This week's best-selling books

This week's bookcase star is Max Rashbrooke, author of Too Much Money: How wealth disparities are unbalancing Aotearoa New Zealand, which Jacinda Ardern read this summer. He says, "What you can see reflects the two parts of my reading life: fiction (my first love as an English Honours student) and non-fiction (what I do for work). " Spotted: The Life and Death of Democracy ("magisterial"), the Ferrante Quartet, ("which I adored)", the Alexandria Quartet (by Lawrence Durrell, who famously wrote, "The world is like a cucumber— today it's in your hand, tomorrow up your arse”), AS Byatt’s Possession ("probably my favourite novel of the last 50 years"), and The bloody Luminaries.

This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by Steve Braunias        

FICTION

1 Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly (Victoria University Press, $35)

Named best novel of 2021 at ReadingRoom, longlisted for the Jann Medlicott Acorn prize for fiction at the 2022 Ockham book awards, and now, after like 20 weeks variously at number two or three or somewhere in the top 10, it's at number one.

2 In Amber's Wake by Christine Leunens (David Bateman, $34.99)

Number two in its first week! The author, who wrote a wonderful piece about enduring love this week at ReadingRoom, is most well-known for her novel Caging Skies, made into the film Jojo Rabbit by Taika Waititi; her latest novel will also be turned into a Hollywood movie. In Amber's Wake is a romantic drama set in New Zealand during the 1980s. Blurbology: "Ethan Grieg, a film student, is in love with his close friend Amber Deering, an environmental activist, who lives at her family’s seemingly picture-perfect stud farm. Amber loves Ethan dearly, but not in the way Ethan longs for. Instead, the man Amber has offered her heart is widower Stuart Reeds, a charming, refined British investor almost two generations older than her. As a Korean war veteran, Stuart is mentally prepared for the long, subtle war that begins between his young rival and himself for Amber’s heart…"

3 Loop Tracks by Sue Orr (Victoria University Press, $35)

4 The Last Guests by J.P. Pomare (Hachette, $34.99)

5 Auē by Becky Manawatu (Makaro Press, $35)

6 Kurangaituku by Whiti Hereaka (Huia Publishers, $35)

Good old Tara Black was there at the launch at Verb last year, and drew the author, as well as Anahera Gildea, who gave a speech ("I just ate my mask").

7 To Italy, With Love by Nicky Pellegrino (Hachette, $34.99)

The author recently messaged Stacy Gregg to say, "I hear Joanna Grochowicz has written a Covid piece for the British international press." They duly read it; and Stacy responded, accordingly. For further information about Grochowicz, House & Garden magazine ran a very entertaining profile last year, headlined, "There's nothing quite like home for these globetrotting Aucklanders". It included this caption to a photo of her living room: "The raised living area has concrete floors softened with a rug from Studio Italia; the sofas are by Antonio Citterio from Flexform and the coffee table has been restored several times by PKR Philip King Restorations. 'We don't believe in coasters,' says Joanna."

8 She’s a Killer by Kirsten McDougall (Victoria University Press, $30)

Rash prediction: the author's ecothriller, only just now back in the shops after selling out, will be number one or two in next week's chart.

9 Inside the Black Horse by Ray Berard (David Bateman, $34.99)

10 The Frog Prince by James Norcliffe (Penguin Random House, $36)

Woah! Incoherent blurbology, from the publisher: " A disappearance. An infatuation. The Frog Prince is an intriguing, multi-layered novel giving us a story, within a story, within a story. Remember the kiss between the frog prince and the princess? What about the part where the princess angrily flings the frog against the wall? What was that about? At an international school in France, the young teacher Cara writes her own version of the classic tale by the Brothers Grimm. Their fairy tale is nothing like Cara’s relationship with David, but when Cara disappears, can the story help David unravel what has happened? As for the various princesses and frogs in this intriguing multi-layered novel, will any live happily ever after?" What?

NON-FICTION

1 Your Money, Your Future by Frances Cook (Penguin Random House, $35)

Interview with the personal finances author, Newshub: "As a new Mum, Cook has become even more dedicated to buying second hand, saying it allows her to buy what she needs without stressing about the budget."

2 Aroha by Hinemoa Elder (Penguin Random House, $30)

3 Finding Calm by Sarb Johal (Penguin Random House, $37)

Self-helper by a clinical psychologist and Ted-talker. Contains tips on how to cope with anxiety, etc.

4 Don’t Sweat It by Nicky Pellegrino (Allen & Unwin, $36.99)

5 Salad by Margo Flanagan & Rosa Flanagan (Allen & Unwin, $45)

6 Words of Comfort by Rebekah Ballagh (Allen & Unwin, $24.99)

7 Māori Made Easy by Scotty Morrison (Penguin Random House, $38)

8 This Changes Everything by Niki Bezzant (Penguin Random House, $37)

9 Lost and Found by Toni Street (Allen & Unwin, $36.99)

10 Tikanga  by Keri Opai (Upstart Press, $39.99)