Card Swap 4 2014

Our final swap for the year 

2014 Books in review

I had a pretty good reading year but went through reading slumps and occasions where other interests took over. All in all though I finished 54 books so am rather please with that. Here's the breakdown:

Fiction: 43
Non-Fiction: 11





I also found my love for teenage fiction this year and 13 books were devoured (so really 54 is higher than it ought to be). I read 19 books which were related to my ever so tragically addictive Australian rural romance books. Le sigh - I love them.

I managed to read 11/11 of my bookgroup books - after 7 years I finally hit 100%!

Best reads were hard to choose this year. I did love many of my Aussie Rural Romances but I'm going to pick The Rosie Project and The Book Thief as my favs.

Once again the aim for 2015 is 52 books - have a great holiday and may it be filled with many books :)

Book: Butterfly

Summary: Plum Coyle is on the edge of adolescence. Her fourteenth birthday is approaching, when her old life and her old body will fall away, and she will become graceful, powerful, and at ease. The strength of the objects she stores in a briefcase under her bed —a crystal lamb, a yoyo, an antique watch, a coin —will make sure of it. Over the next couple of weeks, Plum’s life will change. Her beautiful neighbor Maureen will begin to show Plum how she might fly. The older brothers she adores will court catastrophe in worlds that she barely knows exist. And her friends, her worst enemies, will tease and test, smelling weakness. They will try to lead her on and take her down.

What I thought: I enjoyed it as a coming of age story as much of it was so true. Not sure about ending though. Still thinking on that one!

Book: Mercy

Summary: Police chief of a small Massachusetts town, Cameron McDonald makes the toughest arrest of his life when his own cousin Jamie comes to him and confesses outright that he has killed his terminally ill wife out of mercy.

Now, a heated murder trial plunges the town into upheaval, and drives a wedge into a contented marriage: Cameron, aiding the prosecution in their case against Jamie, is suddenly at odds with his devoted wife, Allie -- seduced by the idea of a man so in love with his wife that he'd grant all her wishes, even her wish to end her life. And when an inexplicable attraction leads to a shocking betrayal, Allie faces the hardest questions of the heart: when does love cross the line of moral obligation? And what does it mean to truly love another?

What I thought: Hmmm.A great moral dilemma but this one just didn't do it for me. Hated the affair. Loved that she became strong and independent but then she took him back! Sort of ruined the whole mercy story which should have been the focus.

HLI Event Grey Literature - what do we need to know?

This event was in July at RMH by the amazing Jess Tyndall and it was fab! I might be bias in saying that as I was the main organiser for it but still I learnt so much.

I took pages and pages of notes but her powerpoint pretty much sums it up:
 

http://hdl.handle.net/2328/34991 

 

It really is like a whole other world of searching...

Book: Sunnyvale Girls

Summary: Three generations of Stewart women share a deep connection to their family farm, but a secret from the past threatens to tear them apart.

Widowed matriarch Maggie remembers a time when the Italian prisoners of war came to work on their land, changing her heart and her home forever. Single mum Toni has been tied to the place for as long as she can recall, although farming was never her dream. And Flick is as passionate about the farm as a girl could be, despite the limited opportunities for love.

When a letter from 1946 is unearthed in an old cottage on the property, the Sunnyvale girls find themselves on a journey into their own hearts and across the world to Italy. Their quest to solve a mystery leads to incredible discoveries about each other, and about themselves.


What I thought: Another great rural romance. Love this author!

Book : The Power of Bones

Summary: It looked bleak and predictable for little Keelen Mailman: an alcoholic mother, absent father, the horrors of regular sexual and physical assault and the casual racism of a small outback town in the sixties. But somehow, despite the pain and deprivation, the lost education, she managed to absorb her mother's lessons: her Bidjara language and culture, her obligations to Country, and her loyalty to her family.

So it was no surprise to some that a girl who could hide for a year in her own home to keep her family together, run as fast as Raylene Boyle and catch porcupine and goanna, would one day make history. At just 30, and a single mother, Keelen became the first Aboriginal woman to run a commercial cattle station when she took over Mt Tabor, two hours from Augathella on the black soil plains of western Queensland. This is the heartland of Bidjara country, after all, the place her mother and grandparents and great-grandparents had camped on and cared for, and where their ancestors left their marks on caves and rock walls more than 10,000 years ago.

In this unflinching memoir, the warmth of Keelen's personality, her determination and her irresistible humour shine through as she recalls her extraordinary life.

What I thought: I enjoyed this. It wasn't a lot about cattle stations and properties as such but it gave me a great Indigenous perspective of things which I am learning more about all the time.

Book: Thirteen Pearls

Summary: Edie Sparks has grand plans. She' s building a boat to sail solo around the world, but she needs cash, and fast. So when her uncle offers her good money to work on his island pearl farm for six weeks she jumps at the chance. All she has to do is babysit her little cousi - how hard could it be?

But soon Edie is wrangling a monster-brat, arguing with her uncle and being wooed by two handsome boys. The work is hard and thankless and an isolated island off the coast of Far North Queensland turns out to be not as idyllic as it sounds.

