“Families are complex structures: they have an internal history that is understood only by its members, and often understood differently by 2.5 stars
“Families are complex structures: they have an internal history that is understood only by its members, and often understood differently by each individual member.”
This book shares a pieced together timeline leading up to and after the 1963 femicide in Castleton, Ontario by Robert Killins. He murdered four women and two unborn babies in his extended family. This book was written by one of the survivors, Margaret, and her cousin, Sharon Anne, who became like a sister to her after this devastating event.
This horrific time in Canadian history is something I knew nothing about. I found it very interesting to read about local cities and towns nearby — Niagara Falls, Fonthill, Welland. I learned a lot and am thankful to know about this devastating event as it gives a voice to the victims. Not only does this book give voice to the victims in this particular family but it gives a voice to the countless victims of domestic abuse who had no community support at this time in our history. This is one of my greatest takeaways — that women suffering in domestic abuse situations in the 1950’s and 1960’s had no community support options unless they had a supportive extended family to recognize and help.
This book was tedious in detail, especially hypothetical detail which took away from the strength of the story. There was a lot of “it is thought that…”, “it is likely that…”, etc. which wasn’t convincing and made the book less impactful as a whole. I felt the book was bogged down with too much background detail that didn’t flow well into the main story. I found myself lost in this detail several times.
Overall, I am grateful to have learned about this part of Canadian history but I didn’t find myself invested or connected to the book. I feel it could have been edited further to create more flow as it read more like a history textbook rather than true-crime.
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!...more
Gabe and Pippa moved to a house backing onto a seaside cliff known as The Drop. Over the last year of living there, Gabe h4.5 domestic thriller stars!
Gabe and Pippa moved to a house backing onto a seaside cliff known as The Drop. Over the last year of living there, Gabe has talked several people out of jumping off the cliff and has become somewhat of a local celebrity for doing so. One morning Gabe rushes out to a woman standing near the edge and he isn’t successful in stopping her from falling to her death. Turns out this woman isn’t a stranger he was trying to save. She and Gabe have a history…
I LOVED this multiple perspective book! It was fresh, timely, fast-paced and gripping! The short chapters had me flying through the book and never wanting to put it down. It was so easy to get lost in. I was literally hooked and invested from chapter one right until the very last page. The characters were all so unique and endearing in their own way. I loved each of their side stories that brought enough background detail to the storyline to make me feel invested in them, yet didn’t distract me from the main plot. The Past and Present timelines flowed seamlessly. The suspense, atmosphere and tension were consistent throughout the novel, never ceasing to keep me curious and intrigued.
This novel deals with some heavy topics surrounding mental health. I thought the author did an excellent job with this aspect of the storyline — it was my main takeaway from the book. It was eye-opening, informative and easy for the reader to relate and feel for the characters.
I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy domestic dramas and atmospheric thrillers. Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!
Expected date of publication is April 4, 2023....more
Simon and Vicky live in a wealthy close-knit neighbourhood. The community is shocked when a local woman is found ha3 stars.
An entertaining eye-roller!
Simon and Vicky live in a wealthy close-knit neighbourhood. The community is shocked when a local woman is found hanging in her foyer — a woman Simon has a history with. As the police investigate the death, deeply buried secrets start getting revealed. Hidden affairs, multi-million dollar trust funds, con artists — nothing is what it seems.
This book has countless raving 5 star reviews which is what enticed me to pick it up. I connected with the story immediately and found myself invested and curious. The fast paced storyline kept me flipping the pages quickly at the start.
My connection began to waver when I got a third of the way in. I give this book a lot of credit for the countless twists and turns that keep the reader curious and guessing right until the very end. However, the twists and turns were too far fetched for me to buy into and the manipulation was over the top. As more twists and manipulation happened, it simply became too much. I didn’t believe anything that was happening after the halfway point.
I’m definitely the outlier with my thoughts, so please check out the multiple 5 star reviews before deciding on this.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!...more
An intimate and emotional look into the family life of one of the Columbine shooters.
On April 20, 1999, Dylan Klebold, along with one other 3.5 stars.
An intimate and emotional look into the family life of one of the Columbine shooters.
