{"title":"Lizzy's Favourite Books of 2026 (So Far)","description":"\u003cp\u003e2026 has been a good year for book lovers, and as we approach half way of the year I already have a stack of firm favourites from this year's reading.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-correspondent-by-virginia-evans-9780241721261","title":"The Correspondent","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e84 Charing Cross Road\u003c\/em\u003e meets \u003cem\u003eA Man Called Ove\u003c\/em\u003e in this heartwarming, witty story about the life of an extraordinary woman, told through her letters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn her letters to family and friends, we come to know the life of Sybil Van Antwerp—stubborn, cantankerous, opinionated, always steadfast in her belief in the power of the written word.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut as the clock begins to tick for Sybil, the need for a few post-scripts to the life she's led becomes apparent. Fixing her difficult relationship with her children. Taking a final chance at romance. Atoning for an old legal case which has come back to haunt her. And finally, reckoning with a devastating loss that she has spent the last thirty years holding close to her chest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House Distribution","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46233559957740,"sku":"9780241721261","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780241721261.jpg?v=1741067836"},{"product_id":"the-river-has-roots-by-amal-el-mohtar-9781529443363","title":"The River Has Roots","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFollow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eOh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family. There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family's latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favour of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters' bond but also their lives will be at risk...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe River Has Roots\u003c\/i\u003e is the hugely anticipated solo debut of the New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author Amal El-Mohtar.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFeatures beautiful interior illustrations.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46240153534700,"sku":"9781529443363","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529443363.jpg?v=1741228729"},{"product_id":"moderation-by-elaine-castillo-9781838954970","title":"Moderation","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eModeration\u003c\/em\u003e is a novel that refuses to do things by halves. It is a piercing, laser-precise exploration of big tech... breathtakingly funny... and a highly charged, passionate and tender love story. A wonderful book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eKaliane Bradley, bestselling author of The Ministry of Time\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGirlie, a thirty-something Filipinx-American, works a day job at a social-media moderation centre, flagging and removing the very worst that makes it on to the internet. She's good at it, too—dispassionate, unflinching, maybe because she learned by necessity to cauterise all her emotions when she was still a kid—so it's no surprise to anyone when the social-media company for which she works offers her a big pay rise and an office to start moderating its new venture: virtual-reality theme parks, stunning simulations of civilisations long-since dead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGirlie takes the job, and it almost seems too good to be true. Almost. Sure, she signed up for having to deal with the ambient racism and misogyny of pretty much any virtual space, but as she begins to explore the intricate worlds that she moderates, she notices two deeply troubling things: that there might be something much darker built into the very code of the company, and that William, technically her new boss, a man whose barriers are as mighty as her own, might just be that long-forgotten thing... Girlie's type.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46741146796268,"sku":"9781838954970","price":28.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/fcd7254e3c87e2879abd209b146b8fa3.jpg?v=1755603290"},{"product_id":"rejection-by-tony-tulathimutte-9780008759384","title":"Rejection","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘A thrill for the sickos among us’ JIA TOLENTINO\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Utterly inimitable’ RAVEN LEILANI\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Unrelentingly brutal and gut-bustingly funny and spares no one’ CARMEN MARIA MACHADO\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'Symbiotically serious and funny' MEGAN NOLAN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e'The funniest, darkest thing' ST VINCENT\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLONGLISTED FOR THE 2024 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn audacious and original novel-in-stories following a cast of intricately linked characters as rejection throws their lives and relationships into chaos.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSharply observant and outrageously funny,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eRejection\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a provocative plunge into the thorniest problems of modern life: sex, relationships, identity and the internet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe see a tryhard male feminist's passionate allyship turn to a furious and debilitating nihilism as he realizes, over thirty lonely years, that his feminism isn’t getting him laid; a young woman’s unrequited crush spirals into borderline obsession and the systematic destruction of both her sense of self and her group chat; and witness a shy late bloomer’s flailing efforts at a first relationship lead to a life-upending mistake. As these characters pop up in each other’s dating apps and social media feeds, or meet in dimly lit bars and bedrooms, they reveal the ways that our delusions can warp our desire for connection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten