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TOP 5 BOOKS
KID'S BOOKS
Hello again. It is no small secret that one of my favourite genres is fantasy. Anyone who follows me on Goodreads will easily see that my fantasy shelf is twice the size of any other. It makes me sad that there are lots of people who look down on this genre, but I also know there are plenty of fantasy nerds out there like me. Well, this one’s for you guys.
Here are my favourite adult fantasy series, as opposed to my favourite young adult series which is a whole other blog post:
Nevernight - Jay Kristoff
If you’ve been in the shop in the last six months you might know that this has been my ‘pick’ off and on all year. This is a fantastic series (number two is out - Godsgrave - and number three will be out next year!) about a girl called Mia, who is determined to avenge her family who were murdered in front of her when she was a child. It is dark (like, really dark), full of murder and betrayal and set in an amazing world. Kristoff’s catch phrase for this book on social media is ‘stab, stab, stab. (if you loved this series you might also enjoy Mark Lawrence’s Red Sister.)
A Darker Shade of Magic - V. E. Schwab
From one of my favourite authors of all time, this series is packed full of magic, action and fantastic characters. Imagine there are three Londons: Grey London, the world we know, Red London, a world rich with magic, and White London, a world of savage bloodshed. There are a few who have the power to walk between worlds, the Antari, and Kell is one of them. When he accidentally brings a piece of the long lost Black London into his world he unleashes hell, with deadly consequences. (The whole series is out now and Schwab is also writing a new series set in the same world for any fans of the original books)
Uprooted - Naomi Nivok
t is rare to find a really good fantasy stand alone story. There is a real talent in being able to take a reader through a satisfying story arch in just one book when following the rules of the fantasy genre, and Nivok does this seamlessly. The story follows Agnieszka, a simple girl from a simple village that stands near the border of the corrupted Wood. Her people rely on the protection of a wizard known only as the Dragon, who takes a young woman to serve him every ten years. What I loved most about this story was the incredibly creepy forest and the way in which a place stood in the role of evil antagonist to the story. (Novik has also just released Spinning Silver, another stand alone which is next on my TBR pile!)
The Name of The Wind - Patrick Rothfuss
It surprises me how many fantasy lovers who come into the shop haven’t heard of or read this series. For fans of more traditional ‘epic’ fantasy, like The Lord of the Rings, Robin Hobb or Game of Thrones, Rothfuss presents a very detailed world and scope of story. The series follows the life of Kvothe, a legend known as the Kingkiller. The story is told in two time periods, the first is of Kvothe as a grown man telling his life story to a scribe, and the second is that retelling of his life. Book two is out - The Wise Man’s Fear - and we are all eagerly awaiting book three…
The Golem and the Djinni - Helene Wecker
This is the only urban fantasy on this list, meaning that it is set in our world but with magical elements included. The story is of two creatures, a Golem created by a disgraced rabbi who is relocating to New York, and a Djinni who is awoken from his lamp by an unwitting tinsmith living in Little Syria. The two find each other and become friends, figuring out what it means to be in this new country and in their new lives of freedom, but not freedom. This story draws many parallels to immigration and has great subtextual observations about ‘otherness’.
Today, Jenna reviewed The Pisces...a merman erotica by Melissa Broder, author of @sosadtoday.
This book tells the tale (or tail) of Lucy, an anxious student who moves to Venice Beach for the summer to dog sit for her sister.
She soon meets Theo the merman, with a tail that starts below his bum.
A rather bonkers read, which is funny and well written, as well as a poignant observation of despression. Listen below for more!
Today, Jenna reviewed the excellent There, There by Tommy Orange on RNZ's Nine to Noon.
Louise Erdrich describes Tommy Orange as a new writer with an old heart - which is very true. He weaves in tradition with pop culture, humour with sadness and gives readers an insight into the complexities of living as an urban Native American in this time.
