I haven’t done the greatest job of posting regular book reviews on my youtube channel, so I thought I’d take advantage of my holiday decorations and post a review of a Christmas-themed classic mystery story. I picked up Portrait of a Murderer by Anne Meredith after reading a review of it over on FictionFan’s blog,…
I wasn’t surprised to see David Bergen’s latest book Away From the Dead make the Scotibank Giller Prize longlist this year. He’s a serious writer, with seriously impressive award wins and nominations in his past. I last read a book of his in 2014, which you can read my review of here, and I felt…
I smuggled this paperback home from my recent trip to my family cottage where I was delighted to find this dusty little gem. This market paperback edition of Destination Unknown by Agatha Christie was the perfect little treat to cap off my summer reading, and for those searching for it online, note that it was…
I always rejoice when I get the chance to read a classic mystery. The Tangled Miracle by Canadian author Bertram Brooker was originally published in 1936 under the pseudonym Huxley Herne, and has recently been re-released by indie publisher Invisible Publishing which has a Throwback Series that re-introduces public-domain books. A locked room mystery of…
Does a book called “Hot Stew” all about a crowded neighborhood kind of give you the willies? Normally I’d say ‘me too’, but because I’ve spent the last two years avoiding people, Hot Stew by Fiona Mozley sounded like something I wanted to dive into immediately. It’s set in the present day (sans Covid) in…
It was only a year ago that I reviewed Stephen Graham Jones’ last book, The Only Good Indians, which I really enjoyed, so I jumped at the chance to read his latest release (just in time for the beginning of the spooky season) My Heart is a Chainsaw. Don’t like blood and guts? You’ll want…
Cats! Books! A woman with glasses on the cover! This book just calls to me, for obvious reasons. Based on the font, colour scheme and title of this book, you would think it’s chick lit. My friends, it is most definitely not. It is quirky, it is funny, but there is no romance in it….
I’m so excited to tell you about this classic mystery The Mirror Crack’d From Side to Side by Agatha Christie. I’ve been dying to read this book for awhile thanks to FictionFan and her consistent recommendations of this bestselling writer, but I rarely get an opening in my reading schedule, and I feel terrible about…
Did you enjoy the book Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple? If the answer is ‘yes’, you will most certainly enjoy How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior. And if you hated Bernadette? You’re going to want to pass on this book, because it’s VERY similar. Prior’s book is an easy, light read…
As in past years, I’m continuing with the short story advent calendar this holiday season. I’ve also decided to go local with my chocolate advent calendar, so I’m highlighting the wonderful treats that Calgary-based The Chocolate Lab has to offer in their advent calendar. It’s worth the price tag of 60 bucks! As you will…
I haven’t actually read a book by Chuck Palahniuk since his 2010 release Tell-All, which is also the year I met him, and helped organized his event here in Calgary. His writing memoir Consider This, Moments in my Writing Life After Which Everything Was Different features many stories of his various book tours because they…
So there’s a new book club in town, and no, I’m not leading it. But I am excited about it! It’s called the Alberta Reads Book Club, and it’s a government initiative highlighting the wonderful breadth of books that our province publishes. The inaugural book pick is Pass Me By, Gone Fishin’ by Kyle Simmer…
