Curled Up With a Good Book and a Cup of Tea

Awesome Reading Nooks (from Pinterest)

2012-02-03T14:53:00.003-05:00

Seriously, Pinterest is addicting! Here are some reading nooks I spotted while scrolling through the site.

"The Invisible Ones" by Stef Penney

2012-02-01T10:47:00.003-05:00

Private investigator Ray Lovell has been hired by the family of Rose Wood to discover why the Gyspy woman went missing six years earlier. The last whereabouts of Rose were right before she supposedly ran away with a non-Gyspy from her Gypsy husband and her ill newborn child. Her husband's family, the Jankos, are an eclectic, mysterious bunch who are reluctant to let any outsider into their lives. That is why Ray, half-Romany himself, is the only one who can do the job. But the Jankos aren't exactly forthcoming and Ray finds himself deep within a mystery that may have consequences for himself.

The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney is a mystery set in the fascinating world of Gypsies in 1980's England. It is an in-depth and very interesting look at Gypsy culture, something that most people only know from a negative perspective. In this book we see the culture through so many different eyes - the half-Romany who grew up outside of the culture, those who remain deeply a part of the culture and those who grew up in it but left for the outside world.

The narration of the book goes between Ray, as he searches for Rose, and JJ, a young Gypsy boy who is part of the Janko family and is trying to understand what it means to by Gypsy in the larger culture. It was the story that occurred early on in the book of JJ bringing home a girl from school to the Gyspy site and into his trailer and world that really endeared the boy to me. The back and forth between the two did an excellent job in developing the mystery, and the inclusion of future events in which Ray is in the hospital without his memory is an excellent addition.

I did find this book a little slow to get into. It wasn't a book for which I wanted to put aside other things to keep reading. However, as I continued to read that did begin to change and I found myself wrapped up in the world and mystery of the novel. I don't read many mystery novels but this is one that I definitely enjoyed.

For more reviews and thoughts on the book, check out the Penguin Canada blog tour:

Jan 23 http://libraryofcleanreads.blogspot.com/
Jan 24 http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com/
Jan 25 http://www.thriftymommastips.com/
Jan 26 http://luanne-abookwormsworld.blogspot.com/
Jan 27 http://justalillost.com/
Jan 30 http://jennifersstory.squarespace.com/
Jan 31 http://theliteraryword.blogspot.com/
Feb 1 http://goodbooksandacupoftea.blogspot.com/
Feb 2 http://bibliomama2.blogspot.com/

I received this book courtesy of Penguin Canada. The opinions expressed above are purely my own and I received no compensation. Thank you to Bronwyn of Penguin Canada for organizing this blog tour.

"The Housewife Assassin's Handbook" by Josie Brown

2012-01-30T07:53:00.001-05:00

Five years ago, Donna Stone was your average housewife - two preschoolers, a baby on the way, an adoring husband named Carl, and a McMansion in Orange County. But all this came crashing to an end the night she delivered her baby when Carl's car blew up on the way to the hospital. It turns out Carl was a black-ops assassin for the Acme Corporation, hot on the heels of a terrorist cell known as Quorum. And he left behind something that they wanted badly.

To protect her family from Quorum and to avenge her husbands death, Donna joins Acme and becomes a top assassin, all the while juggling the fifth grade phone tree and carpool duty. But the terrorist group has planted a sleeper cell in her neighbourhood and things become a little too close for comfort. Will Donna be able to avenge her husbands death and stop Quorum before it's too late? And will she be able to get her son to his baseball game and pick up the cupcakes for the Father-Daughter dance?

The Housewife Assassin's Handbook by Josie Brown is a fun, sexy and intriguing mystery. Donna Stone is a great heroine - housewives can lead all sorts of double lives, but as an assassin? Who would have seen that one coming? Certainly not those in Donna's neighbourhood.

This book totally reminded me of the movie Mr & Mrs. Smith. Not that it is a copy of the movie, but that it has all of the thrills and enjoyment of the movie. It's a fast-paced read, the gadgets are awesome, and I could just picture Donna fighting off Russian gangsters and skinheads all the while having a pie at home cooling on the windowsill. As a housewife myself, this book was a fantastic escape that had me dreaming "if only" the whole way through. The book doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes for the perfect combination of mystery and humour.

A couple of quick warnings. There are descriptive sex scenes and strong language. I'm not a fan of either of the two, however they didn't bother me too much. Only a couple of times did I cringe at words that were used. And the Kindle edition did have some editing mistakes. They were more noticeable toward the end for me, but didn't take away from the book.

I highly enjoyed this book. It's not your typical assassin book as housewife assassins are not typical. Donna is a tough, feisty character who can take on anything or anyone that comes her way. Suspense and laughs are all rolled up into one in this book and you will find it difficult to put down. The handbook feel and household tips are a cute addition. Josie Brown is a creative and innovative writer and I look forward to what's to come in this series.

I would like to thank the author, Josie Brown, for providing me with a copy of the book. The opinions expressed above are purely my own.

Awesome Home Libraries

2012-01-28T07:18:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been spending a lot of time on Pinterest. One thing that I absolutely love it for is drooling over the pictures of home libraries! I dream of the day I can have a full-fledged library in my house. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I do.

"Sinners & Saints" by Victoria Christopher Murray & ReShonda Tate Billingsley

2012-01-27T07:51:00.000-05:00

Team Jasmine or Team Rachel? You might want to pick a side because these ladies are going to make sure they are the last woman standing.

Jasmine Cox Larson Bush and Rachel Jackson Adams are not your typical first ladies. But they have put their scandalous and drama-filled pasts behind them and are focused on supporting their husbands in their roles as Pastor. Naturally, when the position of president of the American Baptist Coalition opens up both women think their husband is perfect for the job. When they find out who they are up against, the women realize that they may have to reach into their old bag of tricks. But will it be enough when both women come up against the current first lady, who has a plan of her own for the coalition?

Sinners & Saints brings together two of the most devious and dramatic first ladies ever seen in Urban Christian fiction. ReShonda Tate Billingsley's Rachel grew up in the church but went seriously astray as a teen. She turned her life around and stepped into the role of first lady, but drama continues to follow her around. Victoria Christopher Murray's Jasmine did what she had to do growing up, including becoming a stripper. She didn't make great choices but when she married her pastor husband she vowed to live a better life even though it was far from drama free. They have similar stories but these two women definitely won't be coming together any time soon.

When I first heard of this book I was thrilled! Two of my favourite Christian authors getting together to write a book was so exciting. This book did not disappoint. They took two well-loved and well-developed characters and put them into one hot book. The chapters alternate between Rachel and Jasmine but this book flows seamlessly. I was very impressed at how the book felt as if it was written by just one author.

This book is a page-turner. Just when you think one lady isn't going to be able to top the other one, she pulls something out of her hat and things quickly get outrageous! You can't wait to find out what the women are going to do next. It's like you're watching a Christian soap opera! And what is even more fantastic about this book, is that there is a second instalment that will be released in 2013!

"I Got This" by Jennifer Hudson

2012-01-25T07:55:00.000-05:00

Jennifer Hudson has achieved a lot in her life - appearing on American Idol, winning an Academy Award, releasing her own albums, marrying and having a child. But these days what she is well known for is losing over eighty pounds on the Weight Watchers diet plan. And now she is sharing this journey in a new book called I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down.

While at first glance you would think this book is a memoir it's actually more of an inspirational book. The first half of the book chronicles her life from her childhood to getting started in the entertainment industry and on to starting her family. However, it does seem to skip through this part of her life and she really only talks about these experiences from the perspective of her weight issues. The second half of the book is about her experience with Weight Watchers. She goes in-depth with the program, how it works, and how to do your best on the program. She shares the stories of some of her family members who also joined the program.

I picked up this book because I have liked Jennifer Hudson since her days on American Idol and I was looking forward to getting to know more about her and her experience in the industry. She has always seemed like a normal girl who has been able to stay true to her values. There wasn't much of this in the book. I probably should have realized that from the title. And if you're wondering, she doesn't address her family tragedy at all.

If you're interested in hearing about her weight loss journey, then you will enjoy this book, especially if you're familiar with the Weight Watchers program. It's very impressive that she was able to lose over eighty pounds through changing her eating habits and increasing her exercise. She did it in an easy way with no gimmicks and this book will be motivational for anyone who is trying to lose weight. Jennifer's story shows that if you stick to it and work hard, you can achieve what you set your mind to. Be warned though, at times this book definitely feels like a Weight Watchers infomercial.

"The Beach Cafe" by Lucy Diamond

2012-01-23T11:07:00.002-05:00

Evie has always been the black sheep of the family. While her siblings were getting married and having children, Evie was floating around, trying her hand at everything that interested her. But eventually she realized she couldn't do that forever. And so she found herself in an office temp job from hell, living with a rather dull but dependable boyfriend, and planning to go to school to become a teacher, a career that didn't interest her but would provide stability. Just what everyone thought she needed.

Then Aunt Jo suddenly passes away and leaves her beach cafe in Cornwall to Evie, her favourite niece. Evie sees this as an opportunity to prove herself once and for all and dives in head first. But when she arrives in Cornwall, she finds the staff has gone crazy in the absence of a boss and the locals definitely don't want Evie running the cafe. With the help of a few close friends, Evie finds her way and the cafe soon becomes an integral part of village life. But it's definitely not without a few hiccups and maybe even a scandal along the way.

The Beach Cafe by Lucy Diamond is an enjoyable and delightful read. Evie Flynn is an adorable character and you find yourself cheering for her through the entire book. This is definitely a page-turner, one of those books that you just can't put down even though you know you have things you need to do! Diamond's writing flows easily and beautifully throughout the entire book.

This story will make you want to run off to the English coast to run your own beach cafe. Sure, like a lot of chick lit, this story is pretty much predictable. But that's what makes it so lovely. This is a book to curl up with on a rainy day under a warm blanket because you can be sure that you will instantly be transported away to your own cafe somewhere in the world on a beach. And who doesn't want that, if only a for a few hours?

"The Maid of Fairbourne Hall" by Julie Klassen

2012-01-20T14:07:00.001-05:00

To escape her stepfathers pressure to marry a dishonourable man Margaret Macy flees London on a whim. If she can last only a few months on her own until her next birthday she will inherit a large sum of money from her aunt and along with it, independence. With no money and nowhere to go, Margaret reinvents herself as Nora Garret and takes a position as housemaid. She quickly discovers that the house she is working in belongs to Nathaniel Upchurch, a former suitor of Margaret's who she rejected in the failed hopes of attracting his older brother. Can Margaret remain hidden and pass as a servant under the noses of those who are looking for her?

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is a fantastic work of historical Christian fiction. Julie Klassen is a skilled writer who instantly transports you back to the time and place and immediately draws you into the story, keeping you hooked until the very end. The book has mystery, romance, and faith all in one.

The book looks at two worlds of old English manors - the upper class people who live in the homes and the servants who keep the homes running. What I really appreciated about this book was that it focuses on many different characters and gives them fully developed story lines from the maids to the chef to the brothers and sister who own the home.

Margaret Macy is a heroine to cheer for. She sets off on an incredible journey, throwing herself into a world she knows about but doesn't understand just how difficult it is. Along the way her views and emotions change as she discovers that you can't judge by appearances and that everyone has a story behind them.

Julie Klassen has done a lot of research on the time period and it shows. You don't feel like you're reading a book about another place and time, you feel like you are there. One thing that I really enjoyed was the quotes she used at the beginning of each chapter from various books and resources on what life was like in that time period for the staff. It was an added bonus to help you understand the environment the book was set in.

I've been having a lot of success lately in finding good historical Christian fiction and it has continued with this book. If you like this genre, you'll love this book. I also highly recommend this book if you're a fan of television like Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs or if you're a fan of Jane Austen.

I received this book courtesy of Bethany House and Graf-Martin Communications. The opinions expressed above are purely my own.

"The Book of Negroes: Illustrated Edition" by Lawrence Hill

2012-01-18T14:22:00.003-05:00

Abducted from her West African village at eleven-years-old, Aminata Diallo is forced into slavery on an indigo plantation in South Carolina. Trapped in a lifetime of slavery, Aminata draws on the strength of her ancestors and the skills she learned as young girl to improve her life as best as she can given the violence and constraints that surround her. Her determination lands her the opportunity to register her name in the Book of Negroes, a historic British military ledger allowing three thousand Black Loyalists passage on ships sailing from Manhattan to Nova Scotia.

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill takes the reader on an incredible journey from West Africa, to an American plantation, on to a small community in Nova Scotia, the coast of Sierra Leone in West Africa and finally to London, England. The journey belongs to fictional character Aminata Diallo but is that of the thousands of Africans forced into slavery.

This book is an incredible work of historical fiction. Having studied African History in university I was instantly drawn to this book and it did not disappoint. In fact, this is the best book, fiction or non-fiction, I have read on this subject. And the illustrated edition brings the book to life, making it an incredible keepsake edition.

The book contains over 100 images - early documents, maps, archival photos, period paintings and actual pages from the original handwritten Book of Negroes. These are the images that inspired Lawrence Hill and the ones he drew from to craft the story of Aminata.

If you enjoyed reading The Book of Negroes the first time around you will love this version as it brings the story to life. If you haven't read the book, you must pick it up. This is a fascinating story, one of depth and length that will keep you engrossed until the very last page. The illustrated version is a must-read for any history lover.

"Want to Go Private?" by Sarah Darer Littman

2012-01-11T07:07:00.000-05:00

Abby is starting high school, one of the most exciting times of a teenagers life. But Abby isn't feeling very excited. She's having difficulty making new friends and her best friend is drifting away. Abby begins to wonder if anyone understands what she is going through.

Luke does. Luke is a 27-year-old Abby met online. At first Abby isn't sure about him. She knows all about internet safety and that she shouldn't be chatting with him, but he gets her. He understands her struggles with her family and friends. He thinks she's beautiful and smart.

Then Luke asks Abby to meet him in real life, which she does. But Luke isn't who he says he is, and Abby goes missing. The police race to find her as her friends and family wonder if they will ever see Abby again.

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman is a young adult novel that gives a realistic portrayal of the dangers of internet chatting and meeting people online. It is a timely novel and one that all young girls should read. Yes, it has scary moments and gets a little graphic but it's what is necessary to get through to young adults about the dangers of the internet.

It is a tough world for teenagers today. I remember the angst and troubles of high school that we all felt. The internet wasn't popular until I was almost through high school (wow, did I just make myself feel old!) and we didn't have these worries. But todays teenagers have the internet, cell phones, webcams, social networking sites…the list goes on and a lot of parents don't have an understanding of the rapidly advancing technology. It's very easy for a stranger to exploit weaknesses in our children through the internet.

That is why I'm glad there are authors like Sarah Darer Littman who are writing these novels. Our kids are bombarded by internet safety messages these days. And what I really appreciated about this novel was the character of Abby saying she had heard all those messages but that wasn't her case, Luke was different. It's easy for kids to think "that can't happen to me" or "this isn't like that."

Sure, the writing in this novel may not be fantastic or the plot may seem predictable but that doesn't matter when it comes to this book. It portrays a very real possibility in a way that will reach both teenagers and parents. I highly recommend this book for parents who are looking to open up discussion with their children about internet usage and to help teenagers understand the mindset of the men and women who use the internet to take advantage of children.

