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  Book Review:   OK, “Belle Epoque” by Elizabeth Ross is definitely not my kind of story. Don’t get me wrong. I love historical fiction and Paris in the late 1880s is a very interesting time period. But the story had so much feminine scheming, so much angst around beauty and ugliness, and so many dresses, dresses, dresses. So… why am I reviewing the book then? Well, to be honest (and I hate to admit it), the book was just so good! The story follows Maude, a young Breton woman who has run away to Paris to escape an unpleasant arranged marriage and chase her dreams. But life for a poor girl in that (and any) time is tough. Maude ends up finding employment in a very strange agency that hires out plain women by the hour. Their job – to make their employer look more beautiful by comparison. Demeaning? Yes. Humiliating? True. Lucrative? Definitely! An interesting premise for a story that could go in many directions. I was unsure how things were going to unfold for a good part ...

  Book Review:   “The prow of our longship broke the waves, the salt spray stinging my eyes. My legs bent, and my feet shifting naturally at the rise and fall of the sea. Always, it was the same, when the unfurling sail caught the wind and the ship surged forward. Like when you put heels to horse and she runs. The same. My spirits rising.” So begins “The Swan’s Road”, first in the five part “Atheling Chronicles” by local author Garth Pettersen; a rollicking robust medieval adventure complete with romance, political intrigue, camaraderie, violence, and honor. This is Pettersen’s first novel and what a gem it is. I found it an invigorating and satisfying read, similar in feel to “The Three Musketeers”. The tale follows the perilous journey of Prince Harald of Engla-long and Scandinavia to Rome where he and his father King Cnute seek the assistance of the King Conrad against the scheming Duke of Normandy, Robert the Devil who plans to usurp Cnute’s kingdom and end his li...

 Book Review: What can I say about Laline Paull's novel, "The Bees" ? Amazing, immersive, unexpected, unique. I was totally blown away by this book, and that doesn't happen very often. The story follows the life of honey bee Flora 717, born into the lowest cast of the hive. Despite her humble beginnings, it quickly becomes apparent that she is no ordinary, run of the mill sanitation worker. Taking audacious risks and following forbidden dreams, Flora 717 finds a way to hold out unexpected hope for her colony imperiled by social upheaval and political intrigue. Nearly all of the characters in this story are anthropomorphic insects which might make you think it is a children's book similar to "The Rats of NIMH"  or The Cricket in Times Square". Think again! Paull has written with an adult audience in mind (many YA readers will enjoy it as well). Lovely yet disturbing, sensual, violent and primal, and highly nuanced, this book is not a kiddie read by a...

 Book Review: “You can’t have a democracy if citizens can’t propose new ideas and vigorously debate them… In 2024, the Trudeau government proposed Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act, which is perhaps the biggest threat to free expression in Canada in decades.” (Free Speech in Canada p.5, 18) Not only in Canada but throughout the western world, new hate speech laws are being enacted that are saddling citizens and journalists with huge fines and even jail time just for things they are saying and/or posting online. Sound scary? It should! Nothings shuts down free speech more effectively than the fear that you might be persecuted by the government if someone doesn’t like your ideas. It is one of the more unsettling developments of our time. “It's no coincidence that one of the first actions taken by authoritarian regimes is to limit the freedom of the press, which is the freedom to publish without government permission.” (Free Speech in Canada p.36) To understand this issue more...

Book Review:   It is hard to believe that “As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow” is a debut novel. Author Zoulfa Katouh pulls out all the emotional stops in this heart-wrenching, yet hopeful story set in the Syrian Revolution of 2011. Her writing is gripping, lyrical, raw, and fresh. Honestly, this is not usually my kind of book, but Katouh had me hooked right away and held my attention to the last word. I was impressed! The story follows Salama, an eighteen-year-old pharmacy student whose world is shattered by violence and death. She has lost her family and her future to the revolution. Now she must piece together a life out of the shards that are left. Struggling to keep her sanity and her hope intact, she dodges her way through chaos in a tenuous search for love, and a life worth living. I’ll give no spoilers except to say that the reader is rewarded at the end of this roller coaster ride with a happy ending – and believe me, by the time you get to the last few pages you reall...

  Book Review:   For me, this was one of those books I just couldn’t put down. Told in a straightforward and non-sensational manner, this book spins out a harrowing real-life dystopian adventure story. A dangerous escape from the hell that is life in North Korea, then abduction and sex slavery in China, and finally sweet freedom in the West, this is an intimate, heart wrenching account of what it costs to fight (and flee) for liberty in one of the darkest corners of the world. North Korea is a country shrouded in mists of rumor and propaganda. Reading “In Order to Live” was like shining a clarifying ray of bright sunshine into the unspeakably oppressive shadows Kim Jong Un and his communist party have cast over the country. More than that, Park’s story is one of courage, hope and an indomitable spirit. Best of all, it has a happy ending! This is the most inspiring book I have read this year!! Recommendation: for anyone who loves a true adventure story, wants to underst...

  Book Review:   OK, romance fans. This time I’m reviewing a modern classic, “Love Story” by Eric Segal. Recognize the catch phrase… “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”? That’s from (you guessed it) this heart-wrenching slice of life tearjerker. Written in a straight-forward pithy style with a sharp yet tender voice, this book will only take you a few hours to read… but what a read! Romance and realistic fiction are my two least favorite genres (for personal reasons that I won’t go into right now). That said, I was deeply moved by Segal’s story. The emotional truth of the writing was clear and convincing. The ending was tragic but transformational. College love and lose narrated in a believable way that won’t make your average cynic want to throw up. Five stars for this amazing accomplishment. “Love Story” was released as a motion picture in 1970 (the same year the book was published) and has been rated 9 th most romantic film of all time by the American...