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review
CordeliaGrey11
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
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Pickpick

I read this book for a global reading challenge. I was deeply moved. Some parts were rough/odd, but by the end of the book, there is that sweet redemption and apology for jaded/hardened ways. I didn‘t expect to, but I cried and cried by the end. Beautiful visuals and connections with the ocean and spirits. I didn‘t like all of it but I am definitely glad to have read it. A beach read for me this week.

LapReader Australian kids study the movie at school. You might like it. I studied Once were Warriors at Uni too. It‘s a lot darker but very good if you want to learn more. 4d
CordeliaGrey11 @LapReader I definitely will check out the movie! 4d
Clare-Dragonfly I also watched the movie in school (college) and thought it was great. Better than the book—there was something about the book‘s writing style that I didn‘t like, though that was twenty years ago and I don‘t remember what that was! 4d
CordeliaGrey11 @Clare-Dragonfly it is a little hard to follow the writing style! I can definitely see that. I look forward to checking out the movie 4d
27 likes4 comments
quote
charl08
Greta and Valdin | Rebecca Reilly

I look over at my sister lying on top of the piano singing 'Graceland'. I don't know if it's the best song to dance to, but V's dancing anyway, slowly, with his arms loosely around Xabi's neck, looking the happiest I've ever seen him. Happier even than when he got a flip phone for Christmas.

🤣🤣

33 likes1 stack add
quote
charl08
Greta and Valdin | Rebecca Reilly
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... but only in the special postgraduate areas designed for crying and printing out hundred-page documents...

ChaoticMissAdventures Making me want to read this again ❤️ 6d
42 likes1 comment
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charl08
Greta and Valdin | Rebecca Reilly
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Everything was going well with the dinner. No one brought up colonisation or euthanasia or the Springbok Tour.

ChaoticMissAdventures I hate to say it, I love the All Blacks but the Springboks are my team... I am American and really shouldn't have anything to do with Rugby, but I have gotten 4 friends VERY into it!
1w
39 likes1 comment
blurb
charl08
Greta and Valdin | Rebecca Reilly
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Taken me a while, but getting into this now.
Which is a good job given that bookclub meets by the end of the month!

review
REPollock
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Pickpick

A harrowing story but useful to consider in difficult times—these poor people had such a hard time.

(Image: batik by Jessica Land)

blurb
Liz_M
The Colour: A Novel | Rose Tremain
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Now that we're a third through the month, I figured it's time I posted my #BookSpinBingo board. This month I really am going to read the tagged book.

Suet624 Good luck with that! 😊 2w
23 likes1 comment
blurb
monalyisha
Greta & Valdin: A Novel | Rebecca K Reilly
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Anyone read any good, contemporary, offbeat, funny fiction lately?

Everything on my shelf seems to be diametrically opposed: weighty, dark, lyrical, and poignant OR a floofy romance. I‘m looking for something more like the titles pictured. Witty, modern, and not *necessarily* sweet (but it‘s okay if there‘s some sweetness, too).

*It should probably be noted that I‘m not a fan of massively unlikeable characters.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I loved Margo 💜 2w
fredthemoose I recently read and enjoyed Fundamentally. It might be in that realm for you. 2w
TheKidUpstairs Very interested in seeing what recs you get. I loved all three pictured, and these days they're definitely the feeling I'm needing from my books, too. One I really liked recently (it's from a Canadian indie publisher, so apologies if it's not easily available): 2w
See All 24 Comments
squirrelbrain Have you read The Wedding People yet? I really liked the 3 you pictured, and this one as well. It feels like a dark theme, but it‘s not and it‘s also not as floofy as the cover would suggest. (edited) 2w
AmyG My favorites lately- Beautyland and The Wedding People 2w
monalyisha @squirrelbrain Sadly, I‘m not allowed to read that one yet. 🙈 My book club is reading it together this summer. 2w
monalyisha @AmyG Beautyland might work! I‘ll put it on hold. 💜 I remember really liking 2AM at the Cat‘s Pajamas (and thinking the ending was really strange). Feels like I read that about a million years ago! 2w
JamieArc I was going to suggest this book even though I haven‘t read it but have read his others except it doesn‘t come out until May 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2w
squirrelbrain Gah - I think that would have been perfect! 2w
AmyG I didn‘t know she wrote Cat‘s Pajamas. Beautyland is just such a beautiful book. I hope you enjoy it when you get it. 2w
Bookwormjillk I second Beautyland. I also just started Back After This. I think it‘s technically romance but the parts that appeal to me are about how podcasts are made and the career parts. 2w
monalyisha @JamieArc There are actually a couple of his I haven‘t read, so I can backtrack to the titles I missed. Thanks! 2w
monalyisha Thanks, @Bookwormjillk! I like Linda Holmes (Flying Solo is my favorite of hers) but I think I decided I want to do that one on audio (since it‘s a podcast-related story). So, it will come sometime this year…but not now. Appreciate your suggestions! 2w
Bookwormjillk @monalyisha oh, good idea! 2w
ErikasMindfulShelf I‘d suggest anything by Kevin Wilson 2w
Chelsea.Poole This really makes me want to read Patricia as I love both the other books mentioned. Would The Husbands fit with this category? I adore J Ryan Stradal but his latest (Lakeside) would classify as too heavy, so maybe one of his others. Have you read any others from Rufi Thorpe? I loved (but again some heaviness) 2w
monalyisha Thanks, @Chelsea.Poole! I could try Knockout Queen. I‘ll put it on hold. I loved Kitchens of the Great Midwest and thought Lakeside was only okay. I suggested my library‘s traveling book club read Lager Queens when they met at the local brewery…but I didn‘t join them. 😅🙈 The Husbands may fit. Something about that one makes me keep not choosing it. Patricia is a bit different from the other two I featured but, clearly, I loved it. 2w
monalyisha @quietjenn I put it on hold! Thanks. 2w
monalyisha @ErikasMindfulShelf I put a whole handful of Kevin Wilson‘s books on hold for myself (per @JamieArc, too). When all of these come in, I‘ll sit down, read the first few pages of them all, and see how they hit me. Thanks, everyone! 2w
Suet624 @monalyisha I forgot about 2AM at the Cat‘s Pajamas! I really liked that one. I didn‘t realize it was the same author! I liked Beautyland too. 2w
CarolynM If you find anything as good as Greta & Valdin let me know. I loved that book so much! Thanks for reminding me about Molly of the Mall @TheKidUpstairs I got it when @Lindy reviewed it years ago, but never got around to reading it. This might be the right time🙂 2w
Lindy @CarolynM let me know what you think of Molly and the Mall if you read it. It pairs well with 2w
Lindy @monalyisha @squirrelbrain @AmyG @JamieArc @Bookwormjillk @Suet624 I add my recommendation to Beautyland. More are in a separate post: Lindy's post on Litsy https://litsy.com/p/TWx6UkJVRXBm 2w
55 likes24 comments
review
Daisey
The Colour: A Novel | Rose Tremain
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Pickpick

Parts of this book were bleak and I was almost constantly listening with a slight feeling of dread about what might be about to happen, but I also enjoyed it. It actually ended on a more hopeful note than I expected through most of the story. I felt it described the setting of 1860s New Zealand and the gold rush very well.

#ReadTheWorld #ReadingTheWorld #NewZealand #audiobook #1001books #TBRTakedown

46 likes1 stack add
blurb
Blueberry
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
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Eggs Exotic! 3w
43 likes1 comment