2019 Australian Women Writer’s Challenge Completed,

At the start of the year, I pledged to read fifteen books across the year, and ended up reading one hundred, and reviewing about ninety-seven of those – as some were read for my job as a quiz writer and I didn’t get a chance to review them all.

Of the one hundred, it is hard to choose a favourite, however one highlight was meeting the author of the Ella and Olivia books, and the Puppy Diaries books, Yvette Poshoglian, and getting to read and review a book I edited earlier this year. I read quite broadly, in various genres, as well as kids, young adult and adult books.

Four Dead Queens

Zebra

Esther

I completed the Matilda Saga this year – and hope to reread the entire series back to back soon. It was a journey of one hundred years of the people of Gibber’s Creek, and has to be one of the most well written and well-researched series I’ve ever read. Below is my list, and linked reviews.

The Talent Show

Maddie Bright

Australian Women Writer’s Challenge

All the Tears in China by Sulari Gentill – Reviewed

1. Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner – Reviewed
2. Vardaesia by Lynette Noni– Reviewed
3. Saving You by Charlotte Nash – Reviewed
4. Zelda Stitch Term Two: Too Much Witch by Nikki Greenberg – Reviewed
5. 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne– Reviewed
6. Beauty in Thorns by Kate Forsyth– Reviewed/Revisited post
7. What Lies Beneath Us by Kirsty Ferguson – Reviewed
8. The Dog Runner by Bren MacDibble – Reviewed
9. The House of Second Chances by Esther Campion – Reviewed
10. The Orchardist’s Daughter by Karen Viggers – Reviewed
11. The French Photographer by Natasha Lester – Reviewed and Q&A
12. Kensy and Max: Undercover by Jacqueline Harvey – Reviewed
13. The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer– Reviewed
14. 52 Mondays by Anna Ciddor– Reviewed
15. Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte– Reviewed
16. Zebra and Other Stories by Debra Adelaide – Reviewed
17. Esther by Jessica North – Reviewed
18. Mermaid Holidays: The Talent Show by Delphine Davis and Adele K. Thomas – Reviewed
19. The True Story of Maddie Bright by Mary-Rose MacColl – Reviewed
20. Miss Franklin: How Miles Franklin’s Brilliant Career Began by Libby Hathorn – Reviewed
21. Archibald, The Naughtiest Elf in the World Causes Trouble with the Easter Bunny by Skye Davidson – Reviewed
22. The Artist’s Portrait by Julie Keys – Reviewed
23. The Suicide Bride by Tanya Bretherton– Reviewed, Interview
24. Deltora Quest: The Forest of Silence by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
25. Children of the Dragon: Race for the Red Dragon by Rebecca Lim – Reviewed
26. Deltora Quest: The Lake of Tears by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
27. Deltora Quest: The City of Rats by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
28. Alice to Prague by Tanya Heaslip– Reviewed
29. Life Before by Carmel Reilly– Reviewed
30. The Shelly Bay Ladies Swimming Circle by Sophie Green – Reviewed
31. The Monster Who Wasn’t by T.C. Shelley – Reviewed
32. The Lost Letters of Esther Durrant by Kayte Nunn – Reviewed
33. Lintang and The Pirate Queen by Tamara Moss– Reviewed
34. The Great Toy Rescue (Puppy Diaries #1) by Yvette Poshoglian – Work book, not reviewed
35. As Happy as Here by Jane Godwin – Reviewed
36. Women to the Front: The Extraordinary Australian Women Doctors of the Great War by Heather Sheard and Ruth Lee – Reviewed
37. Deltora Quest: The Shifting Sands by Emily Rodda– Reviewed
38. Deltora Quest: Dread Mountain by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
39. Mermaid Holidays: The Magic Pearl by Delphine Davis and Adele K Thomas – Reviewed
40. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers– Reviewed
41. Eco Warriors: Microbat Mayhem by Candice Lemon-Scott – Work book, not reviewed.
