Australian Women Writers Challenge wrap up post

I participated in the Australian Women Writer’s Challenge again in 2020 – with a goal of 65 books, and I managed to read 141, with two of those being re-reads. As much of this year was spent in lockdown or under restrictions, I had lots of time to read. I read just over double my goal, which I usually do. I set a conservative goal because I am never sure what is going to come my way, and in 2020 I did notice international authors being pushed more. That’s why I like reading challenges like this that highlight Australian authors, and aim to read more Australian authors than overseas authors – in fact, the majority of my reading this year was Australian writers and female writers. I’m wrapping up on New Year’s Eve 2020, and starting 2021 with a good stack that I will hopefully get through in a timely manner. Many more reviews to come next year!

1. Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales – Walkley Book Award
2. Pippa’s Island: Puppy Pandemonium by Belinda Murrell
3. Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr
4. Josephine’s Garden by Stephanie Parkyn
5. The Soldier’s Curse by Meg and Tom Keneally (Monsarrat Series Book One)    
6. Ella at Eden: New Girl by Laura Sieveking 
7.  A Testament of Character (Rowland Sinclair #10) by Sulari Gentill
8. The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan
9.  The Killing Streets: Uncovering Australia’s First Serial Murderer by Tanya Bretherton
10.  The River Home by Hannah Richell      
11. The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte 
12. Withering-by-Sea (A Stella Montgomery Intrigue) by Judith Rossell
13. Hapless Hero Henrie by Petra James (House of Heroes)
14. The Republic of Birds by Jessica Miller
15.  Esme’s Gift by Elizabeth Foster
16.   Friday Barnes: Girl Detective by R.A. Spratt
17. Christmas in Paris (Miss Lily 3.5) by Jackie French
18.   The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester
19. Firewatcher Chronicles: Phoenix by Kelly Gardiner     
20.  The Lost Jewels by Kirsty Manning
21.  The Girl She Was by Rebecca Freeborn            
22. Friday Barnes: Under Suspicion by R.A. Spratt       
23. Aussie Kids: Meet Katie at the Beach by Rebecca Johnson and Lucia Masciullo
24. Aussie Kids: Meet Eve in the Outback by Raewyn Caisley and Karen Blair
25. The Year the Maps Changed by Danielle Binks
26. The Deceptions by Suzanne Leal
27.   Puppy Diary: The Great Toy Rescue by Yvette Poshoglian
28.   The Octopus and I by Erin Hortle
29.    Friday Barnes: Big Trouble by R.A. Spratt
30.    The Inheritance of Secrets by Sonya Bates
31. Secrets of a Schoolyard Millionaire by Nat Amoore
32. Jane in Love by Rachel Givney    
33.  Friday Barnes: No Rules by R.A. Spratt
34.   Anzac Girl: The War Diaries of Alice Ross-King by Kate Simpson and Jess Racklyeft
35. Sherlock Bones and the Natural History Mystery by Renée Treml (Nominated for the 2020 Readings Children’s Prize)    
36. Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
37.  Ribbit Rabbit Robot by Victoria MacKinlay and Sofya Karmazina     
38. Nim at Sea by Wendy Orr
39. Rescue on Nim’s Island
40. The Complete Adventures on Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
41.   An Alice Girl by Tanya Heaslip
42. Daisy Runs Wild by Caz Goodwin and Ashley King
43. Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal by Anna Whateley
44. What Zola did on Monday by Melina Marchetta and illustrated by Deb Hudson
45. Henrie’s Hero Hunt (House of Heroes) by Petra Hunt
46. The Power of Positive Pranking by Nat Amoore
47.   Edie’s Experiments: How to Make Friends by Charlotte Barkla
48. Alice-Miranda at School (10^th Anniversary Edition) by Jacqueline Harvey
49.  Alice-Miranda in the Outback by Jacqueline Harvey
50.  Shoestring: The Boy Who Walks on Air by Julie Hunt and Dale Newman
51. Eloise and the Bucket of Stars by Janeen Brian
52. A Treacherous Country by K.M. Kruimink
53. Snow White and Rose Red: And Other Tales of Kind Young Women by Kate Forsyth and Lorena Carrington      
54. Tashi: 25^th Anniversary Edition by Anna Fienberg, Barbara Fienberg and Kim Gamble
55.  Elementals: Battle Born by Amie Kaufman 
56.   Lilies, Lies and Love (Miss Lily #4) Lilies by Jackie French
57.   Monty’s Island: Scary Mary and the Stripey Spell by Emily Rodda and Lucinda Gifford
58. When Rain Turns to Snow by Jane Godwin
59. League of Llamas: Undercover Llama by Aleesah Darlison
60. League of Llamas: Rogue Llama by Aleesah Darlison
61. Kensy and Max: Freefall by Jacqueline Harvey
62. The Silk House by Kayte Nunn
