I'd heard about this book for quite some time, but was never quite sure of the plot. The title is quite literal, so I had a good feeling it had something to do with death. "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera follows two teenaged boys, Matteo and Rufus, who are both informed... Continue Reading →
A few months ago, I read T.J. Klune’s “The House in the Cerulean Sea” and absolutely loved it. When I heard Klune had another book coming out, I placed my hold right away, not even seeing what the book was about. I was excited to see what Klune would do next, and I was not... Continue Reading →
Jason Reynolds’ “Long Way Down” was recommended to me by my brother, so I had a feeling it was going to be good. While he wanted me to read the graphic novel version of the book, I stuck with the original, which was written in verse. I didn’t realize it was written in verse until... Continue Reading →
I first became aware of Caitlin Doughty when I encountered her videos on YouTube; her channel is called Ask a Mortician. The videos are entertaining and informative while still being respectful of the subject matter. Caitlin is a mortician who is the co-owner of a funeral home in Los Angeles and is a graduate of... Continue Reading →
When adults experience a loss they can often pull from past experiences to help with the grieving process. This is not always the case when a child experiences a loss, especially when they are very young or it is the first time. What Happens When A Loved One Dies uses bright, simple and familiar illustrations... Continue Reading →
I’m writing this on November 20th, National Bereavement Day in Canada. If this comes as a surprise, know that this is only the second year that we have marked a day for bereavement. The theme this year is "grief and bereavement is a part of life” and with that in mind I would like to... Continue Reading →
'I'll tell you what happened because it will be a good way to introduce my brother. His name's Simon. I think you're going to like him. I really do. But in a couple of pages he'll be dead. And he was never the same after that.' Nathan Filer’s Costa prize-winning first novel is clever, engaging... Continue Reading →
I’ve been trying out a few different authors lately, including Douglas Coupland. His latest novel, Worst. Person. Ever., contains a lot of smut and after the first few pages I thought “nahhhh....” and passed it on to the next person on the holds list. Walter Mosley’s latest novel, Debbie Doesn’t Do It Anymore, contains an... Continue Reading →
When Matthiessen’s last novel was published just days after he died in April of 2014, a reviewer on Good Reads had the audacity to complain that “In Paradise” was not entertaining. Given that the book is about the Holocaust, it seems inconceivable and impertinent to suggest that a livelier, lighter tone should have been adopted.... Continue Reading →
Question 1: What essential tool is required to bring a Union Pacific freight train, with a potential weight of 1.2 million pounds to an unplanned and unexplained, grinding halt? Answer: a single red Sharpie of course. Question 2: How do you convince the Under-Secretary of Illustration and Design at the Smithsonian Institute that you are... Continue Reading →
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