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Otago Boys' High School

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    LibraryKel

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    Maria Zammit

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Maria Zammit

3,684 pts
(3,215 pages read)

  • Chess for Dummies

    By James Eade
    4 stars

    This is a 350 page reference book on how to play chess. My 9 year old got given it along with an Isle of Lewis chess set. Obviously, that means I have to learn to play too! The first section (85 pages) gives a fantastic grounding in chess - enough for me to beat my son and husband in my first two chess games ever. I've skimmed (and read) some other sections of the book, but I think they'll make more sense when I have the chance to play a few more games.

  • What Abigail Did That Summer

    By Ben Aaronovitch
    3 stars

    One of novellas in the Rivers of London series, this one follows Abigail Kamara's investigation. It jumps around a little bit, making it not-so-straightforward to follow, but was an enjoyable read.

  • Harold Wellman: A man who moved New Zealand

    By Simon Nathan
    2 stars

    The material covered, namely the life of Harold Wellman and his contributions to New Zealand geology, were interesting, but the book itself was a slog to get through. I liked finding out more about the origins of the fossil record database (which I've used myself) and how he teased out New Zealand's geological history. However, I found it a big bogged-down in detail.

  • Ocean Life in the Time of the Dinosaurs

    By Nahalie Bardet, Alexandra Houssaye, Stephane Jouve, and Peggy Vincent
    3 stars

    As the title suggest, the focus of this book is the animals in the ocean during the Mesozoic, particularly the marine reptiles. Not quite a scholarly publication but a higher level than a popular science book, this provides a good introduction to marine reptiles for post-graduate students or palaeontologists unfamiliar with the topic. A good summary of the current level of knowledge.

  • Scandal in Spring

    By Lisa Kleypas
    3 stars

    This book is the fourth (and final novel) in the Wallflowers series. As the female lead ends up falling for someone unexpected, you could say the take away message is not to judge a book by its cover! As the final book, it also ties up some loose ends. A solid read.

  • Malta

    By Simon Bajada
    4 stars

    Subtitled "Mediterranean recipes from the islands", this book is the only collection of Maltese recipes I've found to date. The author, an Australian (from Adelaide like me) with Maltese heritage, had struggled to find Maltese recipes in English. As a chef, he recreated Maltese recipes as part of exploring his heritage. This book has whet my appetite to find recipes with Maltese influence that are more to my own taste. Definitely a worthwhile read!

  • Devil in Winter

    By Lisa Kleypas
    5 stars

    My second-favourite and third book in this series. The lead female character needs a marriage of convenience to escape her controlling family while the male is looking for an heiress - a common trope. As you'd expect, what they find is the love of a lifetime and their happily ever after.

  • Unruly: A history of England's kings and queens

    By David Mitchell
    3 stars

    This book discusses the reigns of all the kings and queens from William of Normandy to Queen Elizabeth I, as well as a handful of pre-William rulers. The irreverent perspective of the author provides an amusing commentary that puts the reigns of these monarchs into context. A good place to start if you're wanting an introduction to Britain's kings and queens. However, as each section is more of a highlights package, so readers looking for an in-depth account of each ruler are suggested to have a look at other sources.

  • Prehistoric Marine Life in Australia's Inland Sea

    By Danielle Clode
    5 stars

    A little more advanced reading than the average popular science piece, this book is a good read (I managed to finish it in a couple of hours). As the title suggests, it talks about the range of animals living in the inland sea over Australia in the late Cretaceous. It provides the most up-to-date info in the descriptions, as well as lots of illustrations. The introduction and conclusion go over the cause and the environment of the inland sea and the catalyst for the extinction of the groups mentioned, respectively. An enjoyable read.

  • The Forgotten Coast

    By Richard Shaw
    3 stars

    This is a (non-fiction) story of the author uncovering his family history. He weaves the stories of three family members with current issues, such as decolonisation. A solid read.

  • It Happened One Autumn

    By Lisa Kelypas
    5 stars

    This is the second - and my favourite - book in the Wallflowers series. It features an enemies to lovers romance with the usual tropes. An entertaining read.

  • Secrets of a Summer Night

    By Lisa Kleypas
    4 stars

    This is the first book in my favourite historical romance series by Lisa Kleypas. It's a light, entertaining read.

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