Curled Up With a Good Book and a Cup of Tea

I first reviewed The Sky is Falling  in March of 2011 after it was shortlisted for the 2011 Commonwealth Writer's Prize.  It was also long listed for the 2012 International IMPAC Dublin Award, a Quill and Quire Best Book of 2010, A Globe and Mail Top 100 book of 2010, an Amazon.ca Top Editors' Pick of 2010, and a January Magazine Best Book of 2010. One morning, Jane Z. opens the newspaper to see a face staring back at her that she hasn't seen in 20 years. She learns that her university housemate Sonia has been released from prison after serving her sentence for a terrorist attack. Seeing Sonia's face returns Jane to 1983 when she rents a room in a house with Sonia and two others and is thrust into their world, one in which paranoia and fear of nuclear war lead them to form a non-violent anti-nuclear group called NAG. As Jane and her roommates try stop the end of the world, while also completing their studies, a teenage runaway shows up at their home, and t...

I first reviewed Touch  in October 2011 after it was long listed for the Scotiabank Giller Prize.  It was also shortlisted for the 2011 Governor General's Literary Award, the 2011 Center for Fiction's Flahery-Dunnan First Novel Prize, the 2012 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, and the 2011 Amazon.ca First Novel Award.  Zentner's second novel, The Lobster Kings, will be released in 2013. 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...

It is vacation time!  For the next week or so I will be away from my computer, living it up with the family and enjoying the Olympics.  While I am gone I will be posting what I call The Best of Canada.   I will be picking some of my favourite Canadian books I have read since I started blogging and posting their reviews.  Hopefully you will find a good book you may have missed or be reminded of a book you wanted to read but didn't get around to! Have a great week!

At twenty-seven, Logan Wade has left her unhappy childhood back in Oklahoma and is carving out a life in New York City.  But she's stuck at a job with long hours and continually going back to the guy who is not right for her when her friends are getting married and working on their careers. Across the country, Logan's cousin Kelsey Wade is the biggest pop star in the world.  Her entire life is about promoting herself and pleasing her fans.  Her parents control her "brand" but Kelsey is looking for a new personal assistant and she thinks Logan is perfect the job.   But Kelsey and Logan haven't spoken to each other in years, not since Kelsey and her mother left abruptly for Los Angeles leaving Logan to navigate her childhood without her best friend.  Logan knows there is a reason her parents tried to protect her from Kelsey's parents but she doesn't know the full story when she takes the job.  And as Kelsey's life unravels in a public and hum...

In The Thing Around Your Neck , Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gives us twelve insightful short stories that take readers deep inside Nigerian culture as well as to the intersection where Nigerian and American cultures collide. This collection is a beautiful portrayal of African culture.  It's about the people and their lives, their emotions, wisdom and the human struggles that occur for everyone.   Adichie's subjects are men and women, adults and children, both in Africa and the United States.  This book takes you beyond the Africa you see on television or in the media and shows you the people at the heart of it. In Tomorrow is Too Far , a young girl reminisces about the summer her brother Nonso died.  Nonso was the favourite of their grandmother, and the young girl as well as her cousin Dozie felt the pain of jealousy.   But after 13 years, the true story behind her brothers death continues to haunt her. In The Thing Around Your Neck , a young woman ...

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey . Well, I was correct in assuming I wouldn't get much reading done last week.  A last minute trip to Niagara Falls certainly sealed the deal on that one.  But it was an incredible trip, the kids had so much fun and everyone enjoyed themselves.  I know this week is also going to be a busy one but I'm going to try and squeeze in as much reading as I can, have my own little readathon of sorts. Last week I read: Completely Whole by Paulette Harper Between You and Me by Emma McLaughlin and Nicole Kraus (review coming soon.) I also didn't get to participate in the Rebecca read along discussion as we left town that day.  It's okay though, I still haven't finished the book :( I am currently reading (besides Rebecca) :   A Door in the River by Inger Ash Wolfe God Is More Than Enough  by Tony Evans Next I am reading: I have no clue.  I...

When Gregg accidentally stumbles upon his neighbour's lingerie collection drying in her bathroom, he can't hide his fascination.  He never would have thought she'd be the type of person to wear that kind of lingerie.  And it gets him wondering if his wife would want to wear that kind of lingerie. But then his neighbour is murdered, strangled with her own fishnet stockings.  And Gregg is caught up in the mystery of who killed her, afraid of when and where the killer might strike next. Laundry Day is a short story offering by mystery author Stacy Juba.  It's an entertaining read, a little bit racy, a little bit of mystery.  I think it could have felt a bit more suspenseful but the ending definitely packed a punch which makes it a great read.  This is my first introduction to the cozy mystery genre and it definitely has my interest now. Laundry Day is available for free download for Kindle here .  It also includes short excerpts of Stacy...

