Review: Asking for a Friend

I’ve read all of Kerry Clare’s novels and I’m always blown away by how great her writing is and how she tells a story. What’s tough is when I don’t particularly like the story. Then I’m left wondering: is it me? Is the book? Is it the way the book was marketed? These were questions I asked myself when I was reading Asking for a Friend, Clare’s latest which was published in September.

Here’s the book’s description:

The bottom of Jess’s world is falling out. Cocooned in her dorm in the winter of 1998, she’s reeling, and wants to be left alone. But a chance encounter with the older, otherworldly, elusive Clara has Jess awestruck. Clara, newly returned from a two-year trek drifting around the world, is taking a stab at normalcy for once, and the place she starts is university, where she struggles to fit in. Upon meeting Jess, though, Clara feels an instant connection, and everything seems brighter. Soon, the two are inseparable, undeniable necessities in each other’s lives. But when tragedy strikes, they are unceremoniously torn apart, sent tumbling down different paths. And with each passing day, their unbreakable bond is tested more and more.
As they endure love and heartbreak, marriage, anxiety and isolation, and the complicated existence of motherhood, Jess and Clara must learn how to love each other through it all—and whether growing up inevitably means growing apart.
Spanning two decades, Asking for a Friend follows the tempestuous journey of female friendship, exploring whether its fundamentals—history, familiarity, loyalty—are enough to make the relationship everlasting.

It took me a realllllly long time to finish this book. September was a hard month for me and nothing held my interest. That could be part of why this book didn’t thrill me. Another part may have been friends of mine who read it were not fans and weren’t quiet about it. But maybe I just straight up didn’t enjoy the book because it wasn’t the right fit for me.

I do believe the marketing department of the publishing house can shoulder some of the blame for how this book has been received. Because I’m not the only one who expected this book to be…different. We were told we’d get a novel about friendship. And we did but…it was an incredibly toxic friendship. Was it sometimes accurate when it addressed how friendships evolve over twenty years? Absolutely. But if Jess and Clara’s relationship was a romantic one, you can bet everyone would have been saying they needed to break up because their relationship was not at all healthy. Plus, the cover seems so celebratory and I didn’t find a whole lot of celebrating going on in the story.

I think this wasn’t a book for me, personally, because of how much of the story seemed to focus on the journey towards motherhood and raising children. I am not a mother. I do not want to be a mother. I know there needs to be procreation to have a civilization but I honestly sometimes wonder why anyone would give up their freedom to have kids. So, I just wasn’t expecting how much of the story would revolve around pregnancies, miscarriages, infertility, more pregnancies, more miscarriages, births, raising children, and yet more pregnancies. Important topics for some but not what I, personally, want to be reading in my novels.

I really, really wanted to love Asking for a Friend. I think Kerry Clare is so talented but this novel fell so short for me and I’m really sad about that. I know we can’t love every book we read but not loving this book really hurts.

*A finished copy of this novel was provided by Penguin Canada as part of their Penguin Reads program in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Maid

I love when a book meets my high expectations. I had been looking forward to Nita Prose’s debut novel since the second it was announced. She’s an amazing editor and I was excited to see how she fared as an author. Fast forward several months and I finally had a copy of The Maid in my hands. I chose it as my first read of 2022 and, friends, it set the bar really high for all the books after it. I enjoyed it immensely!

Here’s the book’s description:

Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.
Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.
But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?

The mystery in this one kept me guessing the entire way through. The twists Prose weaves into the story were so good and I was constantly surprised and delighted. As delighted as one can be when reading a murder mystery, of course. This wasn’t a gruesome murder mystery – it was…well I hesitate to call it fun. I’ve seen it referred to as a Clue-like story and it kind of is (though not as madcap as the movie). It’s a well written puzzle. It just so happens that at the heart of the puzzle is a very dead man.

Molly was a gem of a main character. She struggles socially and it’s led a lot of my book blogging/bookstagram friends to talk about whether or not she’s on the Autism spectrum. It’s never explicitly stated and I wonder about that. Is it because she’s not and is just an awkward young woman? Or is it because Prose is not on the spectrum herself and she and her editors wanted to avoid any “own voices” debates? Is it that Molly was never tested and has no idea? Or is it just because labels shouldn’t matter? I think I was contemplating this more than necessary because Molly and her perception of the world played such a large part in how the crime was discovered and solved. Those who have read this one – I’d love to know your thoughts!

