**Spring Challenge: Opposites Attract!**

[Leonie]

Finished!

Spring Challenge: Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/9/24 - 30/11/24
Level: Easy: 3 pairs (6 Books - ONE Aussie Author)
Progress: 6/6

Opposite Pair title - Female MC / Male MC
#1.a Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree 28/10 ★★★★
#1.b Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson AA 14/9 ★★★



Opposite Pair title - Female Author / Male Author
#2.a Exiles by Jane Harper AA 18/11 ★★★★
#2.b The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman 19/10 ★★★★



Opposite Pair title - Fantasy Romance / Historical Romance
#3.a Love Letters and Thirst Tonics by Hailey Blackwood 5/10 ★★★
#3.b The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn 24/11 ★★★★

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Finished
Spring Challenge: Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/9/24 - 30/11/24
Level: Hard
Progress: 12/12

1a. Set in my country.
Murder Down Under by Arthur W. Upfield AA 5 stars 7/9/24
1b. Set overseas.
Miracle Cure by Harlan Coben 4 stars 16/9/24

2a. One word title.
Evie by Annie Seaton AA 4 stars 21/10/2024
2b. Multiple word title
Double, Double, Toil and Truffle by H.Y. Hanna AA 4 stars 18/10/24

3a. Male author.
Wyatt by Garry Disher AA 5 stars 9/11/24
3b. Female author.
Passions in Death by J.D. Robb 5 stars 7/9/24

4a. Female MC.
Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station by Dorothy Gilman 5 stars 4/10/24
4b. Male MC
To Kill a Troubadour by Martin Walker 5 stars 11/9/24

5a. Part of a series
The Last Word by Elly Griffiths 5 stars 26/9/24
5b. Standalone
The Phoenix Ballroom by Ruth Hogan 5 stars 12/11 24

6a. Historical fiction
The Comfort of Ghosts by Jacqueline Winspear 5 stars 22/11/24
6b. Contemporary
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout 5 stars 19/10/24

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Well done Leonie!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Leonie and Phrynne!

[Jasmine's]

Finish 25/11/24

Spring Challenge: Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/9/24 - 30/11/24
Level: Medium
Progress: 8/8 8AAs

UK / Fiji
#1.a Gifts For Our Time by Anna Jacobs AA 5* 20/09/24
#1.b A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao 31/10/24 3* AA

City / Rural
#2.a Dressed by Iris by Mary-Anne O'Connor AA 5* 01/10/24
#2.b The Round Yard by Alissa Callen 4* 25/11/24 AA

Male MC / Female MC
#3.a The Story of Danny Dunn by Bryce Courtenay 20/11/24 5* AA
#3.b Someone Like You by Karly Lane 07/10/24 4* AA

Ancient times / Modern day
#4.a The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks AA 5* 13/11/24
#4.b Storm Child by Michael Robotham AA 4* 21/09/24

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Jasmine!

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Great work Jasmine!

[JP]

Challenge completed! Thanks Brenda :)

Spring Challenge: Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/9/24 - 30/11/24
Level: Hard
Progress: 12/12
AA: 4/3

Opposite Pair - Earth / Space
✅#1.a - Charlotte Pass by Lee Christine AA - 06/09 - 4⭐️
✅#1.b - Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn - 27/10 - 5⭐️



Opposite Pair - Historical / Futuristic
✅#2.a - Blood and Blade by Matthew Harffy - 14/10 - 5⭐️
✅#2.b - Imitation in Death by J.D. Robb - 30/10 - 5⭐️



Opposite Pair - Cop / Robber
✅#3.a - Divided in Death by J.D. Robb - 28/11 - 5⭐️
✅#3.b - Deathdeal by Garry Disher AA - 10/09 - 5⭐️



Opposite Pair - City / Rural
✅#4.a - Fractured by Karin Slaughter - 19/09 - 5⭐️
✅#4.b - Blue Skies by Fleur McDonald AA - 07/09 - 3⭐️



