Aussie Readers discussion

Looking good Arena:)

I finished my 10th last night Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb which was my Irish character. My review will follow. I have 2 left:)

Brenda wrote: "I finished my 10th last night Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb which was my Irish character. My review will follow. I have 2 left:)"

And a month and a half to finish them!

Brenda wrote: "I finished my 10th last night Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb which was my Irish character. My review will follow. I have 2 left:)"
I also have 2 to go

Steve wrote: "Brenda wrote: "I finished my 10th last night Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb which was my Irish character. My review will follow. I have 2 left:)"

And a month and a half to finish them!"

I think I'll be right;) You'll have your second challenge completed by then!!

Just finished Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, my fifth. Halfway through! :)

I've completed a few more - will update my list soon!

Body Double 5*

and Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald 4.5*

Here's my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Only 2 left to go: Currently reading my Mother's Day choice:
and will finish with the strong female with

Doing well Christy!!!

I have three to go but one is a library book which means finding the time to go to the library and another one I can't read until May because it crosses over with another challenge. So I might just go read other books until May!!! No rush!

Brenda wrote: "I think I'll be right;) You'll have your second challenge completed by then!!"

Haha. I have a week in Oakland, CA coming up, so I have been preparing my *third* challenge, since I'll have at least six hours waiting in various airports.

Steve wrote: "Brenda wrote: "I think I'll be right;) You'll have your second challenge completed by then!!"

Haha. I have a week in Oakland, CA coming up, so I have been preparing my *third* challenge, since I'l..."

I love my kindle when I am travelling. When you run out of books you can just load some more. I even loaded books once in the middle of the ocean when we were on a cruise!

Finished my fifth for the challenge. TBR The Sunne in Splendour . It was massive but so worth it. I gave it 5 stars.

Elaine wrote: "Finished my fifth for the challenge. TBR The Sunne in Splendour. It was massive but so worth it. I gave it 5 stars."

Great that you enjoyed it Elaine:)

I finished another one last night, The Harp in the South. I was originally going to read the whole trilogy by Ruth Park but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get it from the library in time.

I'm also thinking of rearranging my list a bit, as I can't find the enthusiasm to finish Wild Swans. I might change The Harp in the South to my #10 Mother's Day book, as it has strong motherhood themes throughout. I can then sneak in The Invention of Hugo Cabret which became available at the library for me, as my #6 book (Hugo's father and uncle are watchmakers, there rest of the characters work in the train station). I would also like to change one of my TBR's to The Wind in the Willows as I found a beautifully illustrated edition at the library and want to read it to my kids! Is this many changes against the rules? :-)

Here is how my new list looks. I will still attempt to read the rest of The Harp in the South Trilogy if I can get it, and if I have the time and patience I will finish Wild Swans too.

1. Strong female character - The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson ★★★★☆
2. Reduce- Me Before You by Jojo Moyes ★★★★☆
3. Recycle - Mr Chen's Emporium by Deborah O'Brien ★★★☆☆
4. Murder - The Fiend in Human by John MacLachlan Gray
5. Irish - 'Tis by Frank McCourt ★★★☆☆
6. Working class characters - The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
7. Colours of Autumn - Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
8. Easter - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
9. Anzac War related - Hannah and Emil by Belinda Castles ★★★☆☆
10. Mother's Day - The Harp in the South by Ruth Park ★★★★☆
11. TBR - The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood
12. TBR - The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Amber wrote: "I finished another one last night, The Harp in the South. I was originally going to read the whole trilogy by Ruth Park but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get it from the library in time.

I'm als..."

No you can change it as many times as you like.

6 books read Amber, you're doing well :)

Brenda wrote: "I finished my 10th last night Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb which was my Irish character. My review will follow. I have 2 left:)"

Here's my review for this book: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Amber wrote: "I finished another one last night, The Harp in the South. I was originally going to read the whole trilogy by Ruth Park but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get it from the library in time.

I'm als..."

As Mish says Amber, you can change your list, it's your choice as to what you read...as long as you enjoy your reading, that is our main object with these challenges:)

You are doing very well too!

