This blog is the place where I post reviews of the books I have read. I review audiobooks, regular books and eBooks for authors and publishers as well as any other book or audiobook that catches my eye.
Click on the gif to be taken to the creator’s page
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DESCRIPTION:
Tyler Robertson is a music manager. Cary Kingston is the biggest rock star in the world. She’s sworn off dating musicians. And he’s a confirmed bachelor.
But when their working relationship turns into something more, she wonders if she’s falling for the rock star or the person.
You can’t always get what you want… but sometimes you can.
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MY REVIEW:
Hunter Snow’s debut novel ROCK CRUSH AND ROLL is a fabulous read. This book has everything you could hope for in women’s fiction.
What do I mean by that? Well, here is just a small taste of what readers can expect:
* A kick-ass female lead character who is flawed just as much as the rest of us, but despite her flaws, readers will fall for Tyler Robertson and will hope for the best for her
* A sexy rock star
* A cast of characters who are relatable
* An amazing, loyal, and protective family
* A feminist lens
* A world that very few people have penetrated … the music industry
* And so much more …
When a book can take you out of your daily life and transport you into the life of the protagonist, it is the most delicious form of escapism available. This book does exactly that.
I generally do not read a lot of romance-type books, but if I could find more novels that were even half as entertaining and engrossing as ROCK CRUSH AND ROLL this genre might just become my new favorite.
Hunter Snow is at the start of a promising future as a celebrated author. I am looking forward to reading her next book.
ROCK CRUSH AND ROLL is definitely a book worthy of the highest rating I can give: 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
*** Thank you to #HunterSnow for providing me with a free copy of her book. ***
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Click on the gif to be taken to the creator’s page
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
After (barely) surviving a career in the music industry, Hunter Snow now lives to tell its tales.
She writes contemporary romances from her home in the Pacific Northwest.
Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
To learn more about this author visit the following links:
Being alone, a virgin and comfortable in her own skin, Annie, like a lot of us, dreads turning forty. Turning forty tends to mean more challenges physically, in the bedroom and beyond. Losing It At Forty is Anne’s story and while she has, so far, lived a mundane life her world is about to change. Sitting at a bar, Annabelle comes to the decision to loosen up and lose her virginity. Starting with no longer using her nickname and wanting to be referred to as her full name, Annabelle.
Annabelle knows she doesn’t need a man but her desire for one is turned up after having a few drink and men flirting with her.
What she knew she wanted was sex and even at forty years old she worried about pregnancy so took time off work to check with a doctor about the pill. He thought it was redundant but prescribed it anyway.
With many humorous incidents, including a time at an esthetician’s parlor and almost being arrested, to buying cream and being caught looking at condoms as well as the dreaded video chat while getting undressed, Annabelle is enjoying life despite the comedic moments her romantic endeavors provide.
MY REVIEW:
Let me tell you all about the book I just finished reading. It is called LOSING IT AT 40 by Sarah Butland. And yes, the “it” in “LOSING IT…” is the protagonist’s virginity.
I know, I know, in today’s society it is exceptionally rare that anyone makes it to age 40 with their virginity intact. But Annie has never been what you would call a ‘social butterfly.’
Written in the first person, Annie speaks directly to the reader which I thought was a terrific way to tell this specific story. Because of this, readers begin to feel like they are either a friend of Annie, or, they are voyeurs reading her innermost thoughts as written in her personal diary. Either way, readers will want to know more.
Annie’s story is at times hilarious, at others it is touching, and at all times fascinating.
“It was obvious to me that I wouldn’t be outstanding on my first go-around and I really didn’t know much about the act itself … Maybe there was a Netflix type service just for porn.”
When I read the above paragraph I burst out laughing and when asked why I read it to my husband who also chuckled.
Annie is a delightful mix of bold and sassy, yet shy and quiet. She is like every other woman – a mixture of many traits and contradictions.
Annie ends up meeting two very different men. She knows she has to choose just one, but will she choose Travis, or Mike? You need to buy a copy of LOSING IT AT 40 to find out.
Although Sarah is an amateur writer, you wouldn’t know it. She has an affinity for creating believable and realistic characters.
