**Winter Reading Challenge - 2012**

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Louise wrote: "Mish wrote: Yes you can Louise....I think Brenda is reading that for #6 as well..."

Excellent! Thanks. :)"

I think there are actually a few reading it:)

[Nicola]

Update to my reading....
1. 1421: The Year China Discovered America / >Gavin Menzies
2. The Light Between Oceans / M.L. Stedman
3. A Short History of the World / H. G. Wells
4. Stranger In A Strange Land / Heinlein Ra
5. Home From the Sea / Mercedes Lackey
6. The Woman Who Changed Her Brain: Stories of Transformation from the Frontier of Brain Science / Barbara Arrowsmith-Young
7.
8. The Cartographer / Peter Twohig
9. The Chocolate Snowman Murders / JoAnna Carl
10. Death By Water / Kerry Greenwood

Getting through them - wil be starting 1421 this week.... Hoping I've left enough time to get it finished!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Good on you Nicola:)

[Nicola]

Brenda wrote: "Good on you Nicola:)"

Thanks! I've also been rereading Terry Pratchett as light reading as well, just as that 2 minutes before sleep!

[Amber]

Hi guys, sorry I haven't contributed to the group for ages, I've been so busy and with what spare time I do have, I'm madly reading! :-)

Last night I finished On The Jellicoe Road and cried my eyes out (such a perfect book!), so here is where I'm at with my list:

1. TBR (one per month):
June – Foal's Bread by Gillian Mears (also reading for the June Challenge - Literary Fiction/Classics)
July – The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
August – The Mother's Group by Fiona Higgins

2. Aussie author with Aussie locale:
On The Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

3. From a GR friend's list:
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (also reading this one for the June challenge)

4. Literature Map (Rohinton Mistry):
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahari

5. Winter New Release:
The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

6. Winter Blues/mental health:
An Angel At My Table by Janet Frame

7. Summery cover:
The Life by Malcolm Knox

8. YA novel or a picture book for International Children's Day:
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (unless I run out of time, and then I'll use one of the picture/chapter books I've read with my kids)

9."Winter is Coming":
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) by George R. R. Martin

10. Horror/murder/thriller/cozy mystery:
Shutter Island by Denis Lehane

[Mish]

Well done Amber....what did you think of Angels Game and Prisoner of Heaven?

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Looking good Amber:)

[Amber]

Mish wrote: "Well done Amber....what did you think of Angels Game and Prisoner of Heaven?"

Thanks Mish. I think the first book in the trilogy is by far the best. Angel's Game is slightly less amazing, and the third one is kind of average in my opinion. I'm not very good at reviewing, sorry :-)

[Ben]

1a. June TBR
The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level (in Real Life) by Chris Hardwick ★★★★

4. Literature Map - Michael Chabon
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole ★

5. New Release
Redshirts by John Scalzi ★★

6. Winter Blues
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey ★★★★★

7. Summery cover

Gentlemen of the Road: A Tale of Adventure by Michael Chabon ★★★★★

10. Chills down your spine
A Murder of Quality by John le Carré ★★★

[Mish]

Amber wrote: "Mish wrote: "Well done Amber....what did you think of Angels Game and Prisoner of Heaven?"

Thanks Mish. I think the first book in the trilogy is by far the best. Angel's Game is slightly less amaz..."

That's fine Amber, no problem re review

When I first read Angel's Game I thought wasn't very good either but I was thinking of doing a re-read as I don't know if I gave it a fair go the first time - I read it straight after Shadow of the Wind.

I’m still waiting on my delivery from Fishpond for Prisoner of Heaven so I haven't read it yet. But one of my favourite characters is back in this book so I'm looking forward to reading it.

Also I read somewhere that there will be a 4th book in the series - very exciting :)

[Trina]

My updated list!

1.
- The Gunslinger by Stephen King
- Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchet 3/5
- Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne 5/5

2. Tomorrow When The War Began by John Marsden (technically a reread but I haven't read it since highschool) The World Beneath by Cate Kennedy

3.Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (on my friend Tyler's list) 4/5

4.Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (searched Jodi Picoult)

5.Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness (due out July 15) 5/5

6.The Mindful Way Through Depression by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, and Jon Kabat-Zin (I started this a long time ago, it's about time I finished it) I've started this one again.