"Slightly Suburban" by Wendy Markham

2012-01-09T07:37:00.000-05:00

Tracey Spadolini Candell has had it with New York City. From the long hours at work, the subway rides home, the tiny but expensive apartment, her husbands best friend spending way too much time on their couch, the roach infestation in her building, and the unknown assailant leaving behind fresh piles of…umm…excrement in the hallways, she is officially done with the city and ready to head for the greener pastures of the suburbs.

But life in Westchester isn't as perfect as she thought it would be. First Tracey loses her job and then they find out that their dream fixer-upper is more like unfixable. Having nothing in common with the stay at home yoga moms, she finds herself missing her friends and her job. Will Tracey be able to survive the suburbs or will she find herself running back to the city?

Slightly Suburban by Wendy Markham is the fifth in the "Slightly" series, following main character Tracey through her life. While it is part of the series it does stand up on its own and you don't need to read the other four books first. However, if you want to give these books a go it is probably better to start at the beginning.

While this is a quick, light read it is a case of the actual book not being what you are expecting from the title of the book jacket. Most of the book is the lead-up to leaving the city and by the time they reach the suburbs the book is more than halfway done. The "stay at home yoga moms" were one who showed up once. I was expecting a lot more ups and downs in the suburbs which I didn't get.

That being said, it is still a quick and fluffy chick lit read. From what I have read on GoodReads, it seems that it is better to start at the beginning of the series and get yourself invested in the characters and their lives if you want some enjoyment out of the book.

"The Bomber" by Liza Marklund

2012-01-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

It's 3:22 a.m. when a call comes in for journalist Annika Bengtzon. A bomb has exploded in Stockholm's new Olympic arena just months before the Summer Games. Not only has it destroyed part of the arena but it has blown someone to pieces. Annika sets out to cover the story and she develops a hunch that this isn't an act of terrorism but a personal vendetta. Soon, another bomb has exploded and the hunt for the perpetrator intensifies. As Annika digs deeper, eager to get the biggest story of her career, she finds herself in the path of the bomber and her big scoop may be her last.

The Bomber by Liza Marklund is a Scandinavian thriller, one that conjures up the idea of curling up under a blanket while the wind whips cold outside. It is a part of the Annika Bengtzon series, following the lead character as she works her way up the ladder in the journalism world.

Annika is a tough but likeable character. She certainly has her flaws and you can't help but be a little annoyed at her for her some of her choices but she earns your respect as the tough head of the crime department at a major newspaper where many of her co-workers are out to get her. In addition to the mystery the book gives readers an interesting look at what goes on at a paper in the midst of a major news story.

My first thought of this book was "I wish I hadn't started this so late at night." It is most definitely a page-turner. Right from the first page you are drawn in and you won't want to put it down until you have figured out who the bomber is and why. The book did slow down a bit and begin to lag at the end but not enough to turn me off of the book at all.

Marklund is a fantastic writer. She pays attention to detail and brings Stockholm to life for readers who have never been there. Most importantly she has created an interesting, relatable and inspiring character in Annika Bengtzon. In the past I have shied away from these types of novels (mysteries/thrillers) but Marklund has definitely changed my mind on that. I look forward to reading more of her books.

I received this book courtesy of Random House. I received no compensation for the opinions expressed above.

Book Blogger Confessions #1

2012-01-03T20:59:00.003-05:00

I just discovered this brand new meme, Book Blogger Confessions. It is co-hosted by Tiger of All-Consuming Books and Karen of For What It's Worth Reviews. The meme, running on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month, is an opportunity for book bloggers to come together and discuss book blogging, it's ups and downs, the good and the bad.

The first question is: How has the "job" of book blogging changed your reading habits? Both pro and con.

Pros: I'm definitely reading a lot more! Before I would read when I felt like it, now I make time for reading. One of the best things to come out of book blogging for me is that I've been introduced to so many genres, books and authors I never would have touched before. After finishing university I was pretty tired of reading, and when I did pick up a book, it was almost always chick lit. Now I'm reading classics, mystery, young adult, even speculative fiction.

Cons: I find myself pushing through books I don't really care to read. I feel like if I'm reviewing the book I owe it to the author and publisher to get through the whole thing. Before this, I would just give up on a book and move on to the next one if I wasn't into it. I even felt that way with library books! If I posted on my blog I was reading it, then I needed to finish it! So I'm working on keeping the pressure off of me and remembering that this is a hobby, not a job.

"MWF Seeking BFF" by Rachel Bertsche

2012-01-02T07:27:00.001-05:00

After spending years in different cities, Rachel Bertsche is thrilled to be living with her boyfriend. But soon after leaving her friends and work behind in New York and getting married and settling in Chicago she realizes that there is still something missing in her life - a best friend. Yes, she has lots of BFFs, but they live in other cities. And of course she has friends in Chicago, but no one she would feel comfortable enough with to call for a last minute brunch or reality TV marathon.

So Rachel devises a plan to find herself a Chicago BFF - over the course of a year she will go one fifty-two friend dates, one for each week of the year. What follows is a hilarious, often awkward and touching journey to finding out what a best friend really is and the important role friends play in our lives.

MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend is a recounting of Bertsche's yearlong search for a best friend. She originally chronicled the search in a blog and the book definitely has that sort of feel.

In the beginning, Rachel finds it easy to make friend dates. All she has to do is ask friends and colleagues if they have any friends they think she should meet. But after a while these connections run out and she still has many more dates to find. That's when she turns to book clubs, improv classes, and customer service personnel she has hit it off with in the past. Then she turns to online friend-matching websites. She even resorts to renting a friend. In the name of finding a BFF, Rachel covers all of the bases.

Interspersed with the friend dates are anecdotes and facts from various sources regarding relationships and current social trends. This was my least favourite part of the book. It reminded me of when I was writing papers in university and I would throw in random quotes or facts because my professors required a specific number of secondary sources. A lot of Bertche's secondary sources felt forced and unnecessary and for me they interrupted the flow of the book.

As a thirty-year-old stay at home mother of young children I find it difficult to find someone I can talk with about things other than Barbies and Justin Bieber. I understand what it's like to be in a different place than your friends you grew up with and I completely understand how hard it can be to make new friends as an adult. Everyone will see themselves in this book, whether you're new to town or just not sure how to strike up a friendship with someone you have recently met. No matter what your situation you will find yourself inspired to look for the opportunities to make a new friend in your own life.

As far as "I'm going to do an experiment and keep a blog of it for a year"-type books go, this one works. I'll admit, after reading a few not so great ones, I've found myself kind of tiring of the genre. But Bertsche writes with humour and honesty about a situation most adult women find themselves in at some point in their lives. We may never go to the extremes that she does, but she helps us see that friend-making doesn't end in school and is something that we all need in our lives.

I would like to thank Random House for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. I received no compensation for the opinions expressed above.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

The start of the year is always exciting here at Curled Up With a Good Book and a Cup of Tea not just because of the exciting reading that is ahead but also because it's my blogoversary! In two days, I'll have been blogging here for two years! It's been a whirlwind and tons of fun. I'm so happy to be a part of the book blogger community.

Yesterday I looked at how I did on my 2011 challenges. Now it's time to look ahead at my challenges for this year. I've decided to take a giant leap outside of my comfort zone and start reading some genres I've run away from in the past.

100 Books Read Challenge

This is the 3rd year I'm challenging myself to read 100 books and hopefully this year I'll make it!

Canadian Book Challenge 5

Love this challenge! I'm officially in love with CanLit. The challenge is from July 1-June 30. So far I've read 9 of 13 books.

Back to Classics Challenge

Now it's time for me to face those books I've always heard of but never got around to reading due to being scared off of them in school! The aim is 9 books.

Mixing It Up Challenge

The goal is 16 books for this one, each from a different genre. This is where I'm really going to be jumping out of my comfort zone and covering genres such as Manga, Horror, Science and Poetry.

Speculative Fiction Challenge

I've enjoyed Dystopian novels in the past so it's time for me to explore this genre further. I'm even going to read a Steampunk novel which I have to admit doesn't seem like anything I would care for. But I can't say for sure if I don't try it! I'm hoping to read 6 books for this challenge.

What are your plans for 2012?

Year in Review

2011-12-31T14:22:00.002-05:00

Another year has come to an end! It's time to look back at how well I did on the challenges I set for myself at the beginning of 2011.

Read 100 Books

I aim for this every year. Last year I hit 99. So I figured this year I had it in the bag. And I ended up with.....88. What? I didn't get much reading done this summer, we were busy travelling and just enjoying the two months that no one had school or work. And I hit a nice little slump in December. So something to aim for again in 2012.

Canadian Book Challenge - 13 books

I read 28 for this challenge. I discovered so much fantastic Canadian literature and of course I signed up for the challenge again. So far I'm at 8. (This challenge starts on Canada Day, July 1.)

POC (Persons of Colour) Challenge - 10-15 books

This challenge involved books written by people of colour or involving characters of colour. I read 21, surpassing the goal I set for myself.

Christian Fiction Challenge - 12 books

This challenge involves Christian books of any genre. I came in at 15. Looking back at this challenge I realized I read mostly Urban Christian, but along the way I discovered historical Christian and I think I may be drawn in.

Non-Fiction Challenge - 7 books

I knew I should have picked a higher number. I finished this challenge with a total of 20 books read. There were some great celebrity books out this year!

That is how I did with my reading in 2011. It was a great year for books and I especially enjoyed reading the Giller Prize nominated books. There was some great Canadian talent joining the bookshelves this year. I look forward to what 2012 brings and some new reading challenges for me!

Best Books of 2011

2011-12-29T12:13:00.003-05:00

It's time to take a look at the best books I read in 2011. There were a lot of great books but there were some that especially stood out:

Non-Fiction

Falling Backwards - Jann Arden

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? - Mindy Kaling

If You Ask Me: And Of Course You Won't - Betty White

Citizens of Nowhere - Debi Goodwin

Fiction

Touch - Alexi Zentner

The Sky is Falling - Caroline Adderson

Doing Dangerously Well - Carole Enahoro

The Bomber - Liza Marklund

The Sisters Brothers - Patrick deWitt

Half-Blood Blues - Esi Edugyan

(Lot's of Canada in there! It was a great year for Canadian writers, in my opinion.)

And the honours of my favourite book of 2011 go to...

Advent With Austen Wrap-up

2011-12-24T20:10:00.004-05:00

Thank you to Yvann of Reading Fuelled by Tea for hosting Advent With Austen! I must say, I came into this with some pretty ambitious goals and I didn't achieve near what I wanted to. However, I can now FINALLY say that I have read Pride and Prejudice so I consider this a complete success!

In terms of achievement I reached Mr. Bingley status.

I read one book and watched two movies. The book as mentioned above was Pride and Prejudice. The movies were a film adaptation of P&P (the one with Kiera Knightley and though I enjoyed it, I really wish it had been Colin Firth playing Mr. Darcy) and the movie The Jane Austen Book Club (a group of women meet to discuss Jane's books...great idea, not great movie in my opinion.)

I wish I had read more however I have downloaded all of Jane's books to my e-reader and look forward to reading them in the future!

Fall Into Reading 2011 Wrap-up

2011-12-22T09:42:00.003-05:00

I went into Fall Into Reading 2011, hosted by Callapidder Days, with great intentions of clearing of my shelf of books I own but haven't read yet. And as the season comes to an end I look at my shelf and it still looks pretty much the same way it did back in September. I've done quite a bit of reading in the last few months, just not from my shelf. In fact, the pile on the shelf grew during this time.

I had two lists of books I wanted to read - one for this blog and one for my Christian book blog. I managed to read 3 books in total, one from my Christian blog and two from here. Which hey, that's still 3 off the to read shelf and permanently shelved on the big bookcase, right?

I had also wanted to read 50 French books with my daughter. Well, I kind of forgot about that so I didn't count. But we have done a lot of reading over the past few months and her collection of French books is always growing so I'm confident we did well in this area.

If there is one thing I've learned recently, timed reading challenges in which I decide which books I will read ahead of time just don't seem to work for me. I spend more time preparing for the challenge than I actually do reading for the challenge! That's ok though. Even though I didn't read as much as I had planned and I did get some books read and that is an accomplishment.

How did you do?

Holiday Break Reading Challenge Day 4

2011-12-19T13:02:00.003-05:00

The Holiday Break Reading Challenge 2011-2012 is hosted by Julie and Karin at Edifying and Edgy. It's day 4 of the challenge, and this is my first post. The challenge for today is to explore a blog that highlights your preferred genre.

The blog I have chosen is Read for Pleasure. I have come across the blog before never fully explored it. I'm glad I chose it for this challenge. The blog fits my reading personality perfectly! There a various genres covered but it's obvious there's a great love for chick lit. It also focuses on Authors of Colour and the blog author loves reading about different cultures.

I like that her reviews are short and to the point, no spoilers, and very honest. Makes choosing a book very easy (and is guaranteed to grow you TBR list by miles!) The layout and design is great. There's lots there, but it's not crowded, doesn't take a long time to load and has a clean, pretty feel. A new favourite blog of mine!

"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

2011-12-13T10:11:00.002-05:00

I feel strange writing book reviews for classic books. Chances are you know the book (even if you haven't read it) so I'm not telling you anything new about it. And it's a classic so it seems pretty obvious there are lots of reasons to read it. So what else can I add?

Does this review of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen even need a plot summary? Here's a quick one: five sisters with a mother obsessed about marrying well; dashing, eligible suitor and his cold, prideful friend; vanity, prejudice, love. That should be enough to make anyone pick up the book.

Most people are shocked to find out that I have never read this book. I've always been pretty surprised of that myself and as I began reading it, I couldn't understand why I hadn't picked up the book sooner. Right from the start I was hooked. The characters are fantastic. Elizabeth is a strong, independent woman that everyone would love. Jane is sweet and endearing. Mr. Bennet is hilarious, I can only imagine one needs a sense of humour when they are the father of five daughters, especially of the younger ones. Mrs. Bennett, Mr. Darcy and the Bingley sisters got on my nerves from the start, but I think they gave me the most smiles because all I could think was "wow, times haven't changed at all."

The language may have changed since Jane Austen wrote the book but the themes remain the same. The vanity and behaviour of Mr. Darcy and the Bingley sisters isn't surprising as it still exists today. Same with the high-reaching obsessiveness of Mrs. Bennet.

The only thing that bothered me about the book was the length of it. Or more the fact that it could have done without some parts of the story. A few of the journeys/visits I personally felt could have been shorter (or not at all.) But other than that I can't find much to criticize about the book. It's a fabulous look into history and the place of women in it. Times have changed a lot and we may have all loosened up a bit, but when it really comes down to it, human nature is always the same.

The Dreaded Reading Slump

2011-12-09T10:57:00.005-05:00

I am in the midst of a full blown reading slump. At first I thought it was just because of all the stuff going on here - Sinterklaas, my daughter's 5th birthday, her birthday party plus the usual school, appointments, errands. But as I began to get downtime to just sit and read, I still didn't want to. I'd sit down with a book (and a cup of tea) and after one page I'd be looking around for other things to do.

So I apologize if you don't see many reviews here in the next few weeks. I'll try to post about other bookish things, and hopefully I'll be out of this slump soon. I'm looking forward to the new year and the new books and challenges it brings.

"Children of the Waters" by Carleen Brice

2011-12-07T13:31:00.005-05:00

Raised by her grandparents, Trish Taylor always believed that her mother and younger sister died in a tragic car accident. Years later as she is recovering from a divorce and facing racism head on with her biracial teenage son, she discovers that her childhood was based on a lie. Her mother had fatally overdosed and her grandparents had put her baby sister up for adoption because the child was half-Black.

