Aussie Readers discussion

We are getting together on Saturday, July 13th at a venue yet to be decided, but it will be somewhere in the CBD/South Bank area.

If you are interested, please put your names down in this thread, and I will advise you by private message with details of the venue once the numbers are confirmed. Please DON'T mention any questions about location details here in the thread for security reasons - you can private message me with questions.

Date - Saturday, 13th July 2019
Time - 11.00am for coffee followed by lunch
Location - CBD/South Brisbane/South Bank
RSVP - 5th July 2019

The Mystery Book Swap is always fun, so we'll do it again.

Mystery Book Swap

1. Bring along one book to the venue to give away – any genre, preferably a new book or a book in excellent condition.

2. Wrap the book in whatever paper you have at home.

3. Place a tag on the wrapping with the description of the genre.

4. Each participant's name will be placed in a hat, and when your name is drawn, you can select a mystery book from the pile.

And feel free to bring along any books that you no longer want to keep to "swap". You are very welcome to ask other people for books even if you don't have any to actually swap - most of us just want to clear our shelves so there's room to buy more books! If you want to list books here to see if anyone's interested so you don't have to lug them all in, you're very welcome to do that as well!

Definites
Kathryn
Kerri
Kylie
Alda
Lynne
Deborah

Maybes
Elizabeth

Lists of people's books, for easy access!
Kerri
Kylie
Alda
Deborah
Kathryn

There's 2.5 months between now and then - I'm determined that I'll have read the books I got at the last gathering by then - so I can then redistribute them to anyone else who might like them!! Let's see how I go!

I'll be there!
I'm starting my list of books to give away and will add to it as I go:
The True Story of Maddie Bright
Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The Real Story of Abba Deborah
The Slap though I think this one should probably be used as firewood.
Eleanor's Secret Kylie
Small Blessings by Emily Brewin
Hunter by Jack Heath
Ember Island by Kimberley Freeman

I’ll be there! I’ll have to sort through some books before then 😊

Hi! I'd like to participate too! :)

I'll prepare my list of books later on...

Great to hear! I'll look forward to seeing both of you again Kerri and Kylie, and meeting you, Alda!

I'll be there.

I'll probably add to this but so far I have to swap:
Radiant Shimmering Light: A Novel by Sarah Selecky
A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult -Kathryn
The Orchardist's Daughter by Karen Viggers -Kerri
The Time is Now, Monica Sparrow by Matt Howard
Life Before by Carmel Reilly
The Wonder of Lost Causes by Nick Trout

Kerri wrote: "I'll be there!
I'm starting my list of books to give away and will add to it as I go:
The True Story of Maddie Bright
[book:Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The Real Story of Abba|329058..."

I would love the book about ABBA! That was the first band I ever fell in love with, way back in my tiny tween years.

I am in! It is in the diary and everything. I have a couple of ARCs and so on to re-home but I will post them nearer the day.

I'm a maybe

Deborah wrote: "I am in! It is in the diary and everything. I have a couple of ARCs and so on to re-home but I will post them nearer the day."

Excellent, Deborah!

Elizabeth wrote: "I'm a maybe"

It would be great to meet you, Elizabeth - we always have a great time talking about anything and everything book-related!

Kylie, if no one else wants Jodi Picoult's Spark of Light, I'll take that one off your hands!

Kathryn wrote: "Kylie, if no one else wants Jodi Picoult's Spark of Light, I'll take that one off your hands!"

All yours Kathryn :)

It's yours Deborah, they were my first too.

Kerri wrote: "I'll be there!
I'm starting my list of books to give away and will add to it as I go:
The True Story of Maddie Bright
[book:Bright Lights Dark Shadows: The Real Story of Abba|329058..."

Kerri, I'll put my hand up for Eleanor's Secret if no one else wants it :)

It's yours Kylie and I'll take Orchardist's Daughter off your hands please.

Thanks Kerri, sure thing 👍

Kerri wrote: "It's yours Deborah, they were my first too."

