2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Let's see if I can do it! Have signed up for Clear Your Bookshelves and Serial Reader to add a bit more motivation.

Good luck and hope you enjoy your challenges!

1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
2. Baby No-Eyes by Patricia Grace
3. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
4. The Overstory by Richard Powers
5. In the Clearing by J.P. Pomare
6. Skin by Ilka Tampke
7. Call Me Evie by J.P. Pomare
8. The Conference of the Birds by Ransom Riggs
9. Silver by Chris Hammer
10. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
11. No Friend but the Mountains by Behrouz Boochani
12. Aroha by Anaru Bickford
13. We See the Stars by Kate Van Hooft
14. Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
15. Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski
16. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
17. Aue by Becky Manawatu
18. Legacy of Power by J.A. Gates
19. As Happy as Here by Jane Godwin
20. Syria's Secret Library by Mike Thompson
21. Nothing Bad Happens Here by Nikki Crutchley
22. Winter of Fire by Sherryl Jordan
23. The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
24. Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
25. The Tally Stick by Carl Nixon
26. Ephemera by Tina Shaw
27. Then She was Gone by Lisa Jewell
28. The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
29. The Crime Writer by Gregg Hurwitz
30. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
31. Still Life by Louise Penny
32. The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter
33. The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel
34. The Chemistry of Death by Simon Beckett
35. The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison
36. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

#1

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Finished 04/01/2020
Rating 5 stars

Set in Mississippi during the Civil Rights movement, a young white woman has just graduated from university and rather than aspiring to be a wife she wants to be a writer. Given a push to write about something that interests her, and with the unexplained disappearance of her maid, Constantine, on her mind she decides to ask maids who work for white families, to share their experiences as the Help. Absolutely loved this book.

This is my favorite quote of all time! I hope it brings you luck with your reading in 2020!

Congratulations on finishing the first book of the year, Angie! Have you seen the movie?
Best of luck with your reading challenge in 2020.

Blagica wrote: "This is my favorite quote of all time! I hope it brings you luck with your reading in 2020!
"

Thanks Blagica, I completely agree - always carry a book with me :)

Lisa wrote: "Congratulations on finishing the first book of the year, Angie! Have you seen the movie?
Best of luck with your reading challenge in 2020."

Thanks Lisa - I so enjoyed this book. I had seen the movie a few years ago, but watched it again after finishing the book, this time with my children. Great opportunities for discussion :)

#2

Baby No-Eyes by Patricia Grace

Finished 08/01/2020
Rating 3 stars

Moving backward and forwards through a family's history it covers the discrimination against māori with regard to education, language, genetic property and land ownership. It's important to note that the premise is based on an actual event within a New Zealand hospital, and highlights the systemic lack of cultural awareness - or even empathy - that has affected so many whānau within Aotearoa.
Tawera, one of the main characters in the story shares his life with his older sister, but from a unique perspective. I don't feel it's a book to enjoy, given how it started, but is NZ fiction definitely worth reading. I sometimes struggled with the shift in time and character and would have liked more about some characters, while other parts seemed unnecessary to the story.

#3

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

Finished 15/01/2020
Rating 4 stars

January Scaller is desperately searching - for family, love and belonging. Living as the ward of a wealthy man in a mansion full of artifacts and odd collections, she is also treated like an object. When her father goes missing and an usual book surfaces, January begins to question Mr Locke, her benefactor, which does not go well and sets January on a path of discovery.

# 4

The Overstory by Richard Powers

Finished 23/01/2020
Rating 5 stars

Starting with the Roots - 9 individuals and their connection to trees, turns into the Trunk as their stories merge and grow, just as the readers knowledge of the life of trees grows.

Part novel, part dendrology, and some might say, part sci-fi it's a revealing glimpse of the world of trees, the world of humans and how those worlds intersect - or fail to. Truly amazing - and provides a whole new way to view the world around us.

#5

In The Clearing by J.P. Pomare

Finished 24/01/2020
Rating 3 stars

Two female protagonists tell their stories of the abduction of a young girl. Amy, a teenage girl living in a cult has helped with the abduction. Freya, a mum, is anxious about the girls disappearance and worries that someone is going to take her son Billy. As the tension grows, their stories converge. Good holiday read.

