The Nest seems to have been one of the more hyped books of Spring/Summer 2016 and so it's disappointing that, in the end, it was only kind of mediocre. It's an easy read - something to pick up on a long weekend or a couple of days at the beach - but there's no real… Continue reading Book Review: The Nest by Maria by Cynthia d’Aprix Sweeney
When The Goldfinch was first released in 2013, I heard many excellent reviews of Donna Tartt's work. Having never read her before though, I was reluctant to commit to nearly 800 pages. It wasn't until I read Tartt's early novel, The Secret History, that I became excited to read more from her. Thankfully, The Goldfinch… Continue reading Book Review: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Sometimes I read books and wonder if maybe I'm not quite smart enough for them. The Vegetarian is a short but complex novel. It's beautiful and brutal and I was left feeling like there was a lot more to it than what I was picking up. The Vegetarian is divided into three parts - moving… Continue reading Book Review: The Vegetarian by Han Kang
In sixteen months of parenting, this is the first parenting book I've read. While I've definitely been guilty of the middle-of-the-night-google-search (Always a bad idea. Always), my parenting resource so far has been friends. I have a few trusted friends who are slightly further along the road on this gig than I am and whose… Continue reading Book Review: The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers by Elizabeth Pantley
This is a thoroughly West Coast book. All about riding the B.C. Ferries, an experience well known to anyone who lives on our little peninsula here. Pearl rode the Queen of Surrey for the first time when she was just three days old, on her way home from the hospital in Vancouver. Fittingly, we barely… Continue reading Reading with Pearl: The Ferryboat Ride by Robert Perry, illustrated by Greta Guzek
Unhappy suburban families in the 1950s has become something of a cliche, but it's easy to imagine that Richard Yates before the cliches began. He certainly is able to avoid them. Frank and April Wheeler are in their late twenties, have two children, and live in Connecticut. Frank works in New York City and April… Continue reading Book Review: Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
I read this book in the hopes of finding a good read to give to my niece for her 11th birthday. (Don't worry, her birthday is past and I don't think she reads my blog anyway so I'm not ruining a surprise!) I wanted to get her something fun, not overly challenging but just a… Continue reading Book Review: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
I had put off reading Cutting for Stone for quite some time, mostly, I think, from a fear that it couldn't live up to its hype. The good news is, it definitely can and does The book is set in Addis, Ethiopa in the 1950s and 60s. Knowing very little about that time and place,… Continue reading Book Review: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Pearl's favourite books are the ones with the stock photos of babies. You know the ones, generic babies of various ethnicities doing generic baby things like taking baths and wearing hats. She loves them and coos over those babies like she's looking at herself. (Which I guess is the point.) I, on the other hand,… Continue reading Reading with Pearl: Home by Carson Ellis
I knew before I began Last Child in the Woods that I was likely to find myself agreeing with Richard Louv. Children today play outside less than previous generations. Children today should play outside more. Playing outside - especially unstructured outdoor play - has a myriad of benefits for children and their families. This is… Continue reading Book Review: Last Child in the Woods – Richard Louv
Karissa Reads Books 