Chocolate Cake For Breakfast, by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin) Set in rural New Zealand, Chocolate Cake For Breakfast is an easy read that has a Bridget Jones feel about it. It’s about Helen McNeil, a vet from small-town New…
Tag: Allen & Unwin
Author follows path laid out by Khan
On the Trail of Genghis Khan, by Tim Cope (Allen & Unwin, RRP $37): I’m done some travelling over the years but it’s fair to say that Mongolia wasn’t high on the list of destinations. Not for any particular reason,…
Excellent NZ fiction for teens
Night Vision, by Ella West (Allen & Unwin, RRP $19): Award-winning Mosgiel-based author, Ella West, was born in Invercargill and studied at the University of Otago. In her new thriller for younger readers, 14-year-old Viola has a genetic condition whereby…
Author brews up a good read
The Tea Chest, by Josephine Moon (Allen & Unwin, RRP $37) Kate Fullerton is the co-owner of The Tea Chest in Brisbane – a boutique tea store that focuses on creating perfect blends. When an opportunity comes up for Kate to…
Rich vein of humour uncovered
Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan (Allen & Unwin, RRP $37): We all enjoy a sneaky peek into the lives of the fabulously rich and, over the years, those financially blessed citizens have copped more than their fair share of sniggers…
Common sense money advice to baby boomers
Twenty Good Summers, by Martin Hawes (Allen & Unwin, RRP $35): Martin Hawes is a man with a track record of writing sensible books on what to do with your money and with the current state of the economy, that…
No second-guessing in book of firsts
Great Kiwi Firsts, by Astral Sligo (Allen & Unwin, RRP $25): Us Kiwis like being claiming firsts, and let’s be honest, there are plenty we can claim: first to scale Mt Everest, first to have to good sense to give…
Compelling and edgy
We Were Liars By E Lockhart (Allen & Unwin, RRP $23) E Lockhart’s novel We Were Liars has been making waves on the book blogosphere for some time and has been recommended to listeners of all the book podcasts I listen…
Thrillers take different turns
Picking up a new thriller to read while on holiday was a case of deja vu all over again … two books by different authors share a common title. No Way Back, by Matthew Klein (Allen & Unwin, RRP $30):…
It takes genius to get it terribly wrong
The Ultimate Book of Heroic Failures, by Stephen Pile (Allen & Unwin, RRP $25): While we cheer on those who do well in their chosen field, we also enjoy hearing of the failures of others. I suppose it’s human nature…