What I thought: A good teen romance is a beautiful setting. really enjoy this author.

Book: The Girl with No Name

Summary: In 1954, in a remote mountain village in South America, a little girl was abducted. She was four years old. Marina Chapman was stolen from her housing estate and then abandoned deep in the Colombian jungle. That she survived is a miracle. Two days later, half-drugged, terrified, and starving, she came upon a troop of capuchin monkeys. Acting entirely on instinct, she tried to do what they did: she ate what they ate and copied their actions, and little by little, learned to fend for herself.

So begins the story of her five years among the monkeys, during which time she gradually became feral; she lost the ability to speak, lost all inhibition, lost any real sense of being human, replacing the structure of human society with the social mores of her new simian family. But society was eventually to reclaim her. At age ten she was discovered by a pair of hunters who took her to the lawless Colombian city of Cucuta where, in exchange for a parrot, they sold her to a brothel. When she learned that she was to be groomed for prostitution, she made her plans to escape. But her adventure wasn’t over yet...


What I thought: Wow - what an amazing life. So sad and scary at times. Enjoyed this book.

Bookgroup Book: QF32

Summary: On 4 November 2010, a flight from Singapore to Sydney came within a knife edge of being one of the world's worst air disasters. Shortly after leaving Changi Airport, an explosion shattered Engine 2 of Qantas flight QF32 – an Airbus A380, the largest and most advanced passenger plane ever built. Hundreds of pieces of shrapnel ripped through the wing and fuselage, creating chaos as vital flight systems and back-ups were destroyed or degraded.

In other hands, the plane might have been lost with all 469 people on board, but a supremely experienced flight crew, led by Captain Richard Champion de Crespigny, managed to land the crippled aircraft and safely disembark the passengers after hours of nerve-racking effort.

Tracing Richard's life and career up until that fateful flight, QF32 shows exactly what goes into the making of a top-level airline pilot, and the extraordinary skills and training needed to keep us safe in the air. Fascinating in its detail and vividly compelling in its narrative, QF32 is the riveting, blow-by-blow story of just what happens when things go badly wrong in the air, told by the captain himself.

What I thought: I enjoyed this book but at times it was too technical for me. Still an interesting story. reading this also means I've read ALL bookgroup books for 2014. First time in 7 years!

Book: Diamond Spirit

Summary: At the start of the summer holidays, the unthinkable happens when Jess's beloved pony Diamond has a terrible accident. Why won't Shara, Jess's closest friend, tell her what happened down on the river flats that day? Jess suspects the worst, and feels as though she's lost not just one best friend, but two. But new friends and new horses come into Jess's life, along with the chance to compete in the Longwood campdraft. And there's one little filly who needs her help...Can Walkabout heal Jess's broken heart in return?

What I thought: Loved it - looking forward to the rest in the series. Horsey but not too horsey! 

Book: Rain Dance

Summary: Holly Harvey doesn't want to move to Gunnedah, far from her friends and her home near the beach. And she's a vegetarian, so living on a beef property, with cattle yards, polo ponies and pig-shooting, makes it even worse. She and Kaydon are worlds apart - until a fight breaks out at the fundraising ball.

What I thought: Loved, loved, loved. I want more!

Book: Jumping Fences

Summary: Zoe wakes up in hospital after a mustering accident and can't remember a thing. When she gets home, everything has changed. Her dad is being really harsh and her boyfriend Scotty and bestie Caitlin aren't answering her messages. What's going on? Most importantly, what is her brother's mysterious friend Josh hiding, and can he help find her dad's stolen cattle and save him from having to sell the farm? Zoe needs answers and she needs them fast.

What I thought: Another great teen country romance. Can't get enough of these!

Book: Bookmark Days

Summary: 'I've been driving the ute and the tractor since I was eleven. I get to sleep under the stars, help lambs into the world and ride my horse whenever I want.'
Avril Stanton lives in the country and thrives on it. But she has never been in love - until she meets Nathaniel, the boy from the farm next door.
Avril's family and Nathaniel's family have been feuding for two generations and aren't about to stop now. Will it be a Romeo-and-Juliet-style tragedy or will a thunderstorm, a car accident and a couple of conniving grandmothers be able to solve her dilemma?

What I thought: A great teen country read.

Book: A Bush Christmas

Summary: Jaime Hanrahan does not want anything to do Christmas this year. She's just been retrenched, and if that wasn't bad enough, this is her first Christmas without her beloved father Jack, who died last Boxing Day. Determined not to spend it with her mother, who has already remarried, and her friends, who still have six-figure jobs, she jumps at the chance to house-sit a mansion in rural Burdekin's Gap.

Two problems.

Number one, the property comes with a handsome station manager, Stirling McEvoy, who doesn't take kindly to a city chick destroying his peace. Especially when she needs rescuing from stampeding cattle, falling Christmas trees and town ladies wielding catering lists and tablecloths. And two, in Burdekin's Gap there's no chance of escaping the festive season. For the town has its own unique way of celebrating Christmas – big time, BUSH style!

