Invitation caught my eye because three of the four authors are among my favourite writers, and I’ve heard good things about the fourth. Bill Myers, Frank Peretti, Angela Hunt and Alton Gansky are friends who decided to try something new together. Each of them were to write as one of the characters in the series, […]
Say You’re One of Them by Uwem Akpan
Uwem Akpan’s debut collection of short stories, Say You’re One of Them, has been chosen for book clubs across North America. That’s how I first encountered it—through a book club I joined while working at Starbucks. This stunning book is one that should be discussed and passed around. Say You’re One of Them is a […]
Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett
Way back when I was doing my writing degree at UVic, I tried exploring some of my memories of Australia in my creative nonfiction classes. Because of my interest in Oz, my professor offered me a book she had by an Australian novelist. Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett has sat in my reading pile […]
Best Books of 2015
Ah, it’s that time of year again—time to look at the books I’ve read and think about which ones I’d like to read again someday. That has become my marker of a “good book,” because there are always so many more books to read! The ones that I really like end up on my bookshelf, […]
Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe by Max Lucado
What if God had a blog? That’s the premise behind Max Lucado’s new novel, Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe. When Chelsea reopens the Higher Grounds Cafe, she doesn’t realize she’s at the centre of a spiritual battle for her neighbourhood. She’s just trying to make a life for herself and her two kids after […]
A Thing of Beauty by Lisa Samson
I wasn’t ready to finish reading Lisa Samson’s novel A Thing of Beauty when I turned the last page. Maybe it’s because I was reading the book on my Kobo and had no reference point for when the end of the book was coming up, but I was really disappointed. I wanted more. In A […]
The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch by T. M. Gaouette
“Benedict woke up right before sunrise. The house smelled different. He wasn’t sure of what, but it was different from all the other places he’d stayed at. He knew for sure what it didn’t smell of though: cigarettes and dirty diapers.” Benedict is a foster kid who’s been shuffled from one home to another during […]
Always On My Mind by Susan May Warren
The problem with reading a series of books is that you want to read the entire series. I love getting to know the characters in a novel—especially a good novel, when they seem like real people and it’s hard to say goodbye. Especially if there’s another book in the series and you don’t have to […]
Veil of Secrets by Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel
I put Veil of Secrets by Shannon Ethridge and Kathryn Mackel on my Kobo just before flying to San Jose for BlogHer14. And then I couldn’t put it down. Apparently, you can’t even use an e-reader while taking off (at least in Canadian airports), but otherwise, I read while flying and while standing in airport […]
Sarah’s Choice by Nancy Rue and Rebecca St. James
After reading The Merciful Scar last year, I knew I’d read anything Nancy Rue and Rebecca St. James wrote together. They are a powerhouse writing team and their newest book, Sarah’s Choice, didn’t disappoint me. While I personally identified with the protagonist’s struggles in The Merciful Scar more than in Sarah’s Choice, I applaud the […]
