I love old fashioned murder mysteries, murder mysteries along the lines of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot or Ms Marple. The Maslow Murder Club is one such novel. Our protagonist is a charming septarian, Judith, Who loves to skinny dip in the river behind her old mansion. On one such excursion, Judith witnesses the murder of … Continue reading The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood
Category: book reviews
The Book Eaters
by Sunyi Dean Devon is not human, she is a book eater. She does not get her nourishment from food but rather from eating the written word. With each text she consumes, Devon absorbs the knowledge each text possesses. And her blood runs black like ink. The chapters in this novel alternate between the past … Continue reading The Book Eaters
Alone
by Megan E. Freeman Twelve-year-old Maddie is a normal teenager who just wants to do normal things like having a party at her grandmother’s vacant house without her parents knowing. Maddie has it all arranged: she will tell her mother she is staying with her father and tell her father she is staying at her … Continue reading Alone
Escape from Chernobyl by Andy Marino
Escape from Chernobyl is a fictional account of the Chernobyl disaster, a global incident that most young people know nothing about. 16-year-old Yuri Formichev is an intern at the Chernobyl power plant in Pripyat Ukraine on the border of what was then the Soviet Union. Yuri’s dream is to be an engineer at the nuclear … Continue reading Escape from Chernobyl by Andy Marino
The Speed of Falling Objects
by Nancy Richardson Fischer Life hasn’t been easy for Danielle “Danny” Warren. When she was 7, her adventurous father leaves her and her mother to become a famous “Reality Star”. Danny believes her father abandoned her because she suffered a horrible accident and lost her eye, an accident that not only stole her sight but … Continue reading The Speed of Falling Objects
The Inheritance Games
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes I love novels with puzzles and riddles, hidden passageways, and old libraries. In The Inheritance Games, we have all of these with a bit of romance and mystery thrown in. Avery Grambs inherits 2 billion dollars from a stranger much to the dismay of his grandsons. There is, however, one the condition, … Continue reading The Inheritance Games
The Man Who Tasted Words by Guy Leschziner
This book is a fascinating collection of stories about individuals who live with incredibly complex and unique neurological disorders. One account is of a young woman who sees colours whenever she hears music where the colours change as the style of music changes. A second is about a young man learning to live with Asymbolia, … Continue reading The Man Who Tasted Words by Guy Leschziner
Me(Moth) by Amber Mcbride
Me (Moth) by Amber McBride (possible spoilers) I’m finding it difficult to put into words how much I loved this novel. I don’t often gravitate to novels written in verse but honestly, the cover of this one was breathtaking so I had to take a look inside. For the entirety of my reading, I had … Continue reading Me(Moth) by Amber Mcbride
Good Enough by Jen Petro-Roy
Ok, let’s cut to the chase; this novel is an honest portrayal of a 12-year-olds struggle with anorexia. It is written as journal entries that provide an intimate look into her thoughts and emotions concerning: her motivation for not eating, her feelings of inadequacy, and her relationship with food. The author, Jen Petro Roy, was … Continue reading Good Enough by Jen Petro-Roy
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
A novel is written in verse. This novel made me tear up, not only because of the storyline but how beautifully it is crafted. Acevedo weaves together the story of two sisters: Camino Rios who, lives in The Dominican Republic, and Yahaira Rios, who lives in New York. When their father is tragically killed in … Continue reading Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
What About Will by Ellen Hopkins
So I’m looking for new books for junior high classrooms. NEW books. Not Holes, or Hatchet or The Outsiders. NEW titles. I found one. And, read it in a day and I loved it. I even teared up at the end. What About Will is written by Ellen Hopkins. Now for those of you who … Continue reading What About Will by Ellen Hopkins
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart
"His shirt was freshly laundered, a sharp crease ran down the sleeve, and Mungo took that as a sign that some woman cared for him, that he was worth something to someone." (Douglas Stuart). This novel sucks you in, rips your heart out, and leaves you sobbing on the floor. Seriously. I haven't been this … Continue reading Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart
Unvarnished by Emily Carr Edited by Kathryn Bridge
I love Emily Carr’s paintings. Whenever I get the chance to visit Victoria, BC, I try to see the Art Gallery of Victoria to view their collection of her works. I have, however, never read any of her prose. Unvarnished me is a phrase Carr used to “describe herself, her personal writings, private papers, and objects … Continue reading Unvarnished by Emily Carr Edited by Kathryn Bridge
Ink And Spine 