Monthly Archives: April 2017

“Sewing the shadows together” by Alison Baillie – Book Review

An excellent debut mystery with an atmospheric Edinburgh setting! It was the setting that first attracted me to this debut mystery.  It has been on my NetGalley TBR for some time, and I’m so happy that I finally got around … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, debut novels, Mystery fiction, NetGalley, Tartan noir | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

Julie Parsons is back!

I was just getting ready to compose a blog post for Part II of “Where are they now?” since the author in question hasn’t had a book out since 2007.  But… low and behold, I read in a blogger news … Continue reading

Posted in Authors, Psychological thrillers, Suspense, Where are they now? | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Book blurbs – what words will put me OFF?

As a bookblogger/bookreviewer and a retired public library fiction cataloguer, I have read countless ‘blurbs‘ on novels.  Some I read avidly, while others I drop like ‘hot potatoes’! Why would I dismiss a book so readily you ask?  Well, the blurb … Continue reading

Posted in Choosing what to read next, Fiction, ramblings & miscellanea | Tagged , | 39 Comments

“The yellow house” by Jeroen Blokhuis – Book Review

Dutch author, Jeroen Blokhuis tells Vincent van Gogh’s story as the artist would have told it. The novel depicts van Gogh’s life when he lived in his beloved ‘yellow house’ in Arles, France between August 1888 and December 1889. “it’s … Continue reading

Posted in biographical fiction, Book Reviews, debut novels, Historical fiction, novels in translation | Tagged , , | 18 Comments

“The killings on Kersivay” by Angus MacVicar

Once more my reading travels have taken me to the Scottish isles.  I LOVE this setting! When I ponder why, I realize that like all settings that are located on islands, the setting makes the story akin to a ‘locked … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Mystery fiction, NetGalley | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Cover Love: part 23 – Yellow coats

They say you can never have a second chance to make a good first impression. A book’s cover does just that – gives a first impression. A good cover can make a reader pick up a book. A bad cover can … Continue reading

Posted in Cover Love series, Dustjackets | Tagged | 18 Comments

“All things cease to appear” by Elizabeth Brundage – Book Review

“A novel that combines noir and the gothic in a story about two families entwined in their own unhappiness, with, at its heart, a gruesome and unsolved murder.” The old farmhouse in upstate New York has seen more than its … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Edelweiss, ghost stories, gothic fiction, Literary fiction, Suspense | Tagged , , | 20 Comments

“ough” x 9 pronunciations

Early this month I wrote a blog post called “Glorious, complicated, perverse English language“.  It was fun to write and I enjoyed reading the many comments on the post. One comment though was a challenge!  The comment stated that there are … Continue reading

Posted in ramblings & miscellanea | Tagged | 24 Comments

Series to Savour 7 – Elly Griffith’s Ruth Galloway mysteries

This morning, as I peruse my lovely bookshelves I spy one of my all-time favorite series and realize that I have not yet posted about it on my “Series to Savour” blog series. Well, that must be remedied immediately!  I’m … Continue reading

Posted in Authors, award winners, Favorite books, Mystery fiction, Series order, series to savour | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Canadian “Authors for Indies Day” is almost here!

Why do Canadians love their neighbourhood independent bookstores? Indie bookstores build community, make for great spots to hang out, celebrate literary diversity and serve as that place where anyone can go and experience the stories of our lives as Canadians. … Continue reading

Posted in Bookstores, Canadian fiction | Tagged | 5 Comments