January Challenge - RETURNS and EXCHANGES

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Kathy wrote: "3 stars to The Rosie Effect. Nowhere near as good as the first one.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2..."

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

[Rosie]

I have finished both my books

The Secret Keeper

Outback Ghost

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Rosie!

[Mell]

Just finished my RETURN. Drawn by Lilliana Anderson :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Melissa wrote: "Just finished my RETURN. Drawn by Lilliana Anderson :)"

Drawn by Lilliana Anderson

[Sally906]

Finished my January challenge -

Returns - Our Kind of Love by Victoria Purman - this is her latest release and last year's was an A and in my top 5 books Someone Like You

Exchange - One of my A reads was Unforgivable by Sharon Robards - readers of this book also enjoyed The Bellamy Bird by Clare Havens - so I will read this one

[Deb]

I am going great on my RETURNS,

It is not a fast read, even for me; it is too chock a block full of information. I am enjoying every slow page of it though!

New years resolution; don't be so harsh rating books, give more five stars :)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Finished my challenge with The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy. Five stars for a lovely book.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Phrynne!

[Kadi]

I read Influx I gave it 3 stars. I enjoyed it but it was a little predictable.

Now I'm reading Revival

[Mell]

Deborah wrote: "
New years resolution; don't be so harsh rating books, give more five stars :) "

I have the same problem! I think I ended up with only 3 or 4 5 star books last year out of 46! But there are so many factors that go into rating a book! It's so hard!

[Kira]

I've finished the challenge, my exchange Eternal Knight by Matt Heppe. 5*. Loved it.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Kira wrote: "I've finished the challenge, my exchange Eternal Knight by Matt Heppe. 5*. Loved it."

Congrats Kira!

[Liam || Books 'n Beards]

Halfway through my exchange, not really enjoying it.

Gonna have to knuckle down and sit and read tomorrow.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Liam wrote: "Halfway through my exchange, not really enjoying it.

Gonna have to knuckle down and sit and read tomorrow."

Good luck!

[Marianne]

Returns: The Memory Tree (because I gave 5★s to Book of Lost Threads) was also a 5★ read
and
Exchanges: Funny Girl (also enjoyed by readers of Us which I rated 5★s) another 5★ read and I could really see why this was recommended to readers of Us.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Marianne!

[Vicki]

Confession time: I haven't read either of the books I selected for this challenge. :(

Hangs head in shame and slinks off...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Vicki wrote: "Confession time: I haven't read either of the books I selected for this challenge. :(

Hangs head in shame and slinks off..."

You'd better get reading then Vicki - a few hours should do it;)

[Vicki]

Brenda wrote: "You'd better get reading then Vicki - a few hours should do it;)"

I'd love to spend the day reading (that'd be one book at least), but too many other things to do like... writing. :)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Vicki wrote: "Brenda wrote: "You'd better get reading then Vicki - a few hours should do it;)"

I'd love to spend the day reading (that'd be one book at least), but too many other things to do like... writing. :)"

Well as long as you are writing and not wasting your time on silly things like house work then we will let you off this time:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Vicki wrote: "Brenda wrote: "You'd better get reading then Vicki - a few hours should do it;)"

I'd love to spend the day reading (that'd be one book at least), but too many other things to do like... writing. :)"

Oh yes!!!! Alright - I'll let you off this time;)

[Marianne]

Vicki wrote: "Brenda wrote: "You'd better get reading then Vicki - a few hours should do it;)"

I'd love to spend the day reading (that'd be one book at least), but too many other things to do like... writing. :)"

Vicki, that's an excellent excuse!

[Marianne]

Brenda wrote: "Well done Marianne!"

I was hanging off in case any more I read this month fit the bill, but alas, no.

[Kathryn]

I haven't completed this month's challenge either - I've only read half - my exchange read - The Chaperone (4 stars). My return read was to be something by either Jojo Moyes or Paul Torday but it didn't happen...

