Book Review: Sisters of the Snake by Sarena and Sasha Nanua

By Megan Amato

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a simple girl in possession of a pair of eyes and ears must be in want of a Prince and the Pauper retelling. Ever since I watched Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper—at an embarrassing age—I’ve loved any piece of media featuring this trope (that includes The Princess Switch, Mary Kate and Ashley’s It Takes Two, Beethoven’s 4th, and The Parent Trap). Penned by real-life twins Sarena and Sasha Nanua, Sisters of the Snake is a brilliant addition to add to my collection of retellings and adaptions. 

In an Indian-inspired world, sheltered Princess Rani is desperate to prove to her ruthless father that she has what it takes to rule. Orphan and street thief Ria’s only concern is stealing enough to survive. When Ria discovers her name on a conscription list, she and her best friend Amir plan to rob the castle of its jewels to pay their way out of the oppressive kingdom. When Ria is caught by the princess who shares her face, Rani promises to give her enough jewels to escape if she agrees to temporarily switch places. As Ria wrestles with acting like she’s been born royal and trying not to fall in love with the princess’s fiancé Saeed, Rani bears witness to the destructive nature of her father’s regime. When the existence of a dangerous mythic stone is discovered, Rani and Ria must look outside their own desires to find the bloodstone before the king, and save their kingdom.

The shining beacon of this novel is its characters. The protagonists are fleshed out with their own desires and goals that are realistic to their situations. I liked that despite being confronted with the reality of the world outside her privileged life, Rani’s views and goals shift slowly as they adapt to each new situation she’s faced with before her blinders are fully taken off. On the other hand, Ria has always known the struggle of existing in the kingdom outside of the elite. Now, as she temporarily lives the life stolen from her due to a cataclysmic prophecy, she undergoes the emotional turmoil and feelings of rejection that come with any adoptee/orphan discovering their birth family. Both undergo journeys of self-discovery that are precariously placed in the midst of saving their world—and I love it.

The romances are also very well done. Rani’s relationship with the sweet Saeed had been one of duty and disappointment, while Ria’s with Amir had been one of pure friendship, almost familial. While the chemistry between each pair is palpable through the page, the history of each relationship, along with the lies told to maintain their illusion, has to be overcome first. Saeed is my absolute favourite, and I’m looking forward to watching him becoming even more fleshed out and solid in the next book as he is given more agency out of the shadow of his mother.

The only real issue I had was that we didn’t see much interaction between the sisters because they were parted most of the book. Their relationship at the end felt slightly rushed, but I’m hoping that because this book mainly focused on their individual journeys, the next one will centre around their growing relationship.

The Nanua sisters have written an imaginative debut and a fun twist to one of my favourite tropes. I will be keeping both eyes peeled for the sequel that undoubtedly will have increased stakes for my favourite characters. 

Book Review: Pippo & Clara by Diana Rosie

By Lauren Bell

One child turns left: the other right. 

Pippo, Clara, and Mamma are a small but resilient family, displaced by unrest in Italy and driven by frequent location. With their arrival in an unnamed Italian city, Mamma goes out one night and doesn’t come back. Clara, the eldest child, goes out to look for her the following morning. A little while later, Pippo wakes to find both missing and goes out searching as well. 

One child turns left: the other right. 

Neither child has any concept of time, and the moment of losing each other is intensified. Both children think they see their mother with her golden eyes and layered necklaces, but both are mistaken and propelled into two very different worlds. 

One child turns left: the other right. 

Clara is taken in by the intimidating Signore and Signora, a childless fascist couple who are heavily involved with the city’s politics. Pippo is taken in by Donna and Mario, a joyful communist couple. While Pippo is dazzled by the prospects of becoming a communist and begins working as a messenger for a secret resistance group, Clara is enrolled into Mussolini’s school system and thrust into Italy’s fascist society. However, secret readings with a Jewish librarian keep Clara skeptical of the ideals she learns in school. 

One child turns left: the other right. 

In more ways than one, the children and their “new” respective families are foils of each other. Where Clara is a loner, quiet and bookish, Pippo is outgoing, described as a “chattering bird”. Within their character development, Clara matures by becoming more risk-taking and open to others, whereas Pippo becomes more serious, taking on the more caregiver-oriented roles for his family. There are many times within the novel when the two siblings almost cross paths, which only become more frequent as both families stop fighting for their political ideals and instead choose to fight for humanity. As the plot unrolls, Diana Rosie, the author, shows her mastery of dropping subtle hints and foreshadowing. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Pippo & Clara by Diana Rosie and would very much recommend it to others. I found that she was able to reflect Italy’s moral dilemma into one family, as well as tie in bildungsroman and family themes within the plot. For instance, I really appreciated that she often used the colours red, green, and white as motifs. Her characters were real and interesting to read about as there was neither the perfect villain nor the perfect hero. Moreover, Rosie was very adept at building suspense, which is perhaps another reason why I found it hard to put down. 

Thank you, Publishing Group Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Anonymous Sex edited by Hillary Jordan and Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

By Erica Wiggins

“27 Authors. 27 Stories. No Names Attached.”

Content Warning: these short stories involve a variety of sexual situations and could be triggering from some. 

Anonymous Sex is a collection of stories covering the spectrum from funny sex to tortured sex to revenge sex. The authors are listed at the beginning of the book with no indication of who wrote what story. Both editors are bestselling authors: Jordan has won multiple awards for Mudbound, which was adapted into a Netflix film. Tan is a staff writer at various newspapers and has written two books herself. 

