Reviewing 2020: Favourite Books

What. A. Year.

I think we can all agree that at this time last year we had NO idea what the next twelve months would bring. The clock striking midnight won't magically make all our problems go away but 2021 is a fresh start and a chance to start as we mean to go on. Be anti-racist. Be a better neighbour by staying home as much as possible and wearing a mask when you do go out. Be a champion of local businesses. Let's take the good from 2020 and keep up with it and learn from the bad and grow as humans.

Like a lot of readers, I found the year to be a weird one. Sometimes I read book after book in quick succession, and other times I wanted to do anything but read. Of course there wasn't a whole lot else to do so there were a lot of phone games being played and TV and movies being streamed. At the start of the year I didn't think I'd get to 100 books. I barely made it in 2019 and there is no point stressing about a number because reading is more than your Goodreads goal. Imagine my surprise when I hit book #100 (In a Holidaze) over Thanksgiving weekend in October! As I write this, I'm working on book # 123 (Little Women) and will start # 124 (The Duke and I so I can watch The Bridgertons) shortly. Needless to say, it's really, really hard to narrow down my favourites from such a long list. But I shall try!

First up: authors I read multiple titles from and who deserve shout outs so other titles can make it on The List! I listened to both The Flatshare and The Switch (review) by Beth O'Leary this year and absolutely adored them both. I also read an abundance of K.A. Tucker's novels and, no surprise here, loved each and every one. She wrapped up Jonah and Calla's story in Forever Wild (review) after two full length and amazing novels. She also gave us The Player Next Door (review) which I swooned over. Karina Halle also had a number of releases with Lovewrecked (review) and One Hot Italian Summer (review) being up there for me. 

My favourite debut was The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner (review) and, not surprisingly, my favourite reread (something I actually did this year!) was Pride and Prejudice. 

I only read four non-fiction titles which, for me, is actually a high number. Desmond Cole's The Skin We're In is a must-read.

Broken down by genre and in no particular order, I present you: The List! 

Historical

Recipe for a Perfect Wife by Karma Brown (review)

The Forgotten Home Child by Genevieve Graham (review)

The Spoon Stealer by Lesley Crewe (review)

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue 

The Whispers of War by Julia Kelly (review)

The Paris Secret by Natasha Lester (review to come soon!)

Mystery
This is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf (review)

Contemporary

Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis (review)

Better Luck Next Time by Kate Hilton (review)

Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter (review)

Romance

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert (review)

Beach Read by Emily Henry (review)

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (review)

All Stirred Up by Brianna Moore (review)

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur (review to come tomorrow!)

Honorable mentions: A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, The Love Study by Kris Ripper (review), Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, In Five Years by Rebecca Serle (review), The Guest List by Lucy Foley, Waiting for a Star to Fall by Kerry Clare (review)

What books did you love this year? Do we share any favourites?

My Favourite Books of 2019

Since I've already chosen my favourite books over the last decade (find them here if you missed it) you would think that coming up with my favourites of the past twelve months should be easy. Ha! It took some work and some serious narrowing down powers, but I've come up with ten (ish) books that wowed me in 2019.

I've ordered these novels not based on their awesome-ness but by when I read them throughout the year. It was hard enough trying to narrow down 100 books, let alone which ones were the best!

The Quintland Sisters by Shelley Wood (review here) is a historical fiction novel about the Dionne quintuplets, five babies who captured Canada's - and the world's - attention when they were born in 1934 (fun fact, they were born on May 28, which is my birthday too). 

The Last Resort by Marissa Stapley (review here) was probably the book I forced upon people the most this year. I read it in March and it wasn't released until June so there were a lot of "just WAIT until you can read it!" and "preorder this immediately!" conversations being had. Thank you to everyone who listened to me and those who attended the event at Fielding Winery in September. Highlight of my year. 

Star-Crossed by Minnie Darke (review here) completely charmed me. I wasn't really expecting to fall in love with the story behind the adorable cover, but the Australian set story is one that captured my attention when I read it in the spring. 

Catherine McKenzie is one of my favourite authors and has been for a long time. Her latest, I'll Never Tell, was phenomenal (review here). It's perfect for thriller fans who are looking for something a little bit different or anyone who wants a great read.

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes was one of those books that I loved so much that I have no idea how to go about reviewing it. Just read it and love it as much as I did, OK?

Akin by Emma Donoghue (review here) was as good as you'd expect. It was smart, clever, emotional, and funny. Such a good read.

I can pretty much say all the same things about Albatross by Terry Fallis that I did about Akin. It's a story that is completely unbelievable but if you suspend your belief just a little bit, you are treated to a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I'm a wee bit biased when it comes to Woman on the Edge by Samantha M. Bailey because I've been friends with her for a number of years but that doesn't stop her BEST-SELLING novel from being the gem that it is. I'm so proud of her and think everyone needs to read her thriller. It will totally capture you and won't let you go.

I had heard a lot about Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline but it took me awhile to finally read it. And I'm really glad I did. Indigo chose it for their best book of the year for good reason. Everyone should read it.

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover (review here) was another one that surprised me. I was totally riveted and highly recommend this novel. 

