Tag: Book bingo

Book Bingo Twenty-One – BINGO for two rows and Written by an author over 65.

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Welcome to week twenty-one of Book Bingo for 2019 with Amanda and Theresa. This week, as well as being able to give a BINGO to two of my rows, I am crossing off the written by an author over 65 square. Age ones are a challenge because it’s not always obvious what age range an author is in, unless there is an indication in the author biography, or through their publishing history. For this square, I had two options, but as the other option fits into another category, I went with a picture book by Libby Hathorn, about Miles Franklin and her life before she became an author.

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Miss Franklin by Libby Hathorn is a fictionalised account of Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin’s time as a governess, prior to her becoming well known as Miles Franklin, the well-known Australian author who has two prizes named for her: The Stella Prize, aimed at women writers in Australia, and the Miles Franklin Award, which recognises many in Australian writing. This was a review book, and one of the few picture books I have reviewed on my blog so far, but it was so enticing that I knew I had to include it and it was a perfect for this challenge.

Miss Frankin

BINGO!

Row Five: Bingo (Across)

Written by an Australian Man: The Honeyman and the Hunter by Neil Grant

Written by an Australian Woman:Zelda Stitch Term Two: Too Much Witch by Nicki Greenberg – AWW2019

Written by an author under the age of 35: Archibald, The Naughtiest Elf in the World Causes Trouble with the Easter Bunny by Skye Davidson – #AWW2019

Written by an author over the age of 65: Miss Franklin: How Miles Franklin’s Brilliant Career began by Libby Hathorn – #AWW2019

Written by an author you’ve never read: The Dog Runner by Bren MacDibble – #AWW2019

BINGO!

Row Four: – BINGO (Down)

Novella no more than 150 pages: Deltora Quest: The Forest of Silence by Emily Rodda – #AWW2019

Memoir about a non-famous person: Australia’s Sweetheart by Michael Adams

Themes of inequality: The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer – AWW2019

Book set in the Australian mountains: The Orchardist’s Daughter by Karen Viggers – AWW2019          

Written by an author over the age of 65: Miss Franklin: How Miles Franklin’s Brilliant Career began by Libby Hathorn – #AWW2019

Romance: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

2019 Badge

See you in two weeks with post twenty-two!

Book Bingo Twenty – BINGO and Themes of Science Fiction

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Book bingo week again, and we are into September with Theresa and Amanda. This week, I am ticking off themes of science fiction. This was always going to be a tricky one for me as I don’t read much science fiction, and the book I initially assigned to this didn’t feel like it fitted properly – so I moved it to themes of culture based on the post-war culture.

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After hearing an interview with the author, Rohan Wilson, where he confirmed his new novel Daughter of Bad Times can be defined as science fiction as well as dystopia, I knew it would work here. In 2074, the climate crisis has reached a point where refugee camps are now a business model, often run by ruthless CEOs. In this novel, which goes back and forth a bit between the inciting incident on the Maldives and the aftermath of rising sea levels, there is an investigation into the disappearance of two characters, Rin and Yamaan.

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Not only is it science fiction and dystopic, it is also highly political. It shows a world not too far removed from our own, which is a little unsettling for readers, but illustrates what we face in the years to come.

Another row checked off for a BINGO as well this time!

BINGO!

Rows Across

Row Three: BINGO

Themes of Science Fiction: Daughter of Bad Times by Rohan Wilson

Themes of Culture:The Lost Magician by Piers Torday

Themes of Justice: What Lies Beneath Us by Kirsty Ferguson – AWW2019

Themes of Inequality: The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer – AWW2019

Themes of Fantasy: Vardaesia by Lynette Noni – AWW2019

 

Rows Down:

Row One:

A book with a red cover: Children of the Dragon: Race for the Red Dragon by Rebecca Lim – #AWW2019

Book by an author with the same initials as you:

Themes of science fiction: Daughter of Bad Times by Rohan Wilson

Book with a place in the title: The French Photographer by Natasha Lester -AWW2019

Written by an Australian man: The Honeyman and the Hunter by Neil Grant

Literary: Zebra and Other Stories by Debra Adelaide – AWW2019

See you in another two weeks in October!

Book Bingo Nineteen: Themes of Culture

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It’s September, and time for book bingo again with Theresa and Amanda. This means I have six to seven books left on my card to fill in, some of which I am unsure of what to do. Science Fiction is always a tricky, because there are times it crosses over with fantasy. I initially had the book I’m using for this square under science fiction but decided to change it to this square.

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When it came to Themes of Culture, there were many ways to go – made up, national, historical and all the arms that splinter off from each of those areas and many more. As I had assigned a more obvious book for this category, I stretched culture out to post-war culture based on this book. So, I assigned a new book – The Lost Magician by Piers Torday here.

