If you read Nicole Lundrigan’s last book The Substitute, you’ll have a good idea of what you’re in for in her latest novel, Hideaway. Both books deal with traumatized children, neglectful parents, and big family secrets. These sound like heavy topics, and they are, but the unsettling atmosphere that made The Substitute such an enticing…
When I really love a book, it’s difficult to pinpoint what elevates it above all others. I suppose it’s a bunch of things; character, plot, writing, but also the lack of issues I can point to that disappointed me. With all this in mind, I’ve decided The Student by Cary Fagan is one of my…
As I write this review, I’ve got a soundtrack of ’80s music playing softly in the background; at the moment, it’s “Live to Tell” by Madonna. I normally require near-quiet to write, but I’m hoping the music will offer some inspiration as I think back to my experience reading Someday Jennifer by Risto Pakarinen. I’ve…
Are you the type of reader that’s affected by book hype? If an upcoming release is getting a lot of attention, does it make you want to read it even more? It’s ok to admit it affects you, that’s why they call it ‘buzz’, it’s so persuasive! Woman on the Edge by Samantha M. Bailey…
Holding on to Normal by Alana Somerville is a memoir. It’s about a 33-year-old mother of two young children who is diagnosed with breast cancer; her journey of discovering the lump, deciding on treatments and reconstructive surgeries and then enduring the chemotherapy that led to her recovery. Why did I choose to read this difficult…
Easter is my favourite holiday because the chocolate selection is exceptional at this time of year. Cadbury is my go-to brand of chocolate (#notsponsored) and they bring out all the showstoppers in March and April; cream eggs, mini eggs, lil’ scoops, I love them all. As all parents do, I’ve passed along my preferences to…
Recording a book review for book tube was a great excuse to brush my hair and put on a little make-up, so I did just that for my latest read, This Has Nothing To Do With You by Lauren Carter. I still wore stretchy pants though, there’s no way I’m needlessly wearing jeans while this…
Some may cringe at the thought of reading a book written in the voice of a six-year-old, but once you get past the simplistic dialogue and extraneous words, the story behind the boy is a spectacular one. For those who read Room by Emma Donoghue and enjoyed it, you’ll understand the pleasure in ‘looking behind…
When a book opens with a family tree, you can expect a few things; there will be many characters, there will be drama, and you will have to refer back to said family tree throughout the book to ground yourself in what’s going on. If any of those things intimidate or bore you as a…
The last thing anyone wants to hear right now is a warning. Haven’t we had enough of those? Even our traffic signs are being switched over to reminders about good hand hygiene. Although I agree this is all necessary, I’ve reached my limit of cautionary tales right now. Or, at least I THOUGHT I did,…
I had never heard the name Barry Sonnenfeld before I read this book, probably because he’s a ‘behind the cameras’ kind of celebrity. He’s a well-respected filmmaker and director who made movies like Men in Black and The Addams Family. He’s got a bunch of famous friends who thinks he’s weird but hang out with…
I’m reminded of a particular quote: “This might hurt a little. Be brave.” when I think of The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. That sentence appears at the beginning of Megan Gail Coles’ book Small Game Hunting, but it’s all too applicable to this novel as well because Reading Nickel Boys will be painful. I…
