Podcasts about book critic

Jenna Todd, owner of Auckland's Time Out bookstore joins Jesse to share what she's been reading.

Afternoons critic Anna Rankin is keen to discuss the book it seems everyone is talking about right now, The Valley, by Asher Emanuel

Afternoons Book Critic Catherine Ross (who's the Director of Library at Auckland Grammar School) joins us with her suggestions for younger readers: For Ages 6-11+ The Enchanted Wood (The Far Away Tree Book 1) by Enid Blyton Published in 1939 (!!) For Ages 11/12+ Small Wonder by Ross Montgomery Published in 2026 For Ages 13+ A Deadly Education (The Scholomance Book 1) by Naomi Novik Published in 2020 For Ages 14-16+ The Poppy Wars (Book 1 of a Trilogy) by R.F. Kuang Published in 2018

Afternoons book critic Catherine Robertson is with Jesse to share what she's been enjoying.

Afternoons book critic Lisa Glass joins Jesse to share her thoughts on the following books: Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte Eurotrash by Christian Kracht Slags by Emma Jane Unsworth [picture id="4JOQOOU_rejection_tony_tulathimutte_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Verb Wellington's Claire Mabey chats to Jesse about what she's been reading: Empire of AI by Karen Hao The Other Catherine by Lauren Keenan Hekate by Nikita Gill

Afternoons book critic Bill Hastings shares what he's been reading: Edward Chisholm, Murder in Paris '68, A True Story of Death and Glamour (Monoray, 2026) Zach Klein, Cabin Porn (Penguin 2015) and Zach Klein, Cabin Porn Inside (Penguin 2019). Harry Ricketts, Bonfires on the Ice (VUW, 2025).

Catherine Ross, the Director of Library at Auckland Grammar School, joins Jesse with her picks for the young people in your life.

Afternoons book critic Anna Rankin joins me to share what she's been reading. Transcription, by Ben Lerner Childish Palate, by Shariff Burke, a debut short story collection from Tender Press, a New Zealand independent press.

Afternoons' book critic Catherine Robertson is here to share what she's been reading: Hood's Landing by Laura Vincent (Aporo Press) The Island Retreat by Cathy Kelly (Harper Collins) Seed by Elisabeth Easther (Penguin)

Book critic Lisa Glass joins Jesse to discuss three books that are ''speculative light'; novels with an element of sci fi for people who don't like sci fi. The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey - Penguin Books New Zealand The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley - Hodder & Stoughton Kings of This World - Elizabeth Knox - Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand

Afternoons book critic Judge Bill Hastings joins Jesse to share what he's been reading: Liza Minelli, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! (Hodder and Stoughton, 2026) Naomi Arnold, North Bound (Harper Collins, 2025)

It's a vintage hardboiled detective novel, complete with greed, addiction, a mysterious death, and lots of colorful language. But WSHU's Book Critic, Joan Baum, said Raymond Chandler's iconic work, The Long Goodbye, and Chandler himself, are so much more.

Catherine Ross is the Director of Library at Auckland Grammar School and she always has great picks to share for younger readers. Here is her list today: For Ages 10+ Dr Zeus By James Patterson (co-authored by middle grade author Chris Tebbetts) Published in January 2026 For Ages 11/12+ The Experiment By Rebecca Stead Published in September 2025 For Ages 13+ No Escape By M.A. Bennett Published in September 2025 For Ages 14+ Gone for Good Sarah Crossan (verse novel) Published in February 2026

Reading With Your Kids" welcomes two wonderful guests who celebrate the magic of stories, family, and imagination. First, New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff joins Jed to talk about her new middle grade fantasy, The After Myth. Tracy shares how the excitement of a new book release never fades, especially when a story is as personal as this one. She reveals that her heroine Penelope and sidekick Fifi are secretly based on her real-life college best friend and herself. Tracy describes The After Myth as a Greek‑mythology‑inspired adventure set at Naximanders Academy, where Penelope expects to be sorted into the Athena hall like generations of her family—but ends up somewhere completely different. Along the way, the book reexamines the myth of Pandora's Box and asks whether we've been blaming the wrong person all these years. Tracy also gives a fun peek into her creative process, from story "bibles" and giant bulletin boards to rewriting her opening chapters over and over until the story finally clicks. Next, Jed chats with author and publisher Eric G. Reid about his heartwarming picture book Dad, Someone Took the Moon. Inspired by a sarcastic comment from his teenage son at the bus stop, the book became a tender keepsake filled with "easter eggs" from his son's childhood. Eric and Jed talk about the joy of reading aloud, how picture books can still move teens and adults, and what it's really like to publish children's books today—including illustrations, AI, and supporting indie bookstores.

