Wrap-up of my 2024 Reading Challenges

 It's that time of year when we look back over our challenge pledges and see how we went. 

 

This year's Dymoncks Reading Challenge was divided into 3 sections each lasting a few months. The challenge was set out like a menu with Entree with 8 prompt from Jan - Mar, Main with 10 prompts from Apr - Jul and Dessert with 8 prompts from  Aug - Oct. Unlike the 2023 challenge the 2024 challenge didn't have pins for completing each section. With us all thinking the challenge ended in October Dymocks then added an extra challenge Christmas Leftovers from Nov - Dec with 4 prompts.

 

This is such a fun and easy challenge which anyone can join by posting books read on Instagram with #dymocksreadingchallenge. The 2025 challenge is out now.

 

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Next up is the Non Fiction readers challenge hosted by shellyrae@bookdout

I picked the grazer level which meant I could read as much or as little as I like.

I was hoping to read 6 books and I managed to end the year with 10 Non Fiction books read. This was the same number as my 2023 challenge.

 

You can see my full list of books HERE

 

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Next was the Mount TBR challenge hosted by My Readers Block  

I committed to reading 12 books that had been on my shelves 2021 or earlier.

 

I didn't complete this challenge, only reading a total of 10 books from my shelves. 😞

 

You can see my full list of books HERE

 

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My final challenge was the Male Aussie Author Challenge.

I was hoping to increase my books by Aussie males from 16 in 2023 to 20.

I am happy to say I completed this challenge by reading 27 books by male Aussie authors.

 

You can see my full list of books HERE

 

I read 48 books by Australian women writers which still outweighs the male authors. 

 

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 Well that's a wrap for 2024. I was happy to complete most of my challenges.

 

I won't be doing any challenges in 2025. I think I need a break from the pressure of reading particular books to fit into the challenges. 

My 2024 Reading Challenges

 

 

 

I enjoyed the three reading challenges I did last year so I am going to continue with the same three challenges for 2024. 

 

I'm signing up again for the Non Fiction Readers Challenge hosted by Shellyrae @ Bookdout. I wouldn't normally pick up a Non Fiction book (unless it's a knitting book) so this is a good challenge to push me to read more Non Fiction.

 

Follow the link to read all about the challenge https://bookdout.wordpress.com/2024-nonfiction-reader-challenge-host/ #readnonficchal

 

 There are 4 levels and I will be joining nonfiction grazer. It's sort of a commitment without a commitment. 🤣 I hope to read 6 Non Fiction in 2024.

Nonfiction Nipper: Read & review 3 books, from any 3 listed categories

Nonfiction Nibbler: Read & review 6 books, from any 6 listed categories

Nonfiction Nosher: Read & review 12 books, one for each category

Nonfiction Grazer: Read & review any nonfiction book. Set your own goal

Categories:

History
Memoir/Biography
True Crime
Science
Health
Food
Culture
Transportation
The Future
Pets
Architecture
Published in 2024

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Mount TBR Reading Challenge hosted by

My Reader's Block

 

I will again be joining the Mount TBR Challlenge

 There are 8 challenge levels and I will be joining Pikes Peak

Reading books that have been on my shelf since 2021 or earlier

Pike's Peak: Read 12 books from your TBR pile/s
Mount Blanc: Read 24 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Vancounver: Read 36 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Ararat: Read 48 books from your TBR pile/s
Mt. Kilimanjaro: Read 60 books from your TBR pile/s
El Toro*: Read 75 books from your TBR pile/s (*aka Cerro El Toro in South America)
Mt. Everest: Read 100 books from your TBR pile/s
Mount Olympus (Mars): Read 150+ books from your TBR pile/s

 

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My third challenge is just one for myself. I read 52 books by Australian Female authors in 2023 and only 16 books by Australian Male authors. In 2024 I want to increase my Aussie male author reading to at least 20 books. 

 

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You can follow along with my challenge progress under the 2024 challenge tab. This can be found in the drop down menu if reading on your phone.

Wrap-up of my 2023 Reading Challenges

 It's that time of year when we look back over our challenge pledges and see how we went. 