I don't read a ton of non-fiction these days but I read three for Niagara Life, the local magazine I review for, this year. Bake the Seasons by Marcella DiLonardo is so beautiful and has so many really yummy recipes, each with a drool worthy photo (review here). Another fantastic - and local to Niagara - book is Craft Cocktails by Geoff Dillon and Whitney Rorison (review here). They're behind Dillon's Small Batch Distillers and the cocktail book is gorgeous and full of tasty recipes. Finally, a book featuring a true story about a man well known in Niagara completely captured me (apparently "capture" is the word of the year...). Murdered Midas by Charlotte Gray (review here) was a riveting read about Harry Oakes, a millionaire who was brutally murdered and the crime was never solved.

This is a bit of a cheat because I only read four YA books but they were all STELLAR. K.A. Tucker self-published Be the Girl (review here) and it was all kinds of amazing. Sarah Dessen, one of my all-time favourite authors since I was about 16, published The Rest of the Story this summer and it was summery and perfect with a classic Dessen heartfelt story. Songs from the Deep by Kelly Powell was a read for Niagara Life and was a lovely story that weaves history and fantasy and is set in Eastern Canada. Finally, Frankly in Love (a runner up in the favourite cover category) by David Yoon was fantastic and a must-read. 

Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim has a cover that absolutely stunned me and I could look at it all day. The story inside it was also wonderful, thankfully! My review is here. The image on your screen just doesn't do it justice (there's a hot pink spine! And shimmery gold!) but here's the cover in all it's glory.

Best Books of the Decade

I admit I hadn't realized until late in the year that we were closing out a decade. I have no idea why it didn't occur to me. Perhaps because I can't quite believe we're about to welcome in 2020. No matter the reason, it hit me when I saw a few bloggers talking about how they were planning on choosing their favourite books of the decade since it also coincided with a lot of them blogging for ten years. I started Books Etc. in 2010 so I'm not quite at the decade mark but I thought it would be so fun to go through the archives and see which books have stuck with me. Some years were harder to figure out than others. Logistically difficult was the fact that I didn't start tracking books on Goodreads until 2013. I looked at old posts and guesstimated for those early years. You'll also see that it was practically impossible for me to choose one book for each year. What about you? What are some of your favourite books from the last ten years?

This was probably the hardest year to track down. I only started blogging in November of 2010 so I didn't have the records to go through like with the following years. I read The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton at some point that year as I remember hand selling the hell out of it (meaning, I recommended it to anyone who asked - and some who didn't) when I worked at Coles during the Christmas season. 

This was the year I finally read Catherine McKenzie's Arranged after discovering it in my city's library. I also came across Heather Wardell and quickly fell in love with her novels. I also read - and absolutely loved - A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness - it was the first book I bought for my kobo. 

This was the year I finally caved and read The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay - in quick succession. The first movie was about to come out and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about since I had sold so many copies of the books while working at Coles. Spoiler: I was hooked. On the indie side of things, I really loved Breaking the Rules by Cat Lavoie. 

Here we have the first year I started tracking on Goodreads. Which also means there were many more options of books to choose from. I interned at Random House of Canada this year which meant I was exposed to even more books than I otherwise would have been. Two favourites were Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (the Canadian cover remains one of my all time favourites to this day) and Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (who I met one day in the offices!). This was also the year Meredith Schorr published Blogger Girl which felt a little bit like a love letter to chick lit bloggers so, of course, I adored it (and, fun fact, one of my quotes is on the front cover).

2014 was the year I finally started reading K.A. Tucker and I haven't looked back since. Burying Water was published this year and was the start of an amazing four book series. Another series that began that year introduced the world to Lara Jean and Peter Kavinsky from Jenny Han's To All the Boys I've Loved Before.

After a couple of less-than-absolutely-amazing books, Sarah Dessen published Saint Anything this year and it reminded me why I fell in love with her books when I was a teenager. I had been reading Laura Chapman's books for a little while but this year I read First & Goal which was the first in a series that I totally love. Finally, one of my top favourites from the decade and one I will still recommend all the time: The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan. I think it's time for a reread since the sequel is being published in 2020.

Apparently this wasn't a stellar year for reading for me. One that really stood out (and one I'll still tell people to read) was Poles Apart by Terry Fallis. It's funny and feminist and so well done. On the YA side of things, I had a lot of fun reading The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson. She's now one of the very few YA authors I'll read and with this book she gave me the name I plan on bestowing upon my future dog: Bertie Woofster. 

Oof, now HERE is a reading year. 2017 had me reading some incredibly popular books like The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I fell hard for the hero in Karina Halle's Maverick and had all the sportsing feels with Stacy May Fowles' Baseball Life Advice.

Another really, really good reading year. I finally read Beartown by Fredrik Backman for book club and, holy man, I can't believe I waited that long and thought I wouldn't like it. I immediately read the sequel. I was thrilled with the twist Uzma Jalaluddin put on Pride and Prejudice with her debut novel, Ayesha at Last. My favourite historical fiction of the year was Come From Away by Genevieve Graham. Finally, I have to repeat an author - K.A. Tucker's The Simple Wild was amazing.

You'll get a full recap soon of all of my favourites from this past year but to tide you over I'll tell you about the books I've been flailing about all year. The Last Resort by Marissa Stapley has been my go-to recommendation for everyone this year followed by a late 2019 release, Woman on the Edge by Samantha M. Bailey. Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline surprised me and I think everyone should read it.

