A Funny Kind of Paradise - Jo Owens

It was this description from Penguin Random House Canada that had me picking up Jo Owens' debut novel, A Funny Kind of Paradise. 

"A poignant, uplifting, brilliantly insightful story of one woman's end-of-life reckoning with her past, her lost daughter and herself, for readers of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Still Alice and Elizabeth Is Missing."

If you're of a certain age, you will have spent time visiting loved ones in care facilities. I have. And it's hard. I read the first few chapters and thought - I just don't know if I can read this one. But, I did pick it up again - and ended up loving it.

Francesca is the lead character. She is in a care facility as she can't look after herself - a stroke has robbed her of her voice, her mobility, her ability to eat and more. But she still understands everything being said.

Francesca: "And nobody wants to lie there like a vegetable. We don't want it for ourselves, nor for our loved ones. Better to die quickly than to endure a half life. That's what we think. But I surprised myself. I just want to live."

Owens tell her story from past and present as Francesca remembers her children Christopher and Angelina and her best friend Anna. As well as recalling her drive to succeed, her parenting skills or lack thereof, her attitude towards life, brusque manner and more. She's seeing from a different point of view now she's reflecting on her life. At the mercy of others for her care, Franny's world grows smaller as her heart grows bigger. Stripped of the extraneous, Francesca finds comfort in the smaller things and connects with people in a way she didn't before the stroke.

We also meet other residents in the five bed room as they come and go. But it is the care workers that truly open up Franny's eyes and heart as they become the larger part of her life. Their conversations, both work related and personal, are told in italicized font. Their styles of care and attitudes are all different, but for the most part they care about the residents. The conversations are at times brutal in their honesty. 

Now, here's the thing....Owens has worked as a health care aide for twenty years in Canada. She knows what she writes. There is one long term carer named Molly that I really liked - and I think maybe there's more than a bit of Owens' self woven into this character. Owens also points out in the author's notes that "I want to mention that the care aides in this book are appallingly ad about talking shop in front of the residents, which is a professional no-no. I let them talk that way, even though they're good aides) and should know better, because I want to write about what actually happens, rather than what ought to happen."

A Funny Kind of Paradise is a heartbreaking, heartwarming read that will have you thinking of what is important and what you truly value in life. 

"But this is nothing like my old life, that's for sure. So I guess I could say it's a funny kind of paradise for me too." Read an excerpt of A Funny Kind of Paradise.

You can connect with Jo Owens on her website and follow her on Twitter. 

Young Jane Young - Gabrielle Zevin

I adored Gabrielle Zevin's previous book, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry and was eager to read her just released novel, Young Jane Young.

We meet sixty four year old Rachel in the the opening chapters as she tries out online dating. I loved her sassy voice and dry sense of humour and found myself chuckling over her thoughts and comments. Her chapter then segues into the life of the next main character - her daughter Aviva. Aviva is working for a congressman - and crosses a line, having an affair with the married man.  Her life goes off the rails from the fallout of this decision, until she decides to start over with a new name - Jane. She relocates in another state - and daughter Ruby is born. Jane's chapter segues into Ruby's. And the inevitable fate that awaits all three. The last viewpoint is that of the congressman's wife Embeth.

What a rich and varied story this was! Young Jane Young was an unexpected, unpredictable and yet very satisfying read. This one event effects all four leads in so many ways and their various outlooks, reactions and responses are dependent on each individual's age, experience and life philosophy. I loved each voice and was hard pressed to have a favourite. But, if forced to pick, I would have to say that I enjoyed Ruby the most. Her letters to her penpal are the basis for a lot of what she is feeling and doing and a lot of it is heartbreaking. I loved the insertion of epistolary elements. Zevin employs this for Aviva/Jane as well. We are privy to her journal, written in a Choose Your Own Adventure style. Choices are given and we see how and why her life took the path it did.

"The rub of the Choose Your Own Adventure stories is that if you don't make a few bad choices, the story will be terribly boring. If you do everything right and you're always good, the story will be very short."

Mother, daughters, friends, the path taken and not taken. The echoes of a choice made, the denial and acceptance that we can't change what has been done - only move forward.

Zevin's writing is wry, witty and peppered with truths. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Young Jane Young.

You can connect with Gabrielle Zevin on her website, find her on Facebook and like her on Twitter.

Fierce Kingdom - Gin Phillips

So, you've heard readers say, "I couldn't put the book down"....but honestly, I truly couldn't put down Gin Phillips' new thriller Fierce Kingdom!

Her premise is terrifying......Joan and her four year old son Lincoln are amongst the stragglers leaving the zoo late one day. They're on their way to the exit when Joan hears 'popping' sounds. It's only when she sees the first dead body that she realizes that there is a killer on the prowl within the confines of the zoo. And he's walking on two legs carrying a gun.....

Okay, the idea alone is scary enough, but the fact that I have visited the zoo with my young grandson made it even more real. Recent newspaper headlines make it a plausible and appalling scenario.