I rate this book as 4 out of 5 Stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
*** Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sarah Butland was born in Ontario, the year was 1982. She was moved to New Brunswick for over 15 years and now resides at home in Nova Scotia, Canada. Butland has been married to her high school sweetheart and has a superstar son named William.
Butland started creating while still learning to walk and in years to follow was able to put a writing utensil to paper to document her creations before they were completely lost. Of course, her first manuscripts were in dire need of editing but she didn’t seem to mind nor did her readers.
The first “big break” for Butland came when she was still a teenager feeling like she was unlike every other teenager she knew. She heard from a poetry contest that her poem “Wrong Shell” would be published in their anthology; would she kindly send them thousands of dollars to continue on in the finals. Butland’s parents refused. So began the struggle of discovering which awards were actually earned not bought.
Limiting herself to contest submissions from then on, Sarah Butland realized her career of writing would be a difficult struggle no matter the talent she held inside or was forced out.
Many stories, attempts at novels and thousands of ideas later, Butland created BananaBoy and the Adventures of Sammy was born with Sending You Sammy, her first published children’s book.
To learn more about this author visit the following links:
Bathtime is FUN!!! Find out why in this bubbly, fun-to-read-aloud, tugboat adventure.
With bright, bold, and playful illustrations, diverse characters, and an engaging, rhythmic text, this delightful book is sure to spark the imagination of young readers everywhere.
When you combine adventure with getting clean, bath time is a fun time.
MY REVIEW:
BATHTIME FUN is a fun Children’s Book that both parents and young kids will adore.
The story is written in rhyme which allows the narrative to flow.
Children who may have been hesitant to have a bath or who start out afraid of the water, will see bath time as a time for fun during which they can allow their imagination to soar.
The illustrations are bright and engaging. These illustrations bring the fun of the rhyming story to life.
I rate this exceptional Canadian children’s book as 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
*** Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Toronto writer Kathleen Gauer’s published works include illustrated children’s books, High in the Sky, For No Reason, The Wish Carvers, and Bathtime Fun! as well as poetry, and magazine and newspaper articles.
Her books have been acquired in libraries across Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Kathleen worked as a contributing associate editor for a Toronto community focus magazine for 15 years, and as an arts columnist for the Etobicoke Guardian newspaper.
She retired as an Educational Assistant in Special Education after working with the Toronto District School Board for 29 years.
When not writing or reading, Kathleen enjoys hanging out with her family and friends, yoga, hiking, golf, knitting, world travel, and choral singing.
She also volunteers with IBBY Canada’s Readers and Refugees program in Toronto and does author visits and story time programs in local schools and libraries.
To learn more about this author, visit the following links:
Sari Richter grew up in Ancaster, Ontario, and moved to Toronto where she completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting at the Ontario College of Art and Design University and a Masters Certification from the Toronto Art Therapy Institute.
She works in a vast array of traditional and non-traditional drawing and painting media and looks forward to challenging commissions. Sari is also a published children’s book author (I’ll Know It When I See It!), illustrator, storyboard artist, and muralist. She has worked in the field of children’s mental health as an art therapist and loves challenging drawing and painting commissions.
To learn more about this Illustrator visit the following links:
Raymond is a brave, strong and hairy buffalo. Gilbert is a quiet, growing and not-at-all hairy boy. Raymond is the hero of Gilbert’s favorite book, and Gilbert brings his favorite book everywhere. When an unfortunate incident separates the two, Raymond finds himself in a very unusual situation—outside of his book and loose in the local library! There’s nothing for Raymond to do but wait for Gilbert to come find him. But as the days turn into months and months into years, Raymond has to be brave and make a new home in the library shelves and a new friend in the librarian, Nicole.
This adorably illustrated picture book celebrates the love we have for books and the strength of friendship.
MY REVIEW:
RAYMOND THE BUFFALO is a terrific tale, written as an early chapter book.
The story is about a boy named Gilbert who, for years has taken his favorite book with him wherever he goes. That book is called RAYMOND THE BUFFALO and it is from Raymond’s point of view the story is told.
One day, Gilbert discovers (like every young boy I have ever known) the wonderful world of dinosaurs. Gilbert’s mother takes him to the library where he borrows several dinosaur books.
When Gilbert’s mother grabs all of the library books to return them, she inadvertently drops off Raymond’s book as well.
