Book Loving Kiwis discussion

So many great books on this list!!! I'm getting excited for February :)

Erica wrote: "Hi Bronwyn, just confirming - is No One Can Hear You your second book choice for the pool? I've assumed it is and added to the Pool :)"

Yes thanks.

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Darkpool! Long time no see!"

Hi Carol! *waves madly*

Man, I love the old book pool. So good for getting out of my reading ruts and comfort zone.

OK, so some books then... can I please add the following:

First Cut by Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell
Year Zero by Rob Reid
Fools and Mortals by Bernard Cornwell

Found the Authors corner! Thank you!

Darkpool wrote: "Man, I love the old book pool. So good for getting out of my reading ruts and comfort zone.

OK, so some books then... can I please add the following:

First Cut by [author:Judy Me..."

Loving the range of genres in the Book Pool so far :) I've added your three to the Pool, thanks Darkpool :)

Minu wrote: "Hi there ... erm this is shameless self promotion ... I am a New Zealand author and published a contemporary urban fantasy book last year ... it's very unusual ... no dragons, vampires, swords or f..."

Hi Minu, great that you're joining in. To be fair I don't think I spelt it out in the rules but generally we try and keep author self-promotion to the Author's corner of the Group. So I won't include that pick in the Book Pool. Victory Park has also already been chosen for the book pool.
Greta and Valdin I've added to the pool.
So feel free to choose two more books for the pool :)

Erica wrote: "Minu wrote: "Hi there ... erm this is shameless self promotion ... I am a New Zealand author and published a contemporary urban fantasy book last year ... it's very unusual ... no dragons, vampires..."

Totally understand! Happy with those two books!

After looking at the doorstep size of The Luminaries, 🙈, better swop that out for another possibly, if that’s Ok?

Loop Tracks by Sue Orr, another NZ author

It is on the larger side :) Can swap it out for you.

Hi - first time joining so hope I do this right -
1. Bloody Woman - Lana Lopesi
2. A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
3. Hood Feminism - Mikki Kendall

I would love to join, I have watched these for a while but never signed up so there’s a first time for everything :-)
I’ve tried to double check the list so hopefully I don’t have any double ups.

The Other Side of Beautiful - Kim Lock
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida - Shehan Karunatilaka
Kāwai: For such a time as this - Monty Soutar

Aue, Victory Park, The Tally Stick

2. Circe, *Madeline Miller :)

Thanks for joining in Chetna, Jessica, HC and Bridget :) Loving the books you've selected and have added them to the pool.

HC wrote: "Aue, Victory Park, The Tally Stick"

HC - those books have already been chosen by others and added to the Book Pool. You can pick three other books :)

Count me in!

(Build Your House Around My Body, Violet Kupersmith)
(The Sentence, Louise Erdrich)
(The Marriage Portrait, Maggie O'Farrell)

Welcome Jess :) Your books are now in the Pool.

Kia ora,
I am not kiwi myself (greetings from Helsinki/Funland), but we were living in Christchurch with my family 2018-19. I love this topic and find the challenge very inspiring. I'll pick up some crime novels here as they are the most familiar type of NZ novels for me so far. Really looking forward for all the books what we'll shout out here.

Here is my list:
1. The Devils You Know, Ben Sanders
2. Before You Knew My Name, Jacqueline Bublitz
3. The Quiet People, Paul Cleave

- Mikko

Haha, there is a funny typo on my post: Helsinki/Funland --> Finland of course. It is fun many times here though 😂

Welcome Mikko :) I'll add your books to the pool when I'm back home and can access my laptop.

Mikko wrote: "Kia ora,
I am not kiwi myself (greetings from Helsinki/Funland), but we were living in Christchurch with my family 2018-19. I love this topic and find the challenge very inspiring. I'll pick up so..."

Welcome Mikko

I read Before You Knew My Name last year & absolutely loved it.

Mikko wrote: "Kia ora,
I am not kiwi myself (greetings from Helsinki/Funland), but we were living in Christchurch with my family 2018-19. I love this topic and find the challenge very inspiring. I'll pick up so..."

I've added those three books to the Pool :)

Mikko wrote: "Kia ora,
I am not kiwi myself (greetings from Helsinki/Funland), but we were living in Christchurch with my family 2018-19."

Hi Mikko
I started 'Before you knew my name' a few days ago but will put it on the back burner till February.

Very true Kathleen, no harm in trying :) I'll add those books to the pool tonight

Only a week to go until the Book Pool Challenge kicks off. What's everyone thinking will be the first book they want to pick up to read from the Pool?
I'm thinking How Beautiful We Were is gonna be my first read :)

Erica wrote: "Only a week to go until the Book Pool Challenge kicks off. What's everyone thinking will be the first book they want to pick up to read from the Pool?
I'm thinking How Beautiful We Were is gonna b..."

I'm thinking it will be The Rose Revived as that looks to be nice & light - perfect for February.

