Book Review: The Language of Flowers by Dena Seiferling

By Kaylie Seed

If you want to tell someone they are your friend, give them a cornflower! Inspired by the Victorian practice known as floriography, where flowers were used to communicate unspoken feelings, The Language of Flowers is an enchanting story about the relationship between flowers and bumblebees. The Language of Flowers is Canadian author Dena Seiferling’s debut picture book and it does not disappoint. Readers young and old will delight in the story of the bumblebee Beatrice, who learns the language of flowers and is able to speak with them. This story highlights how bumblebees are important because they bring pollen to flowers.

The illustrations are lovely. Seiferling gives human-like qualities to both Beatrice and the flowers. The pages are not your typical bright and colourful ones that are normally seen in a children’s picture book and instead are soft and dark, managing to make the reader feel warm as they make their way through this story.

At the end of The Language of Flowers, Seiferling has included drawings of the different flowers found throughout the book along with their names and what they mean. Young readers will have fun identifying these flowers in their own backyards and neighbourhoods. Seiferling has written a story that is both important and magical, mixing the importance of flowers and bees with all the kind things we can say to one another.

Thank you to Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Carriers by Anne Skomorowsky

By Danielle Szewc

Many genetic disorders follow typical Mendelian genetics—where a person affected by the disease requires two copies of the mutated gene in order to display the disorder, and carriers are those with a single mutated gene displaying no signs or symptoms. However, Fragile X syndrome, a disorder that is caused by variants in genes on the X chromosome and that is the most common single-gene cause of autism, may also cause associated conditions in carriers.

In The Carriers: What the Fragile X Gene Reveals About Family, Heredity, and Scientific Discovery, Anne Skomorowsky, a psychiatrist and clinical instructor, focuses on the premutation carriers, specifically the mothers of Fragile X syndrome children and their family history. She provides a thorough look into the history of medical knowledge and the family lineage of the carriers of Fragile X syndrome, as well as the socio-economic situations and associated disorders that are seen in carriers.

Skomorowsky offers a glimpse into the lives of those living with Fragile X syndrome. She weaves personal accounts into the book along with biomedical evidence and history to create an informative narrative that highlights how little is known about this genetic disorder. However, the writing style may be better for those who have a background and education in biomolecular, genetic, or medical sciences, or a family who is affected by the mutation and would like a further view into the lives of others who are affected.

Still, the writing should not be classified into a scientific reference piece and when reading should be looked at as familial case studies and a single viewpoint on the subject. It is more of a narrative approach that gives insight on family heritage rather than a complete guide to understanding all that is associated with Fragile X syndrome and its carriers. The Carriers: What the Fragile X Gene Reveals About Family, Heredity, and Scientific Discovery is a niche book that currently fills a void in the literature surrounding this syndrome, and it should be considered a stepping stone on the path to learning more.

Thank you, NetGalley and Columbia University Press, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Sunny Days Inside and Other Stories by Caroline Adderson

By Kaylie Seed

Caroline Adderson has written a whip-smart, heartfelt, and humorous middle grade novel that takes place during the COVID-19 pandemic, when we were having to stay inside and isolate ourselves. The book consists of seven vignettes portraying different children living in an apartment building across the street from a hospital, and how they manage to cope with these extraordinary circumstances. While the “adult virus” (as it is named throughout the story) is present, it is not the focal point to the book. These stories are meant to show young readers that everyday people can find amazing ways to cope in unprecedented circumstances.

Themes such a resiliency, hope, understanding, and patience are all found throughout Sunny Days Inside. Readers young and old will delight in the adventures that each of the children have. Sunny Days Inside is well written and while each of the stories are separate from one another, they are all connected; neighbours are mentioned throughout, and of course they all live in the same apartment building.

This middle grade novel is meant to address what happened during the “adult virus” in terms that younger readers will understand and be able to process. As adults we can get so swept up in what is happening that we forget that we need to include children in these tough conversations. A middle grade novel like Sunny Days Inside allows adults to start conversations with younger readers about difficult topics, but topics that are important to reflect upon even years after the beginning of the pandemic.                   

Thank you to Groundwood Books for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Today We Choose Faces by Roger Zelazny

By Dahl Botterill

Roger Zelazny is perhaps best known for his Amber stories, consisting of ten novels released in two 5-volume arcs and a multitude of shorter works linked to the Amber setting. However, Zelazny’s non-Amber books and stories outnumbered the Amber ones, and with very few exceptions didn’t link up to one another either. A winner of many awards over his lifetime, Roger Zelazny was a master of worldbuilding, creating incredible characters and settings, and telling grand tales within the span of a couple hundred pages, only to move on to entirely new ideas with his next book. This ability to bring a world full of wonder to life around the reader is one of my favourite things about Zelazny’s work, and Today We Choose Faces is one of these books.