7.Life of Pi by Yann Martel (cover picture of a boat on the ocean) 5/5

8. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

9.Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire) (started!)

10.Misery by Stephen King 4/5

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Doing well Ben and Trina:)

[Michael]

Just an update on my progress

1 – TBR List
June - All That I Am - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
July - Pure
August - The Perks of Being a Wallflower

2 - Aussie landscape/locale
TBA

3 - Pick a friend (Brenda)
Now You See Me

4- Literature Map (Raymond Chandler)
The Grifters - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

5 - New Release
The Dog Stars - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

6 - Winter Blues
Love in the Years of Lunacy - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

7 – Warm or Summery cover

The Waddi Tree

8 – International Children's Day
Railsea - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

9 - WINTER in the title - ice, cold, snow, rain, wind
Snow Crash

10 - Horror/Murder/Thriller or Cosy Mystery
The Deep Blue Good-by - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Looking good Michael - over half way;P

[Sally906]

I am about half way through my winter challenge already and about to finish two more books, and three are packed for my weeks holiday starting next week so am on track to complete in time. Here is my list and where I am at (finished books in bold):

1.
a. A Fountain Filled With Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming
b. Magnolia Wednesdays by Wendy Wax
c. Forbidden Nights with a Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks (Currently Reading)

2. Spin cycle by Ilsa Evans (Packed to go)

3. The Radleys by Matt Haig (Currently Reading)

4. Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie (Packed to go)

5. Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich (Packed to go)

6. The Boy Who Fell to Earth by Kathy Lette

7. The Beach House by Jane Green

8. Clemency Pogue: Fairy Killer by J.T. Petty

9. Chill Factor by Rachel Caine

10.A Truth For a Truth by Emilie Richards

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Hope you have a wonderful holiday Sally, and you'll definitely reduce your list if you get all 3 read!!

[Maggie]

Three books left to read:
The Storyteller currently reading and enjoying very much
The Buddha and the Borderline: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder through Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Buddhism, and Online Dating
The Wild Wood which I may have to change because I requested it from my library a long time ago and it's still not available. I will find another book from my author literature map I think.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Maggie:)

[Bron]

I'm still trying to plod through my challenge books. I am really bogged down between uni and baby so not getting too much reading for fun done unfortunately.

Here's my list again:

1. Possession by AS Byatt
Titus Andronicus - Shakespeare
Jimmy the Hand - Raymond E Feist
2. Of a Boy, Sonya Hartnett
3. The Five People You Meet in Heaven -Mitch Albom
4. The Cobra Fredrick Forsyth
5. The Red House - Mark Haddon
6. Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend - Matthew Green
7. The Empty Family: Stories Colm Toibin
8. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
9. A Clash of Kings (A song of fire and ice #2)
10 The Redeemer- Jo Nesbo

I have finished Possession, Titus, The Empty Family and am currently reading both The Red House and A Clash of Kings. (Can someone please tell me how you get the cross out line through the books you've read?)

Hopefully I will finish off a few more books off my list before the end of the challenge.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

< s > word < /s >..... without the spaces between < and s and >...so after you link your books, you can put the Strike through them.....does that make sense Bron?

Possession like that!


BTW!! As long as you're enjoying your reading, when you can get to it, that's the main thing:)

[[deleted user]]

My update:

1. Picnic at Hanging Rock 2.5 stars (review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)
The Space Between 4 stars (review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)
Alanna 4 stars (review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)

2. The Burning Bridge(currently reading)
3. The Great Gatsby 3.5 stars (review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)
4. They Came on Viking Ships 4 stars (review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)
5. Pennies for Hitler
6. Of Mice and Men 4 stars (review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)
7. 4 stars (review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)
8. Macbeth and Son 4 stars (review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)
9. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
10. The Woman In Black 4 stars (review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...)

I'll continue reading A Game of Thrones but not for this challenge.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well done Mickey...you'll be finished soon:)

[Bron]

Brenda wrote: " word ..... without the spaces between ...so after you link your books, you can put the Strike through them.....does that make sense Bron?


