Aussie Readers discussion

October Challenge 2021 - Opposites Attract

Easy - choose 2 opposites = 4 books (1 Aussie Author)
Medium - choose 3 opposites = 6 books (2 Aussie Authors)
Hard - choose 4 opposites = 8 books (3 Aussie Authors)

For example:
Male author/Female author
Stand alone/part of a series
Historical fiction/Current day
Set in country/set in city
Set in your home country/set away from home country
Plain cover/ beautiful cover

Don't forget the Rules: Here

Be creative; choose from the above or choose your own and have some fun!

TEMPLATE
October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: ?
0/?

✅Alex
✅Amanda
✅Angela
✅Brenda
✅Calvin
✅Carol
✅Carolyn
✅Catsalive
✅Cherie
Clare
✅Deborah
✅Diana
✅Erin
✅Fi
✅Helen
✅Jackmeister
✅Jane
✅Janine
✅Jasmine's
✅Jennifer
✅Jonquil
Kali
✅Kim
✅Krystal
✅Kylie H
✅Lorraine
✅Mari
✅Michelle G
✅Phrynne
✅Sarah
✅Sharon
Sue
✅TheMadHatter
Tien
✅Trish
Valerie
✅Zoey

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: hard
8/8

1. Aussie Author/overseas author
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff AA 5 stars
The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny 5 stars

2. Historical mystery /present day mystery
Murder at the Piccadilly Playhouse by C.J. Archer AA 4 stars
A Line To Kill by Anthony Horowitz 4 stars

3. Male author/female author
Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger 5 stars
At the End of the Day by Liz Byrski AA 4 stars

4. One person on the cover/two people on the cover
Osprey Reef by Annie Seaton AA 3 stars
Murder at the Wedding by Helena Dixon 5 stars

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Hard
8/8

#1. Standalone/Part of series
a) Wild Place by Christian White 4★s 21/10/21 AA
b) In Hot Water by Kate Kingsbury 4★s 8/10/21 Misty Bay Tea Room #1

#2. Historical/Contemporary
a) The Fossil Hunter by Tea Cooper 4★s 23/10/21 AA
b) Christmas in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft 5★s 7/10/21

#3. Set in Australia/Set Internationally
a) Outback Secrets by Rachael Johns 4★s 18/10/21 AA WA
b) Murder at the Wedding by Helena Dixon 5★s 4/10/21 UK

#4. Australian author/International author
a) Until We Meet by Rhonda Forrest 5★s 19/10/21 AA
b) The Fault Between Us by Bette Lee Crosby 5★s 1/10/21 US

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Hard
8/8 books (4/3 AA)

1. Alive / Dead (author)
Unpolished Gem by Alice Pung AA -Read 27/10
Montalbano's First Case and Other Stories (Inspector Montalbano #8.5) by Andrea Camilleri -Read 4/10

2. Oldest / Newest (on TBR)
Tamarisk Row by Gerald Murnane AA -Read 31/10
South of the Sun: Australian Fairy Tales for the 21st Century edited by Gabi Brown et al AA -Read 7/10

3. Cat / Dog (on cover)
My Patients and Other Animals: A Veterinarian's Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope by Suzy Fincham-Gray -Read 22/10
Murder in a Scottish Garden (A Scottish Shire Mystery #2) by Traci E. Hall -Read 17/10

4. first / last in series (book)
Murder in a Scottish Shire (A Scottish Shire Mystery #1) by Traci E. Hall -Read 6/10
The One Impossible Labyrinth (Jack West Jr #7) by Matthew Reilly AA -Read 11/10

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Medium
6/6

1. Female/Male author
Six Minutes by Petronella McGovern 4★AA
Retribution by Richard Anderson 3★AA

2. Present/Past Book
Sisters and Brothers by Fiona Palmer 4★AA
The Victory Garden by Rhys Bowen 4★

3. English/ translated from another language
Birds of a Feather by Tricia Stringer 4★
Cage by Lilja Sigurðardóttir 3★

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Easy
4/4

1. Bright Cover/Dark Cover
Just One Wish by Rachael Johns AA 5★
Scared to Death byRachel Amphlett AA 4★

2. Aus Author/International Author
Queen of the Road by Tricia Stringer AA 3.5★
You Can't Hide by Karen Rose 2★

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Easy
3/4

1. New horror writer/experienced horror writer
✅The Whistling by Rebecca Netley
- finished 9/10/21 - 2 stars
✅If It Bleeds by Stephen King
- finished 24/10/21 - 4 stars

2. Own/borrowed from the library
✅The Girl Remains by Katherine Firkin AA
- finished 26/10/21 - 4 stars
✅Perfect On Paper by Sophie Gonzales AA
- finished 2/10/21 - 4 stars

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Hard
8/8 books (3 AA) Finished 22-oct-2021

1. New to me author/'read all her books' author
Murder at the Dolphin Hotel by Helena Dixon 4*
False Witness by Karin Slaughter 4*

2. Aussie author/ British author
An Open Swimmer by Tim Winton AA 2*
Left You Dead by Peter James 5*

3. Set is Australia/set in America
Fool's Gold by Fleur McDonald AA 3*
Deadly Cross by James Patterson 3*

4. Light cover/dark cover
Audition by Skye Warren 4*
The Family Man by Anna Willett AA 3*

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Easy
4/4 2/2AA

#1. One person on the cover/Two people on the cover
a) Under the Light of the Italian Moon by Jennifer Anton read 09/10/2020 - 4 ⭐
b) The Buchanan Girls by Emily Madden AA read 05/10/2020 - 5 ⭐

#2. One Author/Two Authors
a) Rogue Forces by Mark Willacy AA read 01/10/2021
b) The Noise by James Patterson and J.D. Barker read 03/10/2020 - 3 ⭐

Some imaginative opposites coming through! Love it!

Opposites Attract
Hard Challenge 8/ 8 books (3 AA)

X Cosy Crime: Murder at Enderley Hall by Helena Dixon 4★
X Dark Crime: The Last Time She Died by Zoë Sharp 5★

X Summer: The Last of the Apple Blossom by Mary-Lou Stephens AA 4★
X Winter: Bloody January by Alan Parks 4★

X Historical: Devotion by Hannah Kent AA 5★
X Contemporary: The Hidden by Melanie Golding 4★

X Home Country: Still by Matt Nable AA 4★
X Overseas: A Line To Kill by Anthony Horowitz 4★

🙂😪Everyone linked to here. Great choices!!!!🙂😪

Haha! Well done Phrynne - happy/sad!!

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Medium - choose 3 opposites = 6 books (2 AAs)
6/6

CRIME; Crimson Lake by Candice Fox AA ✅ 5*
FANTASY; The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett ✅ 3*

SERIES STARTER; Deep into the Dark by P.J. Tracy ✅ 2*
STAND-ALONE; The Pact by Sharon J. Bolton ✅ 3*

FEMALE AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR; Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty AA ✅ 4*
FEMALE AMERICAN AUTHOR; Don't Know Jack by Diane Capri ✅ 5*

✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Hard
8/8 3/3 AA

1. Male author / Female author
✔︎a. His Illegal Self by Peter Carey AA
✔︎b. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

2. Stand alone / Part of a series
✔︎a. Reprehensible: Polite Histories of Bad Behaviour by Mikey Robins AA
✔︎b. The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

3. Set in Australia / Set elsewhere
✔︎a. Hades by Candice Fox AA
✔︎b. The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

4. Attractive cover / Plain cover
✔︎a. The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey
✔︎b. O Pioneers! by Willa Cather

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Hard
8/8 3/3 AA

1.
a. Male author The Secrets She Keeps AA
b. Female author The Things We Cannot Say

2
a. Historical fiction The Virgin's Lover
b. Current day Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century

