From the first paragraph of this book, I was hooked. 1979: This was the year the parents in my neighbourhood began killing themselves. I was eleven years old and in Grade 6. Elsewhere in the world, big things were happening. McDonald's introduced the Happy Meal, Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Iran and Michael Jackson released his … Continue reading That Time I Loved You by Carrianne Leung
Tag: canadian literature
Women Talking by Miriam Toews
I like most of the books I read, but I especially appreciate unique ways of telling stories. Miriam Toews wanted to write about the events that happened in the Manitoba Colony of Bolivia. Between 2005 and 2009, in a remote Mennonite colony in Bolivia named the Manitoba Colony, after the province in Canada, many girls … Continue reading Women Talking by Miriam Toews
Two Post-Apocalyptic Books Worth Reading: “Moon of the Crusted Snow” and “The Marrow Thieves”
Evan is a young Anishinaabe man who belongs to a small community in Northern Ontario. The North wasn't always a part of their territory, but the community is working to make it their new home, and working to bring back the language and many of the traditional ways. When the community first loses internet and … Continue reading Two Post-Apocalyptic Books Worth Reading: “Moon of the Crusted Snow” and “The Marrow Thieves”
Come From Away by Genevieve Graham
Previously, I have read Genevieve Graham's Tides of Honour, which is a love story set during WWI and the Halifax Explosion. Come From Away takes place during WWII, a generation later. Danny and Audrey Baker's children are grown - their three boys away fighting in the war and their daughter, Grace, at home with them. … Continue reading Come From Away by Genevieve Graham
Guest Post: Dian Day’s The Madrigal
The Miramichi Reader is an excellent site that champions Canadian Literature and small publishers, with a focus on Atlantic Canada. For the second time, James Fisher and I are doing a book review swap for which James has chosen to read and review The Madrigal by Dian Day. Dian Day is the author of The Clock … Continue reading Guest Post: Dian Day’s The Madrigal
Catch My Drift by Genevieve Scott
Catch My Drift is a compelling novel about a mother and daughter, living together while also living their own private lives. Over the span of twenty years, the chapters alternate between Lorna's story (in third person) and Cara's (in first). Lorna had dreams of standing out in her sport of swimming. But first she was … Continue reading Catch My Drift by Genevieve Scott
The Honey Farm by Harriet Alida Lye
The Honey Farm has produced a lot of buzz since it came out. In advance praise for the book, Kirkus calls it "lush" and "poetic", Quill & Quire claims that it "evokes gothic tropes and a rippling aura of foreboding", while Iain Reid calls it "mysterious, suspenseful, and unnerving". In his review at The Miramichi … Continue reading The Honey Farm by Harriet Alida Lye
In the Field by Claire Tacon
After reading In Search of the Perfect Singing Flamingo, Claire Tacon's new book, I discovered that she already had a book out called In the Field, published in 2011, and that this book is almost entirely set in rural Nova Scotia. The Setting It's no surprise that I love that this story takes place in … Continue reading In the Field by Claire Tacon
Waking Up in My Own Backyard by Sandra Phinney
In March 2015, Sandra Phinney was reading a blog post by Melanie Chambers that explained her summer plans to explore her city of Toronto as a tourist. Sandra contacted her to let her know she was inspired to do the same in her home town of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. And that's how The July Project … Continue reading Waking Up in My Own Backyard by Sandra Phinney
Sarah Selecky #2: This Cake is For the Party
While I was reading Radiant Shimmering Light, which I wrote about last week, I was also reading Sarah Selecky's short story collection, This Cake is For the Party. I have to say, and this is rare for me when comparing novels with short stories, that I'd be hard pressed to say which I enjoyed more. … Continue reading Sarah Selecky #2: This Cake is For the Party
Consumed by Ink 