2012 Aussie Authors - with a twist!

[Sherri]

Oh I just found this!!! Yay! So is it alright for me to just read the books for Jan-April this month to make up for them? If I can I'll go with the Amateur level :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Sherri wrote: "Oh I just found this!!! Yay! So is it alright for me to just read the books for Jan-April this month to make up for them? If I can I'll go with the Amateur level :)"

That's perfectly fine Sherri! Good on you:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I have finished my first for April, By The Sword by Alison Stuart. I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction novel...review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Here is my updated list with my second July one completed - A Season Of Transformation...my review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

January - Outback Heart by Joanne van Os★★★★★
Five Bells by Gail Jones ★★

February - Come Back to Me by Sara Foster★★★★★
My Sister's Funeral by Stephen Bush★★★★

March - Granville A Mother's Grief by June ollerenshaw ★★★★
The Mistake by Wendy James ★★★★★

April - By The Sword by Alison Stuart ★★★★★
Murder At The Rocks by Jill Paterson ★★★★★

May - Frantic (Detective Ella Marconi #1) by Katherine Howell ★★★★★
The Darkest Hour (Detective Ella Marconi #2) by Katherine Howell ★★★★★

June - Deadly Trust by J.J. Cooper ★★★★
Scared Yet? by Jaye Ford ★★★★★

July - This Peaceful State of War by Patty Jansen ★★★
A Season Of Transformation by Jayne Fordham ★★★★

August - A Stranger in My Street by Deborah Burrows
A Distant Land by Alison Booth

September - The Secret River by Kate Grenville
Treespeaker by Katie W. Stewart

October - Matilda Is Missing by Caroline Overington
Hell on the Way to Heaven by Chrissie Foster

November - The Old School by P.M. Newton
Tiger Men by Judy Nunn

December - Precipice , The by Virginia Duigan
Desert Fish by Cherise Saywell

[Sherri]

Thanks Brenda :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Sherri wrote: "Thanks Brenda :)"

Welcome Sherri:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I have finished my second for April Murder At The Rocks by Aussie author Jill Paterson. Review here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Sherri]

Actually I think I would like to change to the semi professional level :)

Does anyone have any suggestions for romance for the letter F and M?

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

The Road Home by Fiona Palmer
Bella's Run by Margareta Osborn

There you go Sherri!! I've recently finished them both:)

[Sherri]

Awesome! Many thanks Brenda! :D

My first January book is Red Dress Walking by S.A. Jones and I shall find the other one within the week :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Sherri wrote: "Awesome! Many thanks Brenda! :D

My first January book is Red Dress Walking by S.A. Jones and I shall find the other one within the week :)"

Red Dress Walking by S.A. Jones:)

You're welcome Sherri! They were both great reads, rural outback romances, with a bit of grit;)

[Sally906]

I have finished my April ('A')read it was: Addition by Toni Jordan

Have decided on my May ('M') read - it is going to be The Blood Countess by Tara Moss

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Doing well Sally:)

[[deleted user]]

J-
June by Gabrielle Lord 4 stars
Letters From the Inside by John Marsden 4 stars
F-
The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan 4 stars
Tom Appleby Convict Boy by Jackie French 1.5 stars
M-
Hell Island by Matthew Reilly 4 stars
The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta 4 stars
A-
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto 1 star (I really tried to read this but I just couldn't finish it)
Area 7 by Matthew Reilly 4 stars
M-
The Extinction Gambit by Michael Pryor
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (currently reading)
J-
Macbeth and Son by Jackie French
Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay
J-
The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan
They Came on Viking Ships by Jackie French
A-
Beyond The Sunset by Anna Jacobs
Death and the Running Patterer by Robin Adair
S-
Seven Deadly Wonders by Matthew Reilly,
Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally
O-
Oscar And Lucinda by Peter Carey
Conspiracy 365 October by Gabrielle Lord
N-
Sabriel by Garth Nix,
The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay 3 stars (borrowed from library)
D-
Dirt Music by Tim Winton
The Bombing of Darwin: The Diary of Tom Taylor, Darwin, 1942 by Alan Tucker

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Looking good Mickey!!

[Sherri]

Sabriel and Finnikin of the Rock were wonderful books :)

[Janine]

I have finished my 3 books for April

3*
3*
2*

I didn't enjoy these books as much as previous months so hopefully May will be better

[Mish]

Well done Janine. I wasn't overly keen on All That I Am either

[Mish]

I will be starting my April book What Alice Forgot on Audio today

[Sharon]

For May I hope to read The Extinction Gambit by Michael Pryor & The Coming of the Whirlpool by Andrew McGahan.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Sharon wrote: "For May I hope to read The Extinction Gambit by Michael Pryor & The Coming of the Whirlpool by Andrew McGahan."

Sounds good Sharon:)

[Maggie]

I've finished Arrows of Time, my first April book. Still have to get into the others but I'm distracted by other good books at present. Oh well, it's all reading.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Maggie wrote: "I've finished Arrows of Time, my first April book. Still have to get into the others but I'm distracted by other good books at present. Oh well, it's all reading."

Well done Maggie!

[Sally906]

Looking for some help here. I need some suggestions for my December read.

BUT

December is when I wallow in all things Christmassy - so what I really, really want is a christmas themed book (even if Christmas mentioned in passing) that fits the 'D' criteria.