#6

Skin by Ilka Tampke

Finished 28/01/2020
Rating 3 stars

Actually debating a 2 star rating for this. "Set in Iron Age Britain on the cusp of Roman invasion, Skin is a mesmerising novel about the collision of two worlds, and a young woman torn between two men."
So, ✔ for setting. Roman invasion - kind of a sidebar to the main story until the very end. Collision of two worlds - again - kind of a sidebar until the very end if you're talking Britain and Rome, more part of the story if you're talking Ailia in the hardworld and journeying to the Mothers. Torn between two men - not really. Definite physical attraction for both, but one very clearly has Ailia's heart.

While the story was interesting, it never really gelled enough for me. Perhaps because the main protagonist is a 14 year old girl and very self-absorbed. I didn't get a clear understanding of what a Kendra was or why it was so important to the tribespeople.

#7

Call Me Evie by J.P. Pomare

Finished 31/01/2020
Rating 3 stars

Evie has been taken and is being hidden against her will by someone she calls Jim, in the remote NZ village of Maketu. They're hiding from something that happened in Melbourne. He seems to have her best interests at heart, but can she trust him?

For a debut novel it's not bad. I feel like it could have been a bit deeper but it was okay.

#8

The Conference of the Birds by Ransom Riggs

Finished 02/03/2020
Rating 3 stars

A continuation of the Miss Peregrine series finds Jacob helping Noor and working with his friends to try and prevent the wights from fulfilling a prophecy that could mean the destruction of all they hold dear.

Okay installment in the Miss Peregrine series.

#9

Silver by Chris Hammer

Finished 05/04/2020
Rating 3.5 stars

Journalist Martin Scarsden from Scrublands has finished his book and is now moving in with his partner Mandalay Blonde, back in his hometown Port Silver. But nothing goes smoothly and the day he arrives, his childhood best friend is murdered. It is up to Martin to navigate the twists and turns of smalltown life, relationships, and money to uncover the hidden truths of Port Silver, past and present.
Solid second instalment in the Scarsden series.

#10

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Finished 10/04/2020
Rating 3 stars

YA fantasy set in Oshiri. Zelie is a maji, cut off from magic by King Saran since The Raid when her mother was killed. Amari is the king's daughter, a runaway trying to escape the palace and the violence of her father. The two meet by chance and begin a search to bring magic back to their country.

Definitely aimed at a slightly younger reader. I liked the varying viewpoints throughout but felt it was a bit whiny/sulky at times - possibly because two of the main protagonists are teenage girls.

#11

No Friend but the Mountains: The True Story of an Illegally Imprisoned Refugee by Behrouz Boochani

Finished 22/04/2020
Rating ?

I didn't enjoy this. I didn't like the writing style nor the surrealism and often very lengthy descriptions. I dislliked it so much that it took me 3 months to read what is a relatively short book.
Reading about the writer's style afterwards I discovered that it is heavily influenced by Kurdish story-telling (which makes sense, given the author is Kurdish) which I am ignorant of.
For this reason I decided against rating this book. It is a story worth telling - and reading - and should not be judged by my own ignorance.

#12 Aroha by Anaru Bickford

Finished 24/04/2020
Rating 1 star

Disclaimer: this is a book owned by a friend and was written by a previous colleague of hers - and someone I knew by association so she thought this would be of interest to me.

Unfortunately, it has been poorly proofread and edited which diminishes what little plot there is. I feel for the author as it is possible this may have been a package sold - print run, proofread and edit, and marketing - to launch an aspiring writer's career, which would have done anything but.

#13

We See the Stars by Kate van Hooft

Finished 01/05/2020
Rating 2 stars

Simon is an 11 year old boy with indications that he is on the autism spectrum, is selectively mute and besides his brother Davey, Superman (Simon's alter-ego) is his only friend. Then Ms Hilcombe starts at school and works on building a relationship with Simon, and he and Carrie, the school bully, develop a friendship. However, Ms Hilcombe goes missing and Simon decides to go and find her.