Opposite Pair - Fantastical / Realistic
✅#5.a - Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb - 17/11 - 5⭐️
✅#5.b - And Fire Came Down by Emma Viskic AA - 21/11 - 4⭐️



Opposite Pair - Hot / Cold
✅#6.a - Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters - 17/10 - 5⭐️
✅#6.b - Snow Angel Cove by RaeAnne Thayne - 07/09 - 5⭐️

[Jenny]

Finished

Spring Challenge: Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/9/24 - 30/11/24
Level: Medium
Progress: 8/8 -- 2 AA's

COMPLETED
Opposite Pair title: Female/Male Author
#1.a -- Behind the Mask by Faye Hall -- 5★ -- 31/10/2024 -- AA
#1.b -- Murder in Hyde Park by Phillip Strang -- 4★ -- 30/09/2024 -- AA



COMPLETED
Opposite Pair title: Rural/City Settings
#2.a -- A Home Among the Snow Gums -- 5★ -- 18/11/2024 -- AA -- Rural
#2.b -- Endgame by Sarah Barrie -- 5★ -- 11/10/2024 -- AA -- City



COMPLETED
Opposite Pair title: Australian/USA Author
#3.a -- The Drowning by Bryan Brown -- 4★ -- 05/11/2024 -- AA
#3.b -- Strawberry Gold by Chris Gerrib -- 4★ -- 13/11/2024 -- USA



COMPLETED
Opposite Pair title: Black Cover / Colourful Cover
#4.a -- The Amateur Detective: A 1950 Philip Bryce mystery by Peter Zander-Howell -- 4★ -- 15/11/2024
#4.b -- The Volcano Daughters by Gina María Balibrera -- 3★ -- 12/11/2024

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Well done JP and Jenny!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Great work JP & Jenny!

[Clare]

I finished. Thanks for the fun reading season

Spring Challenge: Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/9/24 - 30/11/24
Level: Hard
Progress: 12/12
5 AA

Female MC/Male MC
#1.a ✔ The Stand In by A.J. Rushby Read 25/10. 4★ Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... AA
#1.b ✔ The Flight of the Falcon by Daphne du Maurier Read 22/11. 4★ Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Female on cover/Male on cover
#2.a ✔ Liar's Test by Ambelin Kwaymullina Read 7/11. 3★ Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... AA
#2.b ✔ My Name Is Not Peaseblossom by Jackie French Read 20/10. 3★ AA

Contemporary/Historical
#3.a ✔ Only She Came Back by Margot Harrison Read 4/10. 5★ Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#3.b ✔ Winter of the Wolf by Amanda Willimott Read 24/10. 3★ Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... AA

Female author/Male author
#4.a ✔ Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer Read 13/11. 5★ Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#4.b ✔ Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture by Kyle Chayka Read 30/9. 4★ Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Fiction/Non fiction
#5.a ✔ Life of Zanna by Emily Jane Hodgkin Read 22/10. 4★ Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#5.b ✔ Every Living Thing by Jason Roberts Read 30/11. 4★ Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Debut author vs established author
#6.a ✔ Gus and the Missing Boy by Troy Hunter Read 5/10. 3★ Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... AA
#6.b ✔ The Champions by Kara Thomas Read 20/11. 5★ Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Clare!

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Great work Clare!

[Sarah]

Checking in a couple of days late with my completion. Thanks Brenda - you know I love these type of challenges where we find links between books!

Spring Challenge: Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/9/24 - 30/11/24
Level: Hard
Progress: 46/46 AA: 15/15 (min. 3)

Male Author / Female Author
1.a Sanctuary by Garry Disher AA (8/9) 4.5*
1.b The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen (8/9) 5*

Standalone / From a Series
2.a Lay Your Body Down by Amy Suiter Clarke AA (19/9) 4*
2.b Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen (30/10) 5* (Rizzoli & Isles #10)

Set in the Country / Set in the City
3.a Evans Above by Rhys Bowen (1/9) 4.5*
3.b The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen (15/9) 5*

Set in my home country / set in another country
4.a Every Last Suspect by Nicola Moriarty AA (24/10) 4.5* (set in Australia)
4.b Fool Me Twice by Benjamin Stevenson AA (10/11) 4* (set in the USA)