Phillips' descriptions of Joan's love for Lincoln has been described by the publisher as primal - an apt and realistic picture of fierce mother love. Their interactions and Lincoln's imagination and questions all ring so true. Joan's ferocious desire to ensure her son survives this horrific situation had me on the edge of my seat for all 288 pages and the three hours that the novel takes place in.

Joan and Lincoln often visit the zoo - she knows the layout and will use that knowledge to try and evade the killer. But how do you keep a four year old quiet? Transmit the danger without terrifying him? What decisions does she have to make to ensure his survival? The killer is also given a voice with some chapters dedicated to his thinking and reasoning. His actions are frightening enough, but the impetus for his actions is downright terrifying - again taken from real life events. There are others hiding as well and we also hear a bit from them.

Fast paced, breakneck action will keep you turning pages 'til the wee hours. The tension and the fierce love between Joan and Lincoln will leave you breathless (and hugging the little ones in your life a little bit tighter). An excellent read for those who love thrillers and suspense. I dare you to try and put it down....I can see this novel as a movie as well.

Read an excerpt of Fierce Kingdom. You can connect with Gin Phillips on her website.

The Thirst - Jo Nesbo

Jo Nesbo always has me worried that there won't be another Harry Hole book at the end of every novel. This is the what I wrote about the tenth book 'Police'.

".... Nesbo snatches it away again in the final pages with another gut wrenching ending that will have fans counting down the days 'til the next entry in this fantastic series."

Well, three years later, the eleventh book - The Thirst - is here. And, boy oh boy, was it worth the wait! I have loved every one of the 'Harry' books, but have to say this is, in my opinion, the best one - yet.

Tinder users swipe right to say yes. In The Thirst, they don't realize they're also saying yes to death. Someone is using the hook-up app as a trolling ground for a killing spree. What's really frightening is the method - and weapon - he's using. And that there may be a connection to a past case - one of Harry Hole's. "Now it was time. Time he drank from the well of life again. Time he returned."

Harry is enjoying his life - he has stopped drinking, works as a college crime lecturer and life with Rakel and Oleg is good. But...there's that pull, that undercurrent, that frisson of excitement, the draw to the darkness, the thrill of the chase. "Possible the best, possibly the worst, but certainly the most mythological murder detective in the Oslo Police..."

Readers will be happy to hear that Harry is still Harry - a dark, dangerous, conflicted and complicated protagonist I can't get enough of. While Harry is reluctantly pulled out of retirement, the rest of the supporting players are still in place. The one we love to hate - the self-serving chief, the ones we cheer for - the dogged crime tech, former protegees of Harry and some new additions. There are undercurrents to each player's life that also drive the plot forward, in addition to the main plot. Supporting characters also have a voice and POV. The reader is privy to the maneuvering happening behind the scenes.

And what a plot it is! Brilliant, gritty, action packed and completely unpredictable. Nesbo absolutely kept me guessing. I was pretty sure I knew who the killer was. I did and I didn't. Nesbo fooled me - I love not be able to figure out the answers in a crime novel. And just when I thought things were tied up, I realized there were still one hundred pages to go!  The ending? Absolutely perfect and unexpected. I cannot wait for book twelve!

The Thirst is a great title - it can be interpreted in so many ways - through both the killer's and Harry's eyes. Read an excerpt of The Thirst. If you've not read this series before, I encourage you to start at the beginning to fully appreciate this character and Nesbo's writing. Absolutely recommended!

Midnight Sun - Jo Nesbo

Midnight Sun is the second book in Jo Nesbo's Blood on Snow series.

What ties these two together is The Fisherman, crime kingpin of Oslo. Jon worked for The Fisherman selling drugs and other 'special' jobs as needed. Except Jon couldn't do it - he couldn't kill. So now he's run to a remote village at the top of Norway where the sun never sets. And he took along drugs and money that weren't his to take - and The Fisherman wants it back....

A local woman, Lea, and her son Knut, give Jon shelter in an old hunting cabin. But after a few days of the sun never setting, the flat unending landscape and being alone in the small cabin, he craves people - and alcohol. So he heads to the village....

Nesbo's description of the village and the landscape creates an sense of otherworldly isolation that mirrors what Jon is feeling. The eclectic residents and their behavior keeps both Jon and the reader wondering what could happen next.

Even though Jon, aka Ulf, is a 'bad' guy, he's a bad guy with a good streak and a conscience. The reader can't help but hope that he escapes those after him and that maybe, just maybe, he's got another shot at a good life. Sami culture and the Laestadian religion are woven into the story - redemption is a major theme and plays a part in more than one character's life.

I love the noir, staccato pace of Nesbo's writing - think of a Tarantino movie put to print. For me, another great read from Nesbo. Read an excerpt of Midnight Sun.

(I have no idea if Nesbo will ever resurrect Harry Hole - but I do miss him.)

The Mistake I Made - Paula Daly

I've read Paula Daly's first two books - Keep Your Friends Close and Just What Kind of Mother Are You? - and devoured them both in a day. Her new book, The Mistake I Made, was also a one day hammock read!