My Favourite Books of 2018

Another year has come and (almost) gone and it's been one full of reading for me! As I write this, I've read 108 books in 2018. Trying to choose favourites among those 108 is mighty difficult, let me tell you. I've put my thinking cap on, consulted Goodreads (you can see my full year in books here if you're interested), and come up with a list of books I fell head over heels in love with this year. Because choosing this list was hard enough, I ranked them based on when I read them. And also because choosing them was hard, I have a list of honourable mentions - these are books that I really liked but didn't quite crack the top ten. All of these books are wonderful and there's something for everyone.

Shrewed - Elizabeth Renzetti (review in Niagara Life - page 62)
This was an amazing collection of essays and every woman (and man) should read them. Renzetti is an excellent writer and makes so many great points in this book. I also love that she's Canadian so she's feeling the same way the rest of us are in our country.

The Wedding Date/The Proposal - Jasmine Guillory
I think romcoms are FINALLY making a comeback (meaning they're finally getting recognized in popular culture again) and Jasmine Guillory is a big reason why. Her books are fantastic - full of heart and laughs and they're diverse. They're definitely needed on your bookshelf. I can't wait for her next book.

The Good Liar - Catherine McKenzie (review)
I've been reading (and loving) McKenzie's books for years and they're all great. The last few were ever so slightly less great. The Good Liar though? Holy man. Amazing. It's a twisty, well told tale with characters who are so interesting.

Still Water - Amy Stuart (review)
I didn't read Still Mine, the first book in the series Stuart is writing, and I really wish I had. You don't need to to really enjoy Still Water (since I really liked it) but I'd recommend it. Read them back to back and get sucked into the really intriguing world Stuart has come up with.

The Alice Network - Kate Quinn
This was a book club pick and I'm so glad it was. I had heard of it when it published back in 2017 but didn't pay a whole lot of attention and thought it would be a different type of story than it was. I don't know what that story was but the one I got? It was ah-mazing.

The Simple Wild - K.A. Tucker (review)
I'm pretty sure I say it every time I read a new Tucker book but this one is now my all time favourite of hers (and there are a lot to choose from). Calla is very different than the other characters Tucker has written and I loved that. It was mostly set in Alaska, which was great, but there were some scenes set in Toronto. I'm so glad to see my country (and a neighbouring city) show up in more and more contemporary novels.

Dear Mrs. Bird - A.J. Pearce (review)
For a book that takes place during the Blitz, Pearce has written a really entertaining story. I found myself laughing out loud often. Of course, she also wrote a lot of heartwrenching scenes. There's just so much to love about this story.

Ayesha at Last - Uzma Jalaluddin
I never did get around to reviewing this one and wish I did because I don't think I can properly give this book justice in this little blurb. Plus, I want to tell everyone and their sister about this book and if I talk about it more, more people will buy it and also love it. It's well-written with wonderful characters. Jalaluddin has put a Muslim twist on Pride & Prejudice and it's set in Toronto (I think technically it's Scarborough but I can't recall those specifics at the moment). Come for the loose Jane Austen adaptation, stay for the amazing storytelling.

Beartown/Us Against You - Fredrik Backman
This was another book club pick, thank goodness. Once again, I'm not sure what I thought Beartown would be like but holy hell. This book. It's heavy and heartbreaking and so freaking good. It was so good that I immediately put the second book on hold at the library. Also so freaking good. Ugh. Read them and discuss them with me, please.

The Gown - Jennifer Robson
My review of this book isn't up yet, since it only publishes next week, but just know - IT IS WONDERFUL. It's mostly historical but there's a present-day character as well. And it is 1000% a book for anyone who enjoyed The Crown. If you've never read Robson's novels, you're seriously missing out. She's so well educated and writes insanely entertaining and riveting stories.

Honourable Mentions:
Things to Do When It's Raining - Marissa Stapley (review)
Tides of Honour/Come from Away - Genevieve Graham (review of Come From Away)
The Dutch Wife - Ellen Keith (review in Niagara Life - page 62)
Full Disclosure - Beverley McLachlin (review in Niagara Life - page 62)
Bridal Girl - Meredith Schorr (review)
Goodnight from London - Jennifer Robson
The Wild Heir - Karina Halle (review)
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart - Holly Ringland (review)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows (pro tip: listen to the audiobook of this one)
Save the Date - Morgan Matson (review)
The Life Lucy Knew - Karma Brown
Counting on You - Laura Chapman (review)
Roomies - Christina Lauren
Open Look - Jay Triano (review in Niagara Life - page 70)
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - Stuart Turton (review in Niagara Life - page 70)
The Christmas Sisters - Sarah Morgan (review)
Marilla of Green Gables - Sarah McCoy (review)
The Winters - Lisa Gabriele (review will be up soon)
Half Spent Was the Night - Ami McKay (review will be up soon)
Once Upon a River - Diane Setterfield (review will be up soon)

Review: The Simple Wild

I've been reading K.A. Tucker's books for...well, years. I've been lucky enough to meet her a handful of times and she's a wonderful person on top of being an excellent writer. I love every book of hers I've read. But this last one? The Simple Wild is, hands down, my favourite of all of her books. It may even be one of my favourite books of the year.

