Tag: #bestbooks

The Will of the Many (Hierarchy #1)

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

by James Islington

This novel,’ The Will of the Many’ by James Islington, has not only become my favourite book of the decade but also stands out for its unique blend of universal themes, a dynamic and suitably flawed main character, and world-building that is both enthralling and threatening. It’s a fantasy with glimmers of science fiction that will keep you hooked from the first page.
‘The Will of the Many’ is not just a coming-of-age story; it’s a journey that will mesmerise you. It’s a tale of self-discovery, courage, and sacrifice that had me emotionally invested from the moment I opened it.
Its freakingly unique settings (elements of ancient Rome, medieval Europe, and glimmers of modernity) and an intricate and engrossing plot with layers and twists and turns and so, so many questions have left me anxiously awaiting a second novel.
Read it! I need to discuss some of the theories I have surmised after reading.

The Book of Love

~ Lisa Helm ~ 2 Comments

by Kelly Link

This novel is only for some, so if you’re expecting a fast, fluffy read that is merely plot-driven, then it’s not for you, BUT it is precisely the kind of novel I love. It’s weird. It has so many moments of “Wait, what?” I can’t wait for a friend or two to read it because I need to discuss it.
I loved it for several reasons. First, the writing is enchanting. I pride myself on being a “fast” reader but I had to slow down and “sip” Link’s prose. I’ve written down SO many quotes (and have even used a couple of them as mini mentor text in teaching). “Every footfall was a strike on a bell stopped with mud. A clot of blood trembling on a rusted wire” (The Book of Love Kelly Link). How VIVID. The imagery is such that I often found myself re-reading excerpts, but slower so I could savour word choice.
Second, I became so attached to the characters, especially Mo. He made me laugh; he made me cry. He made me wonder what choices I would have made if I were in his shoes.
Third, the plot is intricate, twisty, and filled with suspense, humour, shock, and a plethora of WTF moments.
I loved the elements of allegory, which lent themselves so wonderfully to the revelation of themes. What would I do if I was capable of magic? What would I do if I realized the manifestation of my dream was not real and I had to send it away? What would I do with responsibility beyond my imagination when I had NO life experience?
Loved it. It’s not a fast, fluffy read; I had to take my time and read it carefully to appreciate the author’s story.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the Copy.

Fayne

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by Ann Marie MacDonald

Well, I’ve been procrastinating about reviewing this one. Not because I hated it but because I loved it. And it is a long read deserving of engaging discussion and the investment of a reread. (and I hardly EVER reread novels). Ann Marie MacDonald is a force. Her creative brain is astounding. Her writing is filled with facts and philosophy, plot and poetry. She is a perfect mentor author who has written the ideal mentor text limitless in its potential for literary, thematic or personal discussion.

The novel is set in the late 1800’s. Our protagonist is Charlotte, a precocious child who spends days rambling about the family estate. Charlotte, motherless, loves her father immensely. But as Charlotte gets older, her curiosity and aspirations become too large for her father and the social constraints at the time; she is, after all, a girl and, therefore, should be raised to be a proper wife with no fanciful notions of pursuing academia. Aaaand, her curiosity may lead her to discover the unspoken truth behind her mother and her own identity. 

This novel was so good that I didn’t want to put it down, so I also purchased the audio copy, and both listened and read. I was so glad I did. The author herself narrates the novel, and may I say that it is one of the most engaging narrations I’ve ever listened to. I felt as though I was in seventh grade again, and my teacher was reading the Hobbit aloud….mesmerizing. And It made me appreciate the writing even more.

This novel discusses themes of identity, family, friendship, the confinement of social norms, gender issues, and legacy. 

