Book Loving Kiwis discussion

What are you currently reading?

I belong to three groups on Goodreads (as well as a meet-every-six-weeks book club). Sometimes I feel like I no longer read a book just for the sake of reading a book. Do you ever feel this way? So I have decided that after I have finished Jane Eyre, I am going to put The Hobbit, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, and Sense and Sensibility out of my mind (other group reads) and pick up one of the gorgeous looking books I am dying to read from my bookcase. Which one will it be? I'll let you know once I decide!

Yep, I've kind of stopped doing group reads for a while cos I have far too many books of my own choice to read. Having said that I've read some really interesting stuff I would not normally have bothered with if not for group reads.

As for what I'm currently reading, I'm just about finished Bloodlines, and plan to go down to the library this afternoon to pick up Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. I also like to have an audiobook in the car at all times - at present it's A Little Folly.

I completely agree. There are heaps of books that I have enjoyed reading that I wouldn't have heard of if not for group reads. I have now finished Jane Eyre and have decided to go with When God Was a Rabbit for my next read. It has been a while since I had an audiobook in my car, so must get some out of the library. I listened to almost all of Roald Dahl's books last year this way. Also Three Cups of Tea.

I'm currently reading (and loving) The Forgotten Garden. I've had it on my to-read list for months now. I'm also listening to Nineteen Minutes as I drive about in my car. Next up, The Hobbit. Then The Princess Bride and Her Fearful Symmetry for another book club. Phew! That will keep me going for a while.

I just love the holidays - you can always find an extra hour or two to spend reading.
I'm up to the 15th of 18 CD's for Nineteen Minutes. Finished The Forgotten Garden, as well as The Hobbit and Dracula. Currently reading Islands in the Stream and then I have The Princess Bride and Her Fearful Symmetry still to read for another group. What is everybody else reading?

Knocked off the Hunger Games trilogy earlier in the holidays - I'd been saving them up for a time when I could just sit down and read them more or less straight through. Currently reading The Spellman Files (audiobook) and finding it really funny, If I Never Get Back which seems very promising although I'm only 40-odd pages in so far, Home Improvement: Undead Edition (an anthology), which is proving to be a bit of a mixed bag, so I'm picking and choosing as I go, and Positively Parkinson's: Symptoms and Diagnosis, Research and Treatment, Advice and Support which is brilliant and written in a positive and upbeat way, but still can't escape being inherently depressing (Dad has Parkinson's). And then, as if that wasn't enough, someone on another of my groups said "I've never read Persuasion" and suddenly we were having a Persuasion buddy read, and as it was sitting on my bookshelf I thought I may as well join in. So, I'm a bit deluged at the moment.

You sure are! I loved the first two Hunger Games books. Third one was great, but not as good as the first two. The kids in my class are devouring them. Not sure if the content is the best for them, but hey, at least they're reading!

I'm currently reading When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge. It is the current group read for another Goodreads group I belong too. It is a biography about growing up in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge. Just devastating. To think people were treated like this by their fellow countrymen.

I'm currently reading Pride and Prejudice. I figured I'd better get around to reading a few more classics! I'm not sure if I'm enjoying it or not...

Mark wrote: "I'm currently reading Pride and Prejudice. I figured I'd better get around to reading a few more classics! I'm not sure if I'm enjoying it or not..."

This is one of my favourite classics. I hope you grow to love it!

Mark - I'm a big fine of Pride and Prejudice too. The language takes a little getting used to but its a smart story.

I'm currently addicted to Audrey Howard novels.
I don't know why. They're good, but not fantastic, for some reason they just appeal to me and I can't seem to get enough of them.
maybe it's because she
Good thing there are so many of them then, lol.
Anyone else read Audrey Howard?

I meant to say 'maybe it's because she writes about strong-minded, honourable people struggling within the boundaries of the structure of society as it was at any given point in time. This subject fascinates me. I touched on it in Isabelle's Locket, and again in my next novel, Unbroken Promises, due out next year. It just seems so unfair to pigeon-hole people that way and expect them to be happy about it.'

Colleen wrote: "I'm currently addicted to Audrey Howard novels.
I don't know why. They're good, but not fantastic, for some reason they just appeal to me and I can't seem to get enough of them.
maybe it's becaus..."

