As I write this review, The Dishwasher by Stephane Laure, translated from the French by Pablo Strauss was named winner of the Amazon Canada First Novel Award just a few days ago. A prize devoted to first-time novelists only, it’s a highly-coveted way of launching one’s writing career, and the purse ain’t too shabby at…
This is a deliciously naughty novel. Whisper Network by Chandler Baker is about a large sports agency with a robust legal team, and the office politics that go on inside its glass tower of prestige. I’d be lying if I said this book didn’t make me miss going into an office every day-the camaraderie, the…
Do I love to read a book that’s stirred up controversy? Of course I do! Who doesn’t? I always want to see what all the fuss is about, even though I know I’m willingly jumping on a bandwagon that doesn’t need another rider. My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell has the been source of…
I groaned inwardly as I read the description for this book as a ‘literary western’. I generally hate the western genre, I find it very dull, I don’t like guns and I’m not really a horse person, so what is there for me? Luckily I picked up Ridgerunner by Gil Adamson anyway, mainly because I…
Living smack dab in the middle of a global pandemic seems like the PERFECT time to read a novel about a global pandemic right? Ok maybe not, and for those who are suffering from anxiety over our current situation, you may not want to reach for a book about a virus originating in China that’s…
It’s hard for me to write an unbiased review of a Vivek Shraya book because I’m in awe of her: everything she’s accomplished, the marginalized groups she advocates for, and the seemingly limitless talents she possesses all come together to create one amazing lady. Also her hair always looks FABULOUS. I’m not sure how she…
There is no shortage of books on parenting; people who have children and (annoyingly) people who don’t have children all feel compelled to give advice on this subject. But what many of these books fail to acknowledge is the power of circumstance, and how the environment one grows up in can influence the parent, their…
It’s hard to imagine what it would feel like to have a famous parent. I’m sure there are numerous accounts online that I could dig into, but I’d much rather read a fictional account of it; it feels less like voyeurism and more like personal enlightenment when reading about a character as opposed to a…
Full disclosure; I requested this book from Hachette because I wasn’t sure if it was a joke or not. How can I resist reviewing a book called ‘Woke’? The name alone strikes me as controversial because some people would gladly use that adjective to describe themselves, while others find it offensive. Woke by Titania McGrath…
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…