The novel opens with a mafia enforcer named Angel who has been revived after a couple of centuries of cryogenic sleep. Initially it seems he’s a bit of a conversation piece for the various members of the now legitimate COSA Incorporated, but he eventually learns he’s there to do the same thing he’s done in the past. Trained in modern technology and weaponry, he’s tasked with the assassination of a mad scientist who is causing trouble for his descendants. While Angel is busy with his interplanetary assassination attempt, though, the world destroys itself in a massive war, and he finds himself alone with the mad scientist’s records and technology at his fingertips.

The next portion of the novel jumps forward several generations, where the surviving remnants of humanity live near-utopian lives in a massive trans-spatial indoor facility called the House, where each region (or Room) exists separately on an interplanetary scale, connected by Passages that offer instantaneous transport between Rooms. The House—and by extension the survival of humanity—is in the care of a group of telepathically semi-linked individuals called the Family, the members of which are led by a man named Lange who serves as their “nexus.” Somebody is hunting the Family, and after generations of increasing peace among humanity, nobody is particularly prepared to deal with such a thing. Except, perhaps, the voice inside Lange’s head telling him to “Pull pin seven.”

Today We Choose Faces is book that is filled to overflowing with ideas, and Zelazny uses all of them to great effect. It is a tale of the endless tug-of-war between humanity’s destiny and its fate, but also of cloning, interstellar architecture, psychic self-surgery and mnemonic sacrifice, survival and free will, and so much more. It’s not a long book, but Today We Choose Faces is a thrilling ride while it lasts, filled with more than enough concepts to keep its reader on their toes as they’re dropped into a story that’s already running full tilt towards its own conclusion.

Book Review: The White Hare by Jane Johnson

By Kaylie Seed

Content Warning: child abuse

Part historical fiction, part Cornish folklore, Jane Johnson’s The White Hare takes readers on a mysterious journey as Magdalena, her daughter Mila, and Mila’s daughter Janey move to the far west of Cornwall in hopes of starting over but have different ideas as to what that should look like. When stubborn and aggressive Magda comes across a gothic house sitting atop a cliff overlooking the ocean, she dreams of restoring it to its original glory as a venue where fantastical parties can happen. Quiet and anxious Mila, on the other hand, only wants a safe space for her and Janey as they try to outrun a scandal from Mila’s past. Introverted and imaginative Janey uses her favourite stuffed animal, Rabbit, as a way to escape, and tells unsettling stories that Rabbit has told her about White Valley.

The relationships between Magda, Mila, and Janey are all complex. What I appreciate about the complexity between these three is that it felt genuine. Families are complicated and messy, and Johnson portrayed that authentically throughout The White Hare. At its core, The White Hare focuses on trauma that can create rot in the family unit and the attempt to break that cycle of trauma. What this central theme parallels are secrets of their new home and the odd things that have been happening in White Valley for some time.

The pace of the plot is quite slow in the beginning; however, Johnson keeps the reader engaged by creating mysteries surrounding White Valley that the reader will want to uncover. As the plot progresses and comes closer to its conclusion, the story picks up speed until all of the secrets are revealed. The White Hare is an exceptionally atmospheric read as Cornish folklore is mixed with the supernatural and readers who enjoy Kate Morton and Alice Hoffman, or those looking for a mysterious read, will want to pick this one up.

Thank you, Simon and Schuster Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Francie's Got a Gun by Carrie Snyder

By Meredith Grace Thompson

Content warning: drug use

In her latest novel Francie’s Got a Gun, Carrie Snyder demonstrates her narrative skill through a non-linear plot that circles, rotates, runs around, and hops between the narrow points of view of those orbiting the titular Francie, a young girl—with a gun. Francie is running, running, breathing, singing, but always running. The rhythm of this book is fast and yet syncopated. It flits between the differing narrative perspective of Francie’s mother, father, grandmother, baby brother, best friend, best friend’s sister, choir instructor, and more to create a rounded outline of how and why and when Francie got a gun. The gun is what matters. The gun is the story.

Snyder uses clipped sentences and quick shifts to make the reader never feel quite at home in this intricately built-up world of one small, struggling family with the broken door and the car that is never where it should be when it should be and the father you can never quite lock down. Capturing the frantic interior life of childhood and its dependency on deeply intertwining friendships of climbing trees and make believe, Snyder’s world is breathtaking. It is a difficult place to live in for too long, as the reader runs and runs with Francie, and just like her, never really understands why or how. We just know that we can’t stop. Mustn’t stop. Falling ever more ahead of itself, Snyder’s structure nestles within it prose which morphs effortlessly into the lived reality of each character, whether it be Mikey’s changing fast food order depending on who is calling him and if he wants to pretend he is better than he is (and then immediately regretting his choice of chicken wrap and diet pop over the fries he really wanted), or grandmother Irene’s harsh awareness of her own inability to stop talking or to keep from pretending that everything is just fine when it so thoroughly is not.

