Canadian Boyfriend - Jenny Holiday

The cover for Jenny Holiday's new book, Canadian Boyfriend, promised a fun rom-com read. And it does indeed deliver that, but there was much more to Canadian Boyfriend than I had expected. 

Aurora Evans met Canadian hockey player Mike Martin many years ago, when she was a sixteen year old student. She built that meeting into a fake, long distance boyfriend. I'll let you discover the 'why'. Imagine what happens when she runs into him again - thirteen years later!

 

Holiday gives the reader a wonderful yes, no, maybe so story line that had me hooked. I thought that the journey to the final pages would be smooth sailing. But, at a point, I realized that wasn't going to happen. Holiday tackles some bigger themes with Aurora and Mike. Love, life, grief friendships, dysfunction families, loss, mental health and many more. This added so much to the book. And all the above was thoughtfully written.

The narrative is seen and recounted through both Aurora and Mike's point of view. We as readers are privy to what each is thinking. (And yes, I did indeed talk out loud to offer my opinions and what needed to happen next!)

I quite liked the two lead characters. And the supporting crew was just as well drawn. The dialogue is quick and clever, but also thoughtful and honest.

I really enjoyed Canadian Boyfriend! See for  yourself - read an excerpt of Canadian Boyfriend.

Class - Stephanie Land

Star studded tell-alls are of no interest to me. Instead I find myself invariably drawn to memoirs of everyday people. The struggles and the triumphs - and real life.

Stephanie Land's first book, Maid, was a runaway bestseller. I thought it was a fabulous read. I was eager to listen to Land's new book - Class.

Land's desire to be a writer and the love she has for her daughter were the driving forces in pursuing that goal. Class brings us the next chapter - life while raising a young child, working as a cleaner, attending a four year college, homework, hunger, childcare and more. All from the under the poverty line.

Land's determination is so inspiring. She gets knocked down but keeps getting up. Trying to find her way through the byzantine agencies that seem to contradict each other. Facing judgment at school, at work and in society. Being judged as a mother and a woman by those who have no idea what she's struggling with. Now, that's not everyone, but there are enough.

I like the honesty of Land's work and not making it all 'pretty'. I don't think memoirs can be rated or judged. Each of us has their own way of doing things, achieving goals and living. I appreciate Stephanie Land's sharing of her journey. So far. I wonder if there will be another chapter? I hope so! Definitely recommended. 

I listened to Class. What a treat it is to listen to an author read their work. Even more so when the book is a memoir. All the emotions, reactions, thoughts, situations etc. were lived by Land. The listener can feel and appreciate that intimacy as she reads. She speaks clearly and odd as it sounds - for me, her voice matched her image.  I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I often find I often feel much more immersed in a book when I listen. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of Class. 

A Tidy Ending - Joanna Cannon

Oh my gosh! Why I haven't heard of Joanna Cannon before! Her latest book, A Tidy Ending, is fabulous. (And I'll be looking up her backlist)

Linda lives a small life. But she wonders if there could be more to see, do and experience instead of a routine of cooking, cleaning and heading down to the pub on Friday nights with her husband Terry. When some catalogues addressed to the previous owner of their house, Linda devours them. And wonders if she could find this Rebecca and become her friend. Oh, and there's a murderer in their village....

A Tidy Ending is told in a stream of consciousness from Linda's point of view. Linda is a complex character that that had me delightfully flummoxed! I'd be listening away and then 'hello!' There are a number of statements that Linda makes that had me continuously changing what I thought and believed about her. There's also an event in her past that is referenced but not explained fully until later on.

Cannon is a clever, clever writer - her plotting is deviously delicious. But there are some poignant moments as well. All we all need is a friend - right? 

I chose to listen to A Tidy Ending and for me, this was the perfect way to experience and appreciate this wonderful book. The reader was Lissa Berry and she gave a fabulous performance. She has a wonderfully smoky, gravelly tone to her voice that conjured up a clear mental image of Linda for me. Her voice is clear and easy on the ear. She enunciates well and her timing is just right. She brings both plot and character to life with her emphasizing, rise and fall and tone of speaking. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of A Tidy Ending. 

A Tidy Ending is a clever title as well, but I'll leave it to you to find out why.

