I love reading about a fed-up lady. There is nothing more entertaining than reading the inner (and sometimes outer) thoughts of a middle-aged woman who is just sick of it all. One of my favourite books in past years was this little gem, which is why I was so eager to read Her Turn by…
I remember when Marjorie Celona‘s first book was released, Y. It came with huge buzz, her publishers were relentlessly pushing it to all the Canadian book festivals, and international rights were sold widely. It was awhile ago now, so I don’t honestly remember my reaction after reading it, but I do recall this buzz, which…
I distinctly remember the day this book arrived on my doorstep. When I opened the package, I thought to myself how weird it was that the first book about Covid and its disruptions was finally being printed, and how surreal it felt to put it on my shelf. I thought to myself (in a particularly…
If you haven’t read a book by Kim Echlin yet, you really should. Her latest, Speak, Silence is a beautiful yet horrific meditation on women who are testifying at a trial at the Hague against the systemic rape they experienced during the Bosnian war. The topic is obviously a difficult one, and there were times…
Whenever I come across a successful author trying their hand at a brand new genre, I’m a bit skeptical. Why bother trying something completely new when you’ve figured out the successful formula to your writing; just give us what we want! But of course I’m no artist, and we should always encourage others to try…
I couldn’t help myself, I HAD to read this season’s buzziest book, The Push by Ashley Audrain. You may recall I reviewed a book that dealt with some dark subject matter a few weeks ago, and I was warned that The Push was a slightly lighter version of Daniil & Vanya, so I prepared myself…
Imagine my delight when realizing the author of my favourite children’s picture book had penned a novel for adults! I didn’t care what the topic was, whether it was fiction or non-fiction, I wanted to read it right away, and I’m relieved to say I loved it just as much I loved her writing for…
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…
There’s always a few jobs out there that one knows for certain they could never handle. Personally, I could never be a teacher because I can barely manage my own two children and I find all their questions annoying (sorry not sorry). But for some reason the monumental task of being an emergency services responder…
Dear reader; I wanted so much to like Lampedusa by Steven Price. At the time I’m writing this, it was announced as a shortlist contender for the Giller Prize, and because so many people in Canada are forming their reading lists based on this prize alone, I may be one of the few who are…
I read Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay in a place far far away from any kind of elevator. I was staying in a cabin in Northern Ontario, dodging mosquitoes but blissfully distant from any and all high rises. Barclay’s name is well known to me, as I’ve read previous books by him AND listened to…
The Last Neanderthal by Claire Cameron is a unique sort of book; one of the two narratives it includes is told from the perspective of a Neanderthal, someone who doesn’t have developed language capabilities or a significant matter of reference that is relatable to us modern-day humans. Aside from a few necessary exceptions, (Cameron allows…
