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.
IveReadThis Jr. Edition: A Cozy Canadian Christmas
How did we get here so quickly? I know everyone may not feel the same way, but this year flew by for me and my family. My kids are near to bursting with excitement for Christmas so I'm trying to calm them down by doing some quiet reading with them. And what better to...
Ivereadthis Jr. Edition: Christmas Across the Ages
I've got an almost 6-year-old, and an almost 3-year-old, and luckily they both enjoy sitting and listening to me read books that suit both age groups, but I do realize there will come a time when my oldest may not want to sit through the same books my youngest does....
Book Review: The 19th Christmas by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
This is the first (and most likely the last) James Patterson book I'll ever read. It's not that I didn't like it, in fact I enjoyed it, it was highly entertaining and I flew through the pages. Still, I finished the book and thought, what was the point of this? The...
IveReadThis Jr. Edition: Happy Hanukkah
Most of my readers are probably aware of this by now, but I'm not Jewish. Still, I like to read my kids books about Hanukkah because I think it's important they understand that not everyone celebrates Christmas, there are other holidays that happen around the same...
Book Review: God Loves Hair by Vivek Shraya
I've raved about Calgary author and artist Vivek Shraya on this blog before, so when given the chance to review the 10th anniversary edition of her first book God Loves Hair (previously self-published) I was excited to dive in and witness the evolution of her writing....
Book Review: The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson
Historical fiction isn't typically a genre I get excited about. It's one of those things that I tend to enjoy once I've been forced into it, but don't actively seek it out on my own (I also feel this way about travel, and I blame my father for this general...
Book Review: Vermin by Lori Hahnel
As the economy continues to take a nose dive here in Alberta, I'm becoming more and more determined to read local and encouraging others to do the same. When possible, buying locally-authored books from an independent book store is even better because it keeps the...
Video Book Review: Short Story & Chocolate Advent Calendar Re-Cap
As in past years, I'm continuing with the short story advent calendar this holiday season. I've also decided to go local with my chocolate advent calendar, so I'm highlighting the wonderful treats that Calgary-based The Chocolate Lab has to offer in their advent...
Book Review: One More for Christmas by Sarah Morgan
I don't watch a lot of television, and I only have Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ for streaming services (of which I don't watch very often), so I tend to miss out on the dearth of holiday hallmark movies that come out this time of year. Luckily, books are always...
Mini Book Reviews: Non-Fiction Holiday Books
Each Fall I send an email to the major publishers I review for, asking them for their holiday specific titles. I do this because I need to plan for my radio segments early, but I also love reading for the specific season. If it was a normal year I would recommend...
Book Review: Why the Rock Falls by J.E. Barnard
Do you avoid jumping into the middle of a mystery series and insist on reading the 1st book first? I rarely get the opportunity to read a series in consecutive order, so I have no problem starting halfway through, but I do realize this sets me back in the character...
Book Review: El Jefe, The Stalking of Chapo Guzman by Alan Feuer
As I plan and prepare for my bookish gift-giving guide for the 2020 holidays, I find myself dipping into books I wouldn't normally pick up. Many of my long-time readers are probably a bit curious about the selection of books I've been diving into lately, and this is...