Book Loving Kiwis discussion

It's that time of year again!

While the word 'challenge' is in the title, this is a fun way to get involved in the group and there is no pressure :)

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

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

2. You can pick any book released before the challenge has started and that is available in both print and e-book form. If its a book in a series - please only choose the first book in the series. Please no duplicates.

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.

Participants


1. Erica - 2
2. Carol - 2
3. Carlene - 9
4. Lesley - 5
5. Kerry - 2
6. Melinda
7. Angie - 3
8. Kathleen - 15
9. Karen
10. Sharlene -1
11. Kim J - 2

Up to message 109

Book Pool

My three picks are:

Them: Adventures with Extremists (thought this was particularly relevant given recent tragic events in NZ)

The Party

The Age of Miracles

I will be joining in, but need time to think about my choices. :)

I love these challenges as it helps to broaden choices!

Anything But Typical

Ghost

If I Stay

Yes, I'll be in again and applying the same technique as before - nominating books I've read. I've still got three books I wanted to read from the last Pool to get too! I've a couple in mind, but will post my list when I've made three firm decisions. :)

I have made two choices

by Kristin Hannah &

by Nevil Shute. (Original title The Breaking Wave) Not available as a kindle, (although there is an audible copy)but it is on Kobo & lots of libraries have a copy.

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I have made two choices

by Kristin Hannah &

by Nevil Shute. (Original title The Breaking Wave) Not available as a kindle, (alt..."

Oooh I've been meaning to read some more Nevil Shute, haven't got to this one yet :)

Erica wrote: "Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I have made two choices

by Kristin Hannah

Arrggghhh! I didn't realise Fly Away was the second part in the series & the first part Firefly Lane my library has as "Undefined" I'm guessing that means missing but hoping it will turn up.

Can I change to by Liane Moriarty?

Sorry!

I'm in. I'll put my choices up next week as I'm away from home at present.

My three choices are -

The Polish Detective by Hania Allen

A Month of Sundays by Liz Byrski

The Glovemaker by Ann Weisgarber

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I have made two choices

by Kristin Hannah &

by Nevil Shute. (Original title The Breaking Wave) Not available as a kindle, (alt..."

Requiem for a Wren is a terrific read. Fascinating themes

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Erica wrote: "Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I have made two choices

by Kristin Hannah

Arrggghhh! I didn't realise Fly Away was the second part in the series & the..."

Done Carol :)

Melinda wrote: "Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I have made two choices

by Kristin Hannah &

by Nevil Shute. (Original title The Breaking Wave) ..."

Are you going to join us Melinda? The more the merrier

I'm in. My three picks are:


The Imaginary Lives Of James Poneke


The Heart's Invisible Furies


The Last Time We Spoke

How do you all choose which titles to nominate? Are they books you own, books that you've already read and want to share with the group, trying to reduce your TBR pile? No big deal, just curious. Two of mine were gifts that I haven't got to yet and the other has been in my TBR list for a while.

Angie wrote: "I'm in. My three picks are:


The Imaginary Lives Of James Poneke


[book:Th..."

They're usually books on your TBR that you want to get to. But pretty flexible.

My Sister Rosa
by Justine Larbalestier

Angel: A Virago Modern Classic
Elizabeth Taylor


The White Earth
Andrew McGahan

Hope these find favour, I'm keen to read the two Australian ones and I've heard good things about the Elizabeth Taylor book which was first published back in 1957, I have the 2017 Virago edition with a beautiful peacock on the cover.

Erica wrote: "Melinda wrote: "Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I have made two choices

by Kristin Hannah &

by Nevil Shute. (Original title The..."
I'm a bit behind on my own reading at the moment but if I manage to reread Requiem for a Wren in time Id love to join in the conversation :)

Anyone else keen on joining? The more the merrier

As much as I love the book pool, I won’t be able to participate in it this time. I have some huge deadlines to hit and as such won’t be getting much reading done during these months. Nonetheless, I’ll be taking note of the books. Have found some amazing suggestions from the pool previously.

Ninitha (Niko) wrote: "As much as I love the book pool, I won’t be able to participate in it this time. I have some huge deadlines to hit and as such won’t be getting much reading done during these months. Nonetheless, I..."

That is a shame! Damn real life for getting in the way of reading time!

Erica I have a question I would like to nominate Birdstories: A History of the Birds of New Zealand but it doesn't appear to be available in ereader format & I think I would lose a lot if I did read on a kindle.

Can an exception be made for illustrated NZ books?

If not, I will nominate Can You Tolerate This? by Ashleigh Young.

Some one upthread asked how we chose what books we nominate.

This time I was trying to nominate books I own, as I am trying to downsize. & in another group a book was deleted fom my library before I got to the read.