This was my first time reviewing a collection of stories, which was much more challenging than I anticipated. The stories included were wide-ranging. There were stories that I loved and stories that just didn’t do it for me. In any collection of stories, it seems that this would seem standard. However, when you add that the stories are about sex—well, there are bound to be some varying opinions.

Without giving away too many details—as some of these stories are only a few pages long—here are the ones that I enjoyed the most: 

History Lesson

“It was an arrangement she had not only entered willingly but had been the one to propose. She and her husband had a work trips-are-fair-play clause in their marriage.” This was the first story in this book and easily one of my favourites. The arrangement between two professors who hook up at a conference each year drew me in immediately. Michael and Denise each bring their own interesting quirks, and I could have read an entire book about them. 

LVIII Times A Year

“The average married couple, he has read, has sex fifty-eight times a year.” This story had me laughing out loud about this poor man trying to increase the number of times he has sex with his wife. This story played on what happens when relationships become a chore.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel

This one was a delight to read. A fun X-rated twist on the classic fairy tale. This short story has you laughing as Rapunzel exerts her strong character and turns up the steam as she navigates her search for a partner. The ending was—perfect.  

These were just my top three, and there were more that I enjoyed. 

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. Before reading, I thought it was an interesting idea to have this compilation of anonymous stories. However, after completing the book, it does present a challenge. There are stories I loved and would like to seek out more stories from the authors, and the anonymity prevents that. There were also stories that I could do without. I would recommend this book with the caveat that while every story might not be for you, you are likely to find ones that do.  

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

Book Review: Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel

By Megan Amato

Once in a while there comes a novel that astonishes you with its raw beauty and talent. And for me, on this day, it’s Vaishnavi Patel’s stunning epic debut, Kaikeyi. This exquisitely written feminist reimagining of the Ramayana from the so-called villain’s perspective was masterfully plotted and full of vivid details that immersed me within its pages and left me in utter awe that this is Patel’s first novel.

As the king’s only daughter, Kaikeyi lives in the shadow of her twin and seven other brothers—until her father banishes her mother from court and Kaikeyi must step up to fill her shoes. Desperate for her mother, Kaikeyi unsuccessfully begs the gods for their help before scouring her mother’s library for a lesser god and discovering something else: a meditation ritual that lets her manipulate the bonds that tie her to others. Using the bonds, she convinces her brother to train her as a warrior and teachers to let her study so that she doesn’t have to rely on the whims of men while her beloved maid Manthara teaches her to be a queen. When she’s married off as the third wife of another king, she learns that her penchant to use those bonds doesn’t always have the desired results. But Kaikeyi is not willing to give up the freedom she’s gained or the voice she’s earned and be regulated to the sidelines—nor is she willing to let the women around her do the same if she can help it.

While I’m not as familiar with the Ramayana as those who grew up with it—I did do some research prior to and after reading Kaikeyi—I was awed by the level of depth and character work Patel wrote in humanizing quite a villainized figure. Kaikeyi is portrayed as a jealous and scheming wife in the epic, and though these traits aren’t totally erased from the novel, they’re built upon and layered with nuance to include the cultural and historical context that comes with being a daughter, and later a mother, in a rigidly patriarchal society. She is not a paradigm of virtue by any means. Like any human, she is filled with shades of grey consisting of just as many strengths as flaws, and  that is what I find so beautiful about her. She’s a character who will use whatever tools she’s given to fight for agency and self-actualization and will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves. 

As someone who identifies somewhere on the asexual spectrum, it was also refreshing to have representation in such an extraordinary character. Her struggle to understand her feelings for her husband outside of the friendship they shared will no doubt be felt by many readers who have struggled with the same sentiments. 

This was an absolutely stunning debut, rich in both descriptive details and character growth. I cried several times throughout, and I would recommend everyone wanting an epic, character-driven story full of female power and magic to put this on their to-be-read piles immediately. 

Thank you to Hachette Book Group for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal

By Fayth Simmons

Set in a somewhat fantastical version of 1860s era England, Elizabeth Macneal’s newest work, Circus of Wonders, functions as an enthralling escapist novel. Although the setting promotes images of affluence and otherworldly beauty, with magic at the helm, the author appears to capitalize on themes of power, control, and identity. 

The novel centers largely around the character development of Nell, a 19-year-old girl from a small coastal village. Her life is a quiet one, with the companionship of her brother and father and her enduring love for the neighbouring sea. The villagers scorn Nell for her birthmarks—placed in a patchwork over her skin, they distinguish her as being someone ‘other,’ and as such, she is isolated. Her brother is set to be married, and facing his potential absence, she worries over what may become of her life. When Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders arrives in their small village, Nell’s peculiar appearance is discovered, and in an act of exploitation and betrayal, Nell’s father sells her off as a performer.

Though stung by her father’s disloyalty, Nell finds that she excels within the circus. Soon known as the ‘Queen of the Moon and Stars,’ Nell’s image is plastered across posters and she quickly gains fame. Through performing, Nell gains confidence and a newfound sense of ownership, both over her body and the circumstances in which she finds herself. She forms relationships and curates a community for herself—the likes of which she never experienced back home. When her fame overpowers that of the ringmaster, however, Nell’s place in the circus, and her marketed identity become threatened, and those closest to her must decide between competing sets of values. 