Here's the synopsis:

Calla Fletcher wasn't even two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the process. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows. But when Calla learns that Wren’s days may be numbered, she knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born.
She braves the roaming wildlife, the odd daylight hours, the exorbitant prices, and even the occasional—dear God—outhouse, all for the chance to connect with her father: a man who, despite his many faults, she can’t help but care for. While she struggles to adjust to this rugged environment, Jonah—the unkempt, obnoxious, and proud Alaskan pilot who helps keep her father’s charter plane company operational—can’t imagine calling anywhere else home. And he’s clearly waiting with one hand on the throttle to fly this city girl back to where she belongs, convinced that she’s too pampered to handle the wild.
Jonah is probably right, but Calla is determined to prove him wrong. Soon, she finds herself forming an unexpected bond with the burly pilot. As his undercurrent of disapproval dwindles, it’s replaced by friendship—or perhaps something deeper? But Calla is not in Alaska to stay and Jonah will never leave. It would be foolish of her to kindle a romance, to take the same path her parents tried—and failed at—years ago. It’s a simple truth that turns out to be not so simple after all.

I'm usually the type of reader who likes to read about characters who could be my friend - particularly when reading contemporary novels. It's a narrow viewpoint to have, I know, but I just love it when I can tell I'd be BFFs with the heroine. I don't think Calla and I would be immediate friends - we're quite different. But that was ok. I was wary of her - just like everyone in Alaska was - but eventually I realized she is more than her appearance and had a heart of gold is tucked under all the Instagram filters and expensive clothes. I am so with her on roughing it though. I would not have been impressed with missing suitcases or being stranded in a cabin for awhile without running water. I don't even like camping! But I digress. Calla is a wonderfully layered character who I fell in love with in the end.

And, as much as Calla was the heroine in this story, she didn't get all the focus. Every other character you meet is important - even if it's just a fleeting passing moment at the grocery store (I choose that character to reference in particular because her name was Kayley and I maintain Tucker should have dropped that middle 'y'). Jonah, Wren (Calla's dad), Agnes, and Mabel add so much depth to the story and I can't imagine the novel without them or the other supporting characters. I do find it interesting that I got more of a feel for Simon, Calla's step-father, than I did of her mom. I don't know if it was intentional. Her mom was the reason they left Alaska after all when Calla was so young. I also wonder if there was more of a comparison to be made between Simon and Wren that made way for an eventual acceptance that both men can be father figures to Calla.

I found The Simple Wild to be a much more emotional book than Tucker has written in the past. I finished the last part of the book at work on my lunch break even though I knew I was going to be hit with a few emotional gut punches. Yes, I could have waited to finish it at home where I could actually allow myself to shed a few tears but I couldn't wait that long to see how Calla's story finished off. I was so tangled up in the stories and emotions Tucker had written that I needed to know how it was resolved even though I knew it was going to break my heart. I was so invested in this book and found myself thinking of it often throughout the day when I wasn't reading it. I was so into it that it actually helped me get my butt out of bed at 5am to be in Toronto for 9am because I knew I'd have an hour-ish train ride to read Calla's story. I am not a morning person so this was a hella powerful book.

Speaking of Toronto, this is the first of Tucker's books to be set (partially) in Canada, where both she and I live. There aren't enough contemporary novels set in Canada so I'm always thrilled when I find one that is. I especially love when it's set somewhere that I recognize. In the first few pages, Calla is heading home on the TTC - which is what the Toronto public transit system is called. I don't live in Toronto but I've been on the subway enough (and a streetcar a time or two) that I could see and feel exactly what Calla was seeing and feeling. I also giggled when I realized the two giant raccoons that were terrorizing Calla's Toronto home were most likely named Tim and Sid after two sports talk show hosts.

And that cover? Sa-woon.

I don't know what else I can really say about The Simple Wild. I loved it so much and it left a serious imprint on my heart. If you've never read any of K.A. Tucker's books (seriously, what are you waiting for?) I highly encourage you to pick this one up if you can afford it or borrow it from your library. It's wonderful and well written and just...great. And once you read it can we please talk about it? Because I'm not ready to let Calla, Jonah, and Wren go.

*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.*

Mini Reviews: Contemporary YA Edition

Raise your hand if you have a library card. And raise the other if you use it frequently. *looks around* Good. Glad to see many of you using your library. I, like many voracious readers, don't have the funds to buy all the books I'd like to read. Enter my public library. I use it a lot for book club books and any of the YA titles I want to read but don't get for review. This summer I read two wonderful contemporary YA novels that I really wanted to talk (read: flail) about on the blog.