First up I joined the Dymocks reading challenge. The 2023 challenge was a little different to previous years. It was divided into seasons with prompt cards available from your local Dymocks or downloaded from their website. Each card had 8 prompts with 3 months to finish them. When the card was returned to Dymocks you were given a badge. I managed to complete the whole year and I found it much easier that the year was split into four challenges.

 

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Next up is the Non Fiction readers challenge hosted by shellyrae@bookdout

I picked the grazer level which meant I could read as much or as little as I like.

I was hoping to read 6 books and I managed to end the year with 10 Non Fiction books read.

 

You can see my full list of books HERE 

 

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Next was the Mount TBR challenge hosted by My Readers Block  

I committed to reading 12 books that had been on my shelves 2020 or earlier.

 

I completed this challenge by reading 21 books. It's a great feeling to get some of those old books off the shelf.

 

You can see my full list of books HERE

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My final challenge was the Male Aussie Author Challenge.

I was hoping to increase my books by Aussie males from 14 in 2022 to 20.

I failed this challenge but I didn't do too bad reading 16 books by Male Aussie authors.

 

You can see my full list of books HERE 

 

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Well that's a wrap for 2023. I was happy to complete most of my challenges. I think this is the first year I've actually completed a challenge. 🎉

Book Review: Unsolved Australia - Lost Boys, Gone Girls by Justine Ford

Unsolved Australia: Lost Boys, Gone Girls

by

Justine Ford

Publisher: Macmillan Australia

Publication date: 25th June 2019

Genre: Non Fiction

Pages: 283

RRP: $32.99AU (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Unsolved Australia: Lost Boys, Gone Girls. 

I don't read a lot of non-fiction however I find reading about true crime can be quite intriguing and Unsolved Australia: Lost Boys, Gone Girls is filled with intrigue and mystery.

Lost Boys, Gone Girls is written by journalist and true crime writer Justine Ford.

Ford has picked thirteen cold cases where people have gone missing or found murdered and the cases are still unsolved, many from decades ago. She explains how cases are never closed, however they are reviewed over time with fresh eyes and using the latest technology hoping to find that extra clue that solves the case.

There are not only facts on the investigations into the disappearances and murders but also interviews with the people involved in trying to solve these cases; detectives, investigative journalists, private investigators, criminologists and a criminal psychologist.

Lost Boys, Gone Girls is written with compassion and understanding for the victims and their families.

To make the stories more entertaining we are not purely given known facts but the author has also added some assumptions and speculation on people's thoughts.

Justine Ford hopes that getting all the available information out to the public will spark a memory in someone's mind that may ultimately lead to solving a case.

My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Justine Ford is a true crime author, TV producer and journalist. Her first forays into crime were as a reporter on the top-rated Australia's most wanted.

In her long-spanning career, Justine has covered scores of chilling homicides and missing persons cases, winning the trust of families who are victims of crime and developing deep access to police all over Australia.

Challenges: Non-Fiction challenge & Mount TBR challenge

Book Review: Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

 Black Ice

by

Becca Fitzpatrick

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication date: 7th October 2014

Genre: Young Adult / Thriller 

Pages: 392

Source: Own 

 

Review: Black Ice

Black Ice has been sitting on my bookshelf since January 2015 and I was so pleased that a prompt from the  Dymocks Reading Challenge had me pulling it from the shelf.

 

Black Ice is a genre mash-up of young adult, suspense and romance. Heavy on the suspense and light on the romance but it's definitely a huge part of the plot with the romance simmering under the surface.

 

I was pulled straight into the story with a gripping prologue. The story then jumps forward one year with teenage friends Britt and Korbie heading to a cabin in Grand Teton National Park for their school break when they encounter a severe snow storm and have to abandon their car. Making their way to a secluded cabin inhabited by two men. The girls think they are finally safe but soon find out the men are on the run from the law.

 

This is an edge-of-your-seat thriller filled with heart-pumping suspense. I found myself picking the book up every spare moment I had. I did guess the twists early in the book however that didn't spoil my pleasure because I was holding my breath waiting for the characters to find out what I had already suspected.

It comes with a little bit of teenage angst, but not overdone. Black Ice is a gripping, survival in the snowy wilderness, story that will have you eagerly turning the pages.