Featuring an array of diverse and interesting characters, each with their own internal conflicts that lend to the overall plot, the novel is able to paint an eloquent picture of Victorian-era England. The fantastical entwines with aspects of blunt reality, with the circus acting much as a theatrical setting upon which the protagonist is forced to embrace her natural-born identity rather than the various ones given to her by others. Macneal’s writing is sure of itself and successfully delivers a believable and immersive narrative, which contemporary readers are likely able to relate to despite the novel’s historical context. 

There is an allure given to the life of the circus through vivid description, though the reader is always aware that the main theme is arguably one of a more existential nature. Power plays are examined closely throughout the novel, and the balance between control and obsession is constantly being weighed – it is in the rejection of this balancing act that the protagonist is able to ultimately mobilize her capabilities and lend action to her values. 

Circus of Wonders might also be categorized as a comfort read, despite the presence of some darker conflicts, as the plot is overall a relatively positive one, with few twists or disruptions, and it allows for constructive character growth and development. 

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

Book Review: The Convict Lover by Merilyn Simonds

By Sara Hailstone

Carefully pieced together by Canadian author Marilyn Simonds after discovering a young girl’s letters from a convict in the attic of a house in Kingston, Ontario, The Convict Lover reveals what life was like for prisoners in the historic Kingston Penitentiary while offering a creative nonfictive text as a cornerstone of CanLit. It took the author nearly two years to situate the letters chronologically and work through almost a decade of archival research to thread together a masterfully written narrative published in 1996 of the pair’s unorthodox relationship. 

The compelling nature of the novel is rooted in the depths of the two main characters, Joseph David Cleroux (AKA Daddy Long Legs) and a 17-year-old Phyllis Halliday (Peggy), hooked together only by their letters and brief sightings of each other in the grotto of their own isolation between the homestead and quarry pit. The man and young woman exchange letters through a crevice in the quarry, and grippingly, the record of this exchange is one-sided. What remains of this exchange is only what Simonds discovered in the attic of her house—Cleroux’s line of communication. We never know what and how Phyllis wrote to the convict. Yet, in the solitude of her childhood, she gained footing and a loss of innocence in providing for the convict not only a conversation but a steady supply of tobacco. The reader is carried through these exchanges and enfolding character development with unspoken suspense in anticipation of when the convict and young woman will meet. 

Simonds’ command of language carefully sculpts a sense of the agony of time and captivity between both characters that pull the reader through similar feelings of expectation for liberation and freedom. Texture and environment mark out the convict’s life. Language and his letters contour hers. Still, the story is pained because there is delicate foreshadowing that Phyllis will be left empty with the absence of the convict and his letters when he is set free. She knows that within her family homestead, she will remain, yet she longs for passion in the same breath she fears she is losing her life, “I am sinking without leaving a trace.” Her trace becomes shaded between the lines of the convict’s words. When he is finally released, she waits for him to come. He never does. 

The novel can feel anti-climactic with heavy sub-plotlines detailing the Kingston Penitentiary and the almost abrupt ending of Cleroux and Phyllis mid-narrative. Phyllis remained with her family throughout her life, surviving her parents and siblings. She never married. Phyllis passed away in 1986; she endured illness for the entirety of her life. Simonds found the letters, diaries, photographs, clothes, and clippings in tins, boxes, and sugar sacks on what would have been Phyllis’s 85th birthday on August 8, 1987. Simonds never found a trace of Joseph David Cleroux after December 1921 when searching archives, census records, and birth and death records. We learn of Cleroux through his letters and the creative layers Simonds lays down with these historical pieces. The reality is we want stories to contain a resolution and provide us closure. We want the characters to meet. We want them to fall in love. We could very well reflect on the fact Cleroux could have led Phyllis through a labyrinth of fantasy for distraction, connection, and tobacco. I hope not. 

Book Review: Emotional Inheritance by Galit Atlas

By Carly Smith

Trigger warning: suicide, death, incest, pregnancy

In Emotional Inheritance, psychoanalyst Galit Atlas addresses the heavy subject of intergenerational trauma and the ways in which the distressing life events of parents and grandparents affect the lives of their descendants. Readers are exposed to a variety of scarring and painful, yet not necessarily uncommon, experiences that live in the bodies of not only the individuals to whom they happened but also their children and their children’s children. As Atlas recounts stories of her patients and herself, she delicately explains how one’s traumatic circumstances can be passed on to future generations, both knowingly and unknowingly. While providing these anecdotes, she simultaneously sheds light on her thoughts, questions, and expertise as a psychological professional, helping readers—particularly those without a substantial education in psychology—make connections about, and build an understanding around, the part that trauma plays in families. 

The book has three sections. In the first part, Atlas describes the effects of trauma related to grandparents. In one story, we learn about how a mother’s inability to process her own mother’s death has presented itself in her daughter, who is having an extramarital affair. Atlas’s second example touches on a grandmother who was the victim of incest and the ways in which this victim’s relationships with both her daughter and granddaughter were negatively impacted because of it. Next, we hear about a man who is having trouble overcoming a breakup with his partner and later learn that his paternal grandfather died by suicide, likely because he felt forced to suppress his homosexuality. Atlas also uncovers traumas that descendants of Holocaust survivors carry and how their pain and terror stay in the family much longer than one may expect.  