Billie Cousins has lead a charmed but difficult life. Raised by strong Black parents whose success came on the back of hard work, Billie has drawn on the strength of her ancestors to get her through her battle with lupus. Her dream of having a baby finally comes true but her pregnancy is a nightmare for her partner Nick. When Billie discovers that she is adopted and her racial heritage is not what she thought, her world threatens to come crashing down around her.

Children of the Waters by Carleen Brice is novel that covers a wide range of topics - abandonment and adoption, self-esteem and acceptance, race and definition. And yet with all the heavy topics it covers, it is a book that flows easily and you find yourself finishing it in no time.

The chapters alternate between Trish and Billie from before they discovered they were sisters and through the process of connecting and coming to terms with their new identities. Through it all the story looks at what race relations are really like in our current day, how "old" attitudes still influence our lives, and how to move forward.

This was a wonderful read, and as I mentioned before it is a fast read. It's not because the book is without substance but because you don't want to put it down. What I really appreciated about the book was its honesty about race. I often find that books written on this topic by authors of all races are unfair in the portrayal of one race, that stereotypes often abound. And while you do get a glimpse of that in this book (the white women at Billie's African dance class killed me!), it's not an unfair generalization attributed to everyone, and Billie and Trish represent the honest thoughts of many people. Most importantly, Brice shows the reasons why peoples thoughts are this way, and how our experiences and environments inform our views of the world.

This is a fantastic read and I highly recommend it. Also, check out Carleen Brice's fabulous blog, White Readers Meet Black Authors.

"Celebrity Shopper" by Carmen Reid

2011-12-01T10:34:00.002-05:00

Personal Shopper Annie Valentine is back and she is busier than ever! Her television series How Not To Shop is in its second season, her husband Ed is at home taking care of her two older children and their baby twins, their house is under renovation (there are holes in the walls and the ceiling), and her mom is living with them. Just as she thinks she has things under control a nosy tabloid reporter begins snooping around her life and Annie finds out she's in danger of being replaced as host of her own show. So what does Annie decide to do to save her job? Walk in the Scottish hillsides in three-inch heels of course!

Celebrity Shopper by Carmen Reid is the fourth book in the Annie Valentine series. Annie is a personal shopper determined to provide a good life for her children while enjoying the many perks of working in the fashion industry. Life isn't always easy for Annie and she certainly finds herself in a lot of trouble, but it's nothing she can't handle!

I've really enjoyed the Annie Valentine books so far. For me they are as fun as Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series and Meg Cabot's Queen of Babble books. There is nothing I enjoy more than a good chick lit series. While I enjoyed this offering by Carmen Reid I have to admit that I did get pretty annoyed with some of the characters throughout the book. First with Annie as I really felt like her priorities were out of whack. I get that she's the breadwinner for the family right now and I don't have anything against working mothers, I just felt like she didn't fully understand the magnitude her actions were having on her family, and that she didn't care much. The second character I was annoyed at was Ed. He needed to seriously man up and stop being so antsy when it came to raising the kids. Yes, I understand what being a first time parent is like and I can't imagine doing it with twins but seriously, he needed a kick in the pants!

Those annoyances aside, this was still a great read. The Paris fashion show scene is hilarious. Annie's friend Svetlana is a sidekick dream come true. And the Scottish hillwalking scene is an accident waiting to happen. Overall this is a fun read, a quick escape, and another enjoyable offering from Carmen Reid.

FIR '11: How Do You Encourage Others to Read?

2011-11-30T10:13:00.004-05:00

In what ways do you encourage others to read or support their reading habits? How do you share your love of reading with others?

I am such a lover of books that I do everything I can to encourage others to read, that's why I became a book blogger! I'm always talking about what book I'm currently reading, what books I have read, what books I absolutely love. I'm always willing to share a book of mine with a friend or family member. My sister loves chick lit so I'm always passing those books on to her when I am done with them. My stepfather likes a good controversial Christian book so I pass those on to him when I'm done. Everyone else I just pass one on when I think they'll like it.

I'm always encouraging my children's reading habits. At home they have a bookshelf full of books in English and French. Whenever I'm at the bookstore I hit up the bargain books shelves in the kids section so we can get more for our money. I also ask family members to give books as gifts instead of toys. I am so thankful our library is a 2 minute walk from our home so we go there often. And we always buy from the book fairs and Scholastic orders at school. I make sure that I read in front of my children often (easy to do since I love reading so much.) And of course, I read to them often.

My husband is a work in progress! For a while, he didn't read anything. Then I noted to him that libraries lend graphic novels. Then he started spending a lot of time in the libraries, even hitting up libraries in the towns outside of the city we live in. And then he got a tablet and now that thing is glued to his hand and he is constantly reading digital graphic novels.

Our family is always looking for ways to share our love of reading. Last year we donated 1/3 of our kids books to the local school. It is overcrowded, boasting a student population of 1900 in Kindergarten to Grade 5. About 95% of the kids come from families where English is not the first language. We decided that it would be good for us to help out the school by donating a bunch of our books to their Borrow a Book program for the Kindergarten kids to encourage reading in English at home.

Holiday Break Reading Challenge

2011-11-30T10:03:00.003-05:00

I have signed up for the 2011-2012 Holiday Break Reading Challenge hosted Julie and Karin at Edifying and Edgy. Over the holiday break (December 16 - January 1) there will be daily book related activities. You can participate in one of them or all of them, it's all up to you!

To get an idea of what the activities are like you can check out last year's challenge here. There are tons of prizes to be won and it looks like it will be tons of fun.

Our school break is a bit different than the dates scheduled here so I'm not sure how much of the activities I'll be getting in on but I look forward to doing as much as I can!

"Always Something There to Remind Me" by Beth Harbison

2011-11-29T12:58:00.003-05:00

Whether they are fond memories or not, everyone remembers their first love. Erin Edwards certainly does. Back in high school she thought she would be with her boyfriend Nate Lawson forever. But after two years of dating their relationship came crashing to an end.

Erin thought she had moved on. She grew up, had a baby who blossomed into a beautiful teenager, and found a demanding but satisfying job as an event planner. Things were sailing along smoothly until her perfect boyfriend Rick proposed. It wasn't the proposal that worried her, it was the fact that the first thing she thought of was Nate. After all these years, what was he doing back in her mind?

Always Something There To Remind Me by Beth Harbison is a tale of teenage love and heartbreak, and what happens when you can't quite get over that first true love. As Erin navigates her adult life, her teenage memories come flooding back to her and she wonders if that intense, head over heels love she felt for Nate was real or just because it was her first. Things become even more complicated when she runs into Nate and he has a few surprises of her own.

The book alternates between the past and present. I found it a little strange that the time periods also alternated between first person and third person. I'm not sure what the point of it was and while it distracted me a bit at the beginning of the book, as it went on it wasn't such a big deal. The alternating of the time periods certainly added to the suspense and need to keep turning the page.

If you're a regular reader of my reviews you know that while I'm not a prude when it comes to sex in novels, I'm not fond of graphic sexual scenes. And this is where this book really turned me off. It wasn't so much the fact that the passages were "well-explained" it was that the passages involved Nate and Erin as teenagers. I get it, teenagers have sex, that's not what I'm complaining about. I just don't think the detail was needed as to what they were doing.

Overall this book is your standard chick lit with depth. It will tug at memories of your teenage years, your first love, and the spots that people hold in your heart and mind even when they're long gone from your life. If you've ever found yourself wondering what happened to your first love or can't get them out of your mind you will really enjoy this book.

Advent With Austen

2011-11-27T19:32:00.003-05:00

As today is the start of Advent, it is the start of Advent with Austen, hosted by Yvann at Reading, fuelled by tea.

Why Advent with Austen? Because it's been 200 years since Sense and Sensibility was published and because December 16 was Jane Austen's birthday.

Why am I participating? Umm....because I've never read anything by Jane Austen *runs and takes cover* Seriously. I know what you're all thinking, how can we ever trust anything she says about books again? Well, things are about to change.

My plans:

So I don't know how much reading I'm going to get done but the plan is start with Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion, hopefully move onto Emma and then if I'm lucky get in a little Northanger Abbey. If I get really adventurous I'll pick up Sense and Sensibility.

I won't just be reading though. Thanks to Netflix, I'll be doing a little watching as well. I'm going to watch the film versions of Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility. I'll also watch The Jane Austen Book Club and Lost in Austen.

Happy Advent with Austen!

Speculative Fiction Challenge 2012

2011-11-26T07:01:00.000-05:00

In my attempt to broaden my reading I have found another challenge to join! The Speculative Fiction Challenge 2012 is hosted by Adventures of 2.0. This is a genre that is very new to me, one that I have often avoided (with the exception of a few Margaret Atwood novels.) I'm already reading 3 books for other challenges so I'm going to aim for the "excited" level of 6 books. I'd really like to go for the "content" level of 12 books but I'm think it may be a bit too high for me.

I haven't decided yet which books I'm going to read but I think I'm going to be reading more of the classic books from this genre. I'm also going to make sure one of the books is a steampunk book as that is a genre that I've only recently heard of and I must say that while it doesn't sound like something I'll really like, it's still fascinating enough that I want to give it a try.

"A Cupboard Full of Coats" by Yvette Edwards

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

Jinx is a woman haunted by her past. Fourteen years ago her mother was brutally murdered in their East London home. She is consumed by the guilt of the part she played in her mothers death and she has let those feelings creep into every part of her life, including her relationship with her five year old son and her estranged husband.

But when Jinx thinks she has a handle on things, living the life she deserves, an old friend of her mothers appears on her doorstep out of nowhere. Lemon wants to talk to Jinx and revisit the events that led up to that horrible night. As they spend the next few days immersed in the past, Jinx realizes that this is her one and only chance to confess what she did. But Lemon also has something to confess and Jinx comes to see what really happened the night that changed her life.

A Cupboard Full of Coats by Yvette Edwards is a family drama full of jealousy, betrayal, violence and passion. Jumping off the page at you is the richness of the East London and West Indian cultures that play a pivotal role in the story. A Booker Prize long list selection, this book is also the debut novel from Edwards and it shows the promise that she has an author.

What I loved about the book was the theme of culture and its influence. West Indian culture plays an important role in the book as does the food. Mmm….the food. I love (and cook) Caribbean food so it's safe to say I was extremely hungry throughout the entire book! The characters dialogue is interspersed with Caribbean dialect but is still easy to understand for readers who are not familiar with it. Edwards paints a beautiful picture with the way she uses culture and food. She also introduces readers to the small island nation of Montserrat, one you don't read much about in literature.

The story of Jinx and her mother is an incredible one and I commend Edwards for tackling this subject. The story is heartbreaking, traumatic and gripping. However, I personally feel that the writing didn't quite live up to the story. As I began reading I was actually pretty surprised that it was a Booker nominee. However, it was still strong enough to make it a page-turner. It held my interest but didn't leave me wowed.

"Highly Inappropriate Tales for Young People" by Douglas Coupland and Gordon Roumieu

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

These aren't your average children's stories. And if the title doesn't warn you of this, then the fact that they are written by Douglas Coupland and illustrated by Graham Roumieu should clue you in. With titles like "Donald the Incredibly Hostile Juice Box," Brandon the Action Figure with Issues," and "Kevin the Hobo Minivan with Extremely Low Morals" you will be wanting to keep this book far away from your children.

Highly Inappropriate Tales for Young People contains seven short stories with weird, crazy, scary, improbable and inappropriate characters, not just for children but for adults as well. Each story has brilliant and vivid drawings to accompany them and add to the inappropriateness.

Marketed as "deliciously wicked" and "completely hilarious" I personally found this book to be anything but. Highly inappropriate, sure, but the laughs were few and far between. Each story definitely pushes boundaries and the characters are definitely beyond expectations. If the only point of the story is to shock the reader, then it achieves that with it's absurdity. But for me, there was nothing else to it.

I just didn't get it. I've read only one of Coupland's other works, nothing of Roumieu's. Perhaps fans of theirs will enjoy this book. If you think this may be of interest to you, check out these favourable reviews:

Book Geeks

The Toronto Star

"One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia

2011-11-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

The year is 1968 and eleven-year-old Delphine and her two young sisters are leaving behind their home in Brooklyn and heading out to Oakland for the summer. Their father has decided that the girls need to spend some time with the mother they never really knew. But when they arrive in Oakland, they find that their mother isn't exactly glad to see them.

Wanting her home to herself, their mother Cecile sends the girls to the People's Center where each day they attend a Black Panther day camp. But the girls, especially Delphine, had high hopes of getting to know their mother. Slowly, over the course of the summer, they begin to learn not only about Black History but the true nature of their mother and why she left them. And in the end, they form a bond that no one expected.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia is the 2011 winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, which is awarded for books about the African-American experience and written for a youth audience. This book is aimed at tweens but is a great book for children and adults of all ages.

It presents a unique view on race relations in the late 1960's as well as a unique view on the Black Panthers - through the eyes of a child involved in their programs. When the girls first arrive, they don't understand the struggle that is happening on the West Coast, it is far different from what they have been taught back home.

The messages in this book are quite powerful given that they are aimed at young children. This is an educational book that children will enjoy. Williams-Garcia has a talent for taking a divisive and turbulent time and making it accessible to young children. This is definitely a book you will want to read to your children while teaching them about the civil rights movement. It can't be easy to take a group as controversial as the Black Panthers and put them into a children's story without getting preachy or critical, but Rita Williams-Garcia did it perfectly.

"Tales From the Yoga Studio" by Rain Mitchell

2011-11-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

When you set foot in a yoga studio you step into a place where everything in the world is left outside, where life becomes about slowing down and breathing in the moment. You instantly become a part of a community of diverse people all working toward the same goal. Yoga isn't just exercise, it's a life-changing practice.

Rain Mitchell's Tales From the Yoga Studio takes you inside this world and introduces you to the many people whose lives are touched by yoga. Lee is the studio owner who is being courted by a trendy yoga chain. Their offer is to good to be true and Lee struggles with letting down her faithful clients who have flocked to yoga at turning points in their lives.

I began a regular yoga practice six months ago so I instantly gravitated to this novel. Knowing how much it has changed my life and the strength I have found through it, I was thankful that someone wrote a book detailing the life changes and friendships that emerge from yoga centres.

This book is a quick, fun read that captures the yoga experience excellently. It isn't about those perfectly toned, extremely bendy yogi's who seem to be off in some other world (though it does include some hilarious extreme types), it's about real people with real problems who turn to yoga to help them get through. And that is what I greatly appreciated about this novel.

I felt that the book was lacking a bit of depth when it came to the characters, their development felt a bit rushed in order to get everything included and tied up by the end of the novel. As well the friendships that were formed between the ladies seemed a little out of the ordinary and I found it a bit difficult to believe. However, this is just the first book in a series so hopefully this will correct itself and in the books to come we'll be able to go deeper in these areas.

If you have your own your own yoga practice or even if you have just dabbled in it a bit you will enjoy Tales From the Yoga Studio. If you don't think yoga is for you, pick up this book anyway, as you will enjoy the theme of female friendship in a new setting as well as the easy read.

Mixing It Up Challenge 2012

2011-11-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

Ellie of Musings of a Bookshop Girl is hosting the Mixing It Up 2012 Challenge. It is designed to get us out of our reading comfort zones, exploring new genres and reading diverse books. It's the perfect challenge for me as that's exactly what I've been wanting to do lately. For all the rules and to sign up go here.

