Annual Challenge 2025 - Calendar of Books

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Helen! Now you need another J for July ;)

[Helen]

I have obe just got to read it 😍

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I know what you mean!!

[#Teresa]

July reads completed :)

July
Title: Just Want You Here by Meredith Turits 13/7/25 2*
Author: Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb 5/7/25 4*

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Teresa!

[Jacinta]

July reads finished..July
Title - Joy Moody Is Out of Time - Kerryn Mayne (AA) 10/7 3.5★
Author - Lyrebird - Jane Caro (AA) 7/7 4★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Great work Jacinta!

[Odette]

Finished July book:

July: - Judgement Day by Mali Waugh - Read 14 Jul - 5* - AA


Another impressive 5 star read, and the author's debut novel. This is a mystery/crime book with the Melbourne Law Courts as a setting. I enjoyed the style of writing and the well-developed characters. It would make a good start to a series.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Another Aussie Odette! We are so lucky to have so many great authors in this country! Thanks for the alert on this one :)

[Kim]

Finished my July read with:-

July:
The Jackdaw by Luke Delaney

Rated this one as 4* (9/10). My review is here:-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Good job Kim!

[JP]

July complete ✅

Title: Juice by Tim Winton AA - 23 Jul, 3⭐
Author: Julie Caplin - The Little Teashop in Tokyo - 10 Jul, 5⭐

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Good job JP!!

[JP]

Brenda wrote: "Good job JP!!"

Thanks Brenda!

[Meg]

July
T: Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier finished 27 July⭐4⭐
A: The Final Chapter by January Gilchrist🦘 finished 14 July⭐4⭐

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Good job Meg!

[Helen]

I have read my July book, late again but at least done :)

Jack & Eva Frances Dall'Alba

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

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Good job Helen!

[Helen]

Brenda wrote: "Good job Helen!"

Thanks Brenda :)

[Jackmeister]

Finished my August book. 📕

August - Winds of Evil by Arthur W. Upfield AA🇦🇺 - 4⭐️ - 7/8/25

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

August done :)

Title: Autumn Softly Fell by Dominic Luke 4★s 8/8/25

Author: Angela Marsons - Little Children 5★s 8/8/25

[Odette]

Finished August book:

August: Art Hour at the Duchess Hotel by Sophie Green - Read 12 Aug - 4* - AA

A long time between Sophie Green's books. I read her first book ages ago, but no more till this recent one.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Odette! I've really enjoyed all her books to date :)

[Meg]

Finished August nice and early
T: Audition by Katie Kitamura finished 10 August⭐4⭐
A: Ruins by Amy Taylor🦘 finished 10 August⭐4⭐

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Meg!!

[#Teresa]

August books completed

Title: Apple Strudel Alibi by H.Y. Hanna AA 13/8/25 4*
Author: An Uncommon Woman by Nicole Alexander AA 2/8/25 2*

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Good work Teresa :)

[JP]

August done ✅

Title: All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham - 15 Aug, 5⭐
Author: Alison Goodman AA - The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin - 9 Aug, 5⭐

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done JP!

[Kim]

Finished my August read with:-

August:
The Awakening by Kate Chopin

Rated this one as 3* (6.5/10). My review is here:-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Also needed to re-assess my reads for the remainder of the year as I initially had this down as an Aussie author but, having read it, thought I had better check and found out she is American!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Good job Kim, and bad luck!! Plenty more Aussies luckily ;)

[Kim]

Brenda wrote: "Good job Kim, and bad luck!! Plenty more Aussies luckily ;)"

Thanks Brenda! Don't know where I got the idea that she,was Australian - probably couldn't have been less Australian if she tried!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Haha!!

[Helen]

I have read my August book

5 star read

A Woman’s Voice Alli Sinclair

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

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Helen!

[Helen]

Thanks Brenda 😊

[Jacinta]

August books done!
Title - Atmosphere - Taylor Jenkins Reid 27/8 4.5★
Author - Dream Count - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 17/8 4★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Jacinta :)

[Helen]

I have read my September book :)

The Swiss Chocolatier: European Tycoons Leanne Lovegrove

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

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Helen!

[Kim]

Completed my September read with:-

September -
The Silent Town by Anni Taylor - AA

Rated this one as 4* (9/10). My review is here:-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Kim!!

[#Teresa]

September reads done :)

Title: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari 7/9/25 5*
Author: The Dark Side by Danielle Steel 13/9/25 2*

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Teresa! Looks like Danielle Steel formula is slipping!!

[#Teresa]

Brenda wrote: "Well done Teresa! Looks like Danielle Steel formula is slipping!!"

I’ve read some of her others that I really enjoyed, I didn’t like the dialogue too much in this book. The plot was good, but other parts of the book let it down for me.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

#Teresa wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Well done Teresa! Looks like Danielle Steel formula is slipping!!"

I’ve read some of her others that I really enjoyed, I didn’t like the dialogue too much in this book. The plot was..."

I stopped reading her probably ten years ago, perhaps more, as they were all the same. I loved them in my early reading years, buying each one as they published...

[#Teresa]

Brenda wrote: "#Teresa wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Well done Teresa! Looks like Danielle Steel formula is slipping!!"

I’ve read some of her others that I really enjoyed, I didn’t like the dialogue too much in this bo..."

Yeah I think this was a genre she generally doesn't write about so I don't think her normal style of writing gave it the suspense and thriller aspect I would expect from reading this genre, or maybe I have too high an expectation these days!!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Hopefully, if you read another of hers, it'll be better!

[JP]

September completed ✅

Title: She's a Killer by Kirsten McDougall - 15 Sep, 5⭐
Author: Sarah Barrie AA - Retribution - 10 Sep, 4⭐

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Great job JP!