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BOOK POOL CHALLENGE - FEB/MARCH '24
Mod
4.5*
4 March
Book #5
Thoroughly enjoyed this book about an unlikely friendship struck up during WWII between an young evacuee and the woman that takes him in. This is the perfect book if you want to cosy up with a good read on a cold and rainy weekend.
Erica wrote: "Crooked Heart4.5*
4 March
Book #5
Thoroughly enjoyed this book about an unlikely friendship struck up during WWII between an young evacuee and the woman that takes him in. This is..."
I'm only a wee way in but am liking it very much! :)
V2: A Novel of World War II by Robert Harris3.5 stars
05 Mar
#3
A WW2 novel about the V2 missiles that were fired on London during 1944. The chapters alternate between a German rocket scientist who supervises the launches in Holland and a female WAAF who works in a special unit that tries to detect the location of the launch pads. Enjoyable read that covers another aspect of WW2.
Homecoming by Kate Moreton4 stars
Finished 6th March
#2 book finished
A very tragic story, beautifully written. So much research went into writing this and featured numerous literary works. The story itself was hard for me to get through but I appreciate the talent of this author and how all the jumping back and forth from different characters and time periods all tied up in the end.
Homecoming by Kate Moreton4 stars
Finished 6th March
12/13? th book finished
I found this a bit slow and ponderous. But well written in the sense of keeping the flow between the two time settings and the characters. She's a little wordy, needs a new younger editor,
I did guess what had happened early on but not the finer ramifications. A better writer than some of the YA authors I've been reading.
Oh blow. I wondered which Kindred novel it was in my library's listing of five. Alas I've picked the wrong one to order.LIbrary's only got four more books on the list!
Mod
Just updated all the scores.
I've been dipping in and out of the NZ Short Story collection and I've enjoyed the stories so far :) Going to pick up The Girl in the Mirror from the library today too.
Thank you, Erica I was too tired to hunt up the last entry and check. I had a mini-stroke on New Year's Day and I'm still tired and full of nasty blood thinners. Makes me droop around 8.30 p.m.!!!
Mod
Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7 March
Book #9
I really enjoyed this book set during WWII in England. The central characters were quirky but believable. I rather liked the two main characters, a luckless pair: an evacuee from London and the slightly shady woman who took him in.
I'm now going to listen Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh on Audible. I've been reading the (actual) book Black Cross by Greg Iles which is utterly absorbing. I like to always have an audio book on the go as well as a real book!
Erica wrote: "Sorry to hear that P.D.R. Hope your recovery is going well."Surviving, thank you!!!
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow3 stars
Finished 9th March
Book #3
I think my expectations of this book let me down. I was so excited to read this and had put it in the book pool. I love gothic stories but this one fell flat for me. It didn’t captivate me and I felt like reading this was a chore. I didn’t like how the book had footnotes and I had to keep jumping back and forth from the story to the footnotes. Made it disjointed and didn’t flow nicely. I enjoyed some parts but overall a disappointing read.
Mod
3 stars
Finished 9th March
Book #3
I think my expectations of this book let me down. I was so excited to read this and had put it in the book pool. I love gothic s..."
I have loved some of Harrow's short stories but was really disappointed in The Once and Future Witches - so much so that I took The Ten Thousand Doors of January off one of my reading lists.
'Light from Uncommon Stars' 5 stars
Finished 9th March
13th book finished
Thank you whoever recommended this book. I now know what hopepunk is.
A clever and very knowledgeable author can do wonders with a Faustian plot and turn it into something creative and funny and hopeful. Also anyone not comfortable with gender fluidity should read this book to get a better understanding of what being trans can mean. As the story is a glorious muddle of S.F. with aliens, demons, and musicians it's the characters and their struggles who become important and not their sexuality.
I'm going to find more of this author's work. She writes well.
Jennifer wrote: "So glad you liked it P.D.R. 😁"Ah, thank you, Jennifer. I'm old things like gender fluidity etc are very strange to me so a book like this works on a deeper level for people like me by giving me an insight into this world.
Name: Eileen by Otessa MossfeghStars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Date: 10 Feb
#10
I liked this book but it was very dark and depressing, so I’m glad to have finished it on one hand, but I miss Eileen already!
Although I found the main character (Eileen) unlikeable initially, I was quite fond of her by the end of the book. She had been damaged by her childhood due to her parents’ indifference and father’s alcoholism. This shaped her personality where she “hated almost everything”.
Victory CityVictory City, by Salman Rushdie
5 stars
Finished 11 March
Book #8
I applaud this return to Salman Rushdie’s magic in which he uses his superb writing skills to tell a good story, which combines excellence of research, depth of knowledge, and layer of magic that brings added fascination. Yes, it’s long, but it kept my interest throughout. I know this won’t appeal to everyone. My knowledge of Indian mythology did help.
Mod
Victory City, by Salman Rushdie
5 stars
Finished 11 March
Book #8
I applaud this return to Salman Rushdie’s magic in which he uses his superb writing skills to tell a..."
Glad you liked that one Bronwyn :) I've read his book Midnight Children (or called something like that) and this one had such an interesting blurb I'm intrigued to pick it up :)
Scores are all updated.