42. Maternal Instinct by Rebecca Bowyer – Reviewed
43. The Blue Rose by Kate Forsyth– Reviewed
44. Fled by Meg Keneally – Reviewed
45. The Last Dingo Summer by Jackie French (Matilda Saga #8)– Reviewed
46. The Silver Well by Kate Forsyth and Kim Wilkins– Reviewed
47. Blood and Circuses by Kerry Greenwood (Phryne Fisher #6)– Reviewed
48. Deltora Quest: The Maze of the Beast by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
49. Deltora Quest: The Valley of the Lost by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
50. Deltora Quest: Return to Del by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
51. Deltora Quest #1 by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
52. Somewhere Around the Corner by Jackie French – Reviewed
53. Alexander Altmann A10567 by Suzy Zail– Reviewed
54. Where the Dead Go by Sarah Bailey– Reviewed
55. Firewatcher #1: Brimstone by Kelly Gardiner – Reviewed
56. The Burnt Country by Joy Rhoades– Reviewed
57. The Book Ninja by Ali Berg and Michelle Klaus– Reviewed
58. Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
59. Mermaid Holidays #3: The Bake Off by Delphine Davis – Reviewed
60. While You Were Reading by Ali Berg and Michelle Klaus – Reviewed
61. The Unforgiving City by Maggie Joel – Reviewed
62. Matters of the Heart by Fiona Palmer – Reviewed
63. Mary Poppins She Wrote: The extraordinary life of Australian writer P.L. Travers by Valerie Wilson– Reviewed
64. Kensy and Max: Out of Sight by Jacqueline Harvey – Reviewed
65. The Lily and the Rose by Jackie French – Reviewed
66. The Impossible Quest #1: Escape from Wolfhaven Castle by Kate Forsyth– Reviewed
67. A Lighthouse in Time by Sandra Bennett – Reviewed
68. 488 Rules for Life by Kitty Flanagan– Reviewed
69. There Was Still Love by Favel Parrett– Reviewed
70. Rebel Women who Changed Australia by Susanna de Vries – Reviewed
71. Whisper by Lynette Noni– Reviewed
72. The Glimme by Emily Rodda-Reviewed
73. The Orange Grove by Kate Murdoch – Reviewed
74. Weapon by Lynette Noni – Reviewed
75. Total Quack Up Again by Sally Rippin and Adrian Beck – Reviewed
76. The Starthorn Tree by Kate Forsyth – Reviewed
77. With Love from Miss Lily by Jackie French (short story) – Reviewed
78. The Lily in the Snow by Jackie French – Reviewed
79. Christmas Lilies by Jackie French – Reviewed
80. The Wildkin’s Curse by Kate Forsyth – Reviewed
81. The Starkin Crown by Kate Forsyth– Reviewed
82. Clancy of the Overflow by Jackie French – Reviewed
83. Wolves of the Witchwood (Impossible Quest #2) by Kate Forsyth– Reviewed
84. The Beast of Blackmoor Bog (Impossible Quest #3) by Kate Forsyth – Reviewed
85. The Drowned Kingdom (Impossible Quest #4) by Kate Forsyth– Reviewed
86. Cavern of The Fear (Deltora Shadowlands #1) by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
87. Battle of the Heroes (Impossible Quest #5) by Kate Forsyth – Reviewed
88. Ella and Olivia: Reef Explorers by Yvette Poshoglian – Work book, not reviewed
89. Pippa’s Island: The Beach Shack Café by Belinda Murrell– Reviewed
90. Crossing the Lines by Sulari Gentill – Reviewed
91. Gom’s Gold by S.L. Mills– Reviewed
92. Pippa’s Island: Cub Reporters by Belinda Murrell– Reviewed
93. Pippa’s Island: Kira Dreaming by Belinda Murrell– Reviewed
94. Mermaid Holidays #4: The Reef Rescue by Delphine Davis and Adele K Thomas – Reviewed
95. Ask Hercules Quick by Ursula Dubosarsky – quiz book, not reviewed
96. Isle of Illusion (Deltora Quest: Shadowlands #2) by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
97. The Shadowlands (Deltora Quest Shadowlands #3) by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
98. Deltora Quest Shadowlands Omnibus by Emily Rodda – Reviewed
99. Pippa’s Island: Camp Castaway by Belinda Murrell – Reviewed

Next year, I am aiming to read twenty-five – and will post my official sign up post soon.