with the accomplished authority of a modern classic and the manic intensity of a losers’ manifesto,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eRejection\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eby Tony Tulathimutte radically redefines what it means to be rejected by lovers, friends, society and oneself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Book of the Year in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/em\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eNew Yorker\u003c\/em\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eNPR\u003c\/em\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eTime Magazine\u003c\/em\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eVanity Fair\u003c\/em\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eEsquire, Electric Literature and more\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘A book of mad, madcap genius’\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eGARTH GREENWELL\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Tulathimutte is a big talent’\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eNEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Blistering … takes a magnifying glass to the mind in the internet age’\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eVOGUE\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘There’s a volatile thrill to the writing … snortingly funny’\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eWALL STREET JOURNAL\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Obsessively readable, acerbic, Foster Wallace–inflected’\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eVANITY FAIR\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘A master comedian with a virtuoso prose style … audacious, original and highly disturbing’\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eNEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46745304072428,"sku":"9780008759384","price":17.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/24c10c88b0783415ccfce800e8a6961c.jpg?v=1755812333"},{"product_id":"game-on-by-navessa-allen-9781529442458","title":"Game On","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBook three in the No.1 New York Times bestselling Into Darkness series,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003efollowing the dark rom-com sensations Lights Out and Caught Up. The game is\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eon for these enemies-to-lovers with laugh-out-loud banter and scorching-hot\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ebrat play.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI hate that woman.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTyler Neumann has spent years looking for his father, and not because he wants to meet\u003cbr\u003ethe man. No, he wants to destroy him. And he'll manipulate whoever he can to exact his\u003cbr\u003erevenge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncluding Stella McCormick. She's everything Tyler hates. Her wealth and privilege have\u003cbr\u003eprotected her for her entire life, and Tyler thinks it's time she finally paid the price.\u003cbr\u003eWhether she's ready to or not.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI hate that man.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStella might not believe in love at first sight, but loathing at first sight - no question. From\u003cbr\u003ethe moment she sets eyes on Tyler in her tattoo parlor, she knows he's the devil planning\u003cbr\u003eto make her life hell.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eForced to play the part of his girlfriend and invite him into her family's glittering circles,\u003cbr\u003eStella quickly clocks Tyler's ulterior motives. But love and hate are two sides of the same\u003cbr\u003ecoin, and soon she doesn't know which is worse: being blackmailed by a man who wants\u003cbr\u003eto ruin her, or that they can't seem to keep their hands off each other.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGame On is an enemies-to-lovers dark romance with morally grey characters.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSome themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003econtent warning at the beginning of the book.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alliance Distribution Services Pty Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46767854616812,"sku":"9781529442458","price":20.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529442458_1.jpg?v=1759712691"},{"product_id":"famesick-by-lena-dunham-9781460759431","title":"Famesick","description":"\u003cp\u003eChronicling the tumultuous decade between the premiere of Girls to her 2021 shotgun wedding (minus the baby, because she has no uterus), Lena Dunham takes us through her journey with her trademark mix of humor, unsparing honesty, and keen eye for detail. We peek behind the scenes - of her work, her family, her relationships, and her battle to reclaim her body - and we come to see, with searing clarity, that the spotlight casts long shadows, distorting the relationships she once held dear and isolating everyone in its glare.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Lena, sick, exhausted, and overexposed, realizes that an endless supply of drugs can't protect her from pain - and, in fact, has begun to control her every move - she is forced to reckon with the fact that being famous doesn't stand a chance against the darker corners of the human experience. To go on, she must get sober, get real and go it alone. Famesick is a story of learning to live with what we can't change, the hard, ongoing work of turning regrets into wisdom that can carry us forward, and reconnecting to what, and who, we love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs she emerges from her twenties and into a world she no longer recognizes, she has to rehash the codependent dynamics, romantic failures and misplaced instincts that got her there. She has to turn her life back into something she can bear to live with.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46800754933996,"sku":"9781460759431","price":28.