Aussie Readers discussion

I enjoyed the idea of the January monthly challenge so much, that I'm going to make this a yearly challenge for me.

"In our first monthly challenge for 2014 we ask you all to select at least one (1) book from the list of recommendations by our members - Top 5 Reads for 2013."

I read 2 books from the list this month - The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion recommended by Rani, Christina, Mrs Lawn, Carolyn, Janine, Amber and Sally* and And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini recommended by Patricia, but I am intending to read quite a few of the others throughout the year.

I have also started listening to Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (recommended by Michael, Brenda, Phrynne, Janine, Patricia and Marianne*) and it was a bit of a slow start, but I think I'm going to enjoy it.

The other books that I hope to read at some point through the year are:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - recommended by Mish*,
The Street Sweeper by Elliot Perlman - recommended by Bette and Michael*,
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón - recommended by Andrea*,
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman - recommended by Dale, Sharon, Carolyn and Marianne*,
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce - recommended by Carolyn*,
Thornwood House by Anna Romer - recommended by Mrs Lawn*,
Joyland by Stephen King - recommended by Lisa*,
Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth - recommended by Ashleigh, Amber and Sally*,
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah - recommended by Janine*,
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - recommended by Amber*,
The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton - recommended by Odette*,
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver - recommended by Helen*,
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday - also recommended by Helen*, and
The Shadow Year by Hannah Richell - recommended by Sharon, Janine and Amber*.

* - apologies if I've missed any of the people recommending along the way!! Am happy to make changes if I'm corrected by anyone!

I agree with The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion being a top read - 5 stars from me!

And my review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Wonderful challenge Kathryn (and if I'd read this first.....)

Good luck, I'm sure you'll do well.

Brenda wrote: "Wonderful challenge Kathryn (and if I'd read this first.....)

Good luck, I'm sure you'll do well."

It's all good, Brenda - you can't have eyes in 10 places at once, although you do a very good job trying!

:D

Kathryn wrote: "I enjoyed the idea of the January monthly challenge so much, that I'm going to make this a yearly challenge for me.

"In our first monthly challenge for 2014 we ask you all to select at least one (..."
Wow you've done well - a couple of those books are on my wish list :)

I haven't read them yet, Sally!!

It's a great idea for a challenge:)

Great challenge, Kathryn. Great review too of The Rosie Project. I loved this when I read it too and also gave it 5 stars. I loved Don.

I just remembered I'd noticed some new posts in the list of recommended books since I went through it and made my list from it, so I've added a couple of extra books to my list from the newer posts! And I'd missed out some people recommending books! Now amended!

And thanks Brenda (I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier!) and Elaine (The Rosie Project is one of 2 5-star reads for me so far this year - hard to pick which was my favourite, but it may be slightly ahead of And the Mountains Echoed...)!

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini was also a wonderful read. Another 5 stars!

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I was a bit the same with the start of Burial Rites, the narration was so slow and initially I was tempted to speed it up.
But then I started thinking that she's been locked up for about a year at that point, doing nothing in a dark room with no-one to talk to...and then the despair and desperation and slowness made sense and I realised it was the perfect narration to get the mood across.
It does get a little faster as the book progresses, but maintains an air of melancholy throughout.
I ended up loving the narration, but having just listened to books set in more recent times with a faster paced, 'brighter' narration (to suit) the slower one took a bit of getting used to.

Have you watched the Australian Story episode about Hannah Kent and her journey writing this book?
I thought it was totally fascinating...but be warned, if you don't already know what happens at the end of the book, it does give that away.
http://www.abc.net.au/austory/special...

Good to hear from someone else who enjoyed the narration of Burial Rites, Patricia. I think it took me by surprise that it was so kind of slow and ponderous (although as you say, it makes perfect sense that it is this way) because the book I was listening to before it was a Phryne Fisher - The Green Mill Murder by Kerry Greenwood, which is quite light fare, even though it is about murder.

I didn't see that episode of Australian Story! It sounds interesting (although I didn't read all of the blurb, in case it also gave away the ending!) - I'll keep it in mind to watch after I've finished!

Kathryn wrote: "I haven't read them yet, Sally!!"