5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author (from Goodreads)

Becca Fitzpatrick grew up reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden with a flashlight under the covers. She graduated college with a degree in health, which she promptly abandoned for storytelling. When not writing, she's most likely prowling sale racks for reject shoes, running, or watching crime dramas on TV. She is the author of the bestselling HUSH, HUSH Saga.

 

 

Book Review: Reaching Through Time by Shauna Bostock

 Reaching Through Time

by

Shauna Bostock

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

Publication date: 4th July 2023

Genre: Non-Fiction

Pages: 352

RRP: $34.99AU (paperback)

Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 

Review: Reaching Through Time

With Reaching Through Time Shauna Bostock has delivered an extensively researched family history going back generations, with interesting facts on Indigenous and Australian history included.

I love family research and genealogy and it doesn't just have to be my own. I can pore over anyone's family tree for hours. Births, deaths, marriages and connections between families fascinates me.

Shauna includes a family tree at the front of the book and I kept turning back to it to see where each relative came in.

You never know what you will find when you start researching your ancestry and Shauna did discover that one ancestor was a slave trader in England. I liked that this book was an honest account of her ancestry and the bad wasn't covered up or omitted.

I enjoyed every aspect of Shauna's book. Her writing is very personable and open. I was astounded by how much research, travel and time went into uncovering all the details and there are pages and pages of sources listed in the back which is a testament to this fact.

Pages of photo inserts are included which give an added connection whilst reading. Thank you Shauna for sharing your precious family photos. They are a beautiful addition to the book.

Reaching Through Time is perfect for readers who enjoy Aboriginal history, Australian history and exploring the past.

4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

A formaer primary school teacher, Shauna Bostock's curiosity about her ancestors took her all the way to a PhD in Aboriginal history.

My 2023 Reading Challenges

 

I love reading challenges and they are a lot of fun but I do find them quite a lot of extra work so I am only going to sign up for three challenges this year.

 

These three challenges are areas I want to improve on in my reading. 

 

I'm signing up again for the Non-Fiction readers challenge hosted by Shelleyrae @Bookdout. I didn't do this one in 2022 and I only read 4 Non-Fiction and one was a knitting book. 😄

Follow the link to read all about the challenge https://bookdout.wordpress.com/2023-nonfiction-reader-challenge/  #readnonficchal

 

 There are 4 levels and I will be joining nonfiction grazer. It's sort of a commitment without a commitment. 🤣 I hope to read 6 Non Fiction in 2023.

Nonfiction Nipper: Read & review 3 books, from any 3 listed categories

Nonfiction Nibbler: Read & review 6 books, from any 6 listed categories

Nonfiction Nosher: Read & review 12 books, one for each category

Nonfiction Grazer: Read & review any nonfiction book. Set your own goal

Categories:

History
Memoir/Biography
Crime & Punishment
Science
Health
Travel
Food
Social Media
Sport
Relationships
The Arts
Published in 2023

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Mount TBR Reading Challenge hosted by

My Reader's Block

  

Another challenge that I joined in 2022 was the Mount TBR Challenge. I didn't get my goal last year but I will try again for 12 books that have been on my shelf from 2020 or earlier. #MountTBR2023

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My third challenge is just one for myself. I read 43 books by Australian Female authors in 2022 and only 14 books by Australian Male authors. In 2023 I want to increase my Aussie male author reading to at least 20 books. 

 

You can follow along with my challenge progress under the 2023 challenge tab. 

Wrap-up of my 2022 Reading Challenges - Let's see how I went!

 It's that time of year when we look back over our challenge pledges and see how we went.

The first one was the Dymocks Reading Challenge

There were 20 categories plus an additional 6 extra categories.

I managed to complete 21 of the 26 prompts

You can see the full list of books HERE

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Next up is the Mount TBR Reading Challenge

 

 

 

I chose the lowest level which was 12 books from your TBR

I managed to read 7 books that had been on my shelf prior to 2019

 

You can see the full list HERE

 

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Next was KT's Book Bingo on Instagram

 

 

 This had 25 squares to complete and I managed to fill 18 of the 25

You can see the full list HERE

 

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The last one was 22 reads for 2022

 

This is from The Book Stack Facebook Group

 I managed to complete 19 of the 22 prompts

 

You can see the full list HERE

 

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Well that's a wrap for 2022. I didn't complete any of my attempted challenges but I had fun joining in!

