Book Loving Kiwis discussion

Hey everyone - it's that time of year again! The book pool challenge is coming.

If you've never played, here are the rules:

Directions:

1. When you sign up pick 3 books you want to be included in the "book pool."

2. You can pick any book as long as they have been released before the challenge has started. Please no duplicates. If you want to include a book from a series please only include the first book in the series.

3. Once the challenge starts you will read books from the "pool."

4. At the end of the month whoever read the most books from the pool is the champion!

Have fun!

The challenge begins on June 1st.
To claim points, please don't start your books from the pool until then!

You can sign up and add books until May 31st. You can join the Challenge after this date, but you will not be able to add books to the pool.

This challenge is definitely a case of 'the more the merrier' so please join in. Even if you don't read very much during a month it's a very casual challenge so don't worry :)

Participants:

1. Erica - 7
2. Darkpool - 4
3. Carol - 3
4. Kerry - 4
5. Deborah
6. Sharlene
7. Kate M - 2
8. Angie
9. Joanne (JD)
10. Kelli - 2
11. Sheena
12. Ninitha (Niko) - 12
13. Allie - 4
14. Katrina - 9
15. Kirsten
16. Katherine - 5
17. Mariana -3

Up to message #220

Book Pool:

Squee!!!! Hard to believe it's bookpool time again. Off to have a think.

I'm signing up!

I'll have a think about my books over the next few days. :)

*stealth brag* I'll be in Raro for 10 days in June & probably won't have internet. So I may be a bit quiet this time.

Great I'll add you guys to the list when I'm near my laptop. I'm still thinking about my 3 books too :)

Sweet. I've updated participants and added my 3 books to the pool.

I'm in, also mulling which books to add.

Awesome Kerry I'll add you to the list :)

0oh! another one! I'll have a think! Am in, anyway : )

Don't add yet - wondered if most of you have read Thirteen Reasons Why - have noticed some books can be avoided because they have already been read. This one I think we should at least know what the controversy is about.

I've not read or seen the TV show Deborah.

wondered if most of you have read Thirteen Reasons Why - have noticed some books can be avoided because they ..."

I read this when it first came out. I enjoyed it but felt there were better books on the subject for teens to read. Haven't had any urge to see the tv show.

I enjoyed it enough that I read something else by the author. I was just interested in us, as a micro-pool of readers, because of the controversy over the TV show (which I think is short sighted, at least!)

If teens are relating to the show, I guess older adults might at least know why. Just a thought.

Now, my own books..........nope, can't use that, Library don't have it.....can't use that, it's in the middle of a series (hate it when other people nominate book 5 of something).....that's hard to get.....tsk!







Have checked...Auckland Libraries have them all. Sarah Gristwood is a fabulous historian and the other two come highly recommended by GR readers whose opinions I have respect for, due to reading other books they suggested I read : )

Ooh I've not heard of any of those books Deborah so I'm intrigued!

I've had disasters with some I put in Book Pool before - I was determined to find books you would also hopefully enjoy as much as I hope to!

Anyone who likes history - Sarah Gristwood is really excellent - I find female historians can be mediocre-to-bad, so am always excited when I find a truly excellent, current, female historian. Seems to bring out the chauvinistic in women.......

omg! Erica - Broken sounds like a cross between The Throwback and The Casual Vacancy!

Deborah wrote: "omg! Erica - Broken sounds like a cross between The Throwback and The Casual Vacancy!"

I've not read either of those.

Maybe I should stick them in for the next challenge then? Only trouble is, I've read them (and loved them).

To my shame I've not read anything by Jenny Pattrick, so looking very favourably on Landings, Erica.
My first nominaton is Walking Free by Munjed Al Muderis

Other two to come...

Decided on my three:


The Betrayers by David Bezmozgis


New Finnish Grammar by Diego Marani


Collision by Joanna Orwin

Thanks guys I've added those books to the pool :)

*rather interested in New Finnish Grammar - despite quite a few negative reviews*

Darkpool (protesting GR censorship) wrote: "To my shame I've not read anything by Jenny Pattrick, so looking very favourably on Landings, Erica.
My first nominaton is Walking Free by Munjed Al Muderis
[bookc..."