One of the things I liked about this mystery was that it didn’t descend into ridiculous amateur sleuth territory. Molly wasn’t going rogue and trying to solve the murder on her own (though there were some questionable decisions). She works with her lawyer and her friends to figure out the truth because the police weren’t listening to her. The lead detective clearly didn’t understand how to work with Molly and she was exasperated and didn’t try to understand how best to get to know how Molly’s brain worked. The comeuppance that the detective got was, perhaps, a bit heavy handed but it was a nice reminder to everyone to take a second to figure out why communication may be failing with someone and not assume that everyone’s brains work the same way.

The Maid was just the kind of mystery I have realized I love reading and I’m so thrilled with Nita Prose’s debut novel. The book has already been optioned for a movie and I’m really looking forward to seeing it on screen. I think it’ll be so enjoyable. I can’t wait to read what Prose writes next!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: A Lethal Lesson

I love finding new (or new to me) Canadian authors. At some point in the last year or so, blogger and author Kerry Clare had been talking raving about Iona Whishaw, the author of the Lane Winslow mysteries. I filed that knowledge away as I thought a Canadian mystery series might be just what my pandemic reading brain needed. Fast forward to the publisher's announcement that book eight, A Lethal Lesson, would be published in late April, and after a bit of back and forth on Instagram, I had a copy of the first novel, A Killer in King's Cove, and an egalley of the newest to enjoy. And enjoy I did!  

Here's the book's description:

Back home in the Kootenays after her Arizona honeymoon, Lane offers her assistance when neither the outgoing teacher, Rose, nor her replacement, Wendy, show up at the local schoolhouse one blizzardy Monday in December. But when she finds the teachers’ cottage ransacked with Rose unconscious and bleeding, and Wendy missing, Lane delivers Rose to the hospital in Nelson and turns the case over to her exasperated husband, Inspector Darling, and his capable colleagues, Sergeant Ames and Constable Terrell.
Never one to leave a post unmanned, Lane enlists as substitute teacher for the final two weeks before the Christmas holidays, during which time she discovers a threatening note in the teachers’ desk and a revolver in the supply cupboard. But these clues only convolute the case further. Who has been tormenting these women, and where has Wendy gone?
Meanwhile, Darling finds the body of a hit-and-run victim in a snowbank miles outside of Nelson, the residents of King’s Cove are preoccupied by the possibility of a new neighbour, and Sergeant Ames is as confused as ever by the inimitable Tina Van Eyck.

Each story could, technically, be read as a standalone but part of the series' charm is the small community of King's Cove and the various characters found within. I made sure to browse the descriptions of each book since the first to get an idea of what was happening with the characters so I knew Lane and Darling had figured out they had feelings for each other (feelings that are barely hinted at in the first book but the tension is there) and had gotten hitched. I cannot wait to go back and read the rest of the stories to catch up on all of the King's Cove residents and see what I've missed. It will give me something to look forward to as I wait for the ninth installment!

I love that this is a historical mystery. It's a subgenre that I didn't know I needed! It takes place not long after the end of World War II, which we all know is a time period I love. The majority of the characters in the novel didn't face any action, given many of them are older and they're all in middle of nowhere British Columbia, not Europe, but Lane did. I'm still not sure how much because it was only just discovered in the first book, but I know she was very involved in something. I also really like that the stories give me a glimpse into small town Canadian life at that time, which isn't something I've encountered too much in the past.

I really had no idea how the mystery would be solved. I was just as confused as the police officers and Lane and I couldn't tell what kind of connection the many incidents had to each other, if any. The story has flashbacks from various characters that provide more background to their history. It sounds like it could be confusing but it works because it allows the reader to get a better understanding of their motivations in the present. I also like that the novel starts with one of the incidents and the rest of the story is spent trying to figure out the why and the who. 

A Lethal Lesson was exactly the read I needed earlier this month and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Iona Whishaw has delivered another great installment to her Lane Winslow series that will keep readers guessing and entertained. The mystery is intriguing and the history is interesting. I can't wait for the next book.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Touchwood Editions, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Forgotten Daughter

Do you ever hold off reading a book because you're not sure if you're going to love it as much as you think you will? I had that a little bit with Joanna Goodman's The Forgotten Daughter. I was really looking forward to it's release last fall because I really enjoyed the story she started in The Home for Unwanted Girls. While the sequel didn't quite live up to my expectations, I still enjoyed the read and the history lesson Goodman shared.