Raymond somehow finds himself outside his book and he meets the friendly librarian and discovers the wonders that exist in a library.
Author LOU BEAUCHESNE has crafted a wonderful story of love, friendship, and loyalty as well as pointing out the wonderous world of the local library.
Raymond may be a buffalo, but he is also a terrific help to the librarian, staying inside his book when the library is open and re-shelving books at night.
The Publisher of RAYMOND THE BUFFALO is my favorite children’s book publishing company; ORCA BOOKS. Even their logo (a killer whale) is gorgeous and I love that they are based in Canada.
I rate RAYMOND THE BUFFALO as 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and I recommend it to readers ages six to ten.
This book would make a fabulous gift for teachers, librarians, and booklovers, in addition to every child aged six and up.
Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lou Beauchesne is an author and illustrator of over twenty books for young readers, including La princess cowboy and La guerre des suces.
She began writing and illustrating small books that she sold to her neighbors and has been doing this ever since.
Lou writes and draws from her home in Quebec.
To learn more about this author, visit the following links:
Kate Chappell is a freelance illustrator living and working from her home in Lincolnshire, UK.
She graduated from Falmouth University with a degree in illustration in 2013 and uses a mix of traditional textures and digital techniques to create fun, dynamic characters and illustrations.
Kate has created art for Google, Stella Artois, Nespresso, Dove and many others and tries to include elements of humor in her work whenever possible.
To learn more about this Illustrator visit the following links:
1901. When a train robbery destroy’s Annie’s plans for a quiet life, she reinvents herself as a redheaded daredevil and heads to Niagara Falls, determined to be the first person to survive going over it in a barrel – or to die trying.
But when Annie arrives in Niagara, she unwittingly walks into a turf war between two crime bosses vying to control the illegal gambling, extortion and prostitution that hum below Niagara’s honeymoon veneer.
As Annie comes to realize that water is not the only danger in Niagara, her relationship with a riverman threatens her plans to fall.
Based on the true story of Annie Edson Taylor
MY REVIEW:
Annie Edson Taylor. Does this name mean anything to you? Have you ever heard of her?
I hadn’t. But after reading ‘TIL NIAGARA FALLS, I can guarantee that I will never remember her from this day forward.
I live in Ontario, Canada and have visited the city of Niagara Falls more than fifty times over the years. Yet, somehow the fascinating tale of retired schoolteacher Annie Edson Taylor had never reached my ears. It makes me wonder if Annie had been a man, would I have heard the story? Sadly, I believe the answer to that question is a yes.
Although this is a fictionalized version of her story, the key facts are historically accurate.
Annie was unique. She was not the “typical” woman of her era. Firstly, she was educated in many subjects including mathematics and the sciences which were often seen as the realm of men. She was a retired schoolteacher with a keen mind and she exceptionally good at physics and engineering.
Annie was as unlike the daredevils who preceded her in attempting to survive going over the Falls in a barrel, as night is to day. She applied everything she had learned into figuring out a way she could (hopefully) survive the “Fall.”
The author has included many wonderfully colorful characters into the story, many of whom were based on real people.
This story has everything readers could possibly hope for in a work of historical fiction right down to historically accurate descriptions of outfits of the era and the attitudes as to what was “proper” at the time.
If you have ever been to Niagara Falls, or have even just seen the Falls in photographs, I highly doubt any one of us would ever consider going over that massive waterfall, even with the best safety gear available. To think of the complete lack of availability of safety equipment in 1901, it is little wonder that many people perished in that swirling maelstrom of water. Annie was one very brave and very determined woman and I salute her.
Cave of the Winds To get super close to the Falls—and to feel their power—a must-do attraction is Cave of the Winds. You walk down wooden stairs to stand directly in front of Bridal Veil Falls. Then you walk up to the Hurricane Deck, where you are literally standing underneath the thundering waterfall. It’s a great way to get a sense of the power and amount of water that drops every second. It’s interesting to note that the decks are removed and rebuilt every year to prevent ice damage in the winter. When rebuilding the decks, the workers can work only 20 minutes at a time because the water is so frigid.
You should pick up a copy of this book at your first opportunity. It is a heart-pumping, thrill ride of a read and you will find yourself sitting on the edge of your seat thanks to the non-stop action.