What I thought: A nice enjoyable read. After finishing this I got my reading mojo back :)

Book: Bringing the Summer

Summary: It’s the lazy end of summer and Freya is about to start her A levels. Her brother Joe died a year ago, but she is slowly coming to terms with his death. She is beginning to feel ready for something new – a change. And then a railway accident brings her into contact with the gorgeous Gabe. Freya is drawn not just to his blond good looks, but everything about him, including his large, shambolic, warm and loving family, which seems to Freya so different from her own. And then Gabe’s clearly troubled older brother makes it clear he is interested in Freya – and Freya has some decisions to make about what she really wants.

What I thought: I really enjoyed this. A good teen book which delved a little deeper than many.

Book: This is not a drill: just another glorious day in the oilfields

Summary: He's back on the rigs and back in trouble.

Picking up right where he left off, Paul Carter pulls out more tall tales of a mad, bad and dangerous life in the international oil trade. Starting with action and mayhem galore This Is Not A Drill sets an unrelenting pace that just doesn't let up, as Paul almost drowns when the Russian rig he's working on begins to capsize; is reunited with his Dad - another adrenaline junkie; gets married; hangs out with his rig pig buddies in exotic locations; gets hammered on vodka in Sakhalin; and spends a couple of interesting weeks in Afghanistan with some mates who run an outfit that just happens to contract out mercenaries for hire ...

What I thought: A good funny laugh. Quick and enjoyable.

Book: Red Sand Sunrise

Summary: From the internationally bestselling author Fiona McArthur comes a heartfelt story of family ties, the power of love and the passion of ordinary people achieving extraordinary things.
When the father she barely knew dies suddenly, midwife Eve Wilson decides she owes it to him to go to the funeral and meet her stepfamily in Red Sand. She doesn't expect to be so completely charmed by the beautiful remote township in far west Queensland – or by local station owner, Lex McKay.
After disappointment and heartbreak in Sydney, Dr Callie Wilson doesn't hesitate to move home and spend some time with her grieving mother. When she is approached to oversee the establishment of the area's first medical clinic, it seems the perfect opportunity. And Callie is keen to involve Eve, the sister she's just getting to know. Melbourne-based obstetrician Sienna Wilson can't understand why anyone would want to bury themselves in the outback, but when her hospital sends her north to research the medical mystery affecting women in Red Sand, it seems fate is intent on bringing the three sisters together.  And when disaster strikes, they must each decide if being true to themselves means being there for each other . . .

What I thought: LOVED! A new rural romance author - yah! I was hooked into this. Sure it was all a bit far fetched but I didn't care - really enjoyed it. Looking forward to more in this genre from this author.

Book: Outback Blaze

Summary: Ruby Jones was always an optimist, but the trauma of her past had made her wary.  So when she flees to the small rural community of Bunyip Bay to start afresh, she has her sights firmly set on establishing her horse-riding business and rebuilding her life.  The last thing Ruby wants is a romance. In fact, after all she has been through, she can't imagine she will ever  believe in love again.Police officer Drew Noble has no intention of staying in Bunyip Bay — he is just an outsider seeking temporary refuge. But as the charm of the town sways him, Drew finds himself increasingly drawn to the  community and its inhabitants, as well as another newcomer, the lovely Ruby Jones.
When Drew investigates a suspicious fire at Ruby's parents' business, he finds himself feeling strangely protective of the girl with the flowers in her hair. As the details of Ruby's past emerge and she comes once more under threat, Drew realises he will do all in his power to save her.
Soon  these outsiders discover they have both lost their hearts — not only to the town but to each other.

What I thought:  Back to my fav genre - rural chick lit. Another good book (not super) but still enjoyable. Looking forward to reading book 3 in the series soon.

Book: Disgraced

Summary: Brought up in a violent Muslim household, where family honour is all, Saira is watched 24 hours a day. However, an innocent friendship with a boy is uncovered and Saira is sent to Pakistan, punished for dishonouring her family. There, the nightmare really begins. Forced to marry an older stranger who rapes her repeatedly and makes her his round-the-clock sex slave, she eventually plots her escape but, destitute, has to return to the family home in England. Once there, she discovers that one of her brothers has run up huge drug debts and Saira must earn money in the only way she can: by selling her body. Disgraced is the true story of an innocence ruined and a life shattered. But it is also a tale of survival told by a woman who has finally discovered her true voice.

What I thought: A great riveting yet sad read. Didn't quite believe all of what I read but it was fast paced which I enjoyed (although bits were left out where I wanted more detail).

Book: Caching In

Summary: Is there cash in the final cache? Eric and Chris are avid geocachers who stumble into a very strange search for a series of geocaches. At first they are merely curious, but as the stakes rise and the challenges become more trying, the boys get truly hooked. Convinced they are indeed on the trail of treasure, they become consumed with the search, and though their quest tests their strength, intelligence, courage and even their friendship, they don't give up.

What I thought: Loved it! Quick read which feed my current geocaching obsession! Pretty basic but still a fav :)

Card Swap 3 2014