Here's the book's description:

Divided by their past, united by love.
1992: French-Canadian factions renew Quebec’s fight to gain independence, and wild, beautiful Véronique Fortin, daughter of a radical separatist convicted of kidnapping and murdering a prominent politician in 1970, has embraced her father’s cause. So it is a surprise when she falls for James Phénix, a journalist of French-Canadian heritage who opposes Quebec separatism. Their love affair is as passionate as it is turbulent, as they negotiate a constant struggle between love and morals.
At the same time, James’s older sister, Elodie Phénix, one of the Duplessis Orphans, becomes involved with a coalition demanding justice and reparations for their suffering in the 1950s when Quebec’s orphanages were converted to mental hospitals, a heinous political act of Premier Maurice Duplessis which affected 5,000 children.
Véronique is the only person Elodie can rely on as she fights for retribution, reliving her trauma, while Elodie becomes a sisterly presence for Véronique, who continues to struggle with her family’s legacy.

I absolutely loved that this story reminded me of Quebec's recent history. I was too young in the '90s to fully understand what was happening with the referendum in 1995. I know I would have learned about it when I got a bit older but the why of it wouldn't have been explored like it was in this book. The novel also gave some closure to the Duplessis Orphans, who we learned about in the first book. There was a lot of important events for the characters that were overlapping which was interesting from a historical perspective.

That overlapping didn't quite work from a story standpoint for me. It felt like two separate stories were trying to be mushed together in one plot because it seemed convenient. James and Véronique were bringing those two stories together but them being together romantically never made sense for me and it all seemed forced. I enjoyed each character and their story separately but once they came together in various ways, that's when I started to lose the threads a bit.

I've read a few historical fiction novels lately that have a journalist for a main character. My partner is a reporter for the local newspaper and to see that (very important) profession explored in a historical context is always interesting to me. I especially liked that James was a French Canadian who was working for an English Canadian newspaper and the extra level of tension that it added to the story was well done.

Even though I had a review copy from the publisher, I ended up listening to most of this one on audiobook from my library. I think that was a really great idea as the narrator, Esther Thibault, uses a Quebecois accent when speaking dialogue and I felt it added a lot to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I think I would still recommend Joanna Goodman's novel The Forgotten Daughter but note that readers should pick up The Home for Unwanted Girls first and/or have a very heavy interest in Canadian politics. The stories Goodman told were good ones but the execution of those stories were a miss for me.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Letters Across the Sea

For a relatively young country, Canada has a rich history. And one that is full of events and people that are hardly talked about. Genevieve Graham is exposing these little known moments one novel at a time. She has a gift for taking a point in time and creating an incredibly compelling tale that will allow readers to get lost in a story while learning about our country's history. Letters Across the Sea was an eyeopening read full of characters I fell in love with.

Here's the book's description:

If you’re reading this letter, that means I’m dead. I had obviously hoped to see you again, to explain in person, but fate had other plans.
1933
At eighteen years old, Molly Ryan dreams of becoming a journalist, but instead she spends her days working any job she can to help her family through the Depression crippling her city. The one bright spot in her life is watching baseball with her best friend, Hannah Dreyfus, and sneaking glances at Hannah’s handsome older brother, Max.
But as the summer unfolds, more and more of Hitler’s hateful ideas cross the sea and “Swastika Clubs” and “No Jews Allowed” signs spring up around Toronto, a city already simmering with mass unemployment, protests, and unrest. When tensions between the Irish and Jewish communities erupt in a riot one smouldering day in August, Molly and Max are caught in the middle, with devastating consequences for both their families.
1939
Six years later, the Depression has eased and Molly is a reporter at her local paper. But a new war is on the horizon, putting everyone she cares about most in peril. As letters trickle in from overseas, Molly is forced to confront what happened all those years ago, but is it too late to make things right?

The research a historical fiction author has to embark on is incredibly interesting to me (are you surprised? I adore the genre and spent the last year working for a community museum. I like me some history.). I've heard a number of authors say they started with one idea and, through their research, was able to bring in something completely different that enriched the final story. As Graham explains in the author's note, she originally wanted to focus on the Christie Pits Riot and then have Max sent to fight in Dieppe. She changed her mind when she learned about the Canadian soldiers who fought in Hong Kong. I don't know about you, but I knew nothing about those battles and I'm really glad people like Graham and others are working to make sure those men are not forgotten.

It was particularly poignant to read about the riot and unrest as we're still reading about racist behaviour and hate crimes occurring in Toronto and elsewhere. I couldn't help but see the parallels between what was happening in 1933 and what's happening now - almost ninety years later. We think we've come so far but some white people are acting just as irrationally now as they did then. The Jewish people are as to blame for WWII as those of Asian descent are for COVID-19. As in, they're absolutely not to blame. I hadn't known much, if anything, about the Christie Pits Riot and I worried for everyone while also being sickened that so much violence was erupting because someone decided their beliefs were better than someone else's. 