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Set in 1945, World War Two is over, and Patricia, Simon, Evie and Larry are sent to the country while their parents search for a new house. Hints of their lives during war time come through, illustrating that the life and culture of a post-war England had some differences to what had come before and would evolve in the decades to come. It also shows the clash of cultures in the book world, of the various factions of books and their characters who have and have not been read – the past, and the future, and the finished and the unfinished stories, and how they grapple with their own cultural differences in another world unfamiliar to the four children.

This made this book a good choice for this round – it showed the different ways culture can be explored and the cultural impact stories have on us. With the next book out later this year, I hope to return to the world of Folio for more adventures.

Row Three:

Themes of Science Fiction:

Themes of Culture:The Lost Magician by Piers Torday

Themes of Justice: What Lies Beneath Us by Kirsty Ferguson – AWW2019

Themes of Inequality: The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer – AWW2019

Themes of Fantasy: Vardaesia by Lynette Noni – AWW2019

 

Row Two:

Beloved Classic: Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner – AWW2018

Non-Fiction book about an event: The Suicide Bride by Tanya Bretherton – #AWW2019

Themes of culture: The Lost Magician by Piers Torday

Book set in the Australian outback:

Written by an Australian woman: Zelda Stitch Term Two: Too Much Witch by Nicki Greenberg – AWW2019

Crime: All the Tears in China by Sulari Gentill – AWW2019

See you next time!

Book bingo Eighteen: A Book with a Red Cover

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End of August, and I’m up to my eighteenth post for 2019’s book bingo with Theresa and Amanda. Looking at my text log, you may notice I’ve moved my book in one category – turns out it didn’t quite fit there but will fit into a broader category that I will explain in the post for that square on the fourteenth of September. This week, I’m ticking off a book I finished months ago, but had to hold off until it was published to write this post. So this is where it fits in. A book with a red cover – another broad category that I had a few options for.

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However, I decided to go with another review book – as the review was already written, and so far, it has been the only book with a red cover I have read this year. The new instalment in Rebecca Lim’s, The Children of the Dragon series, Race for the Red Dragon, fits this category really nicely. Following on from Harley and Qi’s adventures in the first book, now they are dodging and evading capture by those who do not want the dragon’s children freed. They want the vases for themselves.

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It is a fast-paced and exciting addition to the series and is very enjoyable and fun with great characters and an excellent plot.

Rows Across:

Row One:

A book with a red cover: Children of the Dragon: Race for the Red Dragon by Rebecca Lim – #AWW2019

Beloved Classic: Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner – AWW2018

A novel that has more than 500 pages:

A novella no more than 150 pages: Deltora Quest: The Forest of Silence by Emily Rodda – #AWW2019

Prize winning book:

Rows Down:

Row One:  –

A book with a red cover: Children of the Dragon: Race for the Red Dragon by Rebecca Lim – #AWW2019

Book by an author with the same initials as you:

Themes of science fiction:

Book with a place in the title: The French Photographer by Natasha Lester -AWW2019

Written by an Australian man: The Honeyman and the Hunter by Neil Grant

Literary: Zebra and Other Stories by Debra Adelaide – AWW2019

Until next time, with a new book bingo!

Book Bingo Seventeen – A Book Written by an Australian Woman more than ten years ago

20181124_140447Welcome to round seventeen of book bingo with Amanda and Theresa. No bingo this time around – but am able to tick off a book written by an Australian woman more than ten years ago. This was one that I had many options for as well but chose the second part of the first Deltora Quest set to include here.

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As with my previous posts on this series, I came to this recently, having been in the position where it was never in the school library when I wanted to try it, or only being able to get the later books – which had I read out of order, I may have stopped reading out of confusion. Even though these books are aimed at a younger audience, I find I am thoroughly enjoying them. Working in children’s publishing as a quiz writer means I read many kids books as well.

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In the Lake of Tears, Lief, Barda and Jasmine are seeking the second stone for the Belt of Deltora, a Ruby, and will encounter monsters and deceptions along the way as they seek the next stone. The dangers that lie ahead threaten to break them apart, yet as with many trios, will make their bond stronger and help them on their quest to restore Del. I’m continuing to read and will be posting more reviews for the series soon.

Row Two:

A book by an author with the same initials as you:

Non-Fiction book about an event: The Suicide Bride by Tanya Bretherton – #AWW2019

Fictional biography about a woman from history:

Memoir about a non-famous person: Australia’s Sweetheart by Michael Adams

Book written by an Australian woman more than 10 years ago: Deltora Quest: The Lake of Tears by Emily Rodda – #AWW2019 (2001)

Row Five:

Prize winning book:

Book written by an Australian woman more than ten years ago: Deltora Quest: The Lake of Tears by Emily Rodda – #AWW2019 (2001)

Themes of fantasy: Vardaesia by Lynette Noni – AWW2019

Book set in an exotic location: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte – #AWW2019

Written by an author you’ve never read: The Dog Runner by Bren MacDibble – #AWW2019

Comedy: Best Foot Forward by Adam Hills

One more book bingo for August next week, and then we look down the last six or so posts for the year across September to December!

