I only read four books this month but they were all wonderfully enjoyable so I don’t feel left wanting as I do some months. I had hoped to finish my Australian Women Writer’s Challenge this month but am still one book short of the Franklin level (10 books). Hopefully this will be rectified next month!
AWW Bingo Challenge
I was really excited this month to launch the Australian Women Writer’s Bingo Challenge. With the help of Elizabeth, Sue and a few others in the team, I’ve put together two Bingo Cards that keen AWW readers can try and fill in before 31 October. Books from 1st January can be included and there will be prizes for both Australian and international participants. Looks like I now have a target of 18 AWW titles to read in order to fill in both cards!
Miles Franklin Longlist
This is the first year in a while that I like the sound of most books on the Miles Franklin Longlist. I am pleased by this as I must say that the Stella Prize Shortlist didn’t necessarily excite me this year although there were a few on the longlist that I still want to read. Anyway, while I have only read two titles on the MF Longlist I was so thrilled to see AS Patric’s Black Rock White City selected that I wrote a post about how fabulous the novel is and how I feel it would be an incredibly deserving winner. As the SMH summarises the novel brings European modernism to the Australian suburbs. Go Graffito!
Bookish and Non-Bookish Posts
I had great fun this month with Book Spine Poetry – I wish I had time to write more!
I was so excited after my 12 month and final laser eye surgery check that I decided to write a post about my experience and the wonderful service I received. It meant I had to branch out and create a new ‘other’ category for my blog. Fittingly, I then discovered that this was the 200th post I published! (Thank you Accuvision for my wonderful vision and my ‘new pair of glasses’ – cryptic!).
Operation Read My Own Books
As it is most likely I will be moving house later this year, I am forcing myself making an effort to read read some of the many novels on my bookshelves, particularly those that I have already moved with twice in the last decade.
I did make a very small dent in the pile but as I loved The Women in Black so much I plan to keep my copy so I can read it again. I never hold on to books so this is really challenging my instinct to run it down to the charity shop!
Pick of the Month
If you can’t guess, it is Madeleine St John’s The Women in Black. I loved every page!
Coming Up
I hope to read some of the crime novels I’ve not yet read on the Petrona shortlist. Curling up with one will make perfect Bank Holiday Monday reading. In fact, there are some on last year’s shortlist that tempt me too. Any recommendations?
Orange Pekoe Reviews 
You’ve had a busy month!
Re: the Petrona award, I’ve only read one and it was The Drowned Boy by Karin Fossum. I love Fossum’s work and this was a wonderful read. I’m so pleased the Petrona award was set up: I regarded Maxine as a friend and I still miss her comments on my blog.
Ah, I really want to read The Drowned Boy. I’ve never read any of Fossum’s work before but I have had her as an author I’d definitely like to read for quite a few years. This was next on my list (I wanted to read the shortlist before next weekend) but I have been sidetracked by Jorn Lier Horst after reading The Caveman. I didn’t know Maxine at all but I love the idea of this prize.
Love the idea of the bingo cards, but sadly haven’t read any book by AWWs this year and have only one on the TBR! I am duly ashamed and shall try to be more prepared if you do it again next year… 😉
I always see so many reading challenges I think I should do but just don’t have the time. I love Aussie fiction and read a heap of it so I don’t even know if the cards are a huge challenge for me 🙂 Anyway, the whole point of putting together these sorts of challenges is to get some publicity for different types of writing so I’m glad you stopped by and it (briefly) took your interest this year 🙂
May have only been four books but what rippers! We’re in heated agreement over Women in Black 🙂 How did you find Rush Oh! ? It’s been my favourite book this year – so unexpected.
Yes, it was a great reading month! Rush Oh! was great and other trusted bloggers have mentioned that it is better than anything else on the Bailey’s Prize shortlist (or even longlist!). Not too many other novels on the lists take my fancy this year so I feel content having read Rush Oh!
I’ve read a few in the Baileys list (did enjoy The Portable Veblen but it’s an odd book and will divide readers) and Rush Oh! my favourite.
The Women in Black is one of our staff favourites too 🙂
Great! Hopefully you recommend it to lots of people!