I haven't read any Audrey Howard books, but she sounds a bit like Lesley Pearse - a favourite of mine. Once again, a great read, but not earth shattering! I was so excited to meet Lesley at the beginning of this year. She came to Mosgiel and spoke to a small group of her fans. An amazing woman. Afterwards, I bravely asked for a photo with her. I'll try and upload it sometime.

I'm reading '1984' at the moment. Has anyone else read this? It is unimaginable yet possible at the same time. Somewhat creepy.

I've never read it but I've been to the place where he wrote it - a really isolated farmhouse in the Isle of Jura in Scotland. Here's a brilliant article about it:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/...
Apparently it was almost called 'The Last Man in Europe'.

I do own a copy of Nineteen Eighty-Four but I have never gotten around to reading it yet, even though I bought it in 1983 with the intention to read it before the year 1984 started :-0
I'm currently reading a translation of Russian stories by Nikolai Gogol Dagboek van een gek ~ De neus ~ De mantel, Diary of a madman ~ The nose ~ The overcoat. I've read the last two stories before (and will definitely be rereading them, as I liked them a lot) but up until now I had never read Diary of a madman.

It is really interesting to check out what all the members of the Book Loving Kiwis are currently reading. To do this just click on the members link in the top right hand corner of our group pages and the books show up next to the member.
It is cool to see that some people are reading some of our past group reads - The Spanish Helmet and The Knife of Never Letting Go. You can still access the threads for these books. The more recent ones will be in the Group Reads folder, otherwise they are filed in the Archives folder. Please add to these threads if you wish.
Some of you are also reading the same book e.g. The Hunger Games. Would people be interested in a buddy reads option? This is just a folder I can set up for you in which you can discuss a particular book with others.
I'm currently re-reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. This is probably the fifth time I have read it, but it has been a few years since my last re-read. Such a great book.

Jo wrote: "I've never read it but I've been to the place where he wrote it - a really isolated farmhouse in the Isle of Jura in Scotland. Here's a brilliant article about it:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/..."

I realised today that I hadn't actually read this article, so took the time. It is fascinating. I didn't realise Orwell had died at such a young age or that his real name was Eric Blair. Do you think the book was a main factor in his death? Or would the TB have got him in the end anyway?

Hi Angie - I'm one of those currently reading The Hunger Games. I'd be interested in the buddy read option.

I have plans too to read through all the Harry Potter books again although it may be awhile before I get to them.

I think that'd be good too. So many people have read The Hunger Games/ Harry Potter and can dip into the conversations about them. I loved both and would be happy to join in.

About Orwell - I didn't know much about him until I read the article either. Such a famous literary figure and such an odd end to his life - like a novel in itself. Jura is amazing - so spectacularly Scottish. One of my favourite places in the world. But Orwell's cottage is 'spooky as' (that's me attempting to talk kiwi!).

Cool. I'll set up a Buddy Reads folder now and make threads for Harry Potter and The Hunger Games.
I'm heading to the UK in June/July and am hoping to spend some time in Scotland. Is Jura easy to get to? It sounds a bit off the beaten track. I only have two and a half weeks including travel time, but would love to check it out. Sounds sweet as! ;)

Unfortunately it's a nightmare to get to. You go beyond Glasgow and there are two ferries involved. I think it took us 11 hours from the North of England. Having said that, you guys don't seem to think anything of an 11 hour journey. And there's delicious Isle of Jura Whisky at the end of it :-)
If you have any other UK travel questions, just let me know!

Thanks Jo. The whisky might be the deciding factor! I will definitely ask you a few more travel questions. My fiance is from Wales, so we will be spending a lot of time there. I spent a year in England after leaving school (many moons ago) so have a catch up in London to look forward to as well. Good times. What would be your top three places to visit?

You're marrying a Welsh man? Are you sure you know what you're doing?
That helps, then, because my first choice for top places is Snowdonia - a castle or a mountain round every corner and history so thick you can almost touch it. For cities, London first, then York. Then there are so many others places, it's hard to choose - Stonehenge area, North Yorkshire/Whitby/Robin Hood's Bay (Dracula country!), the Cotswolds/Shakespeare country, the Lake District/Beatrix Potter country, Derbyshire (this is brilliant: http://www.theforbiddencorner.co.uk). It depends what you like.
The Scottish Highlands and Islands beats all of the above hands down, but it's so far.
My husband says it's best to send you to the horrible places which will make you very glad you're from New Zealand!
Sorry, I hope you weren't expecting a three word answer?