Possession
like that!


BTW!! As long as you're enjoy..."

Thanks. I'll give it a go.

[Louise]

I've finished #6 with The Boy Who Fell to Earth by Kathy Lette. I gave it 3 stars. I enjoyed it, I was educated some more into autism and Asperger's, but I found her constant man-hating diatribes to be wearing. And I do agree with Archie - she's been smothering Merlin.

By the way, if she dumps Archie again, can someone give him my address? :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Louise wrote: "I've finished #6 with The Boy Who Fell to Earth by Kathy Lette. I gave it 3 stars. I enjoyed it, I was educated some more into autism and Asperger's, but I found her constant man-hating diatribes t..."

Totally agree Louise! It seemed to be all about Lucy, instead of Merlin.

[Maggie]

I've literally just finished The Storyteller as in I stayed up half the night to finish it (very easy for a shift worker I must say but that doesn't detract from how important it was for me to keep reading this story).
If you havent read this book yet you absolutely MUST; it scores "6 OUT OF 5" from me - I've created a new shelf for it.
My review is already on GR - that says it all.
Wow wow wow.

[Maggie]

PS I've had to change my Literature Map book as I can't obtain a copy of the one I had chosen. As I enjoyed The Storyteller so much I have used this author, Antonia Michaelis, as the search base, and came up with a number of German authors. I've chosen to read Monika Feth's Der Erdbeerpflücker ( "The Strawberry Picker" in English although I'm hoping to get my tongue around der erdbeerpflucker before long) which is a mystery/crime novel.

[Maggie]

Trina wrote: "I loved Never Let Me Go, I hope you do too Maggie!"

Yes, me too. I had forgotten that I had already read it, but enjoyed it just as much as on the second read.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Maggie wrote: "I've literally just finished The Storyteller as in I stayed up half the night to finish it (very easy for a shift worker I must say but that doesn't detract from how important it was for me to keep..."

Excellent review Maggie...here is a link to your review for everyone to read! http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

1. TBR list:
- June A Devil is Waiting by Jack Higgins ★★★★
- July Seduction in Death by J.D. Robb ★★★★
- August Victims by Jonathan Kellerman ★★★★★

2. Aussie author with Aussie landscape/locale:
Scared Yet? by Jaye Ford ★★★★★

3. Pick a friend, choose a book - I chose Mish, and she's read:
Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey ★★★★★

4. Literature Map - I chose Lisa Gardner and came up with Tami Hoag, so my title is:
The Alibi Man ★★★★★

5. New Release for Winter:
Tuesday's Gone by Nicci French (released 25/7) My review will be closer to release date:) ★★★★

6. Winter Blues - read a book on mental health:
The Boy Who Fell to Earth by Kathy Lette ★★★

7. Warm summery cover:
Catch Me by Lisa Gardner ★★★★★

8. International Children's Day - YA or kid's book:
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold ★★★★

9. Winter is coming - word in title:
Stone Cold by David Baldacci ★★★★

10. Chills or COZY mystery: My cozy mystery:
Doll House by Anya Allyn ★★★★★

[Trina]

That's awesome Brenda, you'll finish with heaps of time to spare!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Trina wrote: "That's awesome Brenda, you'll finish with heaps of time to spare!"

Thanks Trina:)

[Nicola]

Update to my reading....
1. 1421: The Year China Discovered America / >Gavin Menzies
2. The Light Between Oceans / M.L. Stedman
3. A Short History of the World / H. G. Wells
4. Stranger In A Strange Land / Heinlein Ra
5. Home From the Sea / Mercedes Lackey
6. The Woman Who Changed Her Brain: Stories of Transformation from the Frontier of Brain Science / Barbara Arrowsmith-Young
7.
8. The Cartographer / Peter Twohig
9. The Chocolate Snowman Murders / JoAnna Carl
10. Death By Water / Kerry Greenwood

Another one down - haven't started 1421 yet - but will get to it very soon!

[Louise]

Nicola wrote: "Update to my reading....
1. 1421: The Year China Discovered America / >Gavin Menzies
2. The Light Between Oceans / M.L. Stedman
3. A Short History of the World / H. G. Wells
4. Stranger In A St..."