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace4.5 stars
Finished 13th March
Book #4
I adored this book. It was everything that I was hoping Starling house to be. Belladonna came through for me with the gothic romance. A haunted murder mystery that had lots of plot twists. I was captivated from start to finish. The fastest read book this challenge.
As for a previous review of this book in the comments section, I don’t quite see how ‘I did wonder about the amount of erotic sexual scenes in the book as it’s meant to be YA’ was something to reflect on. When I read that, I was thinking I was in for a book of spice. There were 2 scenes in the book and they were hardly described much at all. The scenes each only being a short paragraph long with little detail, only the knowledge of that it happened. For me was zero spice and I thought totally appropriate for YA readers.
Mod
4 stars
Finished 13th March
Book #6
I raced through this book. Very easy to read and kept you gripped. I probably could've guessed the twists if I'd thought harder about it but I was just enjoying the ride. Would def pick up more by this author :)
The Sparrow by Tessa Duder4 stars
Finished 13 March
Book #4
Highly enjoyable historical YA set in the early days of Auckland.
Mod
4.5★
Finished 13 March
Book #3
I have not given this one 5★ only because I didn't like the beginning, but this book kept getting stronger & stronger as it went on & ended up being a quite wonderful character study of Sarah & Jack, full of Kiwi touches.
#6Title: Norse Fairy and Folk Tales - James Shepard
Two Stars
Date Finished: 14th March
Books Read: 4
Wish I'd like this more but oh well.
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
14 March
#11
Very enjoyable thriller set in NZ. Interesting relationships between the main characters. Chicanery abounding. Evil people. Good misguided people. Action, politics and good ole greed.
It wasn't quite a 5⭐️ but I liked it very much!
Now onto Homecoming!
Mod
5 stars (from a YA fan)
Finished 16th Feb
Book #1
This has been on my TBR for 9 years! I’m all for YA Fantasy. I devoured this over the weekend. It’s easy to read, even with all the usual story lines. A heroine, a Prince, a jealous girl who has known the Prince but can never get his attention, a love triangle, a mean King, some nasty brutes, some enemies who become friends and I hope they reappear later in the series, friends who become enemies (or so she thinks). Throw in another world, a different language, some history, and some epic battle scenes and Boom, I’m hooked.
Mod
#3
Book #4
Missus
Rating 3.5-4★ (I'm trying to decide if the book should be marked down for a poor beginning)
Finished 17/3.
I haven't read that many books where the first book was written a very long time after the second. So Park was working backwards, to make some of the characters' actions fit what had already happened.
Homecoming by Kate Morton⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
19 March
#12
I very much enjoyed this book. Great descriptions of the hot Adelaide Hills at Christmas - I could visualise the characters and their surroundings in detail. I found scientific, psychological and historic aspects very interesting.
My mother-in-law recommended this book to me and so I was pleased it was part of the challenge!
A solid five stars!
Mod
I've updated the scores.
I'm about halfway through the Penguin short story collection and have been really enjoying the stories. Hoping to finish next week before the end of the challenge!
Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency by Olivia Laing⭐️⭐️⭐️
21 March
#13
Eric'a review interested me in this book and, more shallowly, the cover art of David Wojnarowicz's face in the dirt.
I really liked most of the book because I'm interested in The Arts but as Erica mentioned in her review, the last article/interview was the least interesting. Funny Weather was full of artists I was familiar with and others I was interested to learn about. There was a great section on Hilary Mantel so ... funnily enough, I'm going to give Wolf Hall another go :)
Mod
I've got about 100pages left of the Penguin NZ short story anthology which I'm really enjoying.
Hope everyone's having a good weekend.
Mod
I've got about 100pages left of the Penguin NZ short story anthology which I'm really enjoying.
Hope everyone's ha..."
I was going to read Fingersmith but I'm not going to get to it. Busy week.
I'd love it if we coiuld do this challenge for 3 months next year. :)
Black Cross by Greg Iles⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
24 March
#14
I loved this book, and not just because it was one of my picks haha!
I was intrigued because Greg Iles typically writes crime fiction and thrillers in the modern time but this book was about a secret mission to scupper the Nazis' production of Sarin and Soman (poison) gas towards the end of WWII. It was action-packed to the end and if you are a WWII buff, you will probably enjoy it.
I've only just started the Penguin Short Story Anthology but as I'm on holiday, I might get through before the end of the month. I'm simultaneously listening to Wolf Hall.
I also want to read the Yiddish Policeman book but probably won't get to it until after the challenge!
Carol She's So Novel - 3 months seems a good idea! But it might be 2 months for a specific reason. Is it Erica?
Carol She's So Novel ꧁꧂ wrote: "Erica wrote: "How's everyone going with their reading? Only one week left of the challenge :)I gave up on the list, not because I think they're not worth reading, but because I buy the books I read so I can have them on my kindle. Most of the others I might have chosen are put out by big publishers and priced $14-$17, which I consider exorbitant prices for e-books. I won't pay that unless it is something with high promise. I wait till prices come down in time, as they sometimes do. Many big publishers don't seem to understand Amazon's pricing rules so don't realise how, if they price a book within the set percentage range, their share doubles so they earn more, and gain more sales.