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781460759431.jpg?v=1757300050"},{"product_id":"the-name-game-by-beth-oleary-9781529437942","title":"The Name Game","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA fresh start is waiting for Charlie Jones.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBut another Charlie Jones wants it too...\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Isle of Ormer: population 500, soon to be 501.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCharlie Jones has landed on the island to embark on her brand new life. As the manager at Ormer's only farm shop, this job will be her perfect next chapter. Good riddance to the mainland, this is it - fresh air, and a clean slate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eExcept there is one small issue ...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCharlie Jones has also just arrived on the Isle of Ormer, to embark on \u003cem\u003ehis\u003c\/em\u003e brand new life. His job at the farm shop feels like fate, and could not have come at a better moment. On Ormer, Charlie has promised himself he'll escape old friends, bad habits and heartbreak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis second chance is the best thing that could have happened to Charlie . . . and Charlie.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat is, until they are introduced . . .\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Name Game\u003c\/em\u003e is the brand new love story from the multi-million copy bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Flatshare\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eSwept Away\u003c\/em\u003e, about second chances becoming new beginnings and about love finding us in the most secluded of places.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Alliance Distribution Services Pty Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46855969571052,"sku":"9781529437942","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529437942.jpg?v=1765756181"},{"product_id":"yesteryear-9780008742775","title":"Yesteryear","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA BOLD AND BITING SATIRE. WILL HAVE YOU GASPING TO THE FINAL PAGE\u003c\/strong\u003e — Nita Prose\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWICKEDLY FUNNY, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND FRIGHTENINGLY PERCEPTIVE\u003c\/strong\u003e — Abigail Dean\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eINVENTIVE, ADDICTIVE, A WILD RIDE\u003c\/strong\u003e — Ashley Audrain\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSHOT THROUGH WITH HUMOUR AND LACED WITH DARKNESS\u003c\/strong\u003e — Clare Mackintosh\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Stepford Wives\u003c\/em\u003e meets \u003cem\u003eThe Handmaid's Tale\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — Hannah Deitch\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMy name was Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNatalie lives a traditional lifestyle – and has the social media accounts to prove it. Her charming farmhouse on her working ranch is artfully cluttered, her husband is a handsome cowboy, her homemade sourdough boules are each more beautiful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers and industrial-grade ovens behind the scenes? What Natalie’s followers don’t know won’t hurt them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThen, one morning, Natalie wakes up in a strange, horrible version of reality. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Is this a hoax? A reality show? A test from God? One thing Natalie does know is that it’ll make one hell of an Instagram post…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46955496112364,"sku":"9780008742775","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/y648_1c7e7049-130c-4553-9253-2f61c68daa31.jpg?v=1762372605"},{"product_id":"paradiso-17-by-hannah-lillith-assadi-9780008743727","title":"Paradiso 17","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Miraculous’ \u003c\/strong\u003eOMAR EL AKKAD\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Stunning’\u003c\/strong\u003e MAAZA MENGISTE\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Heartbreakingly urgent’\u003c\/strong\u003e JUSTIN TORRES\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Quite astonishing’ \u003c\/strong\u003eJOY WILLIAMS\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘Read it, read it, read it’\u003c\/strong\u003e RABIH ALAMEDDINE\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe intimate, sweeping tale of one man’s restless search for home, as the pendulum of fate swings between loss and life, grief and euphoria, regret and hope.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA \u003cem\u003eNew Arab\u003c\/em\u003e most anticipated book of 2026. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAll his life, exile has been the shadow stitched to the sole of Sufien’s shoe.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBorn in Palestine on the precipice of 1948’s Nakba, Sufien is forced to leave the only home he’s ever known, the one on the hill with a beautiful blue door. This is the precise moment when time stops making sense. He spends the rest of his life propelled forward, \u003cem\u003ealways on the way \u003c\/em\u003e– although in search of what, he is never quite sure. In the dusty, oil-rich desert of Kuwait, he meets his first love and decides he must leave his family. In a small Italian university town, he spends his youth wrapped up in the sweet promise of the West and the forgetful assurance of wine. When life takes him to a gritty New York, he discovers his true vocation and falls for a Jewish woman born into a wholly different world. Finally, he finds himself recalled to the wild, vast open skies of the desert, in Arizona.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe lyrical pages of \u003cem\u003eParadiso 17\u003c\/em\u003e are haunted with grief and yet they are also struck through with light – not just the light that Sufien sees as he approaches his own end, but the brilliant light of a life lived.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLike all of our dead, Sufien still speaks\u003c\/em\u003e, the book begins. Listen, this is his story.