off as you read them!



This photo was taken on Australia Day somewhere in beautiful WA, so relax, enjoy your reading and pretend you're on that beach!

[Nicola]

My first will be
The Sunne in Splendour - A Novel of Richard III / Sharon Kay Penman
I have had this on my TBR list forever and it is also my book club book to be reviewed in February - so it fits in perfectly!!!
I'll add my TBRs later when I've organised my list

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Quick off the mark Nicola! Well chosen:)

[Nicola]

Thank you!
And Thank You Elaine, it was on your list that I saw it and therfore my choice was easy....

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

My choice is to be The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots by Loretta Hill from Zoey's list...thanks Zoey!

[Lila]

Sounds fun!

Recommendation to read: The Book Thief
TBR: How To Run With A Naked Werewolf
TBR: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
TBR: Rapture at Midnight
TBR: Welcome to Sugartown
TBR: The Power Of Now: A Guide To Spiritual Enlightenment

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Oooh a great list Lila! Loved The Book Thief!

[Elaine]

Nicola wrote: "Thank you!
And Thank You Elaine, it was on your list that I saw it and therfore my choice was easy...."

Great choice Nicola. I absolutely loved this book. Hope you enjoy it just as much. Look forward to hearing what you think.

[Lila]

Brenda wrote: "Oooh a great list Lila! Loved The Book Thief!"

Oo yay. I'm excited to give it a go!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Lila wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Oooh a great list Lila! Loved The Book Thief!"

Oo yay. I'm excited to give it a go!"

I'm sure you'll enjoy it:)

[Janine]

I am going to read Thornwood House by Anna Romer
and hopefully lots from my TBR pile

[Odette]

My first choice is Barracuda to be followed by The Sunne in Splendour.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Wonderful Odette! Welcome to the group too...great you're joining in the January challenge:)

[Belinda]

I'm going to read "A Harp in the South" by Ruth Park. Gets my Austin Authors challenge started too!

[Belinda]

Stupid phone! Aussie, not Austin!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Belinda wrote: "I'm going to read "A Harp in the South" by Ruth Park. Gets my Austin Authors challenge started too!"

The Harp In The South by Ruth Park A wonderful book!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Belinda wrote: "Stupid phone! Aussie, not Austin!"

Hahahahahah!! I just wondered if that was a new challenge I hadn't heard about;P

[Kathy]

Brenda wrote: "My choice is to be The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots by Loretta Hill from Zoey's list...thanks Zoey!"

This is a great book. I am planning on reading the sequel.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Kathy wrote: "Brenda wrote: "My choice is to be The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots by Loretta Hill from Zoey's list...than..."

I've read the following two and they are fabulous, so I know I need to read this one! The Girl in the Hard Hat and The Girl in the Yellow Vest :)

[Andrea]

Luckily quite a few of the recommendations were also on my TBR. I'm going to tackle Life After Life, Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea, Before I Go To Sleep and The Rosie Project.

If I have time I'll also read The Signature of All Things from my TBR, as I've been wanting to get stuck into that since it was first published.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Wow Andrea, good for you! Some great choices:)

[Chris]

My choice will be The Shadow Year from Sharon's list and I'll aim for four TBR books.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Christina wrote: "My choice will be The Shadow Year from Sharon's list and I'll aim for four TBR books."

Another great pick!

[Deb]

I will start with then from my tbr list... Finished both of these books.
The House At Riverton 4*'s
Dark Witch 3*'s

[Lee at ReadWriteWish]

So many to choose from! I want to pick something I already have though, and something that isn't part of a series (I'm already reading too many series! LOL!), so... Either Gone Girl or The Rosie Project or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

[Mish]

Going to read Barracuda & The Bell Jar.

[Mish]

Lee wrote: "So many to choose from! I want to pick something I already have though, and something that isn't part of a series (I'm already reading too many series! LOL!), so... Either [book:Gone Girl|8442457..."

