Aussie Readers discussion

Well done Lauren!! And clearing off your TBR is a big bonus!

Finished another 2, leaving still 8 to go.

A - Allen Eskens with The Stolen Hours - 4⭐️ - 29/6/22

I - Ilsa Evans with Forbidden Fruit - AA - 5⭐️ - 18/6/22

Halfway through my list and halfway through the year!
G Garry Disher

Aussie author Garry Disher is a favourite of mine, and I loved The Sunken Road. It was nominated for the Booker Prize when it was published in 1996, and there's no question in my mind that it belonged on the long list, at least. Wonderfully told story from South Australia's dry country.
5★ My review of The Sunken Road

Woohoo! Done!
A-Z Authors
1/1/22 - 31/12/22
26/26 12AA

A Richard Anderson Small Mercies read 1/1/22 5★s AA
B Alafair Burke The Better Sister read 2/1/22 4.5★s
C Caroline Finnerty A Mother's Secret read 19/1/22 4.5★s
D Robert Dugoni The Last Agent read 23/1/22 5★s
E Elly Griffiths Now You See Them read 17/1/22 5★s
F Melissa Ferguson Meet Me in the Margins read 5/1/22 4★s
G Robert Gott The Orchard Murders read 1/1/22 4.5★s AA
H Hugh McGinlay Bodysurfing read 20/1/22 5★s AA
I Isobel Beech Sunbathing rread13/6/22 4★s AA
J Joanna Buckley Lily Harford's Last Request read 10/1/22 4★s AA
K Michelle Kalus Fancy Meeting You Here read 5/1/22 5★s AA
L Fiona Lowe A Family of Strangers read 4/2/22 5★s AA
M Monica McInerney Marcie Gill and the Caravan Park Cat read 2/1/22 5★s AA
N Robbi Neal The Secret World of Connie Starr read 22/5/22 5★s AA
O Bella Osborne The Girls read 28/4/22 5★s
P Stine Pilgaard The Land of Short Sentences read 16/1/22 4★s
Q M.Q. Webb How to Spot a Psychopath read 14/4/22 4★s AA
R Michael Robotham The Secrets She Keeps read 10/1/22 5★s AA
S Peter Swanson Nine Lives read 5/3/22 5★s
T Topher Allen Geo read 3/1/22 3★s
U Arthur W. Upfield The Widows of Broome read 30/1/22 5★s AA
V P.D. Viner The Call read 1/1/22 5★s
W Stacy Willingham A Flicker in the Dark read 14/1/22 4★s
X Alexander McCall Smith Love in the Time of Bertie read 2/4/22 5★s
Y Sarah Yarwood-Lovett A Murder of Crows read 20/6/22 4★s
Z Robert Bryndza Fatal Witness read 24/6/22 4★s

Well done Marianne!!!

Good work Marianne!!

Great, Marianne! I'm way behind you. 15/26 so far
Q
Chinese-born Qian Julie Wang was only five when she was warned she had to behave, be quiet and blend in - or they'd be deported. As she writes in Beautiful Country: A Memoir, it was hard for her to understand why her professor parents became menial workers,
3.5★My review of Beautiful Country

I’ve finished another 2, leaving only 6 left to read.

T - T.J. Payne with In My Father's Basement - 3⭐️ - 25/7/22

W - Catriona Ward with The Last House on Needless Street - 3⭐️ - 5/7/22

Doing well Jackie!

And another wrap! Might consider doing this one again maybe, but please tick me off for now moderators. Thanks for the challenge.