Fayne is definitely a holiday read. Christmas holidays or summer so that you can devote the time to read/listen to it in its entirety. This novel is one of my favourite novels of all time… so far. : )

A Season of Monstrous Conceptions

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by Lina Rather

Sarah Davis is an apprentice midwife with a troubled past. It’s 17th-century England, and something darkly strange is happening. Children are born deformed, some with wings, some horns, and even some with tails and several eyes. It seems as though the border between the natural world and the unnatural world is becoming blurred. Not to mention, it was a time when accusations and executions for witchcraft were commonplace. Sarah, as well as being a midwife, has powers that allow her to persuade others to do what she wants…like walking into fire.
When Sarah becomes midwife to the wife of famous architect Christopher Wren, she soon realizes that Wren plans to use his child to serve a darker purpose.
The premise of this novel really intrigued me. It is a really short read, more of a novella, really. I wish the plot was more detailed and the characters more fleshed out. Because it is such a short novel, a few plot elements seemed irrelevant to the storytelling, and other elements that I feel should have been elaborated. On the whole, it is a good quick read.


Thank you to Thor Publishing and Netgalley for the free copy.

The Clinic

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by Cate Quinn

If you’re looking for a psychological thriller that takes place almost entirely in an additional rehab clinic appropriately situated out in the boonies, of course (so that if something goes awry and, believe me, something DOES go awry), this is the book for you. 

Our main character is Meg, an interesting woman with an exciting job and an unhinged backstory. Meg is a professional poker player, and because she can “read” people, she works with law enforcement to combat cheaters and organized crime. Unfortunately, one consequence of her job is an oxycontin addiction. 

When Meg’s famous sister Haley dies at “the clinic”, everyone says it’s suicide; however, Meg knows her sister, and Haley would never kill herself. Instead, Megs believes Haley has been murdered. So, of course, Meg goes undercover to find the truth…and maybe in the battle her own addiction and defeat the demons from her past.

The Clinic is a novel filled with crazy patients and even crazier staff. Chapters alternate from Meg’s point of view to the point of view of Cara, the clinic’s administrator. I think Cara serves as the one character who presents the events of the plot from the most reliable point of view…or does she?

An engaging, intriguing read with twists and turns I didn’t see coming. An excellent, solid suspense story to add to your 2024 TBR list. 

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the Advanced Copy.

The Mystery Guest

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by Nina Prose

Well, Nina Prose has done it again! If you loved her novel The Maid, you’ll love The Mystery Guest. We are back at the Regency Grand Hotel with Molly, now “Head Maid”. As Head Maid, Molly is responsible for preparing the tea room for the world-renowned, best-selling murder mystery writer J.D. Grimthorpe. As per Molly’s propensity, everything is perfect, that is until Mr Grimthorpe drops dead just as soon as he is about to make a news-shattering announcement. This time, Molly knows what to expect when a death occurs in her hotel, and she uses her acute observational skills to gather as much evidence as she can, not just because she wants to solve the case but because she doesn’t want the wrong person to get accused of the crime…like last time.
I absolutely loved being back with Molly. Nina Prose writes a good mystery rife with numerous suspects. In this novel, we also get a portion of Molly’s backstory when she was a little girl living with her Gran. Prose skillfully weaves this backstory and the present-day crime together so that I was engaged in both storylines. I also loved the plot developments that happened in the last third of the novel that lend themselves wonderfully to a third novel that I absolutely cannot wait to read!

You can pre-order The Mystery Guest which will in stores November 28th.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the free copy!

