I read the highly-anticipated debut novel by Carley Fortune when it came out, and enjoyed it. Her second book came out to much fanfare, but it didn’t seem to gain the same level of popularity her first had, so I never got around to it. Her third book This Summer Will be Different was released…
I had been meaning to read The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley when it first hit my doorstep almost a full year ago, but I never seemed to get around to it (story of my life, and my bookshelf). When I saw how much attention it was getting, plus it’s appearance on the Top…
Around the holiday season I like to dive into a romance novel. Partially because this is the month I like to ‘treat’ myself to lighter reads, but also because I aim to include one romance novel in my ‘books as gifts’ round-up each December for the CBC. Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit does not…
I was immediately intrigued by the cover of the novel Rosenfeld, by Maya Kessler. It was designed to look like a movie rating, with the capital letter “R”, and the subtitle A Grown-Up Love Story for Grown-Ups. Although I’ll read an occasional romance novel (typically when it’s centered around a holiday), I do prefer the…
If you’ve happened to walk through a drugstore or airport in the past few weeks (in Canada), you’ve likely seen the covers of the Becka Mack Playing for Keeps series of books staring back at you from the shelves. Instant bestsellers, Consider Me, Play With Me, and Unravel Me were all published in December 2023…
You know you’re in for a good time when you pick up a Jennifer Weiner book. Although often relegated to the ‘chick lit’ genre, her stories typically include an element of romance but they also deal with serious issues that affect women, which is why I was so absorbed in her latest book, The Breakaway….
Even though I don’t read many romance novels, I’m always up for one, especially a holiday-themed book. So when Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun landed on my doorstep I was excited to read it. I was also curious about it, as it’s the first queer romance I had ever read, but I’ve…
I’ve been a bit hesitant to read vampire books since the whole genre was overtaken by YA authors hoping to recreate the success of the Twilight Series. But when I saw that A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson was an alternative re-telling of Dracula meant for adults, my interest was definitely piqued. Like many…
I pay for an online subscription to Canada’s major newspaper, The Globe and Mail, mainly to access their book review section. Occasionally I’ll glance at their bestseller lists just so I can get a sense of what most folks are reading, and like many Canadians and Americans, I tend to see Colleen Hoover‘s name pop…
I’m in the midst of preparing my ‘hot summer fiction’ segment for CBC Calgary, and I knew as soon as I read the first review of Every Summer After by Carley Fortune that I’d have to include this novel in my annual round-up. Canadians are buzzing about this one as it’s a first-time author (but…
I don’t watch a lot of television, and I only have Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ for streaming services (of which I don’t watch very often), so I tend to miss out on the dearth of holiday hallmark movies that come out this time of year. Luckily, books are always the answer to any dilemma…
I rarely do this, but when my new boss handed me a book and said ‘you have to read this’ I quickly slotted Harry’s Trees by Jon Cohen into my reading queue. Why did I make an exception this time? Number one: she’s my new boss and I want to keep her happy because I’m…