A-Z Authors
1/1/22 - 31/12/22
26/26 6 AA Completed 27-JUL-2022

A - Larapinta by Annie Seaton AA 01-APR-2022 5*
B - Their Little Secret by Mark Billingham 15-JAN-2022 4*
C - The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly 5*
D - The Camel Club by David Baldacci 02-MAR-2022 4*
E - One More Song by Nicki Edwards AA 07-JAN-2022 5*
F - Iced by Felix Francis 02-FEB-2022 4*
G - The Judge's List by John Grisham 11-JUN-2022 4*
H - Kill Your Brother by Jack Heath AA 04-JUN-2022 4*
I - The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera 02-APR-2022 4*
J - Faithless in Death by J.D. Robb 22-JAN-2022 4*
K - The Night Window by Dean Koontz 13-FEB-2022 4*
L - Better off Dead by Lee Child 26-JAN-2022 3*
M - The Winter Sea by Di Morrissey AA 4* 26-JAN-2022
N - Irish Thoroughbred by Nora Roberts 05-MAR-2022 4*
O - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens 12-JAN-2022 5*
P - Three Women Disappear by James Patterson 20-JAN-2022 3*
Q -Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn 17-JAN-2022 4*
R - A Lethal Deception by Rachel Amphlett AA 07-FEB-2022 5*
S - The Long Game by Simon Rowell AA 10-FEB-2022 4*
T - Choose Me by Tess Gerritsen 14-FEB-2022 4*
U - The Stranger Inside by Lisa Unger 27-Jul-2022 4*
V - A Fatal Inversion by Barbara Vine 14-APR-2022 3*
W - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 20-MAR-2022 5*
X - Something Reckless by Lexi Ryan 05-JAN-2022 4*
Y - Evil at Echo Point by Grace York AA 18-JAN-2022 4*
Z - The Blood Whisperer by Zoë Sharp 05-FEB-2022 4*

Congrats Jane! You can do 'Part 2' if you wish to, and be linked for the same :)

Well done Jane:)

Another 2 finished.

H - Harlan Coben with Missing You - 4⭐️ - 1/8/22

V - John Verdon with On Harrow Hill - 4⭐️ - 29/7/22

Finished my 14th of this Challenge with:-

'R' -
Lying Beside You by Michael Robotham

Rated this one as 5* (10/10). My review is here:-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I've finally finished with my elusive X :)

A-Z Authors
1/1/22 - 31/12/22
26/26

A Amanda Flower - Crimes and Covers 4★s 11/1/22
B Julie Brooks - The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay 5★s 10/1/22 AA
C Clare Moleta - Unsheltered 2★s 21/3/22 AA
D Holly Danvers - Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library 4★s 9/2/22
E Ella Carey - The Girl from Paris 5★s 4/1/22 AA
F Fiona McArthur - The Doctor's Vision 4★s 7/1/22 AA
G Elly Griffiths - A Ghost in the Garden 5★s 22/2/22
H Callie Hutton - The Mystery of Albert E. Finch 5★s 12/1/22
I Ian Andrew - Flight Path 5★s 24/2/22 AA
J Penelope Janu - Clouds on the Horizon 5★s 6/1/22 AA
K Jonathan Kellerman - City of the Dead 5★s 11/2/22
L Lee Christine - Dead Horse Gap 5★s 1/2/22 AA
M Barry Maitland - The Russian Wife 4★s 1/1/22 AA
N Nicole Alexander - The Last Station 5★s 26/2/22
O Gregg Olsen - Snow Creek 5★s 24/1/22
P Stephanie Parkyn - The Freedom of Birds 4★s 3/1/22 AA
Q Karen McQuestion - 214 Palmer Street 3.5★s 3/4/22
R J.D. Robb - Abandoned in Death 5★s 6/2/22
S Ben Sanders - Exit .45 5★s 5/1/22
T Kendall Talbot - Treasured Tears 4.5★s 8/2/22 AA
U Jacquie Underdown - The Stockman's Daughter 5★s AA
V Verity Bright - A Royal Murder 5★s 22/2/22
W Peter Wilson - Jack Gregson & The Stolen Sons 4★s 31/1/22 AA
X Diana Xarissa - Aunt Bessie Assumes 4★s 7/8/22
Y Yumna Kassab - Australiana 5★s 6/3/22 AA
Z Lisa Zumpano - An Unfortunate End 5★s 13/4/22

Well done Brenda

Thanks very much Helen :)

Well done Brenda:)

Thanks Phrynne!

K

Jess Kidd has taken the difficult history of the 17th century Dutch ship 'Batavia' and tied it to a contemporary Australian story through two wonderful nine-year-old children. The Night Ship is well-researched and beautifully written, with a little bit of magical realism readers should love.
4★ My review

Finished 2 more, leaving only 2 left to finish challenge! 😆

P - The Picasso Scam by Stuart Pawson - 4⭐️ - 4/8/22

X - Micheal Maxwell with Diamonds and Cole - 4⭐️ - 11/8/22

Going great guns Jackie!!