In the second section, Atlas focuses on trauma passed down from parents. She describes situations of children whose parents lost other children, partners, and their own parents in tragic ways. She also touches on individuals whose parents had unwanted children and people whose folks lived through and participated in war. Like in the first section, Atlas effectively and compassionately shows her audience that inherited trauma will exist until it is discovered, better understood, and worked on. 

The final part of Emotional Inheritance centers mostly on one’s own tragedies and experiences. We are presented with different ways that we subconsciously hold trauma and try to protect ourselves- violence, idealization, avoiding connection, and hyper-vigilance- and how these defense mechanisms drive us further from processing sorrow and breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma. 

Although this book discusses many intense, triggering topics, Atlas manages to address each one with dignity, profound knowledge, and hope. She induces optimism in circumstances of great pain without dismissing or belittling the tragedies that she and her patients have endured. She intertwines client and personal stories with professional insight and well-researched support, leaving readers empathetic, enlightened, and more emotionally intelligent. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in trauma, has trauma in their lineage, or who is curious about psychotherapy but may not be ready to take that leap. 

Book Review: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

By Larissa Page

I have been a fan of Emily St John Mandel’s writing since reading Station Eleven a few years ago. I was thrilled to read The Glass Hotel last year when it was released, and Sea of Tranquility has been my most anticipated read since I heard it was in the works. It did not disappoint—much like the other two, it floored me. When I finished the novel, I reflected on how Mandel gives us these seemingly unrelated and yet incredibly linked narratives, characters, and backstories so expertly.

Sea of Tranquility gives us a diverse cast of characters: an exiled young British man living on Vancouver Island in 1912, a bestselling author of a pandemic novel on a book tour when an actual pandemic breaks out, a young Vincent (you’ll remember her from The Glass Hotel) videoing her walk through the Caiette woods as well as her friend Mirella, and a time traveller who battles with whether or not to take actions in the past that will impact the future. Each character is given a small section of this story, and yet, each character and setting are developed just as much as we need as the reader.

The ultimate plot of Sea of Tranquility is not immediately clear, in fact, it is not clear until after halfway into the story. It is clear there is a thread of connection through each section but what and how isn’t explained until our story reaches its farthest dive into the future world and I for one was shocked at the direction it took. Unlike Mandel’s other books, this one takes a step into the sci-fi genre while remaining in the literary fiction genre. I was very impressed with how this was done. There was not so much sci-fi as to make me feel confused but enough to make me understand how important to the storyline it was. I loved the future world that was built and felt like I could see and understand the setting.

I wasn’t excepting certain sections of the story to be so heavy on a pandemic world either. I guess I sort of assumed that since Mandel had already done the pandemic topic in Station Eleven, it wouldn’t be so heavy here. Olive, the author character, gives us a picture of what it is like to live through a lockdown with virtual meetings and school, being unable to leave your house, and stockpiling groceries. These are things that all of Mandel’s readers will now, of course, be intimately familiar with. Especially the fact that the author had previously published a pandemic novel and was on a book tour when a pandemic started and subsequently in lockdown. I am so curious as to how much of that section is autobiographical. Mandel is the bestselling author of a pandemic novel that was being produced for TV and the author of a new book right at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. I really felt the emotion behind this part of the book and wonder if that may have been an outlet for her own feelings that she experienced during our own pandemic. 

The ending ofSea of Tranquility surprised me, and I felt it was a satisfying conclusion. I briefly wondered in the middle of the novel whether I’d like it as much as her other works, and I have to say yes, I absolutely do. I already want to read it again, and I will absolutely be recommending it to others.

Book Review: Letters to Amelia by Lindsay Zier-Vogel

By Dylan Curran

Meet Grace, a 30-year-old library tech with a knack for overthinking, love of The Office, and a special place in her heart for lost love letters. 

Navigating the grief of her recent breakup, Grace is met with the daunting task of collecting the newly discovered correspondence between Amelia Earhart and her secret lover. As readers uncover the twists and turns of their relationship, what starts to compel us is not the scandal of the affair but the unmistakable courage and dedication Earhart had to her craft. A bold and unapologetic character, Earhart’s letters stir something deeper within Grace. Despite the tumultuous ups and downs of Grace’s post-breakup life (stabilized mostly through the over-consumption of peanut butter sandwiches), she comes to recognize her own worth. As she regains her own footing by reconnecting with her friends, family, and co-workers, the story opens up to a whole new world for Grace to explore.  

Blending epistolary and historical fiction is no easy task. The writing in this book is clever, well-thought-out with allusions to real events but playful enough to embellish some of the lore surrounding Earhart and her life (and disappearance). While the novel begins with Grace merely reading the correspondence, she quickly finds comfort and friendship within these bubbly and loose writings. Readers will revel in the honesty and vulnerability that Grace exudes in her letters to Earhart, a conversation seemingly easier on paper than it is in her day-to-day life. There is a palpable shyness that echoes in each of Grace’s interactions. Even her closest friends are forced to wait until the moment is right for her secrets to be shared. I think we are all a little bit like Grace—but we still need our daily dose of Jennas, Carolyns, and Jamies in our lives. 