Doh! Still a great list :)

Kathryn wrote: "Good to hear from someone else who enjoyed the narration of Burial Rites, Patricia. I think it took me by surprise that it was so kind of slow and ponderous (although as you say, i..."

It's interesting what you girls are saying about Burial Rites. That in the audio version the pace of the narration is slow. It was the same reading the book and I think that's what put me off it a bit. I think I'm the only person that gave it 3 stars!!! I did find it really slow for most of the first half and then it picked up pace. And yes I guess, that almost monotone, in the first part of the book was necessary but just didn't work for me.

This is a fantastic idea for a challenge Kathryn. I look forward to seeing what you read as there are some great reads on the list. Good luck and enjoy :)

Sally906 wrote: "Still a great list :)"

I know! I'm excited to work my way through them!

Elaine wrote: "It's interesting what you girls are saying about Burial Rites. That in the audio version the pace of the narration is slow. It was the same reading the book and I think that's what put me off it a bit. I think I'm the only person that gave it 3 stars!!! I did find it really slow for most of the first half and then it picked up pace. And yes I guess, that almost monotone, in the first part of the book was necessary but just didn't work for me.
..."

I think a narration can make or break a book - I've listened to some books (or parts of books that I gave up on) that I suspect I'd have liked if I read them normally and the narration spoiled them. And while I don't think a good narration can make a bad book good, a good narration can definitely enhance the experience of a good book. I think I will enjoy this one... Watch this space for my review!

Sharon wrote: "This is a fantastic idea for a challenge Kathryn. I look forward to seeing what you read as there are some great reads on the list. Good luck and enjoy :)"

Thanks, Sharon. I'm hoping to make it through them all this year*, but if not, there's always next year to continue with it!

*but at my current rate of adding to it, maybe I won't - I just went to see what books you'd listed and realised that one of yours, The Shadow Year, was also on my TBR list!!

You'll have a lot of fun trying though, won't you Kathryn;) lol

Kathryn wrote: "Sharon wrote: "This is a fantastic idea for a challenge Kathryn. I look forward to seeing what you read as there are some great reads on the list. Good luck and enjoy :)"

Thanks, Sharon. I'm hopin..."

I really enjoyed The Shadow Year and I hope you do as well. There are a lot of great reads to keep you busy I look forward to seeing what your thoughts are on each book as you read them. Enjoy :)

Yes, Brenda and Sharon, I think I should have some fun and interesting reads this year, and will certainly post how I like them as I finish these books.

I read my first Hannah Richell book last year, Secrets of the Tides, and while I enjoyed it, I had a few small gripes with it. I see The Shadow Year was written the year after and has a higher average GR rating, so maybe the author's writing improved a little in that time. I do see however that Bette liked The Shadow Year less than Secrets of the Tides, so...I'll just have to read and see to compare for myself!!

I finished Me Before You by Jojo Moyes last night and I really enjoyed it. A 5 star read for me. I can see why some people may have issues with it, but I felt it was so poignant and it caused my eyes to overflow (not something that generally happens to me with books). I liked that it addressed a topic not often covered in the realm of fiction.

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I enjoyed this one too and I'm glad the author was brave enough to follow through with the ending. I think she painted a very realistic picture of what someone with a spinal injury goes through and all of those issues & complications are often skipped over in movies and books as if they are no big deal.

So what's next on your list?

Kathryn wrote: "I finished Me Before You by Jojo Moyes last night and I really enjoyed it. A 5 star read for me. I can see why some people may have issues with it, but I felt it was..."

Great review :)

Patricia wrote: "I enjoyed this one too and I'm glad the author was brave enough to follow through with the ending. I think she painted a very realistic picture of what someone with a spinal injury goes through and..."

Thanks, Patricia! My next read is not from this list (The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham) but I have both The Secret Keeper and Bitter Greens borrowed from the library so one of those will be my next from this list. Probably The Secret Keeper, even though Bitter Greens will be due back first!!

Sally906 wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I finished Me Before You by Jojo Moyes last night and I really enjoyed it. A 5 star read for me. I can see why some people may have issues with it, b..."

Thanks, Sally!

Kathryn this is such a great idea for a personal challenge! I added quite a few recommendations from that thread onto my TBR list, but you've taken it one step further. I should also note that we seem to have quite similar tastes ;-) On that basis I really REALLY hope you enjoy my recommendation as much as I did.

