Book Loving Kiwis discussion

It's that time of year again - the beginning of a new Kiwi Reads Challenge :)

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 as a 'tag' and it will count towards your challenge goal :)

You can use this thread to talk about books you're hoping to read, books you've read for the challenge or post any recommendations you have for great kiwi reads that you think others would like.

Please remember the Book Loving Kiwis groups rules: no self-promotion (that should go in the Authors Corner folder).

I'll kick off by sharing some of the kiwi books I'm really keen to read this year:

Station life in New Zealand (was a book in the Book Pool Challenge a while back)

Whaea Blue

Delirious

In the Clearing

A Breed of Women

You're choices look intriguing, Erica - especially Whaea Blue.

I'm intending to set myself a challenge figure of 9 books this year. I've lowered my challenge figure, because I'm intending to read more NZ non fiction - & I am a very slow non fiction reader!

I haven't got very far with my kiwi reading planning - I have entered Girls' High in our Book Pool.

& I was in at the museum yesterday - & I couldn't find Maori: A Photographic and Social History Hopefully I was just being blind & it is still there somewhere.

I will try to read at least six books from NZ.

The one I am starting first and finishing last is The Beat of the Pendulum. This book is a 'found novel' that is composed of fragments from each day. I am going to try to read each day in 'real time' and finish the book on New Year's Eve.

Other books I want to read are Whaea Blue, Arty and the Fox (no reason for that book in particular but I haven't read Barry Crump yet), The Stories of Frank Sargeson, The Royal Free, and at least two Janet Frame books (probably Faces in the Water, and The Edge of the Alphabet). Hopefully also a couple books published in 2025 as well.

I've also got Whaea Blue on my list. Added to that are Hine Toa, Amma and The Chthonic Cycle. I'd also really like to finally get to Greta & Valdin which has been sitting beside my bed for the last 18 months at least. I've also got a couple of Patricia Grace's books I would like to get to.

I'm starting on my first NZ book of the year: Paddy's Puzzle by Fiona Kidman. The edition I have is a 30yo secondhand copy I bought on the Wairarapa Bookshop Hop last year. I like the old editions :)

Finished my first kiwi book of the year: Paddy's Puzzle by Fiona Kidman. I found this in a secondhand bookstore last year during the Wairarapa's Bookshop Hop. It's a small, old copy with browning pages and a spine that's dry and cracking. But the content is still as strong as ever. I'm really enjoying discovering Kidman's earlier writing. I almost think it's stronger than her more recent novels. A moving story about two sisters living in Hamilton and Auckland during the depression and then WWII

I enjoyed Emergency Weather by Tim Jones

It's a near future #CliFi book but with realistic characters. I'm in Wellington where much of the story is set. I re-read it but didn't add it to my Goodreads list. It's only available in paperback but a few NZ libraries stock it.

I'm currently reading one of the mystery novels by Jennifer Palgrave, The One That Got Away

It's mostly set in Wellington too.

I enjoy those moments of recognizing familiar streets and places in books.

I enjoyed
Robert VennellThe Forgotten Forest

It's a nonfiction book about fungi hiding in forests of Aotearoa. Fascinating details with lovely pencil sketches. The text reminds me of the commentary of a David Attenborough wildlife programme where I felt like I was peeping into a secret world.

The book was available from my local library.

I've heard good things about Emergency Weather by Tim Jones but I feel like I'd have to be in the right place mentally to read a book about climate change.

Ahh my first DNF of the year :(. I started reading Turncoat which is a sci-fi allegory about what it might feel like for Maori to work in a colonial public service. Admittedly I'm not a big sci-fi reader. But 30 pages in and it just felt like a case of the author hitting you over the head with the metaphor and moral of the story rather than taking you along for the ride and you working it out for yourself. And I had no sense of the main character etc.. Anyone else read it that could advise me whether to hang in there and read to the end? Does it get better?

I had the same experience with Turncoat. I didn't mind the message too much but I didn't engage with the main character. I plan to return to it at some stage.

I didn't have a problem reading Emergency Weather by Tim Jones as there was more story (with lots of character building and action) and less message.

I finished The One that Got Away by Jennifer Palgrave but it was a slog. Too much paint by numbers first novel vibes.

I'll just copy & paste what I wrote in the Book Challenge;

Number of books read - 1
Book Title Girls' High
Rating 2★
Thoughts; Other than the nice turn of phrase & the Kiwisms, it was hard to believe that the same author wrote Portrait of the Artist's Wife the following year. The characters didn't come alive for me at all.

Number of books read - 2
Book Title Hine Toa
Rating 4.5★

An amazing & lyrical book.

I was a bit behind on my Kiwi Reads challenge for the year but went to my local library this morning and picked up a couple of books by kiwi authors. First up was How to Loiter in a Turf War by Coco Solid. I devoured this in one afternoon/evening. Very evocative, playful, serious and kiwi. Loved it. Can't fault it. 5*

Sometimes when books are described as "genre-bending" I'm a little nervous, worried they'll go over my head or be more "arty" than enjoyable. But this was great. Very accessible to any reader.

Erica wrote: "I was a bit behind on my Kiwi Reads challenge for the year but went to my local library this morning and picked up a couple of books by kiwi authors. First up was [book:How to Loiter in a Turf War|..."

I enjoyed this one too.
* * * * *
Number of books read - 3
Book Title Prelude by Katherine Mansfield
Rating 5★

A reread of a favourite novella.

I've finished my third kiwi read: In the Clearing by J.P. Pomare. I've been wanting to read a Pomare thriller for ages. I enjoyed this story, it was fast-paced. 4*

Glad you liked it. I started it a while back and it may have just been the mood I was in but I thought it was a bit creepy. So I decided to stop reading and went for something not as dark. Do you think I should give it another go? I read another JPP a while back that I really liked so maybe I should give it another go anyway!