So, sorry to say I have mainly abandoned the challenge list and have been reading others - recently a fantasy trilogy, and am half way through The Churchill Girls, which is interesting but somewhat over-detailed and long.
However, simultaneously, I am reading Lessons in Chemistry as I was given a paper copy, and will complete that before end of the month.
Best wishes to all.
Bronwyn wrote: "Carol She's So Novel ꧁꧂ wrote: "Erica wrote: "How's everyone going with their reading? Only one week left of the challenge :)I gave up on the list, not because I think they're not worth reading, ..."
With you there, Carol.
I can only read the books the library own. I've just finished the penultimate book and the final one is now waiting for me to pick up.
I have found some interesting authors I wouldn't have picked up myself so thank you for that.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. MaasFinished 27th March
5 stars
Book #5
Omgosh. This book had me hooked! This kind of fantasy read is exactly what fuels my love for books. I’ve had the complete box set for a while but put off reading them as I knew I’d devour them once I started. So glad I left this book till the end of the challenge as now I can immerse myself in this 8 book series! Woohoo! I’m excited 😁
'The Pearl That Broke Its Shell'3.5 *
13
March 20th
That's a personal star I'm sure the writing skills are worth more it's just that I can't stand all these darned books about dreadful situations and women trapped in them. The MC irritated me too although yes, I know she couldn't stamp her feet and call in the sisterhood. I just kept boggling that in the 21stC life is still appalling for so many women..
'Shatter Me'Last book the library could obtain for me.
Yes, well, more later.
Mod
4*
27 March
Book #7
Have been chipping away at this for the last few weeks. Enjoyed the selection of short stories. A few were in a a whimsical writing style that isn't my jam but the vast majority I really liked.
Mod
Stacey-Beth wrote: "Throne of Glass by Sarah J. MaasFinished 27th March
5 stars
Book #5
Omgosh. This book had me hooked! This kind of fantasy read is exactly what fuels my love for books. I’ve had the complete box s..."
I still haven't read any of her books and really must give one a try.
I’m abandoning Wolf Hall. It’s just not holding my attention. I’m almost halfway through but I just don’t want to finish it! Very unusual for me. I’m probs not going to finish the NZ Short Stories in time but we’ll see!
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus 5 stars +
Finished 28 March
Book #9
Despite its title, this is a novel. Fascinating, feminist, fun. I recommend this to everyone.
'Shatter Me'3.5*
Finished March 26th
14th
Ah me! Why do all these depressing After Armageddon books follow the genre tropes without much creative imagination? It's always some poor female in dire distress, often with some special skill, who has to escape and save the world! Boring, even the obligatory sex parts are boring.
I did find the reading of the early part of the book difficult because of all the crossed out words published with a line through so they were hard to read and distracted. Why not good old italics or some kind of different font? Sigh!
Jennifer wrote: "I’m abandoning Wolf Hall. It’s just not holding my attention. I’m almost halfway through but I just don’t want to finish it! Very unusual for me. I’m probs not going to finish the NZ Short Stories..."
Trouble with Wolf Hall is that you need to be able to sit and read it slowly and thoughtfully in long stretches. It's a weekend away book or a long flight book.If life is hectic and you have to dip in and out you will find it difficult. Give it another go when you've along quiet weekend coming up.
The Penguin New Zealand Anthology⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book #15
31 March
A wonderfully eclectic mix of stories. A great selection to read while travelling.
I was kind of thinking 3.5 but gave four stars because you always round up, don’t you!
Still reading The Attack because it’s still the 31st here in Tasmania. I MIGHT finish by midnight 😂
Thanks for the encouragement PDR about Wolf Hall. I was disappointed in my disinterest. I may go back to it and entirely change my mind like I have with My Name is Lucy Barton and Klara and the Sun!
The Attack by Catherine Jinks⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finished 31 March, Australian time (if that counts - it was after midnight NZ time)
I read this book against my better judgment as I am becoming weary of psychological thrillers. As it happens, I’m glad I read The Attack. I really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down! It was slightly predictable but I still liked it.
Roll on next year’s book challenge 😊
👏🏼 Thanks to Erica for organising everything 👏🏼
Mod
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Book Loving Kiwis
Books mentioned in this topic
The Postcard (other topics)Victory City (other topics)
Missus (other topics)
Homecoming (other topics)
The Penguin New Zealand Anthology: 50 Stories for 50 Years in Aotearoa (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Christiane Ritter (other topics)Christiane Ritter (other topics)
Bonnie Garmus (other topics)
Annabel Abbs (other topics)
⭐️⭐️
3 March
Book #8 (for sure, this time hahaha)
Unfortunately I didn't really like this book very much. I was disappointed. It was an audiobook and I didn't much like the narrator, so that might have had something to do with it. I found it boring for long stretches and didn't really take to any of the characters. I almost gave up but just couldn't because I had invested in the audiobook (Audible). Sheesh!
I saw some reviewers really liked the book so please don't be swayed by my review!
Now to choose another book :)