Book Loving Kiwis discussion

Hi all,

It's been a while! And I thought we might need a little distraction at the moment.

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

You can sign up and add books until September 30th. You can join the Challenge after this date, but you will not be able to add books to the pool.

For anyone who hasn't joined in before, or if you just need a refresher, here are the rules:

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!

Main thing is to read, have fun and maybe discover your new favourite book or author :)

Participants:


1. Erica - 6 read
2. Ninitha
3. Bronwen
4. Claude - 6 read
5. Carol - 3 read
6. Kerry - 2 read
7. Angie
8. Kirsten
9. P.D.R Lindsay - 6 (or 1) read
10. Kate - 1 read
11. Carlene - 1 read
12. Sharlene

Up to message #92

Book Pool:

I’m in. I need a little help in getting out of my reading slump. Please remind me again, how many books are we suggesting for the pool?

Ninitha (Niko) wrote: "I’m in. I need a little help in getting out of my reading slump. Please remind me again, how many books are we suggesting for the pool?"

Three picks each :)

Thanks, Erica!

Here are my three books.

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
The Ickabog by J K Rowling
The Paper Palace by Miranda C Heller

Three books that I have on my night stand which gets constantly pushed to the bottom of the pile.

Ooh good reminding me about all the books on my bedside table :)

Think i'm gonna go with these three for my picks:

Transcendent Kingdom
Before You Knew My Name
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family

I'll pick some NZ authors to read

Nalini Singh's - Quiet In Her Bones
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Jax Calder - Playing Offside (M/M romance)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...


Catherine Robertson - The Hiding Places
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Bronwen wrote: "I'll pick some NZ authors to read

Nalini Singh's - Quiet In Her Bones

Jax Calder - Playing Offside (M/M romance)

Catherine Robertson - The Hiding Places"

Awesome- thanks for joining in Bronwen :)

I think the author Catherine Robertson is also one of the co-founders of Good Books bookshop in Welly. A great shop.

Erica wrote: "I think the author Catherine Robertson is also one of the co-founders of Good Books bookshop in Welly. A great shop."

Yes, she is!

Thanks for organising this again, Erica!
I'm gonna be cheeky and clear my TBR 😂
Daughter of Smoke & Bone
The Doubt Factory
Cinnamon Rain

I'm in.

1 Ross Poldark by Winston Graham
2 Check to your King by Robin Hyde
3 Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

I'm in and have 3 books lined up for Oct/Nov reading -


Legacy by Whiti Hereaka
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis by Gorgio Bassani
Mrs Mohr Goes Missing by Maryla Szymiczkowa

Great - i've added those books :) I've been meaning to start the Poldark series for years!

Erica wrote: "Great - i've added those books :) I've been meaning to start the Poldark series for years!"

It has taken me years to get a copy. I decided just to choose books I own (although our library is open)

Yes please, I'm keen.

My three picks are:
From the Centre: A Writer's Life
Mexican Gothic
Once There Were Wolves

I would have liked to include 'Greta & Valdin' but it hasn't been released in ebook format as yet - was hoping to bump up my numbers for my Kiwi Authors Challenge.

I really enjoyed 'Before You Knew My Name' so I'll be interested to see what others think.

Erica wrote: " I've been meaning to start the Poldark series for years!"
I read the whole Poldark series a few years ago, loved every book.

Angie wrote: "Yes please, I'm keen.

My three picks are:
From the Centre: A Writer's Life
Mexican Gothic
Once There Were Wolves

I would have liked to include 'Gre..."

I do really want to read Greta and Valdin at some point - I've heard really good things :)

Nalini Singh's - Quiet In Her Bones
Mrs Mohr Goes Missing by Maryla Szymiczkowa
Legacy by Whiti Hereaka

Hi Kirsten...good book choices. Altho they're so good they look like they're already in the Book Pool. Do you want to pick another three?

Hello Erica,
I will make myself read at least another three books from here apart from my pick, and stop rereading my old favourites which are simply comfort reads in this distressing time but so hard to leave on the book shelves.

3 books for the book pool:
'Miss Benson's Beetle' by Rachel Joyce
Miss Benson's Beetle


'Madame Burova' by Ruth Hogan

Madame Burova

Kindred Neanderthal life, love, death and Art by Rebecca Wragg Sykes
Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death and Art


AND if anyone has struggled through the James Tait Black prize winner - 'Lote' would they please tell me how they managed it and what they thought.

