Book Loving Kiwis discussion

Hi all,

This is a place to discuss, rate, recommend, and be inspired to read kiwi books.

Feel free to use the prompts below to help you expand your horizons or give you ideas :) I've chosen 12 prompts, 1 for each month of the year.

Prompts:

- Book with native flora or fauna on the cover
- Biography/Autobiography/Memoir about a NZ'er
- Book about a historical event in NZ
- Poetry by NZ author
- Short stories by NZ author(s)
- Try a recipe from a NZ cook book
- Award-winning book by Kiwi author
- Novel set in NZ
- Novel written by kiwi author but set overseas
- Crime novel by kiwi author
- A new release (book released in 2021 or 2022)
- A book that has less than 100 ratings on Goodreads written by a kiwi author

I've set up the challenge - you should see it under the blurb on the Group's homepage. You can pick how many books you want to try and read for the challenge and enter a shelf name. When you finish a book, and mark as 'read' you can select that shelf and it will count towards your challenge goal :)

Woohoo Erika, what a great bunch of ideas for a challenge!

I had already decided that "pride goeth before the fall" & was going to reduce my challenge figure to 12. This will be a big help. & I already completed one yesterday.

- Book with native flora or fauna on the cover Hiakai: Modern Māori Cuisine by Monique Fiso, the beautiful pictures of potential ingredients will make me a more confident forager, but the recipes are restaurant recipes. I'm just not going to go to that much trouble. 4.5★ Finished 28/6

- Biography/Autobiography/Memoir about a NZ'er Impossible: My Story by Stan Walker. Stan is an amazing guy & the start of this book sure packs a punch, but by the end it rambles & repeats itself a bit. 4★ Finished 18/4

- Book about a historical event in NZ Fire by Deborah Challinor. Pedestrian writing for most of the book, but it really picks up at the end. 4★ Finished 7/8

- Poetry by NZ author Night Horse by Elizabeth Smither A nice mixture. 4★ Finished 22/7

- Short stories by NZ author(s) Cheating a little here, but I read children's book Dashing Dog! by the late, great Margaret Mahy. I liked the text well enough but was disappointed in Sarah Garland's illustrations. Giving it a solid 3.5★though Finished 16/6

- Try a recipe from a NZ cook book Done! I made Rhubarb Chutney (pg 52) from Digby Law's Pickle and Chutney Cookbook yesterday. & it turned out really well) 3/1/22

- Award-winning book by Kiwi author Dressed: Fashionable Dress in Aotearoa New Zealand 1840 to 1910 by Claire Regnault. [Deserved winner of the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards for Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand Award Illustrated Non-Fiction (2022) A visually stunning book. Finished 11/6 5★

- Novel set in NZ [book:Bonkers|5079153]Second book by this author I've read, & for me she tries to cram too much in. Finished 12/2 3★

- Novel written by kiwi author but set overseas Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz. Real life friends loved this - & they were right. Fascinating! Finished 18/8 5★

- Crime novel by kiwi author The Girl in the Mirror Banal writing at the start & just so improbable an ending, but an actionpacked middle had me turning the pages. 3.5★ Finished 24/10

- A new release (book released in 2021 or 2022)The Abundant Garden : A Practical Guide To Growing A Regenerative Home Garden by local couple Niva & Yotam Kay. This book thoroughly deserves it's success 5★ Finished 11/4

- A book that has less than 100 ratings on Goodreads written by a kiwi author Whanau 48 ratings at this time. Lovely gentle story that still makes its point. Finished 2/3 5★

* * *
I have a DNF The Great New Zealand Robbery: How gangsters pulled off our most audacious robbery
Just wasn't finding it interesting. DNF at 37% 3/3 2.5★

Sounds like you're off to a good start Carol. I'm about to make Cheesy Courgette and Relish Muffins from Chelsea Winter's Homemade Happiness.

Erica wrote: "Sounds like you're off to a good start Carol. I'm about to make Cheesy Courgette and Relish Muffins from Chelsea Winter's Homemade Happiness."

That sounds really good! I need to get my hands on a Chelsea Winter cookbook. A lot of people swear by her recipes.

Erica wrote: "Sounds like you're off to a good start Carol. I'm about to make Cheesy Courgette and Relish Muffins from Chelsea Winter's Homemade Happiness."

Those muffins are always a hit in my house! Enjoy!

Just bumping up!

Finally read my first NZ book for the year!

Oh good on your Carol. I'm off to a very slow kiwi-reading year but hoping to get to one in Feb :)

Finally read my first book by a NZ author of the year! And it was a goodie.

Book #1 Things I Learned At Art School by Megan Dunn

I picked this up purely cos the bright orange cover called out to me. Ended up going to the artist's talk at Unity Books in Wellington and decided to grab a copy of the book. I loved Megan's fun style of writing, she really had a way with words.

Book #2 Sex, Power and Politics by ROSS MEURANT

I basically read this against my will for a book club. We thought it would be good fodder for discussion over wines. And I'm sure it will be.

Book #3 Aroha: Maori wisdom for a contented life lived in harmony with our planet

Really enjoyed this book with 52 whakatauki (Maori proverbs) - one for each day of the year. Would be great for families I think who want to have more thoughtful, deep discussions. It makes you think :)

Also I've found the Spinoff news website's weekly Unity Books bestseller charts are great way to find well-received local publications and other big sellers.

https://thespinoff.co.nz/books/08-04-...

Erica wrote: "Also I've found the Spinoff new website's weekly Unity Books bestseller charts are great way to find well-received local publications and other big sellers.

https://thespinoff.co.nz/books/08-04-2..."

Thanks for the link Erica!

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Woohoo Erika, what a great bunch of ideas for a challenge!