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘There is something miraculous about \u003cem\u003eParadiso 17\u003c\/em\u003e … an unforgettable story’ \u003c\/strong\u003eOMAR EL AKKAD, author of \u003cem\u003eOne Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘I could not put down this sweeping narrative … Compassionate, elegiac and suffuse with unflinching wit’ \u003c\/strong\u003eMAAZA MENGISTE, author of \u003cem\u003eThe Shadow King\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘A gripping story of a soul in exile’\u003c\/strong\u003e JUSTIN TORRES, author of \u003cem\u003eBlackouts\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘A searing portrait … of a man reeling from home to home after the loss of Palestine’ \u003c\/strong\u003eHALA ALYAN, author of \u003cem\u003eI’ll Tell You When I’m Home\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘\u003cem\u003eParadiso 17\u003c\/em\u003e is remarkable … read it, read it, read it’\u003c\/strong\u003e RABIH ALAMEDDINE, author of \u003cem\u003eThe True True Story of Raja the Gullible\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘An intense, fearless, lyrical and quite astonishing novel’\u003c\/strong\u003e JOY WILLIAMS, author of \u003cem\u003eHarrow\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘A miraculous novel’ \u003c\/strong\u003eKASIM ALI, author of \u003cem\u003eWho Will Remain\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e‘\u003cem\u003eParadiso 17\u003c\/em\u003e took my breath away … I wept at its ending’\u003c\/strong\u003e LYDIA KIESLING, author of \u003cem\u003eMobility\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47073318437100,"sku":"9780008743727","price":27.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/03da5130f19079cbcc3b8ad8a9547ca5.jpg?v=1765178281"},{"product_id":"american-fantasy-by-emma-straub-9780241453490","title":"American Fantasy","description":"Below Deck meets Romantic Comedy in this irresistible story about what happens when your teenage fantasy comes true in your adult years by the bestselling author of This Time Tomorrow.\n\nAnnie is-\n\n\nOn a cruise with her one-time favourite boyband and a thousand female super-fans\nStill reeling from her divorce\nBeing replaced at work by her intern\n\n\nKeith is-\n\n\nFifty years old and in a band that performs dance routines with hip thrusts\nSuffering from sea sickness\nCertain his wife doesn't love him anymore\n\n\nWhen a meet-and-greet throws them together, Annie develops a crush on Keith, and Keith starts to wonder if life might have a few surprises in store for him.\n\nBut are Keith and Annie just living a fantasy? And what happens when they get back to shore?","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47260377809132,"sku":"9780241453490","price":25.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/2e75319c8fc5cb8f8315f75f34e25195.jpg?v=1769890172"},{"product_id":"night-ma-by-elizabeth-knox-9781776923083","title":"Night, Ma","description":"\u003cp\u003eFor three and a half years, \ncalamities hit Elizabeth Knox and family in rapid succession. Her sister\n suffered a psychotic break and was hospitalised against her will, her \nhusband’s brother died by violence, and her mother was diagnosed with \nmotor neurone disease. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn time, she was able to write about it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eNight, Ma\u003c\/i\u003e\n is a book about the net of family which people are held by, but also \nslip through. About the actual daily work of love; the physical and \ncognitive work love requires.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnox is a beloved storyteller who \nhas given us other worlds; now she invites us into her own. With \ncharacteristic generosity and transcendence, she guides us through time,\n illness, loss, and the loneliness of unutterable experiences.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eNight, Ma \u003c\/i\u003eoffers the gift of seeing as Elizabeth sees.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Upstart Distribution","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47264448872684,"sku":"9781776923083","price":34.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/original_nightma.jpg?v=1769734538"},{"product_id":"london-falling-by-patrick-radden-keefe-9781035056293","title":"London Falling","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the Baillie Gifford Prize-winning and \u003cem\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eEmpire of Pain\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eSay Nothing\u003c\/em\u003e comes a stunning story of wealth, violence and deceit at the heart of a glittering city.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'A new book by Keefe means drop everything and close the blinds; you'll be turning pages for hours' - \u003c\/em\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Patrick Radden Keefe [is] one of the top narrative nonfiction authors of his generation' - \u003c\/em\u003eTIME\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2019, a London teenager, Zac Brettler, mysteriously fell to his death from a luxury apartment building on the banks of the Thames. When his grieving parents began their desperate quest to understand how their son had died, they made a terrible discovery: Zac had been leading a fantasy life, posing as the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn his inimitably gripping and forensic prose, Baillie Gifford Prize winner and \u003cem\u003eNew Yorker\u003c\/em\u003e writer Patrick Radden Keefe follows Zac's parents on a dark journey to find out what brought Zac to the balcony that night - and how a teenager's world of make-believe drew him into the city's terrifying underworld.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLondon Falling\u003c\/em\u003e is at once a devastating family tragedy, a riveting story of greed, power and deception, and an indictment of the culture that has transformed London into a haven for the malignant forces that have come to influence us all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Distribution (MDL)","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47269579325676,"sku":"9781035056293","price":33.