There are five levels of participation and I have decided to go for the top one - All the trimmings and a cherry on top. This involves reading one book from all of the given categories, a total of 16 books. Here are the books I have chosen:

Classic: Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe

Biography: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Amy Chua

Cookery/Food/Wine: Diet for a Small Planet, Frances Moore Lappe

History: A History of the World in 100 Objects, Neil MacGregor

Modern Fiction: I've Got Your Number, Sophie Kinsella

Graphic Novels/Manga: Maus, Art Spiegelman

Crime/Mystery: The Accident, Linwood Barclay

Horror: The Island of Dr. Moreau, H.G. Wells

Romance: The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks

Science Fiction/Fantasy: In Other Worlds, Margaret Atwood

Travel: All Over the Map, Laura Fraser

Poetry: The Selected Poems of Langston Hughes, Langston Hughes

Journalism/Humour: How to be a Canadian, Will Ferguson

Science/Natural History: The Legacy, David Suzuki

Childrens/Young Adult: Want to go Private?, Sarah Littman

Social Sciences/Philosophy: Gang Leader For A Day, Sudhir Venkatesh

"Falling Backwards" by Jann Arden

2011-11-15T07:00:00.001-05:00

I can't say enough good things about Jann Arden. Besides being a superstar Canadian singer, eight time Juno winner (think Canadian Grammy's), author and radio host, she is one incredibly cool and hilarious woman. So of course I had to pick up her memoir, Falling Backwards, as soon as I saw it.

In the book, Jann shares her pre-celebrity life with stories from her childhood, tales of teenage ups and downs, and the road to making it in the entertainment industry. The book is full of warmth, brilliant insight and moments that will make you laugh until it hurts. What is evident from the first to the last page is who Jann is as a person. She leaps right off the page at you and makes you feel as though you're sitting in a coffee shop chatting with a friend.

She will have you falling down laughing as she talks about her childhood exploits including her penchant for lighting matches, getting her head stuck in the milk chute and having her mother de-worm her using scotch tape. She will have you smiling with understanding as she fondly remembers the teachers who made a difference in her life, spending her summers outdoor with playmates from down the road, and the bad perm that characterizes many a persons high school years. And she will also have a tear or two falling down your cheek as she discusses her father's struggle with alcohol, her experiences with unwanted sexual advances, and her eldest brothers descent into alcohol and drug addiction culminating in a murder charge.

No matter what the subject matter, light or heavy, Jann recounts it all with brutal honesty. She's not looking for a pity party, she's sharing what she's learned from what life has given her, both the good and the bad. The lessons of Jann's life are lessons for all of us. Her family wasn't perfect (who's is?) and they had their struggles but through it all they remained committed to each other and it shows in the person that Jann is today.

Falling Backwards is easily one of my favourite books of the year. It will probably end up being my favourite. I read the book in one day because I just couldn't put it down. It's also the first book this year that I have given 5 stars to on GoodReads (I'm very picky about this designation.) Any Canadian will find this book enjoyable, Jann Arden is one of ours to be extremely proud of, whether you listen to her music or not. And you don't have to be Canadian or even know who Jann is to find the beauty in this book. Jann Arden lays everything bare on the page, she isn't ashamed to be unflinchingly honest, and she is one of the sassiest women out there. Do I really need to tell you to pick up this book?

Thank you to Random House of Canada for providing me with a copy of this book.

Back to Classics Challenge 2012

2011-11-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it's time already to start signing up for the 2012 reading challenges? I can't! Where has this year gone? The first challenge I am signing up for is:

Hosted by Sarah Reads Too Much, the Back to Classics Challenge is just what it sounds like, it's all about the classics! This will be good for me, I have a few shelfs full of classics I have never opened. If you would like to sign up for this challenge, check out it out here.

There are nine categories to complete in the year. Here are the books I have chosen:

19th Century Classic: Far From the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy

20th Century Classic: Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf

Re-read: 1984, George Orwell

Play: A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams

Mystery/Horror/Crime: Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier

Romance: Pamela, Samuel Robertson

Translation: Around the World in 80 Days, Jules Verne

Award Winner: The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton

Foreign Country: Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse

"Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)" by Mindy Kaling

2011-11-11T23:04:00.003-05:00

You most likely know Mindy Kaling from The Office, where she stars as Kelly Kapoor and writes several of the show's episodes. Even if you're not a fan of the show, you probably still recognize her from her film roles. If you don't know who she is, you must go find out. A good place to start? Her new book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns).

In essays, Kaling documents her life as the chubby child of immigrant professionals growing up in America, a university comedy actress portraying Ben Affleck in an Off-Broadway play and finally, having achieved her dream of becoming a comedy writer and actress. A quick read of this book will show you why she is so deserving of all the success she has had.

In the book she takes on topics such as karaoke etiquette, the rights and responsibilities of a best friend, romantic comedies, Irish exits, chest hair and comedy roasts among many, many other hilarious topics. I could totally relate to her revenge fantasies while jogging and wanting to know why men take so long to put on their shoes.

This is a fantastically funny book. The collection of essays present moments of seriousness as she shares how she made it in Hollywood, the struggles along the way and so many moments of hilarity as she shares the strange world of fame and her observations on everyday life.

Fans of Mindy Kaling's and The Office are definitely going to want to pick this up (I can't believe you haven't already!) If you don't fall into the above category you will still find this a funny, enjoyable read.

Thank you to Random House of Canada for providing me with a copy of this book.

"Half-Blood Blues" by Esi Edugyan

2011-11-10T13:01:00.007-05:00

In 1940, war had spread throughout Europe. In Paris, a brilliant young jazz musician named Hiero was arrested by the Nazis. He was a German citizen and Black. Hiero was never heard from again.

Fifty years later his friend and fellow musician Sid, who was there the night he was arrested, is at the premiere of a documentary chronicling Hiero's life. The film spurs Sid to relive their time together, a time of brilliant music and culture but also of trouble, racism and war.

Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan is an engaging, stunning and original novel set in a time that continues to haunt our world. It is a unique story to emerge from the time period of World War two, giving a voice to to the many stateless people who were lost during that time. What makes this story so gripping is the way it is woven with the beauty and soul of the jazz scene the time.

The narrative is in an incredible language of the time, a sort of German-American slang, peppered with jazz and flavour. The use of this language really brings the story to life, makes the characters and their emotions jump off the page. Reading the book you can feel the relaxed, expressive energy of the characters while at the same time feeling their troubles and fear. It is a difficult thing to do, to take oppressed people and make the reader feel their joys despite their troubles, and Edugyan does this very well.

Half-Blood Blues was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize as well as the three major Canadian literary prizes. Just yesterday it was announced that the book won Canada's most prestigious prize, the Giller. This book is very deserving of all its praise. This is Esi Edugyan's second novel, and at thirty-four years of age, she has a promising career ahead of her. This was the book I predicted as the Giller winner and I strongly believe that Edugyan has opened wide a path to becoming one of Canada's great literary voices.

Congratulations!

2011-11-09T10:59:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Esi Edugyan on her Giller Prize win for Half-Blood Blues!!!

This win guarantees the 34-year-old new mother booming sales (on an already best-selling novel) and her place in CanLit history. Less than a year ago Edugyan was searching for a publisher for her book after her first company collapsed. Congratulations to Thomas Allen Publishers for picking up this fantastic novel.

Half-Blood Blues

Giller Prize Wrap-up and My Prediction

2011-11-08T10:10:00.003-05:00

The winner of the Giller Prize will be announced tonight. For those who don't know, the Giller Prize is one of Canada's most prestigious literary prizes. It is a must-follow for fans of Canadian fiction!

This year I aimed to read all of the books on the long list. That didn't happen. However, for the first time I managed to read all of the books on the short list before the winner was announced.

The shortlist (click on title for review)

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt - Nominated for the Man Booker Prize and has already won the Rogers' Writers Trust prize. Has a wide appeal and is very accessible for those who aren't fans of the Western genre.

Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan - Nominated for the Man Booker Prize as well as all 3 major Canadian prizes. A fantastic story, it's language transports you to the time and place, engrossing you in its beauty. (My review isn't up yet.)

The Antagonist by Lynn Coady - written in a unique format (through the emails of the main character to one person), a page-turning novel about a misunderstood man and his need to be heard.

The Free World by David Bezmozgis - a book I feel captures the beauty and diversity of our country, the story of a family caught between two worlds, waiting to immigrate to Canada.

Better Living Through Plastic Explosives by Zsuzsi Gartner - the only collection of short stories on the short list, this book is a hilariously dark take on society.

The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje - a beautiful story about a young boy's voyage and the lasting effect it had on his life. Ondaatje is an incredible writer who is one of Canada's best.

My prediction

How do I pick one? I honestly believe that there is no runaway book or book that will be surprise to win. It seems that it's between Half-Blood Blues and The Sisters Brothers given the fact that they have both been nominated for the major awards of the season. But it's too hard for me to predict who will be chosen by others so I will say that if I were picking the winner I would pick........

Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan.

"The Sisters Brothers" by Patrick deWitt

2011-11-07T11:02:00.005-05:00

The year is 1851 and Charlie and Eli Sisters, the infamous Sisters Brothers, are travelling from Oregon to California to kill a man. This is what they do as professional killers. But this trip isn't going to be an easy one. Along the way there are many unsettling and violent experiences. And when they arrive in California they find that getting their man isn't going to be as easy as they thought.

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt is a fascinating Western taking place in a time when the prospect of gold was enough to make a man abandon all that he has and knows, and when honour and pride are important enough to lead to murder. The book is narrated by Eli, the more sensitive of the two brothers, and chronicles everything whether large or small on their journey.

I'm not sure how much of the book stays true to historical details but that doesn't matter in this story. In fact, it probably makes the book much more accessible to readers who don't consider themselves fans of the Western genre. What matters is the way the reader will be drawn into this distant time in which many of us can't conceive living in. I know for sure that I wouldn't have made it very far in this time and place.

Eli Sisters is a heart-warming character despite his profession. At first the reader can't help but favour Eli over his older brother Charlie but as the book goes on and we are offered glimpses into their lives before they became killers for hire, Charlie becomes a character whom you begin to feel a lot of emotion for. And speaking of emotion, this book will provide it all for you - humour, sadness, empathy, delight.

Written in short chapters, this book is an easy to read, intriguing novel that will transport you to a different time. Right from the start it pulls you in. The Sisters Brothers was not only nominated for the 2011 Man Booker Prize it was nominated for all three of the major Canadian literary prizes, and has already won one, the 2011 Rogers' Writers Trust. It is easy to see why this novel has been hailed as one of the best books of the year.

The Antagonist by Lynn Coady

2011-11-04T09:45:00.005-04:00

Gordon "Rank" Rankin, Jr. is the type of guy that people size up immediately upon meeting him. Larger than other kids his age, he comes across as your typical hockey enforcer and most people expect such behaviour from him. As much as he tries to fight this, it soon catches up to him and he finds himself in trouble, putting everything he has worked for in jeopardy.

But it isn't this incident that has Rank all riled up. Decades after a troubling run-in with the law changed his life, Rank discovers that a university friend has written a book based on his life. Painted as a goon and criminal, Rank is angry that his one time friend has betrayed him. And he is determined to set him straight.

The Antagonist by Lynn Coady is an intriguing, unique novel. It is written in the form of Rank's emails to his former friend Adam who has written a novel based on Rank's life. Rank is determined to correct Adam about his life, angry that Adam has left out some crucial biographical information that made him the young man he was - the death of his mother. However, through the course of the emails (never from Adam), Rank comes to see that the book is not really about him, and Rank manages to find a peace about his life as the reader comes to understand why Rank has spent his life feeling so tormented.

I was really impressed by the writing, how the narrative using emails really added to the story. Even as Rank took tangents and began talking about other parts of his life, my interest was kept. The format gives an interesting view of what could be just another story. The character of Rank is misunderstood and heart-wrenching, you can't help but be drawn to him and feel sorry for him. His emails are angry and honest, there is a complete realness to him that jumps from the page.

This book is a great read. It is a page-turner that will grab hold of you emotionally. It is a quick read but one that the reader will also find themselves invested in. Rank is a character that doesn't leave you once you have turned the last page.

"The Free World" by David Bezmozgis

2011-10-31T07:00:00.000-04:00

In 1978, three generations of a Latvian Jewish family arrives in Rome. It is here that they, along with thousands of others just like them, will spend a half year waiting for visas that will take them to a new life in North America.

Samuil Krasnansky, the patriarch of the family is a Red Army veteran and devout Communist. He and his wife Emma have come along with their two sons and their families, the travels being of more importance to the younger generations. During their time in Italy Karl, a father, finds himself drawn to the black market, while Alec gets a job with an immigration agency which to his surprise aids in his womanizing ways. Their time in Italy may be short, but it is a time of great importance - of limbo, of passage to a new and unknown life.

The Free World by David Bezmozgis chronicles a half-century of the Jewish experience in Eastern Europe through the three generations of the Krasnansky family. Rich in history and strong in story, the book is a fascinating look at the immigrant Jewish experience of recent times.

I expected that this book was going to be heavy reading given the subject matter but Bezmozgis' incredible and skilful writing made it just the opposite. I was instantly transported to another world, and often had to remind myself that this story is a part of recent history. The book goes beyond just recounting time and delves into the witty and the absurd.

The book goes back and forth between Samuil's and Alec's narratives, and jumps through the decades to give insight into how the Krasnanskys came to arrive in Italy. I definitely enjoyed Alec's story a bit more, though Samuil's was chock full of interesting and fascinating history. Bezmozgis drew on his family's own experiences to make this a believable and detailed story.

David Bezmozgis was selected by the New Yorker as one of their 20 under 40 novelists and judging by the strength of The Free World, his debut novel, it is a well-deserved honour. There is no surprise here that this book has been shortlisted for the 2011 Giller Prize. While Canada plays a small and outside role in this story, this book captures one of the many incredible stories that make up the narrative of our beautiful country.

"Seriously...I'm Kidding" by Ellen DeGeneres

2011-10-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's been pretty hard to miss Ellen DeGeneres these past few years. Whether it's dancing on her hit television show, judging on American Idol, or striking a pose in a Cover Girl commercial, Ellen is everywhere. And now she's back on bookshelves. In Seriously….I'm Kidding, Ellen takes on everything from the best way to fall asleep to the difficulty of being royalty with her trademark humour.

The book is comprised of short essays filled with witty observations on celebrity culture and life in general. It seems that Ellen can find the lighter side of almost anything as well as the absurdity of almost anything. Some of the essays give the reader some great and important thoughts on life (for example her chapter about courtesy) and some of them are meant for nothing but laughs.

I must say though, for as funny as Ellen is on her talk show it didn't completely translate on to the page for me. Some of the essays had me laughing out loud, but for the most part they just had me smiling. After a while, they started to lose their spark for me. I read the book in only a few sittings so I'm not sure if maybe I would have found the book funnier if I read only a few essays at a time. Maybe it was because I thought I would be laughing out loud from start to finish. I don't think I was expecting too much given how much I enjoy Ellen's show.

I consider myself a casual Ellen fan, so I think that the more "serious" Ellen fans will enjoy this book. You hear her voice in everything that is written so it feels like you're hanging out with her after the show.

Welcome to the 24 Hour Readathon!

2011-10-22T08:16:00.011-04:00

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon is underway!

Well as I mentioned before I went to bed, my snooze button and I have a wonderful relationship (though it seems to be a bit one-sided.) I didn't get up to finish my reading this morning, kids waking up in the middle of the night had me pretty tired when my alarm went off. So my total for my first readathon is:

3.5 books
748 pages
12 full hours spent reading.