I have no choice but to rate ‘TIL NIAGARA FALLS as 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It deserves nothing less.
*** Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book ***
Annie Edson Taylor, who was about 62 when she became the first, and oldest, person to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Credit: Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Katerie Morin is an award-winning playwright whose work has been produced in the U.S., broadcast in New Zealand, and published in China. With musician Pan Morrigan, she created the radio play Castles of Gold, which was later released as a spoken word album on Green Linnet Records, featuring performances by Frank McCourt and Roma Downey.
Katerie received her M.F.A in Playwriting from the University of Washington and her B.A. from Smith College. She lives outside of Boston with her family.
To learn more about this author, visit the following links:
Annie Taylor’s barrel with an anvil attached to the bottom so she would float through the Rapids Medium Photograph Extent 5″ x 5.75″ black & white photograph Description photograph has diagonal lines running through it Notes The intention of the anvil was to ensure that Annie would go over the Falls head up Date October 4, 1901. Collection General Photograph Collection http://www.nflibrary.ca/nfplindex/show.asp?id=90555&b=1
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The barrel and its living freight being towed to the starting-point / Annie Taylor Creator Zahner, M. H. Medium Scan from book Description Scan from book Notes Scanned from Over Niagara in a Barrel by Orrin E. Dunlap. Published by World Wide Magazine, 1902 Provenance Local History Collection Date 1901.
********** Mrs. Annie Edson Taylor ready to start above the Falls Medium Photograph Extent 3.75″ x 3″ black & white ‘ a copy from a stereo image by M. H. Zahner Publisher in the Library of Congress Washington D.C. Description negative A41475 436 Provenance Library of Congress Washington D.C. Collection Niagara Falls Heritage Foundation Collection Old Call Number NFHAP v.6 p.53 Rights Library of Congress Washington D.C. http://www.nflibrary.ca/nfplindex/show.asp?id=89292&b=1
Raymond is a brave, strong and hairy buffalo. Gilbert is a quiet, growing and not-at-all hairy boy. Raymond is the hero of Gilbert’s favorite book, and Gilbert brings his favorite book everywhere. When an unfortunate incident separates the two, Raymond finds himself in a very unusual situation—outside of his book and loose in the local library! There’s nothing for Raymond to do but wait for Gilbert to come find him. But as the days turn into months and months into years, Raymond has to be brave and make a new home in the library shelves and a new friend in the librarian, Nicole.
This adorably illustrated picture book celebrates the love we have for books and the strength of friendship.
MY REVIEW:
RAYMOND THE BUFFALO is a terrific tale, written as an early chapter book.
The story is about a boy named Gilbert who, for years has taken his favorite book with him wherever he goes. That book is called RAYMOND THE BUFFALO and it is from Raymond’s point of view the story is told.
One day, Gilbert discovers (like every young boy I have ever known) the wonderful world of dinosaurs. Gilbert’s mother takes him to the library where he borrows several dinosaur books.
When Gilbert’s mother grabs all of the library books to return them, she inadvertently drops off Raymond’s book as well.
Raymond somehow finds himself outside his book and he meets the friendly librarian and discovers the wonders that exist in a library.
Author LOU BEAUCHESNE has crafted a wonderful story of love, friendship, and loyalty as well as pointing out the wonderous world of the local library.
Raymond may be a buffalo, but he is also a terrific help to the librarian, staying inside his book when the library is open and re-shelving books at night.
The Publisher of RAYMOND THE BUFFALO is my favorite children’s book publishing company; ORCA BOOKS. Even their logo (a killer whale) is gorgeous and I love that they are based in Canada.
I rate RAYMOND THE BUFFALO as 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and I recommend it to readers ages six to ten.
Although this book is not being released until May 11, 2021 it is available for pre-order now and would make a fabulous gift for teachers, librarians, and booklovers, in addition to every child aged six and up.
Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lou Beauchesne is an author and illustrator of over twenty books for young readers, including La princess cowboy and La guerre des suces.
She began writing and illustrating small books that she sold to her neighbors and has been doing this ever since.
Lou writes and draws from her home in Quebec.
To learn more about this author, visit the following links:
Kate Chappell is a freelance illustrator living and working from her home in Lincolnshire, UK.
