Aussie Readers discussion

With another year almost over here at Aussie Readers it's that time again to list your top 5 - 10 Aussie author titles. The books don't have to be released this year but only to be read.

Here's the link to the mid-year top 5-10 where you chose the first half of the year's favourites. See how much, and if, they change :)

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...


My choices in no particular order:

Home to Turtle Bay by Marion Lennox
Saving You by Charlotte Nash
Home Fires by Fiona Lowe
The Secret Runners of New York by Matthew Reilly
The Quarantine Station by Michelle Montebello
A Lifetime of Impossible Days by Tabitha Bird
Cross My Heart by Pamela Cook
Cotter by Richard Begbie
Cry of the Firebird by T.M. Clark
House of Wishes by Jenn J. McLeod
Peace by Garry Disher

Obviously most of my best reads for this year came from the first half of the year, as my list hasn't changed much - at least not so far!

The Orchardist's Daughter by Karen Viggers
Kimberley Sun by Di Morrissey
In the Valley of Blue Gums by J.H. Fletcher
The Lost Man by Jane Harper
The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Where the Dead Go by Sarah Bailey
A Mother's Confession by Kelly Rimmer
The Good Teacher by P.J. Kelly
The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion

My top 10 books by Australian authors were:
Any Ordinary Day: Blindsides, Resilience and What Happens After the Worst Day of Your Life by Leigh Sales
Flames by Robbie Arnott
Eggshell Skull: A Memoir About Standing Up, Speaking Out and Fighting Back by Bri Lee
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Factional Folly by Margaret Reynolds
The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer
The Barefoot Investor: The Only Money Guide You'll Ever Need by Scott Pape
A Week without Tuesday by Angelica Banks
Sweet Poison, Why Sugar Makes Us Fat by David Gillespie
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton

Top 10 Aussie reads this year:

These all got my elusive 5-star rating!

6. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
-Who doesn't love a dark fantasy adventure revolving around a school for assassins?

5. Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
-A fun, YA sci-fi adventure featuring a motley crew that's hard not to love

4. The Talking Cure: Normal people, their hidden struggles and the life-changing power of therapy by Gillian Straker
-A really interesting and insightful book about the value of talking about your problems

3. Vardaesia by Lynette Noni
-The last book in The Medoran Chronicles, so it was always going to be a win. This was fast to become one of my favourite series, and I highly recommend it for lovers of YA fantasy

2. The Boy Who Steals Houses by C.G. Drews
- A unique, heartwarming story about two brothers looking for comfort and acceptance in a world that seems to have no time for them

1. Gravity Is The Thing by Jaclyn Moriarty
-The book that made the biggest impact on me this year. I loved it so much! Such a wonderful, light story that lifts a heavy spirit. Beautifully written, and my most recommended book since I read it earlier this year.

Other books that made the top ten with 4 stars:

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do
How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox
Hangman by Jack Heath

My top 10 Aussie reads this year, in no particular order are:

Beyond the Orchard by Anna Romer
The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
Dressing the Dearloves by Kelly Doust
MacKenzie Crossing by Kaye Dobbie
The Lost Man by Jane Harper
The Pearl Thief by Fiona McIntosh
Outback Blaze by Rachael Johns
The Peacock Summer by Hannah Richell
Where the River Runs by Fleur McDonald
Whitsunday Dawn by Annie Seaton

Most of mine from mid-year are still on the list, so here is my year-end bunch of Australian best:

The Lost Man by Jane Harper
The Orchardist's Daughter by Karen Viggers
Hangman by Jack Heath
Jean Harley Was Here by Heather Taylor-Johnson
Hunter by Jack Heath
The Lost Girls by Jennifer Spence
Room for a Stranger by Melanie Cheng
Flames by Robbie Arnott *
The Twentieth Man by Tony Jones
In Darkness Visible by Tony Jones

* a stand-out

My top 5 rated "read-and-loved-it" Australian books:
1. Understory: a life with trees by Inga Simpson
2. Skin by Ilka Tampke
3. A Letter From Paris: A True Story of Hidden Art, Lost Romance, and Family Reclaimed by Louisa Deasey
4. Queens Of The Sea by Kim Wilkins
5. The Girl with No Hands and Other Tales by Angela Slatter

My top Aussie reads this year - in no particular order

Boy Swallows Universe
Lunch With A Soldier
The Scholar
Masterclass
The Lost Man
Silver
In Darkness Visible

My top Aussie Author reads for the year, in no particular order

The Orchardist's Daughter by Karen Viggers
The Lost Summers of Driftwood by Vanessa McCausland
The Best Kind of Beautiful by Frances Whiting
Wearing Paper Dresses by Anne Brinsden
Going Under by Sonia Henry
A Lifetime of Impossible Days by Tabitha Bird

Here’s my list of Top Aussie Authors, in the order I read them:

Lost Without You by Rachael Johns

Bridge Burning and Other Hobbies by Kitty Flanagan

Boomerang Bride by Fiona Lowe

Belle's Secret by Victoria Purman

The Cottage at Rosella Cove by Sandie Docker

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty

Home Fires by Fiona Lowe

The Land Girls by Victoria Purman

Undara by Annie Seaton

The complete set of Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan - https://www.goodreads.com/series/4343...
(we have listened to the whole series this year - every single book has been a 5 star read - YA Fantasy)

A great year of Aussie reading for me 👍. In order read:

1. Gemina by Amie Kaufman
2. The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
3. The Lost Man by Jane Harper
4. The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan
5. This Red Earth by Kim Kelly
6. Fight Like A Girl by Clementine Ford
7. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
8. The Arsonist: A Mind on Fire by Chloe Hooper
9. A Lifetime of Impossible Days by Tabitha Bird
10. The Eye of the Sheep by Sofie Laguna

Have got a lot of great selections from lists on this post. Thanks everyone 😊.

It's a great resource isn't it Mari :)

Just discovered this thread and I love a great list and some great ones that everyones read here.

My top Aussie reads in 2019 were:
1. The Yield by Tara June Winch
2. The Arsonist: A Mind on Fire by Chloe Hooper
3. Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
4. The Lebs by Michael Mohammed Ahmad
5. There Was Still Love by Favel Parrett
6. Mullumbimby by Melissa Lucashenko
7. Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko
8. Flames by Robbie Arnott
9. Bruny by Heather Rose
10. The Sea and Us by Catherine de Saint Phalle

Some good titles there Kim!

Brenda wrote: "Some good titles there Kim!"
I may have had my best ever year of reading, last year :D
Was difficult to limit it to 10, but enjoyed the challenge :D

It's all about the challenges isn't it ;)