Hillmorton High School

17,948 pages read and 1,543 team points

Team members

Pat

6,326 pts

(5,695 pages read)

American Gods

By Neil Gaiman

0 stars
The Unwilling

By John Hart

5 stars

I picked up this book at my favourite second-hand book place because of the quote on the cover: 'Not everyone deserves a second chance'. Once I began reading it was impossible to put down - thank goodness for a wet day! The myth that a mother loves her children equally is debunked and the bond of siblings is explored within a very torrid and violent plot. The Vietnam War is summed up by the Unknown Soldier's quote at the front: We the unwilling, led by the unqualified to kill the unfortunate, die for the ungrateful. In the final pages, there is a glimpse of hope for humanity while showing that wealth can lead to injustice and evil.
Dark Horse

By Tami Hoag

0 stars
Saving Falth

By David Baldacci

3 stars

A lot of detail is about the morality of political lobbying, America's greed and the poverty elsewhere in the world. At times, I skimmed a chapter while at other times I was intrigued by how the CIA and FBI always seem to have a diabolical role within novels. ALL the characters are flawed and it was interesting to try to work out Baldacci's motivations behind the plot within this novel. It makes me wonder who he votes for!
Te Kaihau/The Windeater

By Keri Hulme

2 stars

There is always a danger that when you really enjoy a book by a writer that their next one will not match it in terms of impact. Unfortunately, this set of short stories is nowhere as powerful as 'the bone people', though the sheer despair in 'He Tauware Kawa, He Kawa Tauware' does rise to the emotional descriptive prose of her novel. I also felt the story within 'Te Kaihau/The Windeater' had potential but needed to be a full length novel.
Backlash

By Lynda La Plante

5 stars

This time it is DCI Anna Travis who is the protagonist and not merely a sidekick to DCS James Langton. I like the twists and turns of the investigation with a truly amoral villain. Some of the details are sad and shocking, yet unsurprising, in this novel about a current murder sparking off cold cases.
Dear Fatty

By Dawn French

0 stars

A memoir that had me with the first opening letter to her dead dad! It made me want to laugh and yet resonated with me in a way no other book has. It took me until her first letter to Jennifer Saunders to work out she was not the 'Fatty' of the title.
The Empty Chair

By Jeffery Deaver

5 stars

Possibly the best Lincoln Rhyme novel since his first - in this one the action revolves around Amelia Sachs. The action is fast yet paced to allow the many characters to be described. The lightly hinted traits intrigue the reader and make them try to work out the connections. Sadly, the novel also reflects how those isolated in society can be ill-treated. I prefer Amelia over Lincoln as she follows her heart not just the evidence - she is a more interesting antagonist.
The Success Story of Finnish Basic Education

By Pila Roos, Susanna Mikkonen, Laura Rantavuori. Maiju Kinossalo

5 stars

The book starts by asking what it is like to be a child in Finland. Democracty, equity and trust are core to all education in Finland. These reflect the values of Finnish society and I was fortunate to see this first hand in recent Job Shadowing in five schools in Finland. The book presents the underlying pedagogy and the latest everyday practices. The fact that education in Finland is free is impressive, but even more remarkable is that political parties create education policies together.
Chasing the Dime

By Michael Connelly

2 stars

Not a book I would expect many to enjoy and I was one of those. BUT I did like the depiction of one of the antagonists.
Trouble

By Jesse Kellerman

1 stars

A plausible opening to a plot that with each chapter becomes more complicated. Each character has flaws and some begin to unravel as the story continues. Overall it is well written but is not interesting.
Pounamu, Pounamu

By Witi Ihimaera

4 stars

This is a reprint of the 1972 edition. I like the thinly veiled anger and sadness that come through the short stories. Each story stands alone, yet together are a powerful indictment of urbanisation. The lack of connection between the two worlds that existed in New Zealand is clearly defined best in the short story, 'One Summer Morning'.
Outrage

By Arnaldur Indridason

3 stars

The twists and turns in the plot and how they link in more than one crime is very clever. The plot also touches on family dynamics and how they affect people’s decisions. I like that not all wrongs are righted and not all those who commit crimes should be labelled criminals.
STCA - Invest in Teachers

By PPTA

5 stars

The definitive guide to what kaiako in New Zealand are entitled to within the workplace. Excellent content guide making finding the specific information very easy. Every kaiako should read through and see what has been gained and where the compromises happened.
A Prisoner of Birth

By Jefferey Archer

5 stars

I could not put the book down once The Trial section started. Excellent writing style, well-developed characters and an intriguing plot. The pace of events was consistent and the tension built on the plot twists. Overall one of the best 'legal' stories I have read in a long time. I feel the quote 'we all suffer in our different ways from being prisoners of birth' was truly depicted in the novel.
The Grizzled Grist does not exist

By Julietter MacIver and Sarah Davis

5 stars

An even better Read Aloud book as the words are spaced perfectly for younger readers. The illustrations remain a great feature of this collaborative paring.
That's Not a Hippopotamus

By Juliette MacIver and Sarh Davis

5 stars

Young children love this book when Read Aloud to them - the words and illustrations link well and make the narrator use different tones and 'voices' when reading. Children can relate to the chaos that unfolds with the teacher and Liam both being described wonderfully.
Selected Stories

By Noel Hiliard

4 stars

These stories are a reflection of NZ life and society in the 1970s. The saddest is 'Erica' and the one that links to land issues today is 'A Piece of Land'. I love that the lives of the characters are unmistakenly ‘Kiwi’.
Captured

By Neil Cross

1 stars

It began really well but the story was so unbelievable by P142 that I thought I might give up - wanting to know how if the protagonist did murder his wife was the only reason I kept reading.
Te Ātea

By Katarina Mataira

4 stars

Poetry in Te Reo Māori - somewhat apocalyptic and desolate.
Midwinter Blood

By Mons Kallentoft

3 stars

A very powerful opening - makes you think about what type of person the victim was and whether he will appear throughout the novel as an occasional narrator. ‘Even when I was alive I was a tragedy.’ The use of the first victim to 'speak' to the reader is well constructed and makes the reader want to find out who killed him. The complicated family dynamics certainly lead to a karmic situation for the mother.
On Beulah Height

By Reginald Hill

3 stars

Easy to read and keep the different plots in mind. Clever twist to link the two main themes and not all ends well.
Police

By Jo Nesbo

4 stars

One of the better Harry Hole novels. 'Police' kept you guessing until the final seven chapters when the pieces began to fall into place. Every character is flawed, and a couple of them divert attention from the main plot. Even at the end, there is a dark twist ... or is it merely setting the scene for a new HH book?

13 - 0 - 1

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Hillmorton High School

17,948 pages read and 1,543 team points

Team members

Pat

Willow

MareeSilver

Jude

Rose

Jess

Carmen Street

Bryley

LisaManson

MissDude

H @ Horomaka

JanieLizabeth

Maddy

Pat

American Gods

The Unwilling

Dark Horse

Saving Falth

Te Kaihau/The Windeater

Backlash

Dear Fatty

The Empty Chair

The Success Story of Finnish Basic Education

Chasing the Dime

Trouble

Pounamu, Pounamu

Outrage

STCA - Invest in Teachers

A Prisoner of Birth

The Grizzled Grist does not exist

That's Not a Hippopotamus

Selected Stories

Captured

Te Ātea

Midwinter Blood

On Beulah Height

Police

Hillmorton High School

17,948 pages read and 1,543 team points

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