Can't wait to try and better those totals at the next readathon!

End of event meme

Which hour was most daunting for you? I'd say the last hour I was awake, it was getting to be a struggle to admit I needed to put the book down and go to sleep
Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia was a great one for me.
Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Nope
What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I can't think of one thng but I thought it was fairly well organized
How many books did you read? 3.5
What were the names of the books you read? One Crazy Summer, Tales From the Yoga Studio, My Life and Lesser Catastrophes, The House of Hope (that's the half.)
Which book did you enjoy most? One Crazy Summer
Which did you enjoy least? My Life and Lesser Catastrophes (but it was still a good book)
If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? I wasn't a cheerleader but I look forward to being one next time around.
How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? Provided the date works for me I'm really looking forward to the next readathon, and I hope to be both a reader and a cheerleader!

Update #7
It's nearing 11pm and sleep is calling my name. My bed looks so good right now. I'm about halfway through my 4th book right now, 748 pages in. I think I'm going to call it a night. My alarm is set so I can wake up tomorrow morning and still get in a few hours of reading before the end (hopefully...I'm not really a morning person and my snooze button and I are well-acquainted.) Good luck to everyone still reading...see you in the morning, this has been a wonderful day!

Mid-Event Survey:

1. What are you reading right now? About to start The House of Hope by Elizabeth Gifford
2. How many books have you read so far? 3
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? I'm hoping that I'll be able to pick up The Free World by David Bezmozgis and finish the last 40 pages.
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? Not too many. At one point we considered going to a play place with the kids but then they both fell asleep.
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Quite a few, I just did what needed to be done and got right back to reading
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? How much reading I have actually done!
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Nothing I can think of yet.
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? I think I'll sign up to be a cheerleader as well next year.
9. Are you getting tired yet? Yeah, but I have two small kids so it's nothing new to me. It is a few hours away from bedtime.
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? No tips, but I have really enjoyed taking small Twitter breaks. They give me a break from reading but keep me motivated to get back to it!

Update #6

Okay, now that the kids are off to bed, I'm back to serious reading! I just finished a book which brings me to a total of 3 books and 648 pages read. Wow! I'm impressed at how awesome this readathon is. I never thought I'd get the chance to do this much reading done in one day!

My second book was Tales From the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell. It's a fictional tale of four women who work or practice at the same studio and the differences yoga was making in their life. The third book was My Life and Lesser Catastrophes by Christina Schofield. Christina and her husband were in a motorcycle accident which left her husband paralyzed from the shoulders down. In the book she writes about living a new life and how her faith was tested.

Alright, quick break and then back to the reading. It's just after 9pm here, and I'm hoping to get a few more hours of solid reading in before I start to think about my bed.

Update #5

Well, we are entering hour 12 and I just took a fairly long, seriously unscheduled break and now I really need to get back to reading! I think once the kids are in bed I'll get my focus back, it can be pretty tough reading in an apartment with two little kids!

Update #4

We're well into hour 9 and I'm still going! I just finished a book so my total is 2 books and 494 pages read. I've taken a nice break, made another cup of tea (white chai) and I'm about to start my third book. I'm also tweeting on my breaks, so come check me out @goodbooksandtea.

Update #3

It's nearing 1pm so I'm off to get myself some lunch, do a few yoga poses (which fits well because I'm currently reading a book about yoga) and then find a new place in the apartment to read. Trying to switch it up so I don't get bored! So far I have read 1.5 books and 322 pages.

Update #2

Just under three hours in and I have completed 1 book and 215 pages. The book I finished is One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia. It's a novel aimed at tweens, about three young girls from New York who spend a summer in Oakland with the mother they never really knew. Their mother sends them to a summer camp put on by the Black Panthers and they soon find themselves caught up in the revolution and discovering the truth about their mother. Excellent read!

Update #1: A Few Things About Myself:

1. Where are you reading from today? Toronto, Ontario, Canada

2. Three random facts about me: 1) My favourite colour is red 2) I used to be a competitive figure skater 3) I love British comedies

3. How many books do you have on your TBR read pile for the next 24 hours? 4

4. Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon? Just to read as much as I can

5. If you are a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for the people doing this for the first time? This is my first time so I'll be taking all the advice I can get!

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon

2011-10-21T12:42:00.003-04:00

I have decided to participate in my first 24 hour readathon. Starting at 8am tomorrow I will read for 24 hours str....ok let's be honest here, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to read for 24 hours straight, but I will be trying to read as much as I possibly can in 24 hours. I will be getting all our meals ready tonight and letting my husband know that he gets to handle all matters with the kids.

Here are the books I have chosen to read:

Tales From the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

My Life and Lesser Catastrophes by Christina Schofield

The House of Hope by Elizabeth Gifford

The first two I have chosen from my to read pile because they look like they will be easy reads (One Crazy Summer is a book aimed at tweens) and the second two are books I have been given to review. Should I actually finish all 4 tomorrow, then I will dive back in to the Giller Prize shortlist.

So head back tomorrow as I'll be checking in to let you know how I'm doing. There will also be tons of mini-challenges through the readathon to participate in. If you're interested in participating it's not to late to sign up here.

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop Winner!

2011-10-20T11:02:00.003-04:00

Thank you to everyone who entered the Literary Giveaway Blog Hop, I'm so pleased to see so much interest in CanLit! And thank you to Leeswammes for hosting the giveaway.

The winner is: The Book Whisperer!

In your comment you said you would love to read The Last River Child, congratulations! You will be contacted by email soon.

FIR '11: How Large is Your Book Collection?

2011-10-19T09:52:00.002-04:00

It's Week 4 of the Fall Into Reading 2011 Challenge. I haven't read much from my list but that will change once I'm done reading through the Giller Prize shortlist! This weeks question:

How large is your personal/family collection of books? And where do you keep them?

I think most people would say that my collection is pretty big. That is if I could ever get it all together in one place. I have one bookshelf next to my bed which is now spilling over onto the floor. It consists of recent books I have been reading. My children have a very large collection of books, so big that last year I donated 1/3 of the books to my daughter's school and the bookshelf is still overflowing. And now we're adding French books to the collection.

But the majority of my books are in boxes. We live in a two bedroom apartment and don't have much space for our books. My husband used to work in the warehouse of a major publishing company and was allowed to bring home any damaged or returned books. And so he did. Hundreds of them. Those are all in boxes in our storage area right now. Any books I accumulated during my childhood, teenage and university years are in boxes at my mothers house.

So basically I have no clue how many books I actually own. My dream is to have a library room when we own a house one day. My husband plans to make the bookshelves for me, so maybe then we'll find out just how many books we own.

"Touch" by Alexi Zentner

2011-10-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

Stephen, an Anglican priest, has returned to his hometown of Sawgamet, a northwest, north-woods boomtown gone bust on the eve of his mother's death. As his family settles in, Stephen finds himself confronting his past, its mysteries and its losses.

Alexi Zentner's Touch is a beautiful story of a pioneering family, the three generations that carved their place in the wilderness and the ways in which the wilderness remains forever imprinted on their lives. Monsters, witches and golden caribou roam the woods as the townspeople face love and death amidst the crippling cold of the logging town.

Evocative, stunning, haunting, page-turner - the perfect words to describe Zentner's debut novel. From the beginning I was drawn in and could not put the book down, which surprised me. From reading the book jacket this did not seem like a book I would be interested in at all but I gave it a try because of its Giller Prize nomination. This book proves once again why I love the Giller because it introduces me to incredible books I would have passed over otherwise.

The book jumps around between the stories of Stephen, his parents and his grandparents. Zentner's beautiful and descriptive language puts you comfortably in a harsh habitat and makes you feel as though you understand life in this unfamiliar terrain. His writing does what we ask of books, to transport us to new places and make those places a part of us. Easily one of my favourite books of the year.

Light Sunday Reading

2011-10-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

Here a few literary stories that caught my eye recently:

* Wouldn't you love to see these libraries popping up in your neighbourhood?

* Move over recycled paper, there's a new way of publishing eco-friendly books.

* Comic books are the next to make the jump to digital popularity...my husband is excited to finally be ahead of the trend!

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop

2011-10-15T00:00:00.004-04:00

I am so excited to be participating in the Literary Giveaway Blog Hop, hosted by Judith at Leeswammes' Blog. There are over 50 participants hosting giveaways on their blog between October 15 and October 19. Be sure to hop around and check out all the awesome giveaways!

My Giveaway

Award season is underway in the Canadian literary world and to celebrate I would like to send someone some fabulous Canadian literature. One lucky winner will be able to choose which book they would like me to send them. Here are the choices (click on title to find out more about the book):

A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews (bought at library sale)

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

The Last River Child by Lori Ann Bloomfield

The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields

Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden (bought at library sale)

Two of the books were bought at a library sale as mentioned. They are still in good condition but are obviously well-loved and do still have the library stickers on them. The other three have been gently used.

The Rules

This giveaway is open worldwide. It is open until 11:59pm on Wednesday October 19. The winner will be announced and contacted the next day. To enter, leave a comment below with your email address. Then take a look around the blog and if you like what you see become a follower and join me on Twitter!

And be sure to check out the other blogs participating in this giveaway:

Leeswammes

Devouring Texts

The Book Whisperer

Seaside Book Nook

The Scarlet Letter (US only)

Rikki's Teleidoscope

Bibliosue

Curled Up With a Good Book and a Cup of Tea

The Book Diva's Reads

Gaskella

Lucybird's Book Blog

Kim's Bookish Place

The Book Garden

Under My Apple Tree

Helen Smith

Sam Still Reading

Nishita's Rants and Raves

Ephemeral Digest

Bookworm with a View

The Parrish Lantern

Dolce Bellezza

Lena Sledge Blog

Book Clutter

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer (US only)

The Blue Bookcase

Book Journey (US only)

The House of the Seven Tails (US only)

In One Eye, Out the Other (US only)

Read, Write & Live

Fresh Ink Books

Living, Learning, and Loving Life (US only)

Bibliophile By the Sea

Laurie Here Reading & Writing Reviews

Amy's Book World (US only)

Teadevotee

Joy's Book Blog

Word Crushes (US only)

Thinking About Loud!

Kinna Reads

Sweeping Me

Minding Spot (US only)

Babies, Books, and Signs (US only)

Lisa Beth Darling

Tony's Reading List

SusieBookworm (US only)

Tell Me A Story

Close Encounters with the Night Kind

Nerfreader

Mevrouw Kinderboek (Netherlands, Belgium)

Boekblogger (Netherlands)

In Spring it is the Dawn

No Page Left Behind

Elle Lit

Book Blogger Hop

2011-10-13T22:55:00.006-04:00

Happy Friday! It's time for the Book Blogger hop, hosted by Crazy For Books. It's a weekly get together of book bloggers to get to know each other, discuss new books, and meet new people.

This week's question is: What is your favourite spooky book?

Answer: Thinking about it, I don't really read spooky books these days. I honestly can't think of one I have read recently, not even a mystery. However, back in the day I used to love reading Christopher Pike books and some of those were pretty spooky given the age I was when reading them. Here are a few of my favourites:

The covers bring back such memories! I'm going to have to head over to my mom's house and see if I still have my copies.

What are your favourite spooky books?

"Better Living Through Plastic Explosives" by Zsuzsi Gartner

2011-10-13T07:00:00.001-04:00

Evolution, international adoption, motivational speakers, real estate, terrorism, the movie industry. Nothing is off limits in Zsuzsi Gartner's Giller short-listed collection of short stories Better Living Through Plastic Explosives.

Modern manhood is threatened when a redneck moves onto an upscale cul-de-sac. Angels are inhabiting the bodies of teenagers. Someone is killing motivational speakers. People are speaking IKEA. In Zsuzi Gartner's Vancouver, truth and science fiction have given birth to a very strange child, and nothing is funnier or more convicting.

Gartner's short stories are impressive. Her take on society, the way she easily forces the reader to turn their own eyes on society and see the absurdity that truly exists, is skillful. Some stories are stronger than others. Some had me laughing my head off, some had me shocked and some had me confused. But the strong ones, the ones that had me laughing my head off not because they are funny but because their absurdities are so true, were strong enough to make this an excellent book for me.

From what I have read, opinions are mixed when it comes to this collection. It seems that it may be hit or miss. My suggestion is if you are a fan of dark humour, if you find your head shaking at the behaviour of society and where technology is taking us, then this is a book you should pick up. If that doesn't include you, still pick up the book, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised or perhaps looking at our world through a brand new lens.

FIR '11: E-books vs. Physical Books

2011-10-12T12:55:00.004-04:00

Oops, I've been a little MIA when it comes to the Wednesday questions so I'm hopping in at the third week. Fall Into Reading 2011 is hosted by Callapidder Days. It's all about getting some good reading done during the fall and connecting with other book bloggers each Wednesday to find out about their reading habits.

This weeks question: On what devices, if any, do you read books? Or are you strictly a physical book reader?

Well, for the past year I have flip flopped on whether or not to purchase an e-reader. Each time I'm at the store I stare at them from a distance, a few times I've gotten close enough for a quick touch. Part of me was drawn to them, most of me was stubborn and felt that books should be a physical thing.

Then my husband bought himself a tablet computer. He got it so he could read graphic novels. I was drawn to it, so I downloaded a few e-reader apps and eventually read my first e-book on it. And I loved it! I must say though I think I prefer the size of a tablet to an e-reading device. Either way, I will mostly be reading physical books but I am no longer limiting myself. Plus, I still have to fight my husband for the tablet!

"Mum on the Run" by Fiona Gibson

2011-10-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

Laura Swan has never been a fan of the sports day at her kids' school. After having three kids, her body just isn't what it used to be and unfortunately the same can't be said for the other mums at school. But this year she has promised her daughter Grace that she will participate in the Mum's Run. Things start out well but soon Laura finds herself collapsing in a heap before the finish line. And to add insult to injury she looks up to see that her husband Jed and his sexy new colleague Celeste have witnessed it all.

It's the last straw for Laura and she soon decides to join a support group for people looking to lose weight. There she meets Danny whom she instantly clicks with and they decide to take up running together. Soon, things are about more than running and Laura finds herself questioning her marriage. Will she be able to get everything right in her life or will she end up running away from it all?

Mum on the Run by Fiona Gibson is a fun chick-lit novel that many women will find themselves relating to, especially mothers. I could completely relate to Laura's feelings about her body post-baby and the difficulty of getting back into shape. She is such an easy character to love and cheer for.

The plot of the book is pretty much your typical chick lit novel but Gibson's writing is easy and funny which makes it very easy to forgive the fact that it seems rather formulaic. You'll find this book difficult to resist and hard to put down which makes for a very quick and enjoyable read.

It's Monday What Are You Reading?

2011-10-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I can't remember a Thanksgiving as beautiful as this years. The temperature today is 24C (75F) and I plan to take advantage of it by sitting in the sun on the balcony with a few good books (I think I'll skip the tea though since it's so warm!)

It's Monday What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Here's how my reading is going lately:

What I Read Last Week:

Better Living Through Plastic Explosives by Zsuzsi Gartner (Giller Prize finalist)

Married Mom, Solo Parent by Carla Anne Coroy (for Faith Filled Reading)

What I'm Reading Now:

Touch by Alexi Zentner (longlisted for the Giller Prize)

Behind the Veils of Yemen by Audra Grace Shelby (For Faith Filled Reading)

What I Plan to Read Next:

The Free World by David Bezmozgis (Giller Prize finalist)

The Antagonist by Lynn Coady (Giller Prize finalist)

"Grub" by Anna Lappe and Bryant Terry

2011-10-06T07:00:00.000-04:00

These days you can find organic food and health products everywhere, even on the shelves of discount grocery stores. More and more consumers are purchasing organic food for a myriad of reasons. If you are one of these people, or someone who is considering making the switch, then Anna Lappe and Bryant Terry's Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen is the book to read.