Urban setting / Country Village setting
5.a None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell (5/10) 4*
5.b Into the Storm by Cecelia Ahern (26/10) 3.5*

Young Characters / Mature Aged Characters
6.a Sidelines by Karen Viggers AA (14/10) 4.5*
6.b We Solve Murders by Richard Osman (31/10) 4*

Set in my Home State (Tasmania) / Set in another State (SA)
7.a Dusk by Robbie Arnott AA (7/11) 5*
7.b The Dinner Party by Rebecca Heath (1/11) 4*

Beach on Cover / Bush on Cover
8.a The School Run by Ali Lowe AA (18/11) 4*
8.b The Creeper by Margaret Hickey AA (13/10) 4.5*

Bright Cover / Plain Cover
9.a The Hitwoman's Guide to Reducing Household Debt by Mark Mupotsa-Russell AA (29/9) 3*
9.b Whispers of the Dead by Lin Anderson (28/10) 5*

New Release / Older Release
10.a The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley (6/9) 4.5* (2024)
10.b The Understudy by David Nicholls (11/9) 4* (2005)

Fiction / Non-Fiction
11.a The Celebrants by Steven Rowley (8/10) 4*
11.b Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion (8/10) 5*

Short Book / Long Book
12.a Clara Reads Proust by Stéphane Carlier (5/11) 5* (195 pages)
12.b Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (11/10) 5* (440 pages)

Bought / Borrowed
13.a 17 Years Later by J.P. Pomare AA (4/10) 5*
13.b The Last Dance by Mark Billingham (22/9) 5*

One Person on Cover / Two or More People on Cover
14.a Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent (20/11) 5*
14.b The Lost Victim by Robert Bryndza (13/10) 4.5*

eBook / Physical Book
15.a The Bridal Party by J.G. Murray (8/10) 2.5* (read via Libby)
15.b In the Blink of An Eye by Jo Callaghan (21/10) 5*

Collection of Short Stories / Full-length Novel
16.a The Man in Black and Other Stories by Elly Griffiths (22/10) 5*
16.b The Ledge by Christian White AA (23/10) 4.5*

Historical setting / Set in the present day
17.a In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (21/11) 5* (set between 1959 and 1965)
17.b One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware (22/11) 3.5*

Mostly black cover / Mostly white cover
18.a Die Again by Tess Gerritsen (15/11) 5*
18.b Antarctica by Claire Keegan (11/10) 5*

Upper Case Title / Lower Case Title
19.a Love Stories by Trent Dalton AA (26/10) 5*
19.b Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth AA (25/11) 4*

Split timeframe (historical-present) / Single sequential timeline
20.a The Valley by Chris Hammer AA (13/11) 5*
20.b Angel with Two Faces by Nicola Upson (29/11) 4.5*

Cosy crime / dark crime
21.a A Swarm of Butterflies by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett (26/11) 4* (not as cosy as earlier books in the series!)
21.b The Puppet Master by Sam Holland (29/9) 5*

Children's Fiction / Adult Fiction
22.a The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (29/11) 5*
22.b Killing Jericho by William Hussey (29/11) 4*

Professional (Private) Investigator / Amateur Investigator
23.a The Hound of the Baskervilles (audiobook edition) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (29/11) 5*
23.b The Lies They Tell by Gillian French (30/11) 4*

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Brilliant job Sarah!

[Sarah]

Brenda wrote: "Brilliant job Sarah!"

Thanks Brenda!

