George’s life was never easy. With her mother’s addiction issues, she had no other option but to grow up much more quickly than the kids her age. She succeeded, but she didn’t emerge from a childhood like this unscathed. At eighteen and with a job, she is finally equipped to start living on her own... Continue Reading →
“Finding Arthur Whittle” by Helen Aitchison
Just like other books by this author, this one gave me plenty of food for thought. From the very first book that I read – “The Dinner Club” is among my all-time favourite reads – I appreciated Helen Aitchison’s talent for depicting her characters’ everyday lives in a way that makes me feel a part... Continue Reading →
“River Reflects Earth” by Anne M. Smith-Nochasak
“I am Flo. I will never submit.” Oh, how these words made my heart beat faster! I felt the surge of adrenaline that members of the resistance in the Taggak Journey trilogy must have felt. The motivation they sorely needed to keep moving towards their goal, despite the cold and the hunger and the despair... Continue Reading →
“Falling Down Umbrella Man” by Will Tinkham
It is seldom that I can enjoy a story whose main character doesn’t have a single redeemable quality. When this is the case, only a writer of the highest calibre can make me interested in the book. Will Tinkham, undoubtedly, is such a writer. While he didn’t make me like Danny Coover/Slaughter, his eloquent narrative,... Continue Reading →
“Blurred Lies” by Donna Scuvotti
What would you do if left out on the streets, having been thrown out of the not-always-soft but still cosy cocoon of a family home? For many, it would be a kind of blow from which they’d never recover. Used as we are to everyday comforts, most people would give up before trying. Shay Thorton... Continue Reading →
“River Witch” by Cheryl Burman
Deeply atmospheric, this story flows like a river, pulling you in by the rhythm of its waves, charming you with its gentle whispering. When you start reading it, you are like an idle holiday-maker perched at the bow of a boat, eager to admire the wonders waiting for you on the trip. You feel slightly... Continue Reading →
“Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman” by Brooke Shields
“I can spend time wondering what could have been, but these days I find myself, far more often, wondering what might still be.” I think that this is one of the most important, if not the most important, things that we must embrace when we hit a certain age. I don’t like putting labels, so... Continue Reading →
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou
Before reading this book, I regularly came across Maya Angelou's quotes, and her words often resonated with me. “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud,” “Nothing will work unless you do,” and “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you” are my favourites. So I was glad when an opportunity... Continue Reading →
“The Secret Lives of the Doyenne of Didsbrook” by Tessa Barrie
First of all, I must confess that I have a soft spot for the English countryside as a book setting. Two decades ago, I used to live in a beautiful rural location on the Jurassic coast, and every time I read about an English village, it brings a warm wave of nostalgia. Walking along the... Continue Reading →
Me: Elton John Official Autobiography
I finally began ploughing through the books I have read but have not yet reviewed, and it feels good that the impressions are still vivid in my memory. It means that all my reads were worthy. It has been several months since I read Elton John’s official autobiography titled “Me,” but I still occasionally think... Continue Reading →