Whalefall

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by Daniel Kraus

Have you noticed that there have been a weird number of instances where paddleboarders or kayakers have narrowly missed being swallowed by a whale? What would happen upon ingestion? Would death be imminent? Would you be crushed by jaws or suffocated in the confines of the esophagus or stomach? Well, Whalefall is a novel where our main character, Jay, finds himself within the confines of a whale’s digestive tract.
Jay Gardiner believes that the only way can can reconcile himself with the suicide of his abusive father is to go on a solo scuba dive in the area where his father drowned recover his bones. Shortly into his dive, Jay spies a giant squid and is enthralled with the creature to the point of distraction. A sperm whale suddenly appears and swallows the squid sucking Jay into its mouth in the process. Once inside the whale, Jay realizes that he only has one hour left of air in his tank and, therefore, has to figure out a way to save himself before it’s too late.
Alone in the dark confines of the whale’s belly (one of its bellies), Jay is forced to confront the hatred he feels towards his father, the love he wishes he had, and the guilt that consumes him.
I read this novel in one evening. Very short chapters, a fast-pace, a sympathetic main character and a tonne of facts about the ocean, biology and the anatomy of whales make this an amazingly engaging read. This book is perfect for reluctant readers and/or as a read-aloud for junior and senior high school students. There is one chapter in particular where Jay has an emotional inner dialogue with the whale (or his father) that I would have two students read it aloud to the rest of the students (it is a truly emotionally raw and beautiful dialogue). . Kraus’s writing is wonderfully vivid and can be VERY descriptive regarding the gooey, bloody squishiness of the internal goings-on of a living being. And then, at times, descriptions are incredibly and poetically beautiful. For example:
It is the moon, pale blue, mottled, massive, dream legend. Rising. A ship of gods from primordial tar, yard after yard of wrinkled black bulk, a farce of size displacing the entire ocean. There’s an Omega shape in phosphorescent white, and Jay’s stupor permits the dull understanding that this crescent is a mouth, twenty feet of closed mouth and this obsidian skyscraper is no surfacing Atlantic. No colliding planet. It is a living thing. (Kraus pg 80). How amazing is this!!!

There’s a Trigger warning for mental, verbal and physical abuse and suicide.

None of This is True

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by Lisa Jewell

This book ruined my plans for the day. Once I started it, I could not do anything else until I was finished. It was creeeeeeeeepy!!! A perfectly paced plot that created a crazy sense of suspense. In fact, he plot immediately sucks you in, and you can’t escape until you reach the “wtf” conclusion.

The story is about Alix Summers and Josie Fair. Two women, strangers to each other, who just happen to be “birthday twins”. But having the same day of birth is the only thing these two women have in common. They meet by chance at a restaurant whilst celebrating their birthdays! Alix is a beautiful, vibrant woman with a podcast celebrating the accomplishments of women who have overcome adversity. Josie is an unassuming part-time seamstress who is in want of a life different from her own. When Josie discovers who Alix is, she approaches her with a proposition; to tell the story of her life, a life she is determined to change.

However, Josie’s life has been anything but normal. Soon Alix uncovers uncomfortable truths about this birthday twin of hers (little objects are beginning to disappear from her house, and Josie is spotted on her home’s security camera rifling through recycling). Is Josie a victim? Or is she a psychopath?

Loved this novel. Perfect if you are looking for a quick-absorbing read.
Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the free copy.

When Women Were Dragons

~ Lisa Helm ~ 1 Comment

by Kelly Barnhill

On April 25, 1955, thousands of women spontaneously morphed into dragons. Some flew off without incident, but others left a trail of death and destruction behind them. What would cause these women to do such a thing? After all, they should have been perfectly happy and content in their socially suitable lives. But to change into something fierce and beautiful and utterly independent! What a horrible tragedy. And all hoped it would never happen again….but it did.
This novel follows young Alexandra (or Alex as she prefers to be called) from childhood to young adulthood as she navigates a world where female role models struggle to figure out their identities. Alex’s aunt Marla is a dynamic woman who flew aircraft in the war, works in a garage and has never married. Alex’s mother was a gifted mathematician who built a name for herself in banking and investment but chose to become a wife and mother and leave her mathematical aspirations behind. And seeing how the story takes place in the 1950s and 60s, this struggle for identity is divisive both in society and the family dynamic. To make matters worse (or better), it seems that those women breaking from the societal norm of how “womanhood” is defined spontaneously turn into dragons. Alex must first decide how she views herself in a society defined chiefly by men and then decide what path she will take to live as her authentic self. Will that include turning into a dragon? Read the novel to find out.

