Book Loving Kiwis discussion

If you use this website, you obviously love reading! Share some of your favourites (NZ or not) with the Book Loving Kiwis.

Some of my favourite reads of this year...

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Thirteenth Tale
The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset
Friendship Bread

And some children/young adult favourites...
The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread
Because of Winn-Dixie
See Ya, Simon

Released in June through Xlibris, a thriller, "Relinquished" set in the bottom of the North and top of the South. 'In making a choice we give something up, but few would willingly choose to relinquish their freedom. Michelle Apperton, an Australian taken captive from an island in New Zealand's rugged Marlborough Sounds, did not have a choice.'

Behind the Hood (Read this year).
Under the Mountain (I think I read this in intermediate).
Lord of the Flies (In High School).
The Outsiders (When I was 10).
And some others that I'm not admitting to on here :)

I joined Goodreads in April 2011 (which was also when I set up Book Loving Kiwis). I read 55 books from then until the end of 2011. Here are my top ten books for 2011. Not an easy list to make as I read so many good books.

My Top Ten Reads of 2011:

I just receive "the hunger games" as a christmas present and hopefully I read it soon, since the movie is coming out on March. I have also seen that book around campus very much I guess is very good, and if u also recommend it then it should be.
Thanks for the suggestions! I will add some to my to-read list!

If you are into classics, I recommend A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It is definitely up there with Jane Eyre, To Kill a Mockingbird and Pride and Prejudice for me!
Probably my favourite book so far this year is Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison. It is an autobiography and I found it a really interesting and entertaining read.

Angie wrote: "I joined Goodreads in April 2011 (which was also when I set up Book Loving Kiwis). I read 55 books from then until the end of 2011. Here are my top ten books for 2011. Not an easy list to make as I..."

I've only read one of those books, , which is my favourite book for 2011. I haven't read any of the others. Though, my daughter has . I might read it, but will definitely see the movie as my daughter isn't giving me a choice :) Anyway, the trailer looks good.

One of the wee girls at school loaned me her copy of . It was a beautiful read.

My review:
A beautiful children's novel set on the northern coast of France during WWI. Sisters, Marcelle and Coco, discover a soldier in the woods behind their home. Over a number of days, the soldier shares marvellous tales about the humble donkey in exchange for the girls' company. I loved the story about the soldier and the children, but the tales about the donkeys were equally as enchanting.

I re-read an old favorite "The Life of Pi" not long ago. Love that story. Why do I love stories with animals so much?

There's something about an animal story that warms the heart. Life of Pi is one of those stories that keeps you thinking for ages afterwards.
I read War Horse last month. It was a lovely story. Michael Morpurgo writes a lot of gorgeous animal novels for children. His novel, Out of the Ashes had me in tears. It was about a young farm girl and her animals during the foot and mouth outbreak in England. Heart-breaking.
I received a book from Book Depository today, so am expecting your book to arrive any day now, as I ordered it at the same time.

Angie, if you like animal stories, you will most likely enjoy Ripple, (I'm only going on how other people have responded here) but I'm keen to hear all reactions, both negative and positive.

I've been recently inspired to create a story about sharks. They get so much bad rap, and humans have killed 90% of the world's sharks. Our ocean ecology utterly depends on them. And the funniest thing is we think of them as mindless killers, when a) they're far from mindless and b) more people are killed each year by coke machines falling on them than are killed by sharks. But imagine the fun I could have developing the right "shark" voice. Bit of a culture shift from "being" a dolphin for so long! I'm quite excited. It would be very different and just as important for the oceans. From some of the footage I've now seen of sharks, I think their "voice" could be quite dog-like.

That sounds awesome. Go Tui!

I've just finished Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I'm pretty choosy when it comes to fantasy, but this book was up there. I gave it 4/5 stars.
I know that there are a few fantasy fans in this group, so if you haven't already, read this!

Miss Peregrine's is a great one. I read the ebook which I don't recommend - definitely get your hands on a print version to make it really come to life!

I agree. The photos were amazing.

It's already on my 'to read' list.. I may have to bump it up a bit after those recommendations.

The Language of Flowers and The Glass Castle were two really good books I have read recently. I would say both 5 stars

Jessa wrote: "The Language of Flowers and The Glass Castle were two really good books I have read recently. I would say both 5 stars"

I agree with The Language of Flowers. One of the best books I have read this year. I have The Glass Castle on my list for next month.

Sweetp-1 wrote: "Miss Peregrine's is a great one. I read the ebook which I don't recommend - definitely get your hands on a print version to make it really come to life!"

I agree. I'd never heard of this book and found it while I was browsing in a bookshop. I bought it because of the photographs.
If you liked this, you might want to try Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was by Barry Hughart It's completely different but I love them both, and someone just reminded me of it recently.

Added all those, thanks :)

One of my most memorable books this year was,
I could actually 'hear' the slow, southern drawl from the characters as they spoke.
Also, can't go past
Not only has this been the number one bestselling NZ book for the past couple of months - but the author is one of my best buddies ;) Please Note: this may not be for everyone. Some of the details are pretty grim. Still trying to encourage the author to join Goodreads!

You must read The Secret Life of Bees and/or Saving CeeCee Honeycutt if you like The Help. Also, To Kill a Mockingbird, if you haven't already. Sorry, I'm on my iPhone so can't put the links in.

Ooo - thanks for the suggestions Angie! I'll put them on my TBR list now!