I did a cruise for half of January, so that's my excuse - if the ship's library had either of those authors, I might have read one of them, but it didn't, and I had plenty of other reading matter!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Kathryn wrote: "I haven't completed this month's challenge either - I've only read half - my exchange read - The Chaperone (4 stars). My return read was to be something by either [author:Jojo Moye..."

That's OK Kathryn:) 50% is good...the cruise is better;)

[Vicki]

Kathryn wrote: "I haven't completed this month's challenge either - I've only read half - my exchange read - The Chaperone (4 stars). My return read was to be something by either [author:Jojo Moye..."

50% is much better than my 0%. The cruise even better. :)

[Vicki]

Haha... thanks, ladies. I better get back to it. After I hang out the washing, that is. :)

[Kathryn]

Vicki wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I haven't completed this month's challenge either - I've only read half - my exchange read - The Chaperone (4 stars). My return read was to be something by either..."

Ah well, you're still doing something productive with your time, Vicki!! Even if it isn't completing Aussie Readers challenges!

[Liam || Books 'n Beards]

I got as far through Sand as I could stand but I can't stands no more. So I guess we'll call that 1.5 books out of 2.

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Liam wrote: "I got as far through Sand as I could stand but I can't stands no more. So I guess we'll call that 1.5 books out of 2."

That's a shame Liam. I wonder what put you off it so much?

[Chris]

Unfortunately, I only got the return section of this challenge completed as well. The Other Side of Dawn was 5 stars though. I'll try to fit my exchange book The Secret Keeper in another challenge. :-(

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Christina:) Now into February;)

[Carolyn]

Liam wrote: "I got as far through Sand as I could stand but I can't stands no more. So I guess we'll call that 1.5 books out of 2."

What did you hate so much about it Liam? I've been tossing up whether to read it or not.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Carolyn wrote: "Liam wrote: "I got as far through Sand as I could stand but I can't stands no more. So I guess we'll call that 1.5 books out of 2."

What did you hate so much about it Liam? I've be..."

And I've got it to read too:(

[Cassandra]

My return was Eleven Weeks by Lauren K. McKellar (I already linked the review), and my exchange was The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black. That was also a five-star read for me; I'm hoping to be able to post a review by the end of the day. It was so refreshing to see a YA vampire story where the take on vampires was different!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Cass!

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Carolyn wrote: "Liam wrote: "I got as far through Sand as I could stand but I can't stands no more. So I guess we'll call that 1.5 books out of 2."

What did you hate so much about it Liam? I've be..."

Not sure why he could have hated it so much! I liked it:)

[Deb]

Officially finished my 'Return' with only a day to spare. Loved it though, definitely a five star read;

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Congrats Deborah!

[Liam || Books 'n Beards]

Phrynne wrote: "Carolyn wrote: "Liam wrote: "I got as far through Sand as I could stand but I can't stands no more. So I guess we'll call that 1.5 books out of 2."

What did you hate so much about ..."

Honestly I'm not sure myself, I just could not stand it. It was like polar opposite to the Silo books.

[Cassandra]

Here's my review if anyone is interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[MaryG2E]

For this January challenge I only achieved 50% success. My 'Return' book was Left Neglected, because I had enjoyed so much the earlier book by Lisa Genova, called Still Alice.

I'm so sorry I did not get the opportunity to read my 'Exchange' Book, All the Light We Cannot See instead of the very unsatisfactory offering I slogged through at the end of the month of January. Such a disappointment for me, Left Neglected, and I can only award it 1 ★.

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

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

That's a shame Mary. It always feels like such a waste of time when a book finishes up being really not good.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I really enjoyed Left Neglected and am really sorry that you didn't enjoy it Mary... as Phrynne says, such a shame..

[MaryG2E]

Thanks, Phrynne and Brenda, I guess it's 'horses for courses' and this book did not work for me. But there are so many wonderful books out there waiting for me and all of us to delve into...:-)

By way of explanation I have worked in the disability support field, and know first hand of many Australians who have approached their rehabilitation in much more positive ways than the character portrayed in Left Neglected.

[Sally906]

Cassandra wrote: "Here's my review if anyone is interested: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

I enjoyed your review of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown