My reading (or rather bookish) week

I am amazed that I still managed to fit in my bookish events with how crazy life has been with moving, arranging rental, and just overall “life”!!  But then again, how could you not FIT in bookish events!  I don’t know about you but it’s how I keep my sanity 😉

The week before, I happily went shopping for my “Divergent” outfit for the Allegiant launch in Sydney this past week.  I had to be able to wear it to work (at a corporate office environment) then onto the launch.  Embarrassingly, my (male) manager noticed the matching bag & skirt! I don’t know whether that means I don’t usually match or the outfit was a total stand-out.  I still didn’t win best-dressed but I had a fun time hanging out with Divergent fans 😀

 

Do you know your Divergent?  Which faction did I dress as?

We also had our bookclub meet this weekend and as we toured around Asia this year, we visited Indonesia via The Rainbow Troops by Andrea Hirata.  It was a busy weekend of cooking and eating Indonesia cuisine whilst somewhat discussing abovementioned book.  For the last 2 months, as each members took turn reading, I received feedback of how good it was but then it surprised me that the general consensus with the rating was only about 3/5 stars (disallowing the half-star).  Everyone found the book to be “inspiring” (it appears to be the Word of the Day) though there was a discussion as to whether the book was about the teachers or the children.  Everyone wonders though whether the rest of the books (a quartet) will be translated into English so I think an interest to progress in the series is a good indication of the book’s rating.

 

Menu of the day:

Gado-gado (salad served with peanut sauce)

Sate (pork satays served with a salsa type of sauce)

Semur sapi (some sort of beef stew)

Tempe Kecap (tempeh is fermented soy beans, cooked with beans and lots of sweet soy sauce)

Biji Salak (a dessert made from sweet potatos –kumara with tapioca flour served with palm sugar and coconut cream)

Putu Ayu (pandan flavoured with lots of coconut topping)

This week, I’d be attempting to finish reading the following books:

   

I’m still trying to ‘recover’ from my Netgalley splurge a couple of months ago! 2 of these are due to expire this week, eep!

I really would not have a clue when my blog’s anniversary is however thanks to WordPress who informed me 6 days ago that it’s been 3 years since I first started blogging (wow, who would’ve thunk!?).  So, in celebration… *drum rolls*

GIVEAWAY – 3 random book parcels (AU mailing addresses only)

Note: totally random books so neither you nor I will know exactly which one you’d be getting –I know which books they are but since they’re wrapped, I wouldn’t have a clue which I’m sending to whom!

Go to my Facebook page for the Rafflecopter entries (unfortunately, WP does not host this widget)

T & C:

1. You are over 13 yo
2. You have Australian mailing address
3. If you are drawn as winner, you have 48 hours to respond to my notification email
4. Giveaway ends midnight of 11^th November 2013

Q&A with Steve Worland +Giveaway

I met Steve at Supanova Sydney earlier this year and when I became his ‘fan’ on GR, he actually remembered me.  I was never better pleased 🙂  This is a very exciting opportunity for a Q&A and he has also offered to giveaway a signed copy of his new release (lucky you!!).  Without further ado, I present…. Steve Worland!!

What does the ultimate ‘bad guy’ look like to you?  What defines this person as the ultimate ‘bad-guy’?  [can be in fiction or reality]

For me the ultimate fictional bad guy must have a believable, personal motivation. You must feel some empathy with him or her, no matter how bad what they are doing may be — and it needs to be pretty bad. If the villain’s motivation is not believable, or doesn’t ring true to the character, the story won’t engage the reader. Also, the bad guy and the good guy are usually the characters who are closest to each other in personality type. When I write them I should believe that if things had been different for either of them they could be in the other’s shoes. The perfect example of this is Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.

In both Velocity and Combustion, weapons of mass destruction are being employed by highly motivated terrorists. If you were in a position where you are the one person to stop the world from being destroyed, what would you do?  What would your first reaction be?  Sometimes I think reading books like this should equip you for this type of impossible mission – after all, the author has done all the research, right?  All you need to do is recall, apply, and execute.  Would you feel equipped from the research & writing you’ve done so far?

The characters in my books tend to be making it up as they go along, trying their best but not always succeeding, and I think that’s how it would be for me. I would try to rise to the occasion, utilise what I remember, and whatever specific skill set I might have, and give it a go — without knowing if I will be successful or not. That’s why I write my characters the way I do. To me it’s much more interesting to write an ‘everyman’ who is unsure of what course of action to take but will give it a go rather than a ‘superhero’ who has all the answers and knows exactly what to do.

Have you ever experienced writers’ block? If so, what have you done to break through this frustrating period?

I do get it occasionally. The best way to overcome writers block is to: a) keep writing, even if it’s terrible. I often find if I am blocked on something I just write until something resonates and starts to flow. Then I keep going for as long as I can, then go back and rewrite the part that was terrible. Prose never comes out perfectly formed so, to me, good writing is rewriting. Also, b) it can help to read or watch something that you love, and think is good, to inspire you. After you’ve done that something interesting usually occurs which will pull you out of the slump.

I think your book covers are great – the explosion on Combustion definitely attracts the male species (my husband for example though he’s not a reader, I’m trying to get him there yet!) but I’m finding it hard to sell to my girlfriends.  What would you say to appeal to the female readers who would normally walk pass the exploding cover at the shops?

I’m so glad you like the covers but I can not take any credit for them! Covers are absolutely the domain of the publisher and they have very specific ideas about what does and does not work for the readers they are targeting. I can throw in the occasional idea but that’s about it. All I can say to people is don’t judge a book by it’s cover, or back cover blurb for that matter. Open it up, read the prose and see if you are excited by the writing and engaged with the characters, then make a decision on whether the story is worth your time. Good writing can make any subject interesting.

Please share with us the man behind the Author Steve Worland (eg. What defines you as a person, what are you like at home / at your most comfortable zones, what do you do when you’re angry, etc)

Like so many White Anglo Saxon Protestants I’m defined by my work! My wife has been able to beat a bit of that out of me over the years, as has my daughter, but I’m definitely a guy who loves work. I have to really psych myself up for vacations and holidays, though I’m getting better at it. To relax my wife and daughter enjoy action adventure movies as much as I do so we try to see one a week if possible. I love to read but when you’re writing all the time you want to get away from it if you have a little time off. Having said that, I am reading, and enjoying, ‘Telegraph Road’ at the moment. The TV shows my wife and I watch tend to have great writing — ‘Mad Men’, ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘Dexter’, ‘Modern Family’, ‘Downton Abbey’, ‘True Blood’, ‘The Killing’ and a pair of fantastic new ones called ‘Ray Donovan’ and ‘Banshee’. I don’t actually get upset very often, more often with myself if I don’t do something as well as I think I can.

What are your 3 greatest fears?

Making sure my family is healthy and happy is the most important single thing in my life. After that, making sure I live up to my potential is something I do think about now and then. And finally, I do despair for the fate of the planet on occasion, so I try to do my bit to make it better whenever possible.

A quick fun one – can we get a picture of the view from your office where you write? Or a view of your office?

I do write in my office occasionally, but now, with the advent of mobile devices and the ‘cloud’, I can write anywhere and everywhere, and that often means while waiting to pick children up after activities. Having said that here’s a pic from my office window. You can just see the Harbour Bridge in the distance!

***Soooo totally jealous of this view!!!***

Thank you so much for your time, Steve!  For sharing a bit about yourself and your writing with us. You can find Steve at: website, goodreads, twitter, and facebook.

As mentioned at the beginning of the post, Steve is kindly providing a signed copy of his new release, Combustion, to giveaway here.  Check out the blurb on Goodreads and also my review.

If you’d like to enter, please leave a comment confirming your AU residence and who your ultimate bad guy is and why.

Please note: Giveaway is limited to AU only (apologies INT peeps but postage is prohibitive). Please leave your email address in the form where it is required but not in the body of your comment.  I will draw the winner next week (midday of Sat, 17 August 2013 – Sydney time).

The Hidden -GIVEAWAY (AU only)

The Hidden (Avena #1) by Marianne Curley
Publication Date: 1 March 2013 (in Australia)

For as long as Ebony can remember, she’s been sheltered. Confined to her home in a secluded valley, home-schooled by her protective parents, and limited to a small circle of close friends. It’s as if she’s being hidden.

But something is changing in Ebony. Something that can’t be concealed. She’s growing more beautiful by the day, she’s freakishly strong, and then there’s the fact that she’s glowing.

On one fateful night, Ebony meets Jordan and she’s intensely drawn to him. It’s as if something explodes inside of her—something that can be seen from the heavens. Ebony still doesn’t know that she’s a stolen angel, but now that the heavens have found her, they want her back.

GIVEAWAY (AU only)

Totally by coincidence, I have got 2 copies of this gorgeous looking book so I’m sharing the love by giving away one of the copies.  I’ve not read it yet but this just looks really good, I had to share the love around 😉  Please note the right hand bottom corner is slightly creased (for a folding or something) but that is how I got it in the mail.

Giveaway is limited to Australian mailing address only (am about to sign a new mortgage docs so am feeling terribly poor :() and condition of entry is that you are either over 16 or have your parent’s / guardian’s permission to enter.  The only other condition is to like my Facebook page, as the Rafflecopter is being hosted over there, but that’s all there is to it.

The giveaway is open NOW and will end on Midnight Thursday 21 February 2013.  I will draw on Friday and you will have the weekend to respond with your mailing address.  I’ll be away for the weekend but I will post the book on Monday so that it will hopefully arrive by 1 March 2013, at the latest!

Blog Tour: Circle of Light – an Excerpt + Giveaway

I’m sooo excited for this book!  I’ve read & enjoyed the first 2 books so am really looking forward to this book!  Here’s an excerpt sneak peek!

Circle of Light (Light Series #3) by Jennifer DeLucy

Omnific Publishing (October 2012)

Empath and Pathcrosser to the dead, Lillian Hunt has finally come into her own as a Sentient being. All seems well in her brave new world…that is, until a tragic turn sends her tight knit Sentient group on a rescue mission through lore-infested Europe. Their goal is to save the love of Lily’s life—vampire Sentient, William Maddox — from both the prejudice of their own society and the dark intentions of ancient vampires. But how will they keep hope alive, even as time runs out?

I groaned and plodded down the hall, watching for stray employees, and William followed me. We noted an overhanging sign that read “Distribution/Mailroom/Food Services” with an arrow pointing to the left and another sign that said “Morgue” with an arrow to the right. I knew which route I preferred, but that’s not where we were headed, obviously. There was no use fighting the inevitable.

We turned right, passing a line of maintenance and equipment rooms, along with a partially lit lab room where a custodial worker was cleaning the floor. William grabbed my arm and pulled me back against the wall as the man neared the partially opened door with his mop. We proceeded once he’d passed the area, and I stifled a giggle. William shook his head.

“Don’t shake your head at me, Double-Oh-Seven. I’m not used to sneaking around in public places,” I whispered as we walked. Then I promptly made a face as a cloying, chemical scent overtook the area. We followed the signs and made another right, stopping to stare at the windowless double doors at the end. The marker above them read, “Morgue. Please keep doors closed.”

“Jackpot,” William said.

“How much you wanna bet those aren’t locked?” I said. William chuckled and we continued toward the entrance. “You think anyone’s in there?” I asked.

“Well, I think there are several people in there, actually,” he answered.

I rolled my eyes. “I meant the living kind.”

“Then, I don’t know. At this hour, maybe not, but it’s a hospital. People die at all hours, Lil.”

“Right.

Lifting my hand to the large green door, I gave it a hard shove and it swung open, revealing very little in the absence of light. The smell, however, made my stomach pitch.  Formaldehyde. How unexpected.

William didn’t waste time sampling the perfume, as I had. He went right in and found the light switch, instead. Ah, the perks of being with a vampire. Though, now that the light was on, I found myself wishing it wasn’t.

If you’ve ever been in a morgue, you’ll realize that it takes a very special kind of person to handle such a job, because, if the smell alone doesn’t drive you to insanity, the temperature and the line of torture-chamber instruments will. I shuddered. “Unpleasant,” I said.

“I know,” William added, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

“So, now what?”

“Well, I don’t know, honey. You tell me.”

I sighed and closed my eyes, preparing to do my thing. But the sound of moving wheels froze us both in our tracks. Someone was coming. “Shit,” I whispered as the doors swung open and a man pushing a gurney stared at us in surprise.

“Hey, you shouldn’t be in here,” he said angrily.

William stepped forward and stuck his arm out. “I’m sorry to alarm you. My name is Joe Carter. Who are you?” he said, and the dumbfounded tech responded on autopilot, taking William’s hand. That’s all he needed to capture the poor schmuck’s mind.

“I’m Gail,” said the tech, grinning happily.

“Gail. Nice to meet you. We’re actually supposed to be here because we’re state inspectors. And no one knows about this visit except for the hospital administration, so I have to ask that you go somewhere and take a break while we do our job.”

“Go?”

“Yes, but you can come back in half an hour. And Gail, is there anyone else who might come down here tonight?”

“Oh, no. I’m the only one on call.”

“Great. And remember, no one is supposed to know about our visit, so don’t say a word, all right?”

The man nodded respectfully. “Okay. Sorry.” He abandoned his gurney, which held a sheet-covered body, and exited the morgue.

I gawked at William. This was the first time I’d ever seen him use his enthralling abilities to their full potential. “That was just plain sexy, Maddox,” I said.

“Really?” he lifted an eyebrow.

“Yes. Really.”

“Well, I can go find someone else to enthrall…” he offered.

I smiled. “Better not. Job to do.”

“I suppose.”

“All right, here we go.” I closed my eyes and opened my arms, building energy to the surface of my skin, making sure that whatever was around and wanting my attention would surely be drawn in. I breathed mindfully, inhaled and exhaled with patience and waited for something to happen.

“Lily?” William said after a few minutes.

“Huh?” I answered with my eyes still closed.

“The lights.”

“Wha?” I opened my eyes, or, at least I thought I had, but the room was dark.

“Something’s doused the lights,” William repeated.

“Clearly.”

“I’d try to turn them back on, but the bulbs are burned out. Take my hand,” he said.

“Okay.” I reached out and grasped for him, latching on and holding tight. “God, you’re freezing,” I said.

“What do you mean? I am not.”

“You are, too,” I laughed. “I can feel your hand.”

“Uhm, no, sweetheart. No one is holding my hand.”

“But—” I gasped…then screeched and tried to drop whatever I was touching, but the mystery fingers clung to mine with a vengeance and the next thing I knew, I was on my back with a loud metal thud and something held me down.

 About Author

Jennifer DeLucy is an author of paranormal fiction, most notably The Light Series Trilogy, a freelance editor and a musician who believes in combining talents to create unique and inspiring work. Born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Jennifer moved to the Midwest in her early twenties, honing her passions and publishing her first two novels before moving to Seattle, Washington in 2012. She continues to pursue new and exciting avenues in both the writing and music fields.

Author Website; Twitter; Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

Jennifer is generously offering an eBook of Circle of Light AND a Swag pack filled with FUN Seer’s goodies to ONE winner.  Please leave a comment telling me what kind of supernatural powers you’d like to have and we’ll random draw a winner on 19th October 2012.  Please note do NOT include your email address in the comment but DO include it on the comment form.  Please respond within 48 hours or another winner will be drawn.

For myself, I would probably love telekinesis (especially when one needs that tv remote on the other side of the room!)

Related articles

• The Light Series Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway (tiensblurb.wordpress.com)

200+ Follows Giveaway

Slowly but surely the numbers just crept up there and here I am, today, just wanting to show my appreciation for all your support to date!

I really didn’t have that much of an expectation when I started maintaining this blog regularly earlier this year so to be here, it’s amazing!

With the deepest curtsy, ‘Ladies & Gentlemen, thank you!’

The giveaway is for a book of your choice from The Book Depository up to the value of $15.

Terms & Conditions:

1.  You agree that you are entering this giveaway with the express approval of your parent / guardian (if you are under the legal age, wherever you are)

2. If you win, you will choose an age-appropriate book (I will not be checking how old you are, again refer [1] above)

3. Giveaway is International but limited to countries where TBD’s free-shipping applies

4. You will have 48 hours to respond to my original winner notification or another winner will be drawn

As I can’t include a Rafflecopter widget here, you will have to visit my FB page to enter.  You will have to ‘like’ the page to enter the giveaway and that’s your ONLY task 😉

Oh, and… if I reach 300+ follows (unlikely but…) by the end of this month, I’ll draw another winner for the same prize 😀

GOOD LUCK!!!!

The Immortality Virus Blog Tour – a Review + Guest Post

Book Blurb

In the mid-21st century, the human race stopped aging. Those who know why aren’t talking, and the few who are brave enough to ask questions tend to disappear. To an elite few, The Change means long life and health, but to the ever-increasing masses, it means starvation, desperation, and violence.

