Aussie Readers discussion

Welcome to our March Madness challenge! As we read this month, let's look at the list of tasks below and see how many we can complete!



Rules:

#1. You need to complete three of the five categories listed below to finish this challenge. One read = one book per 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

The Categories:

1). Harmony Day: Read an Indigenous book (fiction or non fiction), either by an Indigenous author or about Indigenous people OR a book with an ORANGE cover - Aussie Author

2). Old Stuff Day: Read a book which has been on your TBR list for at least a year!

3). International Earth Day: Read a book which is set in any country but your own.

4). Panic Day: Read a book that makes you panic for whatever reason, whether it’s a thriller or crime novel, the size of the book or just a novel with a general unsettling topic!

5). Reader’s Choice: Read any book of your choice - Aussie Author

Links with suggestions to help you choose:)

Indigenous Australian Writing
Australian Outback Literature
Aussie Readers Bookshelf
AR 2015 Top 5 Aussie Authors List

Try for more Aussie authors than are specified!



So settle back, relax and enjoy!

I'm excited for this one!!!

#1. Harmony Day - Aussie Author - Indigenous - Resurrection Bay by Emma Viskic 5★s

#2. Old Stuff Day - On TBR for at least a year -Evan's Gallipoli by Kerry Greenwood 5★s

#3. International Earth Day - Set in another country - (US) - Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb 5★s

#4. Panic Day - Unsettling Topic - Daughter of Australia by Harmony Verna 5+★s

#5. Readers Choice - Aussie Author - Animal People by Charlotte Wood 4★s

I'm in - will commit to 4

2). Old Stuff Day: Read a book which has been on your TBR list for at least a year!
Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda - on my TBR shelf since 2012 5★s

3). International Earth Day: Read a book which is set in any country but your own.
Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich– set in the USA - 4★s

4). Panic Day: Read a book that makes you panic for whatever reason.
The Beast's Garden by Kate Forsyth – has 512 pages – books with large numbers of pages (over 400) always panic me! 4★s

5). Reader’s Choice: Read any book of your choice - Aussie Author
A Motive for Murder by Morgana Best - 3★s

2. Old Stuff Day - The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

3. Int. Earth Day - (France/Scotland)Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
re-reading before Season2 starts in April :)

4. Panic Day (unsettling topic) - Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

1. Harmony Day - ( orange cover) A Beautiful Place To Die by Malla Nunn

2. Old Stuff Day - Driftwood by Mandy Magro

4. Panic Day -(over 500 pages) Matthew Flinders' Cat by Bryce Courtenay

I'm enjoying checking out your choices guys!

I'm in for sure! (3 to complete challenge - have done four just in case!)

#2. Old Stuff Day - On TBR for at least a year - Watermelon

#3. International Earth Day - Set in another country - (USA) Sweetheart READ 4 ★

#4. Panic Day - Psychological Thriller - Beyond Fear READ 5 ★

#5. Readers Choice - Aussie Author - Hello From the Gillespies

1. Harmony Day (orange cover) Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta 5 stars

2. Old stuff day. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 4 stars

3. International Earth Day (Ireland) The Likeness by Tana French4 stars

4. Panic Day The Returned by Jason Mott. The dead are returning. It must be scary. 3 stars. It wasn't scary:(

5. Readers ChoiceSt Kilda Blues by Geoffrey McGeachin 3 stars

I love Tana French's work - I must get back to them. I'm up to #3 now:)

Oh yeah, love the idea. All on my list are Australian authors, which is an added bonus.

1). Harmony Day - Aussie Author
Swallow the Air by indigenous author Tara June Winch

2). Old Stuff Day: On your TBR list for at least a year
The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard
(since Dec 2014)

3). International Earth Day: Set in any country but your own
All That is Lost Between Us by Sara Foster (which I gained in the Mystery Book Swap at the Melbourne meet-up last week, thanks to the generosity of Mish.)

4). Panic Day: Book that makes you panic for whatever reason
T.B.A.

5). Reader’s Choice - Aussie Author
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

Well done Mary! It's a great personal accomplishment when you manage all AAs :)

Brenda wrote: "Well done Mary! It's a great personal accomplishment when you manage all AAs :)"

Thanks Brenda. One of my personal goals for 2016 is to read as many Aussie authors as possible. I greatly enjoy reading OUR stories, in our settings, with our version of the language. And there is such a wealth of Australian literature to choose from. We are blessed.

We most surely are...and I find I'm continually finding new and wonderful Aussies all the time:)

I'm in - but only coz I'll be recycling some of the books I'm reading for the other challenge :D

1). Harmony Day - Aussie Author:
(I have the older release: Claiming the Rebel's Heart) by Alison Stuart

2). Old Stuff Day: On your TBR list for at least a year:
Underwater by Julia McDermott (since Nov 2014) ★★☆☆☆

3). International Earth Day: Set in any country but your own:
Hold Still by Lisa Regan - America

4). Panic Day: Book that makes you panic for whatever reason:
The Orchid Nursery by Louise Katz - this future sounds frightening!