Snyder is a deft writer of fiction. Her movements are effortless. She manages to wrangle a nonlinear plot with notable astuteness. Her plot runs backwards and forwards, this way and that, from one minute point of view to the next until finally, with the relief of understanding and letting go, a full picture is formed. Until finally, heartachingly, we understand why Francie has a gun.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw

By Kaylie Seed

A Wilderness of Stars is Shea Ernshaw’s latest YA fiction novel that is bound to charm teenage and adult readers alike. The reader follows Vega, a young woman who has spent her entire life secluded in the valley she was born in learning about the stars from her mother. Vega is The Last Astronomer, a title that has been passed down through generations. Only she knows the knowledge of the stars and how to find the key to saving everyone. In this unique coming-of-age story, Vega must decide whether to keep her knowledge of the stars to herself or save everyone from a sickness ravaging the world.

Ernshaw tends to repeat the same descriptions of characters and the plot numerous times throughout the novel. While reminders sprinkled here and there can be helpful to readers, having a bombardment of repeated descriptions can be overwhelming and may lose their power after a while. The pace felt inconsistent as most of the plot felt slow and as the end of the story nears, it picks up and the ending feels rushed. However, the way A Wilderness of Stars ends hints at a continuation of some kind, so I can forgive the feeling of an abrupt ending. Despite this, A Wilderness of Stars was a delectable read bound to enchant readers from beginning to end. Perhaps this will be a duology, and I am looking forward to the worldbuilding that Ernshaw could bring forth in a continuation of Vega’s story.

Ernshaw’s prose is both dark and ethereal, weaving together a story that captivates the reader while also bringing forth emotions of joy and sadness. The elements of science fiction should be noted as well, as Ernshaw has twisted together contemporary fantasy with science fiction to create a unique plot with elements of a coming-of-age story. Readers who have enjoyed Ernshaw’s previous novels will find delight in A Wilderness of Stars.

Thank you, Simon and Schuster Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Shaytan Bride by Sumaiya Matin

By Sara Hailstone

Content warning: domestic violence, racism, kidnapping

         The Shaytan Bride: A Bangladeshi Canadian Memoir of Desire and Faith is memoir that lyrically follows the courageous self-actualization and fight for her life by Sumaiya Matin, who was essentially held hostage by her family during a trip to Bangladesh and pushed into the prospect of an arranged marriage. Matin resisted the marriage and was helped by the High Commission of Canada to return to Toronto alone. She pursued writing and social work. She is now a part-time psychotherapist and strategic advisor for the Ontario government.

           Matin moved from Dhaka to Ontario when she was six years old, and records with literary eloquence what life was like growing up in Toronto in a post 9/11 discriminatory society. She fell in love with a young man outside of her society and Muslim faith, and she traces the pains of the heart in her adolescence as she navigates the rigid ideological currents of how and who she was supposed to be as a woman within her culture. This young love later advocated for Matin and petitioned her case to the High Commission of Canada.

         Matin expertly crafts the concepts of the jinn and the Shaytan Bride throughout the narrative. In Matin’s world, the woman is afflicted by jinn—demons—and is therefore used up, unable to be folded neatly into society. But Matin brilliantly identifies freedom for women in these wretched states:

Yes, I imagined the Shaytan Bride as forewarning, but not as terrorized by the bad jinns, the sorcerers, her human or non-human lovers, or even the Shaytan, like they said. She moved freely and in ways most others didn’t because they weren’t sure how, or they were afraid, or such freedom of movement existed entirely outside the spectrum of their imaginations.  

She knew, in her own life, the cautionary lesson of the Shaytan Bride was to avoid becoming one. There is no redemption for a woman in love with or touched by a jinn. Obey. Do not become the Shaytan Bride.

        This memoir is important for women. Matin works through the reality of the historical wars waged on women’s bodies. “By them I imagined the bodies of women raped, abandoned, and killed, corpses covered in rotten filth. Their bodies washed over with the echoes of voices of both strangers and kin. It was always the women who got the brunt of it, their bodies the battleground for all the sins.”

Considering the gravity of the adversity that Matin stood against and wrote through, and the mastery of her narrative, The Shaytan Bride should be eligible for awards. The memoir is that well written. It flows with a natural literary voice and has a powerful message for women: that story can shape the trajectory of a life, a life worth protecting and nurturing. Matin honours her inner truth again and again throughout the memoir.

Matin also shows layers of Canadian society that are important for Canadians to face now in turbulent times: our colonized bedrock exposes and isolates vulnerable members of society. Imagine returning from being kidnapped and almost forced into an arranged marriage and not being able to make that reality understood to an academic institution that requires one to pay the full tuition during the missed time. She gracefully and subtly shows the barriers within our country’s infrastructure, which permeate academia, government, and healthcare.

