A Mind Spread Out on the Ground - Alicia Elliott (Doubleday Canada, 2019) I'm hesitant to write a review of A Mind Spread out on the Ground. Not because I didn't enjoy it - I really did, sneaking sessions of reading throughout my day and after my kids were in bed. Elliott's writing is concise… Continue reading Book Review: A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott
This is a picture of my kitchen counter on a Saturday morning. Cooking pancakes (one cooling on a plate for Pearl) and planning our meals for the coming week. We do our big grocery shop once a week, usually on Saturday mornings. I cook five or six of those meals. (I'm the one who is… Continue reading Book Review: Cookbooks I Like
Chop Suey Nation - Ann Hui (Douglas & McIntyre, 2019) I will freely confess that I am a Chinese food snob. I'm obviously not Chinese but I was born in Hong Kong and I grew up in Vancouver, a city filled with Chinese people and amazing Chinese restaurants. My family ate Chinese food quite frequently… Continue reading Book Review: Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui
Carry Me - Peter Behrens (Anansi, 2016) One word that comes to mind when I think of Carry Me is "ambitious". A novel covering two world wars, as well as the complex period between them. A novel covering this period over England, Germany, Ireland, and even a bit of America. It's a lot and it… Continue reading Book Review: Carry Me by Peter Behrens
Lanny - Max Porter (Strange Light, 2019) Where to start with a book like Lanny? Creepy. Mythical. Magical. Beautiful. Horrifying. Poetic. Tragic. True. All of these are words that come to mind as I think back to reading Max Porter's very weird, poetic novel. It's fantastical - one of the characters is a mythical, shape-shifting,… Continue reading Book Review: Lanny by Max Porter
My reading list is definitely dominated by fiction. I'd go so far as to say that I'm fairly selective about what non-fiction I read. This seems to be reflected in this category because although I only read 15 non-fiction books in 2018, four of them are highlighted below. The non-fiction I read this year was… Continue reading Best Non-Fiction Book
Hey there! Welcome to the next installment of The First Annual Karissa Reads Books Literary Awards. One of the things I like about books and reading them is that there are always more. Always something new to read! Always something new and exciting being published! I used to keep a list of books I wanted… Continue reading Best Book Published in 2018
Initially, when I put together my (almost entirely arbitrary) categories for the First Annual Karissa Reads Books Literary Awards, I called this category Best Book From a Canadian Author. But as I looked over the titles I had nominated I realized that a lot of them were showing up in other categories and that Warlight and Washington Black were… Continue reading Best Canadian Book
This category came to life when I was looking over the books I read in 2018 and realized how many were written by people I knew in real life. Having done a Writing degree and worked in the book industry I've worked, learned, and been taught by some fantastic writers. I did not include writers… Continue reading Best Book Written by Someone I Know
Today's category is the opposite of yesterday's. These are books from authors I've read and (obviously) enjoyed previously and so searched out further writing from them. Honourable Mention: Lila- Marilynne Robinson (Harper Collins, 2014) Rules of Civility - Amor Towles (Penguin Books, 2011) Indian Horse - Richard Wagamese (Douglas & McIntyre, 2012) Washington Black - Esi Edugyan (Patrick… Continue reading Best Book From an Author I’ve Read Before
Karissa Reads Books 