Welcome to the next instalment of Karissa Reads Books 2018 Literary Awards! Today's category covers authors with an established body of work (ie: more than one published book) but someone I've never read before. Basically, if I read a book and promptly added that author's complete works to my To Read list, they get a… Continue reading Best Book From a New-to-Me Author
Tag: Book Recommendations
The First Annual Karissa Reads Books Literary Awards
That's an ambitious title. And maybe a more honest one would be The First (Maybe?) Annual Karissa Reads Books Awards of Some Books I Read This Year. But that doesn't sound so impressive. This idea is blatantly inspired by FictionFan's Annual (really) Awards that are far more organized than mine (so you should check them… Continue reading The First Annual Karissa Reads Books Literary Awards
Book Review: A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
My copy of this book had 1,474 pages. It is divided into 19 sections. The actions of the story takes place over approximately a year, beginning and ending with a wedding. It takes place in three or four cities (and more regions) and has multiple family trees at the beginning to help the reader keep… Continue reading Book Review: A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
Book Review: Our Homesick Songs
I can faintly recall, as a child, watching the national news, noticing a lot of talk about fishing out east. The lack of fish, the death of an industry and a lifestyle. It was my own country but very far away and very removed from my own city childhood on the opposite coast. In 1992,… Continue reading Book Review: Our Homesick Songs
Book Recommendations for the Sometimes Reader
Today is Peter's birthday! He recently found himself without a book to read and so asked me to make five suggestions for him. His criteria was simply that they be books we already own. In honour of Peter's birthday, and because it's something different, I thought I'd share the list (plus the longlist because I'm… Continue reading Book Recommendations for the Sometimes Reader
Book Review: Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Washington Black has not even been available for a month but it's already showing up on all sorts of award lists for the year, including The Man Booker Prize and the Giller Prize. (Edugyan won the Giller Prize for her last novel, Half Blood Blues.) I know Esi slightly in real life, back in my Victoria days. She… Continue reading Book Review: Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Book Review: Our Animal Hearts by Dania Tomlinson
Many years ago Dania Tomlinson and I worked together at a bookstore. So when I learned that she was publishing her first novel I made sure to order a copy. I like to support authors I know, plus, based on the books I'd seen Dania read and recommend, I felt like we have somewhat similar… Continue reading Book Review: Our Animal Hearts by Dania Tomlinson
Book Review: Wonder by R.J. Palacio
I read Wonder and The Lifters back to back and so it's hard not to compare them in my mind. While they are two very different books, they are geared toward the same age. The key difference that stands out to me in this regard though is that while The Lifters has an appeal likely… Continue reading Book Review: Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Book Review: Beloved by Toni Morrison
I've read Toni Morrison's Bluest Eye previously and had a vague idea of what Beloved was about so I knew I was in for a heavy read. To be honest, I'd put off reading this novel for that very reason. Yet as I read Beloved, I was reminded that sometimes it's important to look closely… Continue reading Book Review: Beloved by Toni Morrison
Book Review: Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin
Where to start talking about a book like Winter's Tale? Almost more of a philosophical venture than a novel; it's magic realism, fantasy, historical fiction, a little bit of cyber punk. There's even time travel. Sort of. Blurbs will tell you that Winter's Tale is the story of Peter Lake, a thief who falls in… Continue reading Book Review: Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin
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