5). Reader’s Choice - Aussie Author:
Assassin by Tara Moss

I am in.

2. Book from TBR for over a year The Chocolate Promise

3. International earth day Born in Shame

5, Outback Sisters

I'm in.

Harmony Day: Going to try to get my hands on

Legendary Tales of the Australian Aborigines - David Unaipon

Legendary Tales of the Australian Aborigines

Old Stuff

Evidence of Blood - Thomas Cook

Evidence of Blood

International Earth Day

Stonehenge - Bernard Cornwell

Stonehenge

PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Dying Grass - William Vollman (1215 pages)

The Dying Grass: A Novel of the Nez Perce War

Reader's Choice - Aussie Author

Whispering Death - Garry Disher

Whispering Death

LOL!!! Linda that would cause a major PANIC with me too!!! Well done:)

I am in!
1. Rabbit-Proof Fence: The True Story of One of the Greatest Escapes of All Time by Doris Pilkington
2. March by Geraldine Brooks
3. Monsoon by Di Morrissey
4. Nomad by Matthew Mather
5. to be advised ....

Great Lucinda:) Why are you panicking about #4? ;)

1. That Deadman Dance - Kim Scott
2. Nest Inga - Simpson
3. Still thinking on this one..
4. White Beech :The Rainforest Years - Germaine Greer (panicked, cause non fictionish and Greer's forceful nature may make finnishing difficult)
5 Lascar's Dagger. (Book1 of the Foresaken Land series)- Glenda Larke

These are my books, am new , not sure how to link....sorry

Jo wrote: "1. That Deadman Dance - Kim Scott
2. Nest Inga - Simpson
3. Still thinking on this one..
4. White Beech :The Rainforest Years - Germaine Greer (panicked, cause non fictionish and Greer's forceful n..."

Jo, great list! To link - firstly you can edit your post (bottom right hand corner "edit") then in the comment box click on "add book/author" and type in your title. "Search" then "add" - go back in and change the top over to "author" and click "add" again and it'll all appear in your post:)

Good luck and sing out if you have any problems:)

This is very timely Brenda as I've just finished the excellent February Challenge. This one looks good too :)

1. Harmony Day: Tiddas by Anita Heiss
2. Old Stuff: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
3. International Day: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri (USA/India)
4. Panic Day: The Good Girl by Mary Kubica (sounds like a creepy thriller)
5. Aussie Author: Mastermind by Helen Goltz

Loved Mastermind Carolyn! I'm (im)patiently waiting for Mitch's next story;)

Brenda wrote: "Great Lucinda:) Why are you panicking about #4? ;)"
The idea of something huge hurtling towards the earth! LOL

LOL! That sounds fair enough;) Definitely worth panicking about!!!

Brenda wrote: "Loved Mastermind Carolyn! I'm (im)patiently waiting for Mitch's next story;)"

I've been meaning to start this series for a while Brenda so it's great to be able to work it into a challenge!

You'll love it I'm sure Carolyn! You're in for a treat:)

Brenda wrote: "Welcome to our March Madness challenge! As we read this month, let's look at the list of tasks below and see how many we can complete!

Rules:

#1. You need to complete three of the five categori..."

Does it have to be an Australian indigenous? because I have The Education of Augie Merasty: A Residential School Memoir sitting on my shelf which is a memoir from a Canadian aboriginal

Yes Melissa it would as it needs to be an Aussie author:) Sorry!

Brenda wrote: "Yes Melissa it would as it needs to be an Aussie author:) Sorry!"

Anyone have an recommendations as I am unfamiliar with Australian indigenous authors and/or books.

I'm in too - this is certainly making me try books I wouldn't otherwise read.
1) Harmony Day - Indigenous Aussie Author - Swallow the Air by Tara June Winch 3*
2) Old Stuff - Dexter By Design by Jeff Lindsay 3*
3) International - The Man Who Smiled by Henning Mankell (Sweden) 4*
4) - Panic - I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes (Its long!) 5*
5) Aussie Author choice -The Dead of Night by John Marsden 4*

Melissa wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Yes Melissa it would as it needs to be an Aussie author:) Sorry!"

Anyone have an recommendations as I am unfamiliar with Australian indigenous authors and/or books."

Did you click on the links supplied in the first post Melissa? They have lots to choose from... I can highly recommend Fear Is the Rider by Kenneth Cook which I read recently.

Carolyn's (post #24) choice is by an indigenous author...Lucinda's (post #20) is one that is very well known and would fit the bill nicely! MaryG2E's (post #11) is also an indigenous author. Or you could choose the colour of Harmony Day - an Orange covered book:)

Nice Jane!