On 95bFM's Loose Reads, Kiran reviewed Sharp: The Women Who Made An Art of Having An Opinion by Michelle Dean. It's a fascinating group biography of ten brilliant women writers from Joan Didion to Susan Sontag, who were some of the sharpest thinkers and writers across literature, criticism, philosophy and journalism.
Provocateur, icon, enigma... who was Michael Jackson, really? Suri reviewed Margo Jefferson's insightful biography On Michael Jackson on Loose Reads this morning.
Kiran reviews Crudo, which she has announced is already her novel of 2018. With elements of auto-fiction, Laing poses herself as Kathy Acker writing over 7 weeks of a 2017 British summer.
On 95bFM's Loose Reads, Kiran reviewed Caitlin Moran's new novel How to Be Famous - it's like Pippi Longstocking with whisky, a comic novel about music, music writing, ambition and confidence set when the upswell of Britpop was gathering speed...
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TOP 5 BOOKS
KID'S BOOKS
This year, the Golden State Killer was caught after 45 years on the run. Before this however, Michelle McNamara spent years obsessing about this case and began investigating the crimes herself. I'll be Gone in the Dark, published posthumously, is MIchelle's investigation. It's a gripping read full of both humanity and detail.
Jenna talks to Mikey & Tess about why this is destined to be a true crime classic.
Jenna reviewed the highly anticipated, Motherhood by Sheila Heti today. This book, which is officially fiction, is about writer Sheila's struggle to decide whether to have children. She consults friends, family & I Ching in a bid to discover if she doesn't have children, will her books be a justafiable replacement.
Jenna also mentions The Resurrection of Joan Ashby by Cherise Wolas and And Now We Have Everything by Meaghan O'Connell in this review.
Kiran has been eagerly awaiting Rachel Kushner's The Mars Room and reviewed it on Loose Reads. A finely tuned and immersive firecracker of a novel set inside a women's correctional facility, it's been well worth the wait!
Jenna reviews the highly acclaimed 2017 memoir Priestdaddy, which has recently come out in paperback! This is a hilarious family tale - the premise of which Mikey does not believe to be possible. Listen here to find out more.
Kiran raved about Deborah Levy's The Cost of Living on RNZ's Nine to Noon. It's an eloquent and extraordinary memoir about being a writer but is also a feminist manifesto. When Kiran finished reading 'The Cost of Living' she immediately started it all over again - she loved it that much!
On 95bFM's Loose Reads, Kiran reviewed The Story of The Face: The Magazine That Changed Culture by Paul Gorman. It's a lavish, beautifully produced book which celebrates the history of the iconic British magazine The Face. Essential reading for lovers of magazines, fashion, culture, design and photography.
Click on the covers to shop!
TOP 5 BOOKS
KID'S BOOKS
On 95bFM's Loose Reads, Kiran reviewed the new updated edition of Listen to This by Alex Ross, who appeared at the Auckland Writers Festival last week. A wonderfully engaging book about musical culture which explores essential figures in classical music alongside alternative views on pop music.
This morning Jenna reviewed Hellholes of the World: A Love Story by David G. Brown. This is a pure, rough and tumble travel memoir. Published posthumously, David tells of travelling to places that are no usually on your bucket list: Israel, Syria, the Congo, Banglasdesh, Sierra Leone and more. This is a classic travel memoir with excellent storytelling and political insight.
Jenna also chats with Jogai about Auckland Writers Festival highlights.
Watch out! This may be Kiran's favourite memoir of 2018. From the author of Clothes, Music, Boys, To Throw Away Unopened is an amazing story of family conflict, motherhood and dysfunction. Listen below:
Today, Jenna gives bFM listeners a taste of the music-y events that are happening at the Auckland Writers Festival.
This includes three sessions with Alex Ross, author of The Rest is Noise. Tama Waipara's songwriting series 'On Song', featuring musical guests Nadia Reid, Lawrence Arabia and Moana Maniapoto. We also talk about the Ockhams and The Listener Festival Gala.
