Woodford House

21,166 pages read and 1,169 team points

Team members

Di M

3,723 pts

(2,795 pages read)

Wulf

By Hamish Clayton

5 stars

Wulf tells the story, through the eyes of two English sailors, of the the shrewd, but brutal chief, Te Rauparaha, who launched campaigns against southern enemies and commandeered much of the North island and top of the South Island in the early 1800s. Beautifully written prose and poetry evoke the landscape of bush clad nz and early interactions with traders. Although it took a while to embrace this novel, eventually I couldn’t put it down.
The New Zealand Wars - A brief history

By Matthew Wright

5 stars

Best book(let) I’ve read yet on this topic - concise and easy to understand. Outlines the sequence of events chronologically, conveys a sense of the key players on all sides and doesn’t shy away from the often tragic outcomes, although Parihaka lacked discussion.
The Colonial New Zealand Wars

By Tim Ryan and Bill Parham

3 stars

More research. Read 63 somewhat interesting pages out of 226. Loads of useful illustration, photos and sometimes repetitive descriptions of battles, weapons and uniforms.
The New Zealand Wars 1820-72

By Ian Knight

4 stars

A useful research book as it summarises the key events but most importantly for my interests, what all involved wore, what they were armed with and how they operated, supported by extensive descriptions and excellent visuals.
Lifel1k3

By Jay Kristoff

3 stars

As the cover says, “it’s Romeo and Juliet meets Mad Max meets X-men with a little bit of Bladerunner from the sidelines.” As a big fan of Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire series I can see how this post apocalyptic YA version builds his writing style and explores his typically strong female characters. Fast paced denouncement of AI robotics.
Tangi

By Witi Ihimaera

5 stars

Utterly beautiful prose about love, grief and losing one’s father.
Turncoat

By Tihema Baker

3 stars

Set in the future, Turncoat is sci-fi parody of colonialism’s impact on the colonised: in this world, humans and aliens; and how interpretation of a covenant (treaty) are enacted and breached in favour of the colonisers. Uncomfortable concepts to contemplate, alternating with laugh-out-loud observations that feel “strangely” familiar.
The Frozen River

By Ariel Lawhon

5 stars

Couldn’t put this one down. Raw and realistic portrayal of a midwife asserting her rights and dealing to gaslighters c. 1800 in small town Maine, USA.
The Graveyard Book volume 1

By Neil Gaiman

5 stars

Cute and engaging ghost story about a little boy growing up in a graveyard cared for by ghosts. Shades of Lincoln in the Bardo
The Handmaid’s Tale - graphic novel

By Margaret Atwood

4 stars

More telling and less traumatic than the tv series and a quicker way to read the book.
1984 The Graphic Novel

By George Orwell

4 stars

I read this book 50 years ago and saw the movie version in 1984. Always wanted to read it again and more so given changes in world politics- it hasn’t disappointed. The comic format reinforces the warning.
Rat

By Stephen King

4 stars
If it Bleeds

By Stephen King

5 stars

Builds on the Mr Mercedes characters and introduces a new series in between that I didn’t know I was missing. Suspenseful and classic King in novella format.
The Life of Chuck

By Stephen King

1 stars

Confusing. A story in reverse?
Mr Harrigan’s Phone

By Stephen King

4 stars

21 - 0 - 1

Add pages read

Woodford House

21,166 pages read and 1,169 team points

Team members

Di M

Kmbrlyr

DanP

Mary S

Alice C

LisaS

Carissa Vaughan

JennyT

JPE

SueP

Rev

RebeccaF

Amy R

Anna Gilmour

LizzyC

JessHalas

Dushay

Annabel Flynn

Frodosmum

Brady

Jo 90

Di M

Wulf

The New Zealand Wars - A brief history

The Colonial New Zealand Wars

The New Zealand Wars 1820-72

Lifel1k3

Tangi

Turncoat

The Frozen River

The Graveyard Book volume 1

The Handmaid’s Tale - graphic novel

1984 The Graphic Novel

Rat

If it Bleeds

The Life of Chuck

Mr Harrigan’s Phone

Woodford House

21,166 pages read and 1,169 team points

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78