Brenda wrote: "Brenda wrote: "I finished my 10th last night Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb which was my Irish character. My review will follow. I have 2 left:)"

Here's my review for this book: http://www.goodre..."

Good review Brenda - when you say she is an author worth reading do you ever read her as Norah Roberts?

Phrynne wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Brenda wrote: "I finished my 10th last night Celebrity in Death by J.D. Robb which was my Irish character. My review will follow. I have 2 left:)"

Here's my review for this book: ht..."

I have read a few of her romance novels a fair while ago Phrynne, the Chesapeake series, and a number of others. And while I enjoyed them, I prefer the grittiness of the In Death series at the moment:)

Elaine wrote: "Finished my fifth for the challenge. TBR The Sunne in Splendour. It was massive but so worth it. I gave it 5 stars."

I just realised this is my sixth for this challenge!!! I seriously need a better way of tracking my books. I know some of you use spreadsheets but I wouldn't know how to do that!!!!

Elaine, I'll let you into my secret...I have a piece of paper..A4, which I write my challenge on, with the book choices and author, and as I read them, I mark them off. It's on my desk here at the computer, and when the challenge is over, the list is relegated to the recycle bin, and I start the next list...I currently have 4 lists going...it works for me:) It also helps me choose the next to read, as I only have to look at the "not crossed off" ones to know;) Very technological;P

Well Brenda funny you should say that because I've actually written down the books for this challenge in my diary and that's how I realised I was a book ahead. I just didn't want to admit to such a primitive way of tracking my books!!!!

Elaine wrote: "Well Brenda funny you should say that because I've actually written down the books for this challenge in my diary and that's how I realised I was a book ahead. I just didn't want to admit to such a..."

Haha!! Not all of us know how to keep spreadsheets...lol

Elaine wrote: "Well Brenda funny you should say that because I've actually written down the books for this challenge in my diary and that's how I realised I was a book ahead. I just didn't want to admit to such a..."

I have mine written on a bookmark (one that that has lines on it especially for the purpose), and cross them off as I go :-)

Amber wrote: "Elaine wrote: "Well Brenda funny you should say that because I've actually written down the books for this challenge in my diary and that's how I realised I was a book ahead. I just didn't want to ..."

That's not a bad way to keep track Amber and I assume you use the bookmark so you can see at a glance where you're at. I like that idea!!!

There you go you see...we all have different ways of keeping track of our challenges:)

Elaine wrote: "That's not a bad way to keep track Amber and I assume you use the bookmark so you can see at a glance where you're at. I like that idea!!!"

Yup! I use it for whichever book I'm actively reading. I got the bookmark for free from an online bookseller, only problem is it's printed on shiny card which is hard to write on. I think I'll make my own bookmark next time :-)

Amber wrote: "Elaine wrote: "That's not a bad way to keep track Amber and I assume you use the bookmark so you can see at a glance where you're at. I like that idea!!!"

Yup! I use it for whichever book I'm acti..."

Book Depository gives me a free bookmark with every book I order. I have so many now I don't know what to do with them!

I didn't realise what a quick read this one would be!

6. Working class characters - The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick ★★★★☆

Amber wrote: "I didn't realise what a quick read this one would be!

6. Working class characters -
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brian Selznick ★★★★☆
"

Wow Amber, 525 pages and you call it a quick read!! O_O!!!

@Brenda I think a lot of the book consisted of pictures, so it was almost a graphic novel :)

Oh ok Tanvi, that makes more sense then, thanks;)

Tanvi wrote: "@Brenda I think a lot of the book consisted of pictures, so it was almost a graphic novel :)"

They were great pictures, but yes, there were a lot of them. I think the blurb said 284 pictures in 533 pages. There are also many pages with just the chapter title. The rest of the pages are very sparse, some only had a few lines of text. One reviewer estimated 26,000 words, so I guess that's why I was able to get through it in just one day! I've added a photo here if you're interested :-)
http://www.goodreads.com/photo/work/5...

@Amber That's definitely piqued my interest. TBR'ed :)

Amber wrote: "Tanvi wrote: "@Brenda I think a lot of the book consisted of pictures, so it was almost a graphic novel :)"

They were great pictures, but yes, there were a lot of them. I think the blurb said 284 ..."