Okay, so right off the bat, I wanted to know what the mistake was. Single mother Roz is struggling to make ends meet after losing her business, inheriting her ex husband's credit card debt, falling behind in the rent and still trying to give her young son what he needs. She works long hours as a physiotherapist, but never seems to get ahead. An eviction notice is the final straw - and her decision to accept an offer that will help her get out of debt is....a mistake. Remember that Robert Redford movie Indecent Proposal?

Daly's writing has a delightfully chatty, conversation tone to it, like you were listening to a friend tell you a slightly salacious tale. One you'd lean closer to hear....

I like scary movies, but I must admit to watching some parts from behind a pillow. Shouting out 'why would  you go in the basement'!? I felt a bit like that with Roz. She definitely makes some questionable choices. While she can rationalize them, the reader just knows that bad is going to lead to worse.....

Daly helps that along with some excellent foreshadowing at the end of chapters, guaranteeing that you won't be able to put the book down.

"It would be this decision, within the list of bad decisions, that would send our lives on the roller-coaster trajectory that was to change everything."

Daly writes great psychological thrillers. Her characters are not always likable, but they're  just trying to do the right thing. And sometimes to do the right thing, you have to do a few wrong things....There are a few plot points that ask the reader to suspend disbelief. And I encourage you to do so. The Mistake I Made is an entertaining, psychological suspense novel that you won't be able to put down.

Fun fact: I was quite fascinated by Roz's physiotherapy diagnoses, having visited one myself many times. And only on looking at the author's notes, discovered that Daly herself was a physio until turning her hand to writing.

The Hesitation Cut - Giles Blunt

I am a big fan of Giles Blunt's John Cardinal mystery series. But I've also enjoyed his stand alone novels that cover a broader range of style and themes.

Blunt's latest novel, The Hesitation Cut, is another stand alone novel that is dark, unsettling and so very hard to put down.

Brother William has lived in the Our Lady of Peace Monastery for the last ten years. He's outwardly happy with his life and his work in the library. But when Lauren, a young female poet comes to the monastery's library to do some research, life changes - for both Brother William and Lauren.

Brother William can't stop thinking about her - her looks, her voice, and that scar on her wrist. She just seems so sad......Brother William makes Lauren his next calling - he can help her, save her and look out for her. And so, he leaves the monastery and heads to New York City as Peter to find her.

And he does. But Peter's desire to help evolves into desire alone. Obsessive desire.

Neither Peter or Lauren is a likeable character. (The character I liked the most was Lauren's on again off again boyfriend Mick  - and he has serious flaws as well.) As the story progresses, both characters alternate between victim and perpetrator. Obviously both characters have mental health issues and their meeting is simply the fuse for an implosion in both their lives.

That fuse is slow burning. The reader is helpless, along for the ride, as Blunt builds the tension and the suspense with another layer, another incident and another nuance until it seems there can be no turning back. Sharp eyed readers will take note of a few off the cuff remarks that hint at something more in Peter's past.

As he did in Breaking Lorca, Blunt has crafted an intense psychological study in the pages of The Hesitation Cut, exploring love, hope, devotion, faith and obsession. But it's also an excellent thriller that keeps the reader wondering what is going to happen next - and to whom. Read an excerpt of The Hestiation Cut. You can connect with Giles Blunt on his website, as well as on Twitter.

The Mountain Story - Lori Lansens

Lori Lansens is one of my favourite authors. Each of her previous three books has been a very different story, but each of them celebrates the fortitude of the human spirit.

Her newest novel, The Mountain Story, continues that concept.

Four people - three of them know each other, the fourth was alone - are stranded on a mountain with no food, no water and no shelter for five days. Three make it down the mountain. And one of the survivors tells the tale....

"A person has to have lived a little to appreciate a survival story. That's what I've always said and I promised that when you were old enough, I'd tell you mine .... What happened up there changed my life, Danny. Hearing the story is going to change yours."

Wolf Truly is our narrator. He brings to life his fractured upbringing..."In those dangerous narrows grew children who knew too much too young, but sadly, always seemed to learn too little too late."

And the story of the mountain. I felt like I was sitting with Danny, reading the letter Wolf has written. Lansens has a way of drawing the reader in, making them feel like they are part of the story as well.

Lansens captures the physicality of Wolf's life and his time on the mountain in both good  and bad times. Her descriptions painted vivid pictures in my mind as I read. But, The Mountain Story is more than a story of survival. (Even though we know there are survivors, the question of who dies and the fight to make it through another day does not lessen the tension)

Where Lansens excels for me is in her characters -  their lives, their thoughts and their interactions. The Mountain Story is a coming of age story, an exploration of parent and child relationships, friendships, a questioning of a higher power, loss, love and redemption. And always - the strength of the human spirit. Life is a bumpy road. As Wolf says "There will be sway."

Absolutely, positively recommended. Read an excerpt of The Mountain. You can connect with Lori Lansens on Twitter and on Facebook.

Horrorstör - Grady Hendrix

My annual fall visit to a large flat pack furniture company with a Swedish sounding name (c'mon you know who I mean right?) is around the corner. When I saw the cover of Grady Hendrix's new book, Horrorstör, I knew I absolutely had to read it.

