Rust Belt By Jamie Trower When I heard that M2 writer, Jamie Trower, was releasing his latest book in 2023 under his own BIRDBOY PRESS, excitement ensued. Not meaning to sound too bias, Rust Belt is great. It’s a book that keeps you coming back, wanting more. I’m not a poetry reader, by any stretch, […]
This issue we review something new, something old and something you must do in 2022. Gone Tomorrow By Lee Child First up, we continue our review of classic Jack Reacher novels, this time number 13 of the series, from 2009. Unlike later books where Reacher’s adventures happen in small Midwest towns and counties of America, […]
When You Are Mine By Michael Robotham Despite its creepy title, I really enjoyed this great thriller with its characters and plot. This is Australian Robotham’s fifth novel and his first with this heroine (hopefully it will have a sequel and become a series). Northern Spy By Flynn Berry Unlike the recent genre of […]
The M2 office bookworm give us his top five winter reads to keep you entertained during these cold months. Tripwire By Lee Child I find a lot of writers do some great work in the early stages of their careers, so I read an earlier Jack Reacher thriller this month, from 1999, Tripwire. Being from […]
As daylight savings kicks on, the big sustainable and financial issue now is how to lower your light bulb use as the days get darker faster. Well, curling up with a good book only uses one light bulb as opposed to a whole room of lights for a dance lesson is perfect! Here are some […]
For this issue, I read 3 great novels, by whom I would call the gentlemen of action fiction authors. The Call of the Raven By Wilbur Smith I really admire Smith’s unique writing style that transports you back to a time of a different world. It takes a few pages to get into the flow, […]
I have read all these recent book releases and can recommend them all (no back cover blurb reviews here!). In fact I don’t read the back’s of books, I find they ruin the excitement of seeing things unfold, like most movie trailers. So grab these and relax your mind and open up the thinking while […]
Sharks In The Time of Saviours By Kawai Strong Washburn One of the pleasures of doing the M2 Book Reviews is the interesting books that arrive for me to review. There are so many talented authors with great ideas and writing styles, that really take you on an adventure or escape from your daily routine. […]
It’s never been a better time to get started on hunting your new home as the tides turn towards it becoming a buyers market.
Ghost Fire By Wilbur Smith It had to happen. Our first R18 book in our book review section! We tried hard to keep this a family-oriented section, much to the horror of everyone over 18 years old. But Wilbur Smith’s latest novel is too good not to include. Set in India back in the 1750’s, […]
The Titanic Secret By Clive Cussler & Jack Di Brul After a break from our usual exciting fiction book reviews* last issue, we’re back with our summer holiday reading pile picks. The latest Isaac Bell adventure sees him cross paths with Dirk Pitt (the James Bond of the Cussler world). Set in 1911, I was […]
Image courtesy of Apple “The philosophy has always been to be the best, not the first.” Tim Cook, CEO of Apple “If you tune it so that you have zero chance of failure, you usually also have zero chance of success. The key is to look at ways for when you get to your failure […]
Vaughan Fergusson is the Founder & Director of VEND, EY’s Tech Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014 and is the co-founder of The Pam Fergusson Charitable Trust, running initiatives to transform education like OMGTech!, Voluntari.ly and inawe.co.nz, setting up an enviro-tech centre in the middle of the bush in Raglan. Every year Vaughan does an […]
Amudsen’s Way By Joanna Grochowicz Using the unpublished expedition diaries to create a surprisingly intimate and well researched story, Amudsen’s Way casts a light onto an explorer that’s too often overshadowed by his competition. The story is written for kids, but is equally as enjoyable for adults wanting a light read about the daring race […]
As an avid reader of my monthly book reviews, you will be aware that I like Clive Cussler and read a lot of his books. So when his latest arrived “The Oracle” which stars the Fargos, I was keen to get stuck in. But this was like other Cussler book… You get an amazing bonus. […]
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The Miracle Equation By Hal Elrod In my life, there have been 2 influential books. The first was “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki. It was the fastest time I read a book (2 days) and I devoured every word. It changed my view of success and money. The second is “The Miracle Equation”, […]
One New Zealand’s leading wine merchants, Negociants, will be holding their annual wine tasting events in July in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Featuring a selection of wines from both New Zealand and Australia, this is your chance to meet some top winemakers and try the beautiful wines they produce. Tickets include all tastings, an antipasti […]
Prestige Champagne House, Champagne Bollinger, celebrated the release of their premium vintage, the La Grande Année 2008, during an exclusive dinner party on Wednesday May 22 at Mantells Tamaki. The Champagne, which is only produced when the harvest reaches a perfect balance, was served alongside exquisite food pairings while the guests were informed on the […]
Golden State By Ben H. Winters Set in the future, in a place where telling lies is illegal… Imagine how many people you know would be arrested! Takes a bit of getting into, but stick with it, it has a twists and turns until it all makes sense in the end. Ruin Beach By Kate […]
THE SNAKES By Sadie Jones Like a snake, this novel takes all sorts of twists and turns that keep you compelled to read just another couple of pages before you put it down! Great characters and plot. I’m not going to say watch for the twist in the tail… 5 out of 5. ONE FALSE […]
The star, Orphan X, reminds me of Jason Bourne, a real action star. Great plot and great characters. The bad guys are just as interesting as the good guys. I couldn’t stop turning the pages. This is s good action thriller, so a 5 out of 5 from me. Out of the dark By Gregg […]
Everyday as part of my morning routine, I workout. Most mornings 15-25 minutes, which is all good, but I didn’t realise I had the potential to do more and feel even better. Enter the new Under Armour HOVR Infinite. From the moment I think about putting them on, things are different. I’m now an athlete, […]
Hatch | How it works Three easy steps to start investing in the US share markets.