The details of Simon and how he thinks are well written, however the rest of the plot seems half-finished and the ending rushed. Other characters are never really fleshed out or explained. What happened to Simon's mother? Why the dysfunction in Carrie's home? Does Simon see dead people? And who's house does his father visit? More questions than answers were left at the end of this book.

#14

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

Finished 20/06/2020
Rating 4 stars

Thomas Cromwell is Master Secretary to Henry VIII and is still on the rise. The year is 1536 and Thomas has again been tasked with ridding Henry of a wife, this time Anne Boleyn.

The sequel to Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel breaths more life into Thomas Cromwell: his life, his role and his decisions, with her beautiful writing and knowledge of such an interesting time in history.

#15

Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski

Finished 01/07/2020
Rating 3 stars

Read this after watching the first season of The Witcher. It was OK. Enough for me to try and continue the series at least. I normally read the book prior to watching a series so I'm wondering if that's why I didn't love this book but I also think there were a couple of translation issues as there was a bit of repetition in the text that I found irritating.

Geralt of Rivia is the Witcher, having gone through mutations as a young child that improved his fighting abilities and given him the knowledge on how to fight monsters. He has also helped to protect Ciri, a young girl whose surviving family, the rulers of Cintra, were slaughtered during a recent battle. As the surviving heir to the throne Ciri is problematic for the new rulers and is being hunted, while also being trained in witching skills by Geralt and magic by Yennefer, Geralt's ex-lover.

#16

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Finished 05/07/2020
Rating 3.5 stars rounded to 4

DISCLAIMER: I read this book being aware of some of the controversy that surrounds it but not familiar with the subject matter at all. I've rated it based on my reaction to the book but am also planning to read further to improve my own knowledge and understanding of these issues.

Lydia is a bookstore owner in Acapulco. Married happily to Sebastian, and mother to Luca her life is irreversibly changed after she meets Javier when he visits her bookstore and they discover a shared love of books. Too late she discovers that Javier is the jefe of local cartel Los Jardineros, and her reporter husband has been investigating the cartel. What unfolds is catastrophic and brutal, more so when the writer reveals that the statistics used in her book are all real. (The Los Jardineros cartel is not real).

#17

Auē by Becky Manawatu

Finished 10/07/2020
Rating 4 stars

Two brothers are dealing with the inter-generational fallout of gang violence in NZ. How it looks is different for each of them. Arama is left with his Aunty Kat while Taukiri tries to avoid his pain and guilt with self-medication but really it is the whole family that needs healing.

It is threaded through with gang violence, rape, drug use, domestic violence, abandonment, loss of culture and mental health issues so might not be for every reader.

#18

Legacy of Power by J. A. Gates

Finished 11/07/2020
Rating unrated

Good concept but needs some work.

#19

As Happy as Here by Jane Godwin

Finished 12/07/2020
Rating 3 stars

A book chosen by my 10 year old daughter exploring friendship, mental health, morality and resilience.

Three teenage girls arrive in a hospital ward for different reasons and strike up a friendship of sorts. They come from different backgrounds and are all dealing with personal issues as well as the health issues that have landed each of them in hospital, bonding over a mystery that they discover and try to solve.

#20

Syria’s Secret Library by Mike Thomson

Finished 21/07/2020
Rating 4 stars

As the town of Daraya is steadily being destroyed during Syria's civil war, remaining inhabitants set themselves the task of rescuing repairing as many books as they can from their wartorn city, creating an underground library and a space for all the things that a library brings - escapism, discovery, knowledge and so much more - helping those that remain to survive, not just physically but emotionally and mentally. While the author hasn't had (and won't have) the chance to visit the library in person, he has spent many years interviewing those that either contributed or used the library, to try and understand what it meant as a symbol of hope.

#21

Nothing Bad Happens Here by Nikki Crutchley

Finished 23/07/2020
Rating 3 stars

A young tourist is found brutally murdered in Castle Bay in the Coromandel. Miller Thatcher, an Auckland-based journalist is dispatched to cover the story and investigates Bethany's murder as the Castle Bay inhabitants turn on each other with gossip and suspicion.