Oh wow, that's interesting!! Thanks Amber:)

Another Elmore Leonard down... Raylan was a really fun read

1. Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh ★★
2. Riding the Rap by Elmore Leonard ★★★★
3. Raylan by Elmore Leonard ★★★★
4. Luther: The Calling by Neil Cross ★★★★
5. Every Dead Thing by John Connolly
6. A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane
7. The Cold Commands by Richard K. Morgan
8. The Jerusalem Syndrome: My Life as a Reluctant Messiah by Marc Maron ★★★
9. Kokoda by Peter FitzSimons
10. TBC
11. Changed to The Human Division by John Scalzi
12. Changed to Wool by Hugh Howey

Doing well Ben!

Changing my no.4 Ides of March to The Princes in the Tower . I'm still reading The Black Dahlia though for my Mystery group.

Finished my strong female character book: The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest, rated four stars. Now on to my borrowed one, The Vampire Lectures, and it's a wonderfully weird book so far (I'm only about six pages in!)

I went to choose my "recycle" book from the library today and I came across this funny little book called Albert of Adelaide. It looks as though it will be worth reading.

Phrynne wrote: "I went to choose my "recycle" book from the library today and I came across this funny little book called Albert of Adelaide. It looks as though it will be worth reading."

Thanks Phrynne, that sounds cute! I've added it to my TBR!

I had been going with The Human Division for awhile, but Scalzi's experiment with serialising a new story in his Old Man's War universe was unfortunately not as good as I hoped. I love the universe but the different parts of this felt disjointed and there wasn't much wrapped up by the end of the last part. He is going to do another next year but I'm not sure if I will give it a try. I recommend Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigades instead for anyone who likes fun military scifi.

1. Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh ★★
2. Riding the Rap by Elmore Leonard ★★★★
3. Raylan by Elmore Leonard ★★★★
4. Luther: The Calling by Neil Cross ★★★★
5. Every Dead Thing by John Connolly
6. A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane
7. The Cold Commands by Richard K. Morgan
8. The Jerusalem Syndrome: My Life as a Reluctant Messiah by Marc Maron ★★★
9. Kokoda by Peter FitzSimons
10. TBC
11. The Human Division by John Scalzi ★★
12. Wool by Hugh Howey

An update on my reading challenge:

1. International Women's Day: Kushiel's Dart, Jacqueline Carey READ
2. Reduce: Blue Coyote Motel, Dianne Harman
3. Recycle: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Douglas Adams
4. The Ides of March: A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder, Shamini Flint (Amherst)
5. St Patrick's Day: The Hounds of the Morrigan, Pat O'Shea
6. Australian Labour Day: The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, Douglas Adams (He's a detective!)
7. Colours of Autumn: The Silver Pigs, Lindsey Davis
8. Easter: TBA
9. Anzac Day: Gilgamesh,Joan London
10. Mother's Day: All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye, Christopher Brookmyre
11. TBR List: TBA
12. TBR List: TBA

Gosh, I'm doing better than I thought!

Congrats to all of you who have been finishing books recently. :-)

My ninth book of my second list, The Great Hunt is down, with my review here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

Doing well Steve! One challenge per month;P Another one for May, maybe?? lol

Brenda wrote: "Doing well Steve! One challenge per month;P Another one for May, maybe?? lol"

I have a preliminary list for the third challenge, yes.

OMG!!! You are a machine Steve!! ;)

Brenda wrote: "OMG!!! You are a machine Steve!! ;)"

Pondering putting a "Book Addict" (since I am) like you have 'Prolific Reader!!', but I can't work out how to do it, and the helpful hints post didn't tell me anything about that. :-(

Steve wrote: "Brenda wrote: "OMG!!! You are a machine Steve!! ;)"

Pondering putting a "Book Addict" (since I am) like you have 'Prolific Reader!!', but I can't work out how to do it, and the helpful hints post ..."

Sorry Steve, you can only do that when you're a moderator...the only way for you to do it is edit your profile and change your name to Steve-Book Addict :)