Cool Water  by Dianne Warren was originally released in Canada in 2010.  It has now been released in the US under the title Juliet in August.   Here is my review of the book from October 2010. Welcome to the town of Juliet, Saskatchewan, population 1011. At first glimpse you would think that there isn't much to this dusty oasis. But a closer look at some of the inhabitants show that this town is full of life and that its people are its heartbeat. Lee is a young man, afraid to take responsibility of the the farm suddenly left behind to him by his adoptive parents. Bank manager Norval is carrying the weight of his clients, many of whom are at risk of losing everything, while dealing with his own inadequacies. Willard, who runs the local drive-in, is developing feelings for his sister-in-law Marian who continues to live under the same roof as him despite the death of his brother. Vicki and Blaine are the parents of six young children and are struggling just to keep...

In 1955, young Emmett Till was murdered in Money, Mississippi for whistling at a white woman.   Tass Hilson was young and had just made known her love for Emmett when the events that led to his brutal murder took place.  The two experienced one kiss only to have him taken away hours later.  To escape these haunting memories, she marries and relocates to Detroit.  But forty years later, she returns to Money where she is reunited with Emmett in spirit form and at last the two lovers can be together. It is the town of Money, Mississippi that is the narrator of Bernice McFadden's Gathering of Waters , a mystical and magical tale of life and death and the ghosts of the past. This novel combines history with fantasy as it shares the stories of the families of Money and the threads that tied them together throughout the decades.  In this novel, the ghosts have their stories heard and a voice is given to the soul of the town.  It is a unique and in...

It's Monday!  Another week of HOT temperatures, another week of hiding inside by the air conditioner.  I'm not complaining though, you'll hear enough complaining about the weather from me in the winter time!  It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Last week I: Didn't do much reading.  The week started out well but I couldn't keep up that stamina.  So I read: Heresy: Ten Lies They Spread About Christianity by Michael Coren The Diary of Darcy J. Rhone by Emily Giffin The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (review coming soon) I am currently reading: I am still working on Rebecca  by Daphne du Maurier for the read along on Tuesday at Book Journey .  I am really enjoying the book but haven't been able to give it the time it needs.  I'm really hoping I'll be done by tomorrow! Next I am reading:   Between You And Me  by Emma McLaughlin and Nicole Kraus Comp...

We first met Darcy when she was planning her wedding to Dex in Emily Giffin's debut novel, Something Borrowed .  And though she wasn't always a person who was easy to love we felt for her when Dex called off the wedding, leaving her for Darcy's best friend since high school, the always good girl Rachel.  And then we tagged along and watched Darcy move on and grow up in the sequel, Something Blue . Now, we can go back in time to Darcy's high school days and learn all about her past in The Diary of Darcy J. Rhone by Emily Giffin.  This short story follows Darcy from her freshman year to senior year, and adds a little more backstory to the relationship between Darcy and Rachel we see in the two novels. The story wasn't bad.  It's written in a diary format and so the language and artistic extras give it the feel of snooping in a teenage girls diary.  Darcy can definitely get on your nerves, but it's a nice glimpse into her early years.  It doesn...

Shape-shifting raven Carmilla, Queen of the Night, is the latest fictional sensation sweeping the lives of girls all over the world.  One night a group of tween girls in Chicago hold an initiation ritual in an abandoned cemetery as part of their Carmilla Club.  The group include daughters of some of Chicago's most powerful families.  But while there, they come upon a corpse, stabbed through the heart in a vampire-style slaying.   When V.I. Warshawski is called by her cousin to bring the girls home, she doesn't realize that she is about to stumble into an elaborate murder investigation, one that involves a fellow investigator, illegal immigrants, mental illness, right-wing politics, television pundits and more bodies. Breakdown by Sara Paretsky is the fifteenth book in the V.I. Warshawksi series, and the first book of the series I have read.  I love the fact that this series has been going on since 1982 and I can see why.  V.I. is a tough, no no...

It's Monday What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey .  It's a great way to meet book bloggers, find out what they're reading and other bookish goodness! Last week I: Attended a luncheon at the Random House of Canada offices to celebrate the release of Karen Thompson Walker's The Age of Miracles .  Myself and five other bloggers were invited to have lunch with Karen, listen to her talk about the process of writing the book and gush over how much we loved the book (because it is a-mazing!) Meeting Karen Thompson Walker   Read: (click on titles for reviews) The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker Yours Truly by Kirsty Greenwood Destiny's Divas by Victoria Christopher Murray I am currently reading: Rebecca  by Daphne du Maurier Heresy: Ten Lies They Spread About Christianity  by Michael Coren Next I Am Reading: The Diary of Darcy J. Rhone by Emily Giffin The Thing Around Your Ne...

