Australian Women Writers Challenge discussion

What are you reading right now?

I just finished Jellicoe Road yesterday and can't bring myself to review. May have to do a reread.

I’m having a similar issue here. I’ve finishedAll That I Amby Anna Funderdays ago and I’m struggling to write a review. The storyline was fascinating, and the characters had a very interesting history to know/tell. But I have an issue with structure and writing style. So I really don’t know how I feel about the book as a whole.

Anyhow I am currently reading Bloodby another Australian Author Tony BirchVery good so far :)

I'm reading Charlotte Wood's The Children.

What I love about it is the evocation of the Aussie small town feel (could be suburban), the family dynamics, and the challenge one of the characters faces coming back home after a stint reporting in the Middle East. I'm used to reading books in one sitting, so it's new for me to be able to enjoy a book, but still put in down for stretches. I'm always afraid I won't pick it up again.

I'll certainly stick with TC, but it's a sign I must change my reading habits if I'm to get serious about reading more mainstream/literary books for the AWW challenge. I've been devoting myself to plot-driven, page-turners for too long.

@Mish I heard an absolutely brilliant interview on Radio National between Anna Funder and Ruth Blatt, the women she based her story on. This women was amazing. If you have time to listen, I'd highly recommend it, and it may help you make your mind up about what to say in your review. (Taking a different angle.)

Here's the link:

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/p...

@bibliophile Who wrote Jellicoe Road? (Excuse my ignorance & I'm feeling too lazy to google.)

Thanks again, Shelleyrae for setting up this page. It's great to be able to discuss things as we go. :)

No problem - Melina Marchetta.

Of course. Brain dead on antihistamines this morning. :) Another on my TBR pile :)

Def recommend The Piper's Son, as well. So good, and it has dual protags.

Elizabeth wrote: "I'm reading Charlotte Wood's The Children.

What I love about it is the evocation of the Aussie small town feel (could be suburban), the family dynamics, and the challenge one of the characters fa..."

Hi Elizabeth. Thankyou very much for the link. I will certainly listen to it tonight after work

I really enjoyed The Children, but Animal People, the next novel that has the same characters was amazing. I have come to this thread after making my recommendation for Animal People in the other thread. If you are enjoying The Children, make Stephen's story in AP next.

@Mish you're welcome. Hope you enjoy it.

@Readingjay So glad I began The Children first. I didn't know they are connected and have AP on my list! I hate reading out of order. Also want to read The Submerged Cathedral.

@brouhaha More great reads to discover, thank you :)

I am currently reading Lost and Found by Marilyn Harris - an older saga style/historical fiction novel.

Lost and Found:)

Brenda wrote: "Lost and Found:)"


Thanks. I have been away from the groups for ages and forgot about the links etc

Marg wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Lost and Found:)"


Thanks. I have been away from the groups for ages and forgot about the links etc"

My pleasure Marg:)

Just starting Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman today.

Marg wrote: "Just starting Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman today."

That sounds really good Marg! I have just added it to my ever expanding TBR list!! Thanks:)

I have heard very good things about it! I have been meaning to try her books for a while now.

Marg wrote: "I have heard very good things about it! I have been meaning to try her books for a while now."

I have never read anything of hers...the beauty of this and other Aussie author challenges is how it broadens our horizons with different authors, plus makes us realize how many Aussie authors there actually are!

Brenda wrote: the beauty of this and other Aussie author challenges is how it broadens our horizons with different authors, plus makes us realize how many Aussie authors there actually are!

I agree, Brenda. I could literally read books by Aussie women and nothing else all year! So many new names. I've just borrowed from the library Leah Giarratano, Sue Woolf, Margo Lanagan, Tara Moss; already have books by Fiona McGregor, Rhyll McMaster and Patti Miller on my TBR pile - all new authors for me.

Then I have Charlotte Wood's Animal People & Kirsten Tranter's A Common Loss waiting, too. On order & on my wish list I have Eva Hornung, Yvette Erskine, PM Newton, Melanie Joosten, Anna Funder... I also want to read Sullari Gentill. And they're just the names I remember off the top of my head!

Then of course there's authors I'm already familiar with - my friend Jaye Ford, whose book Scared Yet is coming out in March; Anna Campbell, Anna Jacobs, Helene Young and Katherine Howell, Tobsher Learner... Where to start??

As for Kimberly Freeman, I think that's fantasy author Kim Wilkins (thanks Mish!) mainstream pen-name. Not to be confused with Delia Falconer, who wrote about Sydney. :)

Kimberley Freemanalso writes under the name of Kim Wilkins who has several fantasy novels.

I haven't read any of her books either but I've added a few of her fantasy ones to my TBR list

Elizabeth wrote: "Brenda wrote: the beauty of this and other Aussie author challenges is how it broadens our horizons with different authors, plus makes us realize how many Aussie authors there actually are!

I ag..."

haha Elizabeth we both wrote this at the same time. She writes under Kim Wilkins

Elizabeth wrote: "Brenda wrote: the beauty of this and other Aussie author challenges is how it broadens our horizons with different authors, plus makes us realize how many Aussie authors there actually are!

I ag..."

Leah Giarratano, Sue Woolfe, Margo Lanagan, Tara Moss, Fiona McGregor, Rhyll McMaster, Patti Miller, Animal People by Charlotte Wood, A Common Loss by Kirsten Tranter, Eva Hornung, Yvette Erskine, Melanie Joosten, Anna Funder, Jaye Ford, Anna Campbell, Anna Jacobs, Helene Young, Katherine Howell, Delia Falconer....