63. The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle by Pamela Rushby and Nellé May Pierce
64. Alexandra-Rose and Her Icy Cold Toes by Monique Mulligan and Kate Fox (Illustrator)
65. Meet Mia by the Jetty by Janeen Brian and Danny Snell
66. Edie’s Experiments: How to Be the Best by Charlotte Barkla
67. Finding Eadie by Caroline Beecham
68. Beyond Belief by Dee White
69. Evie and Pog: Party Perfect by Tania McCartney
70. The Schoolmaster’s Daughter by Jackie French
71. Kitty is Not a Cat: Teddy’s Bear by Jess Black
72. Kitty is Not a Cat: Light’s Out by Jess Black
73. A Clue for Clara by Lian Tanner
74. What Zola did on Tuesday by Melina Marchetta
75. The Battle of Book Week (Yours Troolie, Alice Toolie) by Kate and Jol Temple
76. Monty’s Island: Beady Hold and the Yum-Yams by Emily Rodda
77. The Adventures of Princess Peony by Nette Hilton and Lucinda Gifford
78. Ella at Eden: The Secret Journal by Laura Sieveking
79. The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome by Katrina Nannestad
80. Lapse by Sarah Thornton
81. A Monstrous Heart by Claire McKenna
82. The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Provence by Katrina Nannestad
83. The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Lucerne by Katrina Nannestad
84. Billings Better Bookstore and Brasserie by Fin J Ross
85. The Firestar (A Maven and Reeve Mystery) by A.L. Tait
86. The Wolves of Greycoat Hall by Lucinda Gifford
87. Daughter of Victory Lights by Kerri Turner
88. Jinxed! The Curious Curse of Cora Bell by Rebecca McRitchie
89. Havoc! The Untold Magic of Cora Bell by Rebecca McRitchie
90. When the Ground is Hard by Malla Nunn
91.  Aussie Kids: Meet Dooley on the Farm by Sally Odgers and Christina Booth
92.  Aussie Kids: Meet Matilda at the Festival by Jacqueline de Rose-Ahern and Tania McCartney
93. Feathers by Karen Hendriks and illustrated by Kim Fleming
94. Fly on the Wall by Remy Lai
95. The Firestar: A Maven and Reeve Mystery by A.L. Tait
96. What Zola did on Wednesday by Melina Marchetta, illustrated by Deb Hudson
97. Around the World Supper Club: Wherever You Go by Monique Mulligan
98.  Kensy and Max: Full Speed by Jacqueline Harvey
99. Feathers by Karen Hendriks and Kim Fleming
100. Santa and the Sugar Glider by Alexa Moses and Anil Tortop
101. The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst by Jaclyn Moriarty
102.  Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
103. Timmy the Ticked-Off Pony: Bite Me by Magda Szubanski
104. Rainshaker by Elizabeth Mary Cummings and Cheri Hughes
105.  The Boy, the Wolf and the Stars by Shivaun Plozza
106. Aster’s Good, Right Things by Kate Gordon
107. The Ultimate Animal Alphabet Book by Jennifer Cossins
108.  Transit of Angels by Desney King
109.  Tashi and the Stolen Forest by Anna Fienberg, Barbara Fienberg and Kim Gamble
110. We Are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad
111. Fire Wombat by Jackie French and Danny Snell
112. We’re All in This Together by Skye Hughes and Alice Coates
113.  Whitney and Britney: Chicken Detectives by Lucinda Gifford
114. Pandemic by Jackie French and Bruce Whateley
115.  The Champagne War by Fiona McIntosh
116. Fossil Frenzy by Sandra Bennett
117. Death in Daylesford (Phryne Fisher #21) by Kerry Greenwood
118. Kensy and Max: Spy Games by Jacqueline Harvey
119. The Werewolves Who Weren’t by T.C. Shelley
120. Eco Rangers: Pelican in Peril by Candice Lemon-Scott
121.  Pigs Might Fly by Emily Rodda
122. Eco Rangers: Microbat Mayhem by Candice Lemon-Scott
123.  Eco Rangers: Wildfire Rescue by Candice Lemon-Scott
124.  The Charleston Scandal by Pamela Hart
125. Gorkle by Penny Macoun
126. Searching for Charlotte: The Fascinating Story of Australia’s First Children’s Author by Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell
127.  Thrive by Mary Borsellino
128. The Philosopher’s Daughters by Alison Booth
129. When This Bell Rings by Allison Rushby
130.  Ella at Eden: Musical Mystery by Laura Sieveking
131.  The Unicorn Princess by Ektaa Bali
132. The Angel of Waterloo by Jackie French
133.  Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner
134. Little Gem by Anna Zobel (2021 Release)
135.  The Sentinel by Jacqueline Hodder
136.  You Were Made for Me by Jenna Guillaume
137. When the Apricots Bloom by Gina Wilkinson
138.  Sick Bay by Nova Weetman
139. The Lost Soul Atlas by Zana Fraillon
140.  Between Us by Clare Atkins
141. Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee

You can find reviews for these books by searching the title in the search engine!