Ruth moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of being writer.  And her dream came true when she became a writer on a hit television show.  For unfortunate reasons though she leaves her job and to support herself takes on freelance writing jobs.  But these aren't the jobs she would like to be putting on her resume.  As she spends her time helping high school students write their college entrance essays she can't shake her disappointment and heartbreak.  And so she takes to the pool, swimming lap after lap, trying to wash away her feelings.  But when an unexpected client asks her to help craft his online profile, Ruth learns the importance of diving into life headfirst. Swim by Jennifer Weiner was originally published in the short story collection titled The Guy Not Taken and is the prequel to Weiner's just released novel The Next Best Thing .  This is a very sweet story, one that pulls you in right from the start (which is important in a shor...

What My Child is Reading is a weekly meme hosted by  Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns  where we share what our children are reading (hence the title!)  I don't review children's books but I think it's a great way for me to share which ones are being read in my house. Both of my kids signed up for the summer reading program at our library and are eager to get a start on earning their stickers.  Here are some of the books we read this week: Big Pig and Little Pig  by David McPhail - this one my daughter is reading to me.  It's easy and repetitive, perfect for beginner readers. Llama Llama Mad At Mama  by Anna Dewdney - this one is too cute!  The little llama is mad he has to go shopping with mom.  It rhymes so it's fun for the little ones and great about teaching little kids about tantrums.   Goal!  by Mina Javaherbin - a group of boys in South Africa get a brand new soccer ball to play with.  Both of my kids are...

Welcome to my stop on the Book Blogger Hop!  It's THE place for book bloggers and readers to connect each week. It's hard for me to believe it's Friday already.  With no school this week and Canada Day falling on a Sunday, making Monday the statutory holiday with everything closed, I totally lost track of the days of the week!  For some reason, I keep thinking tomorrow is Monday....every day. This weeks question is: If you could be a character from any book, who would you be? When I was a kid there were so many characters I wanted to be - Stacey from The Baby-sitter's Club , Elizabeth or Jessica from Sweet Valley Twins , Aurora from This Place Has No Atmosphere (I wanted to live on the moon!)  But now, that's a much harder question. There are so many fantastic characters out there to choose from.  I would love to be a character like Evie Flynn in The Beach Cafe by Lucy Diamond who moves to an entirely new area and runs a little place on the beach. ...

Natalie Butterworth is newly engaged and ready to settle into the comforts of family life.  A people pleaser, Natalie just wants to live a quiet life and if she has to tell a few little white lies to not rock the boat then she will do so.  Until one night, Natalie finds herself accidentally under the spell of a pub hypnotist.  Soon those little white lies are no more, as she has been hypnotized into telling the truth anytime anyone asks her a question.  This doesn't just have the potential to get a little messy, it ends up threatening her impending marriage! Natalie and her friend Meg decide they must track down the hypnotist before her wedding is called off and they head to a small Yorkshire village to find him.  But when they arrive they discover he's left town in a hurry.  The locals offer their help but this turns out to be even more trouble.  And when the snow begins to fall with no end in sight, the girls are trapped in the village and a ...

Eleven-year-old Julia is dealing with the trials and turmoil that comes with being an adolescent girl when life takes an extraordinary turn.  One Saturday morning, Julia and her family along with the rest of the world awake to discover that the rotation of the earth has begun to slow.  At first, they don't think much of i, but as time goes on the days and nights become longer and the world begins to feel the disastrous effects. As the light begins to last for days then weeks at a time, the birds and plants to begin to die.  People take ill from what is only known as the sickness.  Neighbours become divided between those who go by the clock and those who go by real time and soon turn against each other.  But life goes on and Julia must continue to navigate middle school, friendships and her first love as she adjusts to the uncertainty of the new normal. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker is an extraordinary debut novel set apart by its...

Hello Monday!  Today my little guy turns 3 years old!  We'll be celebrating with cake, presents, and family tonight and I'll be wondering where the time has gone! It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey .  I love how organized it keeps me with all my reading.  Between this meme and my iProcrastinate app, I'm actually somewhat put together. Last Week I Read: Gathering of Waters by Bernice L. McFadden Swim  by Jennifer Weiner (short story that precedes her new book The Next Best Thing ) Starring Me  by Krista McGee I Am Currently Reading:   The Age of Miracles  by Karen Thompson Walker What I Plan To Read Next:   Yours Truly  by Kirsty Greenwood Destiny's Divas  by Victoria Christopher Murray The American Way of Eating  by Tracie McMillan

Happy Canada Day!!!  What a beautiful day for family, fun, and fireworks!  It's great to be Canadian!  For those of you who are elsewhere in the world and are curious about some Canadian history, I highly recommend going to YouTube and searching for "A Part of Our Heritage."  You'll find some awesome clips we call Heritage Moments that teach you about the amazing things Canadians have done over the years. Canada Day for me always feels like the official start of summer.  School finished a few days ago and we now have two months of freedom.  I'm not in school anymore (haven't been for a while) but being married to a teacher and with one of my children already in school, my life still revolves around the school year calendar!  So I think it's time to take a look at my summer reading list. Challenge Reading Rebecca  by Daphne du Maurier 1984 by George Orwell The Parable of the Sower  by Octavia Butler Chick Lit Fun Yours Truly  ...