Finished my 15th of this Challenge with:-

'C' - Emma Cline - The Girls

Rated this book as 4* (8/10). My review is here:-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Sorted - Thanks, it was fun!

A-Z Classic Authors (pre-1972)
1/1/22 - 31/12/22
26/26

✅ A - Hans Aanrud - Sidsel Longskirt: A Girl of Norway (1903) 13/1/22 - 5★
✅ B - Charles Baudelaire - Les Fleurs du Mal (1857) 11/6/22 - 5★
✅ 🦘C - Marcus Clarke - For the Term of His Natural Life (1874) AA - 15/1/22 - 5★
✅ D - Charles Dickens - Nicholas Nickleby (1838) 21/1/22 - 5★
✅ E - Dorothy Edwards - Rhapsody (1927) 2/2/22 - 5★
✅ F - J.S. Fletcher - The Lost Mr. Linthwaite (1923) 19/1/22 4★
✅ 🦘G - Jeannie Gunn - We Of The Never Never (1908) AA 22/2/22 - 5★
✅ H - Victor Hugo - Les Misérables (1862) 4/2/22 - 5★

✅ I - Christopher Isherwood - Goodbye to Berlin (1939) 2/1/22 - 5★
✅ 🦘J - George Johnston - My Brother Jack (1964) AA 20/5/22 - 5★
✅ K - Erich Kästner - Emil and the Detectives (1929) 18/1/22 - 5★
✅ 🦘L - Norman Lindsay - The Magic Pudding (1918) AA 20/4/22 - 5★
✅ 🦘M - Alan Marshall - I Can Jump Puddles (1955) AA 26/5/22 - 5★
✅ N - Vladimir Nabokov - Pale Fire (1962) 20/1/22 - 5★
✅ O - George Orwell - Down and Out in Paris and London (1933) 20/1/22 - 4★
✅ P - E.R. Punshon - Music Tells All (1948) 11/6/22 - 4★
✅ Q - Thomas De Quincey - Confessions of an English Opium Eater (1821) 16/1/22 - 4★

✅ R - Raymond Radiguet - The Devil in the Flesh (1914) 18/8/22 - 4★
✅ 🦘S - Christina Stead - The Man Who Loved Children (1940) AA - 11/3/22 5★
✅ T - Jun'ichirō Tanizaki - A Cat, A Man, And Two Women (1936) 29/3/22 - 5★
✅ U - Fritz von Unruh - The Way of Sacrifice (1928) 21/3/22 - 4★
✅ V - Jules Verne - From the Earth to the Moon (1865) 18/1/22
✅ W -Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited (1945) 9/1/22 - 5★
✅ X - Aldous Huxley - Island (1962) 1/3/22 - 3★
✅ Y - Sergei Yesenin - Sergei Esenin: Selected Poetry (1925) 2/8/22 5★
✅ Z - Émile Zola - Nana (1880) 8/2/22 - 5★

Well done Jazzy!

Thank you Brenda! Hope you're enjoying the end of the winter!

I am Jazzy but not looking forward to summer! You'll be glad to see the end of summer too I expect :)

Well done Jazzy. Glad you liked We of the Never Never:)

Yes Brenda, I will! It's been a horrible heatwave for us, but we live in homes designed to keep us warm and our little fans are working overtime - most businesses don't even have air conditioning! But it's cooler today.

Phrynne I loved it, she really was a wonder and I enjoyed reading about her travels in the bush!

R - still got several to go.

I've just read and loved The Queen of Dirt Island by one of my favourite authors, Donal Ryan, who captures the sound and cadence of Irish speech better than anyone I can think of. His writing is the best!
5★ My review

Plenty of time Patty :)

Brenda wrote: "Plenty of time Patty :)"

Still going, Brenda, thanks to Alex North for the X 😊

I can see why Alex North's mystery/thriller The Whisper Man was such a hit a couple of years ago. Nothing like a serial killer kidnapping children to get the heart racing!
4.5★ My review

Finished my 16th of this Challenge with:-

'M' -
The Lost Boy by S.A. McEwen

Rated this one as 4* (8/10). My review is here:-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

J
John Boyne finally wrote an adult sequel to his much-loved The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and it is terrific! All the Broken Places is older sister Gretel's 'autobiography' from when she was the 12-year-old daughter of a Nazi officer, then passing as French in Australia, and finally to the age of 92 in London. What a story!
5★ My review of All the Broken Places

I often change my choices as the year progresses and new must-read titles emerge! This was one such.

