https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog daily 0.75 2024-05-27 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/jessica-urlichs monthly 0.5 2023-04-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/13b7784f-9322-40c9-808d-e4f28a78e67f/Jess+Urlichs.jpg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Jessica Urlichs - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4f4e7b51-5590-424c-8e8b-8cb8276d8cee/You+Hung+the+Moon+Book.jpeg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Jessica Urlichs - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/880afe31-65c6-4273-ba33-da7fe9806c9d/Jessica+Urlichs.jpg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Jessica Urlichs - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ee58bca6-9ecf-4d2b-b91f-62cb24523d1e/Hung+the+Moon.jpg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Jessica Urlichs - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1599961116385-R5LTX5BZ30IR619D2XSI/Feather.png Booklover Banter - Q&A with Jessica Urlichs - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/johannaemeney monthly 0.5 2023-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1666147997259-ZT0H6V7VUJ8F4GVKJLWR/Johanna.jpeg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Johanna Emeney - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/51508d35-704e-4bf9-a684-bfb2e1276d45/Sylvia+and+the+Birds.jpg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Johanna Emeney - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1666149795645-QSFIL6MT6E9SZHEO5RS2/Sylvia+Durrant.jpeg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Johanna Emeney - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/18eb3230-5409-42eb-9316-3776309b3215/Sylvia.jpeg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Johanna Emeney - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1599961116385-R5LTX5BZ30IR619D2XSI/Feather.png Booklover Banter - Q&A with Johanna Emeney - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/eileenmerriman monthly 0.5 2023-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1665024108384-K4Q81329BA90NSZ5472V/Eileen+Merriman.jpg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Eileen Merriman - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1599961116385-R5LTX5BZ30IR619D2XSI/Feather.png Booklover Banter - Q&A with Eileen Merriman - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/book-of-the-month-tomorrow monthly 0.5 2023-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1662440159782-7Z956GQIAB74SZ50RGC7/tomorrowx3-cards-1.png Booklover Banter - Book of the Month: Tomorrow x 3 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673917323827-X1WB7T1E6JUKFKI1JE1L/Tomorrow+x32.png Booklover Banter - Book of the Month: Tomorrow x 3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673917321050-WG35UKY81K678XVHED8F/Tomorrow+x31.png Booklover Banter - Book of the Month: Tomorrow x 3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1662440157392-BLPFH5DAE7IWHB99SY72/tomorrowx3-cards-2.png Booklover Banter - Book of the Month: Tomorrow x 3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1662438593591-YVIAD5VTVHS8Y1178TC8/tomorrowx3-my-avatar+%284%29.png Booklover Banter - Book of the Month: Tomorrow x 3 - Rachel's Avatar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1662438594167-M16LAB7T2W51JMJ36OI0/tomorrowx3-my-avatar+%283%29.png Booklover Banter - Book of the Month: Tomorrow x 3 - Olivia's Avatar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1662438596447-6564FYMGVCA9GIJNI4K9/tomorrowx3-my-avatar+%281%29.png Booklover Banter - Book of the Month: Tomorrow x 3 - Brea's Avatar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603239801367-9IGSKTG6VHQ9GNZC7T9N/events-icon.png Booklover Banter - Book of the Month: Tomorrow x 3 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/katedegoldi monthly 0.5 2023-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/a1acd36d-2a86-4ac2-88ee-a50c035fa5b6/Kate+De+Goldi.jpeg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Kate De Goldi - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673918452799-2IPSEYGRXPJ3N2CQIUYF/Kate+De+Goldi1.jpeg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Kate De Goldi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673918453080-G86SBPC0FRRA1NG6CZHA/Kate+De+Goldi2.jpeg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Kate De Goldi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673918453989-MTPF613HYVAWQ3KOBZRP/Kate+De+Goldi3.jpeg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Kate De Goldi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1599961116385-R5LTX5BZ30IR619D2XSI/Feather.png Booklover Banter - Q&A with Kate De Goldi - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/dannirae monthly 0.5 2023-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8b7ab3b0-9f32-4985-bb31-fa716b0aa1e3/Danni+Rae.jpeg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Danni Rae - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1599961116385-R5LTX5BZ30IR619D2XSI/Feather.png Booklover Banter - Q&A with Danni Rae - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/book-of-the-month-wrong-place-wrong-time monthly 0.5 2023-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e1556d0b-4b2c-478e-aa52-138e8ad44858/Wrong+Place+Wrong+Time1.jpeg Booklover Banter - Book of the Month: Wrong Place, Wrong Time - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/kurangaituku monthly 0.5 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/974b9b6c-cc70-4f55-bbaa-3cf13bf180ae/Kura4.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/a2c721d9-1a48-4d28-9477-d72e22e40160/Kura1.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/28fe2b20-8954-4534-9f14-f22d0cd7e5f6/Kura.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1599962266485-3O7T3I8NT9LZXXP2CNT8/Feather.png Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Kurangaituku - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/274e4907-369e-42bb-8c54-3866f9d832a2/Kura8.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8ce2fdfd-7c8b-461a-8616-7e903bb31fbc/Kura7.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7ea81bbc-f613-4665-aee3-67ee52ee74e0/Kura6.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Kurangaituku https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/highlight-on-entanglement monthly 0.5 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/aea5a8da-3733-4827-b8f6-f38720892a29/Entanglement3.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Entanglement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9671164b-d7d4-487f-9cd3-8989bc1b7d95/Bryan+Walpert.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Entanglement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ae5a19d7-23a5-4e18-9a07-84ed964ee3c1/Entanglement2.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Entanglement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1599961135838-WU09VJD50WIH7UASTUNM/Feather.png Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Entanglement - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603238434961-GG1N945E5JNLMDZNU6AM/Asset+3.png Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Entanglement - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/qanda-with-whiti-hereaka monthly 0.5 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4809d86d-011e-417d-b633-1ddf9d291fc3/Whiti+Hereaka1.jpeg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Whiti Hereaka - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1599961116385-R5LTX5BZ30IR619D2XSI/Feather.png Booklover Banter - Q&A with Whiti Hereaka - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/booktunes-agoodwinter monthly 0.5 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1591058967843-DB3LRJN1BW4B6CQVZ78L/flowers-corner-decor.png Booklover Banter - Book Tunes: A Good Winter - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/agoodwinter monthly 0.5 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/fa64934d-6ce5-4ea3-bd22-bda76a2666f2/Gigi+Fenster.jpeg Booklover Banter - Q&A with Gigi Fenster - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1591058795808-V0CKKEEELYRQI991K7IN/flowers-corner-decor.png Booklover Banter - Q&A with Gigi Fenster - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter-blog/gretavaldin monthly 0.5 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673745910227-JJMHGS39N3ZKVUBNZ7HF/Greta1.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Greta and Valdin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673745915787-0728C7R4KKWYQYB5DP0R/Greta2.png Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Greta and Valdin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673745910175-IC2HVELCFYJT2J822YC4/Greta+Sky+Tower.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Greta and Valdin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673746035743-X6U0PSOOPY34JDXX309G/Rebecca+K+Reilly.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Greta and Valdin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673746034354-7LQR8CXGVIZ64EYK9TP9/Greta3.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Greta and Valdin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673746034410-LBBPHMY9KPMPRLUX96KQ/Greta4.jpeg Booklover Banter - Highlight on: Greta and Valdin https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter daily 0.75 2024-10-10 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-25 monthly 0.5 2024-10-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/14ab64a0-894d-49d6-917d-6644412e8899/PODCAST+COVER.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 25: The Booklover team are together talking books, books and more books! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-24 monthly 0.5 2024-10-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/14ab64a0-894d-49d6-917d-6644412e8899/PODCAST+COVER.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 24: Live Interview with Ruth Shaw at The Booksellers Conference - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-23 monthly 0.5 2024-10-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/a87bcc8e-bc1d-46a8-8ab8-53b4d44fa89a/Thank+You%21.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 23: A backstage pass to The Booksellers Conference - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-22 monthly 0.5 2024-07-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/14ab64a0-894d-49d6-917d-6644412e8899/PODCAST+COVER.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 22: Author interview with J.P. Pomare - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-21 monthly 0.5 2024-07-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/14ab64a0-894d-49d6-917d-6644412e8899/PODCAST+COVER.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 21: A Day in the life of a bookseller with The Booklover Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-20 monthly 0.5 2024-07-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/14ab64a0-894d-49d6-917d-6644412e8899/PODCAST+COVER.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 20: Author interview with Suzanne Heywood - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-19 monthly 0.5 2024-06-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/14ab64a0-894d-49d6-917d-6644412e8899/PODCAST+COVER.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 19: Interview with Renee Rowland, Association Manager of Booksellers NZ - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-18 monthly 0.5 2024-06-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/14ab64a0-894d-49d6-917d-6644412e8899/PODCAST+COVER.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 18: Author interview with Freddie Gillies - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-17 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/14ab64a0-894d-49d6-917d-6644412e8899/PODCAST+COVER.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 17: Stonking good reads of 2024 so far - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-16 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/14ab64a0-894d-49d6-917d-6644412e8899/PODCAST+COVER.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 16: We judge books by their covers - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-15 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/06802dad-a497-4d0b-9834-90852dc92da5/Lyndsey.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 15: An interview with Lyndsey Fineran, Artistic Director of the AWF - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-14 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/14ab64a0-894d-49d6-917d-6644412e8899/PODCAST+COVER.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 14: The team talk about the Auckland Writer’s Festival - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-13 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/dac59d8d-b7a6-41d3-a651-978dd762be94/Ross.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 13: A book industry legend - Ross Lorimer - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-12 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/089f153a-8a23-472f-a667-71feda2a582f/Retirement+Shelf.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 12: Books on our retirement shelves - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-11 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4badc61f-30e7-4458-9f58-e79e95dba0d9/Episode+11.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 11: Romance Isn’t Dead - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-10 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8debbfc3-c8d4-4422-9320-0639b0dcc836/Untitled+design+%281%29.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 10: The team discuss their summer reading - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-9 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8debbfc3-c8d4-4422-9320-0639b0dcc836/Untitled+design+%281%29.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 9: Author interview with Fiona Sussman - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-8 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/401a3c65-3e45-42a7-a891-f8c8e3298053/Booklover+Banter+Wrapped.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 8: It’s a Wrap - Part 2 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-7 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/401a3c65-3e45-42a7-a891-f8c8e3298053/Booklover+Banter+Wrapped.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 7: It’s a Wrap - Part 1 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-5 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9e47d367-b060-4d27-9505-229e30cb99f9/Eileen.jpeg Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 5: Author interview with Eileen Merriman - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-4 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6905ccd0-901d-4e28-b6dc-da0ab1d7ec04/The+Girl+From+London.jpeg Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 4: Olivia reluctantly talks about her new book! - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-3 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1713267756651-1DUNDA5R262RJ9BR189M/image-asset.jpeg Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 3: Children are reading less for fun - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-2 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8debbfc3-c8d4-4422-9320-0639b0dcc836/Untitled+design+%281%29.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 2: Together At Last - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-banter/episode-1 monthly 0.5 2024-06-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8debbfc3-c8d4-4422-9320-0639b0dcc836/Untitled+design+%281%29.png Our Podcast: Booklover Banter - Episode 1: Introducing The Booklover Team - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/home daily 1.0 2026-02-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9bb3eeba-f121-4a42-8e48-1ab8b71e28cb/Store+Photography+%2871%29.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8fa737d3-3114-406b-a333-e0c4748384f6/Store+Photography+%2866%29.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/3319e193-76d9-4912-a748-1844b8f67574/Good+Things+Come.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/198bdc59-4dfd-4591-976e-4887cfa14330/Loneliness+of+Sonia+and+Sunny.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/0ecc101e-d52f-4c68-bc92-7b9976f40c7d/Breath+of+the+Gods.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6d67967b-ced6-47b7-9060-fafc2460014d/Heir+Apparent.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/d1fc466f-d3a4-4307-ac11-40e7efded01d/Wild+Animal.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1ad0b1d2-6eb5-4665-9d93-abb17866ccfc/Bell+and+Blade.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/778734b4-84e2-48f8-af1f-5d32d4767a77/The+American+Boys.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8f675fb8-c11b-4b56-ac16-f9856e88cfcd/Candle.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8e94c6cc-dd80-4165-bc7e-2ab171917af4/Candle3.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1621049571993-9KJGKEM12YSWNOUTCEC4/Subscription-voucher-homepage.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ffc44220-e4b4-472c-b760-f61e88d419c8/Booklover+Gift+Voucher.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/dea1f01d-3f74-491c-ba63-ffc82554007f/The+Girl+from+London13.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e4174291-bcb3-4692-9ca2-6c555645e6c4/NYC+Favourites+%2820+of+64%29.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1701120566179-PPY7R6TQ972L24N02X9E/image-asset.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/b16ca7e3-ba2a-49cd-82e6-68525458030a/TheBookloverBookshop+-+WEB+RES-98.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/b595b07a-b6be-4dc6-be62-fd401e1b3cdc/NYC+Favourites+%2822+of+64%29.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/181dedda-49e6-4072-a512-b334ae2904b1/Events.jpeg https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/events daily 0.75 2025-12-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1591064491051-ER1W6LX0613BHHY2NXMC/EVENTS-icon.png https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/contact daily 0.75 2026-02-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1591064630802-NWUBO0387TNQDX90X0WV/newsa-icon.png https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/current-faves daily 0.75 2024-01-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/105aa530-259f-403b-8ba9-704f7b94c73b/Table+for+Two.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ad23a11f-a2d3-4bb0-90ef-529cb8e9e73f/Long+Island.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/971434ac-51c0-4695-86fb-3840727e90c1/You+Are+Here.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/34d6ac67-e337-4c89-839a-4774f1cad780/Lola+in+the+Mirror.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/85cce238-db44-4184-88c9-83dd04a0564a/North+Woods.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/497e5030-7b58-43d4-9533-154b69f20116/Light+Over+Liskeard.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f3bf7af8-29da-46ad-a766-7f06e0761caa/Fourth+Wing.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/79621563-5f3d-4665-8c7a-01b105e0c3c7/Water.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4b75fef0-0b0a-4b04-9ccc-9921d8d44280/Bone+Tree.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/af704a55-4cd9-4889-bb8a-7dcb20dee6db/Wavewalker.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/81d43cf4-541f-47c7-b482-91dfc5692c3b/Tom+Lake.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/26f17705-a479-4f7e-89db-7965460440ea/EIBAEH.png Book Reviews - Current Faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603239801367-9IGSKTG6VHQ9GNZC7T9N/events-icon.png Book Reviews - Current Faves - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/solace daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/3af871b1-e6ea-4bb3-9917-053ed00f45e7/Town+Called+Solace.png Town Called Solace - Northern Canada produces some truely gifted writers, and Mary Lawson is one of them. A Town Called Solace is my version of a perfect read and it’s likely to make my list of top 10 books of the year. If you love Anne Tyler’s masterful depiction of everyday people leading small-town lives, Alice Munro’s incredible handling of setting, pace, and tension, then throw in some Kate Atkinson surprise and suspense, this is the book for you. It’s the story of three people: seven-year-old Clara whose sister goes missing leaving her bewildered and grief-sticken; newly divorced and unemployed Liam who moves into the house next door; and Elizabeth, who is at the end of her life and desperate to make amends for a crime she committed in the past. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/crawdads daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/43a35d32-907a-4028-9f61-1bc997c4220f/Where+the+Crawdads+Sing.png Crawdads - There’s a reason everyone is talking about this book - it’s brilliant. I liken it to a modern day ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. Lyrical and poetic in style it tells the story of Kya, a young girl who has survived for years living in the marshes of North Carolina. Alone and ostracised by locals, she develops a deep connection to the natural environment around her. Then two young men appear in her life and she is drawn out into the world, with devastating consequences. This is a murder-mystery and coming-of-age, as well as am ode to our natural world. Will stay with you long after you finish reading. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/shuggiebain daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4b8516a1-4a63-4d12-a408-42239c29225b/Shuggie+Bain.png Shuggie Bain - Shuggie Bain is a grim story set in a poverty-soaked coal-mining town in Glasgow in 1981. The writing is so powerful and visceral, I felt as if I was right there with the characters, living through their hardships, and their pain. Yet this is not a depressing read, as it contains endless depths of hope and love. Even when I knew things were going to get worse for young Shuggie, as he struggled to deal with his alcoholic mother, I couldn’t put the book down. Serves as a stark reminder of how poverty can destroy lives, and alter forever a child’s vision of the future. A deserved winner of the 2020 Booker Prize and a refreshingly straightforward read as far as Booker winners go! — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/aue daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/975b534e-9248-430f-9b62-a60da4c31344/Aue.png Aue - Winner of the 2020 Ockham Book Award, Auē is a gut-wrenching, unflinching story about young eight-year-old boy, Ārama trying to make sense of his violent, volatile world. It is also the story of his older brother, Tauriki who is ashamed of having abandoned his little brother, but needs to leave him behind in order to battle demons of his own. Ārama is determined to cling to love, even as tragedy and trauma unfold around him. Yes this is a brutal examination of gang culture in New Zealand, but it is far more importantly a story of aroha, hope, and redemption. Beautiful, emotional read, to be talked about for years to come. Essential read for all New Zealanders. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/american-dirt daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8b191a1f-4457-4c70-9f19-edbb72caf4df/American+Dirt.png American Dirt - Believe the hype around American Dirt - it really is that good! In Acapulco, Mexico drug cartels have residents living in terror. When mother Lydia is forced to flee with her eight-year-old son, friends become enemies overnight. Their only hope is to attempt to cross the Mexican border into the US illegally. But the journey is dangerous and no-one can be trusted. This story is a roller-coaster ride of brutality, kindness, terror, love, and bravery. Lydia is a mother who will do whatever it takes to save her son. Breathtaking. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/girl-woman-other daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/77369c99-fd9f-405c-bf6c-39c7ffdb097a/Girl+Woman+Other.png Girl, Woman, Other - Winner of the Booker Prize 2019, Girl, Woman, Other is a passionate, thought-provoking, literary read. It follows twelve very different characters and their entwined journey of discovery through an ever-changing modern British landscape. Beautifully written, full of humour, energy and warmth. I love a book that gently questions our ideals and beliefs. Daringly different and highly recommended. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/seven-sisters daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/094ab532-5039-4523-97b0-46828056a91a/Storm+Sister.jpeg Seven Sisters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/59c15edf-eae6-442d-8781-5899dd9d95f4/Shadow+Sister.png Seven Sisters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/56373c3b-26b4-400b-9609-286d5e059f89/Pearl+Sister.png Seven Sisters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/81d7c7e1-0f1a-40cc-adc5-e48079391764/Moon+Sister.png Seven Sisters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9317f56b-26b6-4755-94aa-3ab649f1ef64/Sun+Sister.png Seven Sisters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/fd5d7806-57c2-43e6-bba5-b68c00ae4dbe/Missing+Sister.png Seven Sisters https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4ceba05b-5a0c-4a0e-ab07-4ad6f378413e/Seven+Sisters.png Seven Sisters - This is the first book in a brilliant historical/romance series that I just devoured as soon as I got my hands on them! There are six sisters, who after learning of their adopted father’s death, are given clues to find their biological family should they wish to. Each book is about a different sister, and whilst Pa Salt’s (their father’s) death is rehashed at the beginning of each, other than that there is very little cross-over. Whilst they can be slightly predictable when it comes to who each girl is going to fall in love with, the rest of the story more than makes up for it. Each sister’s story takes her to a different continent as she learns what has happened to her biological mother and how she came to be adopted by Pa Salt. There are strong themes of family and finding somewhere to belong - things we all struggle with sometimes. I like historical fiction best when it jumps between the past (generally her great-grandmother) and the present which is done well. They are well written and heavily researched, and whilst long, they are an easy read because you just will not want to put it down. You can read them out of order, but always recommended to read in order (I read 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 5 and only had minor spoilers for #5). Customers put me into these books, and it’s been fun discussing our theories of who is Pa Salt and why he chose these girls in particular. The Missing Sister is the latest book (May 2021) with Pa Salt’s story due May 2023. See below for the rest of the series. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/searcher daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/015e5810-d438-4500-bcdb-289632d39d3c/The+Searcher.png Searcher - Tana French could write about grass growing and I would savour every word! Sit back, relax and settle in with your beverage of choice - this book is a sloooow burner. I admit to saving it to read on rainy days as it didn't feel right to read it when the sun was shining. The Searcher is small town, atmospheric crime at its finest. Cal is an ex. cop who has moved to a remote Irish village with the hopes of a simple retirement. But (what typically happens when cops and detectives in books "retire") a case finds him. A local boy has gone missing and no one seems to care except his brother, Trey, who wants Cals help to find answers. Cal becomes a mentor for Trey and within that relationship I loved the exploration of how we develop our senses of right and wrong and how that shapes who we are. The Searcher is heavy on character and town building, less on a fast driven plot which isn't for everyone but if you've got the time then I highly recommend it - if not purely for Tana's beautiful prose. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/chronicles daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/5e796cdf-e958-4df9-ad83-b1090f72aaf2/Jodi1.png Chronicles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6968520a-9e45-42de-ae50-2adb4263455b/Jodi2.png Chronicles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/a2f0a6eb-c209-4097-a1da-8fa72364644c/Jodi3.png Chronicles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7d1e0f1f-3e45-4283-b219-f179dd934639/Jodi4.png Chronicles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/12ad156f-dd71-4709-8209-212db107e9ad/Just+One+Damned+Thing.png Chronicles - A group of historians (do not call them time travellers!) travel back in time from sometime in the near future, to document and witness historical events. These include events such as Joan of Arc’s death, coronations and dinosaurs, and their job is purely to observe… But of course they get into mischief, disaster is waiting for them around every corner, and on more than one occasion History hits back to reassert itself to its correct timeline!! There is also a baddie who reappears throughout the series for some extra tension. The Chronicles of St Mary’s is one of my favourite series of all time - this is the first book of 13, plus there are various short stories and a spinoff series which follows the Time Police if you wish to fully immerse yourself in Max’s world. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good time-travel story, particularly if you also have a love of/interest in history. They are hilarious, and are quite action-packed which means they’re very hard to put down! They follow on from each other so do need to be read in order. See below for the rest of the series. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/lastoneatparty daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/32b471c1-32ca-4dfe-9604-c83847e665fe/Last+One+at+the+Party.png Last One At The Party - This is a funny, uplifting, light horror, post-apocalyptic novel about a pandemic... You have to want to read about the end of the world by a pandemic so it’s not for everyone, but if you can, you will be rewarded. The world’s population is wiped out within months - Covid-19 seems like a walk in the park compared to 6DM because masks and social distancing will not help us this time. However, our protagonist learns to be self-sufficient and finds a reason to survive, and there is a hint of hope as she finds out who she is when she’s not trying to be someone else for the people around her. It really does makes you think about what you would do in her situation though as quite possibly the last person alive in the entire world - would you find a reason to go on? — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/outsiders daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/5da10bec-a9d4-4ae5-8e45-13a2d1230553/Outsiders.png Outsiders - This is that book for me. That book that I re-read every year and love it each and every time. Gun to my head what’s my favourite book WELL it’s a tough choice but in the end I’d be saying The Outsiders. Written by A GIRL (Susan Eloise Hinton) when she was only 15, they published it as an S. E. Hinton novel so as not to put young boys off reading it when they saw the name SUSAN splayed across the cover. It’s told from Ponyboy(a 14 years old boy)’s changing perspective - a story of love, friendship, family, and society. Enter two rival gangs, the “Greasers” and the “Socs”. The Greasers are kids from the “wrong side of the tracks”, they wear their hair greased back and everyone looks down on them. The Socs (short for Socials) are the preppy kids who come from money and wear nice clothes. The story explores the gangs, how they are judged and how they judge each other. I S T R U G G L E to put my love for this book into words. Ponyboy is hands down my favourite literary character of all time. I would die for him. The Outsiders is a social commentary, a coming-of-age genius, and the ULTIMATE rebel story. If you didn’t read it in high school then do yourself a favour and pick up a copy to bless your bookshelf and your soul. And then watch Francis Ford Copolla’s 1980’s movie adaptation and fall in love all over again. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/disappearance daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/77675250-e7fc-49f3-84a9-070ef7de1b36/Disappearance+of+Stephanie+Mailer.png Disappearance of Stephanie Mailer - Here’s the gist of it: Jesse the cop is about to retire and Stephanie Mailer shows up at his retirement party and says “Hey, you know that crime you solved 20 years ago… well maybe you got the wrong guy”... How can you retire when a bombshell like that gets dropped on you??? And considering it was the case that made his career, of course Jesse needs to find answers. Naturally, Stephanie then goes missing. The story is about solving her disappearance as well as finding out what actually happened 20 years ago in the small seaside town of Orphea (New York Hamptons). I absolutely adored Joël’s first book The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair so I was eager to get my hands on a copy of this. However when it arrived I was hesitant to push it up on my reading list as I was in a good flow of books and didn’t want to get stuck into a dense crime novel. I am so glad I did. Considering it is 500+ pages this is a super fast paced follow-the-clues murder mystery which I didn’t want to put down. It’s like Nancy Drew/The Hardy Boys but more adult and on steroids. It’s hard to put into words but whereas his first book was heavy - it sucked me in and then spat me out, it was dark and moody, heavy and suspenseful and it had my head in a spin - this new one swept me away on the wind, took me along for a bit of a whirlwind and then put me down gently. It was a fun murder mystery which I really enjoyed - especially convincing myself that I knew “whodunnit” over and over again just to be wrong every time. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/adult-fiction-questionnaire daily 0.75 2022-09-24 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/children-questionnaire daily 0.75 2026-02-11 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/young-adult-questionnaire daily 0.75 2023-05-29 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/adult-nonfiction-questionnaire daily 0.75 2021-09-09 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/classics-questionnaire daily 0.75 2021-09-09 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booksubscription daily 0.75 2024-09-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603239801367-9IGSKTG6VHQ9GNZC7T9N/events-icon.png https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/sub-voucher-thank-you daily 0.75 2021-06-15 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/gift-information-sheet daily 0.75 2021-09-09 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/whereabouts daily 0.75 2023-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/b9b436d0-5dd4-41d2-8a52-2784d5027acf/Whereabouts.png Whereabouts - Written in Italian and translated into English by the author. Plotless, and absent of a single proper noun. A novel told in small vignettes about a woman in her forties living on her own in an unknown city, an unknown country, but the reader gets the feeing it’s somewhere in Italy. She is achingly alone, yet acutely aware of and connected to her surroundings and the friends and strangers she observes. Every word counts. Every sentence is a joy to read. Brilliant literary fiction, simply and gently executed. I love this review from the Sunday Times: ‘If the antidote to a year of solitude and trauma is art, then this novel is the answer. It is superb.’ I couldn’t agree more. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/klara daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/28e86d59-14e5-4ce9-87fe-4f6fa850ddb5/Klara.png Klara and the Sun - Klara and the Sun is the stunning new novel from Kazuo Ishiguro, the bestselling and Booker Prize winning author of Never Let Me Go and The Remains of the Day. It is a beautiful, unsettling story told through the eyes of Klara an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behaviour of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass in the street outside. She remains hopeful a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change for ever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans. The book examines what it is like to be not-quite-human and explores themes of love and loyalty through the eyes of an android. Compelling, gentle, and powerful, it holds up a mirror to the fragility of humanity. A wonderful read. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/humankind daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/abab7094-8248-48cb-8299-1d24dcc83251/Humankind.png Humankind - Human beings, we're taught, are by nature selfish and governed by self-interest. It's a belief that unites the left and right, psychologists and philosophers, writers and historians. It drives the headlines that surround us and the laws that touch our lives. From Machiavelli to Hobbes, Freud to Dawkins, the roots of this belief have sunk deep into Western thought. Humankind makes a new argument- that it is realistic, as well as revolutionary, to assume that people are good. The instinct to cooperate rather than compete, trust rather than distrust, has an evolutionary basis going right back to the beginning of Homo sapiens. By thinking the worst of others, we bring out the worst in our politics and economics too. Author Rutger Bregman takes some of the world's most famous studies and events and reframes them, providing a new perspective on the last 200,000 years of human history. From the real-life Lord of the Flies to the Blitz, a Siberian fox farm to an infamous New York murder, Stanley Milgram's Yale shock machine to the Stanford prison experiment, Bregman shows how believing in human kindness and altruism can be a new way to think and act as the foundation for achieving true change in our society. This is a fantastic read and a welcome reminder that we humans actually aren’t all that bad. In fact, we’re pretty darn special. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/beforeyouknew daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/213e52c7-bbb6-4b15-847f-43b4ba4f5971/BYKMN.png Before You Knew My Name - “This is not just another novel about a dead girl. When she arrived in New York on her 18th birthday carrying nothing but $600 cash and a stolen camera, Alice Lee was looking for a fresh start. Now, just one month later, she is the city's latest Jane Doe, an unidentified murder victim.” Heading into the book knowing Alice was going to die, and soon, was a bit strange, however I could not put it down and read it in a day because I was heavily invested in what happened to her. I needed to know! It has a The Lovely Bones vibe about it (narrated by a ghost, Alice) and it was a compelling emotional read about being a female in today's world. I could empathise with the choices Alice and Ruby both made which led them both to New York, and it was a shame in my opinion that they never actually met. I don't normally read crime novels so I liked that this was a different approach. It’s certainly more about Alice herself, and who she was rather than the fact she died and the murder itself (though it was satisfying to know who killed her). Can’t really say too much else without giving anything away! It’s certainly worth the hype though in my opinion. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/secrethistory daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/204c3e69-9bfe-4ac7-a419-a24378b88618/Secret+History.png The Secret History - Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. I MEAN IF THAT DOESN’T HOOK YOU???? The Secret History follows Richard as he reflects on the murder of fellow classics student Bunny and that’s really all you need to know. I was put onto this by two people whose book tastes I trust more than anyone else in this world and my life is now split into two parts: ‘Before’ and ‘After’ The Secret History. Honestly I don’t want to remember the ‘Before’… EXCEPT I do wish I could experience reading it again for the first time, Donna Tartt’s writing just made me melt. If you find yourself always saying “I’m a booklover, I love to read” or “I appreciate good literature” well then I expect you’ve already read this… if not, let me introduce you to your next favourite book. I also just have to mention - THE TYPESET IN THIS EDITION IS TO DIE FOR. And now I’m off to re-read because writing this review made me realize it’s been a while and there’s nothing quite like re-reading a favourite book. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/piranesi daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f5f8cacd-1206-4f72-9d68-f3b96225472f/Piranesi.png Piranesi - Piranesi's house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. By the international bestselling author of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, Piranesi is one of those books that the more I think about it, the more I realize I did really enjoy it. While I was reading there was a lot of “what the heck is going on?” but in hindsight that’s what was so appealing about it. A great short novel for someone who wants a bizarre fantasy(ish…?) story. You don’t truly know what’s going on until about 50 pages in which is so intriguing as you’re dumped into the middle of the story - a bit like Piranesi himself. Even after those 50 pages I don’t know if I ever wrapped my head around it properly but that’s what kept it engaging. A beautifully woven tale full of twists and turns. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/honeybee daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/148fdb50-028c-434c-a827-7a001e82aca4/Honeybee.png Honeybee - Late in the night, fourteen-year-old Sam Watson steps onto a quiet overpass, climbs over the rail and looks down at the road far below. At the other end of the same bridge, an old man, Vic, smokes his last cigarette. The two see each other across the void. A fateful connection is made, and an unlikely friendship blooms. I JUST WANT TO GIVE SAM THE BIGGEST HUG. Sam’s coming-of-age story had me feeling all kinds of ways. I went on a rollercoaster of sad to thankful, anxious to excited, heartbroken to hopeful and then all over again. It’s a beautiful story about family and friend relationships and how important it is to connect with each other and to try to understand our differences. A very easy read which I would recommend to anyone and I think it’s a book people should read. It sheds light on a lot of hard subjects - to tell you what they are would be to give too much away. We’re all in agreement that it would also be a great book to teach in schools! (And I’m a sucker for a cool mullet so this cover sold it for me!) — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/houseofhollow daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9f1f771a-0ae1-4c0f-95aa-48f8e7c0790f/House+of+Hollow.png House of Hollow - Iris Hollow and her two older sisters are unquestionably strange. Ever since they disappeared on a suburban street in Scotland as children only to return a month later with no memory of what happened to them, odd, eerie occurrences seem to follow in their wake. Now, ten years later, seventeen-year-old Iris Hollow is doing all she can to fit in and graduate high school – something her two famously glamorous globe-trotting older sisters, Grey and Vivi, never managed to do. But when Grey goes missing, leaving behind only bizarre clues, Iris and Vivi are left to trace her last few days. They aren’t the only ones looking for her... I stayed up far too late to finish this as I needed to know what was going on! It's hard to describe but let's just say it's a reimagined gothic fairy-tale with a splash of Stranger Things... If you're a fan of the supernatural and the Brothers Grimm, then this is for you. It’s deliciously creepy in parts but not scary. Would recommend for 14+ however. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/uprooted daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/bd62a881-3aba-4772-ac9e-825c14594cb4/Uprooted.png Uprooted - "Our Dragon doesn't eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travellers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that's not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he's still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we're grateful, but not that grateful.” Oh my goodness, this was one of my top two books for 2020! It’s an epic fantasy story that revolves around village girls being sacrificed to the all-powerful (human) Dragon, and what happens when one girl refuses to play by his rules. It has old-world dark magic, a fierce heroine, and though it has its roots in myths and folklore, it is a wildly imaginative original story (Naomi’s Spinning Silver is a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin). I absolutely loved it, and even though there was a satisfying ending, I was deeply disappointed it wasn’t a series. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/they-both-die daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/fd2ddef8-1479-4346-aa7e-d7a2e0c8a2ce/They+Both+Die+at+the+End.png They Both Die at the End - On September 5th, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today. I’m not crying, you are. This book really played with my heart. I mean, what did I expect with a title like that? Be prepared for tears. How would you spend your last day? I would probably spend a significant amount of time freaking out about not wasting my last day that I would end up doing exactly that! Well, Rufus and Mateo both decide that they don’t want to spend their last day alone so they sign up for the “Last Friend” app which hooks the dying up with someone to share their final day with. They find each other and the story spirals from there. It’s a beautiful portrayal of friendship, love, shared experiences and hope. How a story like this can be “realistic” when Death-Cast doesn’t exist (and never will I hope) in our reality I don’t know, but I found both characters incredibly relatable. The most passionate and emotional story - you will not regret reading this - it’ll make you treasure every precious second of your existence. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/still-life daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8464ea96-e3a7-409d-a22c-2fbde3c9b978/Still+Life.png Still Life - This is storytelling as an art form. A glorious sweeping historical read filled with hope and beauty. If you want a book that will renew your faith in kindness, friendship, and humanity, this is it. Oh, and it’s set in stunning Italy, so that’s a pretty big drawcard too. So exceptionally well-written I found myself re-reading some of the lines over and over again. Without a doubt, a book that will be in my top ten reads of the year.. Still Life follows the lives of young British soldier, Ulysses Temper (what a name!) and sexagenarian art historian, Evelyn Skinner. Their accidental meeting on a Tuscan road during 1944 shapes their future in ways both startling and wonderful. My only wish is that the characters in this book were real because I fell in love with them: there’s every chance you will too. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/thanks-post-questionnaire daily 0.75 2023-01-14 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-loop daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4d157da2-2440-4fc7-a828-a0d0e061d7d5/The+Loop.png The Loop - CONTROL - ALTER - DELETE This was my favourite YA debut of 2020. Think 2001: A Space Odyssey meets Maze Runner. I could not put it down and I would read it again in a heartbeat. I struggle to find books that I latch onto as much as I did to the dystopian fiction of the early 2010’s (think Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Divergent). I just haven’t found any that are even worth comparing… but I promise you, The Loop ticks every box! A truly fantastic group of characters trying to navigate life when the life that they’ve know in prison - the Loop - is turned upside down. Luka is a very strong main character who would take a bullet for any of his friends. The action is non-stop and the enemy is terrifyingly smart. I was hooked from the beginning and DYING to keep reading the series. Luckily they’re all out now so you don’t have to wait like I did! Find my reviews for Book 2 and 3 below. — Rachel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/d5a8a989-43eb-455f-a251-cc610e41177a/The+Block.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/77d0b1c9-52fe-4e87-bc77-adff2c9b7ae8/The+Arc.png https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-block daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/d5a8a989-43eb-455f-a251-cc610e41177a/The+Block.png The Block - CONTROL - ALTER - DELETE FINALLY THE SECOND BOOK ARRIVES! And thank goodness it lives up to the hype from the first one. As usual with the second book in a trilogy this book is all about filling in the gaps and riling up the enemy for the ultimate conclusion but MAN is this action-packed. It has a little bit of everything. I got MAJOR Scorch Trials vibes and does anyone fancy a trip to the Lotus Flower Hotel and Casino from Percy Jackson? The end felt SO Hunger Games-y and it also had flashes of Ready Player One? The perfect blend of the best books. In saying that, this is a unique blend pulling all the best elements from my favourite books and although there are a lot of similarities this is something to be celebrated not passed off as a rip-off because I assure you it is worth reading every page. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/malibu-rising daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/283833c1-182e-437c-8faa-273b9ba21e87/Malibu+Rising.png Malibu Rising - Malibu Rising is the story of four siblings who are the source of fascination in Malibu and the world over – especially as children of the legendary singer, Mick Riva. The story is presented in two parts. The first is in two timelines, one starting in 1956 where Mick meets June (who becomes mother to the four siblings), the other on a single summer’s day in 1983. The structure of the novel is clever, the author excelling at the often difficult challenge of jumping about in time. The reader is drawn not just to the fascinating lives of the four siblings, but to their parents, and how the children ended up in the glamorous Californian surf-scene. The second part of the novel is solely set during an absolutely out of control party at one of the sibling’s mansions overlooking the sea. The scenes and actions of the hundreds of people at the party are brilliant, though occasionally so over-the-top as to be unbelievable. But who knows, maybe that really is how the Hollywood elite lived back in the 80s? This would be a perfect holiday read. Well-written, but not too taxing. Lovable, flawed characters with such a powerful bond between the brothers and sisters I was brought close to tears, and a setting to take you well and truly away from a cold NZ winter. Highly recommended for fans of Sally Rooney, Beth O’Leary, Marian Keyes, and anyone who has a deep love of surfing and Californian culture. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/secret-of-birds-and-bone daily 0.75 2023-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1be79659-441e-4e0d-b340-37e6692789f8/A+Secret+of+Birds+and+Bone.png A Secret of Birds and Bone - This writer is at the top of her game with a fabulous imagination and a stunning conjuror of words. I was gripped by this story from the start and I never knew which way it was going to turn. Loved the characters, especially the brave heroine, Sofia, as she found to find answers. A perfect magical adventure story for 10 to 13 year olds. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/preorder daily 0.75 2026-03-13 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/paper-palace daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1c7d33fd-2997-4f20-aec1-71d6d77e8b1f/Paper+Palace.png The Paper Palace - After spotting glowing reviews for The Paper Palace by Miranda Crowley Heller, I thought I’d better add it to my reading list. So glad I did. The writing is phenomenal and I loved how I started out feeling all bitter and twisted towards the main protagonist, Elle when she has an affair with her best friend, and by the end I totally get why it happened and how heartbreaking her situation is. But this is so much more than a story about a happily married woman sleeping with another guy. It’s about trauma through generations, split second choices that affect the rest of our lives, the love and divides amongst families, and the special hold a place/setting can have over our hearts. A beautiful, rich read with some darker moments. Poetic, atmospheric, and gripping. Would appeal to fans of Where the Crawdads Sing. Highly recommended. (Trigger warning : child sex abuse) — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/these-hollow-vows daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/26a3d6d2-388a-4874-a3ae-367c2162718b/These+Hollow+Vows.jpg These Hollow Vows - I admit that I initially only picked up this book because the main character is Brie (I’m prepared to forgive the wrong spelling) but also because faeries! In Brie’s world, the fae lands can be accessed by a portal, but they are not to be trusted - humans who crossover do not generally come back. The fae world is divided into the golden (good) court and the shadow (bad) court, and they’ve been at odds with each other for centuries. The shadow fae also indulge in human trafficking for nefarious purposes, so when the King buys Brie’s sister Jas, she obviously has to crossover to try to save her. The King won’t let Jas go until Brie has completed three tasks for him, and in order to do so, Brie has to infiltrate the golden kingdom under the guise of wanting to marry the Prince... What could go wrong?! Throw in some untrustworthy characters, a dormant power, a love triangle, goblins, and the mysterious circumstances of her mother’s disappearance nine years ago, and you have a compelling faerie style Game of Thrones (minus all the death!) full of complex, political intrigue. I devoured it in a day (easy to do in lockdown) and now I am eagerly awaiting the second book next year. It’s perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns & Roses (MUCH tamer!). It has also been likened to The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, so I have added that to my TBR pile! Yes, you can see similarities to ACOTAR but I was willing to look past that. Highly recommend it if you’re after some pure fantasy escapism!' — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/snow-country daily 0.75 2023-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/0a513013-7cf3-4990-a092-d5dadf113159/Snow+Country.png Snow Country - I find so much of contemporary literary fiction today tries to grasp you by the scruff of the neck, push your head under water, and hold you there releasing you to briefly gasp a mouthful of air before you’re plunged back under water again. You’re dragged into the character’s mind, privy to their every thought and emotion. Speech marks don’t exist because there can be no boundaries between you and them. When violence or neglect or abuse happens, you’re forced to become a part of it until you are desperate to escape. Snow Country by Sebastian Faulks takes a different approach. It holds you at arm’s length and you want to keep reading not because your life depends on it but because the characters are intriguing, elusive. You want to understand their motivations, their desires. Events happen offscreen, or are mentioned in passing. The violence of WW1 is alluded to, not exposed. Faulks assumes you have a certain knowledge of history so he’s not going to spell it out (yes, I did have to put the book down on occasion to do a little research or chat with my history-buff husband). Places become important because the reader observes from afar how special they are to each character, and that’s enough. How does Snow Country compare to Faulks’ bestseller, Birdsong published in 1993? I’ll answer with a question. Are you the same person you were 18 years ago? Chances are you’ve changed, evolved. Maybe, like me, you’re a little slower, more aware of what can be left unsaid, more understanding of the complexities of human nature. Snow Country is not Birdsong, it’s the older, wiser cousin. Snow Country doesn’t try to hold your head underwater. Instead it invites you to feel a cool breeze on your face and take deep, invigorating breaths. It asks you to think, to question, and keep reading in a search for simple truths. This may be a story that held me gently at arm’s length, but even after the final page, it wouldn’t let me go. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/billy-summers daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/894cb9be-efbd-410f-bb20-ddf339e59214/Billy+Summers.png Billy Summers - Billy Summers is a killer, a hitman for hire, but he’ll only kill bad guys. What did I think of Billy Summers… Let me start off by saying this is the first Stephen King book I’ve read - criminal, I know. I love all the movies and I own all the books but have I ever actually cracked a spine? No. THE SHAME - I feel it. So was this the best book to introduce me to the king of horror? No, probably not, because this one isn’t even horror! This is a solid crime and thriller - there are no demonic clowns or killer cars. This is the swan song of Billy’s hitman career. I got sucked into it very quickly. Stephen King paints small town America so vividly; there’s enough detail to make me believe I’m attending the ratty little carnivals, watering my own front yard back to life, and eating Corinne Ackerman’s sugar cookies. Billy’s final job as a hitman involves him staying in said small town and seamlessly blending into day-to-day life until he can take the shot and kill the bad man. His cover is an author writing a book. But there’s something that just seems off about this job and Billy’s starting to feel bad about deceiving all of these people. ‘He’s a good guy stuck in a bad job’. That’s how Billy is described on the back of the book - he’s a GOOD guy in a BAD job. But can you really be a good guy when you kill people for a living? Even if those people deserve to die? Billy is just a self-aware bad guy and I read this as the story of an anti-hero. Billy actually starts writing a book - an autobiography and King weaves Billy’s childhood and war experiences into the story which I enjoyed (usually I enjoyed these passages more than the story at present and found myself waiting for Billy’s character to get a chance to sit down and write again). I can’t express all my feelings about this book because to do that would give away too much of the plot, but about halfway through the book the story takes a turn, a turn I wasn’t expecting at all. A relationship forms between Billy and another character which is completely unpredictable (hence me not telling you) and the story evolves from there to a truly satisfying ending. When I first finished, I admit, I was disappointed. I slowly closed the book and thought “no, that’s not okay” but the more I think about it, the more content I am with the end and I don’t think any other ending would have been acceptable. The one thing I will say I didn’t enjoy was the repetition. I feel like the book could have been 100 pages shorter had every action/thought not been repeated at least once… It got to the point where it felt like Stephen King thought I was dumb and needed to constantly be reminded about something I had just read? I appreciate detail - I love being transported into a book by vivid descriptions and atmospheric language. I just thought maybe the repetition was serving a purpose - that I needed to focus more on what was being repeated because it would become more important later but that was never the case. I’m wondering if this is something common in Stephen King’s writing? Either way I’m excited to read his other books now and compare! Trigger warnings: graphic violence and sexual abuse. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/a-narrow-door daily 0.75 2023-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/2945d97a-e09e-4b5a-8193-8f7899020ba8/A+Narrow+Door.png A Narrow Door - Now I'm in charge, the gates are my gates. The rules are my rules. It’s an incendiary moment for St Oswald’s school. For the first time in its history, a headmistress is in power, the gates opening to girls. Rebecca Buckfast has spilled blood to reach this position. Barely forty, she is just starting to reap the harvest of her ambition. As the new regime takes on the old ground, the ground shifts. And with it, the remains of a body are discovered. But Rebecca is here to make her mark. She’ll bury the past so deep it will evade even her own memory, just like she has done before… After all… You can’t keep a good woman down. This was a compelling twisty psychological thriller full of gas-lighting, long buried secrets and cold blooded revenge!! The less you know going in, the better, but it does examine the power of repressed childhood fears can hold over you in adulthood, and of how your own memories cannot always be trusted. It has a slow start but definitely worth the wait because once it gets going (within 100 pages), woah you won’t want to stop. It was something different for me to read, so I didn’t see any of it coming but it would be interesting to hear from people who normally read these types of books. It is a standalone but exists in the same world/school as Joanne’s previous books Gentlemen & Players, and Different Class - I haven’t read them so it’s not necessary to understand what’s happening, but I will add them to my list after enjoying this one so much. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/christmasgiftguide daily 0.75 2021-11-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1637873955428-NK0UXKLPDAMP4WCGJEQ2/2.png 2021 Christmas Gift Guide https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1637873995438-UPSDQ3KEW2916IKSATSF/3.png 2021 Christmas Gift Guide https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1637874052519-9TN0S5YJT0F4ZO8HDQKQ/4.png 2021 Christmas Gift Guide https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1637874243700-T7Z4ESHS0J30M5GS7LCS/6.png 2021 Christmas Gift Guide https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1637875319963-U1W1BYP0FBTGUOHIB2P1/FINAL+FOR+SQSPCE.png 2021 Christmas Gift Guide https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1637879571739-2X4Y6QXTL5OGGE7VASUA/FINAL+FOR+SQSPCE+%281%29.png 2021 Christmas Gift Guide https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1637880986381-P518BX3ND49BQQH3HM3M/FINAL+FOR+SQSPCE+%282%29.png 2021 Christmas Gift Guide https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603238434961-GG1N945E5JNLMDZNU6AM/Asset+3.png 2021 Christmas Gift Guide - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/awbth-launch daily 0.75 2022-02-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/76ba4aec-2c7f-41b3-b955-f2e34fb529f2/AWBTH1.jpeg A Way Back to Happy Book Launch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/d161b8f1-beb7-4fb4-85d5-8e72031e6e9f/AWBTH2.jpeg A Way Back to Happy Book Launch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/312ad604-0b57-4ab8-9e21-e03584e90ff0/AWBTH3.jpeg A Way Back to Happy Book Launch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/bb289aa8-ef9f-4b6c-8d48-d4b312fcfd4c/AWBTH5.jpeg A Way Back to Happy Book Launch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/70306108-76ef-4b72-a477-122cdb97ae17/AWBTH4.jpeg A Way Back to Happy Book Launch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ba5df0fa-5903-44c7-a791-ae32ded8b739/AWBTH6.jpeg A Way Back to Happy Book Launch https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/christmas-showdown daily 0.75 2023-10-19 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/feedback daily 0.75 2023-01-14 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/ockhams daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/24721c9d-b67d-42a8-84a5-ea7d668c6a95/Ockham.jpeg Ockham Fiction Finalist Homepage https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/53c83dd5-b65a-4ed5-9316-b69395380ec5/Ockham1.jpeg Ockham Fiction Finalist Homepage https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e706d380-1007-458b-8d4b-470270018ce8/Ockham2.jpeg Ockham Fiction Finalist Homepage https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/2726506b-1e0b-4c5a-b647-da4b6232f39d/Ockham3.jpeg Ockham Fiction Finalist Homepage https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1599961116385-R5LTX5BZ30IR619D2XSI/Feather.png Ockham Fiction Finalist Homepage - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603239801367-9IGSKTG6VHQ9GNZC7T9N/events-icon.png Ockham Fiction Finalist Homepage - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/greta-and-valdin daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1649548140727-8TEK4FKO5SBWGA63JPHB/DSCF0605.jpg Greta and Valdin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673745915787-0728C7R4KKWYQYB5DP0R/Greta2.png Greta and Valdin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/99997584-d7a4-4610-b8c0-f0348cecfefe/Greta7.jpeg Greta and Valdin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1673746035743-X6U0PSOOPY34JDXX309G/Rebecca+K+Reilly.jpeg Greta and Valdin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/de7ca446-9dba-454d-873e-9e9648dd6a04/Greta6.jpeg Greta and Valdin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/281e9483-b691-4ad4-8490-ac7bcb9cf9d4/Greta5.jpeg Greta and Valdin https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/good-winter daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/3811817f-bf39-4ebf-8024-ff4bbdf8d2a2/Good+Winter1.png A Good Winter https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/bda35eb1-ee2f-413a-a745-ba0109385591/Good+Winter2.jpg A Good Winter https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e7d95e65-b426-495f-a51d-68c034421d98/Good+Winter3.jpeg A Good Winter https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/fa64934d-6ce5-4ea3-bd22-bda76a2666f2/Gigi+Fenster.jpeg A Good Winter https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/749191ea-5513-4ed9-8835-d1f7e7fe2eff/Good+Winter4.jpeg A Good Winter https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/kurangaituku daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/a2c721d9-1a48-4d28-9477-d72e22e40160/Kura1.jpeg Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4809d86d-011e-417d-b633-1ddf9d291fc3/Whiti+Hereaka1.jpeg Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/71bdf3c5-4374-452e-8343-31540bd5cea0/Kura2.jpeg Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e320a46b-ad57-48d6-a920-8bee2eefd3f5/Kura3.jpeg Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8ce2fdfd-7c8b-461a-8616-7e903bb31fbc/Kura7.jpeg Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/274e4907-369e-42bb-8c54-3866f9d832a2/Kura8.jpeg Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/b76cbe4c-01f8-43af-9ad7-1d626b9fd5df/Kura5.jpeg Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7ea81bbc-f613-4665-aee3-67ee52ee74e0/Kura6.jpeg Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/974b9b6c-cc70-4f55-bbaa-3cf13bf180ae/Kura4.jpeg Kurangaituku https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/c53e20e5-23b6-4673-8793-c3832bf7d330/Whiti+Hereaka.jpeg Kurangaituku - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1599961116385-R5LTX5BZ30IR619D2XSI/Feather.png Kurangaituku - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/entanglement daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/bd8d8a1e-5631-4b5a-8eba-9e4d827da864/Entanglement1.jpeg Entanglement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9671164b-d7d4-487f-9cd3-8989bc1b7d95/Bryan+Walpert.jpeg Entanglement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ae5a19d7-23a5-4e18-9a07-84ed964ee3c1/Entanglement2.jpeg Entanglement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/aea5a8da-3733-4827-b8f6-f38720892a29/Entanglement3.jpeg Entanglement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6ef3a541-dbde-4661-bddf-69ee92d50993/Entanglement4.png Entanglement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/357e284f-f73a-451c-ab7e-4bcc52fa2812/Entanglement5.jpeg Entanglement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/c9f3530f-6302-45ac-a9de-1b4a3261b601/Entanglement6.jpeg Entanglement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/2d882313-d6d4-4753-b049-5a51a6e0ef85/Entanglement7.jpeg Entanglement https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/c9f8fc4f-a676-4d3f-ac1c-3f3787f50ccb/Entanglement8.jpeg Entanglement https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/mothers-day daily 0.75 2023-04-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6b39edbc-dbcb-4014-b351-b3ab5fd9a44e/Hello+Beautiful.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/2010b117-65f1-49c5-b791-b98cf62df580/Everyday+Herbalist.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e20fefc8-19ff-47be-98be-9ac209de8d65/Fully+Booked.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/b4bcbd6b-465d-4c75-bd82-5367bcd86996/Gifty+Mum.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/bc617004-9709-479a-8a44-5bda7474e6c6/Last+Days+of+Joy.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e2e2fdf2-ff29-4ccc-b5f6-ee2c28080308/Saving+Time.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/c3e06fd0-f1d4-4fca-8735-fd8350c60001/Fact+over+Fiction.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/484c4cf7-da72-402d-8a05-fc3b96b4d60b/Stationery.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/31196b8d-2d2c-4220-8043-5b53ec37402b/Sam+Neill.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/dd220371-2778-42fc-a2a9-e252a995bf57/Collectable+Classics.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/387ee507-c5ea-46c9-bfc4-e23208438acb/Puzzle+Joke.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e6d6c959-03bc-496f-b965-82e13ee4faa7/Nostrana.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/a2d3c753-4d47-47e1-ab0e-ff07ddd143cc/Laughing+at+the+Dark.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/93a9a185-ca5e-4bf3-bcf6-fff5dc71371c/Return+to+Valetto.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/c6b57f68-fd57-49e2-883e-fd9e9264e913/You+Hung+the+Moon.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9670ef4b-db8f-41a6-a770-c9ccee651133/Homecoming.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7702d26b-ab16-4acd-a964-f28d59c31ddb/Old+Babes.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/30451c92-7642-44c4-8dae-c62aad6e69d4/Dog+of+the+North.png Mother's Day https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603239801367-9IGSKTG6VHQ9GNZC7T9N/events-icon.png Mother's Day - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/ockhamwinners daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f771ff4a-3f15-4bfe-86ec-77a194f5f84a/Ockham+Winner.jpeg 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Award Winners https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/d89240ea-7b3a-4e3d-ae4f-3db33cdef9d5/Ockham+Winner1.jpeg 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Award Winners https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/caf0d9d4-8e36-447b-86c5-7d49c759d132/Ockham+Winner2.jpeg 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Award Winners https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603239801367-9IGSKTG6VHQ9GNZC7T9N/events-icon.png 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Award Winners - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/a-good-winter daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/465f409f-2a1d-46ba-a100-3f730210c15a/A+Good+Winter.png A Good Winter - I literally walked into the shop after finishing this saying “what the hell did I just read?”. You should know up front that I’m all about those types of books so this was right up my alley. In short, ‘A Good Winter’ is a story told from the perspective of Olga, a super unreliable narrator with an incredibly pessimistic view of almost everyone. I absolutely despised Olga (I’m fairly certain you’re not supposed to “like” her) but I have an immense appreciation for authors who write unlikeable characters (Paula Hawkins and Catriona Ward being some of my favourites). I feel a fire in my belly when I get to talk about characters that grind my gears - it’s always a fun discussion! When I see reviews that say “I didn’t enjoy the book because there were so many unlikeable characters” it makes me frustrated. Sometimes that’s the point… sometimes you’re not supposed to like them, and I believe this is one of those books. Yes, Olga frustrated the hell out of me but is it weird to say I enjoyed it? There were certainly moments where I pitied her and her very sad point of view but most of the time I was imagining how if she were walking in front of me on a staircase I would have to try really hard not to just give her a little push… Read her story before you judge me for saying that please. This is a book to be devoured in one sitting rather than drawn out over a couple of weeks - trust me when I say you don’t want to spend any longer trapped in Olga’s head. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/entanglement-1 daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/994d25af-2ef2-4c0e-b3ea-24f3364565ed/Entanglement.png Entanglement - I have returned to this book several times since I first read it and every time I have a renewed sense of awe and appreciation for the quality of the prose, the emotion brilliantly portrayed behind seemingly simple phrases, and the frustration that such an exceptional writer is not a household literary name. In my opinion, Bryan Walpert’s Entanglement is as good as, if not better than many books you will find on a Booker Longlist. A bold statement perhaps, but not one I make lightly. Entanglement is first and foremost clever. Okay I’ll admit it - there were times I felt the protagonist (and surely this means the author) was thinking on a plane higher than most. And I had to concentrate HARD on some of the paragraphs that went on and on and had me gasping for breath! But you know what? I loved that about this book. Like all good literary fiction, Entanglement challenges us to think harder, to appreciate the subtleties until we suddenly sit back and mouth ‘oh, wow’ as we realise how cleverly the author has weaved the three strands of this story together. Entanglement is about time travel, but it is not a time travel story. It is about a man haunted by his past, and lost in his search for answers. Most importantly, it is a poignant story about love. Without giving anything away, when I reached one particular chapter near the end of the book I didn’t want to read it because I knew what was coming, I knew what I was in for, and even then I wasn’t prepared. The chapter was so heart-breaking and so simple and so beautiful and…oh just go and read this already. Then you’ll understand what I’m going on about. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/lessons-in-chemistry daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e44e298c-62a1-4017-81b8-f13f2c8bfb48/Lessons+in+Chemistry.png Lessons in Chemistry - This is a remarkable debut - original and funny, with a main character who I rooted for from start to finish. Set during the 1950s and 60s it is the story of scientist Elizabeth Zott who is forced to host a cooking show rather than pursue her career as an academic. In true feisty Zott style, Elizabeth decides she will use her knowledge of chemistry to teach housewives not just how to cook (she uses a laboratory rather than a kitchen!) but how to view their lives differently and question women’s position in society. Zott is determined to be seen for the intelligent academic she is and faces what seem like insurmountable challenges head on, refusing to accept defeat. She is supported by a motley mix of wonderful characters, my favourite of which is her dog, Six-Thirty who I think might now be my favourite fictional animal of all time. A feast of a novel to be devoured with a smile, some tears, and more than the occasional fist-pump. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/portrait daily 0.75 2023-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/c2d2fb55-e19c-4e24-b883-4551098d543d/Portrait+of+a+Thief.png Portrait of a Thief - Who doesn't love a good heist story? This has definite Ocean's Eleven vibes and is about a group of Chinese-American students who decide to band together to steal back Chinese art from some of the top museums in the world. There are some interesting themes around art history, colonialism and cultural diaspora but ultimately Portrait of a Thief is a cracking story about a bunch of smart risk-takers, each with a different set of skills, who plot and attempt to execute a daring heist. Refreshingly different and will keep you on the edge of your seat! — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/dirt-town daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ae5a19ce-f7a2-4189-873c-88aeb6daf972/Dirt+Town.png Dirt Town - This book had a lot of pre-publication hype and with good reason. It’s good. Brilliant actually. Difficult to categorize, Dirt Town is somewhere between a crime, a small-town drama, and a literary tour de force. It is a gripping, unsettling read that stayed with me for days after I finished the last page. Set in rural Australia, it has been likened to The Dry by Jane Harper but this falls shy of the mark for me. Dirt Town is less about where it is set and more about a community of people unraveling after the disappearance of school girl, Esther, on her way home from school. The community is rife with lies and secrets, but there’s also an outpouring of love, support, and grief. A startling debut. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/elektra daily 0.75 2023-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/eb375284-8fe5-422c-91ce-2cf350e3d78a/Elektra.png Elektra - In the same vein as last year’s Ariadne, this is another re-telling of a Greek myth from the female point of view. We switch between Clytemnestra (sister of Helen), her daughter Elektra, and Princess Cassandra of Troy as they struggle against their family curses and the subsequent fall of Troy. You don’t need to know or even like the original mythology - I never really liked Homer’s story of Troy with Achilles so I find it fascinating to hear from the women left behind during the war - what happened back in Mycenae after Agamemnon departed for Troy? Did Helen go with Paris willingly? You’ll have to read to find out! If you loved either Ariadne or Circe, then this is a must-read. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-language-of-food daily 0.75 2023-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/16ebf440-e9be-477b-a859-465d741749d3/The+Language+of+Food.png The Language of Food - England 1835. Eliza Acton is a poet who dreams of seeing her words in print. But when she takes her new manuscript to a publisher, she’s told that ‘poetry is not the business of a lady’. Instead, they want her to write a cookery book. To assist her, she hires seventeen-year-old Ann Kirby, the impoverished daughter of a war-crippled father and a mother with dementia. Over the course of ten years, Eliza and Ann develop an unusual friendship – one that crosses social classes and divides – and, together, they break the mould of traditional cookbooks and change the course of cookery writing forever. I savoured this wonderful story - the descriptions of meals will have you salivating! A talented writer who brings the true story of a formidable young woman vividly to life. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-diamond-eye daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/b5eef1ef-78ef-450b-99a9-b292d633503e/Diamond+Eye.png The Diamond Eye - This is a timely book to hit our shelves as it is set largely in Ukraine during WW2 when Russians and Ukrainians fought side by side. Kate Quinn weaves a compelling story based on the remarkable true life of Mila Pavlichenko, a woman who goes from being a history student in Kiev, to a deadly sniper on the battlefields of the Eastern front. Another gripping read from this Queen of historical fiction. I loved it! — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/groundskeeping daily 0.75 2023-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/bcdef207-5a6c-4125-9898-eb428e869008/Groundskeeping.png Groundskeeping - Today as I crunched through piles of brittle leaves admiring the fiery shades of autumn, I ruminated on Groundskeeping by Lee Cole. One word kept coming to mind – comparison. Being a bookseller I often look at comparable titles or authors – if you liked this, you’ll like that, if you enjoy reading books by this person, you might like… Whilst helpful, most comparisons invariably fall short because each writer’s voice is unique. I’m sorry but I’m about to do it anyway. This may come as a surprise but I found myself comparing Lee Cole’s debut to Sally Rooney, the obvious difference being that rather than a young female protagonist going through a crisis of self-doubt, it is a male suffering from a lack of self-belief. Both Cole and Rooney are clever writers, examining the layers of insecurities many young people find themselves wrapped up in. Twenty-something Owen compares himself to his girlfriend Alma and feels in all areas of his life he falls short. She had a privileged upbringing, he did not; She comes from a close-knit liberal family, his family is fractured and unstable; She grew up in a well-to-do area, he is embarrassed to be living with his Trump-supporting Uncle and Grandfather in small town Kentucky; he works as a groundskeeper in order to attend free classes in creative writing, she is a respected writer in residence. As Roosevelt said ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’ and we see this highlighted throughout the book. Alma herself is an accomplice, however unwitting, as she feeds into the inequity of their relationship. Both characters are infuriatingly insensitive, and yet they try so hard to understand and love one another. Groundskeeping is a wonderful, insightful novel. Funny at times, heart-breakingly sad in parts. It’s a thoughtful examination of the challenges young couples face when they come from ‘opposite sides of the tracks’. Did Alma and Owen’s love for each other survive their differences? I urge you to read the book to find out. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/remarkably-bright-creatures daily 0.75 2023-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/23b5165f-dca3-40ee-9ca3-34e96b35f7b5/Remarkably+Bright+Creatures.png Remarkably Bright Creatures - Are you looking for a warm-hearted read with characters you cheer for from start to finish? How about an adorable narrating Octopus called Marcellus who likes to escape his tank at night mostly to relieve his boredom (and more importantly to find some decent food)? When Marcellus befriends Tova, a seventy-year old woman who cleans the Aquarium at night, they form an incredible bond. But that’s not even the best part. Remarkably Bright Creatures is a good old-fashioned mystery that will keep you guessing till the end. What happened to Tova’s son who disappeared thirty years ago? Is his disappearance linked to the new guy, Cameron who starts working at the aquarium and who Marcellus feels compelled to risk his life for? Will Tova finally mend the hole in her heart? The perfect book for curling up on the couch with, on a wet, miserable Sunday afternoon. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/atlassix daily 0.75 2023-06-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ff34f0f5-3c12-4f41-a4ca-dba2a8e5284b/Atlas+Six.png The Atlas Six - Every ten years, six young magicians are chosen to apply for the secretive Alexandrian Society. Each person brings their own special talent including a cosmologist, a telepath, a naturalist and an empath. Only five will survive long enough to be accepted at the end of the year - they need to ask themselves if the society is really worth risking their life for? I can't answer that question (spoilers!) but it is a gloriously dark intellectual fantasy novel full of twists, perfect for my fellow Naomi Novik fans. If you're on BookTok then you know this was a self-publishing phenomenon last year, and has now been picked up by a publisher. It has apparently undergone some much needed editing, so even if you have the original, consider it a collector's edition and still read this (plus the new cover is beautiful!). And the even better news is that there will be a sequel - The Atlas Paradox (coming late October 2022). — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-paris-apartment daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/cf13615a-5fbe-4173-844c-6f23dba55d1e/Paris+Apartment.png The Paris Apartment - Jess shows up at her brother Ben's swanky apartment in Paris only to find him missing... This was my first Lucy Foley book and I'm so excited that I loved it because now I get to read all her others! It's like 'Knives Out' meets 'Only Murders in the Building'. Like any good murder mystery, the cast of characters is key. From Sophie (the picture perfect Parisian woman with the red neck scarf and little dog) to Ben (the journalist with charm just dripping off him) to Antoine (the angry drunk) I could literally see it playing like a movie in my head and was desperate to find out the truth. It's one of those books where everyone reeks of guilt and motive. Loved how the French language was incorporated and AHH I really want to talk about it but I don't want to spoil it! — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/sea-of-tranquility daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f90cea26-7c3e-46e7-afd3-9776f8923040/Sea+of+Tranquility.png Sea of Tranquility - If you've read Station Eleven you'll know what a brilliant writer Emily St John Mandel is. In her new novel she seamlessly manages to navigate a story stretching from the Canadian wilderness in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon 300 years later. Yet this epic story of time travel also captures the reality and concerns of our current moment. How does she do it? When Gaspery-Jacques Roberts, a detective in the black-skied Night City, is hired to investigate an anomaly in time, he uncovers a series of lives upended. Will he choose to intervene and in doing so risk disrupting the time-line of the universe? Sea of Tranquility investigates the idea of parallel worlds and possibilities. Perceptive and compelling, it is a story about art, love, and what we must do to survive. I loved it! — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-bookseller-at-the-end-of-the-world daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/628d446b-d957-4f88-adde-3d5653ff821b/Bookseller+at+the+End+of+the+World.png The Bookseller at the End of the World - Ruth Shaw runs two tiny bookshops in the remote village of Manapouri in Fiordland, in the deep south of New Zealand. She has led a truly remarkable life of adventure and I was captured by her story from the opening page. Every chapter brings a new revelation - at times heart-breaking, at other moments so outrageous I sat there stunned. Interspersed with delightful anecdotes from her times as a bookseller, this is a real treat and a fascinating examination on the cultural history of New Zealand. A brilliant read. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/leagueofliars daily 0.75 2023-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ce0eccc8-fc2d-4c68-9c8a-b8f9bd9017a5/League+of+Liars.png League of Liars - League of Liars is described as Six of Crows meets How To Get Away with Murder and I can tell you that is very accurate! Ever since I read Six of Crows I've been wanting to read something that made me feel the same kind of way. Reading this transported me back to all the great YA books of the 2010's - Red Queen, An Ember in the Ashes, Shadow and Bone. I loved the setting of Vardean prison, I loved the magic - edem - that lurks in shadows and just begs to be used even though it's illegal, and I loved the characters - misunderstood teenagers just trying to find out the truth. A suspenseful legal fantasy drama that I hope continues as a series!! — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/skandar-and-the-unicorn-thief daily 0.75 2024-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/be66dd3b-7db8-4a1f-bca9-d71f59c5e014/Skandar.png Skandar and the Unicorn Thief - Forget what you know about unicorns. They're not pink, fluffy and sparkly like we've all come to think. Unicorns don’t belong in fairy tales; they belong in nightmares. A lot of books claim to be the next Harry Potter or Percy Jackson and I am so excited to say I finally agree that this is the next big thing in children's literature. You can bet that if you walk into the shop looking for a book for a child aged 10 or over this is what I'll be recommending. (Adults too!!) Reading this was like getting a huge hug from my childhood. I never thought I would find a group of friends who made me feel like Harry, Ron and Hermione did but Skandar, Bobby, Mitchell and Flo had me rooting for them since the moment they met in the unicorn Hatchery. Obsessed. 5 stars. Absolutely brilliant. Read my review for Book 2 in the series below. — Rachel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/789f8d68-5382-42cb-a2c2-c48889eef7ae/Skandar+and+the+Phantom+Rider.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/b6c8bd5b-9944-4f76-8f1c-1f852f7f2c76/The+Librarians+of+Rue+de+Picardie+%281%29.png https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/hedgewitch daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/d69c4eb0-4d71-4aad-8e0c-966de9c6921d/Hedgewitch.png Hedgewitch - It has been seven years since 12yo Cassie Morgan last saw her mother. Left at a dreary boarding school, she is certain that her mother is still alive and she is determined to find her, whatever the dangers. Lost and alone, she is chased by a pack of goblins but, to her surprise, escapes with the help of a flying broom and a talking cat named Montague, who takes her to the cosy village of Hedgely. Here she discovers that she comes from a family of witches, women who protect Britain from the denizens of Faerie. Cassie discovers that witches are not born, they’re made- meaning anyone can learn witchy skills and become a witch. She joins the coven, which is super witchy with flying brooms, talking animals and brewing spells in their cauldrons. It’s a magical story full of goblins, faeries, missing children and the power of friendship. It will be a series too with more coming from next year onwards. Recommended for ages 9+. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/wrong-place-wrong-time daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f68c67e9-e428-40a5-a553-3b9616db5a78/Wrong+Place+Wrong+Time.png Wrong Place, Wrong Time - A++ Gillian, A++. I loved the premise of this book - a mother watches her son kill someone and then she wakes up and it’s the day before the murder!!! I think it is a very smart book that crosses genres in a very unique way. All at once a crime novel, a love story, a science fiction and a reminder to pay attention to the little things in life (yes I just threw up too, sorry). I enjoyed trying to figure out why Jen was moving back in time, would changing what she did in the past affect her future or were there no consequences? When was she going to stop? Who could she possibly convince that she was truly moving back in time? How far back was she going to go? I was so invested in every angle of the story, the criminal acts, her relationship with her son, her relationship with her husband, her relationship with her dad, the time travel theory I loved it all. A great read for book clubs, such a fun one to dissect and discuss! — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-whalebone-theatre daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/2add0328-c30e-4da3-99ea-e255c049015f/Whalebone+Theatre.png The Whalebone Theatre - As most of you know, Still Life was my favourite book last year and I’ve placed it in the hands of many unsuspecting customers since it was published (it is currently our bestselling novel ever!). I’ve had difficulty finding something that would measure up to Still Life, until now. The Whalebone Theatre was a joy to read from the opening page and I treasured every word. Several times I had to reread lines because they were so beautifully written. I wanted to slow down to savour every chapter but at the same time, I couldn’t stop reading. The story is engaging, the characters wonderfully eccentric, and the setting in a crumbling old house in South England perfectly rendered. Sarah Winman, author of Still Life, has a quote on the cover of The Whalebone Theatre: ‘A wonderful debut. Actually, a tour de force. It has all the makings of a classic.’ - I couldn’t agree more. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/tomorrow daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9b3f5175-0b02-4183-ba1a-2349d4e63c89/Tomorrow+x+3.png Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - Where to begin. It will be hard to write a review that does this stunning novel justice. I’ll start by saying that after seven pages I had already fallen in love and knew that this would be a new favourite of mine. The characters, the writing style, the story and the nostalgic feeling it gave me, everything. I have dog-eared my copy, underlined my favourite quotes and I'm already dying to re-read it. I am confident in saying it is the best book I have read in 2022 so far. Maybe even one of the best books I have read ever. Anyone who knows me knows that I haven’t shut up about ‘Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow’ since I finished it and I’d love for more people to read it so we can discuss. It is incredibly moving, raw, emotionally charged and absolutely brilliant. ‘Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow’ has a rawness to it that I felt deeply. It’s the story of boy meets girl and it is not a romance novel but it is a love story. The pitch ‘500 Days of Summer’ meets ‘Ready Player One’ doesn’t feel accurate. I feel like any book that has to do with video games immediately gets compared to ‘Ready Player One’ but don’t be fooled, you do NOT have to like video games to enjoy this book. Yes, it is an added bonus if you do, but I am confident you will enjoy it nonetheless. This book is incredibly moving, raw, emotionally charged and just absolutely brilliant. I can’t deny my feelings but I know everyone has different tastes so I’ll get over the fact that you’re not all going to fall in love with it immediately like I did. I don’t want to oversell it but just be warned that if you come into the shop looking for a new good book, this is what I’ll be shoving into your hands. I loved this book terribly and I hope you will too. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-measure daily 0.75 2023-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4916e549-6da3-431a-9be3-1da78b765bfc/The+Measure.png The Measure - One day a box appears on everyone’s doorstep all around the world. Inside the box there is a string , the length of which determines the length of your life. The longer the string the longer you have to live. The book follows the lives of multiple characters all dealing with their string lengths in different ways, long-stringers, short-stringers and then there are those who haven’t even looked at their strings, happy to stay in ignorant bliss. I was expecting it to turn magical or fantastical like maybe aliens brought the boxes to earth to mess with humans but it didn’t, rather it is a story of how we would react to learning our fate as humans. It is incredibly realistic speculative fiction. Like the quote on the front says I believe it would be perfect for book clubs because there is so much to talk about it would spurn some fun discussions. Would you open your box? How would you react to learning one of your loved ones has a short string? Can you change your fate? This book really made me think that speculative fiction is one of my favourite genres, I just think the imaginations of the authors of these books are mind-blowing, literally. Nikki Erlick really just shook the world that we live in by introducing a box with a string it in. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/fathers-day-gift-guide daily 0.75 2023-08-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/0963f8db-1573-40b1-b704-ab6253ab867e/The+Art+of+Winning.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/303cc46f-0d71-4dfb-82ae-d185d3f1dbca/Heavens+on+Sale.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/59edd25e-cdb1-4fa6-b228-1ff9249621cf/Eat+Up+NZ.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e5dea6bc-a7b7-444b-a250-5a06a690b070/Crook+Manifesto.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/532200c6-405a-4559-9f89-b0e2c86939a9/Killing+Moon.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e8ef53e0-e340-4940-8c29-6f239addfbd4/Ascension.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/bb550541-2b4f-4173-ad2a-a1ee75e38957/The+Bone+Tree.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ee98f761-3106-46d7-8750-067364f0e435/The+Last+Orphan.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/a77e1916-2397-4c79-89c7-8ffdab790b24/The+Ferryman.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ad0a0691-d875-457f-acd9-d7ba35afa911/From+the+Pilot%27s+Seat.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/fae8b05f-9623-48c7-b172-de79af021248/Black+Gold.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f71d42cc-5ed5-4f09-b74c-2d241b24b3f0/Fungi.jpeg Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/983ee140-c593-4f3d-8d5f-22dc1ef92cf7/The+Collector.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ce4ad993-62f8-45ea-a7c7-3b1b966b6d05/King+Arthur+Puzzle.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/919c6608-eba3-4d64-ad65-2fc382811a25/Gift+Voucher.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/421c9962-6bb7-4c1c-a365-63678767ab2d/Fathers+Day+Kids+Book.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/b4151100-0e6e-4d2c-9140-da57ccc30cc2/I%27m+Fully+Booked.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7d593ab2-1e81-40e3-be9d-9929522a097e/Fact+Over+Fiction.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e7ac05c9-17fe-42e4-b7dc-ed37d02c766c/Collectable+Classics.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603239801367-9IGSKTG6VHQ9GNZC7T9N/events-icon.png Father's Day Gift Guide (Template) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/fight-night daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/984bd691-c122-489c-afbb-872037fd319e/Fight+Night.png Fight Night - Several years ago my sister, who reads as much if not more than I do, pressed a book into my hand and said ‘read this’. The book was called All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews and it blew my mind. I have been a HUGE fan of this little known Canadian author ever since and I urge you to read her work. Fight Night is her latest masterpiece. It is the story of a daughter, her mother and her grandmother. The grandmother is my new favourite literary superhero - she is hilarious, fierce, brave and unapologetic. She says and does things that most of us might think about but would never dream of actually saying or doing! The three women live, laugh, love and fight together and somehow, even when their lives are so depressingly hard you want to cry, it never ceases to be achingly beautiful and full of spirit. There are so many lines I could quote from the book but I’ll leave you with this one: ‘To be alive means full body contact with the absurd’. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/marriage-portrait daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/034bad3d-6b50-48f5-94b4-004775e2c23d/Marriage+Portrait.png The Marriage Portrait - Maggie O’Farrell blew many of us away with Hamnet and she’s back with another gripping novel, this time set in Renaissance Italy. I don’t feel The Marriage Portrait quite reaches the same level of brilliance as Hamnet but it is still excellent. The way O’Farrell brings to life the story of young Lucrezia, third daughter of Cosimo de Medici, and her marriage to the mysterious and cruel Duke of Ferrara is deft and startling. 1560’s Florence is so vivid you can almost see, feel, hear and taste it. The Marriage Portrait is a heady blend of beauty and brutality from a storyteller at the top of her game. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/carrie-soto-is-back daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/84e9e36c-5337-40a5-8be1-78baa5e5588c/Carrie+Soto.png Carrie Soto is Back - By the time Carrie retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Slam titles. When six years into her retirement her record is broken by a young British rising star, Carrie decides, aged 37, to come out of retirement and attempt to reclaim her record, with her coach (who is also her father) by her side. This is a great story about drive, ambition and what it takes to be an elite athlete. More importantly, it’s about the love, support, and growing understanding between a father and daughter as they reevaluate their definitions of happiness and success. A great read whether you’re a tennis fan or not. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/alias-emma daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/3b1e4baa-5f03-4dea-9e50-bd4057843c81/Alias+Emma.png Alias Emma - Alias Emma is like a movie in book form. From the opening page to the last the pace and action is relentless. There are twists and turns galore as MI6 race across London in an attempt to rescue a man wanted by the Russians. Think James Bond mixed with Jason Bourne (but with a kick-arse female MI6 operative as the main character). Perfect for someone who is struggling to find a book to get stuck into or who (dare I say it) says they’re not much of a reader. I loved it. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/indigo-moon daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/51f528a4-6f82-4db2-bc02-e971fcf9b62c/Indigo+Moon.png Indigo Moon - The first in a new series, Indigo Moon is set a generation on from The Black Spiral Trilogy which you don’t have to read before picking up this book, but I urge you to do so anyway because the series is fantastic. Indigo Moon is set in the future, where two virally optimised teenagers Rigel and Indigo get caught up in a deadly game involving time travel, shape-shifting, and gene manipulation. Merriman has the ability to keep the pace and energy high - chapters are short, punchy and invariably end on a cliffhanger so the book is practically impossible to put down. Of course no YA would be complete without a good dose of teenage angst and this has plenty! A fantastic read for ages 14+ and I can’t wait for the next one. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-wrong-woman daily 0.75 2023-06-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f9a52708-c589-46ae-970c-dfb0793bcb15/The+Wrong+Woman.png The Wrong Woman - I will always recommend Pomare, I think he is a psychological thriller writing genius. Contrary to the rest of his books that are set in Australia/New Zealand, this one is set in small town America. This was a little bit upsetting as I feared he may be losing the local flare however he has explained it was because he wanted to insert a gun into the narrative and it is easier to do so when the book is set in America, otherwise you have to do further explaining about the presence of a gun in AU/NZ! Makes sense! The Wrong Woman follows private investigator, Reid, as he looks into a suspicious car crash which may or may not have something to do with the town's missing girls… I don't want to be cliché and say it's a "fast-paced page turner" because I can't stand those buzzwords, but they're too accurate not to use in this case. Usually when I read I feel like I've read 50 pages and I look down and find I've only read 10... with The Wrong Woman it was the opposite and I was finished in a blink! There's no unnecessary fluff or slow filler bits, it's just go go go from start to finish. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/her-majestys-royal-coven daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/76f3ddb5-b3be-4ecd-92a3-797eb35011b1/Her+Majesty%27s+Royal+Coven.png Her Majesty's Royal Coven - Helena, Niamh, Leonie and Elle all once belonged to Her Royal Majesty's Coven - a coven of female witches who are a top-secret government agency designed to protect mundanes (humans). The girls are now in their 30's, and they are forced to come together once more when a prophecy of a Sullen Child heralds the end of days. With conflicting beliefs over the best course of action, the four friends must decide where their loyalties lie: with preserving tradition, or doing what is right. This is so so good if you're also in a witchy phase like me and wanting an adult novel with darker magic. It's got possession, ancient prophecies and demonic frenemies. It's the start of a new series, and the ending is amazing - I CANNOT wait for the next book (I hope she's writing it as we speak). By the way, I do not recommend for under 16's - it is quite dark at times, and very adult (e.g. a lot of swearing). — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/eddy-eddy daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e21e4d51-8416-4d9a-8649-f7df2b6acf7d/Eddy+Eddy.png Eddy, Eddy - This is not an easy review to write. I’m weirdly torn between loving Eddy, Eddy and well…not. It is one of the few books I have read where I’ve enjoyed it more on reflection than I did at the time. I’m surprised how often the characters still pop into my head. For me, the first third of the book lacked pace and I felt the author’s voice was too dominant but then thankfully the story took off and the characters took over the reins. Eddy, Eddy is a story about a young person growing up in an unconventional home navigating his way through grief and self-awareness. It’s perceptive, quirky, and surprising. The NZ setting is well-rendered and the images of post-earthquake Christchurch beautifully poignant and nuanced. Pitched as similar to Kate de Goldi’s wonderful The 10pm Question, where the readership is anyone from 14 to 100 years, Eddy, Eddy is in my mind, a story for adults to appreciate and enjoy. Will younger readers enjoy it too? I look forward to finding out. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/oldies daily 0.75 2024-01-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/81d43cf4-541f-47c7-b482-91dfc5692c3b/Tom+Lake.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7d1dfa0f-3952-4dcb-8cf9-50846319b5bd/The+Burnout.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/79621563-5f3d-4665-8c7a-01b105e0c3c7/Water.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/af704a55-4cd9-4889-bb8a-7dcb20dee6db/Wavewalker.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6027ee7a-ca4e-4379-a302-c0ec9ad54d40/The+Hero+of+this+Book.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/11bb20bd-8e55-4acd-a73e-4f494a7fa14d/Postcard.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f3bf7af8-29da-46ad-a766-7f06e0761caa/Fourth+Wing.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7702d26b-ab16-4acd-a964-f28d59c31ddb/Old+Babes.