Things are happening in the night at the Orsk furniture store in Cleveland Ohio. When the staff arrives in the morning, there's broken glass to clean up, broken display furniture and some unmentionable smells and substances. And the staff are getting weird 'help' text messages on their phones. The security tapes don't show anything, but sales are down and corporate is concerned. So Basil, the new deputy store manager decides to stay in the store overnight to see if he can catch who is doing the damage. He enlists Amy, a partner with a bit of an attitude and cashier Ruth Ann, the nicest person in the store, to stay overnight with him. And what happens that night......

.....is something you're going to have to discover for yourself.

I had so much fun reading this book - Hendrix clearly wrote it with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek. The format is exactly like that unnamed store's catalogue - the furniture, names, descriptions and pictures preceding every chapter were just as much fun as the story. (I was quite amused by some of the colour choices available - night beech, snow and beaver oak)

But what had me laughing was the 'corporate speak'. Having worked in a big box retail store in years gone by, I recognized much of it. Basil's quoting of policies and procedures as things go from bad to worse is just perfect. Hendrix's parodying of that other store is just perfect - the Bright and Shining Path that leads you through the shopping experience, the "Market Floor - also referred to as the 'open-wallet' area - designed to put customers under the maximum retail stress. The goal is to get them to open their wallets and buy something, even a light bulb, because once we crack their wallets, they will spend, on average $97 per visit." (Guilty)

Okay so there's all that - but what is causing all the damage at night? Think Scooby Doo - without the dog and a little nastier....Read an excerpt of  Horrorstör.

I'll say it again - this was just plain fun to read! Is there a humourous horror genre? You can keep up with Grady Hendrix on Twitter and on Facebook.  Any questions? Just Orsk!

The Distance - Helen Giltrow

The Distance is Helen Giltrow's debut novel.

Giltrow's premise intrigued me - Charlotte Alton, a London, England society woman has a secret life - she deals in information and in those circles is known as Karla. Karla makes things - and people disappear. Simon, a former client, a hired killer, reappears after Karla helped him disappear a few years ago. He's back in the game and needs her firm's help with smuggling him into a prison to carry out a hit. But it's not just any prison....it's a self governing prison colony set up in an abandoned village. The inmates are running things. To go in would be crazy.....

Wow! The Distance delivered one heck of a breakneck read. Both Karla and Simon are large than life characters. Karla is able to access, interfere with and manipulate data, people and situations. Simon, well, Simon takes a beating and keeps on ticking. (way beyond what I think any body could handle, but hey it makes for a wild story) The driven nature of both of these characters accelerates the plot into overdrive. And had me yelling "No.....why would you...." more than once.

The protagonists are intriguing, but The Distance is a plot driven book. The narrative switches between Karla and Simon, offering the reader a chance to see what's happening from all sides. But, no one is telling the truth, and everyone has their own agenda. What we think we know is turned upside down a few pages later. The last few chapters are excellent, throwing in a turn I suspected might be coming, but with even more twists included. The ending is excellent, leaving the door open to a second book with these characters perhaps? (Kinda hoping that's true)

I was fascinated with the idea of a self governing prison colony in current times. Giltrow's prison is stark, bleak and brutal. Her descriptions paint very vivid and visceral images. The ease with which Karla manipuates information is frightening.  I can see this book as a movie - maybe with Matt Damon or Mark Wahlberg.

Gentle readers be warned, there is graphic violence in The Distance. Fans of powerhouse non-stop thrillers that will keep you up - this one's for you. Read an excerpt of The Distance.

What a great debut this was. I'll be watching for Giltrow's next book. You can keep with Helen Giltrow on Twitter.

Sweetland - Michael Crummey

I think Michael Crummey's writing is simply brilliant. His latest book, Sweetland, is newly released. Knowing I would become immersed in Crummey's storytelling, I saved it to devour on a week off.

Oh, where to start? I simply don't think I have the words to do this book justice.

Moses Sweetland has lived on Sweetland Island, Newfoundland for his entire sixty nine years - as did his father and many generations before that. There were a few trips off island for work, but this is home. Until the government decides that the community needs to be 'resettled'. (This is very real - both past and present)  The offer is generous and all of the residents accept the package - except Moses Sweetland. But the government's offer stipulates that everyone must agree and sign before the offer goes through. The first half of the book introduces us to Moses and the other residents of the village. Crummey's residents are unique and unforgettable - from the woman who has not set foot outside her house in forty years to the barber who hasn't cut anyone's hair in almost that long and more. Moses's young nephew Jesse was particularly moving. But it was the character of Moses that grabbed me and simply wouldn't let me go.

Moses's crusty exterior and brusque manner disguise his emotions and 'softer side.' His self sufficiency and work ethic reminded me so much of the hardworking older generations in my life. Taciturn men (and women) who 'just got on with it'.

Crummey tells his story with bits and pieces of the past explained and explored in separate chapters. From these, we are privy to the events that have shaped Moses's life. Sweetland is divided into two parts. Crummey caught me totally unawares with the final pages of the first part - I felt like I had taken a punch to the stomach. I had to go back and reread just to make sure I had it right. This was not what I wanted to have happen! I had become totally invested and immersed in Moses's world and tangibly felt his loss and pain.

