The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Category: Kiwi lit
2026: NZ Book Awards
RACHEL:● The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards shortlist was a mixed bag for me this year. The shortlist ranges from the diva of NZ fiction Catherine Chidgey to debut novelists, a poet and memoirist, and a visual artist. The subject matter is equally diverse:… Continue Reading “2026: NZ Book Awards”
How To Paint A Nude – Sam Mahon
A local artist and a Belaruisan refugee meet regularly at a Christchurch cafe to discuss life, art and politics. A priest once told me that we fall in love with people with whom we have wounds in common, that in caring for them we’re… Continue Reading “How To Paint A Nude – Sam Mahon”
All Her Lives – Ingrid Horrocks
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS All Her Lives is a collection of nine linked stories about women throughout the ages who have battled, persevered and instigated change, and whom are finding their place in society. Did homecoming have to be this, too? Being outside,… Continue Reading “All Her Lives – Ingrid Horrocks”
Hoods Landing – Laura Vincent
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS In the rural reaches of Auckland, the women of the eclectic Gordon family gather for Christmas. Rita, the 50-year-old baby of the family, is planning to tell them she has cancer. Drifting between past and present, she considers the… Continue Reading “Hoods Landing – Laura Vincent”
Delirious – Damien Wilkins
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Retired cop and librarian Mary and Pete are struggling with ailments and deciding whether to move into a retirement home or stay in their family home. Then the police ask to speak to them about the accident that killed… Continue Reading “Delirious – Damien Wilkins”
Pretty Ugly – Kirsty Gunn
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Thirteen darkly compelling stories look directly into the troubled human heart and draw out what dwells there. The ‘ugly’ of these stories is to do with ‘considering how much a person’s life can bear’. The unease and compassion for… Continue Reading “Pretty Ugly – Kirsty Gunn”
The Mires – Tina Makereti
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Three neighbouring families in a small New Zealand town become acquaintances, some get along, others are suspicious of each other. Some share an attraction, another has a strange gift for premonition and another is acting cagey and has secrets… Continue Reading “The Mires – Tina Makereti”
At The Grand Glacier Hotel – Laurence Fearnley
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Libby Holt is on holiday with husband Curtis but due to unforeseen circumstances she ends up staying at the majestic Grand Glacier Hotel by herself. A new friendship and a quest with hidden clues keep her entertained but her… Continue Reading “At The Grand Glacier Hotel – Laurence Fearnley”
Amma – Saraid de Silva
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS The migrant story of three generations of women in a Sri Lankan family. Josephina, who grew up in 1950s Singapore and her daughter Sithara who move from Colombo to Invercargill, and granddaughter Annie who moves between many cities looking… Continue Reading “Amma – Saraid de Silva”
Poorhara – Michelle Rahurahu
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Written by Michelle Rahurahu (Ngāti Rahurahu, Ngāti Tahu, Ngāti Whaoa) Poorhara uses a play on the word Pōhara (poverty), and is about living without – without money or possessions, and without the same rights and respect as others. The plot… Continue Reading “Poorhara – Michelle Rahurahu”
We're
currently
reading
The Free-Range Bookclub 
Recent Comments