Present Tense Machine - Gunnhild Oyehaug (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2022) (translated from Norwegian by Kari Dickson) This is a book more about a concept than a story. Which isn't to say it's not an interesting book, it's just a book where it's more about the idea than the plot or the characters. Anna and… Continue reading Book Review: Present Tense Machine by Gunnhild Oyehaug
In these posts I hope to share a little about what I am reading with my two children. Not exactly a review but a look at a book we’ve read together and how it worked for us. For context, my daughters are currently 7- and 10-years old. They are both excellent independent readers but we… Continue reading Reading with Pearl & Rose: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
I Hope This Finds You Well - Natalie Sue (Harper Collins Audio, 2024) (narrated by Nasim Pedrad) Jolene hates her soul-sucking office job and her one release is to write snarky postscripts at the end of her work emails. These she then highlights and turns to white-coloured font so no one can actually see them.… Continue reading (Audio) Book Review: I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue
Rental House - Weike Wang (Penguin Random House, 2024) I received a complimentary audio copy of this via Libro.fm. All opinions are my own. Rental House follows a couple - Keru and Nate - several years into their marriage. They are young professionals, living in New York City, childless by choice, owners of a large… Continue reading (Audio) Book Review: Rental House
Familial Hungers - Christine Wu (Brick Books, 2025) Reading this slim book of poems, I was reminded of a long ago conversation with a friend who firmly believed that there needed to be a sixth love language. "Food", she would say. "Food is a love language." Food, both the love of it and its preparation… Continue reading Book Review: Familial Hungers by Christine Wu
Dream Count - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Knopf Canada, 2025) I've been a fan of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's work since I first read Half of a Yellow Sun and I've since read everything else by her, including her non-fiction work. I've find her writing to be incisive and informative. I immediately added her new book to… Continue reading Book Review: Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Wed Wabbit - Lissa Evans (Scholastic, 2018) (pictured with Justin Beaver) Fidge is ten and a half years old and since her father's sudden death years earlier, she is the responsible one in her family. Her younger sister, Minnie, is only four and her favourite toy is her crimson stuffed bunny - so-called Wed Wabbit… Continue reading Book Review: Wed Wabbit by Lissa Evans
The Last Exiles - Ann Shin (Park Row Books, 2021) I've read a few books - novels and one memoir - set in and around North Korea but this is probably the one that offers the most detail of life in North Korea. While there's likely no way to know how accurate some of these… Continue reading Book Review: The Last Exiles by Ann Shin
In a different world, we might have spent Spring Break in California. We'd gone so far as getting our girls passports in order and looking at flights to Los Angeles. But between wildfires and politics, we decided to stay closer to home this year and so we took 2 mini vacations in familiar spots. Spring… Continue reading 2025 Highlights: Spring Break
Hard Copy - Fien Veldman (Head of Zeus, 2024) (translated by Hester Velmans) This is such a weird book. Which isn't to say I didn't like it. I just don't know quite what to say about it. The basic premise is that a young woman, the unnamed narrator, falls in love with a printer. She… Continue reading Book Review: Hard Copy by Fien Veldman
Karissa Reads Books 