Aussie Readers discussion

Finished Fair Cop: Christine Nixon by Jo Chandler. What an amazing woman! My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

My updated list:)


OK...here I go!

TRUE BLUE level-

1. Shattered Sky LEFT REVIEW
2. Cloudstreet LEFT REVIEW
3.The Children by Charlotte Wood LEFT REVIEW
4. Mailman of the Birdsville Track: The Story of Tom Kruse LEFT REVIEW!
5. I Am the Messenger LEFT REVIEW
6.The Riders
7.Fishing For The Stars
8. Beneath the Shadows LEFT REVIEW
9. Beyond Fear LEFT REVIEW
10.Jason McCartney: After Bali
11.Glory Girl - Peter Yeldham LEFT REVIEW!.
12.Land's Edge: A Coastal Memoir - Tim Winton (published 22/11/10)LEFT REVIEW

He Died with a Felafel in His Hand LEFT REVIEW
True History of the Kelly Gang
It Is No Secret: The Story Of A Stolen Child LEFT REVIEW
Rhymes for Times LEFT REVIEW
Sarah's Last Wish LEFT REVIEW
The Interrogator LEFT REVIEW
Fair Cop: Christine Nixon LEFT REVIEW

Finished Brigid Lucy and the Princess Tower which is a book aim for young children. I gave it 3 stars, but I think the story and character would make a good cartoon series for young children As tis is only a short read, I am counting this as only 1/4 of a read ... thus

I am 7 and 3/4 done

1 Something Fishy; READ
2. Odd One Out; READ
3 The Book Thief; READ
4. Neap Tide; READ
5. When Horse Became Saw; READ
5 and 1/4. Rascal Bumps His Head; READ
5 and 1/2. The Arrival; READ
6 and 1/2. The Dressmaker; READ
7 and 1/2. When my husband does the dishes ...; READ
7 and 3/4. Brigid Lucy and the Princess Tower.

8. The Great Big Enormous Book of Tashi; currently reading

9 Cocaine Blues;
10 Foundling;
11 The Unknown Terrorist: A Novel ;
12 Indelible Ink;

Again....doing well Dee-Ann;D

OK - well I have reached Matilda level but am reading on seeing if I can make True Blue , latest update:

MATILDA Level - Read and review 6 books by at least 4 different Australian authors
TRUE BLUE Level - Read and review 12 books by at least 9 different Australian authors



1. A Canterbury Crime by Brian Kavanagh
2. 10 Short Stories You Must Read This Year - 2010 by assorted Aussie authors
3. The Secret of the Lonely Isles by Joanne van Os
4. Violent Exposure by Katherine Howell
5. Brumby Plains by Joanne van Os
6. The Land of Bad Fantasy by K.J. Taylor

Now on towards True Blue
7. Bereft by Chris Womersley
8. Dead Man’s Chest by Kerry Greenwood

I have three more in the pipeline so may make it - have done reviews on them all

Wow Sally, good on you:)

Here's my update for this challenge. I chose True Blue which is 9 books and I have surpased that by reading 19 so far. If you want to see any of my reviews they are on my goodreads list. I am surprised when I read a book sometimes to find it an by an Australia author though I had not chosen it for that reason.

1. 52 Waratah Avenue by Lynn Wilding - audio 5*
2. Dancing with the Devil by Keri Arthur 4*
3. Halo by Alexandra Adornetto - audio 4*
4. Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman - audio 5*
5. Dreamland by Tom Gilling – audio 4*
6. Tuscan Rose by Belinda Alexander - audio 4*
7. The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Losing Weight and Getting Fit by AJ Rochester - audio 4*
8. Idiot Pride by Matt Zurbo - audio 4*
9. The Murrumbidgee Kid by Peter Yeldham
10. Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood – audio 5*
11. Bush Oranges by Kay Donovan 3* (book club read)
12. To Love, Honour and Betray by Kathy Lette – audio 4*
13. Hearts in Darkness by Kerri Arthur – 4*
14. Flying Too High by Kerry Greenwood – audio 5*
15. The Turning by Tim Winton – 4* (book club read)
16. The Forgotten Sea by Beverley Harper – 3* (book club read)
17. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty – audio 3*
18. Angel Puss by Colleen McCullough audio 5* (book club read)
19. Getting Paid to Drink and Gamble by Jeff Collerson – audio 2*
20. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton 5* audio
21. Fall Girl by Toni Jordan 3* audio
22. At Home With the Templetons by Monica McInerney 4* audio

Bronwyn wrote: "Here's my update for this challenge. I chose True Blue which is 9 books and I have surpased that by reading 19 so far. If you want to see any of my reviews they are on my goodreads list. I am surp..."