She graduated from Falmouth University with a degree in illustration in 2013 and uses a mix of traditional textures and digital techniques to create fun, dynamic characters and illustrations.
Kate has created art for Google, Stella Artois, Nespresso, Dove and many others and tries to include elements of humor in her work whenever possible.
To learn more about this Illustrator visit the following links:
Narnia meets traditional Indigenous stories of the sky and constellations in an epic middle grade fantasy series from award-winning author David Robertson.
Morgan and Eli, two Indigenous children forced away from their families and communities, are brought together in a foster home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They each feel disconnected, from their culture and each other, and struggle to fit in at school and at their new home — until they find a secret place, walled off in an unfinished attic bedroom. A portal opens to another reality, Askí, bringing them onto frozen, barren grounds, where they meet Ochek (Fisher). The only hunter supporting his starving community, Misewa, Ochek welcomes the human children, teaching them traditional ways to survive. But as the need for food becomes desperate, they embark on a dangerous mission. Accompanied by Arik, a sassy Squirrel they catch stealing from the trapline, they try to save Misewa before the icy grip of winter freezes everything — including them.
MY REVIEW:
THE BARREN GROUNDS is the first in a series of Middle-Grade Indigenous/Fantasy novels. The series is titled THE MISEWA SAGA and has a Narnia-esque theme.
The story begins with Morgan, an angry preteen Indigenous girl who was placed into the foster care system as a toddler. That system is all she knows, and, as is often the case in real life, her experiences in foster care have not been pleasant.
Placed with a young couple who are new to foster parenting, Morgan resists all attempts at bonding because she is extremely cognizant of the fact that she can be sent back to an orphanage or on to another foster home at any time. “You’ll see. The world will harden you.” This seems to be Morgan’s issue. She has been thrown away all her life – even her biological mother didn’t want her.
Her foster parents bring a boy into their home who is a year younger than Morgan, named Eli. Eli is Indigenous, as is Morgan, but because she was placed into the system as a toddler, she knows nothing about her rich cultural background. But, Eli does.
When Eli draws a detailed scene, it somehow opens a portal to another reality. When Eli goes into the portal, Morgan goes after him to bring him back.
What they discover is a land out of Indigenous lore. With talking animals who walk on two legs, and a land stuck in perpetual winter, Morgan and Eli learn about their heritage.
Eli and Morgan set out on an epic quest to save the “two-leggeds” and their world from perpetual winter.
The adventures they have teach them that it isn’t always blood that creates a family.
They also learn that whether they are aware of their Indigenaity or not, it does not matter. That does not make them any less Indigenous than those who are aware of their heritage.
This story brings attention to the fact that too many Indigenous children are being removed from their parents and placed into foster care, often with non-Indigenous foster parents who are more interested in the money provided to them by government than in having the child become a true member of their family. There are definitely some amazing foster parents, but, unfortunately, the majority of foster kids tend to have multiple negative experiences before finding an acceptable placement. Many foster kids learn almost nothing about their heritage and culture and there is a vast difference between growing up in a white culture and growing up in an Indigenous culture.
All in all, this book has everything a Middle-Grade reader can possibly want and I think the MISEWA SAGA will be a hit.
I rate this book as 4 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐
** Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book. **
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
DAVID A. ROBERTSON is the author of numerous books for young readers including When We Were Alone, which won the 2017 Governor General’s Literary Award and was nominated for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award.
Strangers, the first book in his Reckoner trilogy, a young adult supernatural mystery, won the 2018 Michael Van Rooy Award for Genre Fiction (Manitoba Book Awards).
David educates as well as entertains through his writings about Indigenous Peoples, reflecting their cultures, histories, communities, as well as illuminating many contemporary issues.
A sought-after speaker and educator, Dave is a member of the Norway House Cree Nation and currently lives in Winnipeg.
To learn more about this author, visit the following links:
Release Date: AUGUST 25, 2020 – EBOOK AVAILABLE NOW
ISBN: 9780771072574
Price: $24.95 CDN
Rating: 4 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐
DESCRIPTION:
From the award-winning, Canada Reads-shortlisted author of Bone and Bread comes an immersive and eerily prescient novel about the power of human connection in a time of crisis, as the bonds of love, family, and duty are tested by an impending pandemic.