Does Moses take the offer? As this is in the flyleaf, it's not a spoiler. Yes, he does. But does he leave the island? No. And that's the second half of the book. Moses and the land he loves. Alone.

Crummey has described his setting so vividly. Crummey himself is Newfoundland born and bred and his voice captures the tone and timbre of a land and it's people. I felt like I was walking along with Moses as he heads up to the mash, down to his stage and up to the keep. The land and rocks, the ocean and the weather are all characters in the book as well. Much more so in the second half as Moses battles the elements, his memories and the thought that he might be going mad. As much as I loved the first half of the book, it was the second half that had me in tears.

I stayed up very, very late to finish this book. My house was still, the night was still. I headed outside after turning the last page. I live in a rural area and my neighbours are a ways away. I sat and looked at the stars and I thought of Moses alone on his island. Sweetland is the kind of book that will stay with me for a long, long time. A life lived. The strength and resilience of the human spirit. Those that go about getting things done without fanfare. The battle between past and present. The land and people that make up Canada.

Sweetland is such an amazing read - highly, highly recommended. Read an excerpt of Sweetland. You can find Michael Crummey on Twitter.

Linwood Barclay - No Safe House

Linwood Barclay's latest novel, No Safe House, has been sitting on my kitchen table looking at me for over a week now. I resisted - knowing that I had some vacation time coming and I would binge read it until I literally couldn't keep my eyes open. I did - and it was worth it!

Barclay usually writes one off suspense novels, but this latest is a follow up to 2008's No Time For Goodbye.

Barclay grabs the reader from the get go with a prologue that just sets the breakneck pace for the rest of the book. You'd think that after what Terry, Cynthia and their daughter Grace went through seven years ago, life would leave them in peace.

"I don't know where I got the idea that once you've come through a very dark time, after you've confronted the worst possible demons and defeated, them, that everything's going to be just fine."

Uh-uh, it's not... When Grace goes along with a bad idea her sketchy date has to take a Porsche out for a joyride, it starts a domino effect that plunges the family into yet another nightmare.

Barclay cuts the narrative between Terry and others with their own agenda. It did take me bit to figure out that there was more than one group - these chapters are initially quite cryptic. I do enjoy this style of storytelling, but have to hold myself back from flipping ahead 'just to see'.

Barclay's plot is quite inventive - I had no idea where things were going to. The little click when things start to fit together is quite satisfying, but there are many, many pieces to Barclay's puzzle and just as many twists and turns. I did think that the one of the plot devices was a bit far fetched, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book at all.

The writing shoots straight from the hip -  there no unnecessary descriptions or involved self explorations, just fast paced dialogue and action. Barclay does the 'regular guy thrown into a crazy situation' story extremely well.

No Safe House was excellent escapist reading. See for yourself - read an excerpt or see the book trailer below.

...And one last thing - you might want to think twice about who has a key and the alarm code to your house - the neighbour, the dog walker, the babysitter, the cleaning lady....

You can keep up with Linwood Barclay on Facebook and on Twitter. Canadian peeps - this just hit number one on the Globe and Mail's bestseller list this week.

The Catch - Taylor Stevens

The Catch is Taylor Stevens' fourth entry in her Vanessa Michael Munroe series.

Vanessa Michael Munroe is....well, she's deadly, with incredible physical skills and she's brilliant - she speaks many languages and easily assimilates into the situation or culture she finds herself in. She can read people and situations and think three moves ahead. For a living, she hunts people, finds information and fixes things. After her last case resulted in a horrific personal loss, Michael has retreated to the continent that seems to draw her back time and time again - Africa.

She's laying low, having taken a job with a small company that provides security for ships travelling the waters that Somalian pirates troll, providing information and greasing palms. When the owner pressures her to join the latest security job as a guard, she finds herself in the middle of a mess. The owner is lying, the hold is full of Russian guns, but it seems to be the captain that the pirates are after. And Michael's quiet retreat is no more.

Stevens has again crafted another intricately plotted thriller. Munroe is on her own this time, with no back-up. The action slowly builds through the first few chapters and then hits high gear for the rest of the book. The details of the settings and culture are vivid and detailed.

But, it is the character of Michael that is the real draw of this series. It's so much fun to have such a kick*** female character. The action scenes are great, but there's a deeper level to this character as well. She is the walking wounded and Stevens does a fantastic job depicting Munroe's inner emotional turmoil and her physical struggle to control herself. Each book out, we learn a little bit more about Munroe and her background. Having read of Stevens' background, I wonder how much of her own life has been woven into her books.

The Catch has a satisfying ending, but the door is open for the next entry is this series....one I'll pick up for sure. Read an excerpt of The Catch. You can keep up with Taylor Stevens on Facebook and on Twitter.

The Country of Ice Cream Star- Sandra Newman

I am invariably drawn to post-apocalyptic fiction, fascinated with an author's imagining of what life may be if the world as we know it ends. Sandra Newman's depiction of a ruined world is brilliant in her novel, The Country of Ice Cream Star.

