Aussie Readers discussion

As usual, for our December challenge we must feature CHRISTMAS! The happy and relaxing holiday is there for us all - make your reading a part of the season :)



Rules:

#1. You need to complete a minimum of three of the five categories listed below to finish this challenge. One read - one book for each category.
#2. List (and LINK ) all the books you plan to read for the challenge.
#3. Upon completion of a book, rate it and update your progress!
#4. Don't forget our guidelines HERE



1. Read a book about Christmas or which takes place during the holiday season
2. Christmas (or pine) trees feature strongly for Christmas - read a book with trees on the cover
3. Christmas is families getting together - read a book which features family dramas
4. St Nick - Read a book where the author or a character is called Nick/Nicholas
5. Read a book with a red or green cover (Include cover pic in post!)

Some links to help you choose:

Christmas Cosies
Christmas Mysteries
Fun Holiday Themed Mysteries
Christmas Cozy
Favourite Christmas Books
Christmas Chick Lit



Read, relax and enjoy the excitement in the lead up to Christmas!

1. About Christmas/takes place in holiday season - Operation White Christmas: An Escape to the Country Novella by Nicki Edwards 5★s

2. Christmas and trees - trees on cover - Legacy Of Hunters Ridge by Sarah Barrie 5★s

3. Christmas is family - family dramas - By Her Side by Lizzy Chandler 4★s

4. St. Nick - character Nick/Nicholas - Claus: Legend of the Fat Man by Tony Bertauski

5. Red or Green cover - Christmas Bizarre: Mina Kitchen Novel #2, with Free Recipes by Lizz Lund 2★s

I'm in but if I have any chance of doing this and the Summer challenge...need to pick carefully with some overlaps..... to the drawing board!!!!!

Overlaps are good Anna!

gosh! I've only just started reading for November!

Am still excited to plan ;)

1. Christmas: The Gift by Cecelia Ahern
2. Trees on cover: The Woman who Waited by Andrei Makine
3. Family dramas: The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas -Read 09/12
4. Nick/Nicholas: Cradle and All by James Patterson -Read 15/12
5. Red/Green on cover: Odd One Out by Monia McInnerney -Read 28/12



3/3 as at 28/12

Brenda would you say that 12 Days at Silver Bells House would fall into #3?

I'm in but I have to finish my current book for November before I can give this proper attention.

Had to skip October and November but I'm back in the saddle and rarin' to go! (Is that a crazy Americanism or what??!!)

Classic Christmas
Cricket on the Hearth - Charles Dickens
The Cricket on the Hearth


Christmas Mystery
Christmas in the Mysterious Bookshop - Otto Penzler

Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop

Red or Green cover (please tell me this is green enough!)
The Wake - Paul Kingsnorth

The Wake

☼♄Jülie wrote: "Brenda would you say that 12 Days at Silver Bells House would fall into #3?"

Definitely Jools:)

Tien wrote: "gosh! I've only just started reading for November!

Am still excited to plan ;)

1. Christmas: The Gift by Cecelia Ahern
2. Trees on cover: ..."

Tien, there's no red or green in your last one??

Linda wrote: "Had to skip October and November but I'm back in the saddle and rarin' to go! (Is that a crazy Americanism or what??!!)

Classic Christmas
Cricket on the Hearth - Charles Dickens
[book:The Cricket ..."

Definitely green Linda:)

Brenda wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "Brenda would you say that 12 Days at Silver Bells House would fall into #3?"

Definitely Jools:)"

Oh good, I'll get on now and read the first in that series then!!

Linda wrote: "Had to skip October and November but I'm back in the saddle and rarin' to go!

This sounds like a great book Linda Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop, I've never heard of it before, but what a great gesture by that bookstore owner! :)

Sounds good doesn't it Jools...

Brenda wrote: "Sounds good doesn't it Jools..."

It does! Will have to keep an eye on the Amazon Christmas book specials ;)

Let us know;) x

December Challenge - Christmas! 
.

1. About Christmas - The Santa Shop by Tim Greaton

2. Christmas and trees - trees on cover - Christmas at the Vicarage by Rebecca Boxall 

3. Christmas is family - family dramas - 12 Days at Silver Bells House (The Swallow's Fall #2)
by Jennie Jones 

4. St. Nick - character Nick/Nicholas - Oddfellows by Nicholas Shakespeare. 

5. Red or Green cover - Splinter the Silence by Val McDermid

Brenda wrote: "Let us know;) x"

Will do ;)

Nice one Jools:)

Brenda wrote: "Tien, there's no red or green in your last one?? "

The bottom half looks green to me? Or is the whole cover need to be green?
I actually do have that book (with that cover)... not the right kind of green?

Is this red enough???? :)



Thanks

Tien wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Tien, there's no red or green in your last one?? "

The bottom half looks green to me? Or is the whole cover need to be green?
I actually do have that book (with that cover)... not t..."