The Law of Innocence - Michael Connelly

I couldn't wait to read Michael Connelly's newest book - The Law of Innocence. It's a fantastic read (as I knew it would be) and one I finished far too quickly.

The Law of Innocence is the latest in the 'Lincoln Lawyer' series. Mickey Haller is headed home one night after celebrating his latest 'not guilty'. He's stone cold sober when he's pulled over, but cooperates - to a point. Then the cop pops the trunk - and discovers the body inside. Haller is innocent of course, but just like that, he's the one in jail and headed to trial. Mickey elects to represent himself - with some help from his regular team - and some additions. Fans of Connolly will be happy to see Harry Bosch as well. (Another fantastic series!)

And the title? "The law of innocence is unwritten. It will not be found in a leather bound codebook. It will never be argued in a courtroom....In the law of innocence, for every man not guilty of a crime, there is a man out there who is. And the prove true innocence, the guilty man must be found and exposed to the world." That's what Haller wants for himself. They've got to figure out who the real killer is.

Connelly is simply brilliant at plotting. The reader is along for the ride as Haller and team try to piece together the 'why' of the body in his trunk. They are hampered not just by Mickey being locked up, but also by the prosecutor, who is determined to make her mark by taking down the famed 'Lincoln Lawyer.' The courtroom and the machinations of a trial are eye opening. I was fascinated by the behind the scenes look.

I love the characters in this series as well. Mickey is such a strong personality and force of nature. But Connelly also gives him a human side, often shown through his daughter. Faithful readers will be surprised by some of the turns Haller's personal life takes.  The reappearance of a past player is very welcome. I look forward to the next book to see where things go. And being in jail gives Mickey a look at the other side of the bars...

The dialogue is so sharp and focused. The prose flow so easily and make for truly addictive reading. Connelly's background and skill are a big part of why his crime and legal thrillers ring so true. 

Who, or should I say what, also makes an appearance? Yup, Covid 19. And I loved the brief political opinion one character voices.

So very, very good on so many levels! See for yourself - here's an excerpt of The Law of Innocence.

Goodnight Beautiful - Aimee Molloy

Oh, if you love a good twisty read, you're going to want to pick up Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy!

Sam and his wife Annie move back to the small town Sam is from. He sets up his counselling practice on the main floor of a beautiful old home. The landlord lives above. And there's a vent that allows sound to travel......

There's more, but I am in no way going to spoil this read for you! Molloy is a master of misdirection. I was caught up in the book immediately and rapidly flipped pages until I reached the end of part one. And I then stopped - had I read that right? Everything I thought about one aspect was wrong. So, I flipped back to the beginning, looked again and mentally applauded Molloy. Psychological suspense is one of my favorite genres and I truly appreciate being caught off guard. So, back to the next part - and it happened again! Yes! I had assumed the twist had already happened and was unprepared for another one. 

Goodnight Beautiful is such a great page turner. Well written. I loved the dark humor and nod to a famous author. But most of all, being fooled. Bravo! Here's an excerpt of Goodnight Beautiful. 

Nomadland - Jessica Bruder

I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder was a five star read for me.

Bruder spent three years following, interviewing and documenting a group of nomads. But the nomads aren't probably what you would initially think. This group of low-cost labourers is primarily made of an older population. They live and travel from job to job in their RV's, campers, vans or cars. The nomads are those who have lost their bricks and mortar homes, those who can't live on their social security checks, those who have no choice but to keep on working past any retirement date, and yes, those that choose this lifestyle. Working at physical, seasonal jobs at fulfillment warehouses, harvesting crops and staffing campgrounds. They're often referred to as 'workampers'.

Bruder introduces us to many of the people that make up this community. And I do mean community. There are regular meet-ups, connections and on-line communications. We are privy to the details, struggles, concerns, joys, friendships, resilience and day to day lives of a few workampers over the course of three years. A woman named Linda May is the 'lead' if you will - the book follows her closely.  Bruder herself goes on the road and manages to get hired on at many of the same jobs. The difference being that Bruder still has a bricks and mortar home to go to.

For some of the nomads, it's a lifestyle choice, but for most, its necessity. There are workers in their eighties. The workampers are made up of those from wide and varying backgrounds. Don't make assumptions until you read this book.