Ice Cream Star lives with the rest of the Sengles in the woods, scratching out a living by hunting or scavenging in 'evac' houses. Life is hard - and short. By the time a person reaches eighteen, the 'posies' set in - and death is inevitable. When a white man is flushed from an evac house, he brings the possibility of a cure, for he is old - at least thirty years. Ice is determined to find the cure to save her brother Driver, who has just turned eighteen, as well as the rest of her people.

This was such an amazing book on so many levels. Newman's plotting is rich and wide and so very, very inventive. The story is told in first person narrative from Ice Cream Star's viewpoint. I was completely captured by her voice, her attitude, her fears, her strengths and so much more.

I think readers will either choose to stay up late or put the book down after the first few chapters of The Country of Ice Cream Star. Newman's prose are amazingly original - it's language you will recognize, but words have changed and evolved over the course of the intervening years since the collapse of our time. From the back cover blurb:

"My name be Ice Cream Fifteen Star. This be the tale of how I bring the cures to all the Nighted States, save every poory children, short for life. Is how a city die for selfish love, and rise from this same smallness. Be how the new America being, in wars against all hope - a county with no power in a world that hate its life. So been the faith I sworn, and it ain't evils in no world nor cruelties in no read hell can change the vally heart of Ice Cream Star."

I enjoyed discovering the meanings of  'new' words and finding the remnants of the old tucked among them. I was able to imagine the words spoken aloud, the cadence and the rhythm and patterns of the Sengle patois. The Country of Ice Cream Star would not be the same book told in everyday English. That being said, I can see it frustrating some readers - mores the pity.

Factions of all sorts have sprung up in this new world and remembered faiths, traditions, societies and their mores have been bastardized. Newman's descriptions, dialogues and settings were so very vivid. And again, I loved finding the remnants of the past hidden in the rubble of this world. The action and tension is palpable as Ice races to find a cure before her brother succumbs. Newman also deftly explores Ice Cream Star's sexuality.  I found myself drawn into the hunt for the cure, only climbing out when forced to. (Darn job gets in the way of serious reading time!)

The Country of Ice Cream Star is an epic read with a unique hero, a brilliant plot, oodles of adventure and ingenious world building. I loved it. Who else did? Another of my favourite authors, Kate Atkinson, has a one word blurb on the front cover..."Astonishing.." Yep, that sums it up in one word.

Read an excerpt of The Country of Ice Cream Star.

No Relation - Terry Fallis

When talking books, I've had more than one person tell me that I need to try Canadian author Terry Fallis. His earlier novel Best Laid Plans has been made into a television series by CBC and I was hearing that it was really good as well. So, I decided to pick up Fallis's newest book No Relation.

I should have listened sooner.....

I rarely laugh out loud when reading a book, but Fallis had me chuckling more than once.

Earnest Hemmingway is the protagonist of No Relation. I bet you immediately thought oh right, the author. Not quite....Although Earnest Hemmingway has been blessed with a famous name, it's a family name and the spelling is different. No, our Earnest is a middle aged man who in one day, has lost his wallet, his job and his girlfriend. And now his father is demanding he take his rightful place at the helm of the family underwear business. The name seems to be the least of his worries. But Earnest decides that with nothing but time on his hands and a good severance cheque in his wallet, it's time to make changes. With the help of some other 'famous' names he sets out on a journey to make the name his own.

I loved Earnest's voice from the first few pages. I appreciated his dry, droll humour  and his laid back view of life. Although the license bureau incident was not so laid back - but quite funny. Fallis brings physical comedy to the page very well. Ernest is the everyman that you can't help but root for. He's just eminently likable. Just as warmly written are the band of other famous name folks populating the book - Mahatma Gandhi, Diana Ross, Jackie Kennedy, Clark Kent and more. They're an eclectic, amiable bunch, also guaranteed to endear themselves to the reader.

And don't forget about the family factory. Fallis's second storyline and set of characters, including Hem's sister, father and the requisite 'bad guy' is just as entertaining.

No Relation was a wonderfully fun read - definitely humorous, but also with a touching side. And this reader will be picking up Fallis's backlist. Read an excerpt of No Relation.

You can follow Terry Fallis on Twitter and on Facebook.

Peter Pan Must Die - John Verdon

John Verdon has just released Peter Pan Must Die, the fourth book in his Dave Gurney series. I've been a fan from Verdon's first release, Think of a Number.

Dave Gurney is a retired NYPD homicide detective, who had one of the highest clear rates in the department. Now, he and his wife Madeleine have moved to the country. Madeleine has embraced the change, but Dave can't seem to let his past life go.  He's been approached over the past few years to help solve the unsolvable. He can't seem to say no, despite the danger that pursuing answers brings to his doorstep.

Jack Hardwick (another recurring character) has left law enforcement to hang out his shingle as a private detective. His fledgling case is that of a woman already convicted of murdering her husband. He's been hired to re investigate the case - and he wants Dave's help. Dave agrees to have a look, but doesn't commit until...

