2011 October Goodreads Aussie Readers Group - Friend's List Reading Challenge

A straightforward book reading challenge for the month of October (2011) conducted by the Aussie Readers Group on Goodreads.

The rules are simple - read as many books as you can during the month of October (2011), as long as they come from a friend's booklist on Goodreads.


I will list the titles here along with links to the reviews as they are read.

1. The 3rd Victim by Sydney Bauer - From Brenda's booklist - My Review
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - From *Jess's booklist - My Review
3. Mosquito Creek by Robert Engwerda - From Bernadette's booklist - My Review
4. Take Out by Felicity Young - From Michael's booklist - My Comments
5. The Gene Thieves by Maria Quinn - From Karen Chisolm's booklist - My Comments
6. The Dead Path by Stephen Irwin - From Penelope's booklist - My Comments
7. Theodore Boone by John Grisham - From Chris Pash's booklist - My Review
8. Zapped by Carol Higgins Clark - From Leslie aka hugbandit7's booklist - My Review
9. Storm Boy by Colin Thiele - From Cathy's booklist - My Review
10. The Fern Tattoo by David Brooks - From Jennifer (JC-S)'s booklist - Brief Thoughts
11. The Roving Party by Rohan Wilson - From Jacqui's booklist - Brief Thoughts
12. A Necessary Evil by Bruce Venables - From Nicknac Bookstack's booklist - My Review
13. Whispering Death by Garry Disher - From Bernadette's booklist - My Review
14. Apartment 255 by Bunty Avieson - From Bree T's booklist - Brief Thoughts
15. Virals by Kathy Reichs - From Bookstack Insoniac's booklist - Brief Thoughts
16. Davo's Little Something by Robert G. Barrett - From Shelleyrae at Book'd Out's booklist - Brief Thoughts

2011 Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge

As I was researching an author the other day, I came across another great 2011 Reading Challenge. It is called the Mystery & Suspense Challenge and is hosted by the ladies at Book Chick City. Since this genre is pretty much all I read these days, I figure I may as well jump on board with this one.

The rules are straightforward enough;

• Timeline: 01 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2011

• Rules: To read TWELVE (12) mystery & suspense novels in 2011 (12 is the minimum but you can read more if you wish!)

• You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

My Mystery and Suspense Challenge list and review links as follows:

 1.  How The Dead See by David Owen - My Review
 2.  The Night Ferry by Michael Robotham - My Review
 3.  The Dragon Man by Garry Disher - My Review
 4.  The Night Has A Thousand Eyes by Mandy Sayer - My Review
 5.  Torn Apart by Peter Corris - My Review
 6.  The Diggers Rest Hotel by Geoffrey McGeachin - My Review
 7.  The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler - My Review
 8.  Frantic by Katherine Howell - My Review
 9.  The 5th Horseman by James Patterson - My Review
10. Death At The Spring Plant Sale by Ann Ripley - My Review
11. Death Mask by Kathryn Fox - My Review
12. Gunshot Road by Adrian Hyland - My Review


UPDATE: Challenge Completed 14th September, 2011

2011 Australian Author Birthplace Reading Challenge

The aim of this challenge is to select and read one author from each of the states and territories in Australia based upon their birthplace. My list of books is as follows:

Northern Territory (NT)
Every Secret Thing by Marie Munkara (Born on the banks of the Mainoru River in central Arnhem Land (NT) and then went to Nguiu on the Tiwi islands when 18 months old)  My Review

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
The Fern Tattoo by David Brooks (Born 12 January 1953 in Canberra) Brief Thoughts

Tasmania (Tas)
The Year Of Living Dangerously by Christopher Koch (Born in Hobart in 1932) My Review

South Australia (SA)
The Fallout by Garry Disher (Born in Burra in the mid-north of South Australia in 1949) My Review

Queensland (Qld)
The Dead Path by Stephen M. Irwin (born in Brisbane, 1966) - Brief Thoughts

New South Wales (NSW)
Mystery Bay Blues by Robert G. Barrett (Born in Bondi, NSW) - My Review

Victoria (Vic)
Follow The Money by Peter Corris (born on 8 May 1942 in Stawell, Victoria) - My Review

Western Australia (WA)
Carnies by Martin Livings (Born in 1970 in Perth, WA) - My Review

2011 Australian State & Territory Reading Challenge

The aim of this challenge is to read a book that is set in each of the 8 states and territories in Australia. My list of books is as follows:

Northern Territory (NT)
Gunshot Road by Adrian Hyland - My Review

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
Dead Set by Kel Robertson - My Review

Tasmania (Tas)
No Weather For A Burial by David Owen - My Review

South Australia (SA)
Storm Boy by Colin Thiele - My Review

Queensland (Qld)
Diamond Eyes by A. A. Bell - My Review

New South Wales (NSW)
The Old School by P. M. Newton - My Review

Victoria (Vic)
The Diggers Rest Hotel by Geoffrey McGeachin - My Review

Western Australia (WA)
Take Out by Felicity Young - My Comments

Ongoing Ned Kelly Award Reading Challenge

The Ned Kelly Awards (named after bushranger Ned Kelly) are Australia's leading literary awards for crime writing in both the crime fiction and true crime genres. They were established in 1996 by the Crime Writers Association of Australia to reward excellence in the field of crime writing within Australia. They are known with literary circles as the 'Neddies', and the award categories are as follows: 

• The Best First Fiction
• Best True Crime
• Best Fiction
• SD Harvey Short Story
• Lifetime Achievement

Past winners and those nominated can be found here; 
New Kelly Awards Home Page
Crime Down Under Ned Kelly Past Winners & Nominations

My challenge is simple - to read as many Ned Kelly award listed books as I can lay my hands on.

1. AVIESON, Bunty - Apartment 255 (2002 WINNER Best First Fiction) - Brief Thoughts
2. BARRETT, Robert G. - The Tesla Legacy (2007 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
3. BELL, A.A. - Diamond Eyes (2011 Nominated Best First Fiction) - My Review
4. CORRIS, Peter - Appeal Denied (2008 Nominated Best Fiction)
5. CORRIS, Peter - Deep Water (2009 Nominated Best Fiction)
6. CORRIS, Peter - Follow The Money (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
7. CORRIS, Peter - Lugarno (200 Nominated Best Fiction)
8. CORRIS, Peter - Master's Mates (2004 Nominated best Fiction)
9. CORRIS, Peter - Open File (2008 Nominated Best Fiction)
10. CORRIS, Peter - Other Side Of Sorrow (2000 Nominated Best Fiction)
11. CORRIS, Peter - Salt and Blood (2003 Nominated Best Fiction)
12. CORRIS, Peter - Saving Billie (2006 Shortlisted Best Fiction)
13. CORRIS, Peter - The Black Prince (1999 Nominated Best Fiction)
14. CORRIS, Peter - The Undertow (2007 Nominated Best Fiction)
15. CORRIS, Peter - Torn Apart (2010 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
16. DISHER, Garry - Chain Of Evidence (2007 WINNER Best Fiction) - My Review
17. DISHER, Garry - Dragon Man (2000 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
18. DISHER, Garry - Kittyhawk Down (2003 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
19. DISHER, Garry - Snapshot (2006 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
20. DISHER, Garry - Wyatt (2010 WINNER Best Fiction) - My Review
21. ENGWERDA, Robert - Mosquito Creek (2011 Best First Fiction) - My Review
22. FOX, Kathryn - Blood Born (2010 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
23. FOX, Kathryn - Death Mask (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
24. FOX, Kathryn - Malicious Intent (2005 Nominated Best First Fiction)
25. FOX, Kathryn - Skin and Bone (2008 Nominated Best Fiction)
26. FOX, Kathryn - Without Consent (2007 Nominated Best Fiction)
27. GREENWOOD, Kerry - Devil's Food (2006 Nominated Best Fiction)
28. GREENWOOD, Kerry - Heavenly Pleasures (2005 Nominated best Fiction)
29. HOWELL, Kathryn - Frantic (2008 Nominated Best First Fiction)
30. HOWELL Kathryn - Violent Exposure (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Thoughts
31. HYLAND, Adrian - Diamond Dove (2007 WINNER Best First Fiction) - My Review
32. HYLAND, Adrian - Gunshot Road (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
33. IRWIN, Stephen M - The Dead Path (2010 Nominated Best First Fiction) - My Comments
34. LIVINGS, Martin - Carnies (2007 Nominated Best First Fiction) - My Review
35. MALONEY, Shane - Brush Off (1997 WINNER Best Fiction)
36. MALONEY, Shane - Something Fishy (2003 Nominated Best Fiction)
37. MALONEY, Shane - Sucked In (2008 Shortlisted Best Fiction)
38. McGEACHIN, Geoff - D.E.D. Dead! (2006 Nominated Best Fiction)
39. McGEACHIN, Geoff - Diggers Rest Hotel (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
40. McGEACHIN, Geoff - Sensitive New Age Spy (2008 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
41. NEWTON, P.M. - The Old School (2011 Shortlisted Best First Fiction) - My Review
42. OWEN, David - How The Dead See (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
43. OWEN, David - No Weather For A Burial (2011 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
44. PALMER, Alex - The Tattooed Man (2008 Nominated Best Fiction) - Brief Thoughts
45. QUINN, Maria - The Gene Thieves (2010 Nominated Best First Fiction) - My Comments
46. REDHEAD, Leigh - Cherry Pie (2008 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Thoughts
47. ROBERTSON, Kel - Dead Set (2006 Shortlisted First Fiction) - My Comments
48. ROBOTHAM, Michael - Shatter (2008 WINNER Best Fiction) - My Review
49. ROBOTHAM, Michael - The Night Ferry (2007 Shortlisted Best Fiction) - My Review
50. SAYER, Mandy - The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (2008 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
51. TEMPLE, Peter - Broken Shore (2006 WINNER Best Fiction)
52. TEMPLE, Peter - In The Evil Day (2002 Nominated Best Fiction) - My Review
53. WOMERSLEY, Chris - Bereft (2011 Shortlisted Best Fiction) - My Review