Letters to Amelia will be well-loved by readers who already enjoy the works of Amy Jones, Karma Brown or Sonya Lalli. Its characters and world-building resonate with Canadian culture and the complexities of modern-day romance in a unique and uplifting way. Amid a pandemic, this is an especially important read. People are craving escapism—with beautiful attention to detail, Zier-Vogel captures intimate moments in faraway places that sweep you away from your living rooms and into the depths of your imagination. From Newfoundland to Saskatchewan, The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library to Howland Island, readers will find adventure in every nook. While one expects Earhart to be leading the travels, Grace is the one to guide us through Trespasser, wartime Toronto, and Washington, D.C. This book is the perfect read to combat the lockdown blues and a reminder to find your passion, no matter your circumstances. 

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

Book Review: Songbirds by Christy Lefteri

By Rebekah Dolmat

From the award-winning author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo, Christy Lefteri, comes Songbirds—an emotional and heartbreaking story inspired by real-life events that sheds light on the plight of migrant domestic workers in Cyprus.

Songbirds follows the story of Nisha—a widowed mother from Sri Lanka who has come to Cyprus to work as a nanny and housekeeper following her husband’s death. From the very beginning of the book, the reader knows that Nisha has gone missing but does not know why. Throughout the course of the book, even though the reader never meets Nisha in the present, they learn of her story through Petra, the woman she works for, and Yiannis, her love. It is through Petra and Yiannis’ thoughts and voices that the reader gets a sense of the woman, wife, mother, and worker that Nisha was. 

When Nisha is discovered to be missing, both Petra and Yiannis report her disappearance, in separate instances, to the authorities. However, in both cases, their concerns are not taken seriously and are instead brushed away. The authorities suggest that Nisha has moved on and gone elsewhere, as many foreigners do, and do not consider her to be a person worth searching for. Petra and Yiannis disagree—they know that Nisha would never willingly leave, and they spend the rest of the book searching for her. What they discover in their search is absolutely tragic but unfortunate reality that many migrant workers face.

Lefteri states in her Author’s Note that this book is not an attempt to represent the voices of migrant workers or to speak for them, but instead is meant to explore the “ideologies, prejudices, circumstances, and underlying belief systems that can lead to very sad and often catastrophic events” . This book explores the idea of how a flawed system can trap people—people who are searching for a better life and for freedom but who instead find themselves more trapped than before, without any way to return home. So, while this book does not represent migrant worker voices, it does shed light on one of the many “catastrophic events” that can happen to them in their search for freedom.

While Songbirds is an emotional and heartbreaking story that pulls at the reader’s heartstrings with every turn of the page, it is also a beautifully written one. Lefteri’s prose is so elegant, and it has this poetic element to it that is not often seen. This beautiful writing and the heartbreaking story of Nisha will leave the reader thinking about this book long after the final page. 

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary review copy.

Book Review: Sun in my Tummy by Laura Alary and Andrea Blinick

By Christine McFaul

Sun In My Tummy is a new Canadian picture book by author Laura Alary and illustrator, Andrea Blinick. This cozy nonfiction story reads like fiction and follows the cycle of photosynthesis from sunlight to energy. The book begins with the rising sun. Its rays gently wake the young female protagonist who knows she needs to wake up and get ready for school but would prefer to stay snuggled in her bed (relatable!).  

But the book says it’s time to “put the sun in your tummy!” 

Alary then goes on to unpack that metaphor using the oatmeal, blueberries, and milk that make up her young protagonist’s sleepy breakfast. 

The Oats: Began as “seeds, snuggled deep in the dark earth.” The story explains how those seeds use food from the soil, rain from the clouds, and sunlight to grow. It introduces the concept that hidden inside of these plants “were all the things that had made them grow…” 

The Blueberries: The story then takes a closer look at how plants make sugar or “food from thin air!” Here the reader learns that when seeds go back to the soil, they make new plants, which make more seeds, and on and on the cycle goes. 

The Milk: The final spin through the cycle builds on the concept that plants become food for others, in this case, the cow who provides milk which is the final ingredient in the protagonist’s breakfast.

I love the circular nature of each journey through the chain of photosynthesis, done in accessible and pretty language. Each turn layers beautifully on top of the other until the young protagonist—and young readers—understand the meaning of having the sun in their tummy.

Now let’s talk about the pictures, which are just adorable. They are warm and full of clever details (like cow spots on the carton of milk and a bright sun on the belly of the protagonist’s red t-shirt) alongside cozy morning rituals (mugs of tea, fuzzy slippers, and sleepy slouching at the table). Blinick is a mixed media artist, and the cut-out effect is beautifully used in this book. The palette is reminiscent of a country kitchen, with an abundance of golds and yellows interspersed with green, red, and blue. The sun is ever present, and each spread gets brighter and brighter until the protagonist is awake, energized, and ready to start her day.

For those of us that like a fictionalized feel to our nonfiction, this book delivers. It’s accessible, fun, and informative but does not scrimp on the science (there is even a one-page Author’s Note describing the process of Photosynthesis). It could just as easily be read as a bedtime story as used as a learning tool in a classroom environment. An excellent choice for parents, caregivers, or educators. Loved this read.

Thank you, Pajama Press, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Anne's Tragical Tea Party by Kallie George and Illustrated by Abigail Halpin

By Cassandra Navratil

One of the best and arguably most memorable scenes in L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables is main character Anne Shirley’s tea party with her ‘kindred spirit’ and ‘bosom friend’ Diana Barry. Having read through Kallie George’s other Anne adaptations, such as Goodnight, Anne and Anne Arrives, I was eager to see how she had adapted this treasured moment for younger readers. 