How quickly he’d forgotten a fundamental truth: the closer you got to the heart of a calamity, the more resilience there was to be found.
This is the story of a handful of people who find themselves living through an unfolding catastrophe.
Elliot is a first responder in New York, a man running from past failures and struggling to do the right thing.
Emma is a pregnant singer preparing to headline a benefit concert for victims of the outbreak–all while questioning what kind of world her child is coming into.
Owen is the author of a bestselling plague novel with eerie similarities to the real-life pandemic. As fact and fiction begin to blur, he must decide whether his lifelong instinct for self-preservation has been worth the cost.
As the novel moves back and forth in time, we discover these characters’ ties to one another and to those whose lives intersect with theirs, in an extraordinary web of connection and community that reveals none of us is ever truly alone.
Linking them all is the mystery of the so-called ARAMIS Girl, a woman at the first infection site whose unknown identity and whereabouts cause a furor.
Written and revised between 2013 and 2019, and brilliantly told by an unforgettable chorus of voices, Saleema Nawaz’s glittering novel is a moving and hopeful meditation on what we owe to ourselves and to each other.
It reminds us that disaster can bring out the best in people–and that coming together may be what saves us in the end.
MY REVIEW:
I was surprised to learn that the writing of this book took place before the Covid19 Pandemic. In fact, this book was begun six years ago.
SONGS FOR THE END OF THE WORLD centers around a coronavirus disease called ARAMIS which is eerily similar to COVID19. There are other things in this story that are extremely similar to what is happening in the world today.
In fact, one of the main characters is an author who had written fictional account of a plague similar to ARAMIS. Little did Saleema Nawaz know that she was going to experience firsthand what her character went through.
The main difference between this book and other sci-fi / post apocalyptic /dystopian / speculative fiction novels is the outlook of the characters. What I mean by this is that in most of the books of this genre, the actions of the populace devolve into violence over the course of the story. In fact, in most post-apocalyptic books, the plague ends up being less dangerous than the people.
In SONGS FOR THE END OF THE WORLD, the majority of the characters act for the good of society rather than simply taking care of themselves and their families. Of course, they do not take reckless risks, but they are somehow able to hang onto their humanity. This is a refreshingly optimistic view of how people act during a catastrophe.
Although I said this book is optimistic, don’t think that every character is perfect; they are far from it. There are also characters that act like self righteous jerks, as well as a few characters you will want to smack upside of their head for how they behave. In short, just as in real life, there are good people, bad people, and people who fall somewhere in the middle.
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a unique science fiction novel with characters that are so relatable that you will feel like they are friends of yours by the end of the book.
I rate SONGS FOR THE END OF THE WORLD as 4 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“It was the first time in his life he had encountered thinking – the deliberate thinking of difficult thoughts – as a thing to be encouraged, rather than staved off or endured.”
“The way she leaned into him, Stu realized that marriage had strength embedded in its very architecture, a resilience that beat back the usual threats. Given his parents’ union, he’d always thought of marriage as something more like resignation, a contractual obligation of last resort. But he now saw the hope of it, the faith in the promise itself.” . “‘But was it me in there?’ Jericho asked. ‘Or theperson I used to be?'” . “Thinking is a sacred disease. And there’s no cure.” . “Everything is a song in one way or another.” . “As time went on, he began to think of his declarations of love as an ill-conceived engineering project, like digging graves along a shoreline; they could neither withstand nor contain her sorrow, nor his growing sense that he was no longer enough for her.”
Saleema Nawaz’s first novel, Bone and Bread, won the Quebec Writers’ Federation Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction and was a finalist for the 2016 Canada Reads competition.
She is also the author of the short story collection Mother Superior, and a winner of the Writers’ Trust of Canada / McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, she currently lives in Montreal, Quebec.
To learn more about this author, visit the following links:
Penguin Random House Canada is a full service Canadian publisher and distributor of books in hardcover, trade paperback, mass market and digital formats.
Imprints of Penguin Random House Canada include Anchor Canada, Bond Street Books, Doubleday Canada, Knopf Canada, Penguin Canada, Puffin Canada, Random House Canada, Razorbill Canada, Vintage Canada, McClelland & Stewart, Tundra Books and Appetite by Random House.