2011 September Challenge - Goodreads TBR BOOK BONANZA

A straightforward book reading challenge for the month of September. The rules are simple - read as many books as you can, as long as they come from your Goodreads To Be Read list (otherwise known as Mt. TBR) and added to this list prior to September.




I will list the titles here along with links to the reviews.

 1.  Frantic by Katherine Howell - My Review
 2.  D.E.D. Dead! by Geoff McGeachin - My Review
 3.  The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler - My Review
 4.  The Night Has A Thousand Eyes by Mandy Sayer - My Review
 5.  Kittyhawk Down by Garry Disher - My Review
 6.  Blood Born by Kathryn Fox - My Review
 7.  Death At The Spring Plant Sale by Ann Ripley - My Review
 8.  How The Dead See by David Owen - My Review
 9.  The Garden of Betrayal by Lee Vance - My Review
10. Dragon Man by Garry Disher - My Review
11. The 5th Horseman by James Patterson - My Review
12. The Night Ferry by Michael Robotham - My Review
13. The Old School by P.M. Newton - My Review
14. In The Evil Day by Peter Temple - My Review
15. X and Y by David Owen - My Review
16. Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs - My Review
17. Every Secret Thing by Marie Munkara - My Review
18. Death Of A Lake by Arthur Upfield - My Review
19. Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet by Xinran - My Review
20. Bereft by Chris Womersley - My Review
21. Original Face by Nicholas Jose - My Review


I completed 21 books from my TBR Goodreads Reading List During September, 2011.

My 2011 A-Z Author Challenge

My 2011 A-Z Author Reading Challenge
Read a book where the author's surname starts with each different letter of the alphabet. I have tried to stay within the Australian crime fiction genre, but alas I had to expand my horizons when I could find no candidates for the letter X.

A: Avieson, Bunty - Apartment 255 - Brief Thoughts

B: Barrett, Robert G. - The Tesla Legacy - My Review

C: Corris, Peter - Torn Apart - My Review

D: Disher, Garry - Chain Of Evidence - My Review

E: Engwerda, Robert - Mosquito Creek - My Review

F: Fox, Katherine - Death Mask - My Review

G: Greenwood, Kerry - Murder In The Dark - Brief Thoughts

H: Hyland, Adrian - Diamond Dove - My Review

I:  Irwin, Stephen - The Dead Path - Brief Comments

J: Jose, Nicholas - Original Face - My Review

K: Klein, Peter - Punter's Luck - Brief Thoughts

L: Livings, Martin - Carnies - Brief Comments

M: McGeachin, Geoffrey - The Digger's Rest Hotel - My Review

N: Newton, P. M. - The Old School - My Review

O: Owen, David - No Weather For A Burial - My Review

P: Palmer, Alex - The Tattooed Man - Brief Thoughts

Q: Quinn, Maria - The Gene Thieves - Brief Comments

R: Robotham, Michael - Shatter - My Review

S: Sayer, Mandy - The Night Has A Thousand Eyes - My Review

T: Temple, Peter - In the Evil Day - My Review

U: Upfield, Arthur - Death Of A Lake - My Review

V: Venables, Bruce - A Necessary Evil - My Review

W: Womersley, Chris - Bereft - My Review

X: Xinran - Sky Burial - My Review

Y: Young, Felicity - Take Out - Brief Comments

Z: Zusak, Markus - The Book Thief - My Review

My 2011 A-Z Title Reading Challenge

The plan is simple - To read a book where the title starts with each different letter of the alphabet during 2011