This book covers everything you need to know about organic foods including an expose on the industry (who knew most of the major organic brands were owned by companies like Pepsi and Dole?) and how-to's for creating an affordable organic kitchen. Aimed at the urban dweller, this book has something for everyone. Grub also has unique recipes and dining lists, organized around seasons and cultures and includes some very good soundtracks to go along with it.

Anna Lappe comes by her credentials naturally. Her mother is writer Francis Moore Lappe who in 1971 wrote the bestselling book Diet for a Small Planet which was the first major book to argue against grain-fed meat production and extol the virtues of a plant-centred diet for both bodies and the earth. Her father, Marc Lappe, was a toxicologist and author who wrote 14 books campaigning against chemical perils and arguing against genetically modified foods.

I have been eating organic for four years now and have done lots of reading on it as well as the food industry in general. Just when I thought there wasn't anything new for me to read, I learned so much from this book. I would recommend Grub as the first book to start with when making the decision to go organic. It is easy to read but packed full of useful information. I also like how this book is aimed at the urban dweller. Eating healthy and local isn't always the easiest way when you live in the city but it is getting better and this book shows that once you do a little digging, you'll be able to turn your kitchen into an urban organic oasis.

Giller Shortlist

2011-10-05T13:55:00.004-04:00

The Shortlist for the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize was announced yesterday. I'm excited because this year I have a good chance at reading most of them before the prize is announced. So far I have read one, am reading one and have two sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. The winner will be announced on Tuesday November 8. Here are the finalists:

The Free World by David Bezmozgis

Better Living Through Plastic Explosives by Zsuzsi Gartner

The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje (my review here)

The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

The Antagonist by Lynn Coady

Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan

I am also excited to read Half Blood Blues and The Sisters Brothers. In addition to being shortlisted for the Giller, they are finalists for The Rogers Writer's Trust prize and The Booker Prize. They must be fantastic novels!

Have you read any of the finalists?

"The Cat's Table" by Michael Ondaatje

2011-10-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

In the 1950's, an eleven-year-old boy boards an ocean liner in Sri Lanka, bound for England. At mealtimes he finds himself placed at the "Cat's Table," furthest away from the Captain's table and designated for the least of the passengers. At the table he is surrounded by an eccentric group of characters including two other young boys. As the ship makes its way through open waters and port cities the three boys find themselves immersed in the lives of the others who inhabit the ship. And it is at night as the boys slink around the ship that they discover the most fascinating inhabitant of the ship - a shackled prisoner whose crime and fate are a mystery that will stay with them forever.

The Cat's Table, by Michael Ondaatje, has been long-listed for the 2011 Giller Prize and rightfully so. It alternates between the childhood and adult life of the narrator, eleven-year-old Michael, and weaves an incredible tale about childhood discovery and the knowledge and understanding of the truth of the world that often can only come from its lowliest position.

Ondaatje is a fantastic writer, there is no doubt about that. The book begins with the set-up of the quirky characters aboard the Oronsay and the three young boys who are thrust into their world. It then moves on to they boys' adult life as it looks back on the journey and the lasting effects it had on their lives. In the end, the story returns to the ship to show how everything comes together and to reveal the mystery of the shackled prisoner.

I'll admit, I had a lot of trouble getting through the middle part. Not because of the writing but something just wasn't holding my interest. I wanted to get back to the ship, back to the mash-up of interesting characters and the mysteries that surrounded them. And when the book finally did I was instantly wrapped up in it again.

I have only read one of Ondaatje's previous works, In the Skin of a Lion, and it quickly became one of my favourite Canadian novels. From what I have read by others, The Cat's Table is one of Ondaatje's more approachable novels. Its fictional memoir feel makes it easily readable. If you're new to Ondaatje's work it sounds like this might be a great place to start. I wouldn't be surprised to see this on the Giller shortlist.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday! I don't know what it's like where you live but outside it is definitely Fall. Cold, wind, rain....oh how I love it! Seriously, dressing warm and cozying up inside with cups of tea and bowls of soup are something I absolutely love.

It's Monday What Are You Reading, hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, is a weekly meme for book bloggers to share what their reading progress currently looks like (click on Book Title for more information)

What I Read Last Week:

Into the Heart of the Country by Pauline Holdstock (long-listed for the Giller Prize)

The Last Woman Standing by Tia McCollors (for Faith Filled Reading blog)

What I'm Currently Reading:

Better Living Through Plastic Explosives by Zsuzsi Gartner (long-listed for the Giller Prize)

Introverts in the Church by Adam S. McHugh (for Faith Filled Reading)

What I Plan to Read Next:

Touch by Alexi Zentner (long-listed for the Giller Prize)

Behind the Veils of Yemen by Audra Grace Shelby (for Faith Filled Reading)

Better

As you can see I'm still working my way through that Giller longlist! The shortlist will be announced this week.

Book Blogger Hop!

2011-09-29T21:32:00.004-04:00

It's Friday and that means it's time for the Book Blogger Hop! Hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books it's a fun, weekly gathering of over 200 book bloggers and a great way to get to know the community. This weeks question is in honour of Banned Book Week:

What is your favourite banned or frequently challenged book?

One of my favourite books is The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I read it in high school and at the time didn't see anything wrong with it, and I still don't. In fact, it was one of only two books that I read in high school that I enjoyed and was interested in. One book from the 2010-2011 list that I really enjoyed is Push by Sapphire. I wouldn't have a problem with my children reading it in their teens.

I am against banning books. There may be some that I feel are inappropriate for certain age levels, but I think that's the responsibility of parents to pay attention to what their children are reading and talk to them about it. I'm especially against banning books that are classics just because they present values that go against the ones we have today.

Example - here is the listing for Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (which I haven't read) - A resident had objected to the novel's depiction of how blacks are treated by members of a racist white community in an Alabama town during the depression. The resident feared the book would upset black children reading it.

I would have no problem with my children reading this book and I doubt it would upset them. The reason for this is, we've already explained to my four year old how things once were. This summer we visited the Martin Luther King Jr Historical Site in Atlanta and sat down to explain everything to her. And over the years we will continue to explain things to her as she matures and has a better understanding of things. A book like this shouldn't upset her when she's in high school because she will already know that this is how things really were. We're not going to sugarcoat what is history.

"The Baby Planner" by Josie Brown

2011-09-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

Katie Johnson wants nothing more than a baby of her own. But her husband Alex, who says he'll keep an open mind, doesn't want a child. What makes this really difficult for Katie is the fact that as San Francisco's premier baby planner, she is surrounded all day by pregnant women and everything baby.

When Katie takes on a new client, single father Seth Harris, she gets more than she bargained for. Seth needs all the help he can get with his newborn daughter and Katie is more than willing to step in to fill that role. Will she end up with the family she has always dreamed of or will her job as a baby planner remind her too much of what she doesn't have?

The Baby Planner by Josie Brown takes you inside a brand new world, the upscale baby planner. Having a baby is a very busy time so why not let someone else do the work for you? They will take care of all your shopping needs, help you get the nursery ready, help you find a drag queen to be the nanny for your child….you'll just have to read the book to find out what that is all about!

This is a fun novel that takes a look at motherhood from many angles - those who have a bunch of kids, those who can't have kids, those who find themselves unexpectedly pregnant and those who find their lives in big upheaval with the arrival of baby. One thing is common amongst these women, they need the help of Katie Johnson, baby planner, to navigate them through these times.

The book goes beyond the shopping, baby showers and cute baby clothing. It looks at relationships and especially at what happens when life doesn't go the way you have planned. My only criticism about this book is the nature of the passages involving sex. I'm not a prude and I can handle when characters have sex in books but I don't think that graphic description is necessary. If you feel the same way, then you are hereby warned.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

2011-09-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's Monday What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey that lets book bloggers share what books are making their way through the to-read pile. I am still in the midst of reading through the Giller Longlist, although I seem to be going pretty slow (not the fault of the books but my time management skills!)

What I Read Last Week:

A World Elsewhere by Wayne Johnston

What I'm Currently Reading:

Into The Heart of the Country by Pauline Holdstock

What I Plan to Read Next:

Better Living Through Plastic Explosives by Zsuzsi Gartner

Have you read any books from this years Giller list?

Fall Into Reading 2011

2011-09-23T07:00:00.001-04:00

Fall Into Reading 2011 is a low-pressure reading challenge hosted by Callapidder Days. Here is what you do to participate:

Create a list of some books you’d like to read or finish this fall. This is the only real requirement for participating in the challenge.

Feel free to set some additional reading goals (such as reading to your kids two hours per week, getting through your pile of magazines, etc.). However, this is not required; setting additional goals is completely optional.

Write a blog post that includes the list of books you want to read (and any additional goals you’ve set), and get ready to post it on your blog on September 23rd.

Visit Callapidder Days on September 23rd to sign up for the challenge. I’ll have an official launch post up that morning, complete with an area for you to submit a link to your personal Fall Into Reading post, where it will be added to the master list of participants.

Read! Work on your goals throughout Fall 2011.

Report your results. Write another blog post in December to let everyone know how you did. (I’ll post an official wrap-up to the challenge on December 22nd, where you’ll be able to share your results.)

Have fun! Visit other participants to see what they’re reading. Write reviews if you’re so inclined. But most of all, enjoy your fall reading!

This is a great challenge for me, I have tons of books sitting on my bookshelves that are begging to be read, but I keep getting books from the library. So here are the books from my shelf that I have chosen for this challenge:

Baggage - Emily Barr

Children of the Waters - Carleen Brice

How to Be Married - Polly Williams

Cocktails for Three - Madeleine Wickham

Busy Woman Seeks Wife - Annie Sanders

Slightly Suburban - Wendy Markham

A Complicated Kindness - Miriam Toews

Tales from the Yoga Studio - Rain Mitchell

These aren't all the books on my shelf that I need to read, but it's a start!

When it comes to reading with my kids I've decided that I would like to commit to reading 50 french storybooks with my 4 year old daughter. She just started French Immersion and I want to keep the french going at home.

Will you be joining the challenge?

"Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" and "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" by Chelsea Handler

2011-09-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

Chelsea Handler is hilarious. I say that as someone who has just recently discovered her. I had heard of her television show but I don't have cable so I had never seen it. I had seen her books all over the place but never picked one up since I didn't know anything about her. But on a whim I thought they might be good summer reading so I picked up two of them - Are you There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea and Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang.

I am so glad I picked up the books. They are fast paced reads as I couldn't put either of them down, except for when I was laughing so hard, which was often. Each book is a collection of essays about Chelsea's life that are so funny, you'll find yourself thinking they can't possibly true because no one's life can be that crazy.

In Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea? she takes on such topics as going to prison, dating a red-head, dining in the dark, re-gifting, vacationing with her father and getting attacked by fourteen-year-old girls.

In Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang she talks about discovering masturbation at a sleepover when she was eight-years-old, faking the death of a friends dog to play a prank on her boyfriend, attempting to get her driver laid while on vacation and trying to get her parents to buy her a Cabbage Patch doll as a child. This book seems a bit more disjointed and rushed than the first one but Handler still takes you on a crazy ride.

If these stories are true, you'll understand why Chelsea is such a comedienne because you would have to look at things with humour with a life like that. If they aren't true then Chelsea is an incredible storyteller. Either way, she writes hilarious books. Perfect reading for the beach, but be warned, Handler is vulgar and raunchy so think about how much you can tolerate before you decide to read either of these books.

Canadian Awards News

2011-09-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

It's an exciting time of year for authors, publishers and readers as there are quite a few book prizes being handed out. Here's a look at two Canadian awards I'm following:

Giller Prize

The Scotiabank Giller Prize is Canada's most distinguished literary prize. Past winners include Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, Alice Munro, Mordecai Richler and Rohinton Mistry. Last years winner Johanna Skibsrud caused quite a stir as her book was put out by a very small Canadian publisher and it was difficult to get your hands on her book before and after the win.

This years longlist is:

The Free World - David Bezmozgis

The Meagre Tarmac - Clark Blaise

The Beggar's Garden - Michael Christie

The Antagonist - Lynn Coady

The Sisters Brothers - Patrick deWitt

Extensions - Myrna Dey (Readers' Choice Winner)

Half-Blood Blues - Esi Edugyan

The Little Shadows - Marina Endicott

Better Living Through Plastic Explosives - Zsuzsi Gartner

Solitaria - Genni Gunn

Into the Heart of the Country - Pauline Holdstock

A World Elsewhere - Wayne Johnston

The Return - Dany Laferriere (translated by David Homel)

Monoceros - Suzette Mayr

The Cat's Table - Michael Ondaatje

A Good Man - Guy Vanderhaeghe

Touch - Alexi Zentner

The shortlist will be announced on October 4th and the winner will be announced on November 8th.

Toronto Book Awards

The Toronto Book Awards is an opportunity for readers to discover the beautiful diversity of the City of Toronto through the eyes of authors. This is the 37th year the award has been presented.

The five finalists are:

What Disturbs Our Blood - James FitzGerald

Etienne's Alphabet - James King

The Amazing Absorbing Boy - Rabindranath Maharaj

The Parabolist - Nicholas Ruddock

Fauna - Alissa York

The winner will be announced on October 13.

"Wild Abandon" by Joe Dunthorne

2011-09-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

Seventeen-year-old Kate and eleven-year-old Albert have spent their entire lives on a secluded Welsh commune led by their father. What was once a vibrant community full of potential is now disintegrating, just like their parents marriage. To escape, Kate heads off for school and suburban life with her boyfriend. Albert stays on the commune and begins preparations for the end of the world, something he is sure is coming soon.

But their father Don isn't going to let the community break up so easily. He decides that the best way to keep his family together and attract new wwoofers (those looking to volunteer on an organic farm) to the commune is to throw a rave complete with a 10k soundsystem. The last day on earth is coming. Bring Your Own Booze.

Wild Abandon is Joe Dunthorne's second novel. It is a typical coming of age story set in very untypical territory. It contains a colourful cast of characters who together make a perfect comedic combination. Suburban life and the middle class are expertly played out against the idealistic group of the commune.

Wild Abandon is a comic novel, one of understated humour, one that doesn't go for cheap laughs but is smart and darkly funny. The character of Albert was my favourite. That kid had me laughing in spots I probably wasn't supposed to. His wit and maturity were wonderfully written. Dunthorne expertly crafted each character so that they seemed like a real person you could meet on the street.

That being said this novel wasn't quite what I was expecting. There isn't too much to the plot, no major ups and downs, goings-on. Rather it is a commentary, a story of people and how they come to be who they are, how they interact and respond to their surroundings. However, Dunthorne's writing was more than enough to keep me turning the pages. While it started a bit slow for me personally, his characters soon had me wrapped up and wondering how I too could spend some time on the commune as a wwoofer.

I would like to thank Penguin Canada for providing me with a copy of this book.

It's Monday What Are You Reading?

2011-09-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's Monday What Are You Reading? is my favourite meme. That's because I love getting organized, making lists, planning what I'm going to do and this meme does just that for my reading. It's hosted by Sheila at Book Journey and be warned, it's going to add to your to read list dramatically!!!