Great challenge! This will be my first ever reading challenge, I'm a little bit excited :)

1). Harmony Day: Orange cover - The Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara

2). Old Stuff Day: I can't even remember how long this has been collecting dust on my bookshelf. The Drowning Pool by Syd Moore

3). International Earth Day: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

4). Panic Day: The Suicide Shop by Jean Teule

5). Reader’s Choice: Aussie Author - Red Queen by Honey Brown

Well done Angela and great you're joining us!

I do enjoy your challenges, Brenda. Although I double up a lot, I am still pushed to find books I didn't know about or never got around to reading. My list (subject to change as always):

1) Harmony Day - Indigenous - Rabbit-Proof Fence: The True Story of One of the Greatest Escapes of All Time by AUSSIE Doris Pilkington, also known as Nugi Garimara 4.5★

2) TBR 1+ years - The Rosie Project by AUSSIE Graeme Simsion 5★

3) Earth Day - another country (South Sudan) Beneath the Darkening Sky by AUSSIE Majok Tulba 5★

4) PANIC DAY! - Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy -YIKES! Panic could get the better of me here - might not get to this one. His books are about harsh subjects and kind of scary. 5★

5) Reader's choice, Aussie author Amanda Ortlepp 's Running Against the Tide 3.5★

Not just me Patty, but I'm glad you're enjoying the challenges:)

Angela wrote: "Great challenge! This will be my first ever reading challenge, I'm a little bit excited :)

1). Harmony Day: Orange cover - Just After Sunset by Stephen King

2). Old Stuff Day: I can't even reme..."

Angela I've just realised you don't have an Aussie author for your #1 choice....it needs to be I'm sorry:)

✔1. Harmony Day (orange cover) I Am Pilgrim

✔2. Old stuff Unsaid

3. International Earth Day I Let You Go

✔4. Panic Day Inside the O'Briens sudden onset of incurable illness at a young age terrifies me

5. Readers Choice Bad Debts

Hi everyone,
I do love picking books for the challenges... Another great idea, many thanks to all the Mod's :)

March Madness Challenge
Completed: 0/5

1). Harmony Day: Read an Indigenous book (fiction or non fiction), either by an Indigenous author or about Indigenous people OR a book with an ORANGE cover - Aussie Author The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough ~ Orange cover.

2). Old Stuff Day: Read a book which has been on your TBR list for at least a year! Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez

3). International Earth Day: Read a book which is set in any country but your own. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan ~ Aussie Author ~ Country: Japan.

4). Panic Day: Read a book that makes you panic for whatever reason, whether it’s a thriller or crime novel, the size of the book or just a novel with a general unsettling topic!
Who's Afraid? by Maria Lewis ~ Panic: blood thirsty paranormal drama.

5). Reader’s Choice: Read any book of your choice - Aussie Author The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood

Don't forget to tell us why your panic book panics you Kerri and Michelle:)

Phrynne wrote: "Don't forget to tell us why your panic book panics you Kerri and Michelle:)"

Hi Phyrnne, I added some quick notes, I hope that's ok.

Michelle wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Don't forget to tell us why your panic book panics you Kerri and Michelle:)"

Hi Phyrnne, I added some quick notes, I hope that's ok."

I just had a look at it and it's about a New Zealand werewolf!!! Love it! Let us know how it goes:)

Haha! That's what I thought lol ;)

Alright, I'm in, even though I am doing dismally with my February challenge and before February started I thought it seemed very do-able! I don't think I've even posted an update for the one book I have read... Sigh. But oh well, another month, another challenge!! And March contains Easter, so a bit of extra reading time!

My picks so far:
1). Harmony Day: Read an Indigenous book (fiction or non fiction), either by an Indigenous author or about Indigenous people OR a book with an ORANGE cover - Aussie Author
Sunset Ridge by Nicole Alexander
2). Old Stuff Day: Read a book which has been on your TBR list for at least a year! The Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan - added Dec 2013
3). International Earth Day: Read a book which is set in any country but your own.
An Irish Country Wedding: A Novel by Patrick Taylor
5). Reader’s Choice: Read any book of your choice - Aussie Author
TBA - I'm sure I'll read another Aussie author in this month, just not sure which one!

I'm in!! In fact i'm very excited about this challenge !!!This time hopefully i will finish these books!!

2.) Old Stuff Day: Read a book which has been on your TBR list for at least a year The 5th Wave

3.) International Earth Day: Read a book which is set in any country but your own.Outlander

4.) Panic Day: Read a book that makes you panic for whatever reason, whether it’s a thriller or crime novel, the size of the book or just a novel with a general unsettling topic! The Cuckoo's Calling

Good books Jane!

Thank you!! This is my first challenge im very excited

Good picks there Jane:) Great you're joining in!

Thank youuu :)