Andrea wrote: "Kathryn this is such a great idea for a personal challenge! I added quite a few recommendations from that thread onto my TBR list, but you've taken it one step further. I should also note that we s..."

Thanks, Andrea! Feel free to copy my challenge - the year is still young!

These are all books I had on my TBR, so I've just pushed them to the top of my list! Maybe next year I could do a challenge based on the recommendations that appeal and that I don't already have on my list!!

So I already had The Shadow of the Wind on my list, but I'm a bit daunted by it - I think because it isn't quite my usual style of book, and it's a longish read. Not sure when I'll get to it, but I'll keep you posted!!

I finished my 4th read from this list Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth and enjoyed it, which surprised me as it's fantasy, but it's probably really closer to historical fiction (which I enjoy), but it is interwoven with a fairytale, which is where the fantasy aspect comes in.

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Good review Kathryn. This sounds good although like you I don't like fantasy, but seeing as it maybe closer to historical fiction I might give it a go :)

Sharon wrote: "Good review Kathryn. This sounds good although like you I don't like fantasy, but seeing as it maybe closer to historical fiction I might give it a go :)"

I also thought her The Wild Girl might be good, and possibly her Chain of Charms series - The Gypsy Crown is the first - they also sound a bit historical in base, although also a bit YA...

Yes they do sound good. They also get quite good reviews :) Might have to do a bit more adding to my TBR list :)

Sorry :-)

Haha I forgive you.What's a few more I'm sure I'll read them one day :) I see her books are quite big over 500 pages :(

Yes, my copy of Bitter Greens is about 550 pages. And the print is probably only "normal" size. But quite an easy read.

That's good to know :) So what's your next read for this challenge?

I'm still going on Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (just over 2.5 hours listening to go) but my next book to start on this list will be The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton. But I won't be starting it just yet - I've just started on Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs for another challenge. Although if I find that it's disturbing my sleep at night, I may start The Secret Keeper for safe night-time reading!

I also have a few challenges that I'm trying to get through, but I do enjoy them :) Looks like you will also be kept busy I look forward to seeing your final thoughts on these books. Enjoy :)

Kathryn wrote: "I finished my 4th read from this list Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth and enjoyed it, which surprised me as it's fantasy, but it's probably really closer to historical ..."

Great review Kathryn!

Brenda wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I finished my 4th read from this list Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth and enjoyed it, which surprised me as it's fantasy, but it's probably really close..."

Thanks, Brenda!

I finished Burial Rites earlier today. I felt that it was a moving and intriguing story with great attention to detail. The author's research showed in her description of life in Iceland in the early 1800s, all blended into the story seamlessly and depicting a hard life. I enjoyed reading of the growing relationships between Agnes, the main character, and Rev Toti, her spiritual advisor and between Agnes and the family she was sent to stay with. The ending was powerful and I'm still thinking about it.

I gave it 4 stars.

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton. I didn't enjoy it as much as the others I've read by her and I'm not sure whether that's because it was not written as well them, or not as good a story as the others, or whether it's because my expectations were too high (unrealistically high??). It was still an enjoyable read (3.5 stars), but just slightly disappointing that it didn't meet my expectations.

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Bad luck Kathryn! A shame when your expectations are not met...

Brenda wrote: "Bad luck Kathryn! A shame when your expectations are not met..."

Never mind - there's always another potentially good book around the corner!!

There certainly are! Thank goodness;)

I finished my seventh book of this challenge, The Street Sweeper by Elliot Perlman. The writing was beautiful, the atrocities recounted terrible, the research thorough and the storyline enthralling. This is my first read of this author and I am definitely interested in more. I gave it 4.5 stars.

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce - my 8th for this challenge. I really enjoyed the beginning and the end, the middle was a bit drawn-out and tedious at times, although the story was sweet and sad. I gave it 3.5 stars.

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I've just passed the half-way mark for this challenge - 9/17 - with finishing The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. It was a very easy read, with likeable characters. Although I gave it 4 stars, I don't really feel it's quite a 4 star read, but giving it 3 stars didn't feel right either, so I erred on the side of generosity!

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Doing very well Kathryn!