A: Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler
My Review

B: Body Double by Tess Gerritsen
My Review

C: Chain of Evidence by Garry Disher
My Review

D: Death Mask by Kathryn Fox
My Review

E: Echo Burning by Lee Child
My Review

F: Follow The Money by Peter Corris
My Review

G: Gunshot Road by Adrian Hyland
My Review

H: How The Dead See by David Owen
My Review

I: In the Evil Day by Peter Temple
My Review

J: Jack and Jill by James Patterson
My Review

K: Killing Hour by Andrew Gross
My Review

L: Lost Empire by Clive Cussler & Grant Blackwood
My Review

M: Mystery Bay Blues by Robert G. Barrett
My Review

N: No Weather For a Burial by David Owen
My Review

O: O'Fear by Peter Corris
Brief Thoughts

P: Private London by James Paterson & Mark Pearson
My Review

Q: Q is For Quarry by Sue Grafton
My Review

R: Raise The Titanic by Clive Cussler
My Review

S: Sensitive New Age Spy by Geoff McGeachin
My Review

T: Torn Apart by Peter Corris
My Review

U: U is For Undertow by Sue Grafton
My Review

V: Virals by Kathy Reichs
Brief Thoughts

W: Wyatt by Garry Disher
My Review

X: X and Y by David Owen
My Review

Y: You've Been Warned by James Patterson &Howard Roughan
My Review

Z: Zapped by Carol Higgins Clark
My Review

Bonus Numerical: 10th Anniversary by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
My Review

The Goodreads Aussie Readers 2011 Winter Reading Challenge (COMPLETED)

I have decided to have a last minute crack at the Winter Challenge (to be completed by the end of the Southern Hemisphere Winter - 31st August, 2011). I might be cutting it a tad fine, but I'll have a go anyway! The books have to be chosen and reviewed on Goodreads according to the following guidelines:



UPDATE: Challenge completed 26th Aug, 2011

My list is as follows:
1. Pick a book that has a warm or summery theme on the cover: 
Mystery Bay Blues by Robert G.Barrett  My Review

2. Pick a book from your Goodreads To Be Read (TBR) list:
Killing Hour by Andrew Gross  My Review


3. Find a YA novel or a picture book to read:
Magpie Mischief by Jon Doust  My Review


4. National Tree Day – read a book you haven’t purchased:
Sensitive New Age Spy by Geoff McGeachin  My Review


5. Choose a book which has been made into a movie:
Raise The Titanic! by Clive Cussler  My Review


6. Read a book where a word in the title has to relate to a wintery theme:
Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler  My Review

7. Read an Aussie author's book:
Wyatt by Garry Disher  My Review


8. Read New Release out somewhere in the 3 month period of winter:
Private London by James Patterson  My Review


9. Pick a friend on your Goodread list and also select and read a book they have read: (from Brenda's list)
Running Blind (aka The Visitor) by Lee Child  My Review

10. Curl up beside the fire and grab yourself a book full of suspense or murder:
Follow the Money by Peter Corris  My Review


11. Bonus Book: Choose a book by a winter born author (June, July, August)
Garry Disher (born 15th August) Port Vila Blues   My Review


Link To The Goodreads Aussie Readers 2011 Winter Reading Challenge

The 2011 Goodreads Aussie Readers Spring Reading Challenge

The Goodreads Aussie Readers Group (Brenda) is hosting a Spring Reading Challenge 2011. My choices are all crime fiction based and listed below in green. Finding a crime fiction novel with a spring cover is a challenge in itself!