I see the full value of this text in the extension of the life Sumaiya Matin has carved out beyond the page. Her story is not over, she is just beginning. I recommend you follow her on social media to witness the flourishing of The Shaytan Bride as a novel that will most likely contribute to the canon of Canadian literature.

Follow Sumaiya here: @sumaiya.matin

Thank you to Dundurn Press for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: Deadly Triangle by Susan Goldenberg

By Erica Wiggins

Content warnings: murder, suicide

Deadly Triangle tells the story of the 1935 murder of world-famous architect Francis Mawson Rattenbury and the arrest and trial of his younger wife Alma and George Percy Stoner, the family’s chauffeur and her lover. Written by Susan Goldenberg, an award-winning author who writes for magazines and newspapers and currently resides in Toronto. This story called to me with its Canadian link as the victim designed the iconic Parliament Building and Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia. I love a well-laid-out and researched true crime story and this did not disappoint. The cover of this book draws you, and once I read the synopsis, I was hooked.

The story begins with a quick snippet of the murder and then we move back in time to be introduced to our main characters—first Francis, then Alma—then how they connected and moved to their beautiful home. Finally, our last main character, George, the new chauffeur, enters the story. Goldenberg has a way of writing that makes you feel like you are reading a fictional story. She immerses you in the story. You enter the daily lives of the characters. I was enthralled by the story of multiple marriages, divorces, scandals, and adultery that was present in the early 1900s. It was a reminder that people from that era and present day still have the same issues.

The author includes photos throughout the story that helped further draw you into the story and connect you with the people and places at the time.

After Francis’ death and Alma and George’s arrest, the trial in England begins. It is quite the event with people lining up to get a seat in the courthouse. I felt that instant connection with these attendees, wanting to learn the details of the story. Goldenberg covers the trial in a detailed, easy-to-read format. I found myself unable to put the story down at this point. I really enjoyed the snippets of transcript included.

This story is captivating. The parallels between life then and now is unnerving. The author does a phenomenal job of structuring the story to make accessible. True crime stories can sometimes be overwhelming in detail, but this was a perfect blend of information, court records, and photos. I especially loved learning how each person got to this pivotal moment in time.

If you can’t tell, I love reading true crime. Historical true crime has always held a special interest to me. Comparing what led up to the murder, how it was investigated, and how justice was served back then and what this might look like today. This story is a perfect example of how a well-researched and thorough story can be brought to life by a talented author.

I loved this book! I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys true crime. I would also recommend it to those who aren’t sure about true crime and want to dip in their toes. As the murder occurred in 1935, there is some distance from the story, and it is more focused on the people and less on providing graphic details.

Deadly Triangle is available October 2022. Thank you Dundurn Press for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

By Larissa Page

It has been a while since I’ve read (or in this case, listened) to a thriller that creeped me out, surprised me, and kept me hooked the whole time. Hidden Pictures did that for me.

Mallory is 18 months clean after her life was upended as a teenager. At the reference of her sponsor, she gets a job as a live-in nanny for a seemingly well-to-do family and their five-year-old son, Teddy. But when Teddy starts giving Mallory strange and disturbing drawings outside of his skill level, Mallory starts to wonder what else might be going on and whether Teddy’s imaginary friend Onya is really imaginary or something more sinister.

This novel started strong for me, dealing with the possible fallout of Mallory’s addiction now that she’s clean. The hook kept going as she moved in with the family she was to nanny for and met the lovely Teddy, who was a sweetly written character I think all readers will come to love. The eerie feelings started fairly early in the novel and continued to get stronger as the story reached the climax. Maybe it was just because I listened to it on audio, but I felt the creep down in my belly—it gave me the heebie-jeebies, which is exactly what I look for in a thriller.

Additionally, I started to guess what the “big twist” might be, but I was only partly right when it happened. As someone who very often guesses the big twist halfway through a thriller, I absolutely love that the author was able to misdirect readers enough to keep me guessing until the end. This is the type of thriller and plot that I would absolutely love to discuss with other people and was close to spoiling in this review, but I don’t want to give away the ending so that is all I will say.

I really enjoyed all aspects of this thriller. I loved the creep it gave me. I loved the mystery Mallory tries to solve. I loved Mallory’s story as well and all the little clues we get about her life, and her tragedy before she reveals it to us. I thought it was well put together and I’m really glad I picked it up. The audio in particular was great, but I believe the physical book would also be fantastic.

Book Review: Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian

By Kaylie Seed

Laura Sebastian’s debut adult novel, Half Sick of Shadows, is based on an Arthurian Legend where the Lady of Shalott, Elaine, reclaims her story. Elaine is cursed with knowing what the future holds and when the future comes for Elaine, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Morgana, they join Arthur as he takes the throne in Camelot.