[TheMadHatter]

This was a challenge I thought I was finally going to finish on time. Not to be. Done now though....hopefully I can finish a few of the annual challenges on time given I am now on holidays :-)

Opposite Pair title - One Word Title/Multiple Word Title
#1.a Dune by Frank Herbert
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (5 Stars) - 19/9/24
#1.b Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (4 Stars) - 3/10/24



Opposite Pair title - Female Author/Male Author
#2.a Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (5 Stars) - 2/11/24
#2.b The Turning by Tim Winton AA
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (4 Stars) - 23/9/24



Opposite Pair title - Historical Romance/Contemporary Romance
#3.a The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (3.5 Stars) - 27/11/24
#3.b Beauty and the Baller by Ilsa Madden-Mills
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (4 Stars) - 14/11/24



Opposite Pair title - Set on Earth/Set off Earth
#4.a The Four Legendary Kingdoms by Matthew Reilly AA
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (4 Stars) - 24/9/24
#4.b Golden Son by Pierce Brown - Set on Mars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (4 Stars) - 30/11/24



Opposite Pair title - Set in Australia/Set Overseas
#5.a We of the Never Never by Jeannie Gunn AA
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (2 Stars) - 25/10/24
#5.b Until You by Penelope Douglas
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (4 Stars) - 27/10/24



Opposite Pair title - Young Adult/Adult
#6.a For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (5 Stars) - 6/11/24
#6.b Rescue by Anita Shreve
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (3 Stars) - 5/12/24

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done MH! Only a couple of days over :)

[Rachel]

All done, bit late in posting though!
Spring Challenge: Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/9/24 - 30/11/24
Level: Easy
Progress: 6/6. 1/1 AA

One word/ multi word title
#1.a Honor by Thrity Umrigar* (India) 5 Sep 2024 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
#1.b: Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta* (Nigeria) 9 Sep 2024⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review


Rhyming title. non-rhyming
#2.a Fight Night by Miriam Toews* (Canada) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review
#2.b Silence of the Chagos: A Novel by Shenaz Patel* (Mauritius) 6 Sep 2024 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review


Women in war/ Men in War
#3.a The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste* (Ethiopia) 15 Sep 2024 ⭐⭐⭐ my review
#3.b Elizabeth's Star by Rhonda Forrest (Papua New Guinea) 9 Sep 2024 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ my review (AA)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Rachel!!

[Krystal]

6 days late on this one, but I'm happy to have completed it! I think this might actually be my first challenge for the year haha.

Spring Challenge: Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/9/24 - 30/11/24
Level: Easy
Progress: 6/6 (2/1 AA)
COMPLETE!

Past/Future (Historical Fiction/Sci-Fi)
#1.a The Village of Eight Graves by Seishi Yokomizo Finished 20/9; 4 stars. Review Here
#1.b Babylon's Ashes byJames S.A. Corey Finished 6/12; 3 stars. Review Here



Black/White (Cover)
#2.a Withered Hill by David Barnett Finished 7/9; 4 stars. Review Here
#2.b Murder on Easey Street: Melbourne’s Most Notorious Cold Case by Helen Thomas (AA) Finished 30/9; 3 stars. Review Here



Male/Female (author)
#3.a Psykhe by Kate Forsyth (AA) Finished 24/9; 4 stars. Review Here
#3.b The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville Finished 16/10; 4 stars. Review Here

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Krystal!

[Jonquil]

Spring Challenge: Opposites Attract!
9/1 - 11/30/24

12/12
6/3 AA

1.
Female MC The Whispering Dead Darcy Coates 11/29 ★★★★ AA
Male MC The Good Turn Dervla McTiernan 11/3 ★★★★ AA


2.
Large city setting The Waiting Michael Connelly 11/14 ★★★★★
Small town setting Broken Shadows Kathleen Brooks 11/6 ★★★★★


3.
Female on cover Death in Daylesford Kerry Greenwood 9/12 ★★★★ AA
Male on cover Bachelor Sheriff Paula Graves 10/26 ★★★


4.
Contemporary Framed Shadows Kathleen Brooks 11/8 ★★★★★
Historical Murder at the Crown and Anchor C.J. Archer 10/3 ★★★ AA


5
US setting Oh No, Not "The Home": Observations and Confessions of a Grandmother in Transition Peggy Rowe 11/8 ★★★★★
Non-US setting Murder at the Merton Library Andrea Penrose 10/19 ★★★★


6.
Female author Red River Road Anna Downes 11/2 ★★★★ AA
Male author Blood Moon Garry Disher 9/8 ★★★★ AA

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Jonquil!