Book Reviews
I typically post between two and three book reviews a week. Please refer to my review policy if you’d like to submit a book for consideration. I invite you to subscribe to my newsletter to get a summary of my reviews once a month.
The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher
Another example of my favourite genre; books about books, The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher tells the story of the infamous book store Shakespeare and Company. Is 'books about books' an actual genre? No, I made it up, but it's a way to categorize my absolute...
Book Review: The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
Right off the bat, just want to warn you all this book is NOT about candy, or treats of any kind (disappointing, I know). The Candy House by Jennifer Egan is a warning wrapped in multiple layers of story. The candy house in the title is referring to a few different...
Book Review: The Tangled Miracle by Bertram Brooker
I always rejoice when I get the chance to read a classic mystery. The Tangled Miracle by Canadian author Bertram Brooker was originally published in 1936 under the pseudonym Huxley Herne, and has recently been re-released by indie publisher Invisible Publishing which...
Book Review: Persephone’s Children, A Life in Fragments by Rowan McCandless
A crossword puzzle, a packing list, a script for a play, a journal of writing prompts, real estate listings, a dictionary, a legal contract, a grimoire, and a tree atlas - all of these writing forms and more are included in the book Persephone's Children, a Life in...
Book Review: We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza
It's not often you read a book written by two different authors, especially when the authors are black and white and writing about an act of racism in modern-day America. We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza is a novel about an unarmed, 14-year-old...
Book Review: Animal Person by Alexander MacLeod
Alexander MacLeod and his father, celebrated canlit icon Alistair MacLeod are two writers I've always felt I should read more of - this is partly due to the wonderful book reviews of Alistair's writing that can be found on the fabulous book blogs Consumed by Ink and...
Book Review: Surviving the White Gaze by Rebecca Carroll
When I realized my reading last year was #sowhite, especially considering I'm reading all books published within the last few years, I've been making a concerted effort to read with diversity in mind, and it has been a rewarding experience. Surviving the White Gaze by...
Book Review: Would I Lie to You? by Aliya Ali-Afzal
I had been reading a string of heavy books lately, and felt as though I deserved a little indulgent reading, which for me can be a cozy mystery, or a domestic thriller. I leaned into the thriller/suspense category and picked up Would I Lie To You? by Aliya Ali-Afzal,...
Book Review: Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
I won't say my reading is influenced by awards, because it rarely is - quite often, my book choices depend on the themes I've come up with for my monthly radio segment, and the books that land on my doorstep for review. But every so often I break out of this pattern...
Book Review: Jameela Green Ruins Everything by Zarqa Nawaz
When I originally received this book for review, I dismissed it thinking it was YA, which I don't normally read except under special circumstances. But after seeing it appear on more than one 'notable spring books' list, I thought I'd give it a try, knowing at the...
Book Review: If You Hear Me by Pascale Quiviger
Sometimes it feels good to just have a little cry, and you'll have to keep the therapeutic benefits of sobbing in mind if you plan on reading If You Hear Me by Pascale Quiviger, translated from the French by Lazer Lederhendler. It's a daunting read knowing it centers...
Book Review: Stories I Might Regret Telling You by Martha Wainwright
Picture yourself in a dark basement club in downtown Montreal, small votive candles burning away on each little table. Across from you is a woman with a raspy voice smoking a cigarette, telling you her life story in between sets on stage. She is surprisingly...