Karl's Reading List

Published (as an e-book) by YorShi Publishing, 2024. So, I won a book! An e-book, but still!! In order to keep track of the books I own  (numbering over 1000 now) I used to have a particular book app. However, when that became obsolete I joined a separate app/website called LibraryThing, which - among its other features - has a monthly book giveaway competition. Living in New Zealand, I am not eligible for physical books, sadly, but I am able to apply to receive a copy of an e-book, as long as I review it when I get it. Gosh, what a sacrifice to make. So, anyway,  My Name Is Nkechukwuọma is the debut novel of a Canadian-Nigerian author named Gloria, and follows a young Canadian-Nigerian woman as she deals with the usual older-teen issues of dating, rebellion against parents and family dynamics. She also has to deal with the traditional Nigerian elements of her upbringing, including aunts that have quite a large deal of influence over her choices in life, as well as gradually growing i

Published by Vintage Books: London, 2010. First published 1993. This is a 'coming-of-age' story of sorts, starring ten-year-old Paddy Clarke. He hangs out with his mates, getting into low-level trouble (the sort that ten-year-old 'gangs' would get into) in his home town of Barrytown. The story is told from his perspective, and really leans into it, using short sentences and changing scenes abruptly, as if the ten-year-old narrator has suddenly thought of something else he wants to talk about. As the book progresses, Paddy's voice does mature a bit, but the overall timeframe of the narrative is not enough for him to change his narration style all that much. Sometimes this 'purposefully simplistic' style can be to a book's detriment ( Life and Times of Michael K springs to mind), but Doyle finds the balance - Paddy's story may meander but the innocent feel is enough to keep the reader hooked.  This 'innocent' feel is slowly challenged as Paddy

Published as an audiobook by Audible Studios and released 30-11-2012. Originally published by Macmillan Publishers, 2012. Narrated by Lauren Fortgang. I recently got an offer of 2 months of Audible for 99c a month, so will have access to a few more audiobooks for a little while (though I'm still pacing myself with them better than in the past). Shadow and Bone was actually free to listen to for the month of June, so it seemed like a good excuse to check out a series I've only vaguely heard of until now. This is a Young Adult novel through and through. It is the most Young Adulty of any fantasy book I've ever read. The main character, Alina Starkov, is a typical Young Adult female protagonist: spunky, learning slowly about her special talents (in this case, 'sun-summoning') that will lead her to eventually be recognised as the book's 'chosen one', no real family connections (she is, in fact, an orphan), and, of course, becoming attracted to two different

Published by Librivox on 2011-02-03. Listened to on YouTube. Narrated by Elizabeth Klett, with other voices provided by various narrators. Originally published as 'Little Women' in 1868 and 'Good Wives' (UK) or 'Little Women Volume Two' (US) in 1869. Republished as a single work 1880. Followed by ' Little Men. ' Wow. What a book/s!  Although knowing the basic outline of the story (I have seen the Winona Ryder movie version years ago, Elise has seen the Saoirse Ronan version and a stage-play) neither of us were prepared for just how sweet, heartwarming, instructional and... well...  Christian the original book is. Each chapter felt like a warm hug, in that the characters would learn and grow in the most ideal ways, even when learning to face some dark moments of life. The tear-jerking moments were appropriately tear-jerking, the heart-warming moments delightfully heartwarming, and the sly (semi-sarcastic at times, though never cruel) nature of the narrati