2019 Booklover Wrap-Up and 2020 Reading Resolutions

Australian Books Featured in 2019

My 2019 Booklover Book Reviews Wrap-Up and 2020 Reading Resolutions.

A lot happened in 2019 that curbed my usual reading rate. In that context, I am pleased that I still managed to publish reviews of 30 titles and we featured another 15 new releases.

Books by Aussie Authors

I reviewed 16 titles by Australian authors:

The Promised Land, Brock & Kolla #13 by Barry Maitland Jack West Book 5 - Matthew Reilly The Rosie Result - Graeme Simsion Shoot Through - J M Green The Returns - Philip Salom - Top Books of 2019  Kate Forsyth The Blue Rose Tara Moss Billie Walker Historical Crime Series The Weekend - Charlotte Wood The Great Divide Review, LJM Owen Darkness for Light - Emma Viskic - My Favourite Novels of 2019

I committed to the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge at the Miles Level (6 books) and my own Aussie Author Challenge 2019 at the Kangaroo level (12 books, 4+ male, 4+ female, 4+ new authors, 3+ genre).

Of the 16 titles above, 9 of these are by female authors, 4 authors were new to me (Maitland, Salom, Lockett, Hammer)  and 5 genres are featured (Crime, Historical, Romance, Literature, Sci-Fi-Adventure). So I completed both challenges.

Plus, we featured a further 11 new releases by Australian writers:

Matt Howard - The Time is Now Monica Sparrow The Shining Wall by Melissa Ferguson Wedding Puzzle by Sallie Muirden Things Nobody Knows But Me by Amba Pajalic

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Science Fiction Books

I committed to reading at least 5 science fiction titles (via SpaceTime Reading Challenge).

Jack West Book 5 - Matthew Reilly Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen This is How You Lose the Time War The Psychology of Time Travel - Kate Mascarenhas

So I fell just short on this challenge, but very much enjoyed these four.

Crime Fiction & Thrillers

I committed to reading 5-15 suspense/thriller/crime titles (via Cloak & Dagger Reading Challenge). 10 of the Aussie authored titles I read can be categorised as crime/thrillers. Add to those these four (4) titles below and challenge completed.

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah The Scholar by Dervla McTiernan, Review The Comedy Club Mystery, Deadline Murder Series Book 3 These Little Lies - Gretta Mulrooney

Historical Fiction

I committed to reading at least 5 historical fiction titles (via Historical Fiction Reading Challenge). Challenge completed.

The Lost History of Dreams - Kris Waldherr The Comedy Club Mystery, Deadline Murder Series Book 3  Kate Forsyth The Blue Rose Tara Moss Billie Walker Historical Crime Series

2020 Reading Resolutions

I am hoping for more reading time this year, and so am going to increase my reading target levels but not necessarily the number of annual challenges I commit to:

Aussie Author Reading Challenge 2020Aussie Author Challenge 2020

Of course, I am signing up to the challenge I host here on Booklover Book Reviews, showcasing the quality and diversity of the books being produced by Australian authors – now in our 11th year!

It might end up a stretch, but I am going to target the new challenge level I added this year:

EMU – Read and review 24 titles written by Australian Authors of which at least 10 of those authors are female, at least 10 of those authors are male, and at least 10 of those authors are new to you; Fiction or non-fiction, at least 4 different genres.

2020 Australian Women Writers Challenge

The AWW challenge was set up to help overcome gender bias in the reviewing of books by Australian women. The challenge encourages avid readers and book bloggers, male and female, living in or outside Australia, to read and review books by Australian women throughout the year. Now in its 9th year.

This challenge works very nicely with my own Aussie Author Challenge, with reviews for it able to be shared. This year I am going to target the Franklin Level (10 books).

2020 Non-Fiction Reader Challenge

The aim of Shelleyrae’s Nonfiction Reader Challenge is to encourage you to make nonfiction part of your reading experience during the year.

Non-fiction represents a woefully small portion of the titles on Booklover Book Reviews and I want to change that.

I’m signing up as a Nonfiction Nibbler: Read 6 books, from any category

Other Reading Goals

While not challenges per se, I have a few other reading-related goals for 2020:

Will you be signing up to any of these reading challenges?

What are your 2020 reading resolutions?