I'd heard so many rave reviews of Amor Towles' second novel that I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. More than one person said it was the best book of the year for them. So it was perhaps inevitable that I would set myself up for disappointment. The book is certainly entertaining I… Continue reading Book Review: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
"This book is so weird," was my almost constant thought as I read Lost in September. It wasn't until I was around three quarters of the way through that I felt I had a handle on what I was supposed to believe/see. Sometimes that made for a frustrating reading experience but overall, Winter handles it… Continue reading Book Review: Lost in September by Kathleen Winter
I wasn't sure about reading this short novella, about a woman who has a baby as London is flooded and she is forced to flee her home, while at home with my own newborn baby. The good news is the book is not disturbing or upsetting. The bad news is it's not much of anything.… Continue reading Book Review: The End We Start From by Megan Hunter
This collection of short stories focuses primarily on adolescent girls. The stories are compelling and readable and not at all familiar with my experience of being a teenage girl. Which isn't to say that they don't ring true but by the time I got to the end of the collection, it felt like the intensity… Continue reading Book Review: How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer
I'm not sure that Pearl has ever actually seen a train but she sure seems to enjoy stories about them. And there seem to be multiple classic children's books revolving around trains. Our story selection tends toward mid-20th century and I'm having trouble thinking of more modern train stories. Any suggestions? Pearl's favourite of these… Continue reading Reading with Pearl: Train Edition
One of the signs of a compelling book for me is when I want to tell other people all about it. Or when I lay awake after reading it, thinking over various parts. All We Leave Behind did both. Carol Off is a well-respected CBC journalist with a long career. (For those non-Canadians, that's the… Continue reading Book Review: All We Leave Behind by Carol Off
Someone recommended this book to me and I was drawn in by the lovely cover and was excited to read this story based on Russian myth and lore. While it didn't match my high expectations, it was a readable and enjoyable story and a twist on a fairy tale that might not be familiar to… Continue reading Book Review: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
(My dad felt that my summer reading level had dropped off so I have done my best to boost my numbers this September. However, please keep your expectations low for October.) The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Jolly Regina - Kara LaReau (Amulet Books, 2017) The Good People - Hannah Kent (Little, Brown,… Continue reading What I Read – September 2017
If you ask Pearl currently what she wants to be when she grows up she will gleefully tell you, "A bunny!" This is mostly due to the book on the top left, When Bunny Grows Up. Regardless, bunnies are popular in our household and Pearl's book collection reflects that. When Bunny Grows Up and Home… Continue reading Reading with Pearl: Bunny Edition
In this novel, Brian Payton explores a lesser known portion of World War II history - the Japanese invasion of Alaska. At least, this was unknown to me and I consider myself decently informed. Our main character is John Easely, a journalist who has snuck his way into the Aleutian Islands where the native peoples… Continue reading Book Review: The Wind is Not a River by Brian Payton
Karissa Reads Books 