Interesting! I am hoping to do a Europe trip in the next couple of years with my hubby. Of course I have already started planning it. I'm hoping to take snaps of the Monopoly Board game signs (with me in them). I've heard some are quite hard to find.
Thanks for the link to the Forbidden Corner. Might add this to the list of things to do.

Whoops - I've put Forbidden Corner in the wrong place. It's in the Yorkshire Dales near Middleton, not Derbyshire. If you are up that way, eat at The Blue Lion: http://www.thebluelion.co.uk/

The monopoly signs idea sounds really good! We did a Jack the Ripper tour in London one night that was really spooky. Don't know how true it all was, but it was certainly gruesomely entertaining.

Anyway, I'm conscious that this is Book Loving Kiwis and not Let's Do Europe, so I'll stop right there. Feel free to message me!

Thank you so much, Jo. Awesome ideas. The Forbidden Corner looks magical. Yep, I am marrying a Welsh man! You're not the first who has questioned that!!
I hope you get to Europe in the next couple of years as you hope to, Sharlene.

I'm currently reading Treasure Island. I remember reading it as a young girl but I'm not sure that I would have understood it. I doubt it, as the language is old. It's a great adventure story. It's a bit hard not to like a story about pirates, treasure and islands in the middle of nowhere?!?

I'm reading A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens. I haven't been much into classics & my hubby was stunned that I hadn't read it. An old fulla who doesnt like Christmas, and sees the ghost of his friend from 7 years ago. Will see where the story leads me.

I'm currently reading Uglies. It's not the most amazing book I've ever read, but as a YA book it raises a lot of important issues. A utopia/dystopia novel? One or the other, I haven't quite decided as some things are an improvement on our current society, yet others are a definite negative. This is the first in the Uglies trilogy.

I'm currently reading Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (author of The Time Traveler's Wife). I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with TTTW, but it has since grown on me a bit. HFS is one I've been putting off because people who have liked TTTW haven't been as impressed with this one. I thought it was time I made up my own mind.

I'm currently reading As the Earth Turns Silver with the group & I recently finished Juliet Immortal, an interesting take & follow on story of the famous Romeo & Juliet love tragedy.

Angie wrote: "It is really interesting to check out what all the members of the Book Loving Kiwis are currently reading. To do this just click on the members link in the top right hand corner of our group pages ..."

Im a devoted Hunger Games reader. My children loved it and we are all looking forward to the movie and dreading it as well because OF COURSE theres no way it will be as good as the book! I shouldnt be reading anything right now because Im chasing a deadline for my second Telesa bk BUT reading is the best way to procrastinate a writing project...Just read Sophie Kinsella's latest release 'Whats your number' and loved it. I can never read a book over several days, always read it in a couple of late nite hours so i find it difficult to update my reading progress/thoughts on goodreads etc...since there is no real "progress time"

Hi Lani. I agree. The Hunger Games is a wonderful series. Have you and your children read The Knife of Never Letting Go? It is the first in a trilogy, and I thought it was almost as good as The Hunger Games. I have set up a thread for The Hunger Games under Buddy Reads, so add your thoughts to that folder if you feel like it. I'm also really looking forward to the movie, and also worried that it will not live up to the book.
I read Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella last month. I went into it with very low expectations, but actually thought it was a very cool book.

thanks for the tip - i hadnt heard of that book The knife of never letting go. Will check it out.

I dont like too much pondering or puzzling or deep thought in my reading - maybe its a throwback to doing an eng lit degree?! Either way, I always look for well-written, light, enjoyable fiction and Kinsella always delivers. The Shopaholic series is a favorite of mine. I think its the best of 'chick lit'. Along with Marian Keyes.

Reading Michael Morpurgo's - War Horse. So beautiful yet so sad. Not sure if I'll be able to get to the end of the book without crying. Joey the horse is a stunning character.

I've given up on trying to read a couple of books: New Moan: The Twishite Saga - A Parody & Anna Karenina (the size is hard to get past!).
So now I've pick up Fallen. The pages are easier to turn.

LOL!!!
I enjoyed Fallen, but the sequel made my ears bleed (I listened to the audiobook)

I find my reading rate is stupendously slow at present. I'm supposed to be joining a buddy read on Fellowship of the Ring in one of my other groups, but I'm just not going to make it to the start of the book, let alone the end. And people at work keep giving me books to read, and there are new books in some of my favourite series out this month, and it's all a bit 'arrggh!!'