Nomadland is an absolutely eye-opening, fascinating read. But at the same time, its difficult and unsettling. I was quite stunned by how large this workforce is, the demand for these older workers, how they are used and the subculture. This is a group living unseen, right underneath society's nose if you will.

 Nomadland is well written and well researched. Five stars. Read an excerpt of Nomadland.

If you enjoyed Nickeled and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich or Evicted by Matthew Desmond, you'll want to pick up Nomadland. (Workampers are not just found in the US. I found sites in Canada advertising for Workampers as well.)

Sleeping Beauties - Stephen King and Owen King

I'm a long time Stephen King fan, having read everything he's ever written. His sons, Owen King and Joe Hill are also talented writers. Sleeping Beauties is a joint effort between father and son Owen.

Sleeping Beauties is set in a small Appalachian town where the biggest employer is the women's prison. I love the weirdness that creeps into King's small towns. This one is no exception. As the women of the town start falling asleep, they become covered by white, gauzy tendrils. And once they're asleep and covered, well, they don't wake up. If the covering is torn away - let's just say it's not good for the men. There's one woman who has no trouble waking and sleeping with no ill effects. Who is the mysterious Evie? As more and more women fall asleep, the men begin to panic....are they ready for a world with no women?

On the one hand, Sleeping Beauties is a classic King horror tale. Taking something as innocuous as falling asleep and running with it. I love King's sideways view of the world and the pockets of unreality he imagines. But you could also look at the book with a different eye as well - in a social commentary sense if you will. Women's rights, the abuse of those rights, sexism, violence and more. There's also a snake in a tree and a woman called Evie.......'nuff said. There's a choice to be made by the women in the book. (Yep, including the sleepers)

I chose to listen to Sleeping Beauties. I've often said that listening to a book immerses me more fully in the story than reading. This was definitely the case for Sleeping Beauties. The performer (because she did more than narrate!) was Marin Ireland - and she was fantastic! She has a bold voice, easy to listen to and so very, very expressive. There are many characters in this novel and she created numerous voices, accents, tones and cadences to illustrate them. Her interpretation of the book was spot on.

How much of the book is Steven and how much is Owen? You know, it's not something I ever tried to discern. Instead, I happily popped in my earbuds for twenty five hours of what if...... and enjoyed every moment of it. Listen to an excerpt of Sleeping Beauties.

The Marsh King's Daughter - Karen Dionne

Karen's Dionne's newest novel, The Marsh King's Daughter has been getting so much press - I was eager to listen to it.

Helena was born to her sixteen year old mother and her mother's kidnapper, a survivalist known as The Marsh King. The three lived deep in the marsh, in a rustic cabin, hidden for twelve years. Helena did escape and is now a mother to two little girls. She has changed her name and hidden her history - not even her husband knows her background. But when she hears a news report about her father's escape from prison, she knows he is coming for her. He trained her in wilderness survival and she will now need all her skills to find him and......

There seems to be more and more of these real life abduction stories in the news, with movies and books following. And somehow it is hard not to want to know more. Dionne takes a real life situation and puts her own (great) spin on things.

The Marsh King's Daughter is told from Helena's viewpoint, both past and present. Because she has only her mother and father as references, her early views of the world and relationships are skewed. She adores her father, not realizing that their family unit is not normal. Her treatment of and attitude towards her mother is not pretty. We get to 'know' her father better through her adult memories. Those memories are triggered by the need for adult Helena to find and capture her father. Are her skills equal to his? Or better.....

Dionne has written an addictive thriller - I ended up listening to 'just one more chapter' long into the night. And the final few chapters made it impossible to stop listening. Readers will be firmly in Helena's camp, holding their breath as a cat and mouse game plays out - in both the past and the present.

Cut between chapters are excerpts from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale - The Marsh King's Daughter. The excerpts used often mirror what is currently happening in the book.

I was thinking as I was listening to The Marsh King's Daughter that it would make a great movie. Dionne just announced last week that screen rights have been sold.

Emily Rankin was the narrator for this audiobook. Her voice suited both young and adult Helen - innocence and later determination. She communicates the tension, danger and suspense of thise novel well. Her voice is easily understood and pleasant to listen to.  Listen to an excerpt of The Marsh King's Daughter. Or read an excerpt.