My YA reading is pretty much restricted to contemporary YA books these days and even then it's only a certain few authors that I make the time for (so many books, so little time). I put Morgan Matson's Save the Date on hold as soon as it was available and was anxiously waiting for it to come in. I honestly didn't even know what the book was about (but you can read the synopsis here) but Matson has become an autoread author for me in recent years. I had the chance to go to a meet and greet before her first ever Canadian tour date where my blogger friend Tiff - from Mostly YA Lit - interviewed her. But...I have a new job and only so much wiggle room on asking for time off plus I'm not super close to where the event was happening. *sobs*

This book was pretty much impossible for me to put down and I had it finished in a weekend. It was smart, funny, and genuine - things I look for in almost every book I read. I was completely sucked into Charlie's life and, as is usual when I read YA books these days, I found myself wanting to play the big sister to Charlie and help her figure out her life. I'm the eldest in real life anyway, plus I'm so much older than the teens I'm reading about now, so it's inevitable that I'll start feeling protective of these girls. Even though I wanted to swoop in and tell her what I thought she should do, I knew she had a great head on her shoulders and she'd figure out on her own what the best path for her would be. That's what being a teenager is all about, isn't it? Making your mistakes, learning from them, and growing as a person.

The Canadians in the crowd will definitely understand me when I say the cartoon Charlie's mom drew totally reminded me of For Better or For Worse, a strip by Lynn Johnston that I was obsessed with growing up (seriously, I still have the book collections). Charlie's mom's strip Grant Central Station, like FBorFW, shows the characters aging in real time. Plus, there were older siblings and a much younger sibling (or siblings) in both, and a dog. I clearly was on the right track because this came up during the event I missed and Tiff, with her amazing recap, mentioned it. LOVE.

Finally, I loved that this book was about Charlie and her family (as well as a little bit about her friends). The boy troubles were totally realistic because, hello, she's 18 and interested in boys so of course they're going to come up in her life. But they weren't the point of the story. She very much was figuring out herself and her place in her family and the world in general. The love story was secondary (but no less welcome).

   *   *   *   

I also try to make time for really great books I wouldn't necessarily read when bloggers I trust can't stop talking about them. This time it was Ginger (of GReads!) flailing about Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian. (Synopsis is here on Goodreads) I wholeheartedly trust Ginger's opinion so on the reserve list it went and I happily dived in when it arrived. And oh - how sweet it was!

These novels were actually quite similar (which is kind of fun/odd because the two authors are friends). Both stories featured smart, funny, sort of shy girls who had just finished or were finishing high school and were looking forward to their next step - college. Every summer I always find myself thinking of the year I was getting ready to go to university and how much of a big deal that summer was. I had some major changes that year, just like Amelia and Charlie. I finished high school, was finishing my final summer at the library where I had worked all through high school (and wanted to work at since I was little, just like Amelia with the ice cream shop), and I started dating someone new even though he was staying behind for another semester and I was moving 2+ hours away. (Spoiler alert: we're still together 13 years later.) That summer between high school and university/college is just so magical and I really, really love reading stories set during that time - especially when they're so amazing. Stay Sweet was great and I am SO GLAD I made the time to read it.

I'm a big ice cream fan (Revelation: I don't know if I can fully trust anyone who isn't...) but I also try to make sure I only eat really good ice cream. I could totally identify with the popularity of Meade Creamery and found myself constantly comparing it to a local ice cream shop I was introduced to a year or so after moving to the area I'm in now - Avondale Dairy Bar. Not only do they both have the family run business feel but I pretty much only see teenagers working at Avondale and most of them are girls, just like at Meade Creamery. I adored that only girls were allowed to work at the ice cream shop and couldn't get enough of Amelia describing how they all helped each other out and the older girls were like another set of older sisters for the newbies. It was also feminist AF and I loved one scene where Grady says Amelia is being bossy and she totally calls him out on it and tells him he's being rude. He immediately apologizes. (Also - I'm writing this almost a month after reading it so I'm kinda paraphrasing.)

I really loved Amelia - probably because she reminded me a lot of myself at that age. Only she's way more confident than I was and had a better sense of her future than I did. (Hell, than I do now at 31.)

Overall, these two books are MUST. READS. for your summer. Or fall. Or holiday. Just read them. And gift them to all the teens in your life because every reader needs to meet Charlie and Amelia because they are absolutely amazing characters. And suddenly I'm craving ice cream...but what else is new?

Favourite 2017 Reads

Can you believe we're already a week into 2018? I don't know about you but 2017 was a rough year for me. I've been so busy and have had so many major life things happen (especially over the past few months) that I haven't really been blogging too much. I didn't even get a post up in November to celebrate my seven year blogiversary! And clearly I'm on top of posting this "best of", too!

Without going too much into my year (but would I be a blogger if I didn't talk about myself a little bit?)...I got in my first ever car accident (I was fine, my car was kind of fine, and the bus was definitely fine), found out my rabbit needed surgery (she's ok but it's a recurring issue), and had to buy a new phone (mine took a major tumble at the grocery store). And all of that happened within about 4 days right at the start of the year. In the spring I found out my grandma was sick and she got progressively sicker until she passed away in August. That was the hardest thing to deal with this year and it's not something you get over easily. Then, just to make the year even more ridiculous, in September I found out via Facebook and small town gossip that my estranged father died in a car accident. How does one deal with that?

But even with those big, massive, awful things...there have been some bright moments. I met Jenny Han and Sophie Kinsella. I went to a wonderful afternoon tea book launch for author Karma Brown and my friend and I got to sit at Karma's table. I turned 30 in May! The biggest things - and some of the best things - happened right at the end of the year. In November I went to Australia for the second time and it was amazing. Then, two days after we landed back in cold, snowy Canada, my boyfriend and I got the keys to our first house. December was insanely busy with painting and moving and just trying to process all of the feelings I've been having this year.