The Invisible Hour

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by Alice Hoffman

I had forgotten I liked Alice Hoffman’s writing. The Invisible Hour was THE perfect re-introduction to her storytelling. This is a novel about the power of books, a belief I hold near and dear to my heart because I have seen it manifested over and over again in my students. When Ivy is little more than 17 years old, she becomes pregnant and disowned by her parents. Being in such a precarious situation, she is easily convinced to join a cult where she is partnered with none other than the cult leader himself, Joel Jacobs. But when her baby Mia is born, she recognizes the prison in which she has placed her daughter and looks for ways to instil a sense of freedom in her daughter. This freedom includes finding sanctuary in the town’s library, where Mia falls in love with the writing of Nathanial Hawthorn; in fact, the first book she picks up is The Scarlet Letter, and in it is an inscription from Hawthorn himself that seems weirdly and intimately linked to Mia herself born over a hundred years after Hawthorn’s death?
When Mia is threatened with torture and imprisonment within the cult, she finds strength in Hawthorn’s words and escapes the only world she’s ever known.
This story has a little bit of everything: time travel, romance, and drama, but mostly it is a novel about how we can find strength and belonging in books, and I love this.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the free copy.

You can buy The Invisible Hour August 15!

Morgan is My Name

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by Sophie Keetch

In High School, I loved Mary Stewart’s Arthurian Legend series. My favourite character was Morgan, sister to Arthur, apprentice to Merlin, sorcerous in her own right, but a minor character with the likes of Arthur and Merlin being the story’s focus. On the other hand, Sophie Keetch has written an entire book telling Morgan’s story. Yay!
The novel starts when Morgan is a young girl and her father, the king, is killed. King Uther comes to court and forces the Queen (her mother) to marry him and then pretty much dictates the lives of everyone in the land as most kings were wont to do in the middle ages. Ever the rebel, Morgan is sent to a convent where she is delighted to have the opportunity to study (her passion, anatomy and healing). But her stepfather king eventually interrupts her happiness and orders her back to court, where she has to stifle the powerful woman she is if she is to survive the politics of the land. But just how long will she be able to live a life dictated?
I loved and loved LOVED this book. I loved the characterization of Morgan. I loved the strong female characters presented. I loved the love story, the political intricacies and the elements of “Arthurian legend” woven throughout. What a great addition to my summer reading.
Keetch writes in prose that is accessible to every reader.
Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for the free copy.

Bad Cree

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by Jessica Johns

I am fascinated by movies and books that use elements of horror as symbols of grief. The film Babadook is a perfect example of this; the Babadook monster is grief itself (and I’m NOT usually a horror fan). Bad Cree does something similar. Our protagonist is a young Cree woman named Mackenzie who is LITERALLY haunted by the unexpected deaths of her Kokum and sister. She has terrifying dreams of drowning and being stalked by crows, dreams that are beginning to cross into her real world. She wakes up drenched after dreaming of drowning, and another morning she wakes up clutching a bloody head of a crow after dreaming of aggressive crows.
The only people who understand what Mackenzie is experiencing are the only people who can save her; her family. Mackenzie heads home to High Prairie, Alberta, where she literally has to battle her grief “monsters” with the help of her powerful women relatives.
This book is an amazing story of resilience, grief, identity, and the importance of family. It is also beautifully written. Johns is a master of description and detail; I felt I was standing beside Mackenzie through everything she was going through…a place where, at times, was an extremely uncomfortable place to be.

I would definitely have a couple of copies of this novel in my classroom for an independent novel study, or as a book club option.

Death at the Party

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by Amy Stuart

The story starts with our protagonist watching a man die. She pulls her phone out a couple of times, tempted to call 911 but pauses.

No, it would be better if he were dead.

We then flashback to that morning. Nadine Walsh, daughter, wife, mother, is making the final preparations for her mother’s birthday party that evening. Throughout the day we meet various people who will be attending the party. We are introduced to these potential partygoers (one of which is our victim)  through the critical lens of Nadine herself, so some of them we like, and the others,

well, we don’t like quite as much.

Is this because we are influenced by Nadine herself?

And just to make our reading a bit more uncomfortable, Nadine isn’t exactly the most sympathetic of characters until… well, I won’t spoil it for you.

I loved this book. It was perfect for a weekend read on my balcony sipping a cosmopolitan. A perfect addition to your summer reading list.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the copy.