At first glance, the stunning illustrations by Abigail Halpin left me feeling warm and nostalgic for my own childhood, and the image of Anne with Diana on the cover was just as I imagined them countless times before. Even if readers are not familiar with Anne outside of this book, Kallie George does a magnificent job of concisely detailing how Anne came to be living at Green Gables with the Cuthberts. The voicing of each of the characters is done in such a way that is simple yet still evokes the feeling and acknowledgement that this story is not set in our modern world. Old-fashioned language and expressions are utilized throughout the story but not overdone, and I suspect that George has done this to keep even the youngest readers engaged. My five-year-old daughter found the novel delightful and expanded her own vocabulary via her curiosity about words like “kindred” and “cordial”. 

After completing my first read-through, I checked against the original novel and found that some of the conversational text was exact, which I did not expect in a younger children’s adaptation. I am very excited for more of these adaptations to come from such a wonderfully talented Canadian children’s author.  

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

Book Review: The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale by Haley McGee

By Robyn Rossit

How can you put a price on love? Finding herself in debt, Haley McGee finds the solution to her monetary struggles—a yard sale. However, the only items she has of value were gifts from ex-boyfriends. But how do you price an item when you have so many memories, both those of joy and those of pain associated to them? Do miserable times increase the price as compensation for suffering, or does it make the item worthless? Gambling on a larger payout, Haley decides to ask a mathematician for help to create a formula to determine the cost of love. Between her own memories and interviewing her ex-boyfriends, she ends up with a formula with eighty-six variables. Fuelled with heartbreak and raw emotion, The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale is a unique reading experience.

The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale takes the reader on Haley's journey to complete her impossible-seeming task to make a formula that calculates the cost of love. Each chapter is dedicated to a different component of said formula, such as narrative impact, wild cards, and of course, a rose tint corrector. I have to admit, I am not mathematically inclined at all, so the fine details of the formula went a little over my head, but I still appreciated the journey and found it fascinating seeing Haley and her mathematician friend Gemma create something out of nothing. I really enjoyed Gemma and her never-ending patience for the many, many additions made to the formula along the way. She has the patience of a saint.

I found Haley's interviews with her ex-boyfriends to be insightful. It allowed the reader to gain their perspective, particularly when it came to what happened in the relationship and why it broke down. I found expectation versus reality to be a large theme in Haley's journey, so I found getting to see both sides interesting. 

Haley is raw and honest in re-telling her story, which I greatly admire. The Ex-Boyfriend Yard Sale is written conversationally so that the reader feels like they are there alongside her. It cannot be easy to openly dissect your own relationships and put them out there for the world to critique. Certainly her story is going to resonate with many readers. If you’re curious about the cost of love, give it a read! She even includes her formula if you are wanting to give it a try! It certainly is the most unique memoir I have read to date.

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

Book Review: Stories in the Sky: Constellations by Kyle Brach and Illustrated by Lizzy Doyle

By Kaylie Seed

Ever since I was little, I have enjoyed staring up at the night sky, admiring the moon and stars with my dad. He would point out some of the constellations in the sky, and as I got older, I always remembered those moments together when I stared up at the night sky, searching for the constellations I grew up learning about.

Stories in the Sky: Constellations is a children’s book meant for ages 3-5, but parents will find this adorable board book aesthetically pleasing and interesting too. Written in a rhyming format, author Kyle Brach has taken a well-known topic and brought it down to a child’s level. Focusing on ten of the more well-known constellations, Brach includes a small story and a fun fact about each of the constellations. Some of these were new to me as I didn’t know all of the constellation origin stories. Brach also includes when the reader can find each constellation in the sky as some can only be seen during certain seasons in the Northern Hemisphere.

Along with the blurb and fun facts, illustrator Lizzy Doyle has included adorably vibrant illustrations of the groups of stars inside what they are meant to be. For example, Doyle has drawn a bear and inside of the bear shows the star groupings that make up the constellation Ursa Major. These illustrations are fun to look at and allow parents to help point out the star groupings in the sky at night that make up each constellation.

Learning about the stars is something that has been around as long as humans have been around, but it is a topic that never ceases to amaze each generation. Having books like Stories in the Sky: Constellations allows for the conversation about stars and space to continue on and inspire a love for our night sky.

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

Book Review: All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews

By Larissa Page

Content warnings: Suicidal ideation

By one of Canada’s top authors—and one of my favourites—Miriam Toews’ All My Puny Sorrows is about two sisters, Yolanda and Elfreida; one trying desperately to die and the other trying to keep her sister alive while also supporting her. Raised in a Mennonite community, having lost their father to suicide a few years earlier, this story is a reflection on their lives as children, as sisters, and their present-day struggle to survive Elf’s depression and desire to end her suffering and Yoli’s response to that along with the changes in her own life—like her recently ended marriage and her children.

Having read several Toews’ books in the past, I was comforted by her unique and familiar writing style. Always a little quirky, slightly scattered and written with some humour and hope, even when the subject matter is incredibly tough. The themes of suicide and depression in this novel are intense, serious, and so real. A major focus is put on a serious mental illness as well as its impacts on the people who love and have relationships with the person and how they live with the knowledge that someone they love so much does not want to continue living. 

