Jenna
Over a decade since Time Out favourite, Swamplandia!, Karen Russell’s new novel The Antidote is here. Set in 1930’s Nebraska, in the time of The Dust Bowl, Russell weaves together history and magic to tell a tale full of rich characters, stunning writing and gives context to the effects of colonisation and the climate crisis. Highly, highly recommended.
Listen to Jenna’s review with Jonny, in the bFM studio below.
Today on Nine to Noon, Jenna was in the studio to chat to Kathryn about French author, Laurent Binet’s new novel. Perspectives is an epistolary novel that tells a playful tale of murder, art & moral panic in Renaissance Florence. Featuring real life figures such as Michelangelo, Vasari and the Medicis, this is one for the art history buffs.
Listen below for the full review.
Jenna has so much book news, that we’ve dedicated this week’s segment to it.
First, the shortlist for the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards has been announced. See the list of finalists here. The ceremony will be held on May 14th.
Secondly, a preview of names have been announced for the Auckland Writers Festival, with the full programme being release this Wednesday 12th March. Kaliane Bradley, Gavin Bishop, Yael van der Wouden, Ben Macintyre and Asako Yuzuki are just the start of an amazing programme.
Finally, New Zealand author Saraid de Silva’s Amma has been longlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Listen to all the news & more below.
Jenna & Jonny are in the studio this morning talking literary horror. Old Soul is a mysterious & unsettling tale traversing many countries on the hunt for a mysterious, dangerous woman.
For fans of David Mitchell, Stephen King and Mariana Enriquez, Susan Barker is the author of Time Out favourite, The Incarnations.
Translated from French, Dear Dickhead is a epistolary tale between cancelled crime author, Oscar and aging actress, Rebecca as they talk about feminism, generational difference and addiction.
Nuanced and very funny, Dear Dickhead is a great next step if you enjoyed All Fours. As Jonny says, ‘it sounds very French!’
Today on Nine to Noon, Jenna was in the studio to chat to Kathryn about some of her favourite 2024 reads.
Listen below for the full review.
Named after Patti Smith’s Dancing Barefoot, Some Strange Music Draws Me In is both a visceral 1980’s, small town coming of age story and a modern day exploration of gender, generation differences, family & relationships.
Fun fact: As well as being an author, Griffin Hansbury is a psychoanalyst.
This shot up to being one of Jenna’s favourite books of 2024.
Listen below to Jenna & Jonny reunite in the studio for 2025.
Jenna called into the studio for Time Out’s last session for the year! Listeners texted in for book advice, including sci-fi for teens, Egyptology for an 8 year old and non-mainstream reads for a dude. Jonny needs a summer read too, plus some advice on 2024 cookbooks.
Time Out is open from 9am-9pm to help with all your Christmas needs. Gift wrapping included.
Listen below!
Jenna & Jonny talk Juice, the new dystopion novel by Australian living legend, Tim Winton. This pacy novel set in the North Western Australian desert, imagines a world of climate crisis but underpins the fear with the hope of humanity.
Listen to the full review below.
Jenna chatted to Nine to Noon’s Kathryn Ryan, about Ali Smith’s new dystopian novel, Gliff.
The companion novel, Glyph, will be released in 2025.
Listen below!
Jenna dives into the newly minted 2024 Booker winner, Orbital, by Samantha Harvey. Orbital is due back in stock in December - order below!
Listen to Jenna’s review with Jonny below, as well as some big gig chat from the weekend.
Jenna visited the studio this morning to give a rundown on the upcoming announcement of the 2024 Booker Prize (November 13th NZD time and talk about the deut Dutch shortlistee, The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden.
Set in the 1960’s, in a house in a small Dutch village, Isabel’s rigid routine is upended when her brother’s new girlfriend comes to stay for the summer. However, not is all what it seems.The less you know about this book, the better!
Clcik the link below to listen to Jenna and Jonny’s chat.
Jenna phoned from the shop floor to talk about Wellington author Damien Wilkins’ new book, Delirious.
As Mary and Pete prepare to move out of their home and into a retirement village, the past comes back to visit. A deceptively simple read that is masterly crafted about family, memory and grief.
Listen to Jenna & Jonny at the link below.
Jenna was back in the bFM studio this morning after being overseas. First, she delves a little into her booky trip to the UK. Then, talks about the highly anticipated sequel to Auē, Kataraina.
Listen to the spoiler free chat with Jonny below, you can also read her spoiler-filled review on The Spinoff here.
Finally, Jenna also chats about Aotearoa NZ Bookshop Day, which is this Saturday 12th October.
Suri talks to Jonny about Sheila Heti’s latest memoir which is an exploration of form and a radical experiment in diary writing.
Each chapter includes diary entries out of chronological order and in a system of alphabetisation- every sentence within a chapter begins with the same letter. From reading Faulkner to kissing in the supermarket, Alphabetical Diaries offers an intimate insight into the minutiae of Heti’s daily life and habits with a playful, poetic flair.
Listen below!
Jenna talks to Molly about The Mermaid Chronicles, the new, swimmingly good mer-moir from Megan Dunn.
The true tale of how one woman's lifelong obsession became a midlife mermaid odyssey, from the irrepressibly witty author of Tinderbox and Things I Learned at Art School.
Listen below!
Jenna phoned into the Nine to Noon studio today to talk about the fantastic memoir, The Friday Afternoon Club. Following the famous Dunne family, through celebrity, hilarity and then deep tragedy, this book has something for everyone.
A masterclass in storytelling! Listen below.
A cleverly told story which thoughtfully captures the uncomfortable space between the generational and gender divide of a daughter and a father.
Sophia’s father sits in a theatre to watch the debut of his young daughter’s play. But he soon realises the play is about him and a holiday they took together in Sicily.
For fans of Deborah Levy, Ian McEwan and Rachel Cusk!
Listen to Jenna chat with guest Nine to Noon host, Paddy Gower below.
Jenna has Father’s Day on her mind, with a recommendation that would be great for your Dad, or quite frankly, just yourself!
Auckland based journalist Steve Braunias has declared The Survivors is his last book of true crime. Some cases you will know, others Steve was the only media in the room. This series of essays that depicts the human condition, with insight, investigation and humour.
Listen to Jenna & Jonny chat about it below.