To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:
Taken from their families when they are very small and sent to a remote, church-run residential school, Kenny, Lucy, Clara, Howie and Maisie are barely out of childhood when they are finally released after years of detention.
Alone and without any skills, support or families, the teens find their way to the seedy and foreign world of Downtown Eastside Vancouver, where they cling together, striving to find a place of safety and belonging in a world that doesn’t want them. The paths of the five friends cross and crisscross over the decades as they struggle to overcome, or at least forget, the trauma they endured during their years at the Mission.
Fuelled by rage and furious with God, Clara finds her way into the dangerous, highly charged world of the American Indian Movement.
Maisie internalizes her pain and continually places herself in dangerous situations.
Famous for his daring escapes from the school, Kenny can’t stop running and moves restlessly from job to job—through fishing grounds, orchards and logging camps—trying to outrun his memories and his addiction.
Lucy finds peace in motherhood and nurtures a secret compulsive disorder as she waits for Kenny to return to the life they once hoped to share together.
After almost beating one of his tormentors to death, Howie serves time in prison, then tries once again to re-enter society and begin life anew.
With compassion and insight, Five Little Indians chronicles the desperate quest of these residential school survivors to come to terms with their past and, ultimately, find a way forward.
MY REVIEW:
FIVE LITTLE INDIANS is a book that everyone in North America needs to read. This may be Fiction, but it is based in reality and the five main characters are a great representation of what happened to the Indigenous children who were forced to attend Residential Schools.
These Residential Schools are a shameful part of Canada’s past and the harm they caused has resonated through multiple generations. That pain is still being felt by Indigenous People to this day. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is attempting to compensate the victims, and to tell their stories, but the hurt and victimization runs deep.
This novel concentrates on a handful of children, all of whom attended the same residential school. It follows them throughout their lives and readers are taken along for the ride.
The difference between this book and the various others that have been published is that FIVE LITTLE INDIANS focuses mainly on what happens to the children once they leave the Residential School system.
As each child reaches the age of release, they are given nothing but a bus ticket to Vancouver. Arriving in the city is sensory overload for these teenagers who have only ever lived either on remote reserves or at the school. I can only imagine how confused and scared they must have been.
It is amazing to me that any of them survived, but, as is demonstrated in the book, there is a huge difference between surviving and thriving.
With succinct yet heartfelt prose, readers will feel a fraction of the pain of the characters in the book, and even though it is only a fraction, it is enough to bring the reader to tears. (I am not ashamed to say that it made me cry.)
Although there are moments of unbelievable sadness and flashes of rage and violence, the story also contains momentous instances of love and inspiring occassions of spirituality. It is during these amazing and wonderous moments that the reader’s heart will soar alongside that of the characters.
I hope to read more books by Michelle Good in the near future. I would like it if she wrote about the generation of children who came from the Residential School Survivors and how their parents and grandparents traumatic experiences affects generation after generation.
I would be doing the world a great disservice if I was to rate FIVE LITTLE INDIANS as anything less than 5 OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I urge every Canadian to purchase a copy of FIVE LITTLE INDIANS asap.
It is imperative that we educate ourselves and our children about our country’s past – including the shameful parts.
It is by acknowledging the harm done that we can learn from it so that these mistakes are never repeated.
In addition to avoiding past mistakes, it is my hope that books such as this one will help to foster a better, less adversarial relationship between Indigenous Peoples and other ethnicities.
Prior to signing treaty, Chief Wuttunee (Porcupine) and his CREE band hunted and fished along the Battle River, and as settlers moved into the Battleford region where they conducted trade.
Though Wuttunee was chief at the signing of TREATY 6 on September 9, 1876, he was not in favour of the treaty and appointed his brother Red Pheasant to sign for him.
The department recognized Red Pheasant as the band’s chief from that point. In 1878 the band settled on their reserve in the Eagle Hills, where the land was good and there was enough forest to enable them to hunt.
Red Pheasant day school opened in 1880, and St. Paul’s Anglican Church was built in 1885 on land set aside for that purpose when the reserve was surveyed.
The reserve is located 33 km south of NORTH BATTLEFORD, with an infrastructure that includes a band office, band hall, school and teacherage, public works building, fire hall, and a treatment centre.
