This is a humdinger of a book. Not so much the length, rather what's found between the covers. Megan Gail Coles gives us warning before the narrative begins: "This might hurt a little. Be brave." It will storm again today as surely as the nearly forty will go out again in four days' time. The … Continue reading Giller Shortlist: Small Game Hunting At the Local Coward Gun Club by Megan Gail Coles
Once I got into this book, it was very hard to put down. There are two main story lines in Catching the Light, and for what seemed like the longest time I wasn't sure if the two were ever going to meet. Which kept me powering through the book. Cathy grows up in a small … Continue reading Catching the Light by Susan Sinnott
Anyone who loves the sea, or feels drawn to stories of the sea, will likely feel drawn to The Luminous Sea by Melissa Barbeau, like I was. I was even nervous going into this book - I so wanted it to be good. Happily, it is more than good - it is splendid in every … Continue reading The Luminous Sea by Melissa Barbeau
I read The End of Music shortly after reading Most Anything You Please. Both are set in Newfoundland, both involve music as an important part of the characters' stories, and both are set (at least partly) during the war and post-war years. They share many similarities, yet are very different. Where Most Anything You Please … Continue reading The End of Music by Jamie Fitzpatrick
Here's what I got out of this book: Sex workers are everywhere, there are so many more than I would ever have thought, they come in all shapes and sizes and ages and genders, they could be anyone (maybe someone you know or work with). There is no one truth about sex work or the … Continue reading Rock Paper Sex: The Oldest Profession in Canada’s Oldest City by Kerri Cull
This multi-generational story about women in Newfoundland was a joy to read. The setting The story is set in Rabbittown, St. John's, and is told through the eyes of the three central Holloway women; Ellen, Audrey and Rachel. In 1936, when Ellen's family was still young, she opened up a corner grocery store below the living … Continue reading Most Anything You Please by Trudy J. Morgan-Cole
When I started reading this book, I had no idea what to expect. With a title like that, and a cover that looks like the world is on fire, and almost all the praise and reviews using the word "gritty". ("Gritty" means gross, right? Yes. And other things.) But the thing is, once I got … Continue reading Giller Longlist: We’ll All Be Burnt In Our Beds Some Night by Joel Thomas Hynes