Your #3 by HG Wells is a great book!

[Louise]

I've finished another one. List so far is

1.1 The Rise and Fall of Thomas Cromwell: Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant, John Schofield
1.2 Dance of the Gods, Nora Roberts
1.3 Valley of Silence, author:Nora Roberts|625]
2. The Slap, Christos Tsiolkas
3. Prince of Thorns, Mark Lawrence
4. Neuromancer, William Gibson
5. Shadow of Night, Deborah Harkness
6. The Boy Who Fell to Earth, Kathy Lette
7. TBA
8. The Scorpio Races, Maggie Stiefvater
9. Ice, Louis Nowra
10. Smokin' Seventeen, Janet Evanovich

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Doing well Louise!

[Lesley]

Recently finished my seventh book #8 YA Zlata's Diary: A Child's Life in Wartime Sarajevo. 4 stars.

[Bronwyn]

I have been enjoying reading these posts and have added a few more books to my TBR list (not that I need anything else added to that). I thought I would give my updated list here too.

1, Kiss - Ipod ***** 15/08/12
Night's Kiss **** 20/06/12
Pearl in a Cage - Ipod ***** 22/07/12
2. Murder On The Ballarat Train -audio ***** 14/06/12
3. Jacaranda *** 26/07/12
4. The Rose Garden audio *** 16/08/12
5. The Beloved ***** 21/08/12
6. A Rose in Winter **** 06/06/12
7. The Captive **** 12/06/12
8. The Lightning Bold audio ***** 18/06/12
9. Bluebird Winter **** 02/06/12
10.Eve Ipod **** 01/08/12

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Doing very well Bronwyn:)

[Trina]

I've decided to change my young adult choice to Paper Towns instead of City of Fallen Angels. I'm much more excited to read John Green, as it's the only one of his I haven't read yet.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Trina wrote: "I've decided to change my young adult choice to Paper Towns instead of City of Fallen Angels. I'm much more excited to read John Green, as it's the only one of his I haven't read yet."

I still haven't read any John Green and I really must!

[Ben]

1a. June TBR
The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level (in Real Life) by Chris Hardwick ★★★★

1b. July TBR (also for July challenge)
Angel of Darkness by Charles de Lint ★★★

4. Literature Map - Michael Chabon
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole ★

5. New Release
Redshirts by John Scalzi ★★

6. Winter Blues
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey ★★★★★

7. Summery cover

Gentlemen of the Road: A Tale of Adventure by Michael Chabon ★★★★★

10. Chills down your spine
A Murder of Quality by John le Carré ★★★

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Looking good Ben:)

[Trina]

You should Brenda. I really enjoy his writing, and YA fiction isn't just for young adults!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Trina wrote: "You should Brenda. I really enjoy his writing, and YA fiction isn't just for young adults!"

I've read quite a lot of YA and mostly enjoyed it, I will definitely get to him one day!

[Christy]

Ok so we're back in Oz and here's my updated list. Still better get a move on!!!

1a. 7th Heaven by James Patterson

1b. Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James

1c. TBA

2. Doll House by Anya Allyn

3. Rules Of Prey by John Sandford

4. The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

5. The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

6. Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho

7. Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik

8. Fallen by Lauren Kate

9. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

10. Agony of the Leaves by Laura Childs

Almost done with Doll House and am just waiting to get Angry Housewives back from the library so I can finish that, so as slow as I look, there may still be hope!!!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

You have a whole month yet Christy:) How are you enjoying Dollhouse? I really enjoyed it:)

[Christy]

I wasn't sure about it at first, seemed very slow, but kept plugging along after your review. Now.....SO creepy I can't put it down!! Thanks for such a great recommendation!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Christy wrote: "I wasn't sure about it at first, seemed very slow, but kept plugging along after your review. Now.....SO creepy I can't put it down!! Thanks for such a great recommendation!"

You're welcome...I'm really glad you're enjoying it. It's breath-taking isn't it!

[Louise]

I've finished #2 The Slap. 3 Stars.