Predominantly red or green - you know, vibrant Christmas colours:)

Zoey wrote: "Is this red enough???? :)



Thanks"

I'll pass that one Zoey:)

Thanks Brenda :)


1. Christmas - A Highland Christmas by M.C. Beaton
3. Family - The Patterson Girls by Rachael Johns
4. Nick/Nicholas - The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks
5. Red Cover - Rapture in Death by J.D. Robb

Zoey wrote: "Thanks Brenda :)


1. Christmas - A Highland Christmas by M.C. Beaton
3. Family - The Patterson Girls by Rachael Johns
4. Nick/Nichola..."

Ooh good list! I've read two of those:)

I am going to commit to 3 - and then we'll see :)

Being me, of course they all have a Christmas theme!!

Here is my list:

1. Read a book about Christmas or which takes place during the holiday season
Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley - 4★s

2. Christmas (or pine) trees feature strongly for Christmas - read a book with trees on the cover
On Strike for Christmas by Sheila Roberts - 3★s

3. Christmas is families getting together - read a book which features family dramas
It Must Have Been the Mistletoe by Judy Astley - 4★s

ok, I've got it

Another nice list! Knew you'd pick all Christmas books Sally;)

Tien wrote: "ok, I've got it

"

Perfect!!

2. Christmas and trees - trees on cover - The Beach Trees
3. Christmas is family - family dramas - This Dark Road to Mercy
5. Red or Green cover - The Other Daughter

This sounds great! I will start with 3 and see how I go :)

1. About Christmas/takes place in holiday season - Christmas Eve at Friday Harbour


2. Christmas and trees - trees on cover - Under Your Skin


3. Christmas is family - family dramas - The Other Me - READ

I am in.

1. Takes place at christmas On Strike for Christmas

2. Christmas and trees: Christmas on Main Street

3. Christmas is family- Family Dramas Coming Home for Christmas

2. Tree on cover: (FINISHED)

3. Family dramas: (FINISHED)

5. Red cover: (FINISHED)

I will [probably not] pick another one, maybe a "nick". I have some with "carol" (lol dad joke). Ok will keep looking for my third...

Great choices so far everyone!

Here's three to start with:

1. Christmas The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen

2. Trees on the cover White Fire by Douglas Preston

5. Red cover The 13th Gift: A True Story of a Christmas Miracle by Joanne Huist Smith

Nice Carolyn:)

Can't believe we are picking December books already!

1. Christmas: ✔ 2.12.15

2. Trees on the cover:

4. St Nick:

5. Red:

I know, it's scary Melissa!

1. A book set at Christmas.Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas4 stars

2. Trees on the cover Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg 3 stars

3. Family drama Family Baggage by Monica McInerney4 stars

4. Character called Nicholas The Magician by Michael Scott3 stars

5. Red cover. Mortal Causes by Ian Rankin4 stars

1. About Christmas/takes place in holiday season
Escape for Christmas by Ruth Saberton

2. Christmas and trees - trees on cover
Come Away With Me by Karma Brown

3. Christmas is family - family dramas

4. St. Nick - character Nick/Nicholas
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn

5. Red or Green cover
The Elite by Kiera Cass

Ooh, this sounds fun! I'll do some research and get back to you!

1. About Christmas - Candlelight Christmas by Susan Wiggs
2. Trees on Cover - Three Weeks to Say Goodbye by C.J. Box
3. Family Dramas - The Patterson Girls by Rachael Johns
4. Nick/Nicholas - About a Boy by Nick Hornby
5. Red or Green Cover - The Murderer's Daughter by Jonathan Kellerman

Great list Janine!

Hi all, I haven't participated in one of the group challenges but I need a kick to hit my reading goal this year so I thought this would be the perfect way, and it may even get me more into Christmas this year too :-) Here is my list.

1.A book about Christmas - A Gingerbread Cafe Christmas 3 stars

2. Trees on the cover - A Gift to Remember by Melissa Hill 3 stars

3. Dramas - Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah4 Stars

4. Nick/Nicholas - Vanished by

5. Red or Green Cover - The Red Notebook

Hopefully I can get through them all, but will at least get through 3.

Great list Michelle! Welcome to the group - glad you could join us in your first challenge:)

1. a book about Christmas or which takes place during the holiday season
Band of Gold/Maggie Christensen
2. a book with trees on the cover
A Christmas Memory/Truman Capote
3. a book which features family dramas
The Christmas Wedding/James Patterson
4. a book where the author or a character is called Nick/Nicholas
A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books/Nicholas A. Basbanes
5. Read a book with a red or green cover (Include cover pic in post!) Ayşe Kulin

Really December can't come quickly enough!

Good one Mary! But your #2 has only 48 pages. You need to have a minimum 125 pages for the challenge:) Sorry!

Here's mine:
1. Married for Christmas
2. The Snow Child
3. Daughters of Fortune
4. The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs
5. Salem Falls (though, my cover of this is green AND red)

Nice list Kiera:)

Kiera wrote: "Here's mine:
1. Married for Christmas
2. The Snow Child
3. :Daughters of For..."

I loved The Snow Child is a re-telling of a Russian fairy tale - is a wonderful blend of reality and fantasy, with just a smidgen of horror thrown in.