The main economic base is agriculture, but the reserve hosts a band-owned grocery store, and in 1997 the band signed an oil and gas agreement with Wascana Energy Inc.
The band’s successful completion of a Treaty Land Entitlement Agreement has enabled them to increase their reserve’s size to 29,345.7 ha, and invest in furthering economic development.
The band has 1,893 registered members, 608 of whom live on the reserve.
Drawn from author Kao Kalia Yang’s childhood experiences as a Hmong refugee, this moving picture book portrays a family with a great deal of love and little money.
Weaving together Kalia’s story with that of her beloved grandmother, the book moves from the jungles of Laos to the family’s early years in the United States.
When Kalia becomes unhappy about having to do without and decides she wants braces to improve her smile, it is her grandmother―a woman who has just one tooth in her mouth―who helps her see that true beauty is found with those we love most.
Stunning illustrations from Vietnamese illustrator Khoa Le bring this intergenerational tale to life.
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MY REVIEW:
MOST BEAUTIFUL REVIEW & LINKS
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL is a gorgeously illustrated, intergenerational, story about a Hmong-American family who left their ancestral homeland in hopes of a better life.
The story is told from a young girl’s point of view. Her family home includes her parents, her siblings and her grandmother.
As the child gets older, she will occasionally ask for something expensive from her parents. However, despite the fact that they worked hard, there was no money left over for extras. Her Grandmother is always around and tells stories of her own childhood and the hardships she faced. Obviously, the grandmother’s situation was much more dire than that of the narrator.
The author has perfectly captured the aging of both the young girl and her grandmother. She also conveys the child’s emotional intelligence and her maturity levels with perfect ease.
The illustrations in this book are nothing short of brilliant. In fact, I would love it if the artist offered prints of each of her layouts. I, for one, would 100% purchase them.
I should rate this book as 5 Stars, however I felt the ending could have been better. However, please DO NOT let this deter you from buying this book. We need more books from diverse and multicultural authors. It is imperative that children have access to books they can personally relate to. Also, children from other cultures should be exposed at a young age to books from diverse backgrounds.
Books such as THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING are important in a multitude of ways. I am rating this book as 4.5 out of 5 Stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
. *** Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kao Kalia Yang is a Hmong-American writer. She holds degrees from Carleton College and Columbia University. Yang is the author of The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir winner of the 2009 Minnesota Book Awards in Creative Nonfiction/Memoir and Readers’ Choice, a finalist for the PEN USA Award in Creative Nonfiction, and the Asian Literary Award in Nonfiction.
The book is a National Endowment for the Arts Big Read title and on the roster of the American Place Theatre’s Literature to Life Program.
Her second book, The Song Poet won the 2016 Minnesota Book Award in Creative Nonfiction Memoir, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Chautauqua Prize, a PEN USA Award in Nonfiction, and the Dayton’s Literary Peace Prize. The story has been commissioned as a youth opera by the Minnesota Opera and will premiere in the spring of 2021.
Yang’s debut children’s book, A Map Into the World is a American Library Association Notable Book of the Year, a Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book, winner of the Northstar Best Illustrator Award, and now a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award.
Her co-edited collection titled What God is Honored Here?: Writings on Miscarriage and Infant Loss By and For Indigenous Women and Women of Color is a groundbreaking work that centers the poetry and prose of women whose voices have been neglected and silenced on the topic despite the fact they experience these losses disproportionately. The book was one of the ten best books of the fall of 2019 by the Star Tribune and forty other national papers.
In 2020, Yang will publish her second children’s book The Shared Room, a collective memoir about refugee lives, Somewhere in the Unknown World, and another book for children, The Most Beautiful Thing.
Khoa Le has illustrated picture books published in a number of different countries.
She is also an author, a graphic designer, and a painter. Khoa has a passion for travel, an eagerness to learn about different cultures, and a desire to discover the beauty of the world.
Her inner moth makes her attracted to any source of light, but her dream is to one day see the northern lights.
She lives in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, with her five cats.
She is the winner of the Grand Prize Samsung KidsTime Authors Award 2015 (Singapore) and the second runner up of The Scholastic Picture Book Award 2017 (Singapore).
Khoa also has a passion for travel, an eagerness to learn about different cultures, and a desire to discover the beauty of the world.
Amie's Book Reviews 