Craighead Diocesan School

60,859 pages read and 5,498 team points

Team members

Bookworm Dave

12,293 pts

(10,171 pages read)

Custer and his Wolverines

By Edward G. Longacre

5 stars

A non-fiction account of Custer during the American Civil War. An excellent account of the man and his cavalrymen during the war. It gives a great insight into Custer who had a dozen horses shot under him, but he survived the war with no serious injuries. He and his men came to believe in the "luck of the Boy General with the Golden Locks. His self-belief and his quickness to make decisions often worked, but you start to see his belief in his own infallibility which would lead to his death after the war at Little Big Horn. Recommended read!
Aurora burning

By Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

5 stars

Excellent second volume in the trilogy. Exciting and fast paced, with lots of twists. Finishes with a cliffhanger where everything appears to have gone wrong, but with just a couple of hints that there is still hope.
Aurora Rising

By Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

5 stars

First book in a trilogy of young adult science fiction recommended by the school librarian. Really enjoyed this and pleased I have checked out the next two volumes to enjoy during this Reading Challenge. Great setting and characters which you soon empathize with, though (spoiler alert) one of the six space cadets does not survive the book. Well paced and certainly I will be starting the the second volume within the next fortnight. Worth reading for any male or female senior teen.
Hone Heke

By Paul Moon

5 stars

This 2001 biography was an easy read. It is well written and seems well researched with almost 20 pages of notes and an extensive bibliography in addition to the 163 pages of text. Moon points out both the qualities and failures of Heke in what seems to me as a balanced treatment. Learnt a lot from this book. My only criticism would be the book has only one general map and I believe it would have benefited with some further maps on specific Heke campaigns and battles. Recommended regardless.
The Shadow Club

By Scott Blade

5 stars

This is the 19th book in the Jack Widow series and is the origin book of the series. He meets his first love a future love in the series, makes mistakes he doesn't later in his adventures and it nicely explains some great background to the other books I have read. Very much enjoyed. A quick read.
God's Wolf- the life of the most notorious of all Crusaders

By Jeffrey Lee

5 stars

A non-fiction biography of Reynald de Chatillon, perhaps one of the most hated crusader in Islamic history. The book opens with the attempt in 2010 to blow up a plane over Chicago with a parcel addressed to Reynald who had been dead for 800 years. This book was published in 2016 and the author emphasises that Reynald was a man of his times the twelfth century. At times a Robber Baron, sometimes heroic, sometimes treacherous, highly skilled in warfare, a King-maker, a Truce-breaker, he was all of these. Executed in 1187 by Saladin after the battle of Hattin you can see why he generated such hatred to his Muslim opponents. The author brings out all his qualities, both good and bad and it is one of the better books I have read on that period of history.
Every move you make

By C. L. Taylor

5 stars

Excellent thriller about a group who formed because they were all being stalked. Very well written and in the author's note at the end she herself was stalked for a number of years. She is excellent at expressing the emotions of the group members as they all have differing fears for themselves or their loved ones or exposure of a past crime. Some nice twists. Recommended.
A Mistake

By Carl Shuker

4 stars

A well written NZ book about the pressures on a surgeon when a mistake is possibly made and a patient dies. Interspersed are chapters about the Challenger space shuttle catastrophe caused by mistakes. Not a big book, but worth reading. The approach of the hospital board on who is at fault seems very realistic. Perhaps the only minus is it could have been longer.
Carpe Jugulum

By Terry Pratchett

5 stars

This was the 23rd Discworld novel and revolves around a battle between all powerful "modern" vampires who have built up an immunity to garlic, religious symbols etc (and who have been invited into the country of Lancer by good king Terrence to the blessing of his baby daughter) versus the Witches. Only the split personalities of the young witch Agnes & the very confused brother Mightily Oats, follower of Om are immune to the mind control of the vampires. Can Granny Weatherwax defeat them? An enjoyable read with the usual Pratchett musings on self-belief, religion and what is evil. Recommended for any Discworld fan.
Unlucky for Some

