While on vacation I indulged by reading my favourite author of all time, David Sedaris. I picked up this quirky little collection of animal-themed stories Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk at the Calgary Reads book sale a few months ago, and because this is a departure from his typical books of essays, I was excited to read…
I’m finding it harder and harder these days to find a simple mystery among the new books released each month. So many big publishers seem to be churning out a never-ending barrage of thrillers, yet the good ol’ fashioned mystery seems to be falling out of style. This is where small presses like Second Story…
I’m in the midst of preparing my ‘hot summer fiction’ segment for CBC Calgary, and I knew as soon as I read the first review of Every Summer After by Carley Fortune that I’d have to include this novel in my annual round-up. Canadians are buzzing about this one as it’s a first-time author (but…
Perhaps I’ve unlocked some sort of new book blogger level once I’ve been sent a puzzle for review, or maybe the good folks at Thomas Allen just know I’m the type of person that wants to sit at home by myself for long periods of time, but either way, I’m excited to share with my…
When a Ruth Ware books lands on my doorstep, I get excited. I’ve read every single one of her books published, and really enjoyed all of them. Because she’s writing in such a crowded genre, I’ll recognize certain tactics of suspense, or a stretch in truth or reality here or there, but overall I can…
The blurb on the cover of Jennifer Weiner’s latest book The Summer Place reads “The undisputed boss of the beach read” (The New York Times), and based on the drawing of a woman lazily floating around in a hot pink inflatable doughnut on the water, all signs point to this being a light read. It’s…
This is a story that will stay with me for quite awhile. The details, setting, and circumstances may fade from my memory, but I’ll always remember the protagonist Meena – the woman who sacrificed her body for those she loved. Honor by Thrity Umrigar* is a bestselling novel, many people have read it, including thousands…
It’s a great title, right? It’s definitely one of the reasons I picked up this book about books, but I was quite pleased that this work of contemporary women’s fiction held my attention to the very end based on the character development alone. The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick is focused more…
About a year ago I reviewed a work of fiction called The Subtweet by multi-disciplinary artist Vivek Shraya, and along with many other critics I really enjoyed it, so I was excited when another one of her books People Change landed on my doorstep a few months ago. Unlike Subtweet, this is a short work…
A brief look at the cover of this book immediately relays the fact that it’s written for me, at this exact point in the year. As my thoughts turn to summer vacation and reading on the dock (my favourite place to be), I can easily picture myself sitting in this red Muskoka chair, drinking a…
Another book about books – my favourite! Although I should mention that the titular book is a plot device, rather than a major theme. But this reference certainly piqued my interest, which shot this novel to the top of an otherwise teetering pile of historical fiction. The Lost Chapter by Caroline Bishop is a pleasant,…
In 2021, people got excited about this book; A Ghost in the Throat by Doireann Ní Ghríofa was declared brilliant and unique by many book critics and bloggers alike. I had it on my shelf from an early stage as Biblioasis was kind enough to send me an ARC, but it wasn’t until this week…