I had already decided that "pride goeth before the fall" & was going to reduce my challenge figure to 12. This will be a big help. & I al..."

The Abundant Garden sounds like a book that my parents would love. Will have to check it out :)

Book #4 Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly.

Quirky characters, engaging story, great dialogue. I really liked this novel. Don't think it should win the Ockhams but def great to see another promising NZ author come on to the literary scene with this strong debut novel :)

Just updated with my latest NZ read. :)

Any chance of removing Rita's post Erica? Doesn't look like she is going to do it herself.

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Just updated with my latest NZ read. :)

Any chance of removing Rita's post Erica? Doesn't look like she is going to do it herself."

Done :)

Book #5 Kurangaituku

3* This is a finalist for the Ockham and well-deserved place on the list in my opinion. I think it was a creative, interesting and well-written book. My 3* rating is just the level of enjoyment I got from it - it's not my typical genre so didn't love it. If the premise interests you then I'd recommend. I started on the miromiro (light) side of the book and was glad I did :)

You've made great progress Kathleen :)

Since we are near the halfway point for the year I thought I would bump this up!

I have one dnf, but I am still slightly ahead of schedule, so I'm pleased about that.

What books have you been reading Carol?

I'm halfway through my challenge (5 out of 10 books) and have a few waiting in reserve queue at libs so think I'll make it by the end of the year. The ones I'm waiting on are Grand by Noelle McCarthy, Rita Angus an Artists Life, and The bookseller at the end of the world. Also keen to read The Alarmist by the end of the year too which I picked up from The Villlage Bookshop in Greytown

Erica wrote: "What books have you been reading Carol?"

All the kiwi ones are on #3. I'm also working my way through the Poldark series & am currently reading Warleggan it's good, but not unputdownable like the previous three were.

oh forgot you were updating the earlier post :) I haven't read Hiakai but went to her restaurant recently and it was great

Erica wrote: "I'm halfway through my challenge (5 out of 10 books) and have a few waiting in reserve queue at libs so think I'll make it by the end of the year. The ones I'm waiting on are Grand by Noelle McCart..."

Did you go to the Noelle McCarthy, Megan Dunn session at this year's Featherston Booktown Festival? So good. Would love to know what you think of Grand.

Melinda wrote: "Erica wrote: "I'm halfway through my challenge (5 out of 10 books) and have a few waiting in reserve queue at libs so think I'll make it by the end of the year. The ones I'm waiting on are Grand by..."

No I wasn't able to make it but did go to a talk by Megan Dunn at Unity Books :)

I've just finished my #6 book of the challenge: As the Earth Turns Silver.

This was actually recommended last year by other members of this group who enjoyed it. It's not often I read books set in Wellington so that was great. Just wish the book had been a bit longer, felt like I didn't get to know the characters as much as I would have liked. Great writing though :)

Book #7 Rita Angus: An Artist's Life

A great biography of one of our treasured NZ artists. This was incredibly well-written, I was engrossed from the get-go. It was not just a fascinating insight into the life of this painter but also a glimpse of what NZ was like in the early to mid 1900s.

Erica wrote: "Book #7 Rita Angus: An Artist's Life

A great biography of one of our treasured NZ artists. This was incredibly well-written, I was engrossed from the get-go. It was not just a fasc..."

Sounds great, Erica.

I'm "all but" on this challenge. Just have to read Crime novel by kiwi author & I'm done. I have a couple in mind...

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Erica wrote: "Book #7 Rita Angus: An Artist's Life

A great biography of one of our treasured NZ artists. This was incredibly well-written, I was engrossed from the get-go. It was n..."
Good effort Carol :) I think the 7 books I've read so far tick most of the boxes. Would like to get to some poetry, short stories and crime fiction by the end of the year.

Book #8 Hera Lindsay Bird

This poetry collection which came out a few years back has had quite a bit of praise so have been meaning to check it out. As someone who reads very little poetry it took me a bit to get into the rhythm but then began to enjoy her way with words.

I really want to read more NZ non-fiction - but couldn't see any good list on Goodreads Listopia. So I created one.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Please feel free to add any NZ non-fiction books you've read and loved :)

& I have completed this challenge with my read of The Girl in the Mirror Go me!

Awesome work Carol!

I've also completed the challenge after Carol's earlier post triggered me to pick up some different genres.

#9 A Man Lay Dead (crime)
Finally read a Ngaio Marsh crime novel! Wasn't that exciting but I think even Ngaio Marsh admitted later in her career that it wasn't a great plot. But if you like Agatha Christie then you'll probably like Ngaio's style. Will try out some of her later works in future.

#10 The Alarmist: Fifty Years Measuring Climate Change (memoir)
Love a memoir from a kiwi who has had an interesting life. Dave Lowe has been at the forefront of climate science since the 70s! Definitely a bit technical in parts but was still a really fascinating read. Does make me despair somewhat given how long governments have had knowledge about climate change and haven't really done anything about it.

#11 Home Theatre (short stories)
Love a good short story collection and this didn't disappoint. Stories set around people who live in the same apartment building. I really like his writing style and found the stories engaging. Will definitely check out any future works by this author.

Erica wrote: "I've also completed the challenge after Carol's earlier post triggered me to pick up some different genres.

#9 A Man Lay Dead (crime)
Finally read a Ngaio Marsh crime novel! Wasn't ..."

I'm not that big a Marsh fan & this is one of her worst. I suggested this as a group read in another group - & after we finished I apologised!😁

Congratulations!

If anyone wants to support our local NZ independent bookstores, local authors and publishers this is a great Christmas initiative and charity to get amongst.
kiwichristmasbooks.org.nz