Kumara School

27,974 pages read and 7,466 team points

Caitlin.Gordon

6,777 pts
(5,657 pages read)
  • A man called Ove

    By Fredrik Backman
    4 stars

    A quirky, sad and heart warming story about a man called Ove - all the ways he was and the many people he saved.

  • Atomic habits

    By James Clear
    4 stars

    120 pages into atomic habits. Great in theory but it’s feeling repetitive. Will come back to this one after the challenge

  • The Book of Guilt

    By Catherine Chidgey
    5 stars

    Set in England during an alternative reality after WW2 where Hitler was killed and the war was won by no one. Three triplets are then raised by in an orphanage like setting under a “scheme”. The children’s “mothers” must teach from the book of knowledge, add daily entries to the book of dreams and add all wrong doings into the book of guilt. Cracks start to show as their lives become intervened with 13 year old Nancy who has been kept hidden by her family her whole life. I found it both interesting, sad and thought provoking. This historical fiction x sci fi book covers nature/ nurture with some great twists along the way.

  • Dark Places

    By Gillian Flynn
    4 stars

    An edgy creepy story by the author of “Gone Girl”. Her whole family was murdered, her own recollection puts her brother behind bars. Years later she links up with a “killing club” can they change her mind? What else will be uncovered the deeper she digs?

  • Great Big Beautiful Life

    By Emily Henry
    4 stars

    This book felt like two stories in one which was quite different to other Emily Henry books I have read. The first follows two rival authors competing to get the opportunity to write the life story of infamous “Margaret Ives” . As the interviews commence we get to dig into the life of the rich and famous. I enjoyed the story but as a whole it wasn’t a page turner.

  • See you in September

    By Charity Norman
    4 stars

    Another great book from NZ author Charity Norman. Freshly 18 year old Cassy is on her OE to NZ when her vulnerability leads her into a cult. The story covers the brainwashing and trust as she forgets all about the world beyond the community. It swaps between the perspective of Cassy and her Mother. Would have given it a 5 but it felt a bit like a revolving door of characters, which made the first 40 percent a bit slow.

  • The house of my mother

    By Shari Franke
    4 stars

    The memoir of Shari Frank’s, the oldest daughter of the YouTube famous “8 passengers”. She talks of her traumatic childhood, a life of being constantly on camera and how the eventual downfall of her mother. Really interesting to see how this all came about after following this family on YouTube before and after the drama unfolded. I listened to this audio book which was read by Shari her self making it even more interesting and raw and she is so young.

  • Broken Country

    By Clare Leslie Hall
    5 stars

    A great page turner while pulling hard on the heart strings. Lots of layers to unpack here. I kept tossing up on whether I felt frustrated or sorry for the fmc.

  • Beach Read

    By Emily Henry
    4 stars

    An easy going rom com about two writers over coming their own troubles and finding each other on the way. A nice change of pace from the recent thrillers I had been reading.

  • The Intruder

    By Frieda Mcfadden
    3 stars

    A classic McFadden thriller. Few good plot twists but a bit predictable and repetitive.

  • The Silent Patient

    By Alex Michaelides
    5 stars

    A thriller about a therapist and a patient. Some great twists within!

  • The Gift

    By Freida McFadden
    3 stars

    A creepy little short story. It’s based off the classic “a gift of magi”as it focused on a couple buying Christmas gifts for each other. A bit cringe overall.

  • The Women

    By Kristin Hannah
    5 stars

    Absolutely loved this. A fantastic read following the life of a combat nurse during and after the Vietnam war. Such a good mix of emotion, action and history!

  • See How They Fall

    By Rachel Paris
    4 stars

    Dual perspectives of a detective and a wife of a wealthy Australian family. Tragedy occurs and everything begins to unfold. A well written thriller by a Kiwi Author. The start and the end were fast paced. Would have been a 5 if it didn’t slow down in the middle.

  • Funny Story

    By Emily Henry
    4 stars

    Unfortunate circumstances leave Daphne and Miles having to move in together. It’s an opposites attraction, friends to lovers, dating your exes new fiancé's ex kind of story. A fun, easy read.

  • The Do-over

    By Lynn Painter
    3 stars

    A cute and cozy easy read about a girl who gets to "do-over" a terirble day until she gets it right.

  • Yellowface

    By Rebecca F. Kuang
    4 stars

    An interesting read!

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