About

Not so long ago, I stumbled across a post claiming to list “great NZ books.” It wasn’t terrible—but it leaned heavily on the usual suspects: big publishers, award winners, based-on-a-book movie tie-ins, and a couple of titles you’ve probably already seen on retailer sites or GoodReads.
The comments were generally supportive, but what raised my eyebrows was how many people said they struggled to find good New Zealand fiction.

Really? I mean, sure, not every book is going to be your cup of kawakawa tea—but trust me, there is no shortage of Aotearoa stories worth sharpening your beak on. We’ve got world-class writers in every genre you can think of—some flying under the radar, others winning big overseas while staying oddly under-celebrated here at home.

So, here’s my plan: this blog will be a gathering place for stories that connect to New Zealand and the people who live here (or have wandered through and left their mark). That includes fiction, non-fiction, historical deep dives, contemporary reckonings, and the occasional book that just makes me want to yell “you have to read this!”

You’ll also hear from a few of my friends who bring their own tastes, quirks, and curiosities to the mix. We don’t always agree—thank goodness—but we all care deeply about Aotearoa and the stories shaping where we’ve come from, where we are, and where we might be headed.

Pull up a branch and stay awhile. I hope you’ll find a story to treasure.