Readers who are big on Arthurian legend will notice that there are some blurred lines when it comes to historical accuracy and authenticity. That being said, the author is subject to their own creative flare, so those readers who may be looking for historical accuracy and authenticity may want to be aware that it’s not always the case with this one. Sebastian has managed to take characters who have already been fleshed out in the original stories and through other retellings and manages to still keep them new and exciting to readers who are both familiar and unfamiliar with the original story.

Half Sick of Shadows begins in the middle of a story that is already happening, and when a book begins in the middle of a story rather than having a formal opening, it can be hard for readers to place what is going on for a couple of chapters. A non-linear timeline can be effective but when flashbacks, visions of the future, and events from the present day are all in the same chapter, it can become disjointed and difficult to follow. Readers may find themselves having to reread sections to be sure that they are following along with the plot. While the follow-through for Half Sick of Shadows may not be strong, readers will enjoy getting to know the different characters that Sebastian brings to life in her reimagining of this tale. Readers who enjoy Arthurian legend and fantasy alike will want to pick this one up.

Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: At Last Count by Claire Ross Dunn

By Fayth Simmons

Written in a first person perspective, At Last Count serves as an important narrative portrayal of an underrepresented mental illness in a contemporary, character-driven novel. It is definitively Canadian, and more specifically, Ontarian, and the landscapes and cityscapes of small-town Amherst Island and Toronto are successfully depicted, serving as appropriate backdrops which the narrative rests upon. The novel centers around Paisley and the internalized thoughts and externalized struggles that she faces as her life is uprooted and she is forced to re-examine and come to terms with traumatic aspects of her past. Paisley is a birder, and birds serve as characters themselves, being objectively central to the novel, and also function as symbols. Their role is surprising and yet also imperative to the identity of the main character. They aid heavily in shaping the setting and add a pleasing additional element.

At Last Count is presented as an amalgamation of genres, blending romance with literary fiction. There is a lot to be gained from Ross Dunn’s work—the characters, though well formed and solid in themselves, arguably serve as representations of larger and more complex themes. The novel is a work of fiction but is very much educational and accurate in its portrayal of obsessive-compulsive disorder and of the varied behaviours of Ontarian birds. The author’s style is straightforward; it is emotive and yet not excessively emotional. Her descriptions are strong, and the linear narrative is clear and concise with room enough left for empathetic rumination by the reader. This is an uncomplicated, enjoyable read and a very important one.

Slightly dramatized character development did, however, detract slightly from the strength and relatability of the narrative, and the conclusion, though seemingly “full-circle” in its arc, lacked some elements of realism. The slightly typical timeline leaves little to reader interpretation, which simplifies the narrative as a whole and causes for a lesser degree of originality.

The incorporation of important and sometimes underrepresented themes, and the distinctly Canadian backdrop, however, add beneficially to the narrative, and as a result it is able to secure the focus of the reader successfully. At Last Count is a worthwhile contemporary read, and a resonant one, and the narrative is able to successfully give a voice to some rarer themes within literature.

Book Review: The Girl from the Attic by Marie Prins

By Christine McFaul

Content warning: death of a child

The Girl from the Attic (2020) is an engaging middle grade time travel novel written by Canadian author Marie Prins.

Everything in twelve-year-old Maddy’s life is changing. She has a new stepfather that she doesn’t get along with, a baby sibling on the way that she’ll probably get stuck looking after, and now her parents are moving her away from her life (and internet connection) in Toronto and into a crumbling octagonal house in the middle of nowhere. Needless to say, Maddy is less than impressed. And no amount of her parents geeking out over the historical aspects of their new home will change her mind. Maddy can’t imagine why her parents are so enamoured with a house that looks like a huge mouldy cupcake until a chance encounter with a mysterious cat leads her to a hidden door in the attic—a door that allows Maddy to step back over a hundred years into the past. There she meets Clare and Eva and begins to finally understand what makes the octagonal house so special.

In Maddy, Prins has created a lovable and highly relatable character with a great middle grade voice. The story grabs readers from the first page and does not slow down, expertly balancing historical elements, modern day troubles, and just the right amount of magic to bring it all together. A number of lovely black and white illustrations by the author’s husband are scattered through the book, cleverly chosen to help young readers (or book reviewers who didn’t pay enough attention during history class!) to visualize scenes from the past, for example a floor plan of the octagonal house from 1904 or what the inside of a soap mill looked like.

The Girl from the Attic is a lovely story. The characters are engaging, the historical elements are informative without feeling didactic, and it has the added bonus of being set here in Canada (Scarborough and Colebrook). A great choice for sparking a love of history in readers both young and old, for use in the classroom, or just to read for pleasure.

Note: Marie Prins wrote a lovely piece titled “Grammy’s Mittens” that can be found in Volume Three of Cloud Lake Literary. So, if your interest in her work was piqued by this review, be sure to check it out!

