One of the reasons I read is to gain new perspectives, and learn about lives I wouldn’t otherwise come into contact with. This can be done by reading both fiction and non-fiction, which is why I reached for The After Party by A.C. Arthur. It’s a mystery novel that takes place in present day Baltimore,…
Back in February I was lucky enough to sit in a theatre audience and listen to David Sedaris live and in-person, try out some of the stories from his upcoming release, Happy-Go-Lucky. Based on what he read and how he spoke of it, I knew it was going to have some darker moments. This collection…
I had seen brief reviews and mentions of The Sentence by Louise Erdrich around, but never received it from the publisher for review, so accepted the fact I wasn’t likely to read it. But then I read a great review of it by Consumed by Ink which outlined that it was a ghost story that…
I’ve had the book Dead Mom Walking by Rachel Matlow on my shelf for what feels like ages (its only been two years, but that’s a long time for me). I had read really positive reviews of it when it was released, and I knew it was going to be funny, so I kept it…
Although Possessed by Jowita Bydlowska has ghosts in it, but they are beside the point. Mental health struggles, abusive behavior, and depression are truly at the heart of this book. A work of literary fiction that made me uncomfortable, I found myself moving between episodes of interest and horror, mainly due to the thoughts and…
Before I get any Canlit lovers TOO excited, I should mention straight away that this is a middle grade novel meant for kids aged 9-13, Lawrence Hill has not written another adult book yet. But for those who are fans of his, perhaps reading this book may scratch that itch for a little while. I…
Some thriller readers may already be familiar with the author C.J. Tudor – she wrote the bestseller The Chalk Man a few years ago and continues to build her audience from that success. A Sliver of Darkness is the first book of hers that I’ve read, and it’s a collection of short stories, all works…
The atmosphere of The Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke is a winning combination of ghosts, witches, creepy houses, and eerie secrets that you’re better not knowing. I read this book a few weeks ago and some of the images are still floating through my head, not because I was surprised by them but because the…
I’ve been a bit hesitant to read vampire books since the whole genre was overtaken by YA authors hoping to recreate the success of the Twilight Series. But when I saw that A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson was an alternative re-telling of Dracula meant for adults, my interest was definitely piqued. Like many…
The perfect read for Halloween enthusiasts and witch-lovers of all stripes, The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais scratched an itch I didn’t realize I had. Its got all the ingredients of a perfect October read: a rambling haunted mansion, a coven of witches with a varied array of powers, a dark and mysterious…
Woman Eating by Claire Kohda explores the life of a vampire through the lens of a millennial and the struggles unique to that generation: someone who is struggling with living on their own, providing for themselves, reconciling who they are, all while dealing with a parent in a care home. Although I wouldn’t call the…
Last year I read the bestseller Beartown by Fredrik Backman, the first in the Beartown series which had come out years ago. This Fall I was sent the third and last installment in that series called The Winners, which took me awhile to read due to its length (670 pages) but I enjoyed once I…