Books definitely helped me through the tough times and I read a lot of really great ones last year (even though I read fewer books in 2017 than I have in years - "just" 87, which is fitting as I was born in 1987). These are ten of my absolute favourites. 9 of the 10 were 5 stars (and the one that was 4 stars probably should have been 5 now that I think back!) and just so great to read. There were also oodles of other four star books that I wish I could talk about too but I have to narrow it down somehow. I can't really choose favourites among the favourites so I've listed them in the order I read them. If you want to see all the books I read last year, you can check out my Goodreads year in review.

This is what fangirling looks like. Trip to Toronto to see @sophiekinsellawriter was a huge success. I read MY NOT SO PERFECT LIFE last week and adored it and told her so. She was thrilled and said that made her day! She was so sweet and genuinely ecstatic at the reception she had at @chaptersindigo. I still can't believe I got to meet Sophie Kinsella. #mynotsoperfectlife

A post shared by Kaley (@kaleys23) on Feb 12, 2017 at 7:19am PST

My Not So Perfect Life - Sophie Kinsella (Review here)
Kinsella's latest book is probably now my favourite of all of hers. I don't know exactly why I adored it more than her others. Maybe it was the heroine (she's close to my age). Maybe it was her job (communications/branding). Maybe it was just that the overall story was funny, quirky, and sweet. I associate those adjectives with most of Kinsella's books but this one reminded me why she's one of the queens of chick lit.

Last Wednesday I was fortunate enough to attend the launch of @katucker_'s new novel, UNTIL IT FADES. She is one of my favourite authors and this book will be in my top ten of 2017. While the afternoon started poorly by missing my GO train by 2 minutes, it ended with having a drink with Kathleen and her friends (thanks for bringing me along, @marissastapley!), which was as awesome as you'd expect. It was wonderful to see fellow bloggers (hi, @brainsbooksandbrawn and @onemorepageblog!), folks from @simonschusterca (hi, @missandiepants!), great friends and authors (hi, @lydialaceby and @sbaileybooks!), other lovely authors (hi, Marissa and @katemhilton!), and fellow Tucker fans from @tuckers_troop. What a fantastic evening. ❤ #bookstagram #latergram #booklaunch #toronto #untilitfades

A post shared by Kaley (@kaleys23) on Jul 3, 2017 at 5:48pm PDT

Until It Fades - K.A. Tucker (Review here)
I've been devouring Tucker's books for years and while I love her work and how twisty they can be, I was really happy to hear that her 2017 release would be a bit lighter and more romantic. I loved it and that the hero was a professional athlete. I also loved that it was, as with all of Tucker's books, well written and completely captivating.

Kim vs. the Mean Girl / The Boyfriend Swap - Meredith Schorr (Reviews here and here)
I had the chance to beta read Kim vs. the Mean Girl so I was excited about the release well before it was actually, well, released. One of the things I loved about it was that, because it was a prequel of Schorr's Blogger Girl series (one of my favourites), it featured a teenage Kim. The fun part? She was a teen around the same time I was so it was a cool blast from the past.
As for The Boyfriend Swap? I could not put it down. I just love all of Schorr's heroines and her latest book had a little bit of festive flair that I really enjoyed too.

Still in shock that I got to meet @jennyhan last night. Thank you so much, @simonschusterca! 😘 #Repost @simonschusterca ・・・ A little bookish chitchat before the Yorkdale Indigo event with @jennyhan! #alwaysandforeverlarajean #bookbloggers

A post shared by Kaley (@kaleys23) on May 18, 2017 at 3:32pm PDT

Always and Forever, Lara Jean - Jenny Han
This is one that slipped through my reviewing queue (sorry, Simon & Schuster Canada...bad blogger) but I really loved it. It was such a great way to wrap up Lara Jean's story. Especially when we weren't expecting a third book! While I wish I could see how Lara Jean does in college, I'm glad we got a bit more of a resolution to her story than we would have. Thanks, Jenny! (Oh, and who else is super excited for the upcoming movie?)

This was how I spent the majority of my 30th birthday yesterday. It was glorious. I knew when I received my ARC of ONCE AND FOR ALL last week I would be saving it for a special birthday treat! #bookstagram #latergram #birthdayweekend

A post shared by Kaley (@kaleys23) on May 29, 2017 at 3:36pm PDT

Once and For All - Sarah Dessen (Review here)
Summers are so much better when Dessen has a new book out. I savoured this one on my 30th birthday and it was absolute perfection. This book was set during the summer after Louna graduated high school and I can still remember my own summer before university. This was a great read about a girl who needed to learn to live and love again and it was so sweet.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid (Review here)
OK, OK. If I had to pick a favourite, this would probably be it. It was definitely the one I recommended the most to people this year. I loved it because it hit all sorts of high points and genres. It was historical fiction but woven with a strong, secondary contemporary story. And the historical part of it started in Old Hollywood which seems so glamorous and full of intrigue. There was also a romance that you don't see coming. Jenkins Reid wrote a novel that was nothing like I'd ever read before and I freaking loved it.

