Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver (Harper, 2022) Damon Fields is born to a single mother in the bathroom of a trailer. He is born into poverty in a small, Appalachian community. His childhood is unsteady but not necessarily unhappy. He quickly becomes known as Demon Copperhead instead of his legal name (just as his best… Continue reading Book Review: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Seascraper - Benjamin Wood (Simon & Schuster Audio, 2025) I received an Advance Listening copy of this book thanks to the publisher and Libro.FM. All opinions are my own. I began listening to Seascraper just before the winter holiday and so even though it is a short novel - just over five hours listening time… Continue reading (Audio) Book Review: Seascraper by Benjamin Wood
Hello and welcome back! The vast majority of the reading that I do is fiction. This is a hard category for me to narrow down because it's the closest I'll get to picking a favourite book of the year. But the year is long and the reading is varied and how do you choose? I… Continue reading The 2025 Karissa Reads Books Literary Awards (Best Fiction)
Hello and welcome! This is my annual "Best Of", look back at what I've read in 2025. The categories, the shortlist, and the winners are all chosen by, you guessed it, me! The prize is the warm feeling that the author will surely feel when they learn that they have been selected for the Karissa… Continue reading The 2025 Karissa Reads Books Literary Awards (Best Debut)
Like Family - Erin O. White (Dial Press, 2025) I received an Advance Reader's Copy of this book thanks to the publisher. All opinions are my own. After hearing some positive early reviews of Like Family, I realized I had an ARC at home and so picked it up to read over a weekend. I… Continue reading Book Review: Like Family by Erin O. White
This was a fun, sweet young adult novel. The first novel from Uegaki, we know here in our house for her kids picture books. And, although I've never met her, Uegaki used to live here on the Sunshine Coast and we have mutual friends. The premise of the book is terrific and I was excited… Continue reading Book Review: Emiko by Chieri Uegaki
Exposure - Helen Dunmore (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2016) Helen Dunmore was on my radar but not my TBR until I read The Railway Children and FictionFan commented that there was a version of that story that focused on the parents. (Her review can be found here.) Simon Callington is a low level office worker for… Continue reading Book Review: Exposure by Helen Dunmore
Heart the Lover - Lily King (Harper Collins Publishers, 2025) I received an Advance Listening Copy of this book thanks to the publisher and Libro.fm. All opinions are my own. This was the 100th book I finished in 2025 and it's a delightful serendipity that it was both a book I was looking forward to… Continue reading (Audio) Book Review: Heart the Lover by Lily King
The Accidental Favourite - Fran Littlewood (MacMillan Audio, 2025) (narrated by Fiona Button) I received an Advance Listening Copy of this book thanks to Libro.fm and the publisher. All opinions are my own. My reading of this book suffered slightly by the fact that it took me so long to finish it. This is not… Continue reading (Audio) Book Review: The Accidental Favourite by Fran Littlewood
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
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