E
Elizabeth Strout's Lucy Barton returns in her new book, Lucy by the Sea, where ex-husband William takes her to Maine to escape the pandemic which has brought New York City to its knees. It's American, real and current, but the relationship strengths and strains go beyond geographical boundaries and times. Families are families. Neighbours are neighbours.
5★ My review of Lucy by the Sea

Finished my 17th of this Challenge with:-

'S' - John Steinbeck:
East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Rated this one as 5* (9.5/10). My review is here:-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Z - No Friend but the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison by Behrouz Boochani...

Wow. It took me a long time to get to the end of this book. Not because it was boring but because it is so confronting to be faced with the reality of our countries border 'security' measures.

A blend of first hand narrative, Kurdish literature, journalism and poetry - this book is a must read for any Australian before being able to contribute to the conversation of refugee rights and Australia's border policies.

Finished my 18th of this Challenge with:-

'H' -
How the Light Gets In by M.J. Hyland

Rated this one as 3* (7/10). My review is here:-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

19/26 with 7 to go, these authors completed
Lisa Unger
Caroline Overington
Julia Quinn
Katerina Diamond

Finished my 19th of this Challenge with:-

'O' - AA -
Closer Than You Think by Darren O'Sullivan

Rated this one as 4* (9/10). My review is here:-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished my 20th of this Challenge with:

'Q':-
Anna Quindlen - Miller's Valley

Rated this one as 4* (9/10). My review is here:-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finished!

A-Z Authors
1/1/22 - 31/12/22
26/26 AA 9/6

A-Eddie Ayres--Danger Music AA 15/4/22 4 stars
B-Sarah Barrie-Shadows Of Hunters Ridge AA 19/2/22 3 stars
C-Sophie Cunningham-City of Trees: Essays on Life, Death and the Need for a Forest AA 23/9/22 5 stars
D-Lindsey Davis-Last Act in Palmyra 20/6/22 4 stars
E-Emily Edwards- The Herd 3/4/22 4 stars
F -Alan Furst- Red Gold 6/2/22 4 stars
G-Sue Grafton - J Is For Judgment 7/1/22 3 stars
H-Robyn Harding - The Party 4/2/22 2 stars
I- Ian Rankin - Knots & Crosses 25/2/22 4 stars
J- Jennie Jones - A Place to Stay AA 15/1/22 4 stars
K-Philip Kerr - Prayer 6/4/22 3 stars
L-Donna Leon - A Venetian Reckoning 1/3/22 4 stars
M-Ben Macintyre-The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War 26/1/22 5 stars
N-Celeste Ng-Little Fires Everywhere 25/9/22 4 stars
O-Richard Osman-The Man Who Died Twice12/10/22 5 stars
P-Tony Park - Ghosts of the Past AA 11/3/22 4 stars
Q- Jenny Quintana - The Hiding Place 20/3/22 4 stars
R- Michael Robotham-The Other Wife AA 16/2/22 4stars
S- Ivan Southall-Ash Road AA 23/2/22 4 stars
T-Christina Thompson - Sea People: In Search of the Ancient Navigators of the Pacific AA 7/1/22 5 stars
U-Lisa Unger - The Stranger Inside 15/3/22 4 stars
V-Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse 5 18/6/22 5 stars
W-Darren Williams - Angel Rock AA 20/4/22 4 stars
X- Colin Dexter - The Wench is Dead 9/1/22 4 stars
Y- Ovidia Yu - Aunty Lee's delights : a Singaporean mystery16/5/22 3 stars
Z-Shirley Hazzard-Cliffs of Fall and Other Stories 28/4/22 3 stars

Well done Elisabeth!!

