I was drawn to this book on the recommendation of a friend, who knows the author. I was promised a light and engaging murder mystery, and this delivered. Set primarily at the Yatra Institute, a meditation centre and lodge on a remote island in BC, we follow Helen and her colleagues, all recent graduates of... Continue Reading →
Birding, by Rose Ruane. Pub 2024
I heard a bit of this read on the Backlisted podcast last year, even before the book was available. I pre-ordered it, and so when it arrived it was a bit of a surprise (I’d forgotten the order). The novel interleaves the stories of Lydia and of Joyce. Lydia is a former pop-star whose life... Continue Reading →
Item #32: Fridge magnets
Most people use the face of their fridge* as a kind of bulletin board, photo album, directory, and home for miscellanea: kids artwork, school and vacation photos, take-out menus, business cards for plumbers and electricians, bills, brochures for events, timetables, mementos, oven mitts, note pads, recipes, utensils. While most of those items are ephemeral or... Continue Reading →
Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume. Pub 1970
This is one of those “I can’t believe you’ve never read that” books. How did I make it through my pre-teen years without this one? Well, I did. I was reminded about this one recently while searching for books that have been banned, and so decided to at last check it off my list. Margaret... Continue Reading →
Amsterdam, by Ian McEwan. Pub 1998
This is one of those that’s been sitting on the bookshelf for ages, with the occasional false start over the years. I decided to start again and finish it off, if for no other reason than to satisfy the “place name in the title” category. Also, I enjoyed my last dip into McEwan’s work, which... Continue Reading →
Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir. Pub 2021
This book was recommended by three friends. The first read it as part of a book club at their work. The second is the partner of the first. The third is a friend of the first and second. Like so many I’ve read this year, this is a sci-fi book and not typically in my... Continue Reading →
The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman. Book report #38 (2023)
The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman. Pub 2020 This book was a gift from a fellow book clubber who shares my affection murder mysteries. This book series is a best seller in England, and it’s understandable why – it is terrific. The eponymous club is comprised of four residents of Coopers Chase retirement community... Continue Reading →
The It Girl, by Ruth Ware. Book report #4 (2023)
The It Girl, by Ruth Ware. Pub 2022 This was part of my Christmas book bounty, chosen as it kept coming up on reading suggestions from the book shop and elsewhere, and I liked the idea of a modern Agatha Christie-type book, which indeed this was. Hannah and April are fresher roommates at a (fictional)... Continue Reading →
2023 Reading Challenge
Another year, another list. 2023's reading list takes us to 40 (!) items, with some more new categories to keep things interesting. The list is below. For this year, we removed the category "read in school", (partly because that list was actually quite short and had even fewer that we wanted to reread), amalgamated "recommended"... Continue Reading →
Item #30 – Cru menu
This piece of paper is a treasure for two reasons – the event and the location. Cru Restaurant was a favourite for several years and for even more reasons. The ambiance – comfortable, intimate, not too loud, not too large – made it a treat to go for dinner. The menu and wine list were,... Continue Reading →
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