Thank you to both Marie Prins and Commondeer Press for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Mindful of Murder by Susan Juby

By Christina McLaurine

Set off the coast of British Columbia on Sutil Island, Mindful of Murder is a lovely cozy mystery perfect for lazy Sunday reading. Helen, a recent graduate from Butler School, is about to start her first job when she receives a call informing her that her former boss, Edna, has died. Edna’s will lays out instructions for Helen to sort out her affairs. Her main task is to run a retreat for some of Edna’s relatives to determine who will take over Edna’s business, the Yatra Institute. As Helen begins to carry out this plan, Edna’s death makes less and less sense. With the help of her classmates, Helen starts asking questions to get to reveal the truth about what happened during Edna’s last moments.

Mindful of Murder is full of colourful characters. Edna’s relatives (Thaddeus, Wills, Rayvn, and Whitney) and the institute staff (Warfarer, Nigel, and Jensen) are quirky and fun—but Helen herself is the most interesting. Prior to working at the Yatra Institute, she used to be a nun, and before that, she spent time at a Buddhist monastery. It’s certainly not the typical backstory for the typical amateur sleuth protagonist but it works. As Helen asks questions about Edna, it reads as though she’s trying to place all of the pieces of a puzzle together instead of catching a criminal. In a way, this adds to the cozy feeling of the novel.

It’s common when reading mysteries or thrillers (or any genre for that matter) to try and figure out the twist or the ending before it arrives. In the case of mysteries, it’s figuring out whodunnit before it is revealed. Throughout the novel themes of mindfulness, specifically being present, are constantly discussed and referenced. In a way, Juby seems to suggest to the reader to be present where they are in the story and not rush ahead by trying to figure out how it will end. The end will come when it comes. And when it comes to solving the murder, if readers stay present with what’s unfolding exactly where they are in the novel, they will unearth the answers.

It’s a different way of presenting a murder mystery but it works. Mindful of Murder has all of the classic elements of a cozy mystery making it ideal reading for a rainy day or cottage getaway. It’s sure to leave readers hoping this is the first in a series.

Thank you, HarperCollins, for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Wild Fires by Sophie Jai

By Kaylie Seed

Sophie Jai’s debut novel Wild Fires takes a look at intergenerational trauma through the Rampersad family, who emigrated to Canada in the early 1990s from Trinidad. Jai takes the reader through a family saga spanning decades, countries, and cultures, while also focusing on Cassandra, who wants nothing more than to discover the secrets buried in her family's past so that she may better understand the impact they have on the present.

Readers anticipating a traditional plot with Wild Fires will be surprised as this novel does not conform to one. Instead, this novel as a whole is more of an exploration of loss, grief, and family dynamics. There are various timelines that jump around and the pacing of this novel is slow. Since there is a lot going on readers are going to want to give this book their undivided attention as they make sense of what is happening throughout the novel and with each of the characters. Jai includes a family tree at the beginning of Wild Fires which is helpful; the number of characters and subplots can seem daunting at times but Jai’s prose will capture the reader's attention.

Cassandra was not a main character in the way most readers would expect. She is passive and very much on the outside looking in. I believe that Jai did this so that the reader can see how Cassandra deals with grief around herself rather than what is being internalized. Something else to note is that Jai looks at how grief is expressed across different cultures, which may also have played a part in the creation of Cassandra’s personality. There are a lot of strong women throughout Jai’s debut and each of them have a unique voice that stayed true to their character as the book described different times in their family’s history. Those who enjoy stories that explore family dynamics, epic family sagas, and intergenerational trauma will want to pick Wild Fires up.

Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Peace Keeper by B. L. Blanchard

By Carolina Moriello

“But you know, taking care of someone else means that you need to take care of yourself.”

Twenty years ago, Chibenashi’s life was forever changed. His mother was killed at the hands of his father, who was then sentenced to a lifetime in jail, a punishment rarely used by the Anishinaabe people. Chibenashi finds himself responsible for his younger sister, Ashwiyaa, who was left scarred and traumatized by the murder. He has dedicated his entire adult life to working as a Peace Keeper in his village of Baawitigong and caring for his sister, making sure her needs are put above his own. However, on the evening of the Manoomin festival, another murder occurs in their village—a murder eerily similar to his mother’s. Chibenashi dedicates his time and efforts to solving this case and finding the murderer. What ensues is a tale of discovery and the realization that perhaps Chibenashi’s entire life has been a lie.

From the first page to the last you cannot help but feel for Chibenashi. His life has been dedicated to protecting others and casting aside his own wants and needs. He is a sad and broken man who deserves more. I couldn’t help but feel like his sister was weighing him down. Her dependency on him to care for her and be available to her at any moment was frustrating. However, as the primary support person for her debilitating anxiety and the person who shares her trauma, Chibenashi is unwilling to break this dependency.