That first band really stays with you doesn't it? I remember the first play I was taken to also; it was a matinee of Peter Pan. I was fascinated!! My first opera was Pirates of Penzance. And your first rock concert is always a wow too... All the musical firsts :)

What were some of the musical firsts for you guys?

Deborah wrote: "Kerri wrote: "It's yours Deborah, they were my first too."

That first band really stays with you doesn't it? I remember the first play I was taken to also; it was a matinee of Peter Pan. I was fas..."

I don't remember a first band, but my first "adult" tapes were (cringeing) Jason Donovan and Gloria Estefan (I think). I still like Gloria Estefan, but I'm not much of a Jason Donovan fan nowadays! And my first CDs were a double disc of Daryl Braithwaite's (Rise and Edge - I still listen to them at times now!) and a triple disc of Classic TV Themes (classical music used in TV advertisements).

I can't remember a first play, and I've never done an opera (you can't call Pirates a proper opera! It's more farce than anything else!) but the first musical I went to was Hello, Dolly! I think it was for my grandmother's birthday.

And I wasn't much interested in going to rock concerts. I suspect my first foray into anything like this might have been the Australian Gospel Music Festival (AGMF, before it became Easterfest) up at Toowoomba. And it was different artists on several stages.

Apparently when I was 5 or 6 I used to go around singing ABBA songs waving a tea towel above my head...

Hi, it's not 100% definitive (other books may be added later), but I can definitely give away these ones:

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi
Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
Morgan's Run by Colleen McCullough Kathryn
Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier Kathryn
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory * Kylie
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi Deborah
The Alienist by Caleb Carr
Possession: A Romance by A.S. Byatt *

The ones with a "*" were bought at the Lifeline bookfest and have some signs of wear. The others are all in very good conditions.

Alda wrote: "Hi, it's not 100% definitive (other books may be added later), but I can definitely give away these ones:

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi..."

Some of those sound good, Alda! I'm very tempted by some, although I don't actually need any of them...!

Put me down for Morgan's Run at the moment. If no one else is interested in any others, I may still take some of the others off your hands! But just Morgan's Run, at this point - thanks, Alda!

I'm still working on my list of books to bring (still need to read some more!), but just so I don't forget - Deborah, would you like The Brethren by John Grisham now I've finished it? I think we'd both requested it from Kerri the last time.

Also so I don't forget - I'm bringing The Shepherd's Hut by Tim Winton for Kerri.

Kathryn wrote: "Alda wrote: "Hi, it's not 100% definitive (other books may be added later), but I can definitely give away these ones:

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by [author:Azar Nafis..."

Thanks to you @Kathryn, I've added your name for Morgan's Run

Hi Alda, I would love your copy of The Other Boleyn Girl if no one else wants it. As Kathryn says, it is a tempting list!

I have a few to give away;
Nightlife and Moonshine are #1 and two in a series.

American Blood by Ben Sanders
I will try and add to the list later :)

Ok! more giveaways;
I just could not get into this one! But I think for the right person this will be very enjoyable.

by Charlaine Harris I have two copies of this, so I would like to give away this first in the series. It is a very fun, lightly supernatural story. My review; https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I am re-homeing my copy of the classic by Jeanette Winterson

In sci-fi land is a great, strong sci-fi, of which I have also somehow ended up with two copies...

by Anh Do I throughly enjoyed but am unlikely to re-read, if anyone would like it.

by Louise Candlish Great book!

Deborah wrote: "I have a few to give away;
Nightlife and Moonshine are #1 and two in a series.

American Blood by Ben Sanders
I will try and add to the ..."

Did you see my question to you, Deborah? Would you like The Brethren by John Grisham? I think we'd both said we'd take it off Kerri's hands, and I've read it now and don't want to keep it...

Only 5 weeks on Saturday until we get together again!