1. Spring clean your bookcases by reading a much loved, but yet unread book..either novel or biography - The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler  My Review


2. Choose a book that features a new life - a baby (animal or human) on the cover/in the story - Blood Born by Kathryn Fox  My Review


3. Choose a book for it's cover - a spring image with all it's colour - Death At The Spring Plant Sale by Ann Ripley  My Review


4. The Royal Adelaide show is on 2nd - 10th September so a book about a show/carnival rides/handicrafts/cookery/livestock..anything to tie into the event - Carnies by Martin Livings  Brief Thoughts


5. The Brisbane Writers Festival is on 7th - 11th September so choose a book written by an Aussie author, released somewhere in the 3 months of Spring - The 3rd Victim by Sydney Bauer (Sept 2011 Release)  My Review


6. Seeing as Spring colours are predominantly red and yellow, pick a book with either a red or yellow cover, and post the book cover as well, so everyone can see (and get colourful suggestions) - Davo's Little Something by Robert G. Barrett  Brief Thoughts 

7. Sydney Eisteddfod is running until 20th September and they are searching for the best young Australian talent, so pick a Young Adult book, not necessarily by an Aussie author, for this event - Virals by Kathy Reichs  Brief Thoughts


8. The Spring Racing Carnival culminating with the Melbourne Cup is in November, so a book about horses/horse racing/betting/money won and lost - The 5th Horseman by James Patterson  My Review


9. How about a book with the title beginning with the first letter of your name - D-E-D Dead by Geoffrey McGeachin  My Review


10. For the last one, you have a choice...a book with a garden connection for spring or a non-fiction/biography, again with a spring connection! - Garden of Betrayal by Lee Vance  My Review


The Goodreads Aussie Readers Spring Reading Challenge

What's In A Name #4 - Book Reading Challenge 2011

Today I stumbled across another book challenge which I am going to have a crack at. It is called the What's In A Name #4 challenge and involves reading a book from each category (listed below) during 2011.

With my penchant for Australian Crime Fiction, I am going to attempt the challenge choosing books only from this genre.

My proposed titles and links to the completed reviews are as follows:

• A book with a number in the title: The Night Has A Thousand Eyes by Mandy Sayer  My Review
• A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Diamond Dove by Adrian Hyland  My Review
• A book with a size in the title: Davo's Little Something by Robert G. Barrett  Brief Thoughts
• A book with travel or movement in the title: The Night Ferry by Michael Robotham  My Review
• A book with evil in the title: In The Evil Day by Peter Temple  My Review
• A book with a life stage in the title: Death Mask by Kathryn Fox  My Review

2011 Aussie Author Challenge

UPDATE: Challenge completed 4th September, 2011


I have always enjoyed crime fiction novels, having read all the mainstream James Patterson, Kathy Reichs, Sue Grafton, Lee Child, Andrew Gross, Ruth Rendell and Tess Gerritsen type books that I could get get my hands on. As much as I enjoyed these books, there was always something missing. They were always set in England, America, Canada, France or some other exotic location that I have never been to. The storylines were fantastic, the authors brilliant, but on some level I just didn't get the humour or missed the nuances of the location.

Then I discovered Peter Corris and eventually many, many other Australian crime fiction authors. It was a revelation to read crime fiction books that were set in places I had been to and towns I had even lived in. It provided me with a whole new imaginary layer over and above the plotline. I could relate to the characters and enjoy their humour. I could place myself in a dusty outback South Australian roadhouse, or the back of a Melbourne taxi, or even in a Launceston front bar.

My bookshelves are now stacked with Peter Corris, David Owen, Katherine Howell, Katherine Fox, Geoffrey McGeachin, Garry Disher, Shane Maloney, Robert G. Barrett, Kerry Greenwood and many more. So many books to read, so little spare time...

Nevertheless, with this mind, I have decided to participate in the 2011 Aussie Author Challenge (follow the link above). Essentially the plan is to read 12 Aussie books (at least 9 separate authors). My planned reading list at this stage (which may change) is as follows:
  1. Torn Apart (Peter Corris)  My Review
  2. The Fallout (Garry Disher)  My Review
  3. Chain of Evidence (Garry Disher)  My Review
  4. Death Mask (Kathryn Fox)  My Review
  5. Diamond Dove (Adrian Hyland)  My Review
  6. No Weather For A Burial (David Owen)  My Review
  7. The Diggers Rest Hotel (Geoffrey McGeachin)  My Review
  8. Shatter (Michael Robotham)  My Review
  9. Gunshot Road (Adrian Hyland)  My Review
10. The Tesla Legacy (Robert G. Barrett)  My Review
11. Frantic (Katherine Howell)  My Review
12. D.E.D. Dead! (Geoffrey McGeachin)  My Review