This novel was not only interesting and entertaining to read because it was a mystery, but it was also fascinating because it took place in a fictional North America that was never colonized, a world where Indigenous nations developed and the Anishinaabe culture prevailed. Author B. L. Blanchard is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and did an excellent job at creating an authentic setting and incorporating traditions that served the plot well. This alternative history backdrop was the reason why I chose this book. The mystery was an added bonus! However, when it comes to the mystery aspect of the book, if you play close attention you can piece together who the murderer is. Attention to detail is key to solving this murder.

The Peace Keeper is B. L. Blanchard’s debut novel, and the first installment of The Good Lands series. I look forward to reading the rest of this series in the future.

Thank you to Wunderkind PR for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: Sexus Animalis by Emmanuelle Pouydebat Illustrated by Julie Terrazzoni Translated by Erik Butler

By Shantell Powell

Sexus Animalis is a beautifully illustrated and easy-to-read overview of sex in the animal kingdom. It was originally written in French by Emmanuelle Pouydebat, a permanent researcher employed by the French National Centre for Scientific Research at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris. Julie Terrazzoni’s illustrations are frame-worthy, and I’d gladly hang them in my house, although upon a double take visitors may wonder why I have a gay dolphin orgy on my wall.

I was raised with a repressive religious background where anything that was not cisgender, heterosexual monogamy was considered an abomination. However, I was also raised on the land around all sorts of animals, which made me wonder why cishet monogamists are outnumbered by “unnatural” sexual practices taking place in the natural world. This book provides a fascinating selection of how cishet sexual interactions are just one small facet of what is actually natural.

While there is nothing unnatural happening in nature, there sure are all sorts of things that some humans may find fantastically strange or kinky. Within the animal kingdom, there are all sorts of sex organs and ways they fit together. Polyandrous, polygamous, monogamous, and self-impregnating creatures abound. So do bisexual, heterosexual, homosexual, and interspecies relations. Masturbation is common to many species, and some creatures spontaneously change sex (the basis for Jurassic Park is real).

Penises come in all shapes, sizes, and abilities. Some are detachable. Some are spiked. Some are doubled-up. Some have four heads, and some are prehensile, which comes in handy for scratching itchy bellies. But while there are reams of papers written on penises, there is a woeful dearth of literature on clitorises and vaginas. It seems misogyny in scientific research has spread outside the study of humans. This is a big hole in our knowledge, and for what? The author invites researchers to rectify this oversight. Other sex organs are equally as amazing as penises.

The book is well designed. The typeface is easy to read and has ample margins. I find that many books cram the text too close to the middle of the book, which means you have to spread the pages so far you risk cracking the spine. This is not the case here, and to top it off, the paper is also of high quality.

Although this book is written with an adult audience in mind, it is the sort of book I would have loved as a child. Scientific terminology is used, but the book does not shy away from common slang or puns, which makes me wonder what slang and puns are in the original French version. Kudos to translator Erik Butler for making sure the English version of Sexus Animalis is easy to understand and fun to read. I tore through this book at record speed and enjoyed sharing the illustrations with my housemates. You’ll have all sorts of wild trivia to share after reading this one, and a whole new way of looking at the birds and the bees.

Thank you to MIT Press for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford

By Kaylie Seed

Content warning: rape/sexual assault 

It doesn’t often happen that I find myself speechless after reading a novel. I still don’t know if I have the right words to write the praise Jamie Ford’s forthcoming novel The Many Daughters of Afong Moy deserves, but I’m going to do my best to allow this book to shine. In 2045, Dorothy Moy decides to go through an experimental treatment for her struggles with mental illness and what unfolds from that point on changes Dorothy’s life forever. The reader will follow Dorothy but they will also have the opportunity to meet an array of characters as the plot moves through space and time. 

Ford does an excellent job of describing the treatment that Dorothy undergoes and the reader quickly learns that the treatment is meant to alleviate the pain from intergenerational trauma, which is thought to be the root cause of Dorothy’s mental illness. While going through with this treatment, Dorothy has the chance to relive the lives of women in her family. The reader will follow Dorothy and five other women from the Moy family: Faye Moy, a nurse in China during WWII; Zoe Moy, a student attending an alternative school in England; Lai King Moy, a young girl living with her parents during a plague epidemic in San Francisco; Greta Moy, an executive for a dating app; and Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to arrive in America. Ford has done extensive research into each of the real life events that inspired the characters and what happens to them throughout their lifetimes.

Ford manages to make each of these timelines seamless and unforgettable. Even though the reader is learning about multiple characters and their stories, each of their distinct voices helps the reader distinguish who is who while also being able to see the generational similarities amongst the Moy women. Ford also touches on racism, sexism, and classism in each lifetime and how these have stayed the same yet changed in the generations. Ford’s prose is light yet manages to have an impact that captures the reader's attention and holds it long after the novel is done.

