2013 was a year of firsts for me. It is not only the year that I started this blog, but the first year in which I seriously attempted The Australian Women Writer’s Challenge. I first became aware of this challenge in late 2012, but as I didn’t have a blog then, I thought I’d wait until the new year to try it out for size. I’m glad I did. Not only did the new year bring about a blog for me, but it meant that I embarked on a challenge that has largely changed my reading habits, potentially for the better too. Early 2011 I noticed I was reading a lot of overseas fiction, mostly written by male authors and barely anything by home grown talent. In 2012 I became aware of the challenge and the massive push to get Female Australian Authors equally recognised and promoted for their work.
In 2013 I challenged myself to the Franklin Challenge which required me to read at least ten books by Australian Women Writers and review at least 6. I’m happy to say, I went above and beyond in the completion of this challenge, with Fifty-Eight (58) of the Eighty-Five (85) books I read this year written by a Australian Women Writers. What’s more, of these Fifty-Eight (58) books, I managed to review at least Thirty (30) of them throughout the year. I’m not entirely happy with the number read versus the number reviewed, and I have decided to push myself to review many more next year as part of the 2014 Australian Women Writers Challenge.
UPDATE: As of 10.58 on December 31 2013, I snuck another book in for this challenge and thus brought the total of books read by Australian Women Writer’s up to a grand total of Fifty-Nine (59) and my total number of reviews to Thirty-one (31).
Below is the complete list of books I read for this challenge including a link to my review.
1. Dead Heat – Bronwyn Parry (REVIEWED)
2. Finnikin Of The Rock – Melina Marchetta (REVIEWED)
3. Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing – Gabrielle Lord (REVIEWED)
4. Man Drought – Rachael Johns (REVIEWED)
5. Bridie’s Choice – Karly Lane (REVIEWED)
6. As Darkness Falls – Bronwynn Parry
7. One Little White Lie – Loretta Hill (REVIEWED)
8. Just Breathe – Janette Paul (AKA Jaye Ford) (REVIEWED)
9. Hope’s Road – Margareta Osborn (REVIEWED)
10. Taming the Tycoon – Amy Andrews (REVIEWED)
11. The Venetian Affair – Dana Mitchell (REVIEWED)
12. The French Promise – Fiona McIntosh (REVIEWED)
13. Blackwattle Lake – Pamela Cook
14. Saving Grace – Fiona McCallum (REVIEWED)
15. Song Of The Bellbirds – Anne McCullagh Rennie (REVIEWED)
16. Jillaroo by Rachael Treasure (REVIEWED)
17. Finding Trust – Natalie Gayle (REVIEWED)
18. Ryder’s Ridge – Charlotte Nash (REVIEWED)
19. Heart Of The Valley – Cathryn Hein
20. Beneath Outback Skies – Alissa Callen
21. The Famer’s Wife – Rachael Treasure
22. Dark Horse – Honey Brown (REVIEWED)
23. Enamoured – Shannon Curtis (REVIEWED)
24. The Rules of Conception – Angela Lawrence (REVIEWED)
25. Half Moon Bay – Helene Young (REVIEWED)
26. Black Diamonds – Eliza Redgold (REVIEWED)
27. Heartland – Cathryn Hein
28. Saving Wishes – G.J. Walker-Smith
29. Over The Edge – Suzanne Carroll (REVIEWED)
30. The Reluctant Wag – Mary Costello
31. On The Jellicoe Road – Melina Marchetta
32. Between The Lives – Jessica Shrivington (REVIEWED)
33. His Brand of Beautiful – Lily Malone
34. Wild Lavender – Belinda Alexander
35. Flame Tress Hill – Mandy Magro
36. Burnt – Karly Lane
37. Whiskey State of Mind – Karlene Blakemore-Mowle
38. Whiskey On My Mind – Karlene Blakemore-Mowle
39. Dear Ruth – Bronwyn Parry (REVIEWED)
40. In Safe Hands – Lee Christine
41. Fractured – Dawn Barker
42. Darkening Skies – Brownyn Parry
43. Holding Out For A Hero – Amy Andrews
44. Outback Dreams – Rachael Johns
45. I dream of Johnny – Juliet Madison (REVIEWED)
46. Rousabout – Rachael Treasure
47. Embrace – Jessica Shirvington
48. Second Hearts – G. J. Walker-Smith
49. Sand Jewels – G. J. Walk- Smith
50. Storm Shells – G. J. Walker-Smith
51. The Kissing Season – Rachael Johns (REVIEWED)
52. December’s Wish – Karly Lane
53. Secret Santa – Rhian Cahill (REVIEWED)
54. Christmas Wishes – Rhian Cahill (REVIEWED)
55. The Christmas Gift – Monica McInerney (REVIEWED)
56. A Bush Christmas – Maragareta Osborn
57. Light Between The Oceans – M. L. Steadman
58. The Girl In The Yellow Vest – Loretta Hill (REVIEWED)
59. New Year’s Kisses – Rhian Cahill (REVIEWED)
Wow! Congratulations!!!
Thanks. It wasn’t until I was looking back over everything this past week that I realised I read so many. I even managed to surprise myself. Hopefully next year I’ll have better time management skills and be faster at reviewing them all 🙂