FICTION
1 The American Boys by Olivia Spooner (Hachette, $37.99)
2 The E-book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka College Press, $38.00)
Final week’s free e book giveaway was particular, one-of-a-kind, superb. Readers had been provided six- sure, six!-novels by the sage of Cambridge, Catherine Chidgey. In addition to a replica of The E-book of Guilt, the prize included new editions of 5 of her earlier novels, The Axeman’s Carnival, Want Youngster, Distant Sympathy, Pet, and Fishbone Church. To win, readers had been requested toshare any form of clever, appreciative commentary on her work.
It was an immensely in style contest. There have been dozens of entries and really many had been idolatory. Many had been clever, too.
Caleb wrote, “There’s a deep attentiveness to energy, who has it, who submits to it, and the way simply hurt is normalised when it’s dressed as care. Studying Chidgey at all times appears like being requested to look extra carefully, and to take duty for what you see.”
Libby wrote, “Chidgey’s mastery of the sense of impending doom makes one need to flip the pages compulsively but reluctantly. Her refined constructing of hints at home violence, classroom bullying or publish warfare genetic experimentation go away one aghast on the on a regular basis actuality of human nature. Watching and having fun with the event of this expertise in actual time is a uncommon pleasure.”
Bernie went into non secular ecstasies: “She ought to be designated our patron saint of NZ literature – Saint Catherine of Aotearoa.”
Pauline went for the lengthy sport: “I actually, really need these Chidgey Spines for my grandchildren and their descendants. The narratives invite considerate reflection of what it means to be an honest human being….qualities I need to bequeath to my grandchildren and their progeny. Might these Spines stay on to be beloved lengthy after my demise.”
I appreciated the speedy sport of Liz, who wrote, “I’d love so as to add these spines to my bookcase. Alphabetically, they might sit on the shelf above my 13 Janet Body books.”
However the winner is Rohini, a piece colleague of Catherine Chidgey’s on the College of Waikato, and who has by no means really learn a single goddamned web page of La Chidge however her entry was so charming and so persuasive. She wrote, “I work on the similar establishment as Catherine, and within the few and transient encounters I’ve had along with her in the midst of my work I’ve in fact been starstruck, enamoured, and humbled. We as soon as ran a contest for employees to win copies of The Axeman’s Carnival and Catherine (and Tama) kindly signed all of them for us earlier than we distributed them to the winners. One in all my colleagues accomplished a Grasp of Skilled Writing supervised by Catherine and is nothing however complimentary. Our wider crew works with Catherine on the Sargeson Prize annually and he or she is at all times frighteningly organised and completely obliging.
“That is the one appreciative commentary I may give on her work, as, shockingly and to my chagrin, I’ve as but not learn any of it. Why not? I feel I’m apprehensive about exposing myself to the genius of it, when its architect is like, proper there in a close-by constructing – I’m reader as Icarus, she is the solar, and her novels are waxen wings of marvel?
“Regardless of the causes, this secret disgrace of mine is why this week is lastly the time for me to place my head above the parapet, admit my guilt and enter the e book giveaway. Coming into possession of such a group would clearly go a protracted – the longest – strategy to remedying an unconscionable studying hole.”
Huzzah to Rohani. She wins six-yes, six!-novels by La Chidge.
3 The Final Dwelling Cannibal by Airana Ngarewa (Hachette, $37.99)
Longlisted for the fiction prize on the 2026 Ockham NZ nationwide e book awards.
4 Julia Eichardt by Lauren Roche (Flying Books Publishing, $36.99)
5 The Vanishing Place by Zoe Rankin (Hachette, $37.99)
6 See How They Fall by Rachel Paris (Hachette, $27.99)
7 The Shadow Weaver by Ivy Cliffwater (Hachette, $37.99)
8 Sea Change by Jenny Pattrick (David Bateman, $37.99)
9 Good Issues Come and Go by Josie Shapiro (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)
10 1985 by Dominic Hoey (Penguin Random Home, $38.00)
Longlisted for the fiction prize on the 2026 Ockham NZ nationwide e book awards.
NONFICTION
1 Classes on Dwelling by Nigel Latta (HarperCollins, $39.99)
2 Champions Do Further by Brad Thorn (HarperCollins, $39.99)
A free copy of the brand new bio by an All Black nice is up for grabs on this week’s giveaway contest. To enter, share your ideas on his rugby profession and ship to [email protected] with the topic line in screaming caps BRAD! by midnight on Sunday, February 8.
3 Change into Unstoppable by Gilbert Enoka (Penguin Random Home, $40)
4 A Completely different Sort of Energy by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random Home, $59.99)
Longlisted for the nonfiction prize on the 2026 Ockham NZ nationwide e book awards.
5 Nourish by Chelsea Winter (Allen & Unwin, $49.99)
6 Māori Ora by Hira Nathan (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)
7 Ara by Hinemoa Elder (Penguin Random Home, $30)
8 The Unlikely Physician by Timoti Te Moke (Allen & Unwin, $37.99)
9 Mana by Tāme Iti (Allen & Unwin, $49.99)
Ought to so completely been longlisted for the nonfiction prize on the 2026 Ockham NZ nationwide e book awards.1 0 Habits of Excessive Performers by James Laughlin (HarperCollins, $39.99)
