Although I stay mostly off social media these days, I dip into Twitter every now and then, which piqued my interest in the new release from Canadian author Amy Jones. Pebble & Dove is her latest novel, which is a lighthearted take on family politics and the bonds we draw and break within that sphere….
Quickly becoming one of my ‘must read everything authors’, Samantha Irby has released a new book of essays just in time for the start of my summer reading. Quietly Hostile looks like her other books; a bright cover with a random animal on the front, and it reads exactly like her other books too: hilarious….
Before you begin to wonder if I’ve taken a sharp turn in my reading interests, let me assure you this title is a reference to the city the characters travel to: Paris. The use of ‘rooster’ itself isn’t that obvious in Coq by Ali Bryan, instead it’s an invitation to open up this book and…
It’s hard to define Mad Honey by Katie Welch in terms of genre; we begin with a literary novel steeped in family history and resentment, slowly move into the territory of a mystery, and end up in the world of a thriller. Despite these leaps, the plotting is well done and I couldn’t read this…
I’ve got some promising horror books on my shelf at the moment, so I thought I’d clear some of them away before spooky season in the Fall brings even more my way. Bad Cree by Jessica Johns was a big spring book here in Canada; everyone was talking about it, and I was excited to…
In honour of Father’s Day this month, I’m reading and reviewing books that feature father figures for my upcoming radio segment. The Boy and the Mountain; A Father, His Son, and a Journey of Discovery by Torbjørn Ekelund and translated by Becky L. Crook fit the bill perfectly. It’s a slim work of non-fiction that…
I’ve been chatting about books on CBC Calgary’s afternoon drive home show for about 10 years now, so I’ve gotten a clear glimpse behind the curtain of live radio. That being said, there’s A TON I don’t know about this industry, and the inner workings on the morning show here are still a mystery to…
I purchased What Strange Paradise a few years ago, shortly after Omar El Akkad won the Giller Prize for writing it back in 2021. When he wrote it, he likely didn’t assume many readers would already be familiar with the book The Boy on the Beach by Tima Kurdi, the real-life account of what his…
When this book arrived on my doorstep for review, I remember getting excited about its unique premise; Night Watch: The Vet Suite by Gillian Wigmore is a collection of 3 novellas all about rural veterinarians. I promptly forgot about it for 2 years, but finally picked it up after searching for something on my bookshelf…
A recent post by my blogging bud Melanie over at GTL about the now-famous thriller novel Gone Girl reminded me of the the far-reaching impact that book had on the publishing industry, which is an affect that is still obvious today. The Nigerwife by Vanessa Walters is an obvious comparison to this book, as it’s…
As I was perusing a publisher catalogue a few months ago, a non-fiction book caught my eye: Madame Restell, The Life, Death and Resurrection of Old New York’s Most Fabulous, Fearless and Infamous Abortionist by Jennifer Wright. Why did this particular work interest me? I don’t typically jump at reading books about history, especially American…
After a promising review by fellow book blogger Naomi, I was convinced I should pick up the latest release from Canadian writer Pauline Holdstock. Confessions with Keith is a look at a year in the life of a wife and mother who is barely holding on. I love tales of motherhood, and the frantic scribblings…