I just put all the links in Elizabeth, so it makes it easier for members to access the authors and their books! I haven't heard of a lot of them, so thanks for that, I'll be checking them out:)

Brenda, you are a gem! I've been busy doing an updated list of Literary classics for the Australian Women Writers website and intended on getting back to do the links, but you've saved me to trouble. (On top of all your great work with the Aussie Readers group!) Thank you!!

Glad some of them are new to you - they certainly are to me. :)

You're very welcome Elizabeth:) Yes, I'll be checking lots of them out:)

Started Black Ice by Leah Giarratano. Giarratano draws on her experience as a forensic psychologist and portrays some hard-hitting scenes of women in Australian prisons. My review here.

Next year Leah Giarratano is going to have a YA book published which had everyone excited at a 2012 preview I went to a couple of weeks ago.

@Marg What was the title? (I wonder if GR has the details yet.)

Is it this? http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...

Brenda wrote: "Is it this? http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13..."

Yes, that was it! Sorry, am at work and couldn't remember the title straight off.

I just finished both of Jessica Rudd's books and they were definitely fun, summer afternoon style reads and VERY funny. They're about politics but the politics is sort of a small part of the story and it doesn't really go into too much detail. I'd recommend them for anyone interested in a light & amusing read.

I am about 2/3 of the way through Divergent, by Veronica Roth. A YA dystopia, it builds on earlier precedents (Hunger Games, The Giver etc.) and is a gripping read. Many philosophical issues for the thoughtful reader, lots of action for the gung ho one. The author is only 23; it's a first novel and won the Goodreads poll a little while ago. I can see why - it's unputdownable.

I am now reading Every Secret Thing by Emma Cole (which is pseudonym for Susanna Kearsley who is one of my favourites) and Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold.

Readingjay wrote: "I am about 2/3 of the way through Divergent, by Veronica Roth. A YA dystopia, it builds on earlier precedents (Hunger Games, The Giver etc.) and is a gripping read. Many philosophical issues for th..."

Wow! that's good to know. I just bought this book...Thanks Readingjay

I'm just about the start Lisa Heidke's Stella Makes Good due for release Jan 1st.

Readingjay wrote: "I am about 2/3 of the way through Divergent, by Veronica Roth. A YA dystopia, it builds on earlier precedents (Hunger Games, The Giver etc.) and is a gripping read. Many philosophical issues for th..."


Divergent by Veronica Roth...great book!

Hi Readingjay, I also enjoyed Divergent by Veronica Roth.
If you would like to read an Australian YA dystopia set in Sydney, may I suggest my book which Penguin Australia released in August? It's called Days Like This
I've been delighted with some of the reviews. Chloe Mauger in the CBC's Reading Time Journal writes:
"This riveting, strong, fast-paced novel is set in a night-marish world where it is extremely dangerous to be young. The inventive plot is peopled by interesting characters who face environmental, physical, and psychological challenges in a very unsafe and unpredictable world. As well as being an un-put-downable read, this novel belongs with other thought-provoking dystopian novels such as Orwell's 1984, Huxley's Brave New World, or more recently, Gillian Rubinstein's Terrafarma and so on, raising many philosophical and moral questions for discussion by secondary readers."

Sounds great, Alison. I really respect Chloe's assessments, and I am sorry that your book has slipped under my radar. Will follow up asap.

Alison wrote: "Hi Readingjay, I also enjoyed Divergent by Veronica Roth.
If you would like to read an Australian YA dystopia set in Sydney, may I suggest my book which Penguin Australia released in August? It's..."

Thanks for that, Readingjay and here's hoping for piles of lovely books under the festive tree this season!

Hoping for piles of lovely books for us all - nothing better. :)

Alison wrote: "Thanks for that, Readingjay and here's hoping for piles of lovely books under the festive tree this season!"

Just a thought Alison - make sure that Penguin has entered it for the WA Premier's Awards. Entries close 31 January.

Readingjay wrote: "Hoping for piles of lovely books for us all - nothing better. :)

Alison wrote: "Thanks for that, Readingjay and here's hoping for piles of lovely books under the festive tree this season!""

Will do that, Readingjay :)

I am sneaking an early start to the challenge with All That I Am by Anna Funder, and also started The Strangers on Montagu Street by Karen White.

Marg wrote: "I am sneaking an early start to the challenge with All That I Am by Anna Funder, and also started The Strangers on Montagu Street by Karen White."

Marg, I couldn't resist an early start, either. I'm reading Dreams Of Speaking by Gail Jones. (I've tried putting in the link but my html code keeps showing!)

Elizabeth the way to add a link is:
Click on add book/author just above the comment box and search for the book title. Then choose the right book, the link is then automatically inserted :)

Dreams of Speaking

Just about to start my first book for the challenge, Caroline Overington's Matilda Is Missing. A new fiction author for me though I have read her journalism. Looking forward to the book and getting stuck into the challenge

I want to read that one too Bernadette!

Just finished Matilda Is Missing which I liked a lot more than I thought I might given it's not one of my normal genres - but this brings me to the genre question - anyone read the book? What genre would you put it in? Is it 'just' fiction do you think? Will write a review in the next day or so but curious about this whole genre thing

Hi Bernadette. I haven't read Matilda is Missing, but I have read I came to Say Goodbye and had the same question. I have seen it referred to 'as true to life as fiction gets' and Caroline Overington compared to Jodie Picoult. Is there a label for this sort of family angst fiction based heavily on fact, or as you say, is it just fiction?

Bernadette wrote: "Just finished Matilda Is Missing which I liked a lot more than I thought I might given it's not one of my normal genres - but this brings me to the genre question - anyone read the ..."

and there's the problem with all this genre labelling...I see the word angst (which I'm not blaming you for - it's in the blurbs for these books) and I run a mile...maybe we should just have fiction and non-fiction :)

I'm glad it's not just me who can't figure out which genre is which in some cases;)