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: You Belong To Me by Colin Harrison
Two years ago I spotted the book You Belong to Me by Colin Harrison in a publisher's catalogue, and I remember being intrigued by the premise, so I requested it for review. It was compared to The Da Vinci Code, but with more of a thriller-noirish aspect to it and to...
Book Review: There’s a Word For That by Sloane Tanen
I've been on a reading streak of chick-lit/contemporary women's fiction lately (I basically use those terms interchangeably now) and I've noticed a few trends within the genre, one of them being the inclusion of a rich or celebrity-like character in every story. Not...
Book Review: Alice & Oliver by Charles Bock
Ok, prepare yourself; this is a heart-wrenching read. Not this review (hopefully!) but this book: Alice & Oliver by Charles Bock. I must have been feeling particularly masochistic when I read the blurb in the publisher's catalogue and requested it anyway. Alice...
Comparison Book Review, A Tale of Two Wives: The Starter Wife vs. Autopsy of a Boring Wife
I try to avoid reviewing two or more novels in one post because I like to give each author their due, but these two books were begging to be compared against one another, and quite frankly, I'm reading so much these days that keeping up with my book reviews is getting...
Ivereadthis Jr. Edition: Keep ‘Em Moving
Here we are in the thick of summer, and in Calgary at least, some rainy days are looming ahead. What is a parent to do with these unfilled hours, rather then just pray September arrives sooner? Books are always my go-to, and I'm thankful that my 4 year-old is getting...
Book Review: Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
No doubt this book title and/or author name sounds familiar to you. I'm probably writing this review five months too late because the hype was at a deafening roar during its release in March, but I've just finished reading it and am excited to talk about it, so bear...
Book Review: Stay Up With Hugo Best by Erin Somers
Stay Up With Hugo Best by Erin Somers is one of those books that takes place over a specific, short period of time; in this case, it's the Memorial Day long weekend in the United States. This type of timeline usually works to add heightened drama to the proceeding...
Book Review: The Storm by Arif Anwar
I love the suspense that a storm brings to the fore in a fictional book; as the winds change, so do our expectations as a reader. This story begins with a storm, and ends with the same storm, pushing the reader in all different directions and time periods, raging...
Book Review: Fleishman Is In Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Awhile ago, I reviewed two books with very similar topics; wealthy families living in New York, marriage, the struggle to balance your life with kids, etc. Although I enjoyed those books, I've just discovered a much more nuanced, well-written version of those, and it...
Cookbook Review: Oven to Table by Jan Scott vs. The Domestic Geek’s Meals Made Easy by Sara Lynn Cauchon
I don't buy a lot of cookbooks; I get them given to me as gifts, and I have a few stand-by Best of Bridge books that I like to rotate through on a regular basis. I'm also a fan of the Looneyspoon sisters and all their iterations. I also get some for review (like these...
Book Review: Dream Sequence by Adam Foulds
Dream Sequence by Adam Foulds is a little gem of a novel. Short, beautifully written, engaging characters and an exciting ending; what else could a reader ask for? There are two main characters; Kristin is an attractive young woman who's just gotten a divorce from a...
Book Review: Lipstick Voodoo by Kristi Charish
Most books that get sent my way for review are ones I'm interested in reading right away; mystery, thriller, suspense, literary coming-of-age stories, even the occasional memoir. But every once in a while, something is sent to me that's clearly out of my reading...