My list this week is all CanLit as I'm currently reading my way through the Giller Prize longlist.

What I Read Last Week:

The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje

In the early 1950s, an eleven-year-old boy boards a huge liner bound for England. At mealtimes, he is placed at the lowly "Cat's Table" with an eccentric and unforgettable group of grownups and two other boys. As the ship makes its way across the Indian Ocean, through the Suez Canal, into the Mediterranean, the boys find themselves immersed in the worlds and stories of the adults around them. At night they spy on a shackled prisoner -- his crime and fate a galvanizing mystery that will haunt them forever.

Looking back from deep within adulthood, and gradually moving back and forth from the decks and holds of the ship to the years that follow the narrator unfolds a spellbinding and layered tale about the magical, often forbidden discoveries of childhood and the burdens of earned understanding, about a life-long journey that began unexpectedly with a sea voyage.

What I'm Currently Reading:

A World Elsewhere by Wayne Johnston

A World Elsewhere has all the hallmarks of Wayne Johnston's most beloved and acclaimed novels: outsiders yearning for acceptance, dreams that threaten to overpower their makers, and unlikely romance. It is an astounding work of literature that questions the loyalties of friends, family and the heart. At the centre of this story is a mystery: the suspected murder of a child. This sweeping tale immerses us in St. John's, Princeton and North Carolina at the close of the nineteenth century. Landish Druken is a formidable figure: broader than most doorways, quick-witted and sharp-tongued. As a student at Princeton, he is befriended by George Vanderluyden, son of one of the wealthiest men in America. Years later, when Landish and his adopted son turn to Vanderluyden for help, he invites them to his self-constructed castle and pulls them into his web of lies and deceit.

What I Plan to Read Next:

Into The Heart of the Country by Pauline Holdstock

Set in eighteenth-century Churchill, this compelling new novel takes the reader deep into unexplored territory. Appearing only fleetingly in the historical record of the Hudson's Bay Company are the Native women who lived at the company's Prince of Wales Fort and served as country wives to theEuropean traders and whose survival was bound, for better or worse, to the fortunes of those men.

Across more than two centuries, the mixed-blood woman Mary Norton, daughter of Governor Moses and personal favourite of the explorer Samuel Hearne, speaks to us from her dreams. As the story of her liaison with Hearne unfolds, we move toward its tragic consequences. When their small society is torn apart by a French attack on the fort, Mary and the other women find themselves and their children abandoned by their British masters. Now in one of history's cruel ironies they must fend for themselves in the harsh country from which their own ancestors sprang.

Happy Reading!!!

Light Sunday Reading

2011-09-18T07:00:00.002-04:00

Reading. It never goes out of style and it's always in the news. Here are a few news pieces that caught my eye this week.

*One of my favourite books I have read with my kids is Please Baby Please by Spike Lee. We also love the follow-up Please Puppy Please. I was pretty surprised to learn that Spike Lee has written children's books but he's not the only celebrity jumping on the trend. Would you believe that Tyra Banks, Terrell Owens, John Travolta and Julianne Moore have all written children's books? What do you think? Can Celebrities Write Good Children's Books?

*If you're a book blogger you no doubt have overflowing bookshelves in your home. But according to Ikea, you're in the minority. People are no longer keeping books on the shelves, they're using them more as display cases. And for that, Ikea is changing the depth of their bookshelves to better suit their new uses. Personally, I think it's a great idea, it means I can probably fit more books on my shelves. What do you use your bookshelves for?

*Not enough editing staff and the pressure to get books to market can make for poorly edited books. In most books a typo is just a typo, not a big deal, but for this author, it changed the entire tone of the book!

"Then Came You" by Jennifer Weiner

2011-09-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

In Jennifer Weiner's latest novel, Then Came You, four very different women are about to find their lives crashing head on.

Jules is a senior at Princeton, beautiful, smart and focused. When she is offered a large sum of money to donate her "pedigree" eggs, she takes the opportunity in the hopes of helping her addict father get into rehab.

Annie is a young mother of two boys, married to her high school sweetheart. As a stay at home mom she finds herself struggling to support her family on her husbands sole income. When she discovers she can earn extra money as a surrogate, she jumps in despite her husbands hesitations.

India Bishop has started life over at age forty-three (though she tells people she is thirty-eight.) She has changed her name, her face and her past and is now married to Marcus Croft, a wealthy older New York City businessman. When her attempts at pregnancy fail she turns to Annie, Jules and a fertility clinic to help make her dreams come true.

Things seem to be perfect until Marcus' daughter Bettina becomes involved. A promising university student, she is convinced that India isn't who she says she is and Bettina will protect her father at all costs.

Jennifer Weiner is a master storyteller. She expertly crafts engaging, endearing female characters and straight from the headlines topics into unforgettable stories. In this novel she looks at the issue of surrogacy from every perspective and delves deep into the issues of parental rights and motherhood.

I've been a fan of Weiner's from the first book of hers that I picked up. I love the way she tells a story with the right blend of warmth, emotion and humour. I was slightly disappointed in her last novel but feel that with Then Came You she is back to what I love most about her. If you are a fan of women's fiction then this is definitely a book you should pick up.

Fall Preview

2011-09-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

Fall is definitely my favourite season. I love getting out the warm sweaters and scarves, the colours of the leaves, sitting on the balcony wrapped in a blanket sipping a warm cup of tea. Not to mention the excitement of back to school, the season premieres of favourite television shows (Big Bang Theory anyone?) and cooking meals that warm you up from the inside out.

Fall is an exciting time for readers as it is when many of the major awards are given. This year the Man Booker Prize for fiction will be announced on Tuesday 18 October. The Scotiabank Giller Prize for Canadian fiction will be announced on Tuesday 8 November. Join me as I try to read through all of the books on the Giller longlist and hopefully many of the books on the Booker longlist.

Here at Curled Up With a Good Book and a Cup of Tea I look forward to reading a lot of Canadian literature, blogging and tweeting about books in the news, and pretty soon a giveaway. Stay tuned!

"Summer and the City" by Candace Bushnell

2011-09-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

Through six seasons and two movies we laughed, cried, celebrated and hurt with the ladies of Sex and the City. They were more than characters on the television and movie screen, they were friends, alter-egos, role models. When we met them, they were successful women with homes, careers and love lives.

In The Carrie Diaries, we were introduced to teenage Carrie Bradshaw. We discovered where she came from and how she ended up in New York City. And now, in Summer and the City, we see how she met Samantha and Miranda and how she came to settle in NYC.

Summer and the City by Candace Bushnell is a young adult novel that fans of Sex and the City will enjoy no matter what their age. While the intent of the novel is to discover who the women we love so much are and what made them the women we know, the book itself is a great stand-alone novel, a story of young women taking New York City by storm in the 1980's.

Carrie has arrived in NYC to take a summer writing class at The New School. After a rough start she is taken in by Samantha Jones, who is working her way up in the advertising field and planning her wedding to one of the city's most eligible bachelors. As Carrie falls in love with an older man and finds herself immersed in the city's fast-paced society culture she learns lessons of love, heartbreak and discovering your voice. When she meets Miranda Hobbes outside of Saks, where the hardcore feminist is protesting pornography, she discovers the importance of female friendship and the power it has in her life.

Meeting the women in their late teens and early twenties is such a trip. Whatever idea you had of them, you can forget. They are not the same women we met in the show, but you see glimpses of who they are to become. And when we get a very brief glimpse of young Charlotte you can't help but smile with nostalgia for a brilliant television show that so greatly influenced the lives of many women.

Don't let the young adult designation steer you away from this book if you are a fan of the show, it is written in a voice that acknowledges readers of all ages. And if you are wondering if your teenage daughter should read the book, don't let the sexual nature of the show worry you, it's not in the book.

Summer and the City is another great book by Candace Bushnell and will be loved by all fans of the show. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go re-watch the entire series.

Book Blogger Hop!

2011-09-12T23:58:00.004-04:00

Are you a book blogger? Are you a reader? Then welcome to the place where all of us connect over the weekend and chat about books!

The Book Blogger Hop is a fun meme where you can meet almost 200 book bloggers each week! Hop along and you can find out more about your favourite bloggers, meet new ones and most definitely find some great new books to read! To join in, check things out here.

This is my first Hop back since taking the entire summer of from blogging. I managed to get some reading done, though not as much as I had hoped. And I definitely missed blogging, so it is great to be back!

This weeks question is: As a book blogger, how do you introduce yourself in your profile?

My answer: I know when I started blogging, I wanted to keep things kind of anonymous. I was a little unsure of this whole blogging world and how much of me I wanted to put out there. But as I became comfortable in this world over time I began to share my profile. I shared the most important things to me - my family and what I like to do when I'm not reading. Now that I look at it, I think there is probably more I can share especially now that I'm making such wonderful connections in the book blogger world!

Thanks for hopping by my blog. If this is your first time here, welcome and hope you take a look around. You'll find an eclectic mix of reviews, there should be something here for everyone. If you're a return visitor, thanks for stopping by again and I hope you are enjoying your hop!

Back to Blogging!!!

2011-09-12T07:00:00.001-04:00

I am so very happy to say that I am back to blogging!!! I decided to take the summer off from blogging and that was a good decision because I honestly did not get much reading done. We had a wonderful summer full of trips, theme parks, barbecues, baseball games and sleepovers. It was sad to see it come to an end but it also brought new beginnings including my daughters start at a new school (in French!) And now that we have settled in and are back to our routine it's definitely time I get back to the books myself.

I had a huge list of books prepared to read during the summer and unfortunately I barely made a dent in the list. I made the decision that the warm weather was too precious to waste on books that weren't really grabbing me so there were a lot more DNF's than I was used to. Some of them were quite surprising, I was really looking forward to both Untold Story by Monica Ali and The Kid by Sapphire, but I just couldn't get into them.

The books I did finish were wonderful treats. It was great visiting the SATC ladies in Summer and the City by Candace Bushnell. Chelsea Handler had me in stitches with the stories she tells in Are You There Vodka? It's Me Chelsea and Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang. And Jennifer Weiner has another fabulous work with Then Came You. Reviews are soon to come!

I am also now on Twitter! I think I have held out long enough. Come follow me @goodbooksandtea. I look forward to being able to to discuss books further with you.

How was your summer?

"Mugabe and the White African" by Ben Freeth

2011-08-25T09:57:00.004-04:00

Ben Freeth has an extraordinary story to tell. Like that of many white farmers in Zimbabwe, his family's land was "reclaimed" for redistribution by Mugabe's government.

But Ben's family fought back. Appealing to international law, they instigated a suit against Mugabe's government in the SADC, the Southern African equivalent of NATO. The case was deferred time and again while Mugabe's men pulled strings. But after Freeth and his parents-in-law were abducted and beaten within inches of death in 2008, the SADC deemed any further delay to be an obstruction of justice. The case was heard, and was successful on all counts.

But the story doesn't end there. In 2009 the family farm was burned to the ground. The fight for justice in Zimbabwe is far from over - this book is for anyone who wants to see into the heart of one of today's hardest places and how human dignity flourishes even in the most adverse circumstances.

You may have heard of the violence and corruption in Zimbabwe through the media and heard of the governments campaign to take farms from the white farmers who legally purchased the land almost always through force. But the media reports certainly do not tell the whole story of the disheartening corruption and violence that has occurred, nor do they provide a voice for those who have had their lives threatened and livelihoods taken away from them.

In Mugabe and the White African, Ben Freeth provides this voice by giving his chilling first-hand account. His story is one of incredible resolve, determination, strength and especially faith. To take a stand against a powerful dictator when most of your friends have lost their farms and many have lost their lives is something few people could do.

With forewords by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Archbishop of York Dr. John Sentamu, this book will give you a better understanding of the atrocities and indignities that are occurring in Zimbabwe while at the same time showing you what faith and courage is. This is book is both fascinating and heartbreaking, a page turner that will have you take pause to absorb how such violence and evil can exist in our world.

About the author

Ben Freeth, MBE, is a British-born Zimbabwean farmer. He has lived in Zimbabwe most of his life and is raising his three young children there, together with his wife Laura. Ben's story has already been the subject of an award-winning documentary which won Best Documentary 2009 (British Independent Film Awards), was nominated for the BAFTA Outstanding Debut Film 2010, and shortlisted for an Oscar in 2010.

The PBS debut of Mugabe and the White African, the award-winning documentary of the same name, was on July 26. Watch now at PBS: http://www.pbs.org/pov/mugabe/.

Giveaway!

Kregel Publications is sponsoring a $50 Amazon.com giveaway. To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using @litfuse) about Mugabe and the White African or share about it on Facebook! If you tweet, your entry will be captured when you use @litfuse. If you share it on Facebook, email info@litfusegroup.com and let them know. Easy!

"Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy" by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson

2011-07-28T20:20:00.002-04:00

When I think about the term "Southern," lots of things come to mind - etiquette, comfort food, funny accents, big hair…and a few things I can't quite wrap my head around like Nascar. So when I heard about the book Sue Ellen's Girl Ain't Fat, She Just Weighs Heavy by Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, I knew I had to pick it up and see if I could understand Southerners a bit better.

Using principles from the "Belle Doctrine" Tomlinson covers a wide range of topics such as fitness, men, time management, manners, politics, holidays and regional differences. Included amongst the observations and advice are Southern recipes and anecdotes from readers about growing up Southern. Right from the start this book screams "go-to book on all things Southern."

This is a follow-up to Tomlinson's best-selling book Suck Your Stomach In & Put Some Color On! but the book does stand alone so you don't have to have read the first one. Though I'm sure you'll want to once you've finished with this book.

I will admit that some of this book was hard for me to get into. I loved the personal stories and many had me laughing out loud. But there was quite a bit that I just didn't get. I justified this during my reading in that I just don't have much knowledge of the American South and therefore just wouldn't get why some things are funny. I likened it to a non-Canadian reading a book about us and our crazy ways. I mean, if you don't know what Tim Hortons is you just wouldn't understand why we consider a doughnut shop to be a national institution.

So I will say that if you are Southern, have spent time in the South or just happen to know a lot of people from there you will find this book hilarious, and you'll be laughing and nodding your head the whole way through. If you aren't from the South then you may not have the same experience with the book.

But no matter where you are from, there are a lot of lessons that can be taken from this book. One thing those Southerners sure can do is point out the absurdities of this world and teach you how to behave with a little bit of dignity in this crazy world we live in.

Save Toronto's Public Libraries

2011-07-22T23:14:00.002-04:00

For those of you who live in Toronto or the surrounding areas, you'll probably already know about this. For those of you who don't live near Toronto but love books, you'll want to hear about this.

Our new mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, rode into office on a thrilling platform that promised to "cut the gravy" at City Hall without cutting services. Here we are only a few months after the election and up on the chopping block are our public libraries. Apparently Rob Ford sees them as more of a financial burden than an essential community service.

His brother, Councillor Doug Ford, also seems to think public libraries aren't very important. He stated that in his area of the city, there are more public libraries than Tim Hortons. Anyone who lives in Toronto can point you to an area in the city where there is a Tim Hortons across the street from a Tim Hortons and knows this statement is obviously false.

Some options at City Hall right now are to either privatize the library system or to close branches. For however many dollars this saves the City, there will be many more people who suffer.

My library

Let me tell you about my local branch. It is situated in a planned community built to house 12,500 people but currently houses more than 30,000 in 2.2 sq kilometres of space. The local public school is the largest in North America with 1900 students between Junior Kindergarten and grade 5 as a quarter of the population is under the age of 14.