That is an impressive list Bronwyn.

52 Waratah Avenue
Dancing with the Devil
Halo
Wildflower Hill
Dreamland
Tuscan Rose
The Lazy Girl's Guide to Losing Weight and Getting Fit
Idiot Pride
The Murrumbidgee Kid
Cocaine Blues
Bush Oranges
To Love, Honour and Betray
Hearts in Darkness
Flying Too High
The Turning: Stories
The Forgotten Sea
What Alice Forgot
Angel Puss
Getting Paid To Drink and Gamble

There you go Bronwyn, fabulous list...thought I'd link it for others to check out:)

Finished Sophie: Dog Overboard - The Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog which is my 16th for this challenge:)

Michael wrote: "What did you think Brenda ya like it?"

I attached my review to the Spring Challenge Michael, but here you go;D
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Michael wrote: "Cheers Brenda great review as always. May have to get that one before chrissy. :D"

Thanks Michael. I just picked up from the library Saving Private Sarbi as well:)

Haha!! Thanks Michael:)

I've really enjoyed this challenge. Way back in the first half of the year I decided I wanted to learn about Australian writers and send myself on my own tour of their work. I bought a bunch of second hand books and then they just sat on my shelf. It was this reading challenge that suddenly made me start chowing through them, ones I knew about and ones I had never even heard of. Now come the end of the year, well it will be by the time I reach 12, I feel like I might be getting a bit of a feeling for Aussie writing and will keep reading. Thanks so much for the challenge :)

My Brilliant CareerMiles Franklin 4/5

As the Earth Turns SilverAlison Wong 2/5

The Rose GrowerMichelle de Kretser 4/5

The Book Thief Loved it 5/5

The Songlines 4/5

Pastures of the Blue Crane 3/5

The Riders 2/5

Eucalyptus: A Novel 3/5

On the Jellicoe Road 4/5

Monkey Grip 4/5

Still to come:

Cloudstreet
Disgrace

Glad you've enjoyed this challenge Megan. It's great when you can read authors you've not tried before, and (mostly) enjoy them:)

Brenda wrote: "Glad you've enjoyed this challenge Megan. It's great when you can read authors you've not tried before, and (mostly) enjoy them:)"

Hehe - the one I enjoyed the least was actually the Kiwi author! (who's been living in Geelong for ages)I can't understand how she won the top NZ novel prize with that book last year, I'm hoping it says that NZ is just so small that there was no good book published that year and isn't a reflection on the overall quality of NZ writing at the moment. I don't think so. But I really didn't think that book had much to it, or maybe it just needed a few more drafts worked over.

Sorry for the rant.

In actual fact I have decided to read the rest of the prize winners over next year (there are only 14 in total and I've already read some)and see whether it is just the prize?

Megan wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Glad you've enjoyed this challenge Megan. It's great when you can read authors you've not tried before, and (mostly) enjoy them:)"

Hehe - the one I enjoyed the least was actually th..."

That's a great idea Megan! Good luck with that:)

I have just finished Arctic Floor which was my 17th Aussie author novel:) Review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

TRUE BLUE level-

1. Shattered Sky LEFT REVIEW
2. Cloudstreet LEFT REVIEW
3.The Children by Charlotte Wood LEFT REVIEW
4. Mailman of the Birdsville Track: The Story of Tom Kruse LEFT REVIEW!
5. I Am the Messenger LEFT REVIEW
6.The Riders
7.Fishing For The Stars
8. Beneath the Shadows LEFT REVIEW
9. Beyond Fear LEFT REVIEW
10.Jason McCartney: After Bali
11.Glory Girl - Peter Yeldham LEFT REVIEW!.
12.Land's Edge: A Coastal Memoir - Tim Winton (published 22/11/10)LEFT REVIEW