Great choices Lee.

[Marianne]

will be in there as I want to reread it before I see the movie, then my TBR, well, not listing and crossing off, will list when I'm done, everything else is on my TBR so, again, this is an easy challenge

[Binari]

I'll be reading a few of my TBR books(still undecided) and The Help

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Some really great choices here guys!!

[Rosie]

My first will be:

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Not sure of the rest as yet. I will add once I have decided.

[Rosie]

My first will be:

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Not sure of the rest as yet. I will add once I have decided.

[B the BookAddict]

From Aussie Readers 2013 Top 5:
The Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth

Have to decide from tbr.

[Sally906]

I will join in - seeing as a few people have mentioned it, and it is on my TBR pile I am going to read:

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

[Zoey]

Im going to start with A Game of Thrones recommended by Nikki

[Elaine]

I will try to fit in two for this challenge.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which was one of Kathryn's top 5 and The Fault in Our Stars, which was Mish's top 5. Both of these have also been on my TBR for a while. If I have time then I will tackle a few more off my list.

[Carolyn]

I'm going to start with Burial Rites by Hannah Kent recommended by so many and then as many tbrs as possible!

[Sharon]

I'm going to start with We Need to Talk About Kevin byLionel Shriver From Bette's list.

TBR : Driftwood by Mandy Magro
and Fatal Liaison by Vicki Tyley

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Some excellent choices everyone!

[Amber]

The Book Thief for me too!

[Kadi]

I think I will start with
The Tournament as I have it here to read.
Then my TBR list Joyland
I Am Legend

[Mish]

Elaine wrote: "I will try to fit in two for this challenge.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which was one of Kathryn's top 5 and The Fault in Our Stars, which was..."

Nice choice Elaine :) You'll need to stock up on the boxes of tissues with The Fault in Our Stars

[Kathryn]

Elaine wrote: "I will try to fit in two for this challenge.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which was one of Kathryn's top 5 and The Fault in Our Stars, which was..."

I think The Guernsey Literary and PPP Society was probably my favourite read of the whole year - hope you enjoy it, Elaine!

As for me, a lot of books mentioned by people are on my list to read this year, but not sure whether I'll get to them in January... The Fault in Our Stars is certainly one, but there are still 30 reserves on it, so not likely I'd get it in Jan even if I requested it!! There's a few on my list for this year that I'll need to leave til later in the year when they will hopefully be less popular!!

But, from my TBR list that I will be reading in Jan:
The Secret River by Kate Grenville,
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin,
The Cleverness of Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith,
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown,
The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
maybe A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and maybe Different Seasons by Stephen King

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

I am going to start with If on a Winter's Night a Traveler from Michael's list mainly because the title is so splendid! (also because it is recommended and because the story sounds good).
From my TBR list I hope to read
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King 5 stars
Innocence by Dean Koontz 3 stars
The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman 3 stars
The White Luck Warrior by R. Scott Bakker 5 stars
and hopefully lots more!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Phrynne wrote: "I am going to start with If on a Winter's Night a Traveler from Michael's list mainly because the title is so splendid! (also because it is recommended and because the story sounds go..."

Good list of reads there Phrynne:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Kathryn wrote: "Elaine wrote: "I will try to fit in two for this challenge.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which was one of Kathryn's top 5 and [book:The Fault in Our Stars|11870..."

Some great reads there too Kathryn!

[Kerry]

The Secret River by Kate Grenville, or maybe A casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Kerry wrote: "The Secret River by Kate Grenville, or maybe A casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling."

The Secret River by Kate Grenville
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

[Patricia]

I'm going to start with Life After Life which was recommended by several members, and then The Snow Child (also recommended by at least 2 members).
I already own both audiobooks so they will meet the dual criteria of being recommended in that thread and also on my TBR!

After that probably The Returned from my TBR...and then I'll decide what's next :)

[Gary]

I'm going to start with Gone Girl.