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e7b5d503-f187-4085-98e4-788a64e770c9/In+the+Lives+of+Puppets.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4d7bb26b-e15a-4a8d-89b4-05a707856516/Mysterious+Case+of+the+Alperton+Angels.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9b3f5175-0b02-4183-ba1a-2349d4e63c89/Tomorrow+x+3.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/74ba25f9-069f-4621-ba1d-6f7651b20299/Cold+People.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/30451c92-7642-44c4-8dae-c62aad6e69d4/Dog+of+the+North.png Book Reviews - 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Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/28e86d59-14e5-4ce9-87fe-4f6fa850ddb5/Klara.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8464ea96-e3a7-409d-a22c-2fbde3c9b978/Still+Life.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f90cea26-7c3e-46e7-afd3-9776f8923040/Sea+of+Tranquility.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f5f8cacd-1206-4f72-9d68-f3b96225472f/Piranesi.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/022a5220-8ae9-4469-8175-e51d29269fe0/House+in+the+Cerulean+Sea.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/43a35d32-907a-4028-9f61-1bc997c4220f/Where+the+Crawdads+Sing.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6dee840e-bd0f-490c-ac00-90375632bb09/None+of+this+is+True.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/77675250-e7fc-49f3-84a9-070ef7de1b36/Disappearance+of+Stephanie+Mailer.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7691adc6-1943-4c67-b438-4d92d267f5b6/In+Ascension.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/2d2ac606-ce59-4303-b483-589391848f74/Cloud+Cuckoo+Land.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4ceba05b-5a0c-4a0e-ab07-4ad6f378413e/Seven+Sisters.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/93a9a185-ca5e-4bf3-bcf6-fff5dc71371c/Return+to+Valetto.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/015e5810-d438-4500-bcdb-289632d39d3c/The+Searcher.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/204c3e69-9bfe-4ac7-a419-a24378b88618/Secret+History.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8b191a1f-4457-4c70-9f19-edbb72caf4df/American+Dirt.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/abab7094-8248-48cb-8299-1d24dcc83251/Humankind.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603239801367-9IGSKTG6VHQ9GNZC7T9N/events-icon.png Book Reviews - Oldies but Goodies - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/book-reviews daily 0.75 2024-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8e850c67-71c9-49ba-842b-2eb9aa661018/Current+Favourites.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/321c6b20-9b14-41d1-9d71-e1255673b6e4/Oldies+but+Goodies.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/bb195332-e979-4d2b-b54f-b41e242633cc/Kiwi+Faves.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603239801367-9IGSKTG6VHQ9GNZC7T9N/events-icon.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1f221c82-b12c-4c44-a5df-347c749a4eb3/Kids+Korner.png https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/house-in-the-cerulean-sea daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/022a5220-8ae9-4469-8175-e51d29269fe0/House+in+the+Cerulean+Sea.png House in the Cerulean Sea - This is a very sweet, wholesome story about magical kids, but also about accepting others who may be different to you. It's about stepping out of your comfort zone, and opening yourself up to be loved. The kids are non-human but consider it as lite-fantasy, there's more to the story than just the magic! One of the kids is the Antichrist, Luci, who was just simply adorable and my favourite kid by far (Theo was Rachel's favourite). The main character is a 40-year-old man with a gay romance sub-plot, however we would recommend this to anyone (including teens) because we loved it so much. It was one of my top five books for 2021 and I need to re-read! — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/quiznight daily 0.75 2023-10-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/52429811-20a3-4882-9a97-b544798004a2/Quiz1.jpeg Booklover's Book Quiz https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/80125b7d-0615-4035-8553-9b28c11328a8/Quiz2.jpeg Booklover's Book Quiz https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/50b0cb18-9b5f-4ecd-886b-27a64e44cda5/Quiz3.jpeg Booklover's Book Quiz https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1dd5f458-606f-4215-8dfb-4d405acc7808/Quiz4.jpeg Booklover's Book Quiz https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/2469ab91-0ff4-4642-9e6c-c6258497358f/Quiz5.jpeg Booklover's Book Quiz https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/3a9c4afc-73c7-4a4e-a69a-f5092aa4cfdc/Quiz6.jpeg Booklover's Book Quiz https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/00e5be74-a0f5-4875-bbea-6491675a014f/Quiz8.jpeg Booklover's Book Quiz https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/a569660d-ef9d-464c-bb42-26cd00b0823d/Quiz7.jpeg Booklover's Book Quiz https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/fairy-tale daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9d68e19a-e0d6-4038-9828-a3c493548cd6/Fairy+Tale.png Fairy Tale - A seventeen year old boy, an old man, and a dog. Fair warning there’s no horror element to this one, it’s just a good old fashioned fairy tale, but one of the most epic proportions! I was completely engulfed and swallowed up into Charlie’s story. Boy meets old man and dog and to tell you much more than that would be to spoil your reading experience. Fairy Tale is definitely a book where you need to enjoy the journey and not stress about the destination or you’re going to drive yourself bonkers screaming ARE WE THERE YET??? The descriptions in this masterpiece are unmatched, you really get transported into the worlds King has created but it is a slow burn. Sometimes it takes 10 pages to say something that I feel could have been said in 2 sentences but if you have the patience I promise it is worth it. You just have to appreciate the detail that goes into everything the characters say and do. Don’t read it if you’re in the mood for a quick read but do save it for when you feel like an escape. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/authors-in-conversation daily 0.75 2023-01-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1665885049044-PXJG8XOVZCUCL70VLTCT/Spark+Hunter.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1665884844693-O5TNS1I31BZVDX7WRLBO/Indigo+Moon.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/51508d35-704e-4bf9-a684-bfb2e1276d45/Sylvia+and+the+Birds.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1665885358090-4LDVGX560KZIMYU69GW4/Yellow+Digger.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1666147997259-ZT0H6V7VUJ8F4GVKJLWR/Johanna.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1665024108384-K4Q81329BA90NSZ5472V/Eileen+Merriman.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1665024170530-XE3PMXSMFE4L0DZMLCCB/Sonya+Wilson.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e2b1fa5a-9588-4dc5-9ce2-03aa67dfac8a/peter.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/51508d35-704e-4bf9-a684-bfb2e1276d45/Sylvia+and+the+Birds.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1665884844693-O5TNS1I31BZVDX7WRLBO/Indigo+Moon.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1665885049044-PXJG8XOVZCUCL70VLTCT/Spark+Hunter.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1665885358090-4LDVGX560KZIMYU69GW4/Yellow+Digger.jpeg https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/christmas-gift-guide-2022 daily 0.75 2022-11-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/dfa145a6-7e19-4cc9-8388-6f8a735c14d6/SQRSPCE+-+XMAS+%281%29.png Christmas Gift Guide 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/fbccce3b-93bb-4cb3-ae61-a9f4420bc2af/SQRSPCE+-+XMAS.png Christmas Gift Guide 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/b58a62dd-5ded-4802-afc1-ef42c798286f/SQRSPCE+-+XMAS+%282%29.png Christmas Gift Guide 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/0d142ba5-da62-407c-ab59-c1695c60a32f/SQRSPCE+-+XMAS+%283%29.png Christmas Gift Guide 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/848259cb-cbba-440a-91d6-1577be6f60a9/SQRSPCE+-+XMAS+%285%29.png Christmas Gift Guide 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/a69e51b2-78c2-4b25-a48e-7ebadedd3f90/SQRSPCE+-+XMAS+%284%29.png Christmas Gift Guide 2022 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/shop-book-subscriptions1 daily 0.75 2025-12-24 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-arc daily 0.75 2023-01-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/77d0b1c9-52fe-4e87-bc77-adff2c9b7ae8/The+Arc.png The Arc - *** SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1 & 2 AHEAD *** After waiting so long for this to finally arrive on NZ shores I am so glad that it wasn’t a disappointing ending! An epic conclusion to one of my new favourite teen series. Luka Kane is dead… he’s the main character in the series right so what happens now? Will Happy finally succeed in taking over the human race? Just like the other two books I could not put this down - it had to be pried out of my hands so I could get some sleep. It was incredibly compelling and full of twists that I didn’t see coming. It pulled so much emotion out of me: happy tears, sad tears, fist pumps, and so much anger, I wanted to join the rebellion and give them all a big hug!!! I hate when I feel like authors take the easy way out and try to tie up endings happily ever after in a little bow. I appreciate all the risks that Ben Oliver takes in his writing, it keeps things unpredictable and exciting right until the very end. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/cloud-cuckoo-land daily 0.75 2023-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/2d2ac606-ce59-4303-b483-589391848f74/Cloud+Cuckoo+Land.png Cloud Cuckoo Land - This is a masterpiece in storytelling whereby three seemingly unrelated stories set in very different times and places are gradually pieced together in alternating chapters. Much like a puzzle they come together beautifully at the end for the ultimate ‘ah-ha’ moment. The first story is about two thirteen year old outcasts, Anna and Omeir on opposite sides of the wall during the 1453 siege of Constantinople. Theirs is a gorgeous and terrifying tale of bravery, resilience, and survival. The second story is a nail-biting thriller set in present day Idaho where Seymour, a teenage Idealist is involved in an attack on the local public library and elderly gentleman, Zeno must protect the young children trapped inside. The third and most mind-bending of all is set far into the future, where a young girl, Konstance, tries to understand her crumbling community by examining ancient texts from the past. Through a remarkable feat of imagination, Cloud Cuckoo Land is three genres in one: historical fiction, heart-thumping thriller, and dystopian drama that combine to create a literary symphony for the reader. Simply stunning fiction. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/children-ya daily 0.75 2024-02-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/64badc09-4ad5-4e40-97a2-f862a348dfb7/Frida.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/0cd3611b-d510-47cc-8eed-f64cf47f27a2/Frida.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4ca9a246-494a-44bc-95a3-e6c7c805d7ae/Lev.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9647483c-1842-4706-aadb-780311b9153e/Lev.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/c02fe472-bbc1-4666-9b7c-3ad833a5ac8a/Robodog.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8fd333a8-2c30-443d-a714-63fc7e5659c9/Billy+and+the+Giant+Adventure.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/678e5a77-e3a6-49bd-92ac-96e471992ca9/Leonora+Bolt.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7f7f4f61-3468-49b8-b9a6-86532f348fb1/Investigators.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4d1ae775-90f9-4602-978d-06150c223835/Crookhaven+%231.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/becf35eb-7989-45fa-b02b-f187a1d2c6fa/KOTLC.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/d69c4eb0-4d71-4aad-8e0c-966de9c6921d/Hedgewitch.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/be66dd3b-7db8-4a1f-bca9-d71f59c5e014/Skandar.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7daee82c-8c12-466d-975c-68570f14ac4d/Hide+%26+Geek.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1147e41e-6370-4233-a1da-5ecb91da2745/Curious+Tides.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/b21233c6-f02a-4985-a967-d933d7d2fcdf/Isles+of+the+Gods.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/fd2ddef8-1479-4346-aa7e-d7a2e0c8a2ce/They+Both+Die+at+the+End.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1d3a7dd6-a618-4c2c-8661-e47761d49591/Brothers+Hawthorne.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/459a1c14-436c-40fc-9ec6-ac262a4158d5/Percy+Jackson.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4d157da2-2440-4fc7-a828-a0d0e061d7d5/The+Loop.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603239801367-9IGSKTG6VHQ9GNZC7T9N/events-icon.png Book Reviews - Children & Young Adult - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/italian-daughter daily 0.75 2023-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/3b88aecc-5ea1-4e03-b0f5-f7878d8bd237/The+Italian+Daughter.png The Italian Daughter - Whilst we all wait patiently for The Seven Sisters #8 (May!), The Italian Daughter gives us our lighter historical fiction fix. The premise is that within a derelict home for unmarried mothers, seven little boxes are found, each containing something left behind for the child by their birth parents “in case they ever came looking”. Lily is given such a box as her grandmother’s heir and travels to Italy to follow the clues within the box to learn about her great-grandparents. Through dual timelines we learn why her grandmother was given up for adoption, and Lily might just find what she’s been looking for too. And in even better news, this will be a series following the different recipients of the boxes, with number two due later this year. Perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/impossible-things daily 0.75 2023-02-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7667f855-b612-4410-969b-f29657e2900a/We+All+Want+Impossible+Things.png We All Want Impossible Things - This was the very first book I read in 2023 and it might just make it into my top ten reads for the year which is a big call! Achingly beautiful, I loved the relatable characters with all their flaws and generosity of spirit, and humour; the sense of hope and joy during a period of profound sadness. We All Want Impossible Things is life-affirming storytelling from a gifted writer. Yes this is a book set in a hospice. It’s a book about dying and pain and loss, but it’s also a book about living fully, and appreciating every moment. It’s about love and family and friendship and I literally carried it around the house with me when I wasn’t reading because I didn’t want to break my connection to the characters and their story. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/cold-people daily 0.75 2023-02-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/74ba25f9-069f-4621-ba1d-6f7651b20299/Cold+People.png Cold People - Who has been hanging out for a really good dystopian sci-fi? Well, look no further. In Cold People a mysterious and omnipotent force takes over earth and gives humanity 30 days to reach Antarctica - the one place they will be allowed to exist. What follows is a frantic exodus to the most extreme environment on the planet. A place where humans must adapt to living in order to survive. This one gave me chills! It’s intense, thrilling, and more than a little creepy. Pretty much everything you want in a dystopian sci-fi! — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/a-girl-called-corpse daily 0.75 2023-02-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/97fe3965-e55e-4ff0-b25d-650649658b82/A+Girl+Called+Corpse.png A Girl Called Corpse - This was unlike any book I have ever read. Full of ghosts and witches, it's an exciting tale of lost friendships and danger, you'll be on the edge of your seat during this book. Happy Hauntings! Ages 9+ — Lev https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/investigators daily 0.75 2023-02-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7f7f4f61-3468-49b8-b9a6-86532f348fb1/Investigators.png InvestiGators - This hilarious book is about two alligators who are spies that get themselves into a messy situation. Mango is my favourite character because I find it funny how dumb he can be. The whole series is a work of art! Ages 7+ — Frida https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/new-dragon-city daily 0.75 2023-02-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e3f3f6c3-1be1-4d93-ae6a-b1ab2fd8f039/New+Dragon+City.png New Dragon City - I loved all the dragons in it.. I have never read a dragon book in a real world setting, like New York city. I liked that it had a real world fantasy feel to it and that once Noah met a dragon, every once in a while it would switch to her perspective. It was neat to see a dragon’s view of what was happening in the book. I like how the author made me believe what Noah believed until he bonded with a dragon. — Lev https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/birnam-wood daily 0.75 2023-02-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/28750ea4-3ffd-4ff0-ba63-7a17f65fb274/Birnam+Wood.png Birnam Wood - This is about the hardest review I’ve had to write as there is simply so much to unpack and discuss and admire in the new novel by Eleanor Catton - which is really why this should be compulsory reading for every New Zealander! Having finished Birnam Wood I feel compelled to have more face-to-face, thoughtful conversations and not be content with superficial chat, or short, pithy comments via some screen. I want to question more, learn more, examine not only my own actions but the actions of my fellow countrymen, politicians, businesses, and governments. There are few novels that can have such a profound effect on an individual. Firstly, if you haven’t done so, I urge you to listen to Catton’s interview with Kim Hill on RNZ. Not only is it an absorbing, intelligent conversation, but I found I could appreciate the nuances of the story even more knowing the process and inspiration that went into writing such a richly layered book. What I loved most about Birnam Wood was the lengthy, punchy dialogue, the moral and ethical dilemmas the characters faced, and their ego-centric decisions which led to their ultimate downfall. But Birnam Wood isn’t all about character - it’s a thriller, it’s action-packed, tense, and builds to an ultimate heart-stopping finale. My hope is that Birnam Wood will cause a ripple effect as it asks New Zealanders to open their eyes to the possible future that lays before us. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/pscometoitaly-booklaunch daily 0.75 2023-03-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1679182900997-4AOQ7JS6Q4QUGQSSLH6K/PS%2BCome%2Bto%2BItaly6.jpg P.S Come to Italy Book Launch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/adb9e8b4-53c2-4507-8300-539b3ab9e1b2/PS+Come+to+Italy.jpg P.S Come to Italy Book Launch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e2e9f4a3-3dc0-41a5-8815-d5a7568c1da4/PS+Come+to+Italy3.jpg P.S Come to Italy Book Launch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f3a515d7-6ea3-4540-95c8-ea29852e468c/PS+Come+to+Italy1.jpg P.S Come to Italy Book Launch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/331c80b1-6d51-47b2-ae77-352ce53638e1/PS+Come+to+Italy4.jpg P.S Come to Italy Book Launch https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1679183168750-S5R6Z1ZC7XKP22077IPV/PS%2BCome%2Bto%2BItaly5.jpg P.S Come to Italy Book Launch https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/return-to-valetto daily 0.75 2023-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/93a9a185-ca5e-4bf3-bcf6-fff5dc71371c/Return+to+Valetto.png Return to Valetto - Calling all historical fiction fans, here is the one you've been waiting for. On a hilltop in Umbria sits Valetto. Once a thriving village -and a hub of resistance and refuge during World War II - centuries of earthquakes, landslides and the lure of a better life have left it neglected. Only ten residents remain, including the widows Serafino - three eccentric sisters and their steely centenarian mother - who live quietly in their medieval villa. Then their nephew and grandson, Hugh, a historian, returns and long-buried secrets are uncovered. A riveting, beautiful story in a stunning Italian setting. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/victory-city daily 0.75 2023-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6049ee6d-3534-4467-b811-7a94f8893f32/Victory+City.png Victory City - Where do I start? This was mind-boggling! Victory City is the first book I have read by Rushdie and its unusual, layered, fantastical storytelling had me both baffled and enthralled. It's also the first feminist story written by a male that I have read. When a young orphaned girl, Pampa Kampana becomes a vessel for a goddess, she spends the next two hundred and fifty years of her life attempting to make good on the task that the goddess set for her - to give women equal agency in a patriarchal world. The Guardian describes Victory City as 'A celebration of the power of literature and the endurance of storytelling'. I couldn't agree more. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/are-you-happy-now daily 0.75 2023-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9b44d05c-99ba-4ec9-8f71-3309b92b1648/Are+You+Happy+Now.png Are You Happy Now - At a wedding a young woman sits down in the middle of the dance floor and never gets up. Soon she is dead. All around the world people start to sit down. Is it a choice? Are they sick or are they giving up? Why is this happening? When Emily St John Mandel describes this story as ‘extraordinary’, I immediately have to read. If you like contemporary, thought-provoking fiction, you’ll love this little gem. Part love-story, part philosophical rant about our obsessive search for that elusive golden nugget called ‘happiness’. A perfect match for Sally Rooney, Patricia Lockwood, and of course Emily St John Mandel fans. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/alperton-angels daily 0.75 2023-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/4d7bb26b-e15a-4a8d-89b4-05a707856516/Mysterious+Case+of+the+Alperton+Angels.png The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels - I loved this and I devoured it in a few days which says a lot in itself because I am a notoriously slow reader! If you look up “unputdownable” in the dictionary, this book will be listed next to it. In an incredibly clever format, the story unfolds via phone messages, emails, transcribed phone calls and conversations. This cozy crime novel follows true crime writer Amanda as she is commissioned to write a book about the Alperton Angels - a cult from a mysterious case 18 years prior. A page turner from start to finish. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/golden-days daily 0.75 2023-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/37578b84-e8ce-40f6-9897-28ad1e7e6e4b/Golden+Days.png Golden Days - There’s a reason Caroline Barron’s heroine is called Becky and it’s because at the heart of this novel there are several twists as good as those found in Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca. I was taken completely off guard and I loved it and it made the slow burn of the beginning of this novel worthwhile. It’s a book about those intense friendships you build when you’re in your late teens and twenties that you spend the rest of your life analysing. Enter this world of 1990s Auckland party scene and you will emerge into the present day reconsidering some of your own past behaviours and slightly uncomfortable “what ifs”. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/old-babes-in-the-wood daily 0.75 2023-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7702d26b-ab16-4acd-a964-f28d59c31ddb/Old+Babes.png Old Babes in the Wood - Reading Atwood's collection of short stories is like going out to dinner with your favourite godmother and over the course of the evening setting the world to rights. At 83 this phenomenal author is reflecting on life and death and the crises in which we all find ourselves. Her stories about Nell and her husband Tig are largely auto-biographical whereas other stories are flights of fantasy with themes similar to The Handmaid's Tale. My favourite story is the imaginary interview between Margaret Atwood and George Orwell and it is worth buying the book for this piece of genius alone. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/jason-mason daily 0.75 2023-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/2f602c44-fcfb-4aba-9b38-d420a52bdd09/Jason+Mason.png Jason Mason - He thought he was an ordinary boy with an ordinary life but he’s actually a secret agent! This story was very funny, exciting and adventurous. I loved that it was set in New Zealand because most books I read are not! Ages 8+ — Frida https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-glow daily 0.75 2023-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e0086d4e-26bc-434d-b83c-211223705a42/The+Glow.png The Glow - This is about two girls who love making stories. They realized weird things were happening in their neighbourhood. This was an exciting page-turner, I loved the characters and one reminded me of myself. I also really loved the ending. Ages 8+ — Frida https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/running-with-ivan daily 0.75 2023-03-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/57d3e054-40b3-4a3b-a866-30f46f53de8c/Running+with+Ivan.png Running with Ivan - A mix of history and magic, set in both 2003 and World War Two. I was surprised by the awful things that happened but I loved reading it from a kids perspective. 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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/2a8977b4-d415-42f4-9827-f4d9acf243df/Sedition.png Ockham Poetry 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/35f4bc93-450b-4cbd-83ec-34eef17fe79d/Always+Italicise.png Ockham Poetry 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/815148f1-e352-478a-bc7a-71825861a315/We%27re+All+Made+of+Lightning.png Ockham Poetry 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/82ceb605-8f5a-4b37-93de-a57c12c0e698/Ockhams+Poetry.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/3530688d-e3f9-4759-ba7f-0ec4de23987e/ONZBA+2023+Poetry+winner_web.jpg https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/ockham-illustrated-non-fiction-2023 daily 0.75 2023-05-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6d43d2cd-87e0-4650-8471-8b8b1cbc09d1/Secrets+of+the+Sea.png Ockham Illustrated Non-Fiction 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/a4ad3107-c863-4213-8dfe-8c5e42856304/Something+is+Happening+Here.png Ockham Illustrated Non-Fiction 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/35243a25-8f3c-42c6-9e41-943afb3f3fc0/Jumping+Sundays.png Ockham Illustrated Non-Fiction 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/74e52bd8-89fd-4777-a514-b1767a1426f2/Te+Motunui+Epa.png Ockham Illustrated Non-Fiction 2023 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/c2c83ac1-ce2a-4099-9d1e-de64efaf9dce/Ockhams+Illustrated+Non-Fic.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/d7733ced-1e6d-4a8d-a2d0-cf22290faabf/ONZBA+2023+Illustrated+Non-Fiction+winner_web.jpg https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/spellhound daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6bd482b2-6b82-4861-9671-831ba12b433a/Spellhound.png Spellhound - What do a minch-wiggin, a Queen, and a rather large magical pup have in common? They need to find the dragon that has turned their worlds upside-down . . . even if it means revealing all they want to keep hidden. This book was great, I liked it so much. If you have read Jaclyn Moriarty's Kingdoms and Empires series you'll love this. It was a nice, quick read. Suitable for ages 7+ — Lev (age 10) https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/deadlands daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/beee2c4d-c86c-4dd7-b082-ba03a6fbb9c9/Hunted.png Deadlands - Dinosaurs have evolved to a human level of sentients. They can think and feel and wage war. This book was so good. Why I liked it was that it looks at things that are still happening in our world today. Suitable for ages 8+. Perfect for fans of Jurassic Park and Skandar and the Unicorn Thief. — Lev (age 10) https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/robodog daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/c02fe472-bbc1-4666-9b7c-3ad833a5ac8a/Robodog.png Robodog - This one is for the younger David Walliams fans! It's superheroes vs. superbaddies in this new hilarious tale from the Roald Dahl successor. When Scarper, Plank, Gristle and all the other police academy dogs fail their training, the Chief of Police decides that it's time for a more superior breed of crime fighting dog - ROBODOG! Will Robodog be a match for the supervillains of Bedlam City? Do they finally have a town hero? And more importantly: what does Velma, the Professor and Chief of Police's cat, think of this new addition to the family? I had a blast reading this, it's laugh-out-loud funny and perfect for a read-aloud bedtime story. Nothing like a classic Cats Vs. Dogs story to take your mind off everything else! Ages 6+ — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-last-days-of-joy daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/bc617004-9709-479a-8a44-5bda7474e6c6/Last+Days+of+Joy.png The Last Days of Joy - Oh what a joy to read. Set in Ireland and New Zealand, this is the story of three siblings who come together to be by their mother’s bedside after she attempts to kill herself. In doing so, they are all forced to face their past and confront their failures in the hopes of building a brighter future. It’s filled with insight, family drama, and brilliant Irish humour. I loved the unshakeable bond between the siblings even when they were infuriated with each other! A wonderful debut that examines the effects of alcoholism and trauma with a sympathetic, hopeful lens. Highly recommended. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/hello-beautiful daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6b39edbc-dbcb-4014-b351-b3ab5fd9a44e/Hello+Beautiful.png Hello Beautiful - As soon as I discovered this was pitched as a modern story inspired by Little Women I put my hand up to read it. Hello Beautiful is about four sisters growing up in Chicago who have a wonderful tight bond with one another, and parents who love and challenge them. Then a young man called William - with an achingly sad, troubled past - enters their lives and the sister’s love for one another is tested to breaking point. A beautiful story with stunning prose and a gorgeous cover. I absolutely adored it. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-dog-of-the-north daily 0.75 2023-04-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/30451c92-7642-44c4-8dae-c62aad6e69d4/Dog+of+the+North.png The Dog of the North - “For a while I went berserk and wished it would never end...” says the epigraph at the beginning of The Dog of the North and this is exactly how I felt reading this book. I didn’t want it to finish. I hope there’s a sequel. Slightly deranged, it starts with Penny Rush leaving her husband, who sharpens knives for a living, to embark upon a crazy caper across America and Australia - some of it living in the back of Burt Lamprey’s van nicknamed The Dog of the North. It’s funny, it’s romantic, it’s sometimes sad but it is endlessly and gloriously surprising. Most of the trouble is caused by her elderly relatives, who make old age seem hilarious rather than daunting. Elizabeth McKenzie has thrown everything at this book including the kitchen sink and she had me hooked from page one’s description of a train journey. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/homecoming daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/9670ef4b-db8f-41a6-a770-c9ccee651133/Homecoming.png Homecoming - As an Aussie who is here by myself, I could relate to Jess’ feelings as she makes a mercy dash home from London for her unwell grandmother. Some of it hit a little too close to home, but thankfully I don’t (to my knowledge anyhow!) have a decades-old murder mystery in my family’s past. Jess discovers her family secret, and starts to investigate exactly what happened in 1959 to her grandmother’s brother’s family. Secrets are exposed and family ties are tested in this vast historical novel which alternates between 2018 and 1959, and examines the ways in which trauma can echo down through generations. If you’re a fan of Kate Morton like I am, or like a good dual timeline story, then you won’t be disappointed. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/a-flaw-in-the-design daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/454846ba-d0ee-46aa-83e3-4257fb0f7d22/Flaw+in+the+Design.png A Flaw in the Design - When Matthew's parents are killed in a car crash he's sent to live with his Aunt Molly and Uncle Gil. Given that he tried to drown their daughter (his cousin) 6 years ago, you can imagine Gil and Molly aren't thrilled about this. The story is told from Gil's point of view as he is convinced that 17-year-old Matthew is still a psychopath who is trying to fool everyone into believing he's changed from his nasty childhood self to a charming sophisticated young man. But he can't fool Gil... This is the most literary 'literary thriller' I have read. I was turning pages because I desperately wanted to know what was going to happen. I really appreciated the slow decent into madness and adored the ending of this novel. For fans of American Psycho and We Need to Talk about Kevin. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/laughing-at-the-dark daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/022895a1-dc11-4805-90f7-500e6865b031/Laughing+at+the+Dark.png Laughing at the Dark - Many of you probably know of Barbara Else from her first, famous novel The Warrior Queen, or her careful editing of more than 30 New Zealand children’s story collections, or her timely Go Girl book of New Zealand Women. Now you can read about her own life in her beguiling memoir Laughing at the Dark. Perhaps a diagnosis of cancer like she has had (twice) spurs you on to look back at how you got out of a good but then bad marriage, found love again when not really looking for it, and built an impressive writing and editing career from a standing start as a slightly reluctant housewife. You can trust a writer with their own story and I found myself weeping several times in this book at different family sadnesses. She carries her success lightly and shows all her vulnerability making it a very sympathetic read. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/happy-head daily 0.75 2023-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/5fce25a9-f737-4249-895a-bb48ca86760d/Happyhead.png Happy Head - Seb has been selected as one of one hundred 17-year-old's to participate in a groundbreaking new retreat designed to combat teenage unhappiness called HappyHead. This retreat is not what it seems, with daily activities planned to test your loyalty and obedience, and you change your room daily based on how well you're performing. To survive Seb has to pretend to be straight, which is not helped by his crush on the handsome Finn. Can Finn be trusted? Will Seb survive this retreat? What is HappyHead trying to achieve? This is a tricky one to describe without giving anything away! What I can say is that is a YA dystopian thriller with a little bit of a love story, for fans of The Hunger Games and They Both Die at the End. You won't know what's going to happen, and even then it's the start of a series so hang on tight for the sequel! Ages 14+ — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/atalanta daily 0.75 2023-04-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6a3b44ca-8a12-4c6a-a437-683148c5efad/Atalanta.png Atalanta - I’m a huge fan of Jennifer Saint’s retellings of Greek myths because I find her writing to be very accessible, particularly for someone who isn’t overly familiar with all the gods and myths like myself. This time, we get Atalanta’s story after previously having had Ariadne’s and Elektra’s. Atalanta was a human under Artemis’ protection in the forest and was the only female Argonaut on Jason’s quest to steal the Golden Fleece when he tried to reclaim his kingdom. Whilst she was only mentioned once or twice in the original myths, this retelling explores her side of the story and asks the question as to why she was left out of the heroics even though she could run faster than any man and could shoot an arrow to pinpoint accuracy. What I like about these retellings is that we get the female point of view which is largely ignored in the original myths, however they aren’t overtly feminist novels because there isn’t necessarily a happy ending, which just serves to remind us that Greek mythology is a man’s world. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/billy-and-the-giant-adventure daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/ccb4d6c3-0611-4e3c-9bdc-5bb304015e59/Billy+and+the+Giant.png Billy and the Giant Adventure - One pinch of adventure, a dash of friendship, a sprinkle of mystery and a HUGE spoonful of magic . . . Jamie Oliver, delivers the perfect recipe for a page-turning children's fiction debut! Billy and his friends know that Waterfall Woods is out of bounds; strange things are rumoured to have happened there and no one in their village has ventured past its walls for decades...But when they discover a secret way in, Billy and his best friends, Anna, Jimmy and Andy, can't resist the temptation to explore! I liked this book because it made me laugh out loud. I enjoyed reading about the challenges that Billy and his friends take on. I couldn’t put it down and I couldn’t look away I love this book and you will too. Ages 7+ — Frida https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/skandar-2 daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/789f8d68-5382-42cb-a2c2-c48889eef7ae/Skandar+and+the+Phantom+Rider.png Skandar and the Phantom Rider - My most highly anticipated children’s novel of the year is finally here! If you remember last year, the first Skandar made it into my top 10 books of 2022! Let me tell you, the second one did not disappoint! Filled with even more elemental magic, mysterious evil forces, and friendships that will warm even the coldest of hearts, Book#2 follows Skandar and his friends as Nestlings in their second year of training at the Eyrie. The unicorns are more terrifying, the stakes are higher, the magic runs deepers, and if you don’t go out and buy this series for every 10 year old in your life right now you will regret it and they will resent you for not introducing them to this series earlier. When I went overseas earlier this year, every bookshop had major displays of Book 1 in anticipation of Book 2 coming and I can’t stress enough how real the hype is. Adults who loved Harry Potter and are still open to reading an epic children’s book - DO YOURSELVES A FAVOUR!!! Ages 10-100. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/in-ascension daily 0.75 2023-05-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7691adc6-1943-4c67-b438-4d92d267f5b6/In+Ascension.png In Ascension - I love it when a book completely floors me with its scope, imagination, and beauty of language. I read In Ascension on a long-distance flight and couldn’t put it down – not even to numbly watch a movie as is often the case after ten hours of flying! I was asked recently what it was about and after much frowning and opening and shutting of my mouth I stuttered, ‘it’s about a person travelling from the very depths of the ocean to the far reaches of the galaxy and what they discover about themselves and earth on the way’. In Ascension is disturbing, probing and profound and impossible to compare to anything I have read before. I can’t wait to see how such a wild and dazzling book will be received and I’ll even go so far as to mutter ‘Booker potentional’? You heard it here first. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/ascension daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/10b06354-a636-4412-a80d-2c079de830e7/Ascension.png Ascension - Where are our sci-fi fans at? A mountain appears seemingly out of nowhere and specialists from around the world are called upon to study it. Think Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation but better (in my opinion). Once they are on the mountain they all start to feel the same feeling - we need to go up, we need to ascend because there is an unexplainable desire to reach the summit. This novel is an absolutely wild story told in the form of ‘letters that were never sent’. It gets dark and it gets deep. I couldn’t put it down and after finishing it I gave it straight to my dad because it’s right up his alley too! — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/honeybees-and-distant-thunder daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8b17f120-6877-455a-9e18-057594b9313b/Honeybees+and+Distant+Thunder.png Honeybees and Distant Thunder - I come from a musical family and played the piano for years so I was thrilled to read this book which is ALL about an international piano competition. Honeybees and Distant Thunder was an instant bestseller when it came out in Japan, recently translated to English, it provides a fascinating insight into the pressures, sacrifices, and ambitions of three young pianists vying against each other to win a gruelling, prestigious two-week piano competition. It’s also a wonderful reflection on the joy and beauty we find in music. If you are a classical music aficionado, or play an instrument, or are simply interested in what it takes to become a professional musician, then I thoroughly recommend this book. If you don’t know a thing about classical music, be prepared to do a fair bit of research (or simply let the names of pieces and composers go right over your head) as you go! — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-sparrow daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/cadb8984-4c36-4910-8a02-773285466665/The+Sparrow.png The Sparrow - Harriet has been shipped off to the penal colony in Australia for stealing an apple. A crime she didn’t commit and which eventually leads her to a new life in 1840s Auckland. This young Sparrow - her parents’ nickname for her - longs to be able to pay her passage home to England to be reunited with her loving family. But it’s not that easy to earn money when there aren’t any jobs going for young girls in the bays. Every detail from the filthy state of the sailing ships, to the damp coastal campsite and the fight for every mouthful of food is acutely depicted by author Tessa Duder. But there are moments of joy too, like when Harriet sees a Pohutakawa tree in full bloom for the first time, or receives a pretty new skirt and then begins to dare to imagine a future for herself in this new country. A wonderful historical fiction YA novel for ages 13+. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-isles-of-the-gods daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/b21233c6-f02a-4985-a967-d933d7d2fcdf/Isles+of+the+Gods.png The Isles of the Gods - This one is definitely a slow burn but I really enjoyed sitting down to read it at the end of each day. Told through alternating character perspectives, The Isles of the Gods has all the elements of a great YA fantasy: enemies to lovers, magic on the high-seas, sleeping gods and the threat of war. Selly is a strong independent female character (she don't need no man!) and I enjoyed her chapters the most. It's a duology so I can't wait to see how it all comes together in Book 2 coming next year! Ages 14+ — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/fourth-wing daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f3bf7af8-29da-46ad-a766-7f06e0761caa/Fourth+Wing.png Fourth Wing - This will be one of my top books for the year - I loved it so much and could not put it down! Navarre has been warring with their neighbour for 400 years, so when citizens turn 20, they are conscripted to enter Basgiath college for three years (if they survive long enough) to learn the art of dragon riding, being a scribe, healing or infantry. Violet had always intended to be a scribe but her mother forces her to enter the dragon riders quadrant. What follows is Violet’s first year as a dragon rider: it’s full of spicy romance, fierce powerful dragons, and really cool magical abilities - dragon power manifests as a signet in their bonded human so everyone’s main power is different. I’d describe it as a mix of The Hunger Games and A Court of Thorns & Roses but with dragons. It’s going to be a series, and it ends on a cliffhanger so I really cannot wait for the next one, which is due later this year! — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/in-the-lives-of-puppets daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e7b5d503-f187-4085-98e4-788a64e770c9/In+the+Lives+of+Puppets.png In The Lives of Puppets - If I have ever shoved The House in the Cerulean Sea into your hands, then this is the book for you! T.J. Klune has done it again with the whimsical wholesomeness that made me love House so much. In this story, Vic is a human who lives a happy existence with his adopted android father Giovanni, and his robot friends Nurse Ratched and Rambo. All is well until Vic and his friends discover HAP, a decommissioned android in the Scrap Yard, which inevitably leads them down a path that will have them questioning the meaning of family. What I love the most about T.J. Klune’s novels is the queer representation and the human/other romances - at their heart, they’re really just about loving people for themselves and accepting differences. It’s inspired by Pinnochio, but it’s not a retelling - it’s so sweet, and the sarcastically blunt Nurse Ratched and the adorably innocent Rambo will have you cackling out loud. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/home-before-night daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/41dc3879-a7b8-40db-a68e-43686968bc70/Home+Before+Night.png Home Before Night - I’ve started to refer to Pomare as “ol’ reliable” because for me he’s become one of those authors where I don’t care what the book is about, I’ll read it. It could feature all my least favourite subjects combined and if his name was on the cover I’d still buy it. Great, now that we’ve established I’m not biased at all, here’s what I thought of Home Before Night: In classic Pomare fashion, this is another fast-paced, page-turning, psychologically thrilling work of genius about a mum and her missing son. This will take you through Lou’s rollercoaster of emotions as she tries to find out if her son is just avoiding her or in real danger. The anxiety levels are high in this one and as per usual I finished it in one sitting. If you’re a fellow Pomare fan don’t skip Home Before Night. — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-deck daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/955661e3-677f-4bba-b5b7-c58fccc46228/The+Deck.png The Deck - A man collapses at the self checkout of the supermarket, spouting blood that is the indicator of a nasty new virus doing the rounds. Philippa who witnesses this event immediately escapes the city, inviting her best friend Ani and family and friends, up to her bach, in the bush, by the sea. For a time they are safe and can shut out the cruel, plague ridden world and spend their days fishing, swimming, mending things and cooking. In the evenings they sit round on the deck and while the nine of them drink wine and strum music they tell each other their own stories. True tales that are frequently macabre, sometimes sad, often bizarre and definitely romantic and which explain exactly how all these “ordinary” people have come together in this particular bay. But they can’t stay up at the bach forever and the ending is an absolute cliffhanger. Fiona Farrell writes the most lucid prose that transports you to wherever her characters are taking you. I wanted the book to go on for longer and I never normally say that. The hours will fly by until you’ve finished it. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/theres-a-cure-for-this daily 0.75 2023-05-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/424b089a-bbc7-487f-8ede-24c673526142/There%27s+a+cure+for+this.png There's a cure for this - You may well already know the name Dr Emma Espiner from her podcast, journalism or tv appearances but if you don’t you will enjoy discovering her in this her first book. A memoir, it takes us through all the significant parts of her life leading up to her decision to train as a medic and then her role as a junior doctor during the pandemic at Middlemore Hospital. Not so much showing us how she chose her new career but why she did so. A need to do something that really matters, that makes a difference to people’s lives. Only she didn’t just become a doctor but also a writer and at the same time as working nights. I like the way memoirs let you peak into the lives of other people through their own stories and as Emma says when she asks a patient what is wrong with them she is really asking them to tell her a story. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/monthly-newsletter daily 0.75 2025-10-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1591064630802-NWUBO0387TNQDX90X0WV/newsa-icon.png https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/latest-newsletter daily 0.75 2025-10-10 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/about daily 0.75 2026-02-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/91e52d1b-0f16-465e-bf1e-054d108b0d6d/TheBookloverBookshop+-+WEB+RES-7.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603238434961-GG1N945E5JNLMDZNU6AM/Asset+3.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/5bd22d48-1ae9-483c-8c11-0c0fb9edad8e/Rachel.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/5af266c2-3655-4c22-ad4f-43bf92f23f16/Rach.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/88ded2cc-869e-4656-8016-727cd99e0ad4/Liv.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8806342b-47d3-41da-a385-f433e4552cfd/Liv.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/d7bc4014-f79d-4c9d-8e6b-3bf2d951267f/Laura.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/110cfde1-c01e-40a8-a5b1-67a26c9c94eb/Laura.png https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/pet daily 0.75 2023-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/62b57c38-c93a-4904-a479-f10825eed0e2/Pet.png Pet - With The Axeman’s Carnival on everyone’s lips having just won the prestigious Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction last month, Chidgey is back already with something wildly different yet equally powerful. Pet is about 12-year-old Justine who longs to be her new charismatic teacher’s class pet. When things start to go missing in the classroom, accusations run rife, tensions mount and Justine starts to suspect her teacher isn’t quite who she seems. Set in NZ in the 1980s, this unflinching story casts a lens on bullying, lies, shame, and betrayal. Chidgey is the master of foreshadowing and her ability to create an ever-increasing atmosphere of foreboding is outstanding. This story gave me chills - it is quite possibly the most unsettling story I have ever read. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/everything-is-beautiful-and-everything-hurts daily 0.75 2023-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/26f17705-a479-4f7e-89db-7965460440ea/EIBAEH.png Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts - Ever since she was a little girl, watching the Olympics on TV, Mickey Bloom has wanted to run. But real life gets in the way of your dreams and athletes get injured, families get demanding and falling in love can be an ambition killer. But what if at other moments the right people enter your life? That can happen too. Interspersed with ongoing coverage of Mickey’s Auckland marathon run, this is a book to tug at your heart strings and has you cheering for the underdog. It may also inspire you to don your running shoes and get out onto the streets yourself. It did me. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-hero-of-this-book daily 0.75 2023-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6027ee7a-ca4e-4379-a302-c0ec9ad54d40/The+Hero+of+this+Book.png The Hero of this Book - I have been a fan of Elizabeth McCracken for years (she just so happens to be best friends with author Ann Patchett) and this might be her finest book yet. It is just SO. DARN. CLEVER. Ten months after her mother's death, the narrator takes a trip to London. As she wanders the streets, she finds herself reflecting on her complicated, extraordinary, larger–than-life mother. Part memoir, part travelogue, part writerly advice, this is everything I love in a book. It is crammed with wonderful prose, infused with warmth and wisdom, and is a beautiful examination of a mother-daughter relationship. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/under-the-weather daily 0.75 2023-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8f0953ac-b44c-4c09-aa3a-901d965e65bf/Under+the+Weather.png Under the Weather - Reboot your existing knowledge of the latest climate change science and get up to speed by reading this book. You’ll be glad you did because ‘forewarned is forearmed’ and we all need to know what is coming our way weather-wise. Seamlessly including mention of the most recent flooding events around the country the author explains complex issues beautifully simply and with lots of lovely anecdotes from his own childhood and working life. My takeaway was that global governments need to make the polluters pay. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-first-move daily 0.75 2023-06-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e1c07948-74fb-4fc9-ac15-ec1666612b7b/The+First+Move.png The First Move - If you’ve after a YA romance that is like Queen’s Gambit with disability rep, then give this a go. Juliet has severe arthritis and is now reliant on crutches for her year 12, and Ronan is the new “bad boy” at school who’s hiding his own secrets. They clash in real life but unbeknownst to them, they’re playing each other in online chess, and they might just like each other... It’s full of angsty teenage friendships, first love, growing up and of course, chess! Ages 15+ — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/cosima-unfortunate-steals-a-star daily 0.75 2023-06-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/d346fa50-1d98-42b8-9de1-d47c32ab5a54/Cosima.png Cosima Unfortunate Steals a Star - I absolutely loved this book. I loved that it includes people from different cultures with different abilities. I enjoy the fact that people with such different personalities work so well together. I also like that it was set in the Victorian times and the way the author made me feel like I was right there. Ages 8+ — Violet (age 10) https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/wavewalker daily 0.75 2023-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/af704a55-4cd9-4889-bb8a-7dcb20dee6db/Wavewalker.png Wavewalker - Talk about an unconventional childhood! Aged 7, author Suzanne Heywood, is told by her dad that the family are going to sail round the world following in the footsteps of James Cook for a year or so. The trouble is that 10 years later they’re still drifting around between Pacific Islands with no indication of ever going home. And the now teenage Suzanne is desperate to get off the boat and get on with her education. This is where the story lands up in New Zealand for what is one of the most shocking parts of this memoir. Like Tara Westover in Educated, sheer force of will keeps Suzanne going and overcoming all the obstacles in her way not least the memory of “that storm” and “that wave”. This book will have you googling islands that are pinpricks on the map willing the boat to get there. A remarkable book that you will want to talk about and give to friends. My favourite book of 2023 so far. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/what-about-men daily 0.75 2023-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/cec62cb3-31cf-4f5c-af47-9bcf342f9a59/What+About+Men.png What About Men? - This time How to be a Woman author Caitlin Moran turns her pen to the subject of men. She found she was being asked by women at nearly all her speaking events “what about my sons” and it got her worrying. Worrying about who men have to turn to in the 21st century for help and advice. Using lots of anecdotes from her husband Pete, male friends and her twitter crowd she covers topics in a serious but humorous way such as adolescence, male friendship, online porn, parenthood, anxiety, role models and why men have to be dying before they’ll go to the doctor. My hope is that men buy this book for themselves, or if they don’t then women buy this book and pass it on to the men in their lives, because Caitlin Moran describes why the patriarchy is screwing over men as hard as it is screwing over women. I reckon this one could start some good chats around the dinner table. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/lioness daily 0.75 2023-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/303f5a39-5a6a-4fe5-99c2-92876e2d739c/Lioness.png Lioness - Sometimes reading this book I thought that Emily Perkins was a mind reader. She writes with such clarity and honesty about what it means to be a fallible human being. Then a friend came into the shop and said the exact same thing about one of Emily’s previous novels The Forrests: “It was as if she was writing from inside my head”. This story gets right down to the truth about what it feels like when a business scandal looks likely to envelope your entire family life and everything you have worked so hard for and thought you wanted so badly. She writes the generations and family dynamics so well, all set in vivid spaces at the coastal bach, the Wellington flat and the longed for Sydney shop. Will heroine Therese Thorne’s marriage survive the moral quandary she finds herself in? A good bookclub choice, this one. — Laura https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-paris-agent daily 0.75 2023-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e08677df-6dfd-4cc6-92cc-02f7a21bf67e/Paris+Agent.png The Paris Agent - Please don’t be fooled by the cover of a woman in a red coat with the Eiffel Tower in the background! This is not just another fairly predictable WW2 novel, it is a clever, brilliantly-written, suspenseful story based on true events (the author has done her research!). The Paris Agent is about two women who are sent into occupied France as undercover British agents and the harrowing sacrifices they are forced to make. It is also a mystery, with twists and turns, as 25 years after the war, an aging British SOE operative begins to uncover the truth about what happened to the two women. If you’ve been wanting to read a really good historical novel, I urge you to pick this one up. — Olivia https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/a-pack-of-your-own daily 0.75 2023-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/8fdc9156-660e-4874-b52a-37759d032e7b/A+Pack+of+Your+Own.png A Pack of Your Own - I'm an absolute sucker for books that I think are meant for children but end up appealing more to the adults. A Pack of Your Own isn't for kids who like funny farting donkey books but more for the sensitive little souls (there's nothing wrong with either and this book will show you just that!). It's about finding friends who love you for who you are and accepting your own differences. With really stunning illustrations, a simple story with a deeper meaning and lots of cute dogs, this hardback book is one to treasure. I don't even have kids but I'll be buying it! Ages 3-100+ — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/hide-and-geek daily 0.75 2023-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/7daee82c-8c12-466d-975c-68570f14ac4d/Hide+%26+Geek.png Hide and Geek - The GEEKs (Gina, Edgar, Elena, and Kevin) are four 11yo friends who are racing against the clock to follow the clues and solve the riddles left behind by the town’s beloved toy maker to find her treasure and save the town. It has zero magic in it (weird for me!)– just a good ol’ proper mystery. In fact, to borrow Rachel’s saying, it’s like if The Inheritance Games and Ready Player One had a baby! It’s full of heart, and I can’t wait for book two. Ages 9+. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/hamlet-is-not-ok daily 0.75 2023-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/2f219179-27fa-47d1-aacf-fc656e6d33b6/Hamlet+is+Not+OK.png Hamlet is Not OK - 16-year-old Selby struggles with school, to the point that her parents get her a tutor. When she starts reading Hamlet aloud with him, she finds she can teleport them into the play itself through the magic of reading. This is a modern retelling of Hamlet, with a mix of direct quotes and the text woven in as dialogue. It certainly couldn’t be used in lieu of the play as it changes the ending, but it does lend a modern day take on it to aid understanding on the general plot. Ages 12+ and perfect for school libraries. — Brea https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/the-island daily 0.75 2023-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/e754b1b0-1f30-4260-af86-4854a12215b0/The+Island.png The Island - Down in NZ it's really hard sometimes to follow Tiktok trends like #80sSlasherSummer, what with it being winter here and all... so instead I have to live vicariously through books! The Island gave me exactly what I wanted - a super predictable (but also I didn't see it coming??) teen slasher story. Six social media influencers are invited to a private amusement park on an island (sign me up!!!). Their job is to take photos and videos to post to their followers so when the park opens to the public everyone will be dying to go... but when one influencer goes missing they quickly realize their fun weekend might not be so fun. I was in such a reading slump and this book pulled me right out. I just couldn't wait to cozy up at the end of each day to read about teens being hunted down on a theme park island! Ages 14+ (blood and violence) — Rachel https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-quiz-night daily 0.75 2025-05-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1591064491051-ER1W6LX0613BHHY2NXMC/EVENTS-icon.png https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/booklover-panel-discussion daily 0.75 2023-09-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1591058967843-DB3LRJN1BW4B6CQVZ78L/flowers-corner-decor.png https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/rsvp-booklover-panel-discussion daily 0.75 2023-08-01 https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/girl-from-london-book-launch daily 0.75 2023-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/6905ccd0-901d-4e28-b6dc-da0ab1d7ec04/The+Girl+From+London.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1591064491051-ER1W6LX0613BHHY2NXMC/EVENTS-icon.png https://www.thebooklover.co.nz/kiwi-faves daily 0.75 2024-01-18 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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/3b88aecc-5ea1-4e03-b0f5-f7878d8bd237/The+Italian+Daughter.png Book Reviews - Kiwi faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/f9a52708-c589-46ae-970c-dfb0793bcb15/The+Wrong+Woman.png Book Reviews - Kiwi faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/213e52c7-bbb6-4b15-847f-43b4ba4f5971/BYKMN.png Book Reviews - Kiwi faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/975b534e-9248-430f-9b62-a60da4c31344/Aue.png Book Reviews - Kiwi faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/62b57c38-c93a-4904-a479-f10825eed0e2/Pet.png Book Reviews - Kiwi faves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5eb0a6b8f7802a1567c59373/1603239801367-9IGSKTG6VHQ9GNZC7T9N/events-icon.png Book Reviews - Kiwi faves - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. 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