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/5047287ad37a5a8063b21e27d4278a1a.jpg?v=1769986205"},{"product_id":"counting-down-with-theodore-brown-by-daniel-devenney-9781991142351","title":"Counting Down with Theodore Brown","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can't fight time, or love...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA coming-of-age love story with a twist!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Theodore Brown looks into a person's eyes, he sees a number: the exact number of days he'll spend with them. It's hard to make friends when there's a literal countdown!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe's kept everyone at a safe distance since his dad died. But now that he's in college, he fears he's missing out. Even his stuffy English professor thinks he needs to get a life. So, to improve his mental health and sharpen his writing skills, he decides to do just that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen Lil Sanchez crashes into his world like a tidal wave. She's fearless, creative, and only around until the end of summer. But Theo begins to wonder if the pleasure of knowing her might be worth the pain of losing her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly time will tell - and the clock is ticking...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor teens who love:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ea book you just can't put down and have to read all night\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ea love story for the ages\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003estories that are dramatic and funny and sad, all wrapped up in one great package\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ebooks like \u003ci\u003eThe Perks of Being a Wallflower\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCounting Down with Theodore Brown\u003c\/em\u003e by Daniel Devenney is a journey you won't forget.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qAYrLwf_WQ4?si=vM6qoJZJP7bHAFLJ\" title=\"YouTube video player\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47269760499948,"sku":"9781991142351","price":22.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/b05e0fc234367325a7844bb4779a0bd6.jpg?v=1769994358"},{"product_id":"the-things-we-never-say-by-elizabeth-strout-9780241814307","title":"The Things We Never Say","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInternationally bestselling and prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout's new novel tells the story of a chance incident in a man's life—a poignant meditation on loneliness, friendship, and free will in a capsizing world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArtie Dam is a man with a secret. He spends his days teaching history to high schoolers, expanding their young minds, correcting their casual cruelties, and lending a kind word to those who need it most. He goes to holiday parties with his wife of three decades, makes small talk with neighbours, and, on weekends, takes his sailboat out on the beautiful Massachusetts Bay. He is, by all appearances, present and alive. But inside, Artie is plagued by feelings of isolation. He looks out at a world gone mad—at himself and the people around him—and turns a question over and over in his mind: how is it that we know so little about one another, even those closest to us?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then, one day, Artie learns that life has been keeping a secret from him, one that threatens to upend his entire world. Once he learns it, he is forced to chart a new course, to reconsider the relationships he holds most dear—and to make peace with the mysteries at the heart of our existence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith exquisite prose and profound insight, Elizabeth Strout captures the way grief reverberates through decades, the comfort found in deep friendships, and the freedom that comes when we break free of our secrets. \u003cem\u003eThe Things We Never Say\u003c\/em\u003e is a stunning new novel from one of our most acclaimed observers of the human heart. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47301725454572,"sku":"9780241814307","price":32.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780241814307.jpg?v=1770948355"},{"product_id":"the-chief-and-the-empire-by-eugene-bingham-9781991142184","title":"The Chief and the Empire","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Chief and the Empire\u003c\/i\u003e uncovers the extraordinary true tale of Te Tai Tokerau rangatira Te Pahi - the first influential Māori leader to cross the Tasman - whose curiosity about the Pākehā world forged alliances, saved lives, and ultimately cost him his own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn a visit to Sydney in 1805, Te Pahi was feted as a celebrity, building close ties with the Governor of NSW, Philip Gidley King, even staying as a guest in the Governor's house for several months. He also met the missionary, Samuel Marsden, both men recognising Te Pahi's remarkable character and mana.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTe Pahi examined the budding NSW colony and its brutal justice system with intelligence and compassion - and shocked King, by condemning death sentences for a group of men accused of stealing food, ultimately sparing some of their lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut history did not reward his courage. On returning home, Te Pahi was wrongly blamed for a deadly attack on a British ship and killed, his name darkened for generations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePart history, part true-crime investigation, this is a riveting account of Te Pahi's remarkable journey and early Māori-Pākehā encounters, the injustice that destroyed a leader, and the unexpected legacy carried by the descendants of the men he fought to protect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47322081296620,"sku":"9781991142184","price":28.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/TheChiefAndTheEmpire_9781991142184.jpg?v=1774840581"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/lizzys-favourite-books-of-2026-so-far.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}