If I can't do Christmas then I will settle for light and fluffy :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I have one suggestion... The Briny Cafe by Susan Duncan...I haven't read it yet, but it's meant to be light and fluffy, and it's based in Sydney in hot weather...so I bet Christmas is mentioned;D

That's a really hard ask Sally!!!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Here's another one Sally Sophie, dog overboard : the incredible true adventures of the castaway dog I've read this one, and I'm pretty sure Christmas is mentioned. It's a great book:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Sally I just went through the complete bookshelf for AWW12 and there's no Christmas books there, let alone having a 'D' somewhere there! Plus did the listopia on Christmas/Aussie authors...no go there either!!! Good luck!!!

[Margaret]

May I add a couple of our books to your list? 'A Taste of Life and Love in Australia' for August (p.s. Shelleyrae lists it for review in July) and 'Long and Short Australian Stories' for September? I'm their author, Margaret Lynette Sharp.

[Mish]

A Taste of Life and Love in Australiaand Long and Short Australian Stories :)

[Margaret]

Thank you!

[Mish]

Margaret wrote: "Thank you!"

Anytime Margaret :)

[Margaret]

For something different, could I also add my book, '60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences', which is a very easy to read, light-hearted look at life through a series of articles written by a female Australian baby boomer, Margaret Lynette Sharp. 'S' for September!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I have just picked up Frantic and The Darkest Hour by Katherine Howell from my library, (both Detective Ella Marconi #1 & #2) for the May challenge.

[Maggie]

Getting a bit behind with this challenge, having so much else to read at the moment and not much time for any of it. Anyway I'm on my third book for April, and if I ever get back to it I'm sure to finish it. It is Diamond Eyes which seems quite good so far, but I'm not very far along. Maybe I'll need to stick with a few children's and YA books that I had considered for May just to catch up a bit.

[Dee-Ann]

Maggie wrote: "Getting a bit behind with this challenge, having so much else to read at the moment and not much time for any of it. Anyway I'm on my third book for April, and if I ever get back to it I'm sure to ..."

I am impressed, I only managed to finish one book for April (I finished some other big books as well) which was 'Of a Boy (Popular Penguins)' by Sonya Hartnett. Sad book but I really liked it and gave it 5 stars.

[Mish]

I think you're both doing well. I still haven't finished my April book What Alice Forgot.

I wish I can read several books at once :(

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Brenda wrote: "I have just picked up Frantic and The Darkest Hour by Katherine Howell from my library, (both Detective Ella Marconi #1 & #2) for the May challenge."

Finished Frantic, half way through The Darkest Hour now:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Here's my review for Frantic by Katherine Howell

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

[Mish]

Brenda wrote: "Here's my review for Frantic by Katherine Howell

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

It looks good Brenda - I've add to my TBR :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Mish wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Here's my review for Frantic by Katherine Howell

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."

It looks good Brenda - I've add to my TBR :)"

It is, Mish, it is!! I'm almost finished the 2nd one, and have the next 2 in the series here as well (all from my library), and her new one is on reserve also!!

The Darkest Hour
Cold Justice
Violent Exposure
and her new release Silent Fear

brilliant writer:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I have finished my second for May The Darkest Hour by Katherine Howell My review here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Helene]

You'll love Silent Fear! Her best yet, I think:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Helene wrote: "You'll love Silent Fear! Her best yet, I think:)"

I'm trying to get all her previous ones read Helene, before Silent Fear comes in at the library...didn't realize it was a series when I reserved it, and I'm now at #3 in the queue!! I have loved the first two!

[Sally906]

Brenda wrote: "I have one suggestion... The Briny Cafe by Susan Duncan...I haven't read it yet, but it's meant to be light and fluffy, and it's based in Sydney in hot weather...so I bet Christmas is mentioned;D

..."

I have that book in my TBR pile - light and fluffy will do and Duncan for December fits in - great:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Sally906 wrote: "Brenda wrote: "I have one suggestion... The Briny Cafe by Susan Duncan...I haven't read it yet, but it's meant to be light and fluffy, and it's based in Sydney in hot weather...so I bet Christmas i..."

Excellent Sally:)

[Sally906]

Finished my May read:

The Blood Countess by Tara Moss I really enjoyed it

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Looking good!

[Bronwyn]

I have just finsihed and found it enjoyable enough - do women like these ladies really exist - thank god I have never met one. I am listening to my 2nd May choice at the moment.

Only problem with that is that my car broke down about 4 weeks ago and the company who is fixing it have given me a car to use while they fix mine but it does not have a CD player in it so I am listening to my CD in a portable CD player while it sits on the passanger seat - not the best way to listen to an audio book but better than not listening to it.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Bronwyn wrote: "I have just finsihed and found it enjoyable enough - do women like these ladies really exist - thank god I have never met one. I am listening to ..."

Looking good Bronwyn:) Boy, they are taking a long time to fix your car!

[Maggie]

Just finished Forget me not: The Story of One Family's Voyage on the Titanic for May, a YA book about the Titanic.

Quite good retelling of the tale, 3 stars if you're familiar with the story, 4 stars for a younger YA reader. Liked the alternating person view of writing, first person for the sister and third person for the brother.