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Toews is a master of creating incredible, lovable, damaged, resilient characters dealing with ordinary and extraordinary circumstances. Yolandi’s internal dialogue in dealing with her sister and the changes and choices happening in her own life is relatable and real. Elf is written as such a strong and impactful character, stubborn, fighting for what she wants even when what she wants (to die) would often result in our society labelling her as someone who isn’t strong. These women are multifaceted and I feel like this novel gives us so much, yet not all, of them. 

I can see this novel being incredibly triggering for anyone living with depression or suicidal ideation or anyone loving someone experiencing this. While it sheds some light on the struggles (and is incredibly impactful in bringing up a different side of the conversation) it may not be a novel for everyone. It is important for sure but take care when choosing to read it.

All My Puny Sorrows is coming to the big screen this year which is what prompted me to read it now. It was heavy and not one I would consider a quick read—I would even say I struggled a little because it expected so much of my heart and my brain. I feel it was worth my time, though, an important dialogue on mental illness, relationships surrounding it, an impactful look at sister relationships, and familiar love. I still look forward to watching the movie, even if it means my heart breaks all over again.

Book Review: Two at the Top by Uma Krishnaswami and Christoper Corr

By Serena Ewasiuk

Two at the Top: A Shared Dream of Everest by Uma Krishnaswami with illustrations by Christopher Corr is a colourful and engaging children’s story about two boys from different parts of the world who share a love of the outdoors and a dream of climbing huge mountains when they grow up. The story begins by introducing Tenzing and Edmund and continues with their alternating points of view. Tenzing lives in Nepal and Edmund lives in New Zealand. We learn unique details of their childhoods and the paths their separate lives take before they attempt to summit Mount Everest. Finally, after several failed attempts, the two men climb Mount Everest together and succeed. 

Of course, we are talking about Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary, who achieved their lifelong goal of climbing to the top of Mount Everest and became the first humans to do so.  

Two at the Top is a story of perseverance, dedication, and bravery. The writing is poetic and will grab young readers’ attention with descriptive phrases like ”The battling winds roared like a thousand tigers.” The illustrations are eye-catching with bright, vivid, colours and really drew in my young child.  He wanted to know more about the animals in the pictures and the sports that young Tenzing and Edmund were playing. He asked about the prayer flags and the tools the climbers used.  

An interesting feature of the book is the inclusion of detailed facts about Mount Everest and Tenzing and Hillary’s famous trek at the end of the story. Topics include how to measure the height of mountains, details of the impressive mountain ranges of China and Nepal, the number of people needed to support a climbing expedition, and the animals who make their homes at the base of the mountains.

Two at the Top: A Shared Dream of Everest is intended for children from three to five years of age, but in my opinion it would be better suited to children a bit older who would like to immerse themselves in geography and social studies to better understand this region of the world and the challenging expedition of Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary.

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

Book Review: The Light of the Midnight Stars by Rena Rossner

By Shantell Powell

Content warning: violent death, murder, grief, sexual assault, anti-Semitism

Rena Rossner is a literary agent with an MA in history, living in Israel. She is inspired by the stories of her ancestors from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Hungary, and Romania. She has a keen interest in folklore and fairy tales and is the author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood and Eating the Bible. Her newest novel, The Light of the Midnight Stars, is a historical fantasy with strong roots in Judaism and storytelling. Jewish folklore, the Torah, and kabbalistic teachings make up the skeleton of this book. Its universe is rich with shapeshifters, miracle workers, voivodes, mystics, and celestial beings. The writing is lyrical, and everyone has stories to tell. Some of the stories feel familiar to me from my knowledge of the Old Testament, but other ancient stories are new to me because I was not raised in the Jewish tradition. I expect people versed in those traditions will get much more out of this book than I did. I enjoyed being introduced to Jewish religious practices and customs. If you are into queer Jewish fairy tales with female protagonists, this is the book for you.

The protagonists are Hannah, Sarah, and Levana, the three daughters of the great Rabbi Isaac Solomonar and his wife Esther. They are descendants of the mystical tradition of King Solomon and they live in an increasingly anti-Semitic world. The story takes place in fifteenth-century Hungary when a strange black mist—a sentient sort of evil—spreads its way across Europe and is blamed upon the Jews. I interpret the mist as symbolic of the bubonic plague and xenophobia.

The book changes points of view between the three Orthodox sisters. Hannah, Sarah, and Levana each have their own sacred magical talents, personal tragedies, and complicated relationships with the rest of their family. When intense persecution forces them all into hiding, they escape to a more religiously tolerant area in Wallachia and pose as Christians.   

The book follows the themes of love, loss, trauma, and resilience in a time when it was dangerous to display one’s heritage. The overarching mood is oppressive and foreboding, but the text is not without hope. The Light of the Midnight Stars shows the lengths the young women must go to ensure their family’s survival.

I found the plot sometimes difficult to follow. I got lost in some of the stories and needed to flip back a few pages to re-centre myself. If you are at ease with intricate fantasy plotlines, this shouldn’t be a problem for you. If you like your stories straightforward, you may find this book challenging.

My biggest fault with the book is not with the content or the story but with one of the editing choices. Whenever the text is not written in English, the words in Jewish languages are italicised. I think this is an unfortunate practice which centres English as the norm and portrays other languages as curiosities.

This book will appeal to fans of Naomi Novik, Madeline Miller, or Jordanna Max Brodsky.

Thank you, Hachette Book Group, for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: We Two Alone by Jack Wang

By Larissa Page

A few of the books I’ve read recently highlighted the lack of Asian voices in the literature I’ve been reading. When I saw the Canada Reads 2022 longlist released with We Two Alone on it—a series of short stories highlighting Chinese diaspora over a few different generations, set in different countries—I knew I wanted to read it.