I liked that Molly was interested in journalism and was eventually able to work at a newspaper. Being a reporter is a really important job (I should know - I live with one) and there are so many out there who are doing their damnedest to make sure the truth is being reported. Yes, some media outlets report with a clear bias (as Graham discusses really well in her novel - the discussion about how the Jewish papers were talking about what was happening to their people in Germany well before other papers were was sobering) but far too often I hear every news outlet from every medium get tarred with the same brush. Hearing that it's "the media's" fault for, well, it seems like everything sometimes. You have to think critically, read past the headline, and take in the whole story to get the full picture. That full picture will tell the truth. And, yes, you should be paying for your news. Subscribe to your local paper. Support journalism. Know the difference between an opinion piece and a news article. I don't want to know a world where everything we hear about is determined by corporations and their ad dollars instead of reporters hard at work, chasing the real and important stories.

Well. That got a bit soapbox-y and off track. Back to the book!

As I've established, Graham is a master at writing about Canada's history in a way that engages, interests, and educates the reader. She is also so, so good at writing characters that seem so real that it's a surprise when they don't leap off the page or when you remember you're reading a book, not talking to a real person. Both Molly and Max had chapters told from their points of view (Molly was first person and Max was third...I'm not totally sure why there was a distinction and sometimes it was a bit jarring to change perspectives like that) so you were able to really feel what they were each feeling during the story. How each family was reacting to the possibility of Max and Molly having feelings for each other. How the riots affected them all. How they dealt with the many, many horrors of war. Through the eyes of these wonderful characters, we learn what it was like for women and families left behind in Canada during the war and how men fighting a battle they never should have had to fight were captured and, ultimately, forgotten about. 

Letters Across the Sea is another winner from Genevieve Graham. Her latest novel will educate you on our country's past and make you take a hard look at what else you can be doing in our present to protect our future. You'll grieve for characters and you'll feel hopeful about the changes that are to come. Read this book and read the author's note at the end. Educate yourself even further than Graham's (most excellent) novel. And, above all, enjoy this wonderful story.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. A physical ARC was also provided by the author herself. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Lucky

Putting a new Marissa Stapley novel in my hands is a surefire way to bring a smile to my face. Her latest is Lucky and was just released this week. It is a well-written and compelling read that you won't want to put down. I loved it.

Here's the book's description:

What if you had the winning ticket that would change your life forever, but you couldn’t cash it in?
Lucky Armstrong is a tough, talented grifter who has just pulled off a million-dollar heist with her boyfriend, Cary. She’s ready to start a brand-new life, with a new identity—when things go sideways. Lucky finds herself alone for the first time, navigating the world without the help of either her father or her boyfriend, the two figures from whom she’s learned the art of the scam.
When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means the police will arrest her for her crimes. She’ll go to prison, with no chance to redeem her fortune.
As Lucky tries to avoid arrest and make a future for herself, she must confront her past by reconciling with her father; finding her mother, who abandoned her when she just a baby; and coming to terms with the man she thought she loved—whose complicated past is catching up to her, too.
This is a novel about truth, personal redemption, and the complexity of being good. It introduces a singularly gifted, complicated character who must learn what it means to be independent and honest…before her luck runs out.

It's no secret that I love Marissa Stapley. She's a great human and a stellar author. I love how the plots of all her novels are quite different but there's always a well-written story that almost always has a strong family element and smart women at the forefront. With Lucky, there are a number of strong women in the background as well. None of them have an unblemished background (not even the nun) and they all (barring one who's just downright evil) seem to be trying to make up for past mistakes. Reading the story makes you wonder if things really can ever be black or white or if everyone's actions are coloured with shades of grey.

The story is told mostly from "present" day, which takes place in 2008 (it makes sense - I don't think there would be a way for the story to work in 2021, not with better surveillance and tracking) with flashbacks to Lucky's past as she grew up with a grifter father who taught her everything she knows. You can't help but wonder what Lucky's life would have been like if she had had a different family. You learn she's wicked smart, which makes her a very good grifter, but what if she'd been able to apply those smarts to a different profession? I definitely wished I could change things for her and give her a better story (but then we wouldn't have this fictional story that I was getting so invested in, now would we?). 