He Died with a Felafel in His Hand LEFT REVIEW
True History of the Kelly Gang
It Is No Secret: The Story Of A Stolen Child LEFT REVIEW
Rhymes for Times LEFT REVIEW
Sarah's Last Wish LEFT REVIEW
The Interrogator LEFT REVIEW
Fair Cop: Christine Nixon LEFT REVIEW
Sophie: Dog Overboard - The Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog LEFT REVIEW
Arctic Floor LEFT REVIEW
Saving Private Sarbi LEFT REVIEW
Love in The Age of Drought LEFT REVIEW

I read Rascal's Big Day to one of my son's which took about 10 minutes. What a fun book. We gave it 5 stars ... most of which resulted from the fire coming out of the dragon's butt at the end.

Thus I have added another 1/4 book to my read pile ..

So that is 8 books read.

1 Something Fishy; READ
2. Odd One Out; READ
3 The Book Thief; READ
4. Neap Tide; READ
5. When Horse Became Saw; READ
5 and 1/4. Rascal Bumps His Head; READ
5 and 1/2. The Arrival; READ
6 and 1/2. The Dressmaker; READ
7 and 1/2. When my husband does the dishes ...; READ
7 and 3/4. Brigid Lucy and the Princess Tower.
8. Rascal's Big Day; READ

9. The Great Big Enormous Book of Tashi; currently reading

10 Cocaine Blues;
11 Foundling;
12 The Unknown Terrorist: A Novel ;

You sure are doing well Dee-Ann!!

Another Aussie author finished Saving Private Sarbi by Sandra Lee. Review here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

18 down

Another Aussie author read:) Love in The Age of Drought by Fiona Higgins. My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

19 down:)

Hi all,
I love the concept of this thread! As an Aussie author, I love hearing that people are on the lookout for Australian literature. My own books, which I am hoping people might consider adding to their list, are Fastasy, and fall into the epic / heroic / tanned category. Happy reading all, and many thanks for supporting Australian authors!

~Robert Day
www.robertdaybooks.com
Demon Gates
Ashar'an Rising

Robert wrote: "Hi all,
I love the concept of this thread! As an Aussie author, I love hearing that people are on the lookout for Australian literature. My own books, which I am hoping people might consider adding..."

A very big welcome to you Robert! Lovely to have you with us:) Congratulations on your books, and yes, we are all on the lookout for new Aussie authors! We certainly have many brilliant Aussie authors around us:)

Eleven Aussie books down with Cloudstreet just finished :D One to go. Planning to read Disgrace which kind of feels like cheating South African styles but you guys claim him as one of yours! Probably wont start it till December though and see if I can fit it in the summer reading challenge somewhere.

Actually, I've enjoyed reading Aussie books so much, maybe when you guys write the summer challenge you should get everyone to read a Kiwi book ;) We have some good ones :D

Well done Megan! I'll have a look at your suggestion, check with the girls:D

Brenda wrote: "Well done Megan! I'll have a look at your suggestion, check with the girls:D"

Awesome :D

Just finished my 20th Aussie author book Stillwater Creek. My review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

*cough cough* - just a little note here as well .... if you're out of Aussie Author books .... my new books was just released. Nice little romance set in Australia (Tassie) and Ireland ... for more info check out my blog www.iris-b.blogspot.com.



Thanks everyone :-)

Just finished reading Foundlingwhich I really enjoyed. It had been sitting on my bookshelf for quite a few years untouched. Gave it 5 stars.

So that is 9 books read.