Yep, I got given two more books at work today! Crazy stuff.

I received two books by Auckland Library twitter, first two parts of a zombie-sounding trilogy. Feed & Deadline? Have added to TBR list. Hope I can get to them sooner rather than much much later!

these two? Feed & Deadline? They look really interesting - and lots of really good reviews. Let us know how they are.

Hi everyone! I know I haven't been too active in this group and I apologize. I wanted to share with everyone this awesome Indie book I just finished reading by New Zealand native Tama Wise. His book is called Street Dreams

You can read my review for this book on my blog at The Muses Circle

But here is a little taste: I give Street Dreams a solid 4 out of 5 star rating for its distinctive, colorful characters, its controversial subject matter, and also showing us a slice of life most people would never know about. If you like hip hop, break dancing, and graffiti art, then you will fall under Tama Wise's spell and want to know more about Siege, Ihaia, and Loot, characters I haven't even had the chance to talk about, but will bring this Auckland hip hop world to life before your very own eyes. Street Dreams is not one of those books that makes your heart race; its one of those novels that is powerful in its subtlety. It makes you think long after the last page has been read. It can be a powerful tool in the right hands, a great source that addresses the ever controversial topics of gay stereotypes and homosexuality vs. cultural identity. Street Dreams is not a perfect book, and even Wise's style of writing may take some time getting used to. However, it's these imperfections that gives it heart. After all, sometimes it is the quietest book that can teach you the greatest lesson.

Please come by and check out the rest of my review for Street Dreams! Feel free to join my blog as well!

Mia at The Muses Circle

Hey Mia, this book sounds right up my alley. I'm a young maori female, living in Auckland. I attend Church in Mangere, South Auckland (where I think the book is based). I see a lot of young men like this. Some use music & dancing as an escape from the real world, or a way to express themselves. I love dancing too. I frequently watch 'art in motion' videos on youtube.
Your blog said you hadn't figured out what 'the dole' is. This is income that beneficiaries receive in New Zealand.
Your review is great. I have added Street Dreams to my TBR list & hope to read it soon!

Sharlene wrote: "Hey Mia, this book sounds right up my alley. I'm a young maori female, living in Auckland. I attend Church in Mangere, South Auckland (where I think the book is based). I see a lot of young men lik..."

Sharlene! Wow, thank you so much for the compliment about my review for Street Dreams. I am going to drop you a personal email on goodreads because I have a few questions to ask you! Thank you so much for answering my question about the term "the dole". I tried looking it up, but I couldn't make sense of it. Anyway, chat with you in a bit!

Mia at The Muses Circle

I'm currently reading The Price of Bacon by NZ author Jeanette Aplin. It's autobiographical, about the author's adventures with a breeding pair of kunekunes. The aspect that makes this particularly interesting is that she lives on D'Urville Island. I'm just shy of a quarter of the way through, and enjoying both her warm, immediate style of writing, and the insights into island life.
Anyone else read this, or either of her previous books? They are: The Lighthouse Keeper's Wife and The Lighthouse Children's Mother.

Hi everyone! We really should start a movie thread! Like Australian/New Zealand movies & television!

Anyway, I know this is NOT a book, but I think this is such an important topic that everyone should know about and get involved in. Please check out my new review for the movie Machine Gun Preacher. It is a true story about Sam Childers, the ex-motorcycle misfit who straightened his life around & now dedicates his life to saving the children of Uganda and Sudan from Joseph Kony's reign of terror. Kony is responsible for the deaths, rapes, abductions, and slavery of thousands of children in Africa. I also included a link on my blog for further instructions on how to get involved and help. A powerful movie on a troubling issue that's been going on for years. Check it out! http://themusescircle.blogspot.com/20...

Also, there is a book about Sam Childers life here: Another Man's War: The True Story of One Man's Battle to Save Children in the Sudan

Thanks!

Mia at http://themusescircle.blogspot.com/

I'm currently reading Saving Ceecee Honeycutt. An easy read and a beautiful story. If you are a fan of The Help, The Secret Life of Bees or To Kill a Mockingbird I recommend this one for you.

Sounds very tempting! Hello, Mt TBR!