Our neighbourhood has one park, one community centre, one set of soccer fields, one outdoor pool and one library situated among high-rise buildings. It is crowded, it is stressed, and kids play in parking lots because that is the only space available for them. The library is one of the few safe places kids can go.

In my neighbourhood, over half of the population speaks a language other than English at home. Seven percent of the population cannot speak English at all. 68 percent of the population are immigrants. Do I need to point out how useful the library is for these people? Our library plays a central role in our community where families can borrow books, learn English, receive settlement services, look for jobs, use computers, watch movies, and more. Can you imagine what this neighbourhood would be like if we lost our library, or if it became privatized? I don't want to think about.

What can you do?

Go to http://ourpubliclibrary.to/ and sign the petition if you live in Toronto. Spread the word. Let city council know that we love our libraries and won't stand for them being cut. Tell Rob Ford to go find the gravy elsewhere.

If you don't live in Toronto, aren't Canadian, you can still show your support by spreading the word and making sure that this doesn't happen in your own city. Support your local libraries.

"Money Can't Buy Love" by Connie Briscoe

2011-07-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

How would five million dollars change your life? Would it solve all of your problems? If your answer is yes, don't be so sure.

Thirty-eight-year-old Lenora Stone is a successful photographer for the glossy magazine Baltimore Scene. But Lenora wishes that she could be socializing with Baltimore's A-list rather than photographing them. But with overdue bills, car trouble, a demanding boss and a boyfriend of three years who doesn't seem to want to propose, her life is far from glamorous.

When Lenora wins the jackpot Maryland lottery it seems that all her dreams may be finally be in reach. She has traded in her brokedown Honda for a brand new BMW and she has upgraded from a tiny condo to a million-dollar mansion. Her boyfriend has proposed, she has quit her job and the city's most exclusive women's group has offered her a membership.

But soon Lenora finds that money doesn't always bring happiness. Her old friends are concerned about her sudden changes and don't speak to her much anymore. A sexy, young landscaper has come into Lenora's life and she can't resist his advances. Soon, Lenora realizes that the money she has won may not stretch far enough.

Money Can't Buy Love by Connie Briscoe is a fantastic summer read. It is quick, fresh and easy to get caught up in. I'm sure many of us have thought what we would do if we won the lottery, but I bet we don't think about how the money would change us in ways other than financially. Lenora Stone is a believable character, easy to relate to and though she makes mistakes you still pull for things to turn out well for her in the end.

Reading this book makes you understand why many people who win the lottery are broke only a few years later. It gives great insight to the emotions that come along with the large sums of money. Briscoe has written an honest and realistic book that is fun and fabulous.

This book proves that money can't buy love and happiness but it is still fun to dream about winning the lottery. Connie Briscoe is a fantastic writer and I definitely will be looking for her other books. If you're searching for a delicious summer read, pick up Money Can't Buy Love.

About the Author

Connie Briscoe has been a full-time published author for more than 17 years. Her work has hit the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.

Visit her online at http://conniebriscoe.com.

Happy Canada Day

2011-06-30T21:46:00.002-04:00

Oh Canada! Happy 144th Birthday! I'll be out celebrating all day, but I thought I would celebrate here by sharing some of my favourite Canadian books. We're a diverse, fantastic, and sometimes strange people and our literature here encompasses all that is amazing about being Canadian. Here is my list of must-read Canadian books.

The Book of Negroes - Lawrence Hill

In the Skin of a Lion - Michael Ondaatje

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

Cool Water - Dianne Warren

How to Be A Canadian - Will Ferguson

Room - Emma Donoghue

Life of Pi - Yann Martel

A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

and of course...

The Hockey Sweater - Roch Carrier

Book Blogger Hop!

2011-06-24T10:41:00.003-04:00

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This weeklyBOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!

This week’s question comes from Elena who blogs at Books and Reviews! Thanks for submitting a question for our Hoppers, Elena! Be sure to visit her blog and tell her thank you!

“When did you realize reading was your passion and a truly important part of your life?”

My answer: Very, very, early on. Both of my parents were teachers, my mom a Kindergarten teacher, and they were big on early literacy. They made sure that from the beginning they read books to us each night before bed. My mom says that at the age of 3 I picked up a book and started reading it. I don't remember that, but I remember always reading.

There was no one moment that made me realize reading was my passion, it has always been. As a kid my favourite thing to do was go to the mall and get the next book in the series' I loved. Reading was just a natural thing. But when I did realize the importance of it when I had kids. Whenever I would be reading a book, my daughter would pick up one of hers and sit next to me and "read." I knew it was important for their literacy not only to read to them but to have them see me read. If I love it, they'll love it.

Thanks for hopping by. Leave a comment and let me know when you realized reading was your passion!

A break...sort of

2011-06-23T09:41:00.003-04:00

With only a week left of school to go we've been looking ahead at our summer plans and we are so excited because we have a busy summer planned - amusement parks, baseball games, barbecues, and a couple of trips. Add to that trips to the park, three birthdays in July and my first ever 30 day Bikram Yoga challenge and it's going be one fun-filled summer.

So I think my blogging is going to be slowing down a bit. I appreciate everyone who reads my blogs and my reviews and I love being a part of the book blogging community so I won't be completely gone, I just won't be around as much. I still plan to hop around a bit on Fridays and I plan to post one review a week, and I will be posting reviews at Faith Filled Reading, but that will be all.

I will still be reading throughout the summer though, so when things go full swing again in September expect tons of reviews, especially if you love chick lit!

Have a great summer!

"Miss New India" by Bharati Mukherjee

2011-06-22T11:36:00.003-04:00

Nineteen-year-old Anjali Bose is an ambitious girl born into a traditional lower-middle class family in tiny Gauripaur, India. Successful in school with an aptitude for languages, especially English, Anjali is facing what she has been dreading for a while - an arranged marriage. But Anjali's expat teacher, Peter Champion, sees a spark in Anjali that needs to be nurtured and he encourages her to set off for Bangalore, India's fastest-growing major metropolis.

In Bangalore, Anjali quickly falls into the huge, highly ambitious crowd of other young men and women who have come from all over the country to get jobs as call-centre agents. They spend their time immersing themselves in American culture, shopping and partying, learning the right accents from television shows so they can pass themselves off as American on the phones, meanwhile earning more than their parents could ever have dreamed of.

Anjali sees her opportunity to Bangalore to leave her past behind and reinvent herself, breaking free from the traditions of class, caste and gender. But she quickly discovers that modernity has its dark side and if she isn't careful, it will pull her under.

Miss New India, by Bharati Mukherjee, is a fascinating look at contemporary India, it's place in the world and the young people who are behind it's growth. Bangalore is known as the Silicon Valley of India, a place where many American companies are outsourcing their customer service jobs and because of that is experiencing rapid growth and an influx of people from all over the country in hopes of benefitting from the growth.

The main character, Anjali Bose, is so simple she's complex. Inexperienced and naive, the reader will find her frustrating and fascinating. She's an intelligent girl in book smarts but not in street smarts. She has ambitions but doesn't know how to achieve them. As you discover Bangalore along with her, you'll find yourself wondering why she is making the decisions she does. She quickly makes some interesting and powerful friends in Bangalore and you'll wonder what it is that has attracted them to her. She seems to lack all the qualities that these people would be looking for.

I was expecting this book to be more about the world of call-centre agents, these "Miss New India's." While the contrasts between the old and new India are fascinating, a lot of it seems rushed. Anjali finds herself in some pretty tough situations that seem to be wrapped up rather neatly given their extreme nature.

The book definitely takes a turn I wasn't expecting and veers away from what I thought it would be about. But it is still a fascinating look at a world we know of (don't we all assume that when we call a customer support line, we're calling India?) but don't really know much about. Mukherjee is a fantastic writer and makes India jump off the page.

Half Year in Review

2011-06-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

The warm weather is (finally) here and school is only a couple of weeks from letting out. We are halfway through 2011 and the summer is here!

At the beginning of the year I set myself some new goals and challenges for reading. I think it's time to check in and see how I'm doing (and if I need to get my butt in gear.)

Read 100 books

I tried this last year but due to illness at the end of the year I only made it to 99. So this year, I'm determined to read that one extra book. So far, I'm at 44. Not bad. My reading should hopefully pick up over the summer which keeps me on track to make it to 100.

POC (Persons of Colour) Reading Challenge

My goal is to read 10-15 books written by or featuring main characters of colour. I have already read 13 so I hit my goal and it will be interesting to see how many I do actually read this year.

Canadian Book Challenge

This challenge actually starts in July, so it is wrapping up at the end of this month (and a new one is beginning on Canada Day.) The goal is to read 13 books written by Canadians in one year. I have read 28! I absolutely loved this challenge and can't wait for CBC 5 to start and see if I can improve.

Christian Fiction Challenge

The goal is to read 12 books. So far I am at 8. This challenge is pretty easy for me as I love reading Urban Christian fiction. But I did challenge myself to read outside that genre and expand my Christian fiction choices. So far most of the books I have read are Urban, but I do have a mix of genres on hold at the library. Don't forget to check out my Christian reviews atFaith Filled Reading.

Non-Fiction Challenge

Easy-peasy. The goal is to read 7 and I'm already at 13 with many more planned!

How is your reading year turning out? Do you find you read more or less in the summer?

"Branded" by Tim Sinclair

2011-06-20T08:55:00.003-04:00

According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, the church spends $1,551,466 for each new follower of Jesus. With that kind of statistic it would seem that the church's outreach efforts aren't the most effective. What is the church doing wrong, and what would be a better way to share our faith?

In Branded, Christian radio personality Tim Sinclair explores the ways in which the church has been essentially "mass-marketing" Jesus in the last few decades and how in many cases, it has failed to excite newcomers to the church and faith. Using examples of successful businesses, Sinclair looks at the consumer culture of today and posits that if we were to stop turning Jesus into a brand and instead market our faith relationally, person to person, honestly and authentically, that we would be more successful in our outreach efforts.

Branded is a fantastic book. What I enjoyed most about the book was how well-researched it is, how Sinclair really understands his audience and today's culture and link them together with the church, a link that is often missing. Sinclair is the perfect person to write this book, as a marketer he has helped to brand many companies.

This book isn't a call to "brand" Jesus, rather it points out that many of our outreach efforts have already done this, but in a manner that isn't working. If we are going to market Jesus, then Sinclair says we need to do it in a different manner.

Sinclair includes a chapter in the book with ways to re-market Jesus. A word of warning, this chapter will be convicting and for many it may feel like an attack on their church's current practices. However, that is not the intent of the chapter and Sinclair doesn't expect every church to follow all of his suggestions. Rather, he is challenging you to take a look at what you and your church are currently doing, decide if it has been effective and decide if maybe there is a better way for you. The inclusion of discussion questions make this book a great resources for churches and small groups.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is well-written, clear and concise. It doesn't hit you over the head with statistics or boring business principles. It presents a great message that gets right to the point. I think this is a book that all churches should, not because I think that all churches are failing at outreach, but because I think it will challenge churches to look at their methods and in the end become more effective at sharing Jesus with others.

Summer Reading List

2011-06-18T09:30:00.000-04:00

I never really noticed before but my reading is very seasonal. I like deeper topics and real-life stories in the winter and fluffy chick lit in the summer! And with the summer here I have drawn up what I think is a great list for my summer reading:

The Baby Planner - Josie Brown

Summer and the City - Candace Bushnell

The Beach Cafe - Lucy Diamond

Celebrity Shopper - Carmen Reid

New York Valentine - Carmen Reid

The Girl in the Mirror - Cecelia Ahern

Spa Wars - Chrissie Manby

Tales from the Yoga Studio - Rain Mitchell

Mum on the Run - Fiona Gibson

My Single Friend - Jane Costello

Something From Tiffany's - Melissa Hill

The Single Girls To Do List - Lindsay Kelk

The Wedding Writer - Susan Schneider

But it won't be all fluffy chick lit all summer, I need to give my brain some sort of workout by switching things up. So I also plan to read:

Escape - Barbara Delinsky

It's Not Really About the Hair - Tabatha Coffey

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky - Heidi Durrow

The Kid - Sapphire

On the Outside Looking Indian - Rupinder Gill

I personally feel that is a much better list than any school could come up with! Do you have a summer reading list?

"If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't)" by Betty White

2011-06-16T08:50:00.002-04:00

Starring in Hot in Cleveland, hosting SNL, stealing the scene in a Snickers Commercial - who isn't loving Betty White these days? Whether you are a fan of hers from back in the day onThe Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Golden Girls (I still love watching the re-runs) or know her from her more recent appearances, you can't help but be in love with Betty White. She's witty, smart, kind and always current. At the age of 89 she is still charming people of all ages.

If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't) is Betty White's fifth book and is a sweet, humble and thankful look at her life and the wisdom it has given her in the last couple of decades. As you read this book you will feel as though Betty is sitting next to you on the couch sharing all the little gems and insights she has about life.

The book is divided into short sections on different topics such as love, her career, animals and aging. Each is full of insight and humour, and is written in such a personal and warm manner that you won't want to put it down. I certainly didn't and I ended up reading the book in one sitting. The book is also full of photos, both of Betty's private and public life which, if it was possible, make her even more endearing.

This is a wonderful book and would make the perfect summer read. Fix yourself a cool drink, grab a seat somewhere outside in the shade and sit back and enjoy this gem. Then tell all of your friends to do the same. You'll probably want to pick up The Golden Girls on dvd afterward too.

"The Guardian Angel's Journal" by Carolyn Jess-Cooke

2011-06-14T14:52:00.004-04:00

Imagine that when your life ends you are sent back to Earth as a guardian angel. And not for just anyone but a guardian angel for yourself. Imagine you had the opportunity to observe and alter the life you have already lived.

This is what happens to Margot Delacroix when her tragic life comes to an end at the age of forty. Renamed Ruth, she is sent back to Earth to encourage Margot to make the right decisions, in the hopes of making her life a little easier. Not only does Ruth now have the opportunity to fix the wrongs of her life, but she also is able to understand why her life turned out the way it did. Will Ruth be able to give Margot the life she truly deserves, or will Margot continue to do things her own way and leave Ruth to be a witness to her own self-destruction?

The Guardian Angel's Journal by Carolyn Jess-Cooke is not the type of novel I would usually read. I tend to stay away from novels about angels and the spiritual realm that don't line up with my faith, and because of that I did hesitate for a second when contacted by the author to review this novel. But the premise of the book sounded so interesting, being ones own guardian angel, so I decided to give it a read. And I am so glad that I did.

This is a fantastic book. Right from the first page the reader is drawn into the book and captivated by Margot's story. Her life was full of tragedy, and as you read about her experiences you ache and hurt for the little girl, wishing that you could be her guardian angel to try and save her from these terrible things.

And as Margot grows older you feel for Ruth as she has to watch herself make difficult and terrible decisions, now having the wisdom to know better, but unable to convince herself to make a change.

There is so much wrapped up in this novel - death, abuse, addiction, angels and demons, tragedy, forgiveness, redemption - and yet it is a beautiful page-turner. This is a book that you will not be able to put down. I've read that Carolyn Jess-Cooke has been compared with Audrey Niffenegger and I can see why. The feeling I was left with after reading this book is the same great feeling I had after reading The Time Traveller's Wife. The Guardian Angel's Journal is an original and fresh take on the story of guardian angels and well worth a read.

I would like to thank the author, Carolyn Jess-Cooke, for providing me with a copy of this book to review. The opinions expressed above are purely my own, and I received no compensation for my review.