About

Welcome to my blog…

where each month I recommend a young adult novel!

Hi, I’m Graeme from New Zealand – yes that small island nation in the southwest Pacific Ocean (yes near Australia – well not as close as you may think, NZ is some 1,500 kilometres or 900 miles east of Australia – and no you can’t drive across a bridge to get there).

Growing up I wanted to be a teacher…until I met other children. After finishing high school I returned to Wellington (where I was born) and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film and Media Studies.

I moved to Auckland in 2008 to complete a Diploma in Film and Television Production. After working in a completely unrelated field I completed a Diploma in Information and Library Studies via distance learning.

Currently I work as a Heritage and Research Specialist for a public library. Previously I was a library assistant for an academic library.

My interests as well as reading include film, theatre, popular culture, baking and travel.

I also run a travel blog, Exploring my own Backyard, in which I detail my adventures around my home country of New Zealand and further abroad.

I have been running this blog since November 2014.

Past Book Club Picks:

February 2021: How it all blew up by Arvin Ahmadi

January 2021: Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay

December 2020: My true love gave to me: Twelve winter romances

November 2020: Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

October 2020: Love, Creekwood by Becky Albertalli

September 2020: When We Were Lost by Kevin Wignall

August 2020: The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

July 2020: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

June 2020: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

May 2020: The Cemetery Boys by Heather Brewer

April 2020: On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

March 2020: Dear Evan Hansen: the novel by Val Emmich

February 2020: Between Us by Clare Atkins

January 2020: Alex in Wonderland by Simon James Green

December 2019: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

November 2019: Looking for Alaska by John Green

October 2019: I am Change by Suzy Zail

September 2019: Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

August 2019: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Play by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany

July 2019: More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

June 2019: Ten things I hate about me by Randa Abdel-Fattah

May 2019: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

April 2019: 1914: Riding into War by Susan Brocker

March 2019: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

February 2019: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

January 2019: Cruel Summer by Juno Dawson

December 2018: Born Scared by Kevin Brooks

November 2018: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

October 2018: Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines by Nic Sheff

September 2018: Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

August 2018: Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

July 2018: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

June 2018: If I Stay by Gayle Foreman

May 2018: Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

April 2018: Breathing Underwater by Alex Flinn

March 2018: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens by Becky Albertalli

February 2018: Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

January 2018: American Street by Ibi Zoboi

December 2017: What Light by Jay Asher

November 2017: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

October 2017: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

September 2017: Words in deep blue by Cath Crowley

August 2017: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

July 2017: The Sidekicks by Will Kostakis

June 2017: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

May 2017: Bugs by Whiti Hereaka

April 2017: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

March 2017: Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

February 2017: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

January 2017: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

December 2016: Let it Snow by Maureen Johnson, John Green, & Lauren Myracle

November 2016: Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling

October 2016: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

September 2016: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

August 2016: A Work in Progress by Connor Franta

July 2016: Crank by Ellen Hopkins

June 2016: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

May 2016: Gone by Michael Grant

April 2016: A Rose for the ANZAC Boys by Jackie French

March 2016: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

February 2016: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

January 2016: The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

December 2015: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

November 2015: Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden

October 2015: I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan

September 2015: Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

August 2015: The Giver by Lois Lowry

July 2015: Monster by Walter Dean Myers

June 2015: Paper Towns by John Green

May 2015: Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

April 2015: The Boy in the Burning House by Tim Wynne-Jones

March 2015: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

February 2015: Beth & Bruno by William Taylor

January 2015: Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

December 2014: Cloaked by Alex Flinn

November 2014: The Recruit by Robert Muchamore