Aussie Readers discussion

Great idea Michael. I'm going to list 3 that I think will make my Top 5 list at the end of the year:

1. Stoner by John Williams.
2. The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld.
3. You by Caroline Kepnes.

My top five go across a variety of genres. Surprisingly so far the majority have been Australian authors. In no particular order.
1. A Year of Marvellous Ways (Love the cover of this one)
2. Banjo and Ruby Red ( Children's book)
3. Like a House on Fire ( Collection of Short Stories)
4. St Kilda Blues Crime
5. A Fig at the GateMemoir

1.A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson
2. A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
3. Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris
4.The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
5.The Dark Between the Stars by Kevin J. Anderson

My top 5 so far this year are:

1. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
2. Nightingale by Fiona McIntosh
3. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
4. All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld
5. Volcano Street by David Rain

Not far behind and a different genre are Raven Black, The Casual Vacancy and Web of Deceit

Always a tough call Michael but here goes:

1.All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
2. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
3. When the Night Comes by Favel Parrett
4. The Golem and the Djinni by Helene Wecker
5. After Darkness by Christine Piper

Honorable mentions to: Life or Death by Michael Robotham, The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Some great titles by everyone here - I'm going to wait a little longer before I put my choices up...

Brenda wrote: "Some great titles by everyone here - I'm going to wait a little longer before I put my choices up..."

Me too Brenda. I've only given one book 5 stars this year so far. Others have come close. How sad is that?

LOL! You haven't chosen the right ones Elaine;)

Brenda wrote: "LOL! You haven't chosen the right ones Elaine;)"

Yes that's what I think too, Brenda.

:D Second part of the year will definitely be better:)

How does this work? Top five as in my favourite top five or what Goodreads says are my top five reads? Gosh, I don't even know what I'm asking. I don't understand!

My top 5 are:
1. The Iron Trial by Holly Black
2. Mars Evacuees by Sophia McDougall
3. The Room by Jonas Karlsson
4. A Small Madness by Dianne Touchell
5. The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

But these were also '5 star' reads for me, so I highly recommended the following:
Escape from Wolfhaven Castle by Kate Forsyth
Tell the Truth by Katherine Howell
The Last Place by Michael Adams
The Road to Hope by Rachael Johns
An Enormously English Monsoon Wedding by Christina Jones
Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole

Kiera wrote: "How does this work? Top five as in my favourite top five or what Goodreads says are my top five reads? Gosh, I don't even know what I'm asking. I don't understand!"

Your top 5 for the year to date Kiera!

My top 5 books so far this year:

1. A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale 5★s+
2. Burnt Paper Sky by Gilly Macmillan 5★s
3. The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane 5★s + 5 for the cover! ;)
4. Lyrebird Hill by Anna Romer 5★s
5. This House of Grief by Helen Garner 5★s


Honourable mentions:

The Silk Thief by Deborah Challinor 5★s.
Sleight Malice by Vicki Tyley 5★s
Runaway Lies by Shannon Curtis 5★s
Bereft by Chris Womersley 4★s
Wild Wood by Posie Graeme-Evans 5★s

Some great reads there Jools:)

Brenda wrote: "Some great reads there Jools:)"

I know, I've been lucky in choosing some goodies :)

You certainly have!

In no particular order

Summer, Fireworks, and My Corpse
The Long Ships
Ancillary Justice
The Scar
Watership Down

End of month Michael:)

I'll wait at least until I finish my current book, as I'm pretty sure it will be going on the list.

Michael wrote: "Come on Brenda, chop chop, lets see your list.

Great lists everyone. :)"

Brenda's sitting on the fence Michael, she's got another dozen or so books to fit in before the end of the month! Lol, we just extend our Honorary mentions ;D

Burnt Paper Sky
A Place Called Winter
A Man Called Ove
Touch
The Truth and Other Lies
Elizabeth is Missing
Useful
Runaway
Silent Shock: The Men Behind the Thalidomide Scandal and an Australian Family's Long Road to Justice
Sorry, couldn't reduce it to 5. As it is, I probably left out some really good ones!

Rita *wants a quick quotes quill* Skeeter wrote: "Carolyn wrote: "Always a tough call Michael but here goes:

1.All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
2. Life After Life by [author:Kate Atkinson..."

I hope you love it too Rita!

☼♄Jülie wrote: "My top 5 books so far this year:

1. A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale 5★s+
2. Burnt Paper Sky by Gilly Macmillan 5★s
3. T..."


Read and liked your #1&3 and agree with an hon mention for Wild Wood Jools!

Carolyn wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "My top 5 books so far this year:

1. A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale 5★s+
2. Burnt Paper Sky by [author:Gilly Macmillan|8183303..."

There are some really good picks coming up...it will be interesting to see the top 5 of the top 5 choices ;D

☼♄Jülie wrote: "Michael wrote: "Come on Brenda, chop chop, lets see your list.

Great lists everyone. :)"

Brenda's sitting on the fence Michael, she's got another dozen or so books to fit in before the end of th..."

Too right!

Brenda wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "Michael wrote: "Come on Brenda, chop chop, lets see your list.

Great lists everyone. :)"

Brenda's sitting on the fence Michael, she's got.."