The first book chosen by someone else is likely to be My Year of Rest and Relaxation as I have wanted to read that one for a while.

Think I might start with the two physical books that I own, that I picked. The books are on my list to get out in the first half of the year but also I really need to get the amount of physical books I have down lol.
There are a bunch of different books on here though so I'm excited to just go through and try something new.

I think I should switch my choice of The Meursault Investigation to another book, as it is a retelling of Albert Camus's novel 'The Stranger' which I presume would need to be read first in order to appreciate the retelling.

My choice to replace it with is The Lucky Galah by Tracy Sorensen.

Kerry wrote: "I think I should switch my choice of The Meursault Investigation to another book, as it is a retelling of Albert Camus's novel 'The Stranger' which I presume would need to be read first in order to..."

Sweet I'll switch that out for you Kerry :)

I actually bought The Lucky Galah on a whim once cos I loved the cover. Enjoyed the story too :)

Adding my third choice --
How to Marry Harry
because it's NZ and cheap on kindle now

Erica wrote: "I actually bought The Lucky Galah on a whim once."

Thanks. I saw this on the library shelves the other day and brought it home for same reason.

Bronwyn wrote: "Adding my third choice --
How to Marry Harry
because it's NZ and cheap on kindle now"

Thanks Bronwyn. Added to the Pool :)

Couple more days to prep before the reading begins.
It’s worth checking back into the Book Pool to see if there are any new books added that you’d be interested in reading.

I’m going to try get my hands on Kawai. Might even by me a copy and ask Monty to sign it! lol. Luxury of living in Gizzy.

Oh cool Sharlene! My dad just read Kawai and found it really interesting :)

Sharlene wrote: "Couple more days to prep before the reading begins.
It’s worth checking back into the Book Pool to see if there are any new books added that you’d be interested in reading.

I’m going to try get my..."


I got my copy signed at a session he did here in Rotorua when his book launched. Really interesting to hear him speak about his book. We were also really lucky as, McLeod's, our local indie bookshop, organised Kupu - Māori Writers' Festival, so I got to hear Becky Manawatu, Michael Bennett, Whiti Hereaka and Shilo Kino speak. Really hoping the event takes place again this year.

From Wednesday it's February - that means we can start reading books from the book pool that day :)

When you finish a book, comment in this thread.

POST EXAMPLE:
#9 --- Your sign up number listed in Comment 3 of this thread.
Book #1 - Before You Knew My Name --- the number book you've read from the pool and its title
Read: 05/01 --- the date you finished

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

I'll update comment 3 as we go with the numbers of books people have read.

Angie wrote: "Sharlene wrote: "Couple more days to prep before the reading begins.
It’s worth checking back into the Book Pool to see if there are any new books added that you’d be interested in reading.

I’m go..."

Is McLeod's still open? For some reason I thought I'd read it was closing down and was so sad cos I always visit when I'm in Rotorua.

Erica wrote: "Angie wrote: "Sharlene wrote: "Couple more days to prep before the reading begins.
It’s worth checking back into the Book Pool to see if there are any new books added that you’d be interested in re..."

Kia ora Erica - yes they're still open. Change of ownership, management and location in the last 6 months, but they're still going.

Good to hear!

Two more days! I'm actually really excited for this, plus we have so many people doing it this time around and so many different books :)

I have 2 more days to finish Bono's autobiography .... I'd best get back to it hahaha. I'm very excited about the book list! Thanks for organising this wonderful event Erica :)

I'm in the same boat, got Harbouring by Jenny Pattrick to finish reading by Wed :) There are so many great books in the pool I want to get stuck in to them straight away haha.

I will be late starting - I'm reading a chunkster atm & I'm leading a read in another group. But I'll get there!

I forgot to mention I haven't started this month's book group book. Multi-tasking will be a feature of my Feb-March :D

I didn’t plan this well… Wondering if there are others in this Book Pool using Auckland Libraries. I’m 8 weeks on the waiting list for one of my picks ‘My Year of Rest and Relaxation’ on both audio and ebook. Think I’ll have to go in and pick up a physical copy.

Lucky I’ve got 2 more days up my sleeve!

Oh no, how frustrating! A lot of my picks have long queues on Libby for Wellington library too. Unity Books here I come!

Sharlene wrote: "I didn’t plan this well… Wondering if there are others in this Book Pool using Auckland Libraries. I’m 8 weeks on the waiting list for one of my picks ‘My Year of Rest and Relaxation’ on both audio..."

i am, i love that i can use it but especially if they're a bit more popular it doesn't always work for the book pool unless those before me read them fast

Sharlene wrote: "I didn’t plan this well… Wondering if there are others in this Book Pool using Auckland Libraries."

I'm using Auckland Libraries, sometimes I request the large print editions as the queue is shorter.

I own the books I chose (two dead tree & one on kindle) I am starting with one of my books, but then I may use a strategy of grabbing books at the library when my selections are available.