The colourful debut novel Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt had been on my radar for awhile; it made a big splash (no pun intended) when it was first published in 2022, and it seems to keep popping up in recommendations ever since. There were a bunch of copies available at the book sale…
Perhaps you’re ignorant of many famous historical events, like I am. I’m always astounded at what I don’t know and continue to learn as I age. Books are (of course) a wonderful way of educating myself which is why I’m always recommending them. The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue is a great example of why…
This is the first Heather O’Neill book I’ve ever read, and as a Canadian who prides myself on reading widely, I’m embarrassed to admit that! O’Neill has written a few works of fiction, many of them award-winners, so I was delighted when I could join the band of O’Neill fans after I read her latest…
A new book by Matt Haig always seems to turn into a publishing ‘event’. He’s a bestselling author with many hits under his belt, but his latest release The Life Impossible seemed to have slipped under the radar – I haven’t seen it on many lists since it came out in September. It’s still considered…
Many Canadian book-lovers will be aware of this latest release: The Knowing by Tanya Talaga hit store shelves at the end of August, is currently on the bestseller list, and will likely remain there for the next few months. A documentary by the same name (trailer below) was released at the same time as the…
Just like my review of Lessons in Chemistry from a few weeks ago, I finally purchased and read Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, a Reese’s Book Club Pick, because everyone raved about it and said I had to read it. Like many book recommendations I receive, they were right. This book is lovely. Ann Patchett…
For those who grew up in Ontario, Canada, most will recall the notorious case of the killer and serial rapist, Paul Bernardo. Behind You by Catherine Hernandez is about that time, but it is most definitely not about Paul himself. Instead, it is a work of fiction that examines society’s expectations of young women during…
A witchy book for Halloween always gets me excited. I still recall one of my favourites from last year, The Witches of Moonshyne Manor, which tells the story of a very fun group of witches. It was this excitement that I brought to Big Little Spells by Hazel Beck, the second in a series about…
I’ve read a few Will Ferguson books in my day, as he’s a beloved local Calgary author who has won many awards for his writing – impressively, in very different genres and categories. In this first of a promised series, Will Ferguson has teamed up with his brother Ian Ferguson in the cozy mystery I…
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…
While preparing for a ‘spring books to watch’ segment on my monthly radio appearance, I chose The Fake by Zoe Whittall for two reasons; one, I keep seeing it mentioned everywhere, so obviously the publisher has been successful in creating ‘buzz’. Secondly, it’s a work of fiction about a con-artist, which is always a fun…
I don’t like watching dystopian films – I cringe all the way through the movies that depict our last few days on earth due to some asteroid, climate event, or alien invasion because I’d rather not watch something so hopeless. But I don’t mind reading a dystopian novel, often because the narrative will be focused…