3
a. Set in country Picnic at Hanging Rock AA
b. set in city The Flatshare

4
a. Set in your home country Never Never AA
b. set away from home country Jane Eyre

🙂😪Welcome to the challenge Lorraine, Sue and Jasmine.🙂😪

I am in :) What a great challenge

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Medium
6/6

#1 Dark Cover/Light Cover
Jaye Ford Darkest Place AA Done 5*

Tricia Stringer Birds of a Feather AA Done 5*

#2 Historical/ Current times

Tea Cooper The Fossil Hunter AA Done 5*

Annie Seaton Osprey Reef AA Done 5*

#3 Country/City

Rachael Johns Outback Secrets AA Done 5*

Rania Battany Our Own Private Fig Tree AA Done 5*



Finished this one :)

I'd love to join please, Phrynne!
Opposites Attract
Level: Hard (8 books / min 3 AA)
Progress: 8/8 AA: 4/4

Fiction: Wild Place by Christian White AA (22/10) 4*
Non-Fiction: Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting by Lisa Genova (9/10) 5*

Male Author: April in Spain by John Banville (aka Benjamin Black) (6/10) 4*
Female Author: Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things by Amanda Lovelace (5/10) 5*

Long Book: The Wych Elm by Tana French (528 pages) (15/10) 5*
Short Book: Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (128 pages) (15/10) 5*

Long Title: The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot: Perfect for fans of uplifting book club fiction by Marianne Cronin (13/10) 4.5*
Short Title: Lemon by Kwon Yeo-Sun (9/10) 4*

Historical Setting: 1979 by Val McDermid (9/10) 5*
Contemporary Setting: The Mother's Fault by Nicole Trope AA (12/10) 4*

Australian Author: In Darkness Visible by Tony Jones AA (18/10) 5*
Foreign (non-Australian) Author: Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune (American) (24/10) 4*

Set in my Home Country (Australia): The Fossil Hunter by Tea Cooper AA (26/10) 4*
Set Overseas: The Burglar's Ball by Julia Golding (England) (19/10) 4.5*

I am in, upgrading to medium because I just got anew book in perfect for this challenge...

1 Non-fiction/Fiction

Non fiction - Behind the Dolphin smile: One Man's Campaign to Protect the World's Dolphins by Richard O'Barry
Fiction -The Menace from Earth by Robert A. Heinlein

2 Australian author / non Australian author
Aussie author The Emporium of Imagination by Tabitha BirdAA
Non Aussie The Pillars of the World by Anne Bishop

3 Female author / male author
Female author Only Daughter by Anna SnoekstraAA
Male author The Sea and Summer/s> by George TurnerAA

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Easy
4/4
COMPLETE!

1. Fiction/Non-Fiction
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica Review Here
Crimes that Shocked the Nation by Alan J. Whiticker (AA) Review Here

2. Tree/Leaves
The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry Review Here
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski Review Here

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Medium
6/6

1
a. Male Author: Wanting by Richard Flanagan AA 3 stars
b. Female Author: The Girl, the Cat and the Navigator by Matilda Woods 3 stars

AA

2
a. Part of a series: Vampire for Hire by Molly Fitz 3.5 stars
b. Stand alone: The Banksia Bay Beach Shack by Sandie Docker AA 3 stars



3
a. Historical Fiction: Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt 3 stars
b. Current Day: Suddenly Psychic by Elizabeth Hunter 4 stars

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Medium (2 x AA)
6/6 as of 25 Oct

Opposites #1 - Single Author vs Two Authors
Single Author: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (5 Stars)
Two Authors: Unearthed by Amie Kaufman AA and Megan Spooner
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (4 Stars)



Opposites #2 - Historical vs Contemporary Fiction
Historical: Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (4 Stars)
Contemporary: I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (4 Stars)



Opposites #3 - Kindle vs Physical Book
Kindle: The Royal We by Heather Cocks
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (2 Stars)
Physical: Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood AA
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8... (3.5 Stars)

Joining in..