1 Something Fishy; READ
2. Odd One Out; READ
3 The Book Thief; READ
4. Neap Tide; READ
5. When Horse Became Saw; READ
5 and 1/4. Rascal Bumps His Head; READ
5 and 1/2. The Arrival; READ
6 and 1/2. The Dressmaker; READ
7 and 1/2. When my husband does the dishes ...; READ
7 and 3/4. Brigid Lucy and the Princess Tower.
8. Rascal's Big Day; READ
9. The Foundling; READ

10. The Great Big Enormous Book of Tashi; currently reading

11 Cocaine Blues;
12 The Unknown Terrorist: A Novel ;

I have finally reached the TRUE BLUE Level by reading 12 books by at least 9 different Australian authors

1. A Canterbury Crime by Brian Kavanagh
2. 10 Short Stories You Must Read This Year - 2010 by assorted Aussie authors
3. The Secret of the Lonely Isles by Joanne van Os
4. Violent Exposure by Katherine Howell
5. Brumby Plains by Joanne van Os
6. The Land of Bad Fantasy by K.J. Taylor
7. Bereft by Chris Womersley
8. Dead Man’s Chest by Kerry Greenwood
9. Empire Day by Diane Armstrong
10. The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty
11. Fall Girl by Toni Jordan
12. Campaign Ruby by Jessica Rudd

Wew - can sit back and relax now....

Summer Challenge? What Summer Challenge? 2012 is coming? More challenges? WILL IT EVER STOP!! No? Oh OK - well I'd better hit the books again :) LOL!!!

Fantastic result Sally:D Well done!! (and no, they will never stop;p)

Well, I've just checked off 14 Aussie author books (plus there'd be a few others I forgot to add to the list) so I feel I'm done with this challenge. And as it's mid December I'm not likely to finish any other Aussie books now.

Well done to anyone else who's taken part. Hope you've found some new authors.

Brenda wrote: "52 Waratah Avenue
Dancing with the Devil
Halo
Wildflower Hill
Dreamland
Tuscan Rose
[book:The Lazy Girl's ..."

Thanks for that, I have not had much time at the computer and when I get here, I have been taking the quick way out and just cutting and pasting from my word document.

Haha!! That's ok Bronwyn:)

Congrats Maggie, that's a great result!

I finished reading The Artist Is a Thief. This book was okay, I gave it 3 starts, mostly because I enjoyed reading about the indigenous issues and reading about local areas.

So now I have read 10 books.

1 Something Fishy; READ
2. Odd One Out; READ
3 The Book Thief; READ
4. Neap Tide; READ
5. When Horse Became Saw; READ
5 and 1/4. Rascal Bumps His Head; READ
5 and 1/2. The Arrival; READ
6 and 1/2. The Dressmaker; READ
7 and 1/2. When my husband does the dishes ...; READ
7 and 3/4. Brigid Lucy and the Princess Tower.
8. Rascal's Big Day; READ
9. The Foundling; READ
10. The Artist is a Thief; READ

11. The Great Big Enormous Book of Tashi; currently reading

12 Cocaine Blues;
13 The Unknown Terrorist: A Novel ;

Looking good Dee-Ann!

So I think I've read and reviewed enough to have made True Blue:

1.Snake - Kate Jennings
2. Bereft - Chris Womersley
3. Indelible Ink - Fiona McIntosh
4. Torn Apart - Peter Corris
5. Darkwater - Georgia Blain
6. Five Bells - Gail Jones
7. Watercolours - Adrienne Ferreira
8. The Exotic Rissole: A Memoir - Tanveer Ahmed
9. The Harp in the South - Ruth Park
10. Sydney - Delia Falconer
11. Jasper Jones - Craig Silvey
12. Ghost Child - Caroline Overington

It's been great to have a bit of immersion in Aust. Lit. My favourites have been Bereft, Darkwater, Watercolours and Jasper Jones top of the list!

Snake
Bereft
Indelible Ink
Torn Apart
Darkwater
Five Bells
Watercolours
The Exotic Rissole: A Memoir
The Harp in the South
Sydney: Haunted City
Jasper Jones
Ghost Child

Well done Cathy:)

I can’t remember if I said yes to this challenge but I have read 20 books by Australian Authors and reviewed 13. Here’s my list

A Darker Music
The Spare Room
Wild Lavender
Jasper Jones
Five Bells
Girls Like Funny Boys
The Cattleman's Daughter
The Lieutenant
Addition
Lovesong
Truth
Precipice , The
Desert Fish
Me and Mr. Booker
Past the Shallows
The Sending
God's Callgirl(it's a shocker don't read it
Maralinga
All That I Am
Blood review to come

and if i have time, I am going to try and read The Street Sweeper before the end of the year :)

That's fantastic Mish! Well done:)

I’ve reached MATILDA Level - I’ve read and reviewed the following books by Aussie authors this year.