"It was little more that the clicking together of the first two pieces of a five-hundred-piece puzzle, but it felt good. A click was a click. And the first click had a special power."

Sometimes a crime series has characters or plot as its strength. In Verdon's case, its both. Dave Gurney is a wonderful character. His puzzle solving skills, his reasoning and his careful, analytical mind make solving case along side of him great reading. It is intriguing to follow along with his thought processes as he links together seemingly disparate incidents and clues. But this character is not one dimensional. Instead Verdon also explores Gurney's psyche and the reasons he constantly puts himself in danger. This drive for answers also exposes his loved ones to danger, especially Madeleine. I've come to appreciate Dave as a person more over the course of the last three books. But, I have to say that I really, really enjoy Madeleine. Her view of life, her intelligence, her joy in everything she she sees and does makes her my favourite. The relationship between her and Dave has been explored further with every entry in this series and is as much of interest to this reader as the cases. As Dave says:

" Our minds work differently. I get into something and just sort of stay in it. Madeleine has a way of changing her focus, of paying total attention to whatever's in front of her - adapting to the moment. She's always present, if you know what I mean."

Verdon does a spectacular job with his plotting. Where you think the story will go is turned around several times over the course of the book. A few plot devices seemed a bit far fetched, but didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.

I quite enjoy this series and will be watching for number five. You could read any of the books as a stand alone, but I bet you'll be hunting down the other three!

Read an excerpt of Peter Pan Must Die. You can find John Verdon on Facebook.

The Son - Jo Nesbo

I've read every book Jo Nesbo has written - I'm a big fan of his writing and his recurring character Harry Hole. When I heard he had a new book coming out I was just itching to get my hands on it. It's not a 'Harry' book, but is a stand alone title. And you'll want to get your hands on a copy of The Son.

Sonny is a junkie. He's made his home at the Oslo prison for many years. And he's fed a constant supply of heroin by his jailers. You see, Sonny keeps taking the rap for crimes he hasn't really committed. The reward for Sonny is that constant supply of drugs. The reward for those hanging crimes on Sonny is priceless - they've got a scapegoat for sale. Sonny's life went off the rails as a young man when his father committed suicide and was exposed as a dirty cop.

Sonny has a calm, preternatural air about him and he doesn't say too much. Cons have used him as a confessor for years. But one day, an old man's confession reveals that what Sonny thought about his father could all be lies. It's enough to wake Sonny up and he plans a daring escape. The other person who might know the truth is Inspector Simon Kefas, his father's best friend. And Kefas is the one hunting him down.

Jo Nesbo's plotting is simply phenomenal. It's intricate, multi-layered and just when I thought I had things all figured out, he blindsides the reader in the last few chapters. I love being unable to predict the outcome, the plot, the direction the story will take or what the characters will do. Nesbo achieves this every time. It's what makes his books so good.

Well, that and the characters. Sonny was an interesting protagonist - good and bad inextricably bound together in an almost Christ-like countenance. Despite his actions, I wanted him to prevail. Kefas was also an intriguing character study. He's made mistakes in his younger years and has made atoning for those lapses his goal in life. Again, a study in light and dark. As are most of the supporting characters as well - from the junkie under the bridge to the young boy spying on his neighbourhood, other residents of the treatment centre and more. Each is given a voice, allowing the reader to see the story form multiple viewpoints.

Nesbo's descriptions of place conjure up vivid pictures of the settings. As with most of Nesbo's books, social commentary on the state of politics, corruptions, crime and the social welfare of Norway is woven into the plot.

The Son is addicting, adrenalin fueled read that you won't be able to put down. For those who haven't read Jo Nesbo yet,(!)  this would be a fabulous introduction to this talented author. Absolutely, positively recommended. Read an excerpt of The Son.

(And Charlotte Barslund's translation was just excellent)

Keep Your Friends Close - Paula Daly

I devoured Paula Daly's debut novel, Just What Kind of Mother Are You? last year.  It was 2013's first summer hammock read for me - the done in a day, read in the sun ones. (My review)

When I saw Daly had a new book out, I jumped at the chance to read Keep Your Friends Close. Well, the warm weather is taking its time getting here, but Keep Your Friends Close was another done in a day book.

Natty and Sean married young, but have built a good life for themselves and their daughters Alice and Felicity. Life is busy and their business is thriving, so they don't always have the luxury of quality time together. But they love each other and their relationship is solid.

Or so Natty thought. Natty's old friend Eve unexpectedly appears on their doorstep for a visit one day. The day before Natty has to rush to France as Felicity has fallen ill on a school trip. And best friend Eve offers to stay with Sean and Alice at the house to help. When Natty returns home to England, she finds that Eve has helped alright. Apparently she and Sean have fallen in love. Eve has taken her husband, her home and her life. Natty is stunned and has no idea what to do next. Until she gets an anonymous note....."Eve has done this before, more than once. Don’t let her take what’s yours."