But I like to nominate at least one NZ book, so that will have to be a library book.

Ninitha (Niko) wrote: "As much as I love the book pool, I won’t be able to participate in it this time. I have some huge deadlines to hit and as such won’t be getting much reading done during these months. Nonetheless, I..."

Gutted you won't be able to join this month, always good to see you in them!

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Ninitha (Niko) wrote: "As much as I love the book pool, I won’t be able to participate in it this time. I have some huge deadlines to hit and as such won’t be getting much reading done during these..."

Hi Carol,

I'm happy for you to nominate Bird Stories.

Cool it looks so amazing!

I'd like to join in.
One book I'll nominate is The Burning Chambers, by Kate Mosse. I bought it in England a year ago & haven't got round to reading it yet. I'll add another 2 later.

Karen wrote: "I'd like to join in.
One book I'll nominate is The Burning Chambers, by Kate Mosse. I bought it in England a year ago & haven't got round to reading it yet. I'll add another 2 later."

Glad you could join us Karen. Great first choice - I've only heard great things about The Burning Chambers.

Sorry everyone, still whacking on with the novel - nearly there - about the fifteenth rewrite - and I have a good editor asking for more stories! Sold him 2, he wants 2 more plus possibly another 2. All set in Mediaeval Japan. Fun writing them. Will have an ebook out of them myself in 6 months.

Still reading madly but mainly rereading old favourites for comfort.

Miss you all will raise head from keyboard when I can. :)

P.D.R. wrote: "Sorry everyone, still whacking on with the novel - nearly there - about the fifteenth rewrite - and I have a good editor asking for more stories! Sold him 2, he wants 2 more plus possibly another 2..."

Thats awesome PDR!

I’m in!
Thanks for keeping our Book Pool alive :)

1. by Colleen Hoover

2 more to come

Great that you could join in Sharlene :) Look forward to seeing what other two books you pick!

I always plan to do this and then something comes up. Last time I had a book release and this time I'm editing. Is there a list somewhere of all Kiwi writers we know about or are we Kiwis reading from everywhere? I haven't quite worked it all out yet.

Sharlene and Karen - I think you still can choose two books for the Book Pool, make sure to comment here before the end of May :)

I usually enjoy doing this! Still ok to join?

If so, Tin Man by Sarah Winman and The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Leguin are my nominations.

I don't see my books from message 19 in the book pool as yet so repeating them here:


My Sister Rosa
by Justine Larbalestier

Angel: A Virago Modern Classic
Elizabeth Taylor


The White Earth
Andrew McGahan

Sorry Kerry, must have missed them! thanks for re-posting. I'll add to the pool when I'm back at home and have access to my laptop

Book 2: by Annie Spence

Book 3: by Rupi Kaur

Woohoo! We can start reading tomorrow.

Awesome I've finally added your books Kerry and Sharlene :)

Kim.J wrote: "I usually enjoy doing this! Still ok to join?

If so, Tin Man by Sarah Winman and The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Leguin are my nominations."

Glad you can join in Kim J - You're allowed to nominate three books so feel free to pick one more for the pool :)

I have some of the books I plan on reading waiting for the clock to strike twelve midnight!

I am beginning with Requiem for a Wren, followed by Age of Miracles, Dear Fahrenheit 451, and Tin Man. There are others I'd like to read and I'm on the waiting list for at the library, but whether they get to me in time ...

I'm 2 papers away from finishing my library studies degree and felt that Dear Fahrenheit 451 was a good choice to bid my studies farewell.

Now I'm thinking that I should've selected this Group Read for the month, so I could kill two birds with one stone.

So many good books to choose from! Think I might start with Left Hand of Darkness of The Age of Miracles

I have a really heavy reading month coming up!

I'm going to start with Birdstories - already have checked it out of the library!

I'm starting with Rupi Kaur, been wanting to read a book by them for quite some time - i've actually already pre-borrowed it as an ebook on my libby app in prep! :)

woops, I was ready to start a day early!

I've checked out Without Merit, The Sun and Her Flowers and Daughter of Gloriavale: My life in a Religious Cult (group read challenge) using the Overdrive app.

Fingers crossed I can get my final assignment for my current paper finished in the next week which will give me 3 weeks of leisure reading before I start my placement at the Gisborne library in July.

Sharlene wrote: "Fingers crossed I can get my final assignment for my current paper finished in the next week..."

good luck with your assignment.

I've made a start on My Sister Rosa, looks like a good one.

Sorry to be a nuisance if the answer should be obvious, but... where do I find the whole list of the Book Pool books?

Karen wrote: "Sorry to be a nuisance if the answer should be obvious, but... where do I find the whole list of the Book Pool books?"

Message 3 - all the pretty book covers. 😊