Papakowhai School

46,850 pages read and 3,232 team points

Team members

Maree

15,499 pts

(12,021 pages read)

Atmosphere

By Taylor Jenkins Reid

0 stars
Death in Ecstasy

By Ngaio Marsh

2 stars

Very average ye-olde-tyme dectective series.
Pet

By Catherine Chidgey

5 stars

A complex, psychological thriller that had me afraid to read more but needing to see how it ended. It went from sweet memoir to slightly creepy slowly, then jumped to absolutely compelling and horrifying at the end.
Ghost Boy

By Martin Pistorius

3 stars

Not a literary masterpiece but a very readable non-fiction story about a young man trapped inside his body and his journey to learn how to communicate. Fascinating, shocking and uplifting.
Summer Island

By Kristin Hannah

2 stars

Utterly predictable, overly dramatic sop-fest about fractured mother-daughter relationship, breakups, rekindled romances, death and career woes. Entertaining but just too much drama packed into one book. Other books by Kristin Hannah have been amazing, this one mediocre, I could scrape to a 2.5 star rating.
The Bone People

By Keri Hulme

4 stars

A difficult read in more ways than one. Set in 70s/80s (I’m guessing) small town New Zealand, the casual acceptance of beating a child as discipline, I found jarring. There were also a lot of thoughts, dreams and cultural background that lost me sometimes. In the end I just had to have faith that I’d be able to glean what was happening/what the point of it was when the story picked up again.
The 10pm Question

By Kate de Goldi

4 stars

The 10pm Question is about 12 year old Frankie who has a list of worries that seem to be growing, a new friend who is fearless, and a large quirky family. A sweet story with a sad-happy ending.
This Way Up - When Maps Go Wrong

By Mark Cooper-Jones & Jay Foreman

2 stars

I wanted to like this book but in the end it just annoyed me. A couple of the chapters were really good - others got distractingly bogged down trying to be “funny”. Sometimes I wasn’t sure what was fact, what was “comedic” hyperbole and what was “comedic” sarcasm. Written by a couple of podcasters wanting to monetise their show.
Black Silk and Sympathy

By Deborah Challinor

4 stars

A really interesting, easy read about a young woman in London emigrating to Sydney in 1865. She finds friends and a new career as an undertaker but has a few dramas along the way. Part of a series.
He Puāwai: A Natural History of New Zealand Flowers

By Phillip Garnock-Jones

4 stars

I’m only claiming to have read 25 pages of this beautiful coffee table book because it’s really all about the pictures - the 3D element makes it special. It is a bit of a nerd read though. The general information was fine but there is only so much detail about the sex lives of individual plants I need to know.
The Things Gods Break

By Abigail Owen

0 stars

I don’t often give up on a book but currently have too many others to read and I wasn’t enjoying it. When I asked my daughter if I should persevere, she replied “Don’t bother” and she’s more the target audience for this YA series. We both really enjoyed the first in this series. Based on what I’d read, it’s a 1 star read but since I didn’t finish it, I’ve left it unrated.
The Names

By Florence Knapp

4 stars

Another book about an abusive husband which was not exactly the holiday reading I was looking for, but it was an interesting premise, beautifully written and I couldn’t put it down.
The Stand (complete and uncut version)

By Stephen King

5 stars

An oldie but a goodie. This epic Stephen King novel is engrossing. I’m not so sure it’s worth going for the uncut version unless you’re already a fan. It’s a loooooooooong read - perfect for a reading challenge.
The Last Secret Agent

By Pippa Latour with Jude Dobson

4 stars

I don’t read a lot of non-fiction because it can drag, however this book was fast-paced, informative, interesting and kind of mind-blowing.
The Axeman’s Carnival

By Catherine Chidgey

4 stars

Not a perfect book, but it’s original, full of black humour, and so compelling. Tama the magpie narrates this story about a couple struggling to make a living in the Otago high country.
Just One Damned Thing After Another

By Jodi Taylor

3 stars

Escapist, all action adventure set around a university History department that does practical research using time travel. Fun.
What Grows Together