Oh, what a deliciously devious read this was! We know what a conniving so-and-so Eve is as Daly gives us chilling glimpses into her thoughts. We can only helplessly watch as Natty's life falls apart, piece by piece. Every act that Eve perpetrates can be explained away, leaving Natty looking like the crazy one. If it was a movie I'd be shouting at the screen. With a book, it's so very tempting to just peek ahead a few chapters....just to see. I managed to restrain myself - barely.

Detective Constable Joanne Aspinall and her aunt Mad Jackie (my favourite - I love her no nonsense attitude) from Daly's first book return. I'm quite taken with both and hope that they appear in future novels. It's impossible not to root for Natty and hope that Eve gets her just desserts. (although I'm not too sure I myself would want Sean back.)

 Daly has concocted a twisting, turning psychological thriller that will have you up till the wee hours. (And tucks in a nice little gotcha in the final pages of the book as well) I love this kind of thriller - an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances. What will they do? What would you do?

Absolutely put Keep Your Friends Close on your summer reading thrills list! Read an excerpt of Keep Your Friends Close. You can keep up with Paula Daly on Twitter. I'll be waiting for Daly's third book - The Day Before You Came.

The Divorce Papers - Susan Rieger

The Divorce Papers is Susan Rieger's debut novel.

I quite liked the cover (it seemed to promise a fun read) and was excited about the epistolary style Rieger chose for her novel. I really like this format - it makes the reader feel like they are much more involved with the story, almost as if you're reading the documents, letters and notes at your own desk. This style also makes it easy to see the story from many viewpoints, with having to depend on one narrator.

Sophie Diehl is a criminal lawyer at a firm in New England. When the partners who would normally handle a divorce for a wealthy client's daughter are unavailable, Sophie is asked to conduct the intial interview with Mia. Just the one. Until Mia decides that Sophie is the only lawyer she wants.

Through the aforementioned notes, letters, documents etc., we come to know Sophie and her life very intimately - her best friend, her lover, her own family, and her boss and peers at the law firm. I was truly drawn to Sophie - she was wonderfully engaging and I became invested in her story. I also liked Mia - her missives are a little more heated. Who I did feel sorry for was Jane, the eleven year old daughter of the divorcing couple - it was heartbreaking to read the letters she pens. The rivalry amongst the lawyers was amusing as well. Rieger has done a great job with the personal correspondence.

Rieger is a lawyer, so she's writing what she knows. But for this reader, I became bogged down in some of the 'lawyerese'. Initially I read every document, but soon start glossing over case law excerpts and financial charts. It was too much information that seemed like an actual case. I was more interested in the people, and not so much with the dollar values and legal jargon. Rieger has set her book in 1999. I wonder if that's the time frame she's most familiar with legally? I think the book would be more relevant if it was set in present day.

Rieger is a talented writer and I enjoyed The Divorce Papers and this format, but not quite as much as I was hoping to. Read an excerpt of The Divorce Papers.

The Bear - Claire Cameron

I love to read. And I read a lot. I only choose books I know I'm going to enjoy. But every so often, there's that book that goes beyond that enjoyment feeling - one that absolutely grabs you, has you tingling with anticipation knowing there's an amazing story just waiting within the pages, one that you can't wait to tell others about.

Well, I'm telling you - The Bear by Claire Cameron is one of those books. I literally could not put it down. Twenty pages in, I just knew I wasn't going to bed early that night.

In October of 1991, a pair of campers was attacked by a bear in Algonquin Park, Canada. "There is no clear reason for what happened other than a hungry bear decided to take a chance on a new source of food." Author Cameron was a counsellor at a summer camp at Algonquin that year as well. "The Bear is based on my memories of and research into this bear attack. I added the kids."

Yes, kids. The Bear is told through the eyes and voice of five year old Anna. She and her two year old brother Stick, are the survivors of an attack that kills their parents - and leaves them alone in the vast wilderness that is Algonquin.

As adults, we know what is happening and what they should do, but Anna is only five and has limited skills, knowledge and experience to draw on. It is frightening and heartbreaking to imagine this truly happening - the confusion, the questions, the fear and the loss. Cameron does a truly fantastic job of bringing this to the page with Anna's voice. Through her memories, thoughts and senses (smell and touch are very important to Anna) we come to know the children, the family's life, the parents and their love for Anna and Stick. Anna draws on her memories time and time again as she struggles with what to do.

The Bear is told in a 'stream-of-consciousness', non-linear format that was highly effective and heightened the tension.

Emotional, unsettling, gripping and gut-wrenchingly good.  Highly, highly recommended. Read an excerpt of The Bear.

"Claire Cameron grew up in Toronto and studied at Queen's University. She led canoe trips in Algonquin Park and worked as an instructor for Outward Bound, teaching mountaineering, climbing and white-water rafting in Oregon. She lived San Francisco and London, UK, until moving back to Toronto, where she now lives with her husband and two sons. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, National Post and The Millions. Her first novel, The Line Painter, won the Northern Lit Award from the Ontario Library Service and was nominated for an Arthur Ellis Crime Writing Award for best first novel. Visit the author at http://www.claire-cameron.com/

You can find Claire Cameron on Facebook and on Twitter.