Lol :)

Elaine wrote: "Brenda wrote: "LOL! You haven't chosen the right ones Elaine;)"

Yes that's what I think too, Brenda."

Or your standards are just high, Elaine! Never mind - some of the ones that have come close would still be part of your top 5 reads of the year so far.

Now to go and have a look at my 5 star reads - I think I've had about 5 of them so far this year...

Hmmm, I've given 6 books a 5 star rating so far this year. So, in no particular order, my top 5 reads were:

Fractured by Dawn Barker
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
Matthew Flinders' Cat by Bryce Courtenay
The Opal Desert by Di Morrissey
and I just can't choose between Heading Home and The Promise, both by Naomi Reed, so they have tied.

Nice list Kathryn:) I must read The Opal Desert soon!

Kathryn wrote: "Elaine wrote: "Brenda wrote: "LOL! You haven't chosen the right ones Elaine;)"

Yes that's what I think too, Brenda."

Or your standards are just high, Elaine! Never mind - some of the ones that h..."

Thanks Kathryn. I think if I'm going to put up this list by the end of June I may have to include some of those. I do plan on trying to fit one or two more in before the end of the month so hopefully they might qualify for the top 5.
Nice to see too that you've included a Bryce Courtenay in your top 5.

Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez
Airframe by Michael Crichton
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
And the fifth is either Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey or The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Okay my top five for the year so far:
1. Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith
2. Fable by Chanda Hahn
3. A Heartless Design by Elizabeth Cole
4. Lost Souls by Joseph Lidster
5. Miss Carter's War by Sheila Hancock

The Doomsday Kids #3: Amaranth's Return & The Doomsday Kids Book 4: Amy's Gift love this YA series
Outback Fever
The Bloodstone Key
Look Closer
Soul's Duty

Plus I have to mention Before I Go & Wild Wood

I think I read a couple of your top five last year Michael and liked them as well!

For my top 5 this year I will put the non-fiction books to one side (even though I loved some of them) and only choose novels. Hmmmm

1. The Chimes is still haunting me (I did a review but it seems to have got deleted) I very strongly recommend this one!

2. Where In The World a children's book but complex in evoking its positivity. Powerful.

3. Sister of My Heart I gave it 5 stars

4. As We Are Now I gave it 5 stars here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

5. The World Unseen I gave it 5 stars and the following review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I don't even dream my choices will appeal to everyone but hopefully one or more to some people. I am hoping to replace them with EVEN BETTER book by the end of the year. Who knows?

I have only read four so far, and I think the following are my top three at the moment too:

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (thought the narrator was cleverly presented)
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini (surprising story)
The Two Towers - J.R.R. Tolkien (which I am still reading and enjoying).

I am onto Jane Eyre next so maybe it will make my top five this year?

Stella wrote: "I have only read four so far, and I think the following are my top three at the moment too:

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (thought the narrator was cleverly presented)
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hos..."

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien

My 5 star reads so far:
The Signature of All Things a wonderful book which my husband loved too.
Traitor by Stephen Daisley a very moving account of the impact of war on one man. Goodreads, for some reason, always has trouble finding this one.
Life After Life brilliantly crafted and absorbing.
Far from the Madding Crowd a classic.

Only four 5 star books so far this year.

Tango wrote: "My 5 star reads so far:
The Signature of All Things a wonderful book which my husband loved too.
Traitor by Stephen Daisley a very moving account of the impact of war on one man. Go..."

Traitor by Stephen Daisley

There you go

My 5 favourites so far this year are


Dissolution by C.J. Sansom
Glory in Death by J.D. Robb
Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb
The Tudor Secret by C.W. Gortner
You by Caroline Kepnes

Now I am ready to reveal:

1. Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido
2. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
3. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
4. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
5. Dogeaters by Jessica Hagedorn

I see a number of us have nominated Life After Life. I just finished it last night and still have a warm glow. Let me know if you want to discuss - or maybe there is a discussion thread for it??? Lemme check...

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry
Give Me Your Answer True
The Man I Love
Elements of Chemistry
The Rosie Effect

Zoey wrote: "My 5 favourites so far this year are


Dissolution by C.J. Sansom

C.J. Sansom is good isn't he!

My top 5 are:

The Light Between Oceans
The Secret Keeper
Bittersweet
The Rose Girls
Outback Ghost

In no particular order (as I have written them in order of date read)

Descent by Tim Johnston
The Secret Life of Luke Livingstone by Charity Norman
TimeStorm by Steve Harrison
Heart of the Country by Tricia Stringer
The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton

This may have to be added to as I have a few more days before the end of June;)

Brenda wrote: "In no particular order (as I have written them in order of date read)


I just finished reading:
TimeStorm by Steve Harrison

I thought this was a really great read and should be included in my list as an honourable mention.

It was a fabulous read wasn't it Odette!

Brenda wrote: "It was a fabulous read wasn't it Odette!"

Yes, it really interested and engaged me - found it hard to put down. I would love to read a sequel.

He's got his own thread in the author section..he's working on a new book now but I don't think it's a sequel. I would enjoy reading one too :)

My top five, in no particular order

My Salinger Year
Manuscripts Don't Burn
The Midnight Folk
The Art of Travel
Notes on a Cuff and other stories