Helen McKenna
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Another Year Another AWW Challenge!

3/1/2019

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2018 proved to be another busy year, which didn't allow me the time to review for the Australian Women Writers Challenge. However I did definitely read for it, clocking up a total of 12 books by female Australian authors. Averaging one a month, it is the best way I can show support for my fellow Australian Women Writers.

To find out more about the challenge and discover thousands of reviews check out the Australian Women Writers Website - click HERE.
You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter and via their blog.

You can see the books I read for the challenge on my Goodreads page. Click HERE.
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AWW Challenge 2017 Wrap Up

2/1/2018

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As expected I did not have time to complete reviews for the AWW challenge this year. However I did read 14 books for the challenge. While this is less than previous years, it is still a much higher number than I would have ever read back before AWW began back in 2012. Please continue to support Australian Women Writers by seeking out home grown fiction and reading it. You can find some ideas in my reviews or head to the Australian Women Writers website for thousands of reviews.

The books I read in 2017 can be viewed on Goodreads (click).
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Australian Women Writer's Challenge 2017 Sign Up

26/1/2017

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In what has become an enjoyable annual ritual, I am happy to once again be signing up for the Australian Women Writer's Challenge for 2017. This year I hope to read 25 books by Australian women although I am not sure if I will have the time to review any.

Started in 2012, the AWW challenge has inspired hundreds of people to pledge to add books by female Australian authors to their reading lists and has inspired thousands of reviews. You can get further details at the Australian Women Writer's Website. Anybody can join the challenge, as a reader only or reader/reviewer.

You can read my reviews for previous years by scrolling down the sidebar.



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AWW 2016 Wrap Up

30/12/2016

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I am happy that I was able to review books again in 2016 for the Australian Women Writer's Challenge. I am happy to report I read 24 books for the challenge and reviewed 8. You can read my reviews here:
AWW 2016 Reviews
Thank you to all those who make the challenge possible and I look forward to taking part again in 2017.


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AWW No 8: Labour of Love by Shannon Garner

3/12/2016

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Shannon Garner is in an elite but very special group - she is an altruistic surrogate, a woman who carried and gave birth to a baby for another couple without financial reward. Most people simply can't get their head around the idea that somebody would do such a thing, but after reading Labour Of Love I have come to better understand the whole process and gained a huge amount of respect for Shannon and her family.

Shannon and her husband already had two healthy children when they made the momentous decision for Shannon to be the surrogate for same sex couple Jon and Justin. They are an ordinary family in many respects, but Shannon had an out of the ordinary desire to help somebody else to create the family of their dreams. Following some further research, she is connected with Jon and Justin, who are desperate for a child of their own. From there it was a somewhat complex journey, to ensure all parties were aware of what they were undertaking, but never once did Shannon waver in her desire to be a surrogate.



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AWW Review No 7: The War Bride by Pamela Hart

17/11/2016

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World War I is over and English woman Margaret is finally given clearance to sail to Australia to begin the new life she and her husband Frank planned during the dark days of War. Separated for nearly two years, Margaret is full of hope and anticipation, sure that the love she and Frank share will be enough to see them through any hardships that may arise. Sadly she did not foresee that Frank would not be waiting to meet her at the dock. After further investigation Margaret receives the news that Frank is married with a child. Shocked and devastated, Margaret decides against returning home to England and instead decides to create a new life for herself in Australia.

Being 1920 there are many social conventions that must be negotiated in order for Margaret to live freely as a single woman. Declaring herself to be a widow, she finds lodging and a job and embraces her new life in Sydney. Although outwardly happy, she struggles with the reality that she is still married and that Frank has betrayed her in the worst way possible. It is only when she receives a letter from Frank (via England) asking for a divorce that Margaret realises there has been a terrible mix up and that trying to sort it out is going to cause a lot of heartache.


