The Hand That First Held Mine - Maggie O'Farrell (Headline, 2010) My introduction to Maggie O'Farrell's work was through her most recent novels, both of which are historical fiction. (My review of Hamnet and of The Marriage Portrait.) This earlier work from O'Farrell has a twentieth century setting and maybe it was this or the… Continue reading Book Review: The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell
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: The Railway Children by E. Nesbit
Dark Like Under - Alice Chadwick (Biblioasis, 2025) I received a free copy of this book thanks to the publisher. All opinions are my own. I hadn't heard of Alice Chadwick's debut novel when Biblioasis reached out to me but the description of Dark Like Under, along with that understated cover quickly appealed. The setting… Continue reading Book Review: Dark Like Under by Alice Chadwick
I feel toward Sarah Polley the way I imagine I might feel if someone from my high school had gone on to be famous. Like a friend's older sister, or if we had grown up around the same time in the same small town. We didn't; I've never met Polley and I haven't even followed… Continue reading Book Review: Run Towards the Danger by Sarah Polley
The Riches of Your Grace - Julie Lane-Gay (InterVarsity Press, 2024) Whether or not this is a book you might pick up and read likely depends a good deal on how interested you are in the Book of Common Prayer. And your interest in the Book of Common Prayer might depend on how Anglican you… Continue reading Book Review: The Riches of Your Grace by Julie Lane-Gay
Heart Lamp - Banu Mushtaq (And Other Stories, 2025) When I heard that Heart Lamp was the winner of this year's International Booker Prize, I'll admit that my first reaction was disappointment in that cover. I had my bookseller eyes on in this circumstance, where short story collections don't generally sell that well and covers… Continue reading Book Review: Heart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq
I received an Advance Listening Copy of this book thanks to the publisher and Libro.fm. All opinions are my own. David A. Robertson is a prolific Indigenous-Canadian author who has written picture books, middle-grade stories, graphic novels, and two memoirs. He'll be one of the featured writers at our local Writers Fest this August, in… Continue reading (Audio) Book Review: 52 Ways to Reconcile by David A. Robertson
Nightbitch - Rachel Yoder (Alfred A. Knopf Canada, 2024) The protagonist of Nightbitch is a young mother of a toddler, a two-year-old boy, who gave up her career as an artist to be a stay-at-home parent. Her husband has a demanding job, one that takes him out of town from Monday to Friday. This is… Continue reading Book Review: Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
The Safekeep - Yael van der Wouden (Avid Reader Press, 2024) This is my nightmare, I thought as I started reading The Safekeep. Isabel lives alone in her family home. Her parents are both dead and her brothers have long moved out but Isabel is tied to the place, the keeper of this house, even… Continue reading Book Review: The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
The Harder I Fight the More I Love You - Neko Case (Hachette Audio, 2025) I received an ALC of this book thanks to Libro.fm and the publisher. All opinions are my own I'm moderately familiar with Neko Case's music, primarily her work with The New Pornographers, but I knew nothing about her personal life.… Continue reading (Audio) Book Review: The Harder I Fight the More I Love You by Neko Case
Karissa Reads Books 