I don't think I've ever read a story like this before. Which is silly since it reminded me a bit of the Ocean's movies which I LOVE so why am I not seeking out novels that feature con men or women with morals? What Lucky had been doing was, yes, illegal. You could argue that that's what she was taught to do growing up. She didn't have an average upbringing and her role model was a con artist. What's a girl to do? You can't help but root for her, though, even though you know she's done some questionable things in her past. You want redemption for her but the worry comes in when you don't know what that will look like - or if it will even be possible.

I love the look of this cover, with the lovely colours and all but...I have issues with it. Namely, it's too light and fluffy for a story that's full of grit and danger. The main character is on the run and fears for her life. Is a sunset coloured cover with a young woman on it really the best way to sell the story? Would this be the cover if someone named Max Stapley wrote the story instead of Marissa? I think not. Covers should match the story, not the name going on the front of it. 

You're going to want to read Lucky. Buy a copy, clear your schedule, and dive into Marissa Stapley's stunning new novel. It will grip you with an expertly woven story with a main character you'll fall in love with. Read it, love it, tell all your friends!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Hana Khan Carries On

It should come as no surprise that I was incredibly excited for Uzma Jalaluddin's sophomore novel, Hana Khan Carries On. I absolutely adored her debut, Ayesha at Last. Her second novel was as entertaining and engaging as her first (if not more so) and I fell head over heels in love with it.

Here's the synopsis:

Sales are slow at Three Sisters Biryani Poutine, the only halal restaurant in the close-knit Golden Crescent neighbourhood. Hana waitresses there part time, but what she really wants is to tell stories on the radio. If she can just outshine her fellow intern at the city radio station, she may have a chance at landing a job. In the meantime, Hana pours her thoughts and dreams into a podcast, where she forms a lively relationship with one of her listeners. But soon she’ll need all the support she can get: a new competing restaurant, a more upscale halal place, is about to open in the Golden Crescent, threatening Three Sisters.
When her mysterious aunt and her teenage cousin arrive from India for a surprise visit, they draw Hana into a long-buried family secret. A hate-motivated attack on their neighbourhood complicates the situation further, as does Hana’s growing attraction for Aydin, the young owner of the rival restaurant—who might not be a complete stranger after all.
As life on the Golden Crescent unravels, Hana must learn to use her voice, draw on the strength of her community and decide what her future should be.

Just as Ayesha at Last put a Muslim spin on Pride and Prejudice, Jalaluddin took another beloved romance story as inspiration: Hana Khan Carries On pays homage to You've Got Mail, one of my (and many, many others) favourite rom com movies. When I first heard that, I was even more excited to read this novel. The story is not an exact remake of the famous Nora Ephron movie. Jalaluddin has taken the movie's plot and created a novel that is both familiar and wholly unique - which I absolutely adored. Because of the comparison, I had an idea of how the romance in the novel would play out but that's OK. If you're a You've Got Mail fan too, rest assured you will be left with the same fuzzy feelings when you finish this novel as you have when you rewatch the movie. It's that good.

I appreciated that the story was told just from Hana's perspective (though sometimes I wish I could have gotten Aydin-as-Tom-Hanks type scenes) as I think I find I like rom coms more when it's just from the one character's perspective. Aydin was important to the story and I liked him (and disliked him) right alongside Hana. But I didn't need his POV. I was happy Jalaluddin focused on Hana and her career and relationships with her family. Those elements of the story were so strong and made the novel so much richer and better than it would have been had there been a trade off of perspectives.

Canadian readers will appreciate that this novel is set firmly in Canada. More specifically, Toronto. Even more specifically, Scarborough. I'm not far from Toronto (I can wave to the skyline from the other side of Lake Ontario) but I don't venture there often. I was delighted, however, when Hana, Aydin, and her cousin, Rashid (oh what a delight he was) went downtown for some sightseeing and to catch a Blue Jays game. I'd like to know exactly where they were sitting in the dome though as Hana said she was comfortable and I would never call those blue plastic seats comfortable (then again, I'm 10" taller than Hana so that could have something to do with it). I digress. I also delighted in the mention of Kawartha Lakes ice cream and the spelling of words with Us. Little things like that can make a reading experience so much more enjoyable to us Canadians.

Which leads me to this...I, a Canadian just like Hana, appreciated seeing my home country represented in mainstream media. I am privileged that this is my biggest issue. I consume so many books and TV shows and movies that are set in New York City or Anywhere, USA instead of Canada because it's assumed the market isn't ready for Canadian content. But...I am white. I see my skin colour on screens and read it in books All. The. Time. If I'm that happy to see my country in a published book, imagine how those feel who never read about characters who look like them. Who don't have the opportunity to say, hey - she has a leopard print hijab just like me! I'm simplifying this, I know, and I don't want to make light as I think the impact that stories like Jalauddin's have is so large. Jalaluddin didn't write her novels to teach white people like me more about her culture but that is a side effect I'm so thankful for. 

