December Featured Author - Matthew Reilly

[Rachel]

Finished! By the skin of my teeth, only just made it!
DECEMBER 2022 CHALLENGE
Featured Author: Matthew Reilly
Date 1/12/2022-31/12/2022
Level: Hard
11/11 4/4 AA
TASKS

✅1.Read a book set in Australia: You Need to Know by Nicola Moriarty 3 Dec 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review AA

✅2. Read a debut novel: Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley (Native American) 22 Dec 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review

✅3. Read a book which has been translated: The Blind Earthworm in the Labyrinth by Veeraporn Nitiprapha* (Thailand) 25 Dec 2022 ⭐⭐⭐ my review

✅4.Read a book by an Australian author: Wild Women: History's Female Rebels, Radicals & Revolutionaries by Pamela Robson* 16 Dec 2022 ⭐⭐⭐ my review AA



SPELL OUT
✅C-Christmas at Coorah Creek by Janet Gover 24 Dec 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review AA
✅O-The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht* (Serbia) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
✅N-Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz* (Egypt) 29 Dec 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
✅T-The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince by Robin Hobb 24 Dec 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
✅E-Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel* (Mexico) 26 Dec 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
✅S-My Tidda, My Sister: Stories of Strength and Resilience from Australia's First Women by Marlee Silva 13 Dec 2022 ⭐⭐⭐ my review AA
✅T-Odin's Game by Tim Hodkinson (Iceland/ Ireland) 20 Dec 2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review

[Meg]

Just in time!

December Featured Author - Matthew Reilly
Duration: 1/12/22 - 31/12/22
Level: Medium
10/10

G The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home by Joanna Nell AA finished 19/12 3*
O Together We Can: Everyday Australians doing amazing things by Claire O’Rourke AA finished 24/12 3*
L The Last Days of New Paris by China Miéville finished 29/12 3.5*
F Find Us by Benjamin Stevenson AA finished 29/12 4*
C Here Is the Beehive by Sarah Crossan finished 4/12 4*
O Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver finished 12/12 3.5*
U Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth finished 28/12 4*
R Home Body by Rupi Kaur finished 15/12 5*
S Something Special, Something Rare: Outstanding short stories AA finished 7/12 4*
E The Candy House by Jennifer Egan finished 31/12 4.5*

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Great job Jenn and Kylie!

[Sue]

Complete!

December Featured Author - Matthew Reilly
Duration: 1/12/22 - 31/12/22
Level: Hard
11/11 4/4 AA
TASKS

✔︎#1. Born in Sydney in 1974, Matthew Reilly was not always a big fan of reading. It was only after he read To Kill a Mockingbird and Lord of the Flies in Year 10 that he realised reading could transport you to another world.
**Read a book set in Australia - Strange Objects by Gary Crew 13/12 2★

✔︎#2. Matthew's his first novel was Contest, which he wrote at the age of 19 while still at university studying law. Matthew self-published Contest in 1996 after being rejected by all the major publishers. In January 1997, a Commissioning Editor for Pan Macmillan Australia walked into Angus & Robertson's Pitt Street Mall store and bought a copy of Contest. The editor tracked Matthew down through his contact details in the front of the book.
**Read a debut novel - Dissolution by C.J. Sansom 17/12 4★

✔︎#3. Matthew is now the internationally bestselling author of the Scarecrow novels, the Jack West novels, and seven standalone novels plus several short stories. His books are published in over 20 languages with worldwide sales of over 7 million copies.
**Read a series book - About Face by Donna Leon 19/12 4★

✔︎#4. Matthew owns and drives a DeLorean DMC-12, the car made famous in the Back to the Future movies. He also has a life-sized Han Solo in carbonite hanging on the wall of his office! When not writing or penning a film script, Matthew can be found on the golf course. Matthew Reilly is currently living in Los Angeles.
**Read a book set in the US - City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert 31/12 5★


BONUS
**Read a book by Matthew Reilly

SPELL OUT
✔︎M - Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure by Michael Palin 12/12 4★
✔︎A - Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray by Anita Heiss 23/12 4★
✔︎T - Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi 26/12 4★
✔︎T - The Bondi to Manly Walk: The Definitive Guidebook by Tara Wells 30/12 4★
✔︎H - Haven byEmma Donoghue 21/12 5★
✔︎E - Three Dollars by Elliot Perlman 29/12 4★
✔︎W - A Damsel in Distress by P.G. Wodehouse 10/12 3★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Sue!!

[Valerie]

Thank you for the challenge, 3/4 read

December Featured Author - Matthew Reilly
Duration: 1/12/22 - 31/12/22
Level: easy
3/4

TASKS

#1. Read a book which you feel started your love of reading

The Secret Seven by Enid Blyton 18/12/22 4★

#2. Read a debut novel

I Will Die in a Foreign Land by Kalani Pickhart

#3. Read a book which has been translated

The City of Mist: Stories by Carlos Ruiz Zafón 31/12/22 3★

#4. Read a book by an Australian author

Lying Beside You by Michael Robotham AA 19/12/22 4★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Good job Valerie :)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Well done everyone!!!!!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Great work Rachel and Meg! I missed your posts - thanks to Phrynne, I can tick you off :)

[Carolyn]

I completed EASY level of the challenge, but didn't manage to read the bonus book again this month.

