When I comment on other people’s book blogs, I frequently find myself saying similar things; in particular, I frequently admit that I love a good book that deals with nothing at all (like the literary version of Seinfeld). People’s mundane lives, the things that happen to all of us fascinate me, so I really expected…
Seven Fallen Feathers by investigative journalist Tanya Talaga is a few things; it’s a non-fiction account of the death of seven different indigenous children in Thunder Bay, it’s a cautionary tale to parents who send their emotionally unprepared kids to an environment they’ve never experienced, and it’s a crushing blow to Canadians who claim racism…
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like this before. Hunting Houses by Fanny Britt* is a three day snapshot into Tessa’s life; a middle-aged, married real-estate agent with three boys and a husband who adores her. But we don’t just follow Tessa for this short time, we also get glimpses of her…
Liminal by Jordan Tannahill is a book that pushes boundaries. It doesn’t really have a plot, so it’s pushing the boundaries of what we would typically think of as a novel (although many people see this as more of a memoir, it’s a work of fiction, so we must assume that there are embellishments at…
This book could have easily become a cliche; it centers on the extramarital affair that Maggie has with her penpal-turned-friend-turned-lover James. But there are a few things that keep Fire Sermon by Jamie Quatro from spiralling into an overdone narrative. Firstly, Maggie is quite religious, which of course raises a few eyebrows right off the…
I’m really torn between my conflicting thoughts on this book. Into the Sun by Deni Ellis Bechard is extremely ambitious, it goes into many in-depth descriptions of various people’s lives, starting from their childhood and ending with their deaths, all within a somewhat convoluted plot that attempts to explain their connections with each other. But,…
I’m what you call the opposite of a rebel; I fear authority and am just fine with colouring inside the lines until my final days on this earth. However, I do enjoy a bit of ‘rebellious reading’, that is, reading whatever you like, regardless of how other people perceive it-this is how I interpret Freedom…
Graphic novels are hot right now, it seems everyone is talking about them and with good reason; they are a wonderful way of communicating a story in a unique and visually delightful way. For those who aren’t familiar with the format, I’ve included a few pictures throughout this review to give you a better idea…
I tend to roll my eyes these days when I read a description of a book that includes the term ‘psychological thriller’; it seems to have turned into a catch-all label for stories that have little violence but many twists, however unbelievable. Recently though, I have met my match with Fear by Dirk Kurbjuweit, as…
It’s hard to imagine a woman named “Norma” as exotic (sorry to all the Normas out there, but you know it’s true), but the latest release from famed Helsinki-based writer Sofi Oksanen features just that: a “Norma” with a fantastic secret. Oksanen’s Norma has hair that grows at an incredible rate, she has to cut…
As I’ve mentioned perhaps once or twice before, I’ve got my own book club. And this book club is the best book club in the world, with the best people organizing it, and the best people taking part in the discussions. Last week we had our second meeting where we discussed The Substitute by Nicole…
This past week I spoke about books that deal with the subject of family. I realize this is a pretty broad topic and can encompass most everything that has ever been written, but I used it as an excuse to talk about my favourite picture book ever: A Family is a Family is a Family,…