By Tom Wood

5 stars

Very enjoyable Thriller. Tom Wood has written a number of books about Victor the assassin. This 2025 book carries on his adventures and is particularly good iin showing luck can make a difference particularly when facing the ultimate opponent- the Boatman. Recommended.
The Last Secret Agent

By Pippa Latour with Jude Dobson

5 stars

Excellent non-fiction book. Recommended reading. Jude Dobson did an amazing job of writing up the real life adventures of a young woman operating behind German lines in World War 2. Pippa had an amazing life and it could so easily have never been revealed as she kept it secret for most of her life.
She didn't see it coming

By Shari Lapena

5 stars

I haven't read Lapena previously but this was an enjoyable thriller. A wife and mother disappears from her home and those around her all have secrets that could be motives. Well written and the build up to the reveal was well done. It also left an opening for a successor novel involving a couple of the characters. Recommended.
The Mushroom Tapes

By Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper, Sarah Krasnostein

4 stars

This is a book on the infamous 2023 Australian Mushroom murders from the point of view of 3 author friends who when they started the project weren't sure if it would be a podcast, a book or nothing. One or more of them attended or watched much of the proceedings. The book is a very quick read, but interesting and in particular some of the authors thoughts on the court personalities and the evidence. Worth a read.
The Imperfect Murder

By James Patterson & J. D. Barker

5 stars

Typical enjoyable James Patterson book with short chapters. Lots of twists.
Landscapes of Conflict - a field guide to the New Zealand Wars

By Nigel Prickett

5 stars

Despite being published in 2002 I found this book provided a good brief summary of the NZ wars, with an emphasis on the terrain, with modern photos and lots of illustrations. I think it would still be useful for any school planning a visit to the battle sites. A succinct and enjoyable read.
For King and Country - Four Brothers Four Crosses

By Jock Vennell

5 stars

A small book, but a very moving non-fiction account of the effect of war (World War One) on an Invercargill family. Four brothers served and died from the Christopher's family. Only the fifth brother survived when he was granted a military exemption from the Appeal Board (after three of his brothers were already dead). I feel this book would be a good introduction to WW1 for high school students studying the war and it's effect on families and communities Recommended!!
Kings of this world

By Elizabeth Knox

5 stars

Have been intending to read some of her works for a while and just before Christmas got her latest book out of the library. Enjoyed it very much. Well written and places the reader in the world of Southland from the first page. It is a story of teenagers with a range of special Persuasion/Push or Blocking powers. Recommended reading.
Chemistry

By Damien Wilkins

4 stars

Published in 2002 this dark NZ novel is about a 41 year old drug addict who returns to his hometown Timaru, where his brother is a chemist and his sister is a GP. The story is all about bad decisions and the consequences in a small town. Disturbing at times and sometimes funny but definitely dark. Worth a read.
Last Chance - a Spider Shepherd thriller

By Stephen Leather

5 stars

Excellent read, just out in 2025, one of the better "Spider" novels in the series. Plenty of action, a believable hero. The story ending suggests some interesting plotlines for the future.
Guards! Guards! from Terry Pratchett BBC Radio Drama Collection

By Terry Pratchett

5 stars

Since 2000 I have always read a Terry Pratchett Discworld novel between Christmas and New Year. This year I decided to listen to the 2018 Audio Book version by the BBC. Guards Guards is often regarded as one of the best books in the series and you can see why.I listened to the whole book in one wet day. A great plot, wonderful characterisation and an enjoyable listening. Martin Jarvis was the main narrator, with other well known book readers listed for some of the main characters. I smiled when I saw the credit for the voice of DEATH (by himself)!! Recommended for those who don't have the book itself.
Camino Ghosts

By John Grisham

5 stars

I haven't read a Grisham book for some time and really enjoyed it.It is the story of a descendant of an escaped slave and her fight in her 80s to protect Dark Isle from predatory developers. Recommended.
The Invasion of the Waikato

