October Reading Roundup
Did you read any good books in October? I had a decent reading month, starting with a dud but progressing to some fascinating reads, including one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Here’s a rundown. The…
Eye by Marianne Micros: Greek Mythology With a Contemporary Twist
As a long-time English professor at the University of Guelph, Marianne Micros taught folktales among other things, and this influence is clear in her short story collection Eye, recently published by Guernica Editions. Also evident is the influence of her Greek…
September Reading Roundup
Last month, I started a series of monthly reading roundups. This month, to my astonishment, I am continuing it for the second straight month. So here’s a quick summary of the books I read in September. Life Begins on Friday by…
August Reading Roundup
When I first started this blog (over ten years ago now!), I intended to review every book I read. Even by September 2008, I was already talking about that intention in the past tense, and by now I have to…
A Shocking Memoir From a Stolen Generation
I learnt about Of Ashes and Rivers That Run to the Sea from Emma’s excellent review on Book Around the Corner. It’s a very moving memoir by a woman, Marie Munkara, who was taken from her Aboriginal family in northern Australia…
50 Years of the Man Booker Prize
To celebrate 50 years of the Man Booker Prize, Shiny New Books is reviewing the winners by decade. Read my review of Last Orders by Graham Swift.
Happiness by Aminatta Forna: Review
Although in her previous novels Aminatta Forna has grappled with wars and atrocities in Sierra Leone and the former Yugoslavia, her latest novel, titled Happiness and set in the heart of London, may be her most challenging undertaking yet.
Review of Border by Kapka Kassabova
Have you ever read a book that seemed to contain all the right ingredients but somehow failed to live up to your expectations? That's how I felt after reading Border by Kapka Kassabova.
Review: Electric Arches by Eve L. Ewing
"This book is about my life and maybe also your life. And it is about the places we invent. Every story in it is absolutely true."