I'm still to decide on the book I'm going to use for the surprise book swap, but I have a few others to give away (and will hopefully still be adding to the list):

Whisper Network by Chandler Baker
Yesterday by Felicia Yap
Le Chateau by Sarah Ridout
Flight Risk by Michael McGuire
The Lost Girls by Jennifer Spence
She's All That by Kristin Billerbeck
Brother Fish by Bryce Courtenay

The Shepherd's Hut by Tim Winton - Kerri
The Brethren by John Grisham - Deborah

If anyone's trying to find the posts where people have posted books, to save you scrolling, here are the links to each of the posts so far:

Kerri
Kylie
Alda
Deborah
Kathryn

Great idea Kathryn, I've added a couple more to my list.

Only 8 days to go now! I think I've decided on my mystery book, although I may still change my mind! Hopefully I'll still have more books to add to my list of books to give away before Saturday (if I can read another one or two of the books I own between now and then...wishful thinking??), in case any of my books can find good homes with some of you!

Don't forget to check out the book lists people have posted - there's a link to posts with books 2 messages up (message no. 31) or in the first post of the thread.

We're meeting at 11am. I've sent messages to everyone who has said they're coming or interested in coming, so if you didn't get a message with details of the location, let me know.

I'll probably end up getting to the venue a bit before 11, so if you're there early, have a scan around to see if I've found a table. Although you might also find me having a wander around, trying not to spend money...

In the meantime, happy reading!

Would love to have joined you but it's a bit far for me - I'm at Tewantin. Have a great time!

Rita wrote: "Would love to have joined you but it's a bit far for me - I'm at Tewantin. Have a great time!"

Yes, it's a bit of a drive, Rita! Let me know if you're ever down in Brisbane for some other purpose and if you've got a free morning or afternoon we can try to organise something with whoever's available!

Kathryn wrote: "Deborah wrote: "I have a few to give away;
Nightlife and Moonshine are #1 and two in a series.

American Blood by Ben Sanders
I will try..."
Yes I will grab it thanks!

Deborah wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Deborah wrote: "I have a few to give away;
Nightlife and Moonshine are #1 and two in a series.

American Blood by [author:Ben Sanders|412..."

Great, Deborah!

Alda wrote: "Hi, it's not 100% definitive (other books may be added later), but I can definitely give away these ones:

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi..."

Alda, I'll have Jamaica Inn, if no one else is wanting it.

Kathryn wrote: "Rita wrote: "Would love to have joined you but it's a bit far for me - I'm at Tewantin. Have a great time!"

Yes, it's a bit of a drive, Rita! Let me know if you're ever down in Brisbane for some o..."

Thanks Kathryn, that's nice of you.

Kathryn wrote: "Alda wrote: "Hi, it's not 100% definitive (other books may be added later), but I can definitely give away these ones:

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by [author:Azar Nafis..."

@Kathryn, I've noted down Jamaica Inn for you... winter and rainy days, such as this Saturday in Brisbane, are the best time for reading this novel.

Deborah wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Deborah wrote: "I have a few to give away;
Nightlife and Moonshine are #1 and two in a series.

American Blood by [author:Ben Sanders|412..."
Done!

I'll take Those People off your hands Deborah if it's still free, please.

Kerri wrote: "I'll take Those People off your hands Deborah if it's still free, please."

Sure thing!

Alda wrote: "Hi, it's not 100% definitive (other books may be added later), but I can definitely give away these ones:

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi
[book..."

I will put my hand up for [book:The Complete Persepolis|991197] please :)

I'm adding Brother Fish by Bryce Courtenay to my list. It's a long one, but very well-written - I finished it yesterday. I thought I might have had another one to add, but I doubt that I'll finish it before Saturday!

Deborah wrote: "Alda wrote: "Hi, it's not 100% definitive (other books may be added later), but I can definitely give away these ones:

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by [author:Azar Nafis..."

OK Deborah, I've added your name for Persepolis :)

OK, by dint of neglecting certain other things I should have been doing today, I've finished Whisper Network by Chandler Baker, so it's also up for grabs if anyone wants it.

My book is wrapped and my other books are ready to go! See you all tomorrow!

Kathryn wrote: "My book is wrapped and my other books are ready to go! See you all tomorrow!"

Mine too! See ya then :)

Have fun everyone!!