Great work Elisabeth:)

All done 🙂

A-Z Authors
1/1/22 - 31/12/22
26/26 (8 AAs, min 6 AAs)

A - Alister Hodge - Outbreak (AA) ✅ 4* (29/4)
B - Linwood Barclay - Find You First ✅ 4* (7/1)
C - Lee Child - The Sentinel ✅ 4* (1/12)
D - Dean Koontz - The Silent Corner ✅ 2* (14/1)
E - Erica Stevens - The Divide ✅ 4* (19/3)
F - Skinwalker by Faith Hunter ✅ 1* (3/4)
G - Silvia Moreno-Garcia - Velvet Was the Night ✅ 4* (26/4)
H - Heather Morris - Three Sisters (AA) ✅ 4* (23/2)
I - Ilona Andrews - Ruby Fever ✅ 5* (3/10)
J - J.P. Delaney - Playing Nice ✅ 5* (3/2)
K - Jay Kristoff - DEV1AT3 (AA) ✅ 2* (11/*)
L - Lisa Regan - The Bones She Buried ✅ 4* (2/9)
M - Liane Moriarty - Apples Never Fall (AA) ✅ 3* (2/4)
N - Deadly Start by Phillipa Nefri Clark ✅ (AA) 3* (16/10)
O - Richard Osman - The Thursday Murder Club ✅ 2* (6/10)
P - Peter Papathanasiou - The Stoning ✅ 3* (30/7)
Q - Stella Quinn - The Vet from Snowy River (AA) ✅ 4* (10/4)
R - Ruth Ware - In a Dark, Dark Wood ✅ 4* (21/1)
S - Sarah Lyons Fleming - World Departed ✅ 5* (12/5)
T - Toni Anderson - Colder Than Sin ✅ 2* (1/4)
U - Lisa Unger - Last Girl Ghosted ✅ 4* (25/3)
V - Emma Viskic - And Fire Came Down (Caleb Zelic) ✅ 2* (29/6)
W - Anna Willett - Vengeance Blind (AA) ✅ 3* (16/1)
X - Alix E. Harrow - A Spindle Splintered ✅ 4* (2/8)
Y - Darcy Coates - Hunted (AA) ✅ 2* (18/3)
Z - Richard Chizmar - Chasing the Boogeyman ✅ 4* (21/2)

✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

Great work Lorraine

Well done Lorraine!

Phrynne wrote: "Great work Lorraine"

Thanks ☺️

Brenda wrote: "Well done Lorraine!"

Thanks ☺️

All done :)

A-Z Authors
1/1/22 - 31/12/22
26/26

A - Beyond the End of the World by Amie Kaufman AA 18/2/22 - 4 stars
B - The Emporium of Imagination by Tabitha Bird AA 4.5 stars 5/4/22
C - A Caravan Like a Canary by Sasha Wasley AA 2.5 stars 12/8/22
D - The Diva Takes the Cake by Krista Davis 3.5 stars 18/8/22
E - Semi-Psychic Life by Elizabeth Hunter 3.5 stars 15/7/22
F - Terrier Transgressions by Molly Fitz 3.5 stars 8/8/22
G - Caraval by Stephanie Garber 3 stars 15/4/22
H - Tea with Milk and Murder by H.Y. Hanna AA - 4/2/22 - 3.5 stars
I - Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion 4 stars 27/4/22
J - Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden AA 4 stars 5/5/22
K - Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff AA 1/2/22 4 stars
L - The Ghoul Next Door by Victoria Laurie 3.5 stars 9/6/22
M - The Dead of Night by John Marsden AA 21/5/22 3.5 stars
N - Stitches and Witches by Nancy Warren 4 stars 10/5/22
O - Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver 3 stars 8/5/22
P - If I Should Die by Amy Plum 4 stars 26/3/22
Q - The Duke and I by Julia Quinn 3.5 stars 20.3.22
R - The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan - 16/3/22 - 4 stars
S - Here Goes Nothing by Steve Toltz AA 4 stars 25/9/22
T - Lost in the Never Woods by Aiden Thomas 3 stars 7/7/22
U - Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Eleanor Updale - 4/1/22 - 3 stars
V - What a Ghoul Wants by Victoria Laurie - 10/1/22 - 3.5 stars
W - Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick by David Wong 24/8/22
X - Aunt Bessie Assumes by Diana Xarissa - 8/1/22 - 3.5 stars
Y - Southern Sass and a Crispy Corpse by Kate Young 3.5 stars 31/8/22
Z - The Blood Whisperer by Zoë Sharp 3 stars 3/10/22