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

[Belinda]

Gary wrote: "I'm going to start with Gone Girl."

Great book!

[B the BookAddict]

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

TBR : Driftwood by Mandy Magro
and [book:Fatal..."

Hope you like it:)

[Sharon]

Thanks Bette, I'm sure I will :)

[Myra]

I am going to start with The Book Thief , which also happens to be in my TBR pile!

Other books from my TBR I'm hoping to get to are:
1. Fire
2. Bitterblue

and I also just finished Will Grayson, Will Grayson which had been high in my TBR list for a while!

[Heather]

I read The Tournamentafter reading the prequel. Wouldn't say I loved the book. I am going to try to read my TBRs based on the recommends - I have at least three.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I finished my read from Zoey's list (thanks Zoey!) The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots by Loretta Hill 5★s

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

I'll add my TBRs as I read them (I've already read a couple)

[Zoey]

Brenda wrote: "I finished my read from Zoey's list (thanks Zoey!) The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots by Loretta Hill 5★s

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

I'll..."

Glad you enjoyed it Brenda :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I definitely did Zoey:)

[Patricia]

I'm on to my second recommended book The Snow Child about 40% through and really enjoying it...but I'm getting a sneaking suspicion that this will end in tears.

[Elaine]

Just finished my first recommendation for this challenge. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I totally loved it and gave it 5 stars!! A huge thank you to Kathryn for putting it on her list of favourites, where I was able to find it.
Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kathryn]

Elaine wrote: "Just finished my first recommendation for this challenge. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I totally loved it and gave it 5 stars!! A huge thank you to Kathryn for ..."

I'm just glad you enjoyed it as much as I did, Elaine!

[Elaine]

I certainly did, Kathryn. Thank you. :)

[Elaine]

In fact I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to go back to The Luminaries now. I just feel I want to linger a little longer with this book.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Elaine wrote: "In fact I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to go back to The Luminaries now. I just feel I want to linger a little longer with this book."

Re-read Elaine;)

[Kathryn]

Elaine wrote: "In fact I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to go back to The Luminaries now. I just feel I want to linger a little longer with this book."

Enjoy the feeling, Elaine - you can never re-read it in quite the same way as your first read-through!

Although, seeing you enjoy it so much gives me the urge to re-read it…!

[Elaine]

Oh, Brenda I wish I could!! As it is I spent most of my day off doing nothing but reading. It's a good thing hubby's away for work. Needless to say it'll be takeaway for dinner tonight! :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Elaine wrote: "Oh, Brenda I wish I could!! As it is I spent most of my day off doing nothing but reading. It's a good thing hubby's away for work. Needless to say it'll be takeaway for dinner tonight! :)"

Oh what a lovely way to spend a day off Elaine! Absolute special treat! To finish with takeaway is the icing on the cake...no work on your day off is the way it should be:)

[Kathryn]

Elaine wrote: "Oh, Brenda I wish I could!! As it is I spent most of my day off doing nothing but reading. It's a good thing hubby's away for work. Needless to say it'll be takeaway for dinner tonight! :)"

Brenda wrote: "Oh what a lovely way to spend a day off Elaine! Absolute special treat! To finish with takeaway is the icing on the cake...no work on your day off is the way it should be:) ..."

And what a book with which to spend a day off!! Perfection!

[Elaine]

Kathryn wrote: "Elaine wrote: "In fact I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to go back to The Luminaries now. I just feel I want to linger a little longer with this book."

Enjoy the feeling, Elai..."

That's very true Kathryn. I think I will keep the feeling going by recommending it to as many people as I can, both at work and in my personal circle. I know what you mean too about wanting to re-read. I often feel the same when I recommend books that I've enjoyed to customers at work. Only problem is there are so many other good books just waiting to be read!!!!

[Elaine]

Brenda wrote: "Elaine wrote: "Oh, Brenda I wish I could!! As it is I spent most of my day off doing nothing but reading. It's a good thing hubby's away for work. Needless to say it'll be takeaway for dinner tonig..."

Thank you Brenda. Yes...well you know what they say..."when the cat's away". But it has been great doing very little I must say.

[Lee at ReadWriteWish]

I also just finished The guersey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. What a delight!!!!! It's officially my favourite book ever! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[B the BookAddict]

Recommended book The Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times 3.75★
TBR books Blame 3★
Just One Evil Act 4★

[Kathy]

I will be reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. From my TBR Small Indiscretions : stories of travel in AsiaI give 5 stars.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Kathy wrote: "I will be reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. From my TBR Small Indiscretions : stories of travel in AsiaI give 5 stars."

Guernsey is a hugely popular book amongst our readers at the moment Kathy:) Enjoy!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

For my Book recommendation part of the challenge I read The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots by Loretta Hill

My TBR so far:
Always Watching by Chevy Stevens
In Safe Arms by Lee Christine
Poppy's Dilemma by Karly Lane
Until Death by Sandy Curtis
Dark City Blue by Luke Preston
Desert Fish by Cherise Saywell
The Sword of Demelza by J.E. Rogers
and currently reading A Century of Wisdom: Lessons from the Life of Alice by Caroline Stoessinger

[Sandra]

Books I've read so far this month. Some of been on the tbr for years, others just a few days ;)

1. Bride of Midnight 1/1/14 ★★★
2. Jailed 1/1/14 ★★★★
3. Lost Roar 2/1/14 ★★★★
4. Snowballs in Hell 2/1/14 ★★★
5. Nice Girls Don't Live Forever 6/1/14 ★★★★
6. Finding Forgiveness 7/1/14 ★★★★
7. Mr. Red Riding Hoode 7/1/14 ★★★★
8. Ours 7/1/14 ★★★
9. Hecate's Own 8/1/14 ★★★★
10. Loving Her 8/1/14 ★★★★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

The review for The Sword of Demelza by J.E. Rogers which I finished last night..