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Hard
8/8 AA 7/7

Opposite 1: Historical/contemporary
✔Once Night Falls by Roland Merullo....read 4*
✔The Rules of Backyard Croquet by Sunni Overend AA....read 3*



Opposite 2: One word title/multi word title
✔Eyrie by Tim Winton AA....read 4*
✔Mezza Italiana: An Enchanting Story About Love, Family, La Dolce Vita and Finding Your Place in the World by Zoe Boccabella AA....read 4*



Opposite 3: Part of series/stand alone
✔Montana by Fiona McArthur (Lyrebird lake book 1) AA....read 3*
✔One Hundred Days by Alice Pung AA....read 4*



Opposite 4: Boy/girls in title (or one/several persons on cover)
✔An Unusual Boy by Fiona Higgins AA....read 4*
✔The Last Of The Bonegilla Girls by Victoria Purman AA....read 4* 23/10/21

🙂😪Everyone linked to here. Welcome to the challenge!🙂😪

I am in please.

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Easy
4/4

Male author - Nineteen Seventysomething by Barry Divola AA
Female author - Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce

Set overseas - The Water Rat of Wanchai
Set in Australia - Bitter Wash Road AA

🙂😪 Welcome to the challenge Diana!🙂😪

Phrynne wrote: "🙂😪 Welcome to the challenge Diana!🙂😪"

Thanks Phrynne

Hopefully October will be a great month.

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Hard
8/8
Completed 21st October

✅ Aussie Author/International Author
1. Trust by Chris Hammer *AA* 21/10 ★★★★☆
2. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano 05/10 ★★★★

✅ Latest in Series/Middle of Series
3. The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman (Book 2/2 Thursday Murder Club) 07/10 ★★★★★
4. Well of the Winds by Denzil Meyrick (Book 5/9 DCI Daley series) 12/10 ★★★☆

✅ Fiction/Nonfiction
5. The Cartographer's Secret by Tea Cooper *AA* 14/10 ★★★★
6. Prognosis: A Memoir of My Brain by Sarah Vallance *AA* 05/10 ★★★☆

✅ Set in Past/Set in Future
7. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer 04/10 ★★★★★
8. Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells 09/10 ★★★★★

🙂😪 Welcome to the challenge Mari!🙂😪

🙂😪Loving everyone's clever ideas!!!🙂😪

I'm in please!

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: easy
0/4

Upper case title/Lower case title
When She Was Good by Michael Robotham AA
Au bout des doigts by Gabriel Katz

Colourful cover/Black and White cover
Dans le murmure des feuilles qui dansent by Agnès Ledig
Entre mes mains le bonheur se faufile by Agnès Martin-Lugand

🙂😪Welcome to the challenge Valerie.🙂😪

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Easy
3/4 books (1 AA)

Long title / short title:
Police at the Station and They Don't Look Friendly by AA Adrian McKinty 16/10 4.5★
/ Hellbent by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz 8/10 4.5★

Contemporary / historic fiction:
Gathering Prey by John Sandford 22/10 4★
/ The Jealous A Sufi Mystery by Laury Silvers

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Medium
6/6

Australian Author/Overseas Author
The Stockman's Daughter by Jacquie Underdown(AA) READ 10/10/21 3*
Reluctantly Home by Imogen Clark READ 8/10/21 4*

Female Author/Male Author
A Child of My Own by Vanessa Carnevale(AA) READ 8/10/21 4*
Still by Matt Nable(AA) READ 21/10/21 4*

Set in Australia/Set Overseas
The Shearer's Wife by Fleur McDonald(AA) READ 24/10/21 4*
Sunrise over Sapphire Bay by Holly Martin READ 14/10/21 3*

🙂😪Welcome to the challenge Alex and Janine:)🙂😪

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Easy
0/4

Male author/Female author

Scrublands by Chris Hammer AA
Digging Up Dirt by Pamela HartAA

Dog on cover/ Cat on cover.