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is going to stay with me for a long time. I found myself wanting to know more but at the same time not wanting the story to end; wanting to bask in these women’s lives as they experience heartbreak, love, loss, grief, and pain. I was invested in each of their lives and found them all intriguing, needing to know more about them and how their lives influenced future generations.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Employees by Olga Ravn Translated by Martin Aitken

By Lauren Bell

The Employees: A Workplace Novel of the 22nd Century is a short (136 pages) novel written by Olga Ravn and translated from Dutch to English by Martin Aitken. Both authors should be commended for the lyricality of the prose. The literary devices of imagery and personification were particularly skillful, and I have great admiration for Ravn’s creativity in the novel’s construction.

The Employees is structured as a series of witness statements compiled by a workplace commission on the Six-Thousand Ship to describe the series of events that lead to the project’s demise. Nineteen objects are taken from the planet New Discovery, and soon after gaining possession of them the crew becomes attached to the objects and begins to long for warmth and intimacy, which dramatically affects their productivity. However, the crew is composed of humans (“those who were born”), humanoids (“those who were made”), and some with bits of both, which further complicates the internal dilemma amongst the crew: is there more to life than just work? and creates divisive lines within their society (humans vs. humanoids, the crew vs. Homebase).

What I liked most about this book and what makes Ravn’s work so thought-provoking is the ambiguity within the text. In each character’s account names are rarely given (for instance, peers are referred to as Cadet O4) and neither is gender, human/humanoid status, or any other identifying information. The little that Ravn gives us is enough to make us realize the characters are complicated and leaves us wanting to know more about them. Clearly, they’re more than just the compliant and one-dimensional crew members they’re expected to be, complementing the integral themes of the individual identity and the collective one. As well, the objects found by the crew are never identified to the reader; they’re only ever described based on the crew’s skewed perceptions of them. With most of the novel falling into this grey area, Ravn can challenge productivity/capitalist constructs, but also other social constructs such as gender and monogamy.

If I haven’t made it clear enough, The Employees: A Workplace Novel of the 22nd Century is a highly rewarding and short read. I very much enjoyed reading this novel and would recommend this it to those who like dystopian fiction, indie reads, and existentialism. Reading it also reminded me of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley because they have similar visions towards the future of humanity.

Thank you to Book*hug Press for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron

By Meghan Mazzaferro

Content warnings: death, death of parent, grief, violence, gore, murder, child abuse, emotional abuse, vomit

This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron is the sequel to This Poison Heart, which follows Briseis, a young girl with a mysterious power over plants—and their poisons. When Briseis receives word that her last remaining biological relative is dead and that she has inherited a large estate, she and her mothers decide to travel to the country to allow Bri to explore her heritage and powers. But things are not what they appear to be, and Bri learns quickly that both her family and their power are  tied to something dark. Something others are willing to kill for.

I can’t go into any details about what this sequel is about without spoiling book one—and trust me, you do not want book one spoiled for you—but this book dives right in where This Poison Heart left off. This was one of my most anticipated sequels of the year, and overall, I was really happy with it. This book, like the first, is full of queer love, the power of family, and the cost of generational trauma and how that trauma can be healed. While darker in tone than the first, the book addresses all these themes beautifully.

Most of the characters we grew to love in the first book are back, and I was pleased with how most of them were fleshed out. Briseis in particular is a great lead and being in her mind on this journey was emotional and impactful all at once. The first book had some slight romance, and this book explores some romances a bit more. The relationships developed are tender and lovely while still feeling very grounded. This story takes place in a very short time span, and the characters have a lot on their plates, and I appreciate that it never felt like the weight of the plot had to be paused or put down in order to spend some time developing a relationship. The same goes for the platonic and familial relationships that are explored in this book. Everything felt very natural and organic while still respecting the headspaces and mindsets of the main characters.

This book definitely amps up the mythology of the first book, so if you’re a fan of Greek myths in particular or mythology retellings in general, you’ll be very pleased with where this story goes. I enjoyed how this story explored and put an interesting spin on myths, gods, immortality, and powerful objects, and I especially loved how the characters reacted to these types of plot elements. Magical plants are one thing, gods and goddesses quite another, and I appreciated the level of shock and distrust the characters sometimes felt as this world was expanded.

While I did enjoy the plot of this book, and overall, I feel like the story never forgot the urgency of the mission, I do feel like the pacing at times failed to really stress just how much was at stake for our characters. That being said, I still devoured this book. The writing style is great, Bri has a distinct voice and each character leaps off the page. Even though the tone is different, dealing with heavier themes and lacking a bit of what I considered the plant-y wonder of the first book, that distinct voice helped bridge the gap between the two books and make things feel cohesive.

Overall, while not perfectly paced, I found this a satisfying conclusion to a duology that has captivated my attention for the last year. This is a series that definitely can’t be missed if you like urban fantasy stories, mythology, female-driven narratives, and all the plants!