Four centuries after The Change, Grace Harper, a blacklisted P.I., sets off on a mission to find the man responsible for it all and solicit his help to undo The Change — if he’s still alive. To complicate matters, Grace’s employer is suspected of murdering his father, and when the police learn of their connection, they give her a choice — help them find the evidence they need to convict Matthew Stanton, or die. But if they discover Grace’s true mission, they won’t hesitate to kill her in order to preserve their shot at immortality.

Winner of the Epic Award for Science Fiction, the Global eBook Award for Science Fiction, and a finalist in The Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

My Blurb (3 stars)

We all know curiosity kills the cat and still, curiosity brought Grace Harper to meet with one of the richest and most powerful man, Matthew Stanton Jr.  Matthew Stanton Sr was killed a few weeks earlier and whilst Grace is good at her job as an investigator, she doubts that she is being summoned to find the murderer.  When she walks out of that meeting, she knows that the job will be the death of her, whether she took it up or not.

The world is a different place in the 25^th century but not for the better.  The Change has eliminated some diseases but humans are practically immortal, yet continue to reproduce.  This gross overpopulation of the world is not without costs.  Fresh food are available only to the elite whilst the poor, if they’re lucky, gets to eat nutribars (with questionable contents).  There are those with different view of life and are fighting with their lives for it.  Grace herself inclines to believe natural life (with natural death at the end) is ideal yet she has never put herself forward for her belief.  She thinks that maybe it is time to be proactive and this job may just prove to be the key.  Is it the right key?  Will she be able to fight against those in more powerful positions and restore life as it should be?

I like Grace Harper.  She is one tough chickie with a warm heart.  Her heart was broken 60 years ago and she has not let anyone else in since.  I like her snappy comebacks and her courage in face of pain.  She is so very human in her vulnerability, cautious in trusting others, and yet, she still risks herself for the benefit of others.

The story was exciting, fast-paced, and thrilling.  I got really involved in the mystery surrounding the Change so it was a pretty good and pain-free read for me.  It just lack that bit of oomph to make it up to next star rating.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Guest Post: “A Day in Your Writing Life”

I’m always surprised by  interest in my daily writing routine. The truth is, writing is a solitary and outwardly uninteresting task. Inside my head, it’s a whirlwind of activity, but to the passive observer, there’s just not a lot to see. This is me, sitting at my desk. Typing. I do that a lot.

As far as what I’m actually doing while typing, every day is just a little bit different. Today, I’m fixing a plot problem that involves switching the order of two scenes, and then smoothing them out so it looks like they were always written in that order. Tomorrow, I will continue writing new material. In a few weeks, this rough draft will be finished and I will move on to other projects while I await feedback. Then revisions begin. Then edits. Then the process begins again with the next novel.

I don’t have a routine. Because I have young kids whose schedule constantly seems to change, I haven’t managed to establish a schedule for myself. Sometimes I write in the mornings. Sometimes, in the afternoons. Sometimes, in the evenings. I do try to help ground myself by lighting a candle and doing some meditation when it’s time to write. This helps me shift my mind from whatever else I was doing, and lets me focus.

But mostly, it’s all in my head. I have entire worlds and multiple casts of characters in there, trying to come out through my fingertips. Drafting is my favorite part of writing, because that is when those worlds and characters fight for attention. During revisions, it’s more about fine tuning. If the life isn’t already there, you can’t breathe it in during a revision.

In my head, I wake up thinking about my story. It’s in the back of my mind all day long. And I fall asleep planning new details. Like I said, a whirlwind of activity, but it doesn’t look like much to the outside observer.

About Author

Christine Amsden has been writing science fiction and fantasy for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.

When she’s not writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing, usually at Savvy Authors. She also offers professional editing services. She maintains a book review blog on her website with occasional writing tips thrown in for the fun of it.

Christine lives in the Kansas City area with her husband and two children.

You can find Christine at: her blog, twitter, and Facebook.

You can purchase the book at: Barnes & Nobles, Amazon (pb), Amazon (kindle)

Giveaway

This is a blog tour giveaway to win an ebook copy of The Immortality Virus, Enter Rafflecopter Giveaway.

