Category Archives: Books

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (book review)

I have wanted to read Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs since the book trailer was released last year. I watched the trailer and read the synopsis probably six months ago but resisted buying it several times due to an overly large TBR pile. Then, I was given the book for Christmas by someone who didn’t even know I wanted to read it. I was thrilled and proceeded to consume the book in two days. A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here—one of whom was his own grandfather—were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows. From the publisher, Quirk Books The must-watch trailer: It helps when the author is also in film, [...]

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Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett (book review)

I read Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett more than four months ago, in early November. I’d had the book for more than a year, borrowed from my friend Chelle and due to the length of time I kept it, even Chelle’s partner noticed the absence. Now, my book review for the blog has been languishing for months, and I haven’t updated any books I’ve read subsequently due to my necessity for proper chronology. So, now that the public lashings are done with, on to the review. According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world’s only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner. So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon – both of whom have lived amongst Earth’s mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle – are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture. And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist… The book is easy to get into, straightforward to read, and very silly. There were even parts where I laughed out loud—I remember one particular passage where a minor character had “a head that invited violence”. Although I didn’t laugh as hard as I do reading Christopher Moore, [...]

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Happy Hunger Games

I just got home from a midnight screening of The Hunger Games and it was really well done. When the cast list was first announced, I was a little worried about Katniss and Peeta because they didn’t look the same as I imagine. But it was so good. I was not sure if it’s good or bad or neutral that they had well-known stars in it — sometimes difficult to suspend belief. BUT they stayed really true to the books (unless you nitpick) so they get a gold star in my books! Now, go see it! Or, if you haven’t read the book, do that first! And, may the odds be ever in your favour! The Hunger Games book review Catching Fire book review Mockingjay book review

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I ♡ Canadian Books

One of the things you may notice on my blog is that I read a lot of Canadian fiction. I am by no means an authority in the area, but I try to keep informed about local authors and Canadian writers. A new social networking site for books has come out of beta—The 49th Shelf.You don’t need an account to browse books, categories, lists, or authors. However, if you’d like to save lists, bookmark or tag books and authors you will need an account. Formerly Canadian Bookshelf, the post-beta name is “inspired by the 49th parallel, a defining geographical feature of Canada that literally and metaphorically forms part of our collective identity.” Have you read any Canadian books lately? Any recommendations for me?

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BC Book Prizes announce 2012 finalists

Today marks two annual occasions: International Women’s Day and the finalist announcement for the BC Book Prizes. I worked for three years with the company that produces the BC Book Prizes, so I have a soft spot in my heart for the awards. But honestly, it is much more than that: I am passionate about reading local authors, supporting our local bookstores and writers, and spreading the joy of reading. I am thrilled that the nominee list includes Beggar’s Garden by Michael Christie, and Frances Greenslade’s Shelter (whom I heard read at Incite). Carmen Aguirre’s Something Fierce is also nominated, which garnered lots of discussion during the past Canada Reads. I am also excited to see a couple favourite illustrators nominated and a conscientious array of non-fiction titles including Charlotte Gill’s Eating Dirt and Andrew Nikiforuk’s Empire of the Beetle. So, be sure to check out the full list of nominees on the BC Book Prizes website. What books/authors are you excited to see on the list?

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