In the follow-up to her bestselling novels, Me before You and After You, author Jojo Moyes has published an eclectic collection of nine short stories each from a woman's perspective and dealing with a variety of themes from troubled relationships to near magical shoes. The longest story in the set is "Paris for One" and... Continue Reading →
Nine Women, One Dress by Jane L. Rosen
This elegantly written book shows just how connected we all are. Here in Thunder Bay, it’s common to discover you have something or someone in common to almost everyone you meet. The “one degree of separation” phenomenon is understandable in a city the size of ours, but could it work in the metropolis of New... Continue Reading →
Midnight Riot (Rivers of London series) by Ben Aaronovitch
At first glance Midnight Riot is a murder mystery or perhaps a police procedural, however by page five Nicholas Wallpenny (ghost) is introduced and shortly thereafter the police are seeking traces of magic. Our protagonist, probationary Constable Peter Grant, is unusual in the realm of supernatural mysteries; he’s working within the policing establishment. While many... Continue Reading →
The Books of Mo Willems
Elephant and Piggie. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. Knuffle Bunny. These perennial story-time favourites were all created by one author, the endlessly original Mo Willems. In addition to his series titles, Willems also writes popular standalone books. Most child readers (and those who read to children) will be familiar with Goldilocks and the... Continue Reading →
The Pub across the Pond by Mary Carter
Having returned recently from a wonderful trip to Ireland, I really wanted to love this book. The plot is centered about an American woman from Ohio that wins a pub in Ireland. The pub is being raffled off to pay a gambling debt of Ronan, the son the the deceased former owner. The woman, Carlene... Continue Reading →
Bad Singer: The Surprising Science of Tone Deafness and How We Hear Music by Tim Falconer
Everyone knows him - the child in the grade school choir who is asked to mime along when the class is singing. Or perhaps you are him and you know that you really are a good singer deep down but for some reason others seem not to agree. The author of Bad Singer: The Surprising... Continue Reading →
Interview with Emma Hooper
Raised in Alberta, Emma Hooper brought her love of music and literature to the U.K., where she received a doctorate in musico-literary studies at the University of East Anglia and currently lectures at Bath Spa University. She comes home to Canada to cross-country ski whenever she can. You can find her online at emmahooper.ca. Shauna... Continue Reading →
We’re All in This Together by Amy Jones
Most of us have watched a viral video online. But what happens if that video involves someone from your family? And you first hear about it on the news? That’s what happens to Finn Parker in Amy Jones’ debut novel We’re All In This Together. Finn sees a video of a woman go over Kakabeka... Continue Reading →
Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper
This quirky book focusses on Etta, a retired prairie school teacher who decides to fulfill a lifelong dream to see the Atlantic Ocean. And, she decides to walk there. She leaves a note for her husband Otto asking him not to follow her, and sets off one morning. As with many literary journeys, hers is... Continue Reading →
Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Laurie “Editing Hamlet”
I'm always surprised that Shakespeare is considered so serious and dull. His comedies are some of most bawdy and farcical works ever written, full of innuendo, gender flips and insults. The tragedies are moving; full of missed opportunities, miscommunication and the misinterpretations that lead inevitably to a tragic end. The histories are most somber, but... Continue Reading →
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