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 Missing Guests of the Magic Grove Hotel by David Casarett
I'm a fan of the occasional cozy mystery, although I only read them every once in awhile because they can be a bit slow. The Missing Guests of the Magic Grove Hotel by David Casarett is a perfect example of the cozy mystery; it's slow, very slow, in fact the...
A House Dedicated to Books is the Best Kind of House
Now that I'm an 'urban mom', I'm constantly on the look-out for child-friendly spaces in downtown Calgary. Recently, I discovered a wonderful place called The Children's Reading Place, which is a beautiful little home found in the neighborhood of Inglewood, full of...
Book Review: The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old by Hendrik Groen
So I think this is the first book I've ever read where the author is actually anonymous. Yes, the name of 'Hendrik Groen' has been assigned as the author of this title, but that may or may not be the actual author's name. When The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen was...
Radio Segment: Two Very Different Coming of Age Stories (and sort of love stories too)
So I recently did an interesting mash-up of a radio segment for the CBC Homestretch where I spoke about two books that are very different; one focuses on young love while the other focuses on old love. The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, Age 83 1/4 was my...
I Went to a Cat Cafe and it was Glorious
The title of this latest post won't surprise anyone. In fact, the only surprising thing about this whole experience was that it took me so dang long to go to this cafe, even though it's only a ten minute drive from my house (the joys of urban living!). The Regal Cat...
Video Review: Selection Day by Aravind Adiga
Everyone seemed very disappointed by the fact that my last video book review didn't have a cat in it, so I forced Pearl into this one: you're welcome! Unfortunately I wasn't a huge fan of the novel I review in this video, although I can see why this book would appeal...
Freedom to Read Week: February 25-March 3, 2018
I'm what you call the opposite of a rebel; I fear authority and am just fine with colouring inside the lines until my final days on this earth. However, I do enjoy a bit of 'rebellious reading', that is, reading whatever you like, regardless of how other people...
Cookbook Review: The Redpath Canadian Bake Book
It may come as a surprise to some that my love of reading is not limited to your typical work of fiction, memoir or self-help book. I also enjoy a nice cookbook, because I cook every single goddamn meal most of the dishes our budding little family dines on, so I'm...
Book Review: Louis Undercover by Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault
Graphic novels are hot right now, it seems everyone is talking about them and with good reason; they are a wonderful way of communicating a story in a unique and visually delightful way. For those who aren't familiar with the format, I've included a few pictures...
Book Review: Dazzle Patterns by Alison Watt
I won't lie, the cover of this book threw me off so I didn't even read its back blurb (yikes!) so THEN I had no idea the story of Dazzle Patterns by Alison Watt was set during the Halifax Explosion of 1917, which resulted in me relegating it to the back of my TBR...
Book Review: Mitzi Bytes by Kerry Clare
This is a book about a stay-at-home Mom who does part-time work from home; she blogs, she loves reading books, she has a husband who works long hours and she doesn't care for other 'mommy' opinions that she overhears on the playground. Does this sound like anyone you...
Book Review: The Futures by Anna Pitoniak
This is an 'older' book by the standards of what I usually review; Anne Pitoniak's The Futures was released in January 2017, so I'm only about a year behind on my TBR list (insert sharp intake of breath here). The back cover summary of this book spoke to me, because...