Book bingo Sixteen – A Book by An Author Under 35

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Welcome to August, and the latest book bingo posts from Theresa, Amanda and me. Well, only about eight more posts left until we wrap up this bingo card, and again, I have a row filled in, resulting in a bingo. The post for that will come later, but I am adding in my bingo graphic where squares are filled in even though the book is not yet published and have gone back to adjust this in older posts.

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I’m getting down to the squares where I’m grappling with what to use to fill in. This category was going to be one of those I either struggled with or had to guess at, as not all author biographies let the reader know the age, or even age group, of an author. But after some research, I found out that Skye Davidson fitted into this category with her new book, Archibald, The Naughtiest Elf in the World Causes Trouble with the Easter Bunny.

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The third in a picture book series for all ages, Archibald can’t help but be naughty. He means well, but things just seem to end up being a naughty experience for him. But this time, he is using his naughtiness to help save Easter – and maybe even create a new Easter tradition in Bland Land where he lives. I have been following this series since it was first published last year after the publisher contacted me to review for them – I now review and edit for them, with a few books they’ve sent to read, but I am getting there!

Another row has  been completed, scoring me a bingo in the text row, and the other post to come soon.

BINGO!

Row Five: Bingo

Written by an Australian Man: The Honeyman and the Hunter by Neil Grant

Written by an Australian Woman:Zelda Stitch Term Two: Too Much Witch by Nicki Greenberg – AWW2019

Written by an author under the age of 35: Archibald, The Naughtiest Elf in the World Causes Trouble with the Easter Bunny by Skye Davidson – #AWW2019

Written by an author over the age of 65: Miss Franklin: How Miles Franklin’s Brilliant Career began by Libby Hathorn – #AWW2019*

Written by an author you’ve never read: The Dog Runner by Bren MacDibble – #AWW2019

Row three:

Novel that has 500 pages or more:

Fictional biography about a woman from history:

Themes of justice: What Lies Beneath Us by Kirsty Ferguson – AWW2019

Book set on the Australian coast: The House of Second Chances by Esther Campion – AWW2019

Written by an author under the age of 35: Archibald, The Naughtiest Elf in the World Causes Trouble with the Easter Bunny by Skye Davidson – #AWW2019

Historical: The Familiars by Stacey Halls

That wraps up this week of book bingo!

Book Bingo Fifteen – Written by an Australian Man

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Welcome back to Book Bingo with Theresa and Amanda. We’re now up to post fifteen for the year, with about fifteen to go. With any luck, what I have will take me to the end of the year – I am not sure if I have any double bingos left but will be making changes if I need to fit it all in and get my bingos done.

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So far, I have only included my bingo graphic when a row is completed – that is, filled in and the post has gone live. You may have noticed my text rows saying bingo – but if the book has an asterix, then it hasn’t been included in a post or been published yet. So this week, I have featured my category for a book by an Australian man, The Honeyman and The Hunter by Neil Grant.

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Neil Grant is a Central Coast local, so when I read this book, I was pleased to recognise several of the places and place names Rudra and his friends visited. Rudra is caught between cultures and countries when his grandmother visits from India, and an old ghost story about a tiger skull starts to haunt him, leading him back to India to set a curse right. It is a coming of age story that crosses cultural boundaries and understandings, and grapples with issues of racism within families and what this means for someone like Rudra.

BINGO!

I have read a book for each category in Row Five Across – a couple of these posts are yet to go live but this post and the bingo week posts for these books will reflect gaining a bingo.

Row Five: Bingo

Written by an Australian Man: The Honeyman and the Hunter by Neil Grant

Written by an Australian Woman:Zelda Stitch Term Two: Too Much Witch by Nicki Greenberg – AWW2019

Written by an author under the age of 35: Archibald, The Naughtiest Elf in the World Causes Trouble with the Easter Bunny by Skye Davidson – #AWW2019*

Written by an author over the age of 65: Miss Franklin: How Miles Franklin’s Brilliant Career began by Libby Hathorn – #AWW2019*

Row One:  –

A book with a red cover: Children of the Dragon: Race for the Red Dragon by Rebecca Lim – #AWW2019*

Book by an author with the same initials as you:

Themes of science fiction: The Lost Magician by Piers Torday*

Book with a place in the title: The French Photographer by Natasha Lester -AWW2019

Written by an Australian man: The Honeyman and the Hunter by Neil Grant

Literary: Zebra and Other Stories by Debra Adelaide – AWW2019

Half way there! Come back next time for book bingo sixteen! We’re getting there!