Afternoons book critic Catherine Robertson has been binge reading crime novels and joins Jesse to share her thoughts on: City of Vengeance by D.V. Bishop (Pan McMillan) Dead Man's Axe by Bing Turkby (Guitarmerston North) Exit Strategy by Lee and Andrew Child (Bantam)

Afternoons book critic Anna Rankin joins Jesse to talk about The Chronology of Water by Lidia Yuknavitch. It came out in 2011, but the film version is about to be released so we're taking this opportunity to discuss the memoir.

Claire Mabey joins Jesse to review the following books: Stepping Up by David Hill Lyrical Ballads by Bill Manhire What to Wear by Jenny Bornholdt

Bill Hastings joins Jesse to review the following books: Margaret Atwood, Book of Lives, A Memoir of Sorts (Chatto & Windus, 2025) Nigel Latta, Lessons on Living (Harper Collins, 2025) Erik Kennedy, Sick Power Trip (VUW Press, 2025)

With a week or so left of school holidays for some, it's a great chance to get kids in front of books not screens .. Catherine Ross is the Director of Library at Auckland Grammar School and joins me now with recommendations for younger readers. For Ages 10+ Serafina and the Black Cloak Robert Beatty Spark Hunter (Aotearoa Book) Sonya Wilson For Ages 11-12+ Small Spaces By Katherine Arden For Ages 13+ The Raven Boys By Maggie Stiefvater

Our critic Catherine Robertson has got some cracking recommendations for you Clown Town by Mick Herron (Baskerville) It's Been Six Weeks Since My Last Confession by Peta Mathias (PM Books) The Last Living Cannibal by Airana Ngarewa (Moa Press)

Let's chat books now and our critic Claire Mabey has some excellent offerings - especially if you're thinking of books for Christmas: Good Things Come and Go by Josie Shapiro Wrapping Things by Linda Burgess Lockett and Wilde books by Lucy Strange and Pam Smy

Book critic Bill Hastings reviews: Lea Ypi, Indignity: A Life Reimagined (Allen Lane Penguin, 2025), Daniel Kalderimis, Zest: Climbing from Depression to Philosophy (Ugly Hill Press, 2024).

Catherine Ross, the Director of Library at Auckland Grammar School and creator of the blog 'The School Book Wizard' joins me with some recommendations that would make good Christmas presents. For Ages 10-12+ The Grimmelings by Rachael King (Aotearoa Author) Published in 2024 Wolf Road (#1 in series) by Alice Roberts Published in 2023 For Ages 13/14+ Best of all Worlds by Kenneth Oppel Published in 2025 For everyone and anyone (over the age of 11/12 depending on their reading maturity!) Alanna: The First Adventure (Book 1 in the Song of the Lioness Quartet) By Tamora Pierce Anniversary Edition published 2025

A few weeks ago Pip Adam was lucky enough to be part of the launch of Laura Vincent's new novel Hoods Landing. Today she chats to Jesse about three book things related to Hood's Landing. Overseas Experience by Nicola Andrews (Aporo Press, 2025) local loser podcast with host Damien Levi The Whitireia Publishing Course - Aotearoa New Zealand's only full-time industry-led qualification in book publishing.

Author Catherine Robertson joins Jesse to chat about books she thinks are worth reading: The Rose Field: The Book of Dust Volume 3 by Philip Pullman (David Fickling Books) 1985 by Dominic Hoey (Penguin) James by Percival Everett (Mantle)

Fans of the show the Great British Bake Off might remember the name Ruby Tandoh. She was a runner up of that show in 2013, and since then has written four cookbooks. Her latest offering is called 'All Consuming' where she dives into why we eat the way we do. Here to tell us more about this book and what else she's been reading is our book critic author Claire Mabey. Books: All Consuming - Ruby Tandoh Descending Fire - Sherryl Jordan The Legendary Scarlett and Browne - Jonathan Stroud

We're going to chat books now and a new collection coming out in November is celebrating Auckland and some of the reasons people choose to live there. To share the details Anna Rankin joins Jesse, she is currently in New York completing a Masters of Arts in Journalism with a Politics Concentration at Columbia University thanks to a Fulbright award.