The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas
This was, hands down, the hardest book I read this year. And also the most necessary. I am SO glad this book exists for teenagers. And adults, really. I finally got to read it when my book club chose it as one of our reads for this year (it may have been strongly pushed by myself and another member). And, as a club full of white women, it was good for us to read it because as enlightened as we may think we are, we don't have the first clue what it's really like to be a teenager in the middle of the Black Lives Matter movement. Read this one if you haven't yet.

Happy birthday, Harry. (And JK Rowling.) I finally caved and treated myself to the Hufflepuff special edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and it arrived today! #bookstagram #HarryPotter #HappyBirthdayHarry #Hufflepuff #HarryPotter20

A post shared by Kaley (@kaleys23) on Jul 31, 2017 at 4:59pm PDT

Harry Potter Series - J.K. Rowling
I hadn't done a reread of the series in a couple of years and I was getting the urge to revisit Hogwarts. Then my grandma started to get really sick. I dove in to these books and I barely came up for air. It was familiar and comforting during a time I needed it most.

Baseball Life Advice - Stacey May Fowles
I don't read a ton of non-fiction and I definitely don't buy much but this book was on my to-buy list as soon as I found out it was going to be published. I've followed Stacey May on Twitter for awhile now (as well as subscribe to her newsletter) so I kind of knew what her book would be like - a bit of a love letter to baseball from a fan who knows it inside and out and loves the good, the bad, and the ugly. My favourite thing about reading this book was that I was constantly agreeing with what Fowles was writing. It was like she was inside my head and feels just the same way about the sport that I do. She also has some very smart and important points about females in the world of sports and how much we have to prove ourselves to the male fans. You definitely need to read this if you're a baseball fan.

Wild Card / Maverick - Karina Halle (my review of Wild Card here)
Halle started another sort-of-but-not-really series in 2017 featuring three brothers living in western Canada. Wild Card was a deep, emotional rollercoaster of a book and so good. I didn't know how Maverick could even compare. It can't, not really, because it's more lighthearted but it's just as amazing. (And a perfect vacation book as you can see from the pic - I miss Australia!) The conclusion of the "series", Hot Shot, is out tomorrow (and my review will be up on Wednesday)!

And there you have it! My top ten books of 2017. It's not surprising that they're all by women - I only read 4 books by men in 2017. My goal for 2018 is to read more diversely as I clearly have the "read more females" thing down pat. That will include more geographically diverse authors too...this list features two women from Great Britain, three from Canada, and five from the US. Not bad but I could do better. I also would like to just plain read more in 2018. I didn't even hit 90 books in 2017 and I know that's an insane amount and I'm so not comparing my number to anyone else's but...I could do better. There are just so many books out there and read as many as possible! I'm going to try to put myself on a more set book buying ban. I did well this year, only splurging on a few, but it'd be good for my budget and my bookshelf space to cut back even more. Stay tuned to see how that goes!

Happy New Year, friends. And here's hoping 2018 treats us well.

Review: The Boyfriend Swap

I love Meredith Schorr's books and, I'll be up front and honest, I love her, too. Over the past few years, I've read all of her novels, have met her in person twice, and have emailed and messaged her countless times. I might be a bit biased but if you know me you'll also know that I'll be honest with my review even though I consider Meredith a friend. So when I say I adored The Boyfriend Swap it's because it really is another fantastic read from Schorr.

Here's the synopsis:

Is Christmas really the most wonderful time of the year? New Yorkers Robyn Lane and Sidney Bellows aren’t so sure.
Robyn has always dated struggling creative types. For once, her parents would love her to bring someone with health insurance and a 401(k) to their Chrismukkah celebration. Her actor boyfriend doesn’t qualify. While across town, Sidney’s professional life already belongs to her parents. She’s an attorney at her father’s law firm and she works tirelessly to keep her love life private. If she brings her lawyer boyfriend to their annual Christmas extravaganza, her parents will have the wedding planned by New Year’s Eve.
A mutual friend playfully suggests they trade boyfriends for the holidays. The women share a laugh, but after copious amounts of wine, decide The Boyfriend Swap could be the perfect solution. This way, Robyn can show off her stable attorney boyfriend and Sidney’s high-society family will take no interest in her flakey actor beau.
It’s a brilliant plan—in theory. In practice—not so much. When Will turns out to be the boy-next-door Robyn crushed on hard throughout her teenage years, and Sidney’s family fawns all over Perry like he’s an Oscar-winner rather than a D-list wannabe, one thing is certain: The Boyfriend Swap might just change their lives forever.

The Boyfriend Swap is full of Schorr's trademark (yep, I'm calling it a trademark) humour and heart. She manages to create characters that I always want to be best friends with and are so totally realistic. None of her heroines are perfect and some are far from it. Sidney, for example, is a real piece of work. She's tough, always needs to be in control, and is actually pretty difficult to like. But there's a certain something in her that has the reader hoping she'll redeem herself by the end of the novel (you'll just have to read it to find out if she does). Robyn, on the other hand, is the "good girl," a point that's driven home when it's revealed that it was Will who came up with her high school nickname of Snow White. I will say that I found Robyn to be a touch too much like Kim, Schorr's heroine in her Blogger Girl series. I love the series and Kim so I loved Robyn but they are definitely very similar characters. Maybe it's just because they're both sweet, smart, sassy women. Nothing wrong with that, right?