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is on my to-read list, have heard great things. I REALLY loved The Help.

Angie - thanks, I loved The Secret Life of Bees so will put CeeCee Honeycutt and The Help on my list. Rae

I'm reading Graffiti Heaven at the moment and really like it. It has some very intense themes, which I didn't expect. I think the way some of the characters' thoughts and actions are done are pretty original, especially the bit after the pub with the words tumbling down to represent how Ash is feeling. It reminded me of in that bit, but not as overpowering.

It is very interesting reading, so far so good. I am reading this book in order to understand better why some men behave in some peculiar way, and so far what I have understood is because some chemicals that the brain secretes, for instante testosterone.

Another book I am reading is (News of a kidnappking by Gabriel Garcia Marquez) which in my opinion is super interesting. It is about 10 people kidnapped in Colombia in the 1990's and it is based on a real-story. The drama goes around narcotrafic people, "guerrilla" & goverment. I believe it is super interesting specially since this is very common in Latin America.

If you liked then give a try.

Yay. That is on my list of reads for August. I've been meaning to read it for ages.

Great read. The book was easy to understand. I say because sometimes historical ficton sometimes gets a little too bogged down with facts and hard to understand words.

My review of The Casual Vacancy...

Where to start?!? When I heard that J.K. Rowling had written an adult book, I was so glad/interested/excited/relieved (along with most adult Rowling fans, it had been too long since the glorious Harry Potter days.) I became concerned when the first reviews started to appear, because they either made links to Harry Potter, comparing Casual Vacancy characters to Harry Potter characters, or stated that Rowling had tried too hard to include as much sex, drugs, viloence, vulgar language in this book, simply because she could. I appreciate fantasy fans are not usually contemporary fiction fans (and imagine Rowling considered this too.) Personally, I am not a huge fantasy fan, in fact I'm VERY fussy. And to be fair, I'm the same with contemporary fiction.
SO... I decided to approach this book with an open mind. I thought it was a huge success - Go Jo! It was obvious that it was written by Rowling, because who else can weave so many seemingly meaningless happenings into the book, only for them to appear later on as a vital part of the story. Her amazing language (my dictionary had a fair thumbing!) and incredible way with words was mindblowing. The characters, as others have stated, were not at all likeable. They all had their faults, but I couldn't help but feel compassion for many of them all the same - Krystal, Kay, Andrew, Sukhvinder...
The ending was tidy, but not spotless. This town, these people did not require/deserve a happily-ever-after.
I can't wait for another thought-provoking adult novel by J.K. Rowling. 4.5 stars from me.

Oh great review. I have this. I have read 1 chapter while I was waiting in the car but I really need to finish some other things before I get going properly on it .

Angie wrote: "My review of The Casual Vacancy...

Where to start?!? When I heard that J.K. Rowling had written an adult book, I was so glad/interested/excited/relieved (along with most adult Rowling fans, it had..."

I haven't read any of the Harry Potter series as it's not my thing, but I'm going to read The Casual Vacancy because I like social realism books. So, it's good to hear you liked it, Angie.

I started the Hunger Games affected by some of the dubious press about it. But the more I read the trilogy and the darker it got the more I liked it. I think what's great about Suzanne Collins is she is big on the vulnerability of humans. Katniss Everdeen is scarred physically and psychologically by her ordeals and there is no bullshit in the fantasy. I see the Hunger Games as an excellent story to keep politics relevant to teens in countries where they are too soft to care. (not like the Arab world for instance).

and of course my own books because I've had to read them over and over again to proof them.

Life being violent and difficult and thoroughly ghastly in the big bad world outside I recommend any of Alexander McCall Smith's Number 1 detective Agency books or his Sunday Philosophers' Club books for a touch of sanity, humanity, and tolerance and kindliness.

I've downloaded The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency to read for the Winter Challenge.

I didn't care much for The Sunday Philosophy Club, finding the author's tone rather patronising in places. That would have been the end of me and Alexander McCall Smith, but a friend recommended La's Orchestra Saves the World, which I found vastly more enjoyable. I've yet to try anything else he's written, but shall continue to give Isabel Dalhousie a wide berth.

Yes, when I first read The Sunday Philosophy Club I found Isabelle irritating but she is a philosopher!

I stumbled onto the third book which is an easier read and then went back and read the whole series in order and I can see what McCall Smith is doing with the ideas and characters. He always has philosophical ideas wrapped in his themes which slowly unfold over the series.

He is not easy on his readers and demands, by the end of each book, that we have to think about the little things of life as well as some major things. I think this is the hardest read of all his books because the philosophy is visible and present and readers have to take it on board. Thank God for McCall Smith's dry humour which comes through Isabelle's asides and wandering thoughts!

Oh good. Nice to know others found no 1 a peckle stiff.

I have a theory that McCall Smith intended soemthing quite different but Isabelle took off on him.

My Top Five Favourite Children's Classics

Too Many Secrets by Adele Broadbent

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Great book! One of those books you don't want to stop reading and put down. The cover definitely does not do it justice. People say "don't judge a book by it's cover" but I know that I do. The story is amazing... very exciting and makes you want to know what is going to happen next. It's now on my list of favourite books! I would recommend this book to people who love a bit of mystery.



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Come Over to My House by Theo LeSieg

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a marvellous picture book written by Dr. Seuss about homes from around the world. It was my favourite book when I was 3 or 4. It is an excellent book for young readers.



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