Crime novels are generally a hit with readers of all ages, but right now the genre is especially popular with young adult readers. Auckland Grammar School's Director of Library and 'The School Book Wizard' Catherine Ross shares her recommendations. For Ages 10+ Danger Road By A.L. Tait Published in 2025 For Ages 12+ Medici Heist By Caitlin Schneiderhan Published in 2024 For Ages 12/13+ The Champions By Kara Thomas Published in 2024 For Ages 14+ When the Deep, Dark Bush Swallows You Whole (Aotearoa New Zealand) By Geoff Parkes Published in 2025

Ali Smith is a Scottish author, playwright, academic and journalist. She's a pretty prolific writer, over the last ten years writing 14 novels, 5 short story collections and 8 plays. Book critic Pip Adams shares why she's a fan, reviewing the latest offerings but also the classics. Gliff (Penguin, November 2024) Glyph (Penguin, 17 February 2026) Seasonal Quartet by Ali Smith: Autumn (2016), Winter (2017), Spring (2019), Summer (2020)

Book reviewer Claire Mabey reviews Omnibird by Giselle Clarkson, Secret Art Powers by Jo Randerson, The Last Living Cannibal by Airana Ngawera.

Catherine Robertson joins Jesse to talk about her reading recommendations. Fangs for Nothing by Steffanie Holmes (Atria/Simon and Schuster) The Lost Saint by Rachael Craw (Allen and Unwin) Murder on Milverton Square by G.B. Ralph (Amazon worldwide)

Bill Hastings joins Jesse to chat about what he's been reading. 

Working homeless is a phrase that applies to people who are employed but don't have anywhere to live, generally it is a consequence of low wages or other financial instability. It's a topic author Brian Goldstone has investigated for his book "There is no place for us, working and homeless in America" Here to tell us all about it is our book critic Anna Rankin who is joining Jesse from New York as she embarks on her Fullbright scholarship.

There's a theme in today's book recommendations all of them are non-fiction and all of them are written by women, but our critic says that shouldn't stop young, not so young, women and men reading them. Director of Library at Auckland Grammar School's Catherine Ross is with Jesse. Today's books: For Ages 11+ Normal Women (Young Readers Edition) By Philippa Gregory For Ages 13+ The Ancient Guide to Modern Life by Natalie Haynes A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern For Ages 14+ Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wyn-Williams

Pip Adam has been reading and thinking a lot about how AI could affect writing. She shares books that offer insights to AI and that show how important human writers are. Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI - Karen Hao Blame it on the Rain (no more poetry 2025) - Hana Pera Aoake Show you're working out - Liz Breslin

Book critic Bill Hastings gives his latest recommendations; Julia Alvarez, The Cemetery of Untold Stories (Little Brown, 2025) and Josephine Baker, Fearless and Free - A Memoir (Penguin Random House, 2025) trans. Anam Zafar and Sophie Lewis.

Catherine Ross, the Director of Library at Auckland Grammar School, reviews a selection of books for teenage readers, focusing on a theme of historical fiction. Private Peaceful by Sir Micheal Morpurgo, Rabbit Soldier Angel Thief by Katrina Nannested, The Blackbird Girls by Anna Blankman, The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang and for ages 14 plus, The Terror by Dan Simmonds.

Claire Mabey joined Jesse to celebrate Maurice Gee's legacy and share her book recommendations. 1. The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden 2. A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan 3. A Dim Prognosis by Ivor Popovich

Pip reviews Prairie, Dresses, Art, Other by Danielle Dutton (Coffee House Press), American Precariat: Parable of Exclusion by Zeke Caligiuri (Coffee House Press) and Sound Museum by Poupeh Massaghi (Coffee House Press).

Anna Rankin reviews Nadine Hura's Slowing the Sun and Forrest Gander's Mojave Ghost.

Bill Hastings joined Jesse to review Niall Williams latest novel - Time of the Child.

Catherine Robertson joined Jesse to chat about some books that she's been really looking forward to reading. Wonderland by Tracy Farr (The Cuba Press) Returning To My Father's Kitchen by Monica Macansantos (Curbstone Books) Carved in Blood by Michael Bennett (Simon and Schuster)

This month's theme does what it says on the tin! All these books have been published in the last year and are definitely worth talking about according to Catherine Ross, the Director of Library at Auckland Grammar School. More details can be found on Catherine's blog.

Claire Mabey reviews Silverborn by Jessica Townsend, The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey and Crooked Cross by Sally Carson.

Pip Adam talks about the horror maestro's work and the horror genre in general.

Anna Rankin reviews Murdoch Stephen's Visas Now! And she looks at Lucinda Williams' memoir Don't Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You.

One of the crucial factors in developing a reading culture for young people is variety, making sure children have a choice.

Catherine Robertson has some recommendations for books to take your mind off things.

Our reviewer Bill Hastings casts his eye over two books he recommends for good reading. The books discussed are: Orbital by Samantha Harvey and Ted Lasso and Philosophy.