There were moments during the novel where Hana encounters racism and a hate crime. As I was reading the book, North America was reeling from the murder of eight women, six of  whom were Asian women. It was a racially motivated killing spree in Atlanta and one that shouldn't go unnoticed. What Hana, her cousin, and Aydin experience didn't result in a death, but it doesn't mean it's any less serious. It felt serious to me - maybe because of the recent news. And yes, my friends, this does happen in Canada. We have a boatload of issues with racially motivated hate and oppression that we really need to work on. And part of that work is making sure novels like Hana Khan Carries On are published and, for my fellow white people, embracing the discomfort you might feel as you read and realize you have a lot more work to do with your anti-racist behaviour. 

I know that was a super heavy take on a novel that has a fun and gorgeous cover and is marketed as a rom com. But I think rom com readers these days are looking for these kinds of stories. I know I am. I want stories about women who are real and focus on their lives, all of it, not just their Happily Ever After. I want substance and a love story. I want more stories like Hana Khan Carries On. 

The characters in this novel will burrow their way into your hearts (except for Aydin's father who you will absolutely despise even as he got a bit too cartoon villain-y). You will feel like you're a part of the Golden Crescent neighbourhood right alongside Hana and her friends and family. The feeling of community Jalaluddin is able to capture is wonderful. 

Hana Khan Carries On will be a favourite of 2021. Uzma Jalaluddin's latest novel will delight readers who want a story that will make them laugh, swoon, and reflect. Read this book. You won't be disappointed.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Brideship Wife

Were you always bored in history class in elementary and high school? I was a pretty good student but even I couldn't get excited about history in school. I'm a big fan of historical fiction these days though and I almost always use the novels as a starting point for learning more about what really happened way back when. Sometimes I read novels about things I should have learned in school and have just totally pushed out of my head. But sometimes I come across a story that features a part of history that almost everyone has forgotten about. The Brideship Wife was one of those novels. Author Leslie Howard stumbled on the history of brideships in the 1800s and decided it was the perfect setting for a novel.

Here's the synopsis:

Tomorrow we would dock in Victoria on the northwest coast of North America, about as far away from my home as I could imagine. Like pebbles tossed upon the beach, we would scatter, trying to make our way as best as we could. Most of us would marry; some would not.
England, 1862. Charlotte is somewhat of a wallflower. Shy and bookish, she knows her duty is to marry, but with no dowry, she has little choice in the matter. She can’t continue to live off the generosity of her sister Harriet and her wealthy brother-in-law, Charles, whose political aspirations dictate that she make an advantageous match.
When Harriet hosts a grand party, Charlotte is charged with winning the affections of one of Charles’s colleagues, but before the night is over, her reputation—her one thing of value—is at risk. In the days that follow, rumours begin to swirl. Soon Charles’s standing in society is threatened and all that Charlotte has held dear is jeopardized, even Harriet, and Charlotte is forced to leave everything she has ever known in England and embark on a treacherous voyage to the New World.
From the rigid social circles of Victorian England to the lawless lands bursting with gold in British Columbia’s Cariboo, The Brideship Wife takes readers on a mesmerizing journey through a time of great change. Based on a forgotten chapter in history, this is a sparkling debut about the pricelessness of freedom and the courage it takes to follow your heart.

I really felt like I was going on this journey with Charlotte. I don't know exactly what the settings would have been like, of course, but the worlds Howard created in this novel were brought to life for me. It was vivid, without being overly descriptive, and it was very much like a movie in my head.

I did struggle with a few things in this novel that kept me from loving it, like I kind of expected to. There was a lot happening in this novel. A lot. There was the scandal that pushed Charlotte out of England (which has multiple layers to it in terms of class and gender inequality) and the main purpose of the story, to explain the history of the brideships. But then there was the smallpox pandemic and how it devastated the Indigenous population in what was to become Canada. There were race issues, both with the Indigenous in British Columbia and with Charlotte's friend Sarah, who was half black, and her father. Then there was a devastating fire, which happened often in gold mining towns (and yes, there was a lot on the gold rush, too) that were built entirely of wood, which closed the book on a random character who was not at all necessary to the plot. Oh, and a laudanum addiction pops up too. Yeah. A lot. And on top of all that, Charlotte is a gentlewoman. She had some education but she seemed to know way more than a woman of her class would have.