An easy book to read. The plot has a few twists and turns but sometimes feel like they are just there as filler to get to the end.

#22

Winter of Fire by Sherryl Jordan

Finished 26/07/2020
Rating 3 stars

A book chosen by my 10 year old daughter as a pre-teen/YA read, dealing with racism, poverty, independence and self-discovery.

Elsha is a 'Quelled', part of a people who are branded as less, treated as a sub-being by the 'Chosen', and sent into mines to dig for firestone, the stone that provides warmth to a planet grey and devoid of trees.
Elsha believes and wants for more. A life where she is treated as equal, where her people don't have to live in poverty and work themselves to an early death.
The Firelord chooses, against current custom, to take Elsha as a handmaid, and changes her life forever.

#23

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Finished 31/07/2020
Rating 3 stars

Through a series of diary entries and letters to her sister, Celie discusses life and what it is like to grow up and be a black woman in the South. From being raped by Pa, then being given to Albert, who would have preferred her sister Nettie, and makes Celie's life a misery because of it, we're given an insight into how little Celie expects for herself but just how strong she is.

#24

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

Finished 20/09/2020
Rating 3 stars

Zelie and Amari have brought magic back to the kingdom of Oshiri but are now fighting against the monarchy to keep themselves and the maji safe. Zelie is fueled by her rage for Inan, Amari's brother, now the king of Oshiri after the death of King Saran.

#25

The Tally Stick by Carl Nixon

Finished 24/09/2020
Rating 3 stars

In 1978 the Chamberlain family arrive in NZ from the UK and decide to take a last-minute trip before Mr Chamberlain has to start work. Unfortunately their trip ends in disaster. The three eldest children survive on the good will of two locals, but as the children discover, there are strings attached to the hospitality.

A story of manipulation, survival and family.

#26

Ephemera by Tina Shaw

Finished 29/09/2020
Rating 3.5 stars rounded to 4

The world has been changed by the release of a computer virus and Ruth's sister is sick. With no health care available, Ruth decides to embark on a trip down the Waikato River in search of Nelson, as rumours abound that he has the medical supplies her sister so desperately needs. Prior to the Crash, Ruth was an ephemera librarian and she clings to part of this old life, but it does not prepare her for the world she is currently living in.

This was interesting. Inspired by Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, but set in a post-apocalyptic NZ the story ebbs and flows with the river. It was a bit clunky in places and the timeline not always clear but still worth a read, in my opinion.

#27

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Finished 1/10/2020
Rating 4 stars

Laurel Mack is surviving after the disappearance and death of her daughter Ellie. Her marriage has broken down and the relationships with her remaining two children are distant. Nine years after Ellie's disappearance Laurel meets Floyd, then his daughter Poppy. Disconcertingly Poppy looks alot like Ellie and Laurel is drawn into the little family, at the same time still trying to unravel the facts behind Ellie's disappearance.

A good read, with a good twist.

#28

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

Finished 8/11/2020
Rating 3 stars

Marco and Anna are at a dinner party at their neighbours' home. Their babysitter has cancelled so rather than cancel their evening they take the baby monitor with them so they can listen out for their six month old daughter, Cora. Despite this, their daughter is kidnapped during the night and they are devastated. But their story soon starts to fall apart. Were they involved in Cora's disappearance or does the plot run deeper?

Read in a day. Quick holiday read. A bit predictable.

#29

The Crime Writer by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz

Finished 19/11/2020
Rating 2 stars

Andrew Danner wakes up in hospital after brain surgery, only to be charged with the brutal murder of his ex-girlfriend. With no recollection of the murder, for his own peace of mind he sets out to determine whether he is the killer - or not.

This wasn't a bad read, just ok. So based on the Goodreads ratings, a two star read. Had a decent plot twist but felt like the book was trying to do to much.

