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.
Book Review: The Ghost in the House by Sara O’Leary
Imagine my delight when realizing the author of my favourite children's picture book had penned a novel for adults! I didn't care what the topic was, whether it was fiction or non-fiction, I wanted to read it right away, and I'm relieved to say I loved it just as much...
Book Review: Long Bright River by Liz Moore
This is the second book about opioid addiction that I've read in the past few months. Although that seems a bit strange, we are learning that in the background of the Covid-19 pandemic, an even bigger problem is looming, killing more people than ever before: drug...
Book Review: The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
I don't read a lot of historical fiction, although I do like to dabble every once in awhile, and The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave caught my eye because it deals with witches, at least, the idea of them. It's also based on a true story, which again, appeals to...
Book Review: Camp Girls by Iris Krasnow
Did you go to summer camp when you were a kid? Does the thought of summer drum up memories of lakes, pine trees, and lazy canoe rides as the sun sets? I was lucky enough to head up north each summer to my family cottage when I was a kid, and because my Mom was a...
Book Review: Pass Me By, Gone Fishin’ by Kyle Simmers and Ryan Danny Owen
So there's a new book club in town, and no, I'm not leading it. But I am excited about it! It's called the Alberta Reads Book Club, and it's a government initiative highlighting the wonderful breadth of books that our province publishes. The inaugural book pick is...
Book Review: All The Lost Things by Michelle Sacks
Although it's difficult to write in the voice of a child, I've had pretty good luck finding authors that do it well. This is why I had such high hopes for All The Lost Things by Michelle Sacks, a work of fiction about a Dad abducting his 7-year-old daughter Dolly. It...
Guest Post, Reading My Way to Resilience: How I Created Sue’s Stokvel
For those who have been following my blog regularly, you will know what a big fan of book clubs I am. Calgary is full of innovative bookworms, and I wanted to highlight some of the other wonderful book clubs that my readers should know about. Sue-Shane Tsomondo is a...
Book Review: Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews
Lately I've felt a desperate, renewed desire to get outside and enjoy the warmer months as best as possible. Perhaps it's because of the pandemic restrictions, but even though it's only mid-July I'm worried that summer is slipping away without my fully enjoying it, so...
Book Review: The Union of Smokers by Paddy Scott
I'm always excited to announce a book review from a new (to me) publisher. Invisible Publishing is wholly Canadian, and based on this first offering of theirs that I've read, it's a small press you should pay attention to and support with your hard-earned book bucks....
Book Review: Becoming A Man, The Story of a Transition by P. Carl
As a book-lover, I'm constantly encouraging people to read. As a person who leans a little to the left, I'm also a big proponent of reading books that introduce people to new ideas and perspectives, especially those voices that you may not have in your everyday life....
Book Review: The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
Is the idea of visiting a remote glass hotel off an island a terrifying thought, or a welcome one? Personally, I love immersing myself in nature, so the idea of sitting in a five-star resort with not another soul in sight (other than the staff mixing my cocktails) is...
Book Review: The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Ever since reading There, There by Tommy Orange a few years ago, I've been eager to buy more books about the American Aboriginal experience. These books are hard to find (at least as a Canadian, they seem be hard to find), and other than Louise Erdrich, I'm having...