And this looks good too - I am spoilt for choice for this Book Pool!

Deborah wrote: "*rather interested in New Finnish Grammar - despite quite a few negative reviews*"

I heard him speak at the Auckland Writers Festival a few years back, he was really interesting and funny.

Well, I will certainly give it a try - it is certainly a novel concept, even if I have to make a few allowances for medical believability!

I'm struggling a bit but I just won by Catherine Lowell in a quiz. It does sound intriguing.

& I usually add a NZ book but this time I'm adding a Canadian (where I was born) by Kim Thuy.

I've checked & lots of NZ libraries stock these titles.

Deborah wrote: "0oh! another one! I'll have a think! Am in, anyway : )

Don't add yet - wondered if most of you have read Thirteen Reasons Why - have noticed some books can be avoided because they ..."

I'm not sure if I understand the question, Deborah. But if we are talking about the book I'm ok with reading controversial books. I'd like to make my own mind up. :)

Exactly!

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote: "I'm struggling a bit but I just won by Catherine Lowell in a quiz. It does sound intriguing.

& I usually add a NZ book but this time I'm adding a Canadia..."

Cool Carol I've added those to the book pool :)

Cool - also last time I suggested we total up which books the most reads. I'm happy to do that for you Erica if you don't have time. :)

I should also mention a few rules that came up after last time - although it hasn't come up this time yet - that authors cannot nominate their own books and books nominated should be in print form (not just in e-book format).

Hopefully there are a few more people out there that may be on the fence who will join in :)

good idea, Carol! Also - can we devise some way of finding out if the majority have read a particular book before....popular books of the last few years are, for instance, going to be ignored by those who have read them. I noticed certain books were popular and so ignored last time. Thus, for me also, there were quite a few I couldn't read.

Happy to say the books in general are far more interesting this time!

My second nomination is The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter

Thanks Darkpool I'll add that to the pool. Haven't read any Terry Pratchett before

For my final one I am going kiwi after all. Goneville by Nick Bollinger.

Thanks Carol I've added that one to the pool as well :)

There is still a couple of weeks for anyone else wanting to join in. The more the merrier! Our book pool is looking a little small and could do with some new additions...

Might be worth messaging the group members. And yes, I remember I still have one to go. tossing up between a nz book and a classic.

I was going to suggest that we nominate 6 books each rather than 3 if the numbers don't grow.

Kerry wrote: "I was going to suggest that we nominate 6 books each rather than 3 if the numbers don't grow."

I would still stick at 3. I read 3-5 books a month with other groups, so I would struggle to read other people's choices, plus my own selection if the number of books was increased.

Carol ♔Type, Oh Queen!♕ wrote:
I would still stick at 3.

It was only a suggestion to increase our choices. I also end up struggling to read more than 3 or 4 from the pool.

Kerry wrote: "
It was only a suggestion to increase our choices. I also end up struggling to read more than 3 or 4 from the pool."

I know - just giving my POV. :)

Good idea to email members - I've not done that before so will try and work it out or contact one of the other moderators when I'm back home this evening.

Go Erica! I received your message & of course, sign me up! Baby has been keeping me awake but I hope she gets into a better sleeping rhythm by June. Will have a hunt through my TBR for light or short reads to give me a better chance at reading them. Be back soon with my picks.

Sharlene wrote: "Go Erica! I received your message & of course, sign me up! Baby has been keeping me awake but I hope she gets into a better sleeping rhythm by June. Will have a hunt through my TBR for light or sho..."

Congratulations Sharlene!

Ok Erica - you've convinced me to sign up:

My three picks:

1.
2.
3.

A bit of peer pressure never hurt anyone Kate :)

Good choices - I've been wanting to read Jo Nesbo for ages.

I'm in - will be back with my picks.

Book pool sounds like fun. Here are 3 from me:

Dear Vincent

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

If I Was Your Girl

Great to have you both taking part Angie and Joanne. I've added you both to the list :)