Beyond Fear by Jaye Ford 5 stars (thriller)
It Takes a Village by Christine Stinson 5 stars (women’s fiction)
Love is a Four-Legged Word, by Kandy Shepherd 5 stars (romance)
Marching Powder by Rusty Young (memoir/true crime)
The Danger Game by Kalinda Ashton (literary grunge 3.5 stars)
The Crushers by Bronwyn Rodden (crime fiction set in the Blue Mountains 3 stars)

I’ve also read, but haven’t yet reviewed the following:

The Legacy by Kirsten Tranter (literary crime)
Matilda is Missing by Caroline Overington (crime)
The Butterfly Man by Heather Rose (literary crime)
(All 5 stars!)

Next year my goal is to combine this challenge with the Australian Women Writers 2012 Challenge and reach True Blue.

Well done Elizabeth:)

True Blue:-
Parrot & Olivier in America, Peter Carey
The Magician's Apprentice, Trudi Canavan
Deltora Quest, Emily Rodda
Jasper Jones, Craig Silvery
Evil in the Suburbs, Cindy Wockner
The Idea of Perfection, Kate Grenville
Heaven's Net is Wide (Tales of the Otori 5), Liam Hearn
The Slap, Christos Tsialkos
Dirt Music, Tim Winton
Addition, Toni Jordan
Listen, Kate Veitch
A fraction of a Whole, Steve Toltz

Still can't believe that I read that many Aussie Authors

Congrats Maria...well done:)

Brenda wrote: "Congrats Maria...well done:)"

Thanku

Well done, everyone. I finally made it too. I have 13 Australian books (I'd missed one in an earlier count so I got a surprise this time) by 9 authors. I also submitted my masters thesis on Thursday, so I'm looking forward to reading more non-academic books next year. Unfortunately, I'll probably need to go back to work so that means less reading time. And I still need to start writing my next book...

The Office Workshop by Derek Smith
The Last Stormlord by Glenda Larke
Stormlord Rising by Glenda Larke
Odalisque by Fiona McIntosh
Emissary by Fiona McIntosh
The Witches of Eileanan by Kate Forsyth
The Pool of Two Moons by Kate Forsyth
Culture Crisis: Anthropology and Politics in Aboriginal Australia by John Altman
The Prodigal Mage by Karen Miller
Manhood by Steve Biddulph
DEAD ish by Naomi Kramer
technically DEAD by Naomi Kramer
Australian Search Party by Charles Henry Eden

Congratulations Murray, that's an awesome result! Wonderful on your masters too...well done!

Finished Samurai Kids: White Crane which I enjoyed, and gave it 5 stars.

So that is 11 books down, 1 to go. Not sure if I will finish another by New Years Eve.

1 Something Fishy; READ
2. Odd One Out; READ
3 The Book Thief; READ
4. Neap Tide; READ
5. When Horse Became Saw; READ
5 and 1/4. Rascal Bumps His Head; READ
5 and 1/2. The Arrival; READ
6 and 1/2. The Dressmaker; READ
7 and 1/2. When my husband does the dishes ...; READ
7 and 3/4. Brigid Lucy and the Princess Tower.
8. Rascal's Big Day; READ
9. The Foundling; READ
10. The Artist is a Thief; READ
11. Samurai Kids, White Crane; READ

Dee-Ann wrote: "Finished Samurai Kids: White Crane which I enjoyed, and gave it 5 stars.

So that is 11 books down, 1 to go. Not sure if I will finish another by New Years Eve.

1 Something Fis..."

Well Dee-Ann I just counted 14 books there....so you have definitely completed the challenge:D Well done! I know some of them are small, but they are still books!!!

That’s true Brenda…it still a book

I find with these children’s books that if my daughter loves a book so much, I’m reading it to her over and over again until I’ve memorised it.