Aussie Readers discussion

With another year (2020! what a 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 top 10 in no particular orde

Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft

The Lost Letters of Playfair Street by Michelle Montebello

Transit of Angels by Desney King

The Champagne War by Fiona McIntosh

Death in Daylesford by Kerry Greenwood

The Family Inheritance by Tricia Stringer

Consolation by Garry Disher

The Godmothers by Monica McInerney

Honeybee by Craig Silvey

Paul Kelly: The Man, The Music and the Life in Between by Stuart Coupe

My top Aussie reads this year are:)

A Lifetime of Impossible Days by Tabitha Bird
A Testament of Character by Sulari Gentill
The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan
Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman
The Goldminer's Sister by Alison Stuart
Death in Daylesford by Kerry Greenwood
The Lullaby Man by Anni Taylor
Bridge to Burn by Rachel Amphlett

Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham
Amethyst Pledge by Leonie Rogers

My five from the mid year are still spot on:
Tourmaline by Randolph Stow
Valerie Taylor: An Adventurous Life: The remarkable story of the trailblazing ocean conservationist, photographer and shark expert by Valerie Taylor
The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee
Death in the Ladies Goddess Club by the sadly deceased Julian Leatherdale
The Octopus and I by Erin Hortle

But I will definately add a couple from the latter half of the year;
ShallowsTim Winton
Luca Antara by Martin Edmond
Bluebottle by
Bruny by

My list from mid-year still holds, plus I'm adding a few more:

There Was Still Love by Favel Parrett
Scrublands by Chris Hammer
The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan
The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott top pick mid-year
The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein
The Hunted by Gabriel Bergmoser
The Burning Island by Jock Serong
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason top pick year-end

Okay the Aussies did well for me this year!

Easy #1 for the impression it made. Others include reliable faves and some fun new discoveries!

1. The Inner Self: The joy of discovering who we really are by Hugh Mackay
2. The Three Secret Cities by Matthew Reilly (Really, the whole series, which I re-read in preparation for the new one, The Two Lost Mountains)
3. Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings

A Sceptic's Search for Meaning by Mike Willesee
Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
(all 5 stars)
Ghost Bird by Lisa Fuller
Where We Begin by Christie Nieman
Below Deck by Sophie Hardcastle
Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
The Other Side of the Sky by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

I'm also anticipating that if I get around to Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff before the year ends that it will bump something off the list!

I've read more YA books this year than ever before, and my read in 2020 Aussie faves include:
The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim
The Boy Who Steals Houses by C.G. Drews
Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

Other books I've enjoyed include:
The Morbids by Ewa Ramsey
The Spill by Imbi Neeme
Jane In Love by Rachel Givney
The Lost Jewels by Kirsty Manning
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
The Woolgrower’s Companion by Joy Rhoades
And a special mention for being the quirkiest mystery book I read this year goes to Death of a Typographer by Nick Gadd

My top 10 (in no particular order):

1. Hollow Empire by Sam Hawke
2. The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim
3. Blackbirds Sing by Aiki Flinthart
4. The Cartographer's Secret by Tea Cooper
5. A Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier
6. Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales
7. Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko
8. A Lifetime of Impossible Days by Tabitha Bird
9. Dreamer's Pool by Juliet Marillier
10. Ghost Bird by Lisa Fuller

Mine hasn't changed much - except to add in one 4.5★ - Michael Robotham's When She Was Good.

I've had 4 Aussie books that I gave 5★ to so far this year:
The Shelly Bay Ladies Swimming Circle by Sophie Green
The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn
A Month of Sundays by Liz Byrski
The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer

And 5 books I gave 4.5★ to:
When She Was Good by Michael Robotham
Grace in Deep Waters by Christine Dillon
The Mothers by Genevieve Gannon
The Secret Runners of New York by Matthew Reilly
Truths I Never Told You by Kelly Rimmer

In no particular order:

1. It's Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake by Claire Christian

2. Ghost Bird by Lisa Fuller

3. Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason

4. Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings

5. The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson by Leah Purcell

6. Stone Girl by Eleni Hale

7. Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina

8. Your Own Kind of Girl by Clare Bowditch

In alphabetical order, these are my top 10 Aussie reads (of 23 Aussie books I rated 5*):
1. Bruny by Heather Rose
2. Consolation by Garry Disher
3. Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe
4. A Lifetime of Impossible Days by Tabitha Bird
5. The Lost Man by Jane Harper
6. Song of the Crocodile by Nardi Simpson
7. The Night Whistler by Greg Woodland
8. Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko
9. The Yield by Tara June Winch
10. Your Own Kind of Girl by Clare Bowditch

Another great year of Aussie reads. Lots of new authors discovered.
In no particular order:

1. Scrublands by Chris Hammer
2. Gravity Is the Thing by Jaclyn Moriarty
3. The Rules of Backyard Cricket by Jock Serong
4. Hope Farm by Peggy Frew
5. Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett
6. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
7. The Sisters' Song by Louise Allan
8. The Choke by Sofie Laguna
9. Flames and The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott
10. The Yield by Tara June Winch

Favourite non-fiction:
Your Own Kind of Girl by Clare Bowditch

Mari wrote: "Another great year of Aussie reads. Lots of new authors discovered.
In no particular order:

1. Scrublands by Chris Hammer
2. Gravity Is the Thing b..."

I LOVE Gravity is the Thing :D

I've read some really excellent Australian writing in 2020 - hey, what else was there to do during lockdown? In no particular order, my ten 5 star reads are:

Water Under Water by Peter Rix
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
The Rip by Mark Brandi
Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe
The Rich Man's House by Andrew McGahan
Leap by Myfanwy Jones
The Incidental Tourist by Peter C. Doherty
Preservation by Jock Serong
The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose
The Nowhere Child by Christian White

Krystal wrote: "Mari wrote: "Another great year of Aussie reads. Lots of new authors discovered.
In no particular order:

1. Scrublands by Chris Hammer
2. [book:Gravity Is the Thin..."

I LOVE Gravity is the Thing :D

Krystal, it was your review from the 2019 list that put the book on my radar. My biggest surprise hit of the year 😍 so thank you 🙏.

Mari wrote: "Krystal wrote: "Mari wrote: "Another great year of Aussie reads. Lots of new authors discovered.
In no particular order:

1. Scrublands by Chris Hammer
2. [book:Gra..."

Oh that makes me so happy! You are most welcome! :D

My Top 10 Aussie author reads for 2020, in no particular order:-

Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham
When She Was Good byMichael Robotham
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
The Hunted by Gabriel Bergmoser
One Last Child by Anni Taylor
Stranger in the Woods by Anni Taylor
The Cold Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty
All three books of the Glenroy trilogy by Steven Carroll, namely The Art of the Engine Driver, The Gift of Speed and The Time We Have Taken

Some excellent titles there Kim :)

Top 10 for me were:

The Tolstoy Estate by Steven Conte
The Night Whistler by Greg Woodland
The Night Swim by Megan Goldin
Peace by Garry Disher
All Our Shimmering Skies by Trent Dalton
Honeybee by Craig Silvey
The Rain Heron by Robbie Arnott
Colombiano by Rusty Young
The Survivors by Jane Harper
After She Wrote Him by Sulari Gentill

With honorable mentions to:
The Octopus and I by Erin Hortle
A Lifetime of Impossible Days by Tabitha Bird
When She Was Good by Michael Robotham
The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan
An Unusual Boy by Fiona Higgins