It def was a bit creepy, with the family cult vibes. But I knew it was based on true story. And it focused more on the mental manipulation of the kids rather than any sexual abuse. But could try others of his if you didn't like the creepy cult aspect.

I'm currently reading "After dark : walking into the nights of Aotearoa" by Annette Lees. Nonfiction but poetic and very mood evoking about how walking at different times of the night has different feels to it. Some historical references too like the impacts of lights black outs during World War 2 and how people in smaller settlements coped.

I've also borrowed Delirious by Damien Wilkins but I haven't started reading it yet.

Finished my fourth book Dice by Claire Baylis. 5*

At times I was soo annoyed and frustrated reading this but only because I assume that's what Claire wanted the reader to feel - it felt like a great reflection of what some experiences on a jury might be like.

And getting ahead of my challenge with my fifth book done and dusted :)

Amma. 4*. Loved the different storylines of three generations of one family. At times the writing felt a little forced; there seemed to be a hair metaphor throughout the book but it felt kinda tacked on and didn't really add anything.

Erica wrote: "And getting ahead of my challenge with my fifth book done and dusted :)

Amma. 4*. Loved the different storylines of three generations of one family. At times the writing felt a l..."

I'm ahead of my challenge too!

Book 4 The Chthonic Cycle 5★ My favourite book of the year so far! What a gifted writer Ms Cruickshank is! As much as I liked Hine Toa I would like to see this one take the Ockham. Memoirs/autobiographies should have their own section.

finished 26/04.

Book #6 Women's Work: Contemporary Short Stories by New Zealand Women

This is a collection of short stories, published in the 90s but stories written in the 70s and 80s. Some well-known names (Joy Cowley, Fiona Kidman, Patricia Grace etc.) alongside some authors I've never heard of and have not published many other works.

I thought it was a great selection, a lot of great writing. I also find it really interesting to read things published several decades ago, feels like it gives you a glimpse into what people thought/felt/were interested in a the time.

Book #5 Chinese Fish by Grace Yee

Elegant & powerfully written. Winner of the Ockhams Poetry Award from last year.
4.5★

Book #6 Edith Collier: Early New Zealand Modernist

Yest another beautiful NZ illustrated nonfiction book. 5★ Finished 31/5

Hi Kay

Thanks for the post, but could you move it to it's own thread as this thread is for a reading challenge that a few of us are doing. Unfortunately moderators on Goodreads groups can't move posts - we can only delete them.

My next book was a DNF, so I didn't count it as part of the challenge.

Daylight by Elizabeth Knox. It was beautifully written at the start, but started to become very slow & I'm just not a (view spoiler)[ vampire book (hide spoiler)] reader.

Realise I've read my 7th book by kiwi author. Non-fiction, memoir about author Sarah Wynn-Williams time as Director of Global Public Policy at Facebook. An interesting read.

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Hi Kay

Thanks for the post, but could you move it to it's own thread as this thread is for a reading challenge that a few of us are doing. Unfortunately moderators on Goodreads groups can't move p..."

deleted as I don't know what thread to add it to

I loved Delirious by Damien Wilkins

And All That We Know by Shilo Kino

Both excellent reads if not quick or easy.

I've read 7 or more NZ books this year but I'll only add ones I recommend. Wild, Wild Women by Janis Freegard is a short story collection with enough variety to be enjoyable. A mix of reality and magic realism.

I really want to read Delirious. Great to have your endorsement of it Kay :)

Sorry to disappear on everyone - just about our whole street lost internet, when Chorus was installing fibre in a neighbouring street.

@ Kaye, in this group anyone can start a thread when they have something to talk about - in fact it is welcomed. Let me know if you don't know how to do that. :)

Book 7

Madam by Antonia Murphy
3.5★
Interesting, but as other reviewers have said, for someone running an ethical brothel, Antonia makes some very questionable choices.
Finished 14/7

@Kay & Erica - I really want to read Delirious too!

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Sorry to disappear on everyone - just about our whole street lost internet, when Chorus was installing fibre in a neighbouring street.

@ Kaye, in this group anyone can start a thread when they hav..." No e on my name.

My parents were poor. My mother used one of this tape machines that spelled out names to be sewn onto clothes.

Not actually the reason for the short name but still a true thing.

Sorry for spelling your name wrong, Kay. My best friend is a Kaye, so i guess it was an automatic choice!

The Girls in the Kapa Haka
4.5★
Sweet fresh & charming.
Finished 14/7
Book #8
I'm going to (unofficially) up my challenge figure to 10, as the next Kiwi book I'm planning to read is a children's one - albeit aimed at an older age group.

Under the Mountain
4.5★
After a weak start I found this one genuinely thrilling. It sort of straddles age groups for my shelves - I think it is best for intermediate readers.
Book #9
Finished 20/08

Been a little while since I read my last kiwi book but didn't want to get behind on my challenge so recently picked Station life in New Zealand off my shelves. This was brought to my attention a few years ago by someone in this group through the Book Pool challenge but I didn't have a copy at that point. Found a copy at a second hand book sale not long afterwards.

Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. 5*. Lady Barker does such a beautiful job of describing 2 years of her life on a Canterbury station in the late 1800s and all the ups and downs and adventures that entailed. There were few anecdotes that had me chuckling, including one about a little pig on the farm. If you're interested in NZ history I'd definitely recommend!

Erica wrote: "Been a little while since I read my last kiwi book but didn't want to get behind on my challenge so recently picked Station life in New Zealand off my shelves. This was brought to my..."

Glad you enjoyed it, Erica! I loved Lady B's positivity!