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AWW No 6: Surfacing by Nene Davies

9/11/2016

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Surfacing is the third installment of Nene Davies' trilogy about the Richardson's, a Welsh family who created a new life for themselves in Australia. Having come the know the characters well in the first two books, it was great to see how their journey finished up in Surfacing.

Right from the get go, Isobel is familiar, yet different. Tragedy has rocked her life and she is still very much treading water - functioning on a physical level but still emotionally at sea. With her children grown and gone Isobel is struggling to re-discover herself and her place in the world and is questioning if her adopted home of Australia is where she really wants to be.

As with the first two books of the series, Surfacing delivers well developed characters and a plausible storyline that most of us would be able to relate to. There is plenty of drama and many scenes that will have you reaching for the tissues. But on the flip side there is also a realistic exploration of several issues, such as depression, and a lovely sense of healing and hope.

Surfacing rounds out the Distance trilogy nicely with satisfying wrap ups for each of the characters and no loose ends to leave the reader hanging. I look forward to reading more of Nene's books in the future.

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AWW Review No 5: Invisible Women by Kylie Fox and Ruth Wykes

21/8/2016

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When news of a murder hits the headlines, the public sit up and take notice. Or so you would assume. Apparently this is not the case for murdered sex workers, however. Invisible Women tells the stories of these women. While their occupation may be seen as unsavoury by society in general, this should not mean that we are any less horrified by their violent deaths - yet it seems that we are.

Society generally perceives sex workers as nameless and faceless. We do not consider that these women are somebody's daughter, sister, aunt or mother and that their deaths involve the same kind of pain and loss as any murdered family member or friend. Invisible Women gives a voice to these women whose plight has been silenced by a lack of reporting, which then results in a lack of the kind of outrage that any murder should evoke.



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AWW Review No 4: Life As I Know It by Michelle Payne

19/8/2016

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I will freely admit I am not remotely interested in horse racing, but having heard snippets of Michelle Payne's story after she won The Melbourne Cup, I was very interested in reading Life As I Know It. The youngest of eleven children, Michelle was just six months old when her mother was tragically killed in a car accident. Yet with the love of her large family, she speaks of a happy childhood and an early start in the business of horse racing.

The Payne family is a true facing family, with their father making his living as trainer. All the children were involved in the care of the horses, learning the ropes as soon as they were old enough to undertake the myriad of tasks involved. Along with her next in age brother Stevie, who has Down Syndrome, Michelle spent her early years in and around the stables, but it wasn't all work. There was plenty of time for play too and Michelle speaks fondly of her childhood, even though an outside observer might see it as unusual or even tough upbringing.



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AWW Review No 3: Aussie Midwives by Fiona McArthur

29/4/2016

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It is often the doctors that get the kudos for the safe arrival of babies into the world, but in reality it is, and always has been, the midwives who are the true heroes of not just birthing but also pre and post natal care of women all around the world. It was nice to read a book dedicated to such an amazing profession.

From the huge hospitals of our major cities, to tiny clinics in the remotest of locations midwives are an ever present force in health care. It was interesting to read that midwifery has gone through many changes over the years - from the full medicalisation of the 1950s and 1960s, to the more balanced approach that is available today which includes such things as birthing centres (both within and outside of hospitals) as well as midwives who are completely independent operators.

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<<Previous
    All AWW Challenge Reviews
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    I am excited to once again be participating in the Australian Women Writers Challenge for 2019. Although I am not currently reviewing books for the challenge,  I am still reading. You can find my reviews from previous years below.

    You can read my previous reviews by clicking on the links below.
    2012 Reviews
    2013 Reviews
    2014 Reviews
    2016 Reviews

    Why Review?

    It wasn't until I became an author that I came to realise the true value of book reviews. It is the single best way of getting your book out there in the world.

    Reviews do not have to be long and detailed - just a short summary of your thoughts on the book and a rating is enough to help other readers discover new
    authors.

    Major global sites like Amazon and Goodreads can give unknown authors a huge leg up in being discovered. So if you enjoy a book why not take a moment to leave a review?

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