What I Read – June 2019

Read: Shut Up You're Pretty - Téa Mutonji (VS. Books, 2019) How She Read - Chantal Gibson (Caitlin Press, 2019) Original Prin - Randy Boyagoda (Biblioasis, 2018) Dissident Doctor - Michael C. Klein (Douglas & McIntyre, 2018) Positive Discipline - Jane Nelsen (Ballantine Books, 2006) Jesus the King - Timothy Keller (Penguin Books, 2016) Rue… Continue reading What I Read – June 2019

Book Review: Dissident Doctor by Michael C. Klein

Dissident Doctor - Michael C. Klein (Douglas & McIntyre, 2018) Like me, you might not recognize Michael Klein's name. You might better know his daughter, Naomi. But as I read Dissident Doctor I came to understand just how Klein has influenced my own life. Klein details his decades of medical experience, his career as a… Continue reading Book Review: Dissident Doctor by Michael C. Klein

Book Review: Moccasin Square Gardens by Richard Van Camp

Moccasin Square Gardens - Richard Van Camp (Douglas & McIntyre, 2019) The words that come to mind when I think about this collection of short stories are "delightfully weird". Aliens, small towns, Indigenous politics, and aliens. I really don't know what to compare this to because I don't think I've ever read a collection quite… Continue reading Book Review: Moccasin Square Gardens by Richard Van Camp

What I Read – May 2019

Read: Carry Me - Peter Behrens (Anansi, 2016) Boys: What It Means to Become a Man - Rachel Giese (Patrick Crean Editions, 2018) Crow - Amy Spurway (Goose Lane, 2019) Celebration of Discipline - Richard J. Foster (HarperOne, 2018) Chop Suey Nation - Ann Hui (Douglas & McIntyre, 2019) A Prayer Journal - Flannery O'Connor… Continue reading What I Read – May 2019

Book Review: Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui

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

Best Fiction Book

Since I read primarily fiction, I feel that this category is similar to picking my favourite book of the year. Which is really hard for me and is something I've pretty much avoided doing in previous years' recaps. When listing the books I've read and loved in 2018, I came up with ten so a… Continue reading Best Fiction Book

Best Canadian Book

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

Best Book Written by Someone I Know

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

Best Book From an Author I’ve Read Before

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

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