The Puppy No One Wanted: The young dog desperate for a home to call his own by Barby Keel
Deadhead and Buried by H.Y. Hanna AA

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Medium
6/6

Male author/Female author
Treasure & Dirt - Chris Hammer - AA - 4* - 08/10/2021
Mrs Death Misses Death - Salena Godden - 3* - 01/10/2021



Fiction/non-fiction
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things - Jenny Lawson - 3.5* - 24/10/2021
Triflers Need Not Apply - Camilla Bruce - 3.5* - 06/10/2021




Set in Australia/set outside of Australia
The Housemate - Sarah Bailey- AA - 4* - 23/10/2021
When Things Are Alive They Hum - Hannah Bent - AA

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Easy
4/4 (AA 1/1)

Part of series/not part of series:-
Rain Dogs by Adrian McKinty - AA -
- FINISHED 4/10/21 - 4* (9/10)
Women in Love by D.H. Lawrence -
- FINISHED 13/10/21 - 3* (6.5/10)

Set in UK/not set in UK (Italy):-
Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith -
- FINISHED 27/10/21 - 4+* (9+/10)
The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante -
FINISHED 8/10/21 - 4* (9/10)

🙂😪Welcome to the challenge Sharon, Amanda and Kim🙂😪

I would like to join

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Easy
2/4

Present tense/Past tense
All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter AA
✔ Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie Read 24/10. 3★

Set overseas/Set in Australia
✔ Swaziland When the Ground Is Hard by Malla Nunn AA Read 28/10. 4★
The Monster of Her Age by Danielle Binks AA

🙂😪Welcome to the challenge Clare:)🙂😪

I'd like to join this challenge please!

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: Easy
4/4

Husband in the title/Wife in the title
1. Her Husband's Mistake by Sheila O'Flanagan 2*
2. The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins 4.5*

Female Author/Male Author
3. Singapore Sapphire by A.M. Stuart *AA 4*
4. Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson 3.5*

🙂😪Welcome to the challenge Fi:)🙂😪

I'm in :0)

October - Opposites Attract!
Duration: 1/10/21 - 31/10/21
Level: hard (AA 3)
8/8

Male / Female author
1. The Devil Inside by D.L. Hicks (AA) - 9/10/21 - 3.5★
2. The Aunts' House by Elizabeth Stead (AA) - 10/10/21 - 3★
Crime / Romance
3. Hindsight by Melanie Casey (AA) - 21/10/21 - 3 ★
4. Welcome to Nowhere River by Meg Bignell (AA) - 2/10/21 - 4★
Set in Australia / Elsewhere
5. Death Leaves the Station by Alexander Thorpe (AA) - 7/10/21 - 4★
6. The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman - 9/10/21 - 5★
Summer / Winter
7. St. Martin's Summer by Diana Brown - 24/10/21 - 3★
8. Snow by John Banville - 5/10/21 - 4★

🙂😪Welcome to the challenge Catsalive:)🙂😪

October Challenge 2021 - Opposites Attract
Hard - choose 4 opposites = 8 books (3 Aussie Authors)

8/8 DONE

COVERS

Interior Scene / Exterior Scene
1The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy Heather Blake 10/2 ★★★★
2 Some Like It Witchy Heather Blake 10/1 ★★★★


Day / Night
3 In the Morning I’ll Be Gone Adrian McKinty AA 10/6 ★★★
4 The Lighthouse Keepers Adrian McKinty AA 10/16 ★★★


Living / Inanimate
5 The Cold Cold Ground Adrian McKinty AA 10/5 ★★★★
6 The Fangs of Freelance Drew Hayes 10/12 ★★★★★


Spring / Fall
7 Ladle to the Grave Connie Archer 10/4 ★★★
8 Search for the Dead Sheila Connolly 10/9 ★★★

🙂😪Welcome to the challenge Jonquil:)🙂😪

Oh dear.... I meant to read by Adrian Hyland for this challenge, but it came in at the library early and I have already started it. No self restraint sometimes, me.