By Jamie Butterworth

2 stars

If you like English style cottage gardens then this is worth a look. I read the first 52 pages then got annoyed. Plants recommended were all a bit too frothy, fussy, and some would be classed as pests/weeds in NZ. Bah!
A Sunlit Weapon

By Jacqueline Winspear

2 stars

Not her best of a usually good series. It needed a good edit.
Nesting

By Roisín o’Donnell

5 stars

Heart-breaking story about domestic abuse and homelessness. An uncomfortable read at times, then hopeful, and then you just can’t put it down.
James

By Percival Everett

4 stars

A satirical re-imagining of Huckleberry Finn’s adventures from Jim’s (actually James’) perspective. Full of adventure, tragedy, humour, and hope.
The Girls’ Trip

By Zoe Miller

2 stars

Trashy, kind of suspenseful, ridiculously convoluted story.
A Body of Water

By Rhys Dylan

4 stars

Book 8 of the DDI Evan Warlow series. If you like procedural police investigation books then these are great. Great storylines, likeable characters, and a bit of humour. Read them in order though.
One Golden Summer

By Carley Fortune

3 stars

Sweet, predictable romance. Candy floss for the mind.
A Man Lay Dead - Enter a Murderer - The Nursing Home Murder

By Ngaio Marsh

2 stars

A Man Lay Dead is the first Roderick Alleyn mystery written by Ngaio Marsh. The writing is showing its age unfortunately ( it was first published in 1934), and the detective character seems a bit two dimensional. Basically it’s a formulaic murder mystery which lacks creativity. Enter a Murderer is slightly better but still is awash with politically incorrect utterances and bygone references. The Nursing Home Murder was fairly ridiculous.
A Beautiful Family

By Jennifer Trevelyan

4 stars

On the surface, it’s a fun family holiday at the beach but as Alix (aged 10) narrates this story, you realise things are not all perfect. I thought a Beautiful Family was really well written, with a good level of complexity, uncertainty and resolution. There was also a large dose of 80s nostalgia for me. It would make a great movie.
Murder at the White Palace

By Allison Montclair

3 stars
Network Effect (Murderbot Series)

By Martha Wells

4 stars

Book 5 of the wonderful “Murderbot” books that have been turned into a TV series. I’m not usually a fan of Sci-fi but all of these books have been great. Murderbot bot is a sweary, sarcastic, loyal Sec Unit (security robot) that has hacked its governer module so no longer has to obey orders. These books are essentially about a robot exploring its independence, forming relationships, and protecting its humans. Complicated stories and lots of action.
The Goblin Emperor

By Katherine Addison

5 stars

The Goblin Emperor is part political intrigue - part coming of age story - part family drama, set in a fantasy steam-punkesque world. Because there are so many complicated names and invented words I’d imagine it would a pain to read, which is why I recommend listening to it on audiobook. One of our go-to books for long car journeys.
Death in Nonna’s Kitchen

By Alex Coombs

3 stars
Growing Organic Trees

By Ben Gaia

2 stars

Bit of nerd read if you’re a keen gardener who is too lazy to use spray. Written by a knowledgable amateur, it lacks structure - it’s more of a brain dump of lots of information.
Criminals

By James O'Loughlin

4 stars

Three lives intersect during one armed robbery. Three different stories about what it means to be a criminal. An enjoyable read.
Maisie Dobbs

By Jacqueline Winspear

3 stars

A great little non-challenging series about a young woman in pre-WWI London becoming a private investigator. Chewing gum for the mind.
The Second Chance Book Club

By Stephanie Butland

3 stars

Sweet, light-weight English domestic fiction. Like candy floss for the mind.
The Island of Missing Trees

By Elif Shafak

4 stars

Beautifully written story about a Turkish boy and a Greek girl who fall in love in Cyprus in the 1970s.
The Safekeep

By Yael van der Wouden

3 stars

Shortish Dutch historical novel dealing with how Jews were treated post WWII. Interesting and well written.
The River is Waiting

By Wally Lamb

1 stars

This is a totally depressing book and I didn't enjoy it. But lots of people have gushed about how wonderful it is so maybe there is a market for tragedy.

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Papakowhai School

46,850 pages read and 3,232 team points

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