The Free-Range Bookclub
Bookclubbers without boundaries in Nelson, New Zealand
Tag: must-read-books
Pet – Catherine Chidgey
READ FOR NZ BOOK AWARDS Pet is a psychological thriller, about 12-year-old Justine and her fascination with her glamorous new teacher Mrs Price. She, and many of her classmates, are determined to be the teacher’s pet, clambering to help or do after-school jobs and… Continue Reading “Pet – Catherine Chidgey”
Remarkably Bright Creatures – Shelby van Pelt
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jodie Remarkably Bright Creatures features an all-knowing giant Pacific octopus as its key narrator. Marcellus knows only captivity and is astute in his observations of those observing him, which helps connect missing family members. Day 1,361 of My Captiv- Oh,… Continue Reading “Remarkably Bright Creatures – Shelby van Pelt”
Bird Life – Anna Smaill
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Suzy Set in Japan with memories of New Zealand, Bird Life is about Dinah, a young Kiwi woman who moves to Tokyo to escape grief only to gravitate towards a colleague who is also in the grip of loss. Both… Continue Reading “Bird Life – Anna Smaill”
Chain-Gang All-Stars – Nana Kwame Adiej-Brenvah
READ FOR BOOKCLUBChosen by Jo Gladiators fight to the death to win their freedom In America’s private prisons. Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker are the stars of Chain-Gang All-Stars, a televised, profit-making programme. This book is an exploration of the American prison… Continue Reading “Chain-Gang All-Stars – Nana Kwame Adiej-Brenvah”
2024: Coming of Age
Bookclub has come of age – it is 18 years old, officially grown up! And what an upbringing it has had. From simple beginnings, it has changed and flourished and developed a life of its own. Now, with a mass of memorable evenings, blog… Continue Reading “2024: Coming of Age”
Women’s Prize: 2022
After loving the Women’s Prize shortlist in 2023, we have decided to back read the Women’s Prize shortlists. The finalists for the year we have completed were so readable, meaningful and highlighted the female experience. That’s a winning reading combo we want to chase… Continue Reading “Women’s Prize: 2022”
2023: End Of Year Thoughts
There’s an intriguing stream of literature being published post Covid. That time of constraint and restriction appears to have spurred a greater range of freedoms post pandemic, especially in the way in which writers examine the human psyche and societal change. Characters we met… Continue Reading “2023: End Of Year Thoughts”
Bookerthon – 2023
The announcement of the Booker longlist in 2023 elicited a wide spectrum of reactions in the literary world. There were many unheard of titles amongst the finalists, and those expected to make the list did not. The absence of Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead was… Continue Reading “Bookerthon – 2023”
Western Lane – Chetna Maroo
READ FOR BOOKERTHON In this coming of age novel, 11-year-old Gopi takes up competitive squash as a way to cope with the grief of her mother’s death and the challenges of being an ethnic minority living in Britain. ● After some wordy novels on… Continue Reading “Western Lane – Chetna Maroo”
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