Back in February I was lucky enough to sit in a theatre audience and listen to David Sedaris live and in-person, try out some of the stories from his upcoming release, Happy-Go-Lucky. Based on what he read and how he spoke of it, I knew it was going to have some darker moments. This collection…
While on vacation I indulged by reading my favourite author of all time, David Sedaris. I picked up this quirky little collection of animal-themed stories Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk at the Calgary Reads book sale a few months ago, and because this is a departure from his typical books of essays, I was excited to read…
I half-heartedly complain about the fact that I rarely get to read what I want to, when I want to. When I’m balancing a full-time job with a contract reading gig for the CBC I need to prioritize what books I pick up, which usually means I’m reading the books that I’ve chosen for that…
When I originally received this book for review, I dismissed it thinking it was YA, which I don’t normally read except under special circumstances. But after seeing it appear on more than one ‘notable spring books’ list, I thought I’d give it a try, knowing at the very least that it was written as a…
Is there any greater pleasure than reading a book by your favourite author? Probably, but whenever a David Sedaris book is released, even one that’s only a selection of previously-released stories, I celebrate! He is my favourite author, and it’s my goal to one day see him read live. The Best of Me still held…
The Canlit community is abuzz over Zsuzsi Gartner’s debut novel, The Beguiling. Despite this being her first novel, Gartner is a well-established pillar of the Canadian writing community. She’s been shortlisted for a Scotiabank Giller Prize for her short story collection Better Living Through Plastic Explosives, she’s edited a zany collection of science fiction titled…
Is my reading palette less refined for loving a bestselling book? Should I be embarrassed that I easily jump on book bandwagons with the rest of the world? Maybe some fellow book critics see it that way, but I certainly don’t. Good books sell well because they are good! I finished reading the super popular…
Do you have to be in a book club to enjoy this book? Absolutely not! Will you enjoy this book if you can find humour in just about any situation? That would be a resounding ‘yes’! Humour and horror mix strangely well together, and when you throw in a bunch of stressed-out housewives from the…
This is the first book I’ve read by Thomas King, a well-respected American-Canadian Indigenous author who has won numerous awards in Canada for his writing, often focusing on issues facing First Nations people. Aside from his admirable reputation, he lives in my hometown of Guelph Ontario, and much to my delight, he references Guelph surprisingly…
I’m always excited to announce a book review from a new (to me) publisher. Invisible Publishing is wholly Canadian, and based on this first offering of theirs that I’ve read, it’s a small press you should pay attention to and support with your hard-earned book bucks. The Union of Smokers by Paddy Scott is a…
If I was a doctor, I would prescribe you this book as therapeutic medication during the pandemic. Wow, No Thank You. by Samantha Irby is exactly what you need right now, regardless of your circumstances, because it will make you laugh. I snorted. I LOL’d. I spit out my tea at one point, because Irby’s…
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…