All that being said, the themes Howard presented were very, very good ones. I appreciated that she focused on race and gender issues because so many of those issues are still prevalent today. Perhaps not as extreme as it once was but we still have a lot of work to do. The women who were on the brideships, and others who made their way to the New World in other ways, still had some societal restraints but they were also afforded many more freedoms than they had had in Victorian England. It was so wonderful to read as these women grabbed ahold of their new lives and made the most of it because they knew they deserved it.

I've been loving the historical fiction Canadian authors are writing right now. My favourite is Genevieve Graham and she was the one who reminded me that we have some interesting history in our country - even if we're a young country. Howard has contributed to the genre as well with her debut which focuses on a part of history that we were in danger of forgetting. I'm looking forward to even more historical novels about Canada's history. (Hear that, authors and publishers? Give me what I need.) Have you read other authors who write about Canadian history specifically (especially Indigenous authors)? I'd love to hear about them.

While I didn't love the novel The Brideship Wife I did love what Leslie Howard was attempting in her debut novel. I think historical fiction fans, especially Canadians, should consider reading this one because it tells a story of our history that we shouldn't forget.

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Recipe for a Perfect Wife

It's a happy day for me when Karma Brown has a new book out. I've been eagerly awaiting Recipe for a Perfect Wife since I first knew it was being published and the book goddesses must have been listening to me - and everyone else I know who was also looking forward to it - because it was released early! I decided to choose it for my first read of 2020 and it was an excellent choice. I was completely riveted and could hardly put the book down.

Here's the synopsis:

When Alice Hale reluctantly leaves a promising career in publicity, following her husband to the New York suburbs, she is unaccustomed to filling her days alone in a big, empty house. However, she is determined to become a writer--and to work hard to build the kind of life her husband dreams of, complete with children.
At first, the old house seems to resent Alice as much as she resents it, but when she finds an old cookbook buried in a box in the basement, she becomes captivated by the cookbook's previous owner: 1950s housewife Nellie Murdoch. As Alice cooks her way through the past, she begins to settle into her new surroundings, even as her friends and family grow concerned that she has embraced them too fully: wearing vintage dresses and pearls like a 1950s housewife, making elaborate old-fashioned dishes like Baked Alaska, and drifting steadily away from her usual pursuits.
Alice justifies the changes merely as research for her novel...but when she discovers that Nellie left clues about her own life within the cookbook's pages--and in a mysterious series of unsent letters penned to Nellie's mother--she quickly realizes that the housewife's secrets may have been anything but harmless. As she uncovers a more sinister side to Nellie's marriage and with pressure mounting in her own relationship, Alice realizes that to protect herself she must harbour and hatch a few secrets of her own...

Brown alternated chapters between Alice and Nellie and I loved the dual narrative. Not only because it gives the reader two characters and viewpoints (double the fun!), but also because it shone a light on what it was like to be a 1950s housewife. What I learned? I would have failed as a 1950s housewife. And possibly would have accidentally burned the house down.

In all seriousness though, there were a lot of similarities between Alice and Nellie's lives which, honestly, is kind of disheartening. We think feminism has made such great strides in the last number of decades but Alice was still facing some of the same expectations Nellie had been in the 50s. For example, people still tend to assume that a woman should get married and then (immediately) want to have kids. That's changing, a little bit, but as a woman who has no plans to get married to her boyfriend and definitely does not want to have kids, I can tell you I'm in the minority and am constantly questioned or told I'll change my mind because, why wouldn't I want kids? I could identify with Alice as she struggled with trying to articulate why she wanted to wait to have kids when her husband was more than ready for her to be barefoot and pregnant (yes, he did say that in the book but he wasn't really as obtuse as that comment makes him seem).

Because I follow Brown on social media, I knew she had done lots of research both for the recipes she included in the book and for the life Nellie would have had in 1955. The recipes were such a fun addition because it really showed what life was like and it was so neat to read Alice's reactions to them as well. What was with all the jelly salads in the 50s? Blech. Though I do have to say, one of the meals Alice took objection to is one I can actually make (remember: undomestic goddess here). Porcupines - or porcupine meatballs as they were called in my house growing up - are ground beef and rice balls, cooked in tomato soup and spices. These days we make "porcupine mush" instead of meatballs and add in red pepper flakes for an extra kick, with the rice on the side. It's way tastier than you - and Alice - might expect.

The story takes a turn that you might not expect, especially if you've read Brown's books in the past, and even though I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen, I was totally riveted. I kept thinking, Is it actually go down like that? Because that would be shocking if it did. Lots of internal conversations as the story reached it's conclusion.