#30

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Finished 22/11/2020
Rating 3 stars

Theo Faber is a psychotherapist and fascinated by the case of Alicia Berenson, an artist, who has not spoken since the murder of her husband - a murder that she was charged with.
Determined to reach out to Alicia and help her uncover the truth around the murder, Theo investigates Alicia herself, with the help of her diary.

Easy read, with a couple of good twists.

#31

Still Life by Louise Penny

Finished 28/11/2020
Rating 3.5 stars

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is called away from Thanksgiving celebrations to investigate the death of Jane Neal in Three Pines. As he gets to know the villagers and finds out more about Jane herself he comes to the conclusion that he is dealing with murder rather than an accidental death.

As the first in the series there is enough here for me to continue the series. Gamache is a gentlemanly character with a sharp wit. There is some great character development and humorous dialogue. A little bit stereotypical in the portrayal of the gay characters. But well worth a read, especially if you're into cosy mysteries.

#32

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

Finished 03/12/2020
Rating 3 stars

Violence has deeply affected the lives of Sam and Charlie and after being estranged for a number of years, violence in their hometown of Pikeville draws them together again.

The damage to their own family is deeply rooted and as they work together to try and save the life of a young woman, they must deal with their own past.

This was okay. I found it unnecessarily long and one of the story arcs quite predictable.

#33

The Mirror & The Light by Hilary Mantel

Finished 16/12/2020
Rating 4 stars

The third and final installment in the Thomas Cromwell trilogy.

Anne Boleyn has been beheaded and Henry has found himself a new queen - Jane Seymour. However Jane dies in childbirth and Thomas is once again given the task of finding Henry a new bride. Anna of Cleves is thought to be a suitable match, however Henry is not happy and this is a contributing factor leading to Thomas Cromwell's downfall.

Not light reading - it takes a bit more concentration. But well worth it if you're interested in english history.

#34

The Chemistry of Death by Simon Beckett

Finished 21/12/2020
Rating 3 stars

The first book in the David Hunter series. David is a forensics expert who has relocated to a small village in Norfolk, after the devastating deaths of his wife and daughter, and is working as a village GP.
The peace and quiet of his life is shattered by the discovery of a body nearby and the police request that he use his forensic skills to assist them in their investigation.

Good start to the series without being as procedural as Kathy Reichs or Patricia Cornwall.

#35

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison

Finished 27/12/2020
Rating 3 stars

First in The Collector series. Shifting back and forth between a police interview room and recollections of her experience in the Garden, Maya is the streetsmart protagonist who has survived her kidnapping and the violence that follows by becoming a 'den mother' to the other captives. But she is hiding something and as the police work to put the pieces together they begin to question who she really is.

Violent themes but not explicit. Some of the character introduction felt quite random and I found the ending quite anti-climactic. It was okay, but not enough to spur me on to read the rest of the series.

#36

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Finished 31/12/2020
Rating 2 stars (GR It was okay)

Chiyo is a beautiful young girl with unusual coloured eyes, living in a poor fishing village with her older sister Satsu, her dying mother, and her elderly father. One day in her village she meets Mr Tanaka - who owns the local fishing company. He takes an interest in Chiyo, and for whatever reason (we assume) encourages her father to sell the two sisters. They are taken to Kyoto and separated - Chiyo is sold to an okiya (geisha house) and her Satsu is sold to a brothel. Of course neither of the girls are happy and eventually are able to meet and plan to run away together. Things do not go to plan and Chiyo remains at the okiya as a servant until Memeha a senior geisha offers to train Chiyo.

I'm not sure why this book has such fabulous reviews. I love the setting and descriptions of tea houses and kimono, and some of the writing is lovely, but found the whole book to be fairly superficial. I felt so much was glossed over - WWII for example - and never quite understood - was it supposed to be a love story or historical fiction ... I don't feel like it hit the mark for for either. The writing became repetitive with the 'I learnt later' or 'I didn't know at the time' or similar happening throughout.
Perhaps it is the fact that time has moved on and that a white, middle-class man is trying to write from the point of a teenage girl from a totally foreign culture makes the story sound forced. I don't know, but it wasn't a win for me.