By Vincent O'Malley

5 stars

Received as a gift and I found it excellent reading. Easy reading, but a great account of the battles in the Waikato. Great illustrations and maps. Recommended.
Sharpe's Storm

By Bernard Cornwell

5 stars

I hadn't realised Bernard Cornwell (81 yrs old) was still writing books set in the Napoleonic era. Saw this copy in the library & it is the 24th Sharpe novel & was released this year. Cornwell is a very readable writer on military historical fiction. In addition to Sharpe he has also written books set in Dark Age Saxon Britain (Uhtred). This book set in 1813 is another fine addition to the series. He is very skilled at getting the historical details correct. Thoroughly enjoyed and is an easy read.
Everyone in the Group Chat dies

By L.M. Chilton

3 stars

Comedy Thriller round a group of flatmates with the nickname "the Deadbeats". Chapters alternate between now and 12 months earlier. I have mixed feelings about the book. If it hadn't been for this Teachers Challenge I might have given up before finishing it. It had humourous moments and I am glad I finished it, but I don't know if I would read other Chilton books. It has a twist at the end which is effective but I never really developed a connection with any of the characters, maybe I am the wrong generation (baby boomer) for this book.
Queens of Jerusalem - the women who dared to rule

By Katherine Pangonis

5 stars

Non-fiction, with good maps at the start and a great read. I was initially hesitant to get this out of the library as this is a debut book for the author. I was pleasantly surprised. The book is well written with chapters focussing on individual women rather than chronological. The book covers the 12th century and the difference between western Europe where power generally devolved down the male line. In the Crusader kingdoms with continuous warfare this risked the danger of losing a kingdom in a battle. Also the warrior leaders who came from the west had loyalties there whereas the women born & raised in Outremer really cared for this their homeland. The solution they came up with was power through the matriarchal line. The book provides fascinating insights into some fascinating women such as Queen Melisande, Constance of Antioch, Alice rebel princess and even Eleanor of Aquitaine who went on a Crusade with her husband Louis. Definitely a recommended read for those interested in the Crusades or the Middle East.
Vodka over London Ice

By Stephen Taylor

3 stars

An easy read, but didn't enjoy this one in the thriller series Perhaps a bit more far fetched compared to the other two I have read in the Danny Pearson series.
The Last Time we spoke

By Fiona Sussman

5 stars

Recommended by a local librarian I really enjoyed this book.The book involves a terrible crime and the process that follows which leads to a salvation for both the victim and one of the offenders. Book has a distinctive NZ flavour A story well told.
The Collaborators

By Michael Idov

4 stars

Fast paced spy thriller set in 2021. Reflects Putin's way of dealing with dissidents. A quick read, but very enjoyable. Will look for others by this author.
1929- the inside story of the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History

By Andrew Ross Sorkin

5 stars

A very readable account of the Crash. Sorkin writes clearly for a general reader like myself. Very well researched (with almost 90 pages of notes and sources in addition to the 444 pages of text). The book focuses on the leading character Charles Mitchell, the Chairman of National City Bank (the largest bank in the US) and his aspiration to be the largest bank in the world. I found the book provided a deep dive into the motivations of the wheelers and dealers of that era and it makes you reflect on what is happening in the 21st century. Recommended.
Who holds the Power

By Stephen Taylor

4 stars

Thriller with James Patterson length chapters. One of a series of easy to read books with the hero Danny Pearson who is a mix of Jason Bourne, Reacher and Jack Ryan. Enjoyable light reading.
The savage noble death of Babs Dionne

By Ron Currie

4 stars

The story of a criminal matriarch -gritty, but though you surmise Babs is bad and doomed you still see her viewpoint based on her life experience and she makes a good anti-hero. Now want to read more of Currie's books.

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Craighead Diocesan School

60,859 pages read and 5,498 team points

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