Tour Schedule

August 6 – Crossroads Reviews

August 9 – My Cozie Corner 

August 10 – Deborah’s Books

August 11 – Bookishly Devoted

August 12 – Kimmie’s Bookshelf

August 13 –Tien’s Blurb

August 14 – My Reading Addiction

August 16 – Andi’s Book Reviews

August 17 – Beth Art From the Heart

August 19 – Whoopeeyoo! 

August 22 – FireStar Books

August 23 – Cabin Goddess

August 24 – One Page at a Time

August 26 – The Story Factory 

August 27 – Workaday Reads 

August 28 – Rea’s Reading and Review’s

August 29 – Froze8’s Blog

August 30 – Book Lover’s Hideaway

August 31 – Books, Books, The Magical Fruit 

September 1 – Known to Read 

“The Move” Giveaway (AUS only)

Did I mention I’ll be moving house in a few months’ time?  And that I really don’t want to have to pack and move ALL my TBR books?

So…  I decided to read and give them away, one at a time.  But only to Australian mailing address only, please (sorry, I just can’t afford international postage at this moment).

First Up: Winner of Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 1984 and Nantional Book Critics Circle Award 1983:

Ironweed by William Kennedy

Condition Note: I’ve got this book from a swap so it’s not brand new but it is still mostly in good condition except for some tear on the spine and a notation of original owner’s name on first page.

I’ve yet to read it but I promise I will start on the morrow or at least to finish reading it by end of giveaway. Entries will be received up to midnight of Sunday, 13th May 2012).  To enter, just leave a  comment with your name and contact details (it doesn’t have to be your email address – it could be your goodreads profile etc just as long as I can get a message to you).  Only the winner will be contacted and you’ll have 48 hours to respond.

While you’re here, you can also nominate the next book I should read and therefore give away NEXT 😉

My list of books (alphabetical order of author’s last name):

1. Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
2. The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw
3. You Wouldn’t Be Dead for Quids by Robert G. Barrett
4. Murphy’s Law (Molly Murphy Mysteries 1) by Rhys Bowen
5. Jane Slayre: The Literary Classic… with a blood-sucking twist by Charlotte Bronte & Sherri Browning Erwin
6. Musk & Byrne by Fiona Capp (ARC Edition)
7. The Cairo Diary by Maxime Chattam
8. The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver
9. Avalanche by Jack Drummond
10. The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans
11. Code to Zero by Ken Follett
12. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
13. Shadows on the Aegean by Suzanne J Frank
14. Sunrise of the Mediterranean by Suzanne J Frank
15. Duet by Kimberley Freeman
16. The Perfect Husband (Quincy & Rainie 1) by Lisa Gardner
17. The Third Victim (Quincy & Rainie 2) by Lisa Gardner
18. The Next Accident (Quincy & Rainie 3) by Lisa Gardner
19. The Killing Hour (Quincy & Rainie 4) by Lisa Gardner
20. Gone (Quincy & Rainie 5) by Lisa Gardner
21. The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George
22. Marathon Man by William Goldman
23. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
24. Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
25. Birdman by Mo Hayder
26. Surrender by Sonya Hartnett
27. 1788 by David Hill
28. Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indridason
29. Voices by Arnaldur Indridason
30. Ironweed by William Kennedy
31. The Last 10 Seconds by Simon Kernick
32. Highways to a War by Christopher J Koch
33. Grace Notes by Bernard MacLaverty
34. An Imaginary Life by David Malouf
35. Legacy: A Novel by James A. Michener
36. Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener
37. The Official Fahrenheit 9/11 Reader by Michael Moore
38. The Silent Country by Di Morrissey
39. Secret Ones (Dream of Asarlai 1) by Nicole Murphy (ARC copy)
40. Green Mountains by Bernard O’Reilly
41. Thirteen Steps Down by Ruth Rendell
42. A Sense of the World by Jason Roberts
43. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
44. Tully by Paullina Simons
45. Devil’s Corner by Lisa Scottoline
46. A Bend in the Road by Nicholas Sparks
47. Handpicked by Siew Siang Tay
48. The Chimney Sweeper’s Boy by Barbara Vine
49. The Aunt’s Story by Patrick White
50. Culture is… :Australian Stories Across Cultures – An Anthology edited by Anne-Marie Smith