I also liked that Alice was so very real and relatable and also so very flawed. She has a host of issues she really needs to work out instead of hiding them from herself and her husband. She made some really unhealthy choices and I constantly found myself wishing she and her husband would just talk to each other. He wasn't perfect either but they were both sort of expecting the other to read their minds. And we all know how well that works out, right? Even with her flawed personality - or perhaps because of it - I loved reading about Alice and am pleased with the way Brown decided to end the story.

Recipe for a Perfect Wife needs to be added to your To Be Read list immediately. Karma Brown's latest novel is smart and so well written. You'll be engrossed in the lives of the characters she created and will want to rush to find out how the story ends but also take your time because it's such a good read.

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Viking (Penguin Random House Canada), in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Blog Tour: Promises to Keep

Like most Canadian kids, I learned about our country's history in school. And, again like most kids, I was bored. I remember hearing about the Acadians but I wouldn't be able to tell you more than they had some French ties and lived on the East coast. Genevieve Graham's newest novel, Promises to Keep, shows what it would have been like for a family of Acadians when the British came to take over their land. It's a heartbreaking tale with uplifting moments and, most importantly, so very interesting. This is my third stop on Simon & Schuster Canada's Timeless Tour - have you been following along?

Here's the synopsis:

Summer 1755, Acadia 

Young, beautiful Amélie Belliveau lives with her family among the Acadians of Grande Pré, Nova Scotia, content with her life on their idyllic farm. Along with their friends, the neighbouring Mi’kmaq, the community believes they can remain on neutral political ground despite the rising tides of war. But peace can be fragile, and sometimes faith is not enough. When the Acadians refuse to pledge allegiance to the British in their war against the French, the army invades Grande Pré, claims the land, and rips the people from their homes. Amélie’s entire family, alongside the other Acadians, is exiled to ports unknown aboard dilapidated ships. 

Fortunately, Amélie has made a powerful ally. Having survived his own harrowing experience at the hands of the English, Corporal Connor MacDonnell is a reluctant participant in the British plan to expel the Acadians from their homeland. His sympathy for Amélie gradually evolves into a profound love, and he resolves to help her and her family in any way he can—even if it means treason. As the last warmth of summer fades, more ships arrive to ferry the Acadians away, and Connor is forced to make a decision that will alter the future forever. 

Heart-wrenching and captivating, Promises to Keep is a gloriously romantic tale of a young couple forced to risk everything amidst the uncertainties of war.

Promises to Keep takes place during a time of war and, as the synopsis so accurately pointed out, it's totally heart-wrenching. I felt like my heart was breaking for the last third of the book. For a girl who loves her Happily Ever Afters, that's a tough story to read. As someone who knows history was not kind to many people and war is hard, I understood why so many terrible, awful things had to happen over the course of the novel. 

Over the last few years I've gotten in the habit of reading the acknowledgments at the end of the book. I admit it started because I became friends with more authors and my name started popping up but that made me realize that every name in every acknowledgment is important. It's especially great to read them when the book is a historical novel as the author will often discuss their research and the reasons why they've focused on a particular subject. That was the case with Graham. She wrote about how many people, including Canadians, think our history is boring. I'll admit I'm one of them. History classes in school could never hold my interest for very long even though I knew, on some level, it had to be better than textbooks and memorizing dates. Graham says, (and I absolutely adore this), 

"Our stories are just waiting to be written, and they need to be written so people will want to read and learn more. Often that means they require fictional reimagining and that's where I come in. My goal, my passion, is to breathe life back into Canadian history."

Well, Ms. Graham. You've done it. You managed to completely capture my interest and, as I said, made me realize that I don't remember much about the Acadians and that needs to change. So, thank you.

Amélie is a fantastic heroine. She is tough, she is smart, she is loving. I'd like to think I'd handle being thrown off my family's land with half as much strength as she did (that's not to say she never felt defeated because she definitely did), but I don't think I'd be able to handle it. She stayed strong for her family (her elder sister had bursts of strength as well and, in those moments especially, I really wanted to know more of how Claire was really faring) and did everything in her power to put her family back together again.

I really enjoyed reading Promises to Keep. Genevieve Graham's latest book was one I didn't want to put down. It has a wonderful storyline, excellent writing, and characters whose lives will grab you and won't want to let you go. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have to look up Graham's other novel Tides of Honour!

Make sure you follow along with the blog tour! You can check out the Timeless Tours site and the graphic below for more details.

*An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for a review for the purpose of a blog tour. All opinions are honest and my own.*