I was so pleased when I learnt that Lee Child (Jim Grant) had been made redundant back in the mid 1990’s from his television programming job. Because I really didn’t want ask silly questions like ‘what are your influences?’ and ‘who do you read?’ After the big blow of being made redundant, Grant took a […]
SHADOW TYRANTS By Clive Cussler Juan Cabrillo the Chairman of the Oregon is back with his team of elite professionals ready to bring down the bad guys in this latest novel by Cussler. Perfect for the New Zealand summer as Cussler’s books are sea based. 4 out of 5 OUT OF THE MAZE By Spencer […]
As I raced around the corner from a tar seal road to a metal road the back of Rolls-Royce’s latest model, a Super Luxury SUV, swung out, I’d clearly taken it too fast, but before I could even think to correct, the four-wheel steering system took over and I was back in control. While, this […]
By Jamie Trower All poetry needs to rhyme – that’s a fact. When I hear ‘poetry’, I think Dr. Seuss…I think New Zealand’s own, Sam Hunt. I think cigarette-smoking hipsters clicking and talking about their feelings. But after I read A Sign of Light I was pleasantly surprised. Not just because I know the guy, […]
No Limits By Joanne Black I found this life story of Craig Heatley very hard to put down. I’ve heard a lot about Craig Heatley, but as I was a teenager in the 80’s, my focus then was on the music & fun, rather than the titans of New Zealand business. Some really good insight […]
Adecco and Paralympics New Zealand work together to help physically disabled athletes succeed to their full potential. To celebrate these achievements, they hold the yearly Adecco Prime Ministers Dinner. In its 5th consecutive year, this years Dinner, held on October 9, was a huge success. Attendees included Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson and a […]
GEORGE LUCAS – A LIFE By Brian Jay Jones An inspiring story of how one man can win against the odds. How Star Wars almost never happened without his courage and clever thinking. I learnt a lot of how Lucas built his $4 billion empire. Well worth a read. THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING By Bill […]
Here’s your chance to join us for an exclusive, adrenaline-fuelled day of exhilarating performance and luxury. The Lexus Performance Track Day is a chance to drive our most recently released vehicles, and receive one-on-one coaching on the track from our professional drivers. The full Lexus line-up will be available including a hand-picked performance fleet with the Lexus […]
BOSS Bottled is the flagship scent of the luxury fashion brand Hugo Boss and since its launch in 1998, it has managed to timelessly embody the “man of today”. The brand is known for making guys look like the embodiment of success, and their fragrance is no exception, radiating the attitude of an ambitious man: […]
The Rising Sea By Clive Cussler Cussler has a number of franchises, this time its the latest from the Numa Files, starring Kurt Austin. A new marine based action thriller, starting off in 1573 to set the scene, then back to theimplications today with our heros and the bad guys. I always look forward to […]
Gallery Of The Dead Chris Carter Robert Hunter, the insomniac genius detective, is back with a novel that fulfills the cover’s proclamation that it is ‘as addictive as a box-set’. I agree, I was bingeing this book at every opportunity. Excellent characters and plot. The Caller Chris Carter Don’t be put off by the tacky […]
We all love a good sale, especially when it’s at Matisse. Matisse are well-known for importing luxurious designer furniture, kitchens, bathrooms, lighting, flooring and wardrobes. The brand are currently having a sale on their luxury brands – ending on Sunday in Auckland and Saturday in Christchurch. So if you’re looking to revamp your home it’s […]
By Tim Lawrence I haven’t read the first two Orphan X novels, but I did read and review another Hurwitz novel last year, Tell No Lies, where I said: “ The story is set in San Francisco, the hero is a rich kid with a tough, wealthy mother; he gives up everything to marry his […]
Typhoon Fury Clive Cussler Juan Cabrillo and the corporation are off on another adventure, this time sees them in Asia. A good old fashioned good guy versus the bad guys with the villain being tough and not to be messed with. This is the 9th Oregon files book, those familiar with the series will know […]
Unwavering, relentless persistence, those are the words I would use to describe Richard Branson. He’s built a global brand and personal lifestyle, from scratch that fascinates us with its continuous momentum, near misses and massive achievements. How many international entrepreneurs would be working deals and businesses in massive markets like the UK, the USA, Europe, […]
Peter Burling has been announced as the M2 Champagne Bollinger Man of the Year for 2017. The Emirates Team New Zealand Helmsman and America’s Cup Winner was announced at an exclusive awards ceremony on Thursday 9 November with fellow crew members Josh Junior and Guy Endean accepting the award on his behalf as Burling is […]
America’s Greatest Living Thriller Writer (as titled on the front cover of his latest novel, The Cuban Affair), Nelson Demille writes his books with a pencil and paper from his home in Long Island, New York. It’s a process that works for him. The Cuban Affair (his 20th novel) has hit-the-ground-running by heading straight to […]
Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit. Conrad Hilton Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking. Marcus Aurelius Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say […]
TELL NO LIES Gregg Hurwitz The story is set in San Francisco, the hero is a rich kid with a tough, wealthy mother; he gives up everything to marry his sweetheart and becomes a psychologist who works with ex-prisoners to rehabilitate them. Mother does not approve. It’s a murder mystery with twists and turns and […]
Ben Sanders was not a name I had heard of when I saw his books in stores for Christmas. So after a few sightings, I got the message and read American Blood. I liked it. The hero, Marshall, wasn’t as arrogant as Jack Reacher, and not as active as Jason Bourne. He was a good […]