The main plot of the story - swapping boyfriends for the holidays - had the potential to end up being really cheesy but Schorr makes it work. Maybe because not everyone is super into the idea. Sidney has to work to convince Robyn and especially Will that it's a good idea. It proves that Sidney is a damn good lawyer and can argue her way to a win in just about anything. But, as you can imagine, it also shows the cracks in the established relationships. Schorr does an awesome job of writing these relationships so they feel realistic even in a bizarre situation.

There was a bit of an unbalance in the stories for me but that wasn't exactly a bad thing. I didn't really connect with Sidney (or Perry) but I wonder if that was to be expected. There's one line that I absolutely love from Perry when they're discussing the swap. He says to Sidney, referring to the two of them, "We're definitely the villains in this story." To me that line says that Schorr maybe knows that Sidney and Perry aren't the main reason you're still reading and that, maybe, that's ok.

I had totally forgotten that Will was Robyn's high school crush so I was pleasantly surprised by that reveal. It was sort of like a second chance romance, which is one of my favourite tropes. And Will himself? Oh my goodness, swoon. I adored him. I felt a bit like Robyn's mom did, constantly wanting to tell Robyn that I just loved him. He was smart and had interests that were all over the board. And he really seemed to understand Robyn and what made her tick.

And for fans of Christmas stories (like me!) the main portion of the story takes place over the holidays in December. There's just enough cheer to make it a holiday story but not too much that you can't read this in, say, July.

I could probably keep gushing about The Boyfriend Swap but I should probably leave a little mystery for when you read it yourself (and you will, right? You should.). I loved Meredith Schorr's latest novel and am already waiting for her next one!

*An eARC of this novel was provided by the author and publisher, Henery Press, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest (I promise) and my own.*

Review: My Not So Perfect Life

I've been reading Sophie Kinsella for years and I'm always happy to see when she has a new book (except the Shopaholic books - I've given up on those because Becky drives me up the flipping wall). It's been awhile since I've read one of her adult books (I read and enjoyed Finding Audrey, review here) so I was really thrilled when I received a copy of My Not So Perfect Life. I dove in and could not stop. This book is exactly what I want chick lit to be and I loved it. 

Here's the synopsis:

Katie Brenner has the perfect life: a flat in London, a glamorous job, and a super-cool Instagram feed.
Ok, so the real truth is that she rents a tiny room with no space for a wardrobe, has a hideous commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn’t really hers.
But one day her dreams are bound to come true, aren’t they?
Until her not-so perfect life comes crashing down when her mega-successful boss Demeter gives her the sack. All Katie’s hopes are shattered. She has to move home to Somerset, where she helps her dad with his new glamping business.
Then Demeter and her family book in for a holiday, and Katie sees her chance. But should she get revenge on the woman who ruined her dreams? Or try to get her job back? Does Demeter – the woman with everything – have such an idyllic life herself? Maybe they have more in common than it seems.
And what’s wrong with not-so-perfect, anyway? 

I loved Katie. It helped that she's only a few years younger than I am so I really understood her struggles, especially in terms of her career and cultivating a seemingly perfect life online (you know you're guilty of only posting the good stuff too, don't try to deny it!). It's common for me to find myself rolling my eyes at chick lit heroines, particularly Kinsella's. I didn't find myself getting frustrated with Katie, not much anyway. I wanted her to be honest with her dad but I could totally understand why she was holding back. Maybe I wasn't getting annoyed because I just identified with Katie on so many levels and could see bits of myself or my friends in her. Whatever the reason, she was an absolute joy to read because she was smart, funny, and such a genuinely good person.

Many people probably wouldn't care too much what Katie's job is but I loved that she worked in branding. I'm a communications grad and I've worked in marketing type positions over the years so I really liked reading as they tried to come up with campaigns and worked on different projects. It's only a small part of the book but it rang true for me and it helped me enjoy the story that much more. 

As much as I loved Katie, I also really liked Demeter. I could see how she was a bit of a nightmare to work for (we've all had bosses like that, right?) but I could also see glimpses of someone who's trying to hold it all together and starting to show some cracks. Or maybe I could see it just because I figured where the story was going. The point is, Demeter was a really interesting character and I loved the reminder that no one's life is perfect, no matter how it's filtered on Instagram.

Final side note...I really want to go to Katie's family's farm and try glamping. I am not an outdoorsy kind of girl (camping? No thank you) but I am a small town, country girl so the idea of getting away from the city and spending time at a farm without the distractions of life is incredibly appealing. And Kinsella made Biddy's food sound freaking amazing. 

Just in case you want further proof of how much I liked My Not So Perfect Life, I'm planning on buying it this week (in hardcover...in Canada...so I essentially have to pay with a kidney) so I can go to a signing on Saturday. It's not often authors I enjoy come to Canada so I'm thrilled that I live close enough to go to the event. (I just need to hope for no snow!) 

My Not So Perfect Life may have just catapulted itself to the top of my list of favourite Sophie Kinsella books. It's not perfect (sorry, couldn't resist) but the teeny little things that I wasn't thrilled about didn't even matter because the story is, overall, so so good. If you're a lover of contemporary stories with heart and laughter that feature smart and real women, you have got to pick up this book!

*An eARC was provided by Random House in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*