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

[Kathryn]

So far for this challenge I've read the following:
From Aussie Readers' recommendations:
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion - 5 stars (thanks to Rani, Christina, Mrs Lawn, Carolyn, Janine, Amber and anyone else I missed who included this one on their top 5 list - a very popular book in 2013 and I can now see why!)

And from off my TBR list:
The Cleverness of Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith - 3 stars
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin - 4 stars
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch - 3 stars
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini - 5 stars
The Secret River by Kate Grenville 4 stars

A good month's reading, so far!

[B the BookAddict]

Kathryn wrote: "So far for this challenge I've read the following:
From Aussie Readers' recommendations:
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion - 5 stars (thanks to Rani, Christina,..."

Well done you!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Kathryn wrote: "So far for this challenge I've read the following:
From Aussie Readers' recommendations:
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion - 5 stars (thanks to Rani, Christina,..."

Some nice reading there so far Kathryn:)

[Kathryn]

Bette wrote: "Well done you!..."

Brenda wrote: "Some nice reading there so far Kathryn:) ..."

Thanks Bette and Brenda!

[Mish]

I'm starting The Bell Jar, which is on Angela's and Michael's list.

[Michael]

Mish wrote: "I'm starting The Bell Jar, which is on Angela's and Michael's list."

I approve of this

[Mish]

Michael wrote: "Mish wrote: "I'm starting The Bell Jar, which is on Angela's and Michael's list."

I approve of this"

I'm 30pages in and it's going really well :)

[Sharon]

So far for this challenge I have read the following:
From Aussie Readers recommendations I read : We Need to Talk About Kevin recommended by Bette.

And so far off my TBR I've read:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Still Alice by Lisa Genova

[Kathy]

Sharon wrote: "So far for this challenge I have read the following:
From Aussie Readers recommendations I read : We Need to Talk About Kevin recommended by Bette.

And so far off my TBR I've read:..."

Still Alice is a great book.

[Sharon]

Yes it sure is Kathy I really enjoyed it :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I finished A Century of Wisdom: Lessons from the Life of Alice Herz-Sommer, the World's Oldest Living Holocaust Survivorby Caroline Stoessinger last night (another TBR) Here is my review:

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

[B the BookAddict]

Finished The Night Circus 5★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Finished my 8th - Debut novel - Red Queen by Honey Brown 5★s

Review to follow

[Mish]

Brenda wrote: "Finished my 8th - Debut novel - Red Queen by Honey Brown 5★s

Review to follow"

I wasn't sure whether you'd like this book but so glad you did :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Mish wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Finished my 8th - Debut novel - Red Queen by Honey Brown 5★s

Review to follow"

I wasn't sure whether you'd like this book but so glad you did :)"

Totally loved it Mish!!

[Mish]

Brenda wrote: "Mish wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Finished my 8th - Debut novel - Red Queen by Honey Brown 5★s

Review to follow"

I wasn't sure whether you'd like this book but so glad y..."

Yeah I thought this was her best in the 2 books I've read of hers. it was daring and I like the science Fiction element to it.

I'm looking fwd to reading After the Darkness soon

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Mish wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Mish wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Finished my 8th - Debut novel - Red Queen by Honey Brown 5★s

Review to follow"

I wasn't sure whether you'd like this boo..."

Dark Horse is exceptional too:)

[Mish]

Brenda wrote: "Mish wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Mish wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Finished my 8th - Debut novel - Red Queen by Honey Brown 5★s

Review to follow"

I wasn't sure whether you'd ..."

Yes I heard that. Definitely be reading that one too.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Mish wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Mish wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Mish wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Finished my 8th - Debut novel - Red Queen by Honey Brown 5★s

Review to follow"

I wasn't sure..."

She's a very consistent author...always seems to nail it!

[Carolyn]

Thanks for suggesting this challenge to start the year - it's a great excuse to tackle my TBR pile and NOT be tempted to buy anything new! (Although my wishlist is growing ever longer).

I have completed my book recommended by Aussie readers (and lingering for some months on my TBR stack):
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent, definitely 5 stars

and 6 books (aiming for 10) from my TBR list (5 of them by Aussie writers!):
Sisters Of Mercy by Caroline Overington (also on my Aussie author's challenge list)
Comeback and The Dunbar Case by Peter Corris
Mad Men, Bad Girls and the Guerilla Knitters Institute and Good News, Bad News by Maggie Groff
Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich

I am currently reading:
Questions of Travel by Michelle de Kretser (half way through, enjoying it but finding it a bit slow)
Hungry, the Stars, and Everything by Emma Jane Unsworth

and then I plan to tackle two long-time TBRs (I have a week's leave coming up!):
Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
Norwegian by Night by Derek B. Miller (also recommended by Marianne)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

I've read lots off my TBR list but still haven't got hold of my recommended book If on a Winter's Night a Traveler because some lazy person at the library hasn't returned it yet. And it is overdue!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Carolyn wrote: "Thanks for suggesting this challenge to start the year - it's a great excuse to tackle my TBR pile and NOT be tempted to buy anything new! (Although my wishlist is growing ever longer).

I have co..."

Well done Carolyn!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Phrynne wrote: "I've read lots off my TBR list but still haven't got hold of my recommended book If on a Winter's Night a Traveler because some lazy person at the library hasn't returned it yet. And ..."

Don't you hate that! It's so frustrating...