1186 ratings | 166 reviews | avg rating:3.98

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Joshua Donellan

Goodreads Author

Born

in Melbourne, Australia

October 23

Website

http://www.jmdonellan.com

Twitter

jmdonellan

Genre

Literature & Fiction, Humor, Mystery/thriller

Influences

Murakami, Gaiman, Atwood, Rushdie, Adams, Robbins, Slap bass solos, to ...more

Member Since

April 2011

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J M Donellan is an author, poet, musician, and teacher. He was almost devoured by a tiger in the jungles of Malaysia, nearly died of a lung collapse in the Nepalese Himalayas, fended off a pack of rabid dogs with a guitar in the mountains of India and was sexually harassed by a half-naked man whilst standing next to Oscar Wilde's grave in Paris.

He is the author of Rumors of Her Death, Killing Adonis, 19 1/2 Spells Disguised as Poems, several works of theatre, occasional work on video games, and some highly lauded bathroom graffiti. He has performed at the Sydney Opera House, the 2018 Commonwealth games, and some very prestigious basements.

He has won and been nominated for numerous awards but he won’t list them here because no one likes a b ...more

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Combine Editions
Joshua Donellan’s books

Average rating: 3.89 · 412 ratings · 141 reviews · 12 distinct works

	Killing Adonis by J.M. Donellan, Joshua Donellan (Goodreads Author) 3.48 avg rating — 189 ratings — published 2014 — 16 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rumors of Her Death by J.M. Donellan, Joshua Donellan (Goodreads Author) 3.69 avg rating — 102 ratings — published 2023 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Zeb and the Great Ruckus 4.49 avg rating — 35 ratings — published 2012 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Beginner's Guide to Dying in India by J.M. Donellan, Joshua Donellan (Goodreads Author) 4.12 avg rating — 33 ratings — published 2009 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	100 Stories for Queensland by Jodi Cleghorn (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Kate Eltham, Joshua Donellan (Goodreads Author) 4.89 avg rating — 27 ratings — published 2011	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Eighty Nine by Jodi Cleghorn (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Rebecca L. Dobbie, Laura Eno (Goodreads Author) 4.26 avg rating — 23 ratings — published 2011 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	From Stage Door Shadows by Jodi Cleghorn (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Jessica Bell (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Andrew J. McKiernan (Goodreads Author) (Contributor) 4.71 avg rating — 14 ratings — published 2012 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lenore's Last Funeral by J.M. Donellan, Joshua Donellan (Goodreads Author) 3.73 avg rating — 15 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Stendhal Syndrome by J.M. Donellan, Joshua Donellan (Goodreads Author) 4.50 avg rating — 8 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	19½ Spells Disguised as Poems by Joshua Donellan (Goodreads Author), Holly Eastwood (Illustrator) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 4 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Joshua Donellan's Blog: JM Donellan's substack

Agony, apostasy, and the coke machine

blue and white pepsi cola vending machine

Photo by Nik A. on Unsplash

Much of my childhood was spent stepping over convulsing bodies to ask my mum for change for the coke machine. She usually flipped me a few coins and said we’d leave as soon as Jenny or John or whoever had finished ecstatically convulsing. I’d tiptoe past the writhing, glossolalic bodies on the floor and obtain a cold sugary beverage to offer me reprieve from the blis

Joshua is Currently Reading

Joshua Donellan is currently reading

Katabasis

by R.F. Kuang (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: fav-authors, currently-reading

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15 hours, 35 min ago

Joshua Donellan is currently reading

In Bloom (Sweetpea, #2)

by C.J. Skuse

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Nov 08, 2025 04:04PM

Joshua Donellan is currently reading

On Connection

by Kae Tempest

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Oct 05, 2025 01:24AM

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Joshua’s Recent Updates

Joshua Donellan rated a book it was amazing Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers by Caroline Fraser	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15 hours, 35 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Murderland by Caroline Fraser. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Murderland by Caroline Fraser <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joshua Donellan started reading Katabasis by R.F. Kuang (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Fantasy	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Joshua Donellan rated a book it was amazing Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers by Caroline Fraser	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15 hours, 35 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Murderland by Caroline Fraser. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Murderland by Caroline Fraser <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joshua Donellan rated a book it was amazing Appreciation by Liam Pieper	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15 hours, 35 min ago · like
Joshua Donellan rated a book it was amazing Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15 hours, 35 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joshua Donellan rated a book it was amazing Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15 hours, 35 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joshua Donellan finished reading Appreciation by Liam Pieper	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Joshua Donellan rated a book really liked it We Love You, Bunny (Bunny, #2) by Mona Awad (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Joshua Donellan finished reading Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15 hours, 36 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Joshua Donellan rated a book really liked it Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It by Cory Doctorow (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Quotes by Joshua Donellan (?)

“I had an aunt named 'abnormal Shauna' once. But she passed away in an unfortunate cliff-top interpretative dance and fireworks accident.”
― Joshua Donellan, Zeb and the Great Ruckus

tags: humor, humorous, humour, humourous

3 likes

“...we've already had one horrible thing happen today, which means that if you think about it the odds of anything else horrible happening again in the next few hours should now be quite low.”
― Joshua Donellan, Zeb and the Great Ruckus

tags: humor, humour

2 likes

“...food was at least three million per cent more delicious when you ate it immediately after thinking you were going to die.”
― Joshua Donellan, Zeb and the Great Ruckus

tags: humor, humorous, humour, humourous

1 likes

See all Joshua Donellan's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Aussie Readers: National Bookshop Day	7	34	Aug 01, 2015 01:35AM
Goodreads Librari...: Goodreads Author profiles needing merging BY GR STAFF pt. 12	1026	885	Dec 03, 2015 12:45AM
Goodreads Librari...: please combine or redirect author entry	3	17	Aug 16, 2023 08:37PM

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Joshua’s Quotes

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”
― Mary Oliver

tags: poetry

9255 likes

“You'll hit gold more often if you simply try out a lot of things.”
― Ira Glass

1540 likes

“I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be.”
― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

tags: love

5289 likes

“You can't lie to your soul.”
― Irvine Welsh, Porno

tags: honesty, introspection

2238 likes

“Clocks and calendars don’t work in Night Vale. Time itself doesn’t work.”
― Joseph Fink, Welcome to Night Vale

36 likes

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Joshua’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-3) post a comment »

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message 3: by Harlequin Books

Dec 09, 2011 11:35AM

Hello Joshua, it is a pleasure to meet you. If you ever have any questions about Harlequin or our books, please feel free to ask.

Kim S, Harlequin Books ambassador

reply | flag

message 2: by Steve

Aug 18, 2011 11:42AM

Thanks for the invite, Joshua ;) I've just been reading your 'about the author' details; let's not go anywhere together, huh *laughing*...

Have you considered carrying a voodoo X bag? ;)

reply | flag

message 1: by Pamela

Jun 02, 2011 07:37PM

Hey Joshua...Thanks for accepting my friend request.

reply | flag

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