I’ve decided to branch out a bit by participating in more reading challenges next year. I’ve always just stuck to the Australian Women Writers Challenge and my bingo one, but I’d like to shift myself out of my comfort zone a little and throwing in a few extra reading challenges seems like a good way to do this.
Over at Book Lover Book Reviews they run a challenge that focuses your reading onto Australian authors. You might ask why I think I need another Australian reading challenge, given my huge focus on the Australian Women Writers Challenge, but this one is more refined and rather complimentary to #aww2019. There are three different levels to the challenge and I’ve decided to just dive right in and go for the top level. Here are the details:
The Aussie Author Challenge 2019
#AussieAuthor19
Chosen level:
KANGAROO
Read and review 12 titles written by Australian Authors of which at least 4 of those authors are female, at least 4 of those authors are male, and at least 4 of those authors are new to you; Fiction or non-fiction, at least 3 different genre.
For me, the challenge part will come from reading 4 male Aussie authors along with the mixing up of the genres. I read a woefully small amount of books each year written by men, so this will give me a reason to seek a few out. It will also break me out of my historical fiction comfort zone, although, just a little bit. No need to get too crazy!
If you’d like to join me in this challenge, you can sign up for it here.
Theresa Smith Writes 
Fantastic to have you joining us Theresa! You always write such thoughtful and perceptive reviews, so I am looking forward to hearing of your experiences outside of your historical fiction comfort zone.
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Thanks Jo! Surprisingly, the genre I enjoyed most this year second to historical fiction turned out to be science fiction. I never saw that coming!
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Oh, I understand it. My first love was historical fiction, then literature and to a lesser extent crime fiction took a hold (and remains what I’m instinctively drawn to) but whenever I make time for science fiction novel I enjoy it so much!
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The Second Cure by Margaret Morgan is one of my favourite reads from 2018. If anyone had told me at the start of the year that a science fiction novel would steal me, I’d never have believed them. And don’t get me started on time travel and physics….I get so swept up in those!
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You did have a fair few reviews in spec fiction
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This was the first year for that!
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Maybe I’ll give it a go too, thanks for the link
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Excellent! A challenge buddy! 😁
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Glad to see the challenge bug is taking hold of you. I’m addicted to joining challenges and have vowed to slow down next year. I loved the Book Lover Book Review Aussie author challenge this year and will be joining in again in 2019.
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I can see myself becoming addicted to challenges and over extending. That’d be just like me! 😁
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Oh good for you Theresa. I think challenges are a great idea. I don’t do them because they would stress me too much. I would need to read fewer review copies to have the time resources to take part in challenges, but I’m not happy yet to give up those.
I think if I did a challenge it would be something like the Japanese Lit challenge as I really want to read more Japanese lit. I read quite a bit a decade or so ago, but woefully little in recent years. Or, I’d do a TBR challenge to try to get through the TBR a little faster.
Anyhow, I shall be watching your progress with in this challenge with great interest.
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So far these are easy challenges that I can still mostly fit review titles into. But a TBR challenge keeps nipping at my heels, even if it was to take one book a month from the depths. I keep toying with a classics challenge too. Both of these would just be loosely structured ones for my own benefit. I’m still thinking on it.
A Japanese Lit challenge? Now you have me wondering what I’m missing out on.
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Oh yes, a Classics Challenge appeals too. And, I agree, loosely structured ones are best. I think you’d better not start looking for more – there are quite a few challenges for different literature like Japanese, German etc, though some are more of the “reading month” styles. I still call them a challenge though.
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I expect googling reading challenges would be akin to falling down a rabbit hole…
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Yes, don’t do it!!
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OMG, how do you have time for all those challenges? I’m gobsmacked Theresa, I don’t know how you do it! Hubby tells me to read less and cook more, lol, and it’s true I read so slow that I spend all day reading then suddenly it’s tea time and no tea for hubby so next year it will be all about the cooking. Lol.
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I read quite fast, but I’m also picking challenges that fit in with what I have on my piles and usually read, so I can juggle them more effectively.
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I love challenges and find them utterly fascinating and so much fun but I only have about 7 books on my coffee table pile that suits the new bingo card 😦 I’m thinking of playing along but without posting on your and Amanda’s blog, if I manage to do all the categories while still clearing my coffee table pile I can join in for real in 2020. And this way it will be without the stress of having to finish a category on time if I’m unable to.
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Good idea! You can do it unofficially, for sure.
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Pingback: One more challenge…The Classics Club | Theresa Smith Writes
😊
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Ooooh, what a nice pairing with AWW! I didn’t notice until I started reading my way through my current reading list how few men I read when I picked books on a whim. It’s been really interesting, and I’ve learned a LOT about my reading tastes, in redressing the balance a bit. Looking forward to see how you go!
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It is a nice pairing, not too much of a challenge but I’ll still have to stretch myself a bit. You could always join me…
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Hahaha I wish I could! I’m very determined to finish all of the books on my current reading list this year – that’s my personal 2019 challenge! But 2020 might be the year I finally sync up with the rest of the bookish world and take on challenges like this one, they look like so much fun… 😉👍🏼
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I’ll hold you to that! 😁
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I’ve been participating in this challenge for years and always enjoy it so it’ll be great to see your reviews popping up on the newsletters and page links etc 🙂
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Thanks Tracey. I noticed your name on the newsletter all last year! It’s a great challenge, I’m enjoying it so far, identifying where my most recent reads fit in.
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