Support New Zealand authors

We have some amazing New Zealand authors and I’ve been reading a few lately. Here are a few to check out.

Jacqueline Bublitz - Before You Knew My Name. This is my absolute favourite book of 2021, and is Bublitz’ debut novel. This book has The Lovely Bones vibes and coincidentally the Lovely Bones was the inspiration for this book. Everyone I’ve recommended this to has loved it (hi Sian!). I highly recommend you read this if you haven’t already. I am very much looking forward to reading her next book. Fingers crossed it isn’t too far away.

Charity Norman – As you may have seen on my Facebook page, I read my first Charity Norman book last week. I don’t know where I have been but she has been around for awhile and I seem to have missed this boat. I am on it now. I really enjoyed Freeing Grace. Excellent character development, and I enjoyed the way Norman weaved together the different threads of the story. My online book club has See You in September on the list for February so I have this one sitting next to my bed ready to go. I am excited!

Heather Morris – you may not know that the author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz is from Te Awamutu. This book (as well as the others Cilka’s Journey and Three Sisters) are so beautifully written. If you like WWII books, you will love these (I never know if love is the right word when describing a heartbreaking book). These books are based on real people who Morris interviewed over several years. I am not sure if they are best read back to back – I read them in 2019, 2020 and 2022, but I am sure there are many out there who would like to devour them one after another.

Lloyd Jones – when I cleared out my 100s of books a few years ago, Mister Pip was one of the few books that I kept. An oldie, but a goodie.

Toni Street – as far as I am aware, Street has only written the one book, a memoir, Lost and Found. I read this in 2022 and it was another that I read one afternoon while crying on the chair. This is such a powerful and tragic memoir. Add this to your list!

Becky Manawatu – Auē. I read this one in 2021. It is another debut novel and Auē won the Ockham’s Jann Medlicott Acorn prize for fiction as well as the Ngaio Marsh award for best crime novel. It was a bestseller in New Zealand for many months – and rightly so. I could not put this down but it did hurt my heart.

As an aside, I feel like nearly all of these books need trigger warnings so perhaps look into them all a little more before you start. As another aside, all of these books are quite hard hitting and sad – maybe I have morbid taste in books. Eek!

Let’s go for something a little lighter…

Emily Writes – I bloody love Emily Writes. Not only are her books hilarious (and a little sad), but she also has a paid substack which I subscribe to. I have met Emily so we are practically besties (we are not). I have read all of her books. Is it Bedtime Yet? and Rants in the Dark are books about parenthood, especially the early years. These would make good gifts for book reading new parents. They are so funny but also really empathetic and beautiful.

Emily (see, first name basis) published Needs Adult Supervision in 2022. I purchased this one (support NZ authors!) so I could read it on holiday and I had finished it before the plane touched down in Fiji. My husband kept looking over at me as I cried (I think I cried for the first chapter), laughed hysterically, giggled and said on repeat “this IS me!!!!” I found it a really relatable book about parenthood and life in general. Emily captures the everyday in such a raw, honest and heartfelt way. I am not sure if it is also because we are around the same age, but the things Emily experiences and shares in her book are just so relevant – at least they were to me.

Deborah Challinor – I highly recommend you check out both The Jacaranda House and The Leonard Girls. Loved these!

Kate De Goldi – The 10pm Question. This is a young adult book which won lots of awards when it was published (in 2008!). Worthy of a read if you haven’t read this, or passing on to a young adult in your life.

Honestly, there are so many more (and some others are pictured above) but I thought I’d mention a few authors who don’t often pop up.

Which New Zealand authors are your faves? There are so many others worthy of a mention. I would love to hear who you would have included, because life is too short to read bad books.