Thanks for joining us P.D.R :) Maybe you'll find a new favourite comfort read from the pool.

My three choices are:





:-)

Nice Kate - have added those to the pool :)

Hi Erica . I prob won’t join this year as trying to do a personal reading challenge already but will keep an eye on the book pool and challenge :)

Fair enough Nat :) Good luck with your personal challenge.

Only three more days until we can start reading from the Book Pool. And three more days to sign up and pick three books if you'd like to join us :)

Jenn Marie ThorneFinally have gone through my To-Read list on here and Libby and picked out three books. I wanted to make sure there was ebooks available as well for those still in a bit of a lockdown.
I was really trying to pick things that were different... but a lot of my To-Read list are young adult!

The Wrong Side of Right by Jenn Marie Thorne
The Intermission by Elyssa Friedland
Blood Moon by Lucy Cuthew

I'm in! My picks are:

Furthermore
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
The Jewel

Nat wrote: "Hi Erica . I prob won’t join this year as trying to do a personal reading challenge already but will keep an eye on the book pool and challenge :)"

Hey Nat, feel free to add 3 books from your personal reading challenge that you might get to in the next 2 months here. I'm trying to add books that will tick off my Popsugar Reading Challenge for 2021. Kill two birds and all that !

Thanks Carlene and Sharlene - I've added your picks to the Pool :)

& it is anticipation time!

I will be able to start tomorrow. Other than my three the one I'm most looking forward to is Before You Knew My Name.

Yeah I'm hoping to finish my current reads today so I can get stuck in tomorrow :) Two of my books have come in to the libs so will read those first. Also really want to read Paper Palace :)

It's October!!

That means that from yesterday (apologies for this belated post) we can start reading books from the book pool.

When you've finished a book comment in this thread.

POST EXAMPLE:
#9 --- Your sign up number listed below
Book #1 - Before You Knew My Name --- the number book you've read, and its title
Read: 05/10 --- the date you finished

optional
Rating: 4 Stars --- give your rating, review and opinions, no spoilers please :)

#4 Claude
Book #1 Blood Moon by Lucy Cuthew
Read: 02/10
Rating: 4.5 Stars
That was an excellent verse novel!

Nice to get one ticked off already Claude :) Love a verse novel.

#4 Claude
Book #2 The Doubt Factory
Read: 02/10
Rating: 2 Stars
This was way too long and boring and I regret adding it to the book pool 😭

Oh no! at least you managed to finish it. Yesterday I picked up my 3 books plus The Ickabog on CD and book, so hopefully I can get in a few reads this month.

I'm about 50 pages into Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family. It's very intriguing and compelling for non-fiction. Not surprised it's an Oprah's Book Club pick, very readable. Hopefully I'll get some time on my lunch break to read more.

I've started two of my books, Legacy and The Garden of the Finzi-Continis.

I've just started Mexican Gothic. It has an almost noir tone to it, feeling slightly sinister, so I'm waiting to see what happens next.

I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone's reviews. I work in a high school and it's holidays so there will be a flurry of reading activity from me in next two weeks then things will slow back down. I'm really looking forward to American Dirt and Mexican Gothic.

I read American Dirt earlier this year - definitely worth a read!

I'll make that my next one then Erica!

9 p.d.r.
1. 'Miss Benson's Beetle' by Rachel Joyce
weird but interesting

2. Kindred
Brilliant and mind blowing

3. 'Madame Burova' by Ruth Hogan
Mildly entertaining

Having problems finding some of the books in the library.

#5
Book #1 Wide Sargasso Sea
Finished 5/10

4★There are some muddled bits, but it does build to a shattering climax.

I've updated the tally in message #2 :)

#4 Claude
Book #3 American Dirt
Read: 06/10
Rating: 3 Stars
I had no idea about the storm surrounding this book!

#9
'Before You Knew My Name'
I nearly gave up on this because of the darned whiny, bitch on heat, must have a man in my life, can't stand up on my own two feet, MC Ruby. Why did I fight all my life for women's rights to have women like her regarded as 'normal'?! But I skipped on Ruby bits in the early chapters for the sake of Alice and the last half of the book was satisfying.

'Quiet in Her Bones' an okay read with a nice twisty plot.