 

 

Book Review: Red Dust by Fleur McDonald

 Red Dust

by

Fleur McDonald

An outback novel of love, intrigue and redemption

Publisher: Allen & Unwin

 

Publication date: 1st January 2009

 

Genre: Rural Fiction

 

Pages: 330

 

Format read: Paperback

 

Source: own purchase

 

My review of Red Dust

 

I'm a huge fan of Fleur McDonald however I came into her books over halfway through her writing career. So I thought it was way beyond time I started on Fleur's back list.

 

Red Dust is her debut novel and although not as polished as her later novels it was still a great read. I found some of the conversations a bit stilted and the point of view was all over the place however I was drawn straight into the story from the opening chapter with a dying man's ominous last words. 

McDonald has written a riveting rural crime novel centred around cattle stealing but also featuring the difficulties faced by woman farmers and the isolation of farm life.

After her husband's tragic death Gemma is left with a farm to run and a mountain of rising debts. As she goes through the farm accounts and the town gossip heats up, Gemma starts to wonder if she really knew her husband at all.

I always laugh and comment that Fleur isn't adverse to killing off a much loved character and after reading Red Dust I can say even from her debut novel Fleur liked to kill off characters that I've warmed to. 😂

I loved that this was Dave Burrows first appearance. He is just a side character here so there is nothing of his personal life. He is just there to investigate the cattle stealing and be awesome. 

A small romance thread runs through the story and after all the drama and suspense it's nice to end on a HEA.

 

 My rating 4 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the author

Photo credit:goodreads

 Fleur McDonald has lived and worked on farms for much of her life. After growing up in the small town of Orroroo in South Australia, she went jillarooing, eventually co-owning an 8000 acre property in regional Western Australia.

Fleur likes to write about strong women overcoming adversity, drawing inspiration from her own experiences in rural Australia. She has two children, an energetic kelpie and a Jack Russell terrier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Links to my reviews of Fleur's books (not in order).

 

Deception Creek 

Red Dirt Country 

Rising Dust

The Shearer's Wife

Something to Hide 

Without a Doubt 

 

*I read this book as part of the Mount TBR Challenge (on my shelf 19/4/2017)

Wrap-up of my 2021 Reading Challenges - Let's see how I went!

It's that time of year when we look back over our challenge pledges and see how we went.

You can read my 2021 sign up post HERE

My first one was the Book Lover Book Review Aussie Author Challenge 

I signed up for the EMU level

Read and review 24 titles written by Australian Authors of which at least 10 of those authors are female, at least 10 of those authors are male, and at least 10 of those authors are new to you; Fiction or non-fiction, at least 4 different genre.

My completed challenge was:
58 x Female authors, 10 x Male authors, 40 x New to me authors, 8 x Genres. With a total of 68 books read.

 

I am a bit disappointed with my male Australian authors this year and will endeavour to increase this in 2022.

 

You can see the full list of books HERE 

 

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Next up was the Australian Women Writers Challenge 

 

 

 

I nominated to read and review 30 books for this challenge.

My completed challenge was 58 books read and reviewed.

You can see the full list of books HERE

 

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This was my second year with the Non Fiction readers challenge.

 

 

There were three challenge levels and I joined Nipper level

 Nonfiction Nipper : Read 3 books, from any category

 

I read four Non Fiction books but they only fit into 2 of the categories listed.

You can see my list of books HERE 

 

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This was my second year with the Historical Fiction challenge hosted by The Intrepid Reader

 

 There were 6 different reading levels and I will joined:

 Renaissance Reader - 10 books.

 

I completed this challenge by reading 12 books.

You can see my list of books HERE 

 

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 New to me in 2021 was the Cloak & Dagger Challenge 

 

 

There were 5 levels and I signed up for the lowest level:

Amateur sleuth 5 - 15 books

 

I completed this challenge by reading 20 books.

You can see my list of books HERE 

 

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 Well that's a wrap for 2021. I will be dropping some of my challenges in 2022 as they are very time consuming adding all the links. However I have found a couple of new ones that look like fun.
Look out for my 2022 challenge sign up post coming soon!

 

#AussieAuthor2021   #AWW2021  #HistFic2021 #2021ReadNonFic #cloakanddaggerchallenge