All the stories include an aspect of the Chinese Immigrant experience; though, spanning time and also geographical space, their experiences are different. Themes, as expected, are similar throughout and speak to experiences like discrimination, war, determination to achieve dreams, grit, loss, loneliness, and many others. Not all stories had happy endings, but I felt the joy and happiness of even a memory in most of them. 

There wasn’t a story in this collection that I didn’t enjoy, but I think I enjoyed the first one the most. Titled “The Valkyries,” it follows a young man in the early 20th century Vancouver who just wants to play hockey. He tries out for a local team but is unsuccessful due to discrimination against Chinese people. After seeing the intramural women’s team play, he decides he can disguise himself as a woman and play hockey that way—if he can keep his secret hidden.

As mentioned, all these stories had something to offer me as a reader. I learned much about the Chinese Immigrant experience, as well as anti-Asian discrimination that I hadn’t previously been educated on or read in other pieces of literature. The quality of the writing was obvious within the stories, giving them feeling despite their shorter length. I listened to We Two Alone as an audiobook production, and I’d also like to note that I enjoyed the narrator.  

I am unsurprised this collection made it to the Canada Reads longlist this year. It fit the theme of a story to connect us and it was a potent look at a community of people often overlooked. I am very glad I picked it up.

Book Review: Rebound by Perry King

By Christa Sampson

At the beginning of the pandemic, everyone was forced to take stock of how they lived, worked, and played. During this time, Toronto-based writer Perry King ruminated over the loss of opportunity for people, and especially youth, to continue to participate in sports. Throughout the pandemic it has become shockingly evident that in addition to healthcare and housing, vulnerable communities have less funding and access to sports facilities and programs. Too often, outdoor public spaces like basketball courts were found to be in disrepair and were frequently closed with lockdown restrictions. This created a huge void in an already fragile environment.   

In Rebound, King starts by asking the question “why do sports even matter?” He goes on to answer it while taking a close look at various sports communities in terms of access, inclusivity, funding, and the trajectory of the athletes who play each sport.  

Perry King makes the case that sport should not be considered just a childhood pastime but should form the foundation of regular physical activity from childhood into adulthood. It has been proven time and again that organized sport teaches kids valuable lessons that extend beyond the court, rink, or playing field. The pandemic took those opportunities to play away, and some communities are at risk of losing them altogether. King examines how society needs to shift to accommodate sport and make it accessible for everyone at all levels of play. This is extremely important at the community level because it helps foster a sense of belonging for newcomers.  

King describes his own childhood experience playing basketball at his neighbourhood community centre and later recounts interviews with various national and international sports figures (Kobe Bryant and Karl Subban to name two) who share their philosophies on the act of participating in sport. There are chapters on sports that are not considered mainstream sports in Canada, such as cricket, rugby, and Muay Thai; although perhaps not mainstream, all of the above have huge followings. King highlights the importance of inclusivity as the common thread to increase the participation and retention of kids in sport. 

Rebound reads like a literary documentary. Each chapter discusses different sports or sports-related topics, but King makes seamless connections between them, showing that sports and cultural identity are intertwined in myriad ways, and we need sports not only to thrive, but to survive. This book is not only for those who play; there are many takeaways in the pages of Rebound that are both informational and inspiring. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.  

Thank you to Coach House Books for the complimentary copy of Rebound in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe by Dr. Bonnie Henry and Lynn Henry

By Danielle Szewc

Two years later and the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic is still raw for many people, groups, and nations affected by the novel SARS-COV-2 virus. Dr. Bonnie Henry and Lynn Henry’s Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe offers a new perspective into the daily decisions and behind-the-scenes of the public health measures taken in the early weeks of the pandemic in Canada: “There’s science, and there’s emotion. The scientific facts are one thing; the social choices and consequences are another. We need to consider both.” 

Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe: Four Weeks that Shaped a Pandemic is divided into three sections: “Part I: Be Kind” focuses on the week of March 12, 2020, starting with the events in China upon the release of the news of the novel coronavirus on December 26, 2019. “Part II: Be Calm” transitions to the week of March 17, 2020, and the beginning of the Canadian pandemic measures to flatten the curve. Finally, “Part III: Be Safe” focuses on the end of March and April 2020, and the future of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Each part is sectioned into two narratives, one from the perspective of Dr. Bonnie Henry, British Colombia’s provincial health officer, and one from Lynn Henry, Dr. Henry’s sister and close confidant during the early weeks of the pandemic. Dr. Henry’s perspective is filled with the reflections of her previous work on the SARS pandemic in 2003 and the Ebola virus outbreaks in 2001, along with optimism in scientific advancements, scientific policy, and public health measures. Lynn Henry adds to the narrative with both a personal and a professional understanding of Dr. Henry’s decisions and actions during the first four weeks of the pandemic in Canada. 

Although slow and dry in some areas, both authors are detailed and well-versed in their reflections. Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe adds a forgotten aspect to the measures taken during the initial stages—and branching out to the current stages—of the pandemic: the authorities trying to guide us are human and have tough decisions to make. 

While not everyone may agree with the viewpoints expressed in this memoir, I encourage you to pick it up and try to understand that decisions made in the public health and political environment do have a very human aspect to them. 

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