December Featured Author - Matthew Reilly
Duration: 1/12/22 - 31/12/22
Level: Easy
4/4 books (min 1 AA)

TASKS

#1. Born in Sydney in 1974, Matthew Reilly was not always a big fan of reading. It was only after he read To Kill a Mockingbird and Lord of the Flies in Year 10 that he realised reading could transport you to another world.
**Read a book set in Australia
✔ Murder in Williamstown by Kerry Greenwood AA (read 9 Dec) 5★


#2. Matthew's his first novel was Contest, which he wrote at the age of 19 while still at university studying law. Matthew self-published Contest in 1996 after being rejected by all the major publishers. In January 1997, a Commissioning Editor for Pan Macmillan Australia walked into Angus & Robertson's Pitt Street Mall store and bought a copy of Contest. The editor tracked Matthew down through his contact details in the front of the book.
**Read a debut novel
✔ East of Hounslow by Khurrum Rahman (read 18 Dec) 5★

#3. Matthew is now the internationally bestselling author of the Scarecrow novels, the Jack West novels, and seven standalone novels plus several short stories. His books are published in over 20 languages with worldwide sales of over 7 million copies.
**Read a series book
✔Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (read Dec 2) 4★

#4. Matthew owns and drives a DeLorean DMC-12, the car made famous in the Back to the Future movies. He also has a life-sized Han Solo in carbonite hanging on the wall of his office! When not writing or penning a film script, Matthew can be found on the golf course. Matthew Reilly is currently living in Los Angeles.
**Read a book by an Australian author
✔Clarke by Holly Throsby AA (read 26 Dec) 4★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Carolyn!

[Carol]

Didn’t finish this one sadly- start afresh with January

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Bad luck Carol...

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Good work Carolyn!

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Better luck this month Carol:)

[Anna]

A couple of days late hahaha but I did finish this challenge finally.

December Challenge 2022
Duration: 1/12/22 - 31/12/22
Level: Easy
4/4 (2 Aussie Authors)

TASKS
#1. Read a book set in Australia:
✅On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (AA) (03/01) 5★

#2. Read a debut novel:
✅Looking for Alaska by John Green (26/12) 3★

#3. Read a series book:
✅The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han (Summer #1) (10/12) 3.5★

#4. Read a book by an Australian author:
✅The Stepchild by Nicole Trope (AA) (07/01) 4.5★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Anna!

[Sarah]

And another one down! I hope it's okay that I've counted The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village for both the November and December challenges - I actually read it entirely in December. Had a bit of trouble fitting my December reads to the prompts, unfortunately!
Aussie Readers' Challenge December Featured Author - Matthew Reilly
Duration: 01/12/22 - 31/12/22
Level: Easy
Progress: 4/4 AA: 2/2

1. a. Read a book set in Australia
The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village by Joanna Nell AA (? December) 4*

2. b. Read a debut novel
Black River by Matthew Spencer AA (5/1) 4.5*

3. b. Read a book that has been translated from/into another language
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (26/12) 4.5* (Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Finnish, Lithuanian, Swedish, French, Italian, Dutch and Flemish, to name a few!)

4. b. Read a book set in the US
The Trees by Percival Everett (27/12) 5*

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

No Sarah, but count if for December as you have the four in November without it :) And well done!

[Krystal]

Better late than never, right? Mind you, this was my Plan B, the tasks. So essentially I failed but shhhhh XD

December Featured Author - Matthew Reilly
Duration: 1/12/22 - 31/12/22
Level: Easy
4/4
COMPLETE!

TASKS

#1. Read a book set in Australia
Unsolved Australia: Lost Boys, Gone Girls by Justine Ford (AA) Finished 6/1/23. 2 stars. Review Here

#2. Read a debut novel
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig Finished 2/1/23. 4 stars. Review Here

#3. Read a series book
Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey Finished 23/12/22; 4 stars. Review Here

#4. Read a book by an Australian author
Aurora's End by Amie Kaufman (AA) Finished 16/12/22; 4 stars. Review Here

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Krystal!

[Sarah]

Brenda wrote: "No Sarah, but count if for December as you have the four in November without it :) And well done!"

Unfortunately I did count it in November as well. I can substitute in another January read instead.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Up to you Sarah :) If you take it away from November's, you still have your 4, as it was the bonus.

[Sarah]

Brenda wrote: "Up to you Sarah :) If you take it away from November's, you still have your 4, as it was the bonus."

Sadly not, as it was amongst the four I used for the Task Prompts. I think I'll just call December a bust and leave it unfinished, rather than back-allocate 2023 reads. Sadly, the books I read over November - December just weren't a very good match for the challenges (can't believe I wasted those two "I" titles!). Thanks Brenda.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

No worries Sarah :)