On April 20, 1999, Dylan Klebold, along with one other student, walked into Columbine high school with an array of guns and bombs. Together they killed twelve students and one teacher and wounded twenty four others. This book is Sue Klebold’s, Dylan’s mother, story.
I can understand how writing this book would have been therapeutic for Sue. Written sixteen years after the massacre, Sue is able to provide some insight into Dylan’s life and how this devastating event came as a completely unexpected shock that she is still trying to process.
I appreciated learning learning about Dylan’s childhood and just how ‘normal’ he seemed until this tragic day. Sue was very clear that there were no warning signs that she missed. I felt the emotional pull of Sue’s words at the start of the book, however, my emotional connection TO SUE faded as the book went on (my emotional connection to the devastating tragedy remains high). After the first couple chapters, the book became focused on Sue’s grief and her personal loss as a mother rather than the worlds’ loss during this tragedy. It turned from panic-filled to preachy. There became a selfish tone to the book which is totally understandable and acceptable as it’s her memoir, but some of it rubbed me the wrong way. I felt Sue was trying to convince the reader that her son was a “good boy”, a “golden boy” and she had no warning signs that this was coming. It felt preachy at times, like she was trying to absolve herself of any fault, which in many ways I can’t blame her for but it felt forceful and like she was trying too hard.
As a mother, I couldn’t help but put myself in the shoes of the parents of the victims so I often found Sue’s words uncomfortable and (slightly) offensive. Sue focused on the love she had and still has for Dylan which is a brave thing to admit. Sue’s strength and determination is admirable in all that she has faced and overcome since the shooting.
One thing that stood out for me was the demand for ethical reporting and just how important this is. Mass media sensationalizes tragedies like this which has been proven to cause others to be intrigued and inspired by these heinous acts. Media needs to be strictly controlled when reporting on these types of events.
This memoir is definitely one I will never forget. I listened to the majority on audio, narrated by Sue herself. The audio was done well and added a personalization to the story that made it even more impactful.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!...more
Not invested in any part of the storyline - very slow and drawn out.
Audio rating: 2 stars. Narrator is boring, making the story drag.
PerhapsDNF @ 34%
Not invested in any part of the storyline - very slow and drawn out.
Audio rating: 2 stars. Narrator is boring, making the story drag.
Perhaps I’d have a better connection if I read it. May consider trying again with the physical book in the future as I loved Book 1 in this series and enjoyed Book 2. ...more
A woman is murdered in the Boston Public Library which brings together a group of four strangers.
This novel was such a fresh and unique4 clever stars!
A woman is murdered in the Boston Public Library which brings together a group of four strangers.
This novel was such a fresh and unique treat! The way this murder mystery unfolds is brilliant! A book within a book concept is always appealing to me and this one was done so extremely well!
An author is writing a book and sends each chapter draft to a beta reader for feedback which is provided as the novel progresses. The author and beta reader have a unique relationship that kept me invested and intrigued from start to finish.
The characters are fantastic! Each harbouring a secretive side that had me suspicious and guessing. The plot was multilayered and had a surprising twist!
I think the novel would have been stronger without the romance, but that’s just a personal preference.
Audio rating — 5 stars for the narrators! They did an incredible job and added immensely to my overall enjoyment! I highly recommend the audio!
Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan! ...more
4+ stars for the first half. 3 stars for the second half.
Danny Scudd is trying to take hold of his life. He is a twenty-seven year old gay man3.5 stars
4+ stars for the first half. 3 stars for the second half.
Danny Scudd is trying to take hold of his life. He is a twenty-seven year old gay man searching for his sense of self and belonging in the world. He is in a “sort of” relationship with Tobbs. He isn’t sure where his career is heading or if he has a future with his current (highly unconventional) employer. He longs to find true happiness in life and love.
Danny was easy to love and root for. I connected with him immediately. I had several laugh out loud moments within the first few chapters. The writing was smooth and witty and had me engaged and smiling.
The pacing slowed for me after the halfway point. The storyline lost its spark and focus and unfortunately my attention wavered for most of the second half. Although entertaining, I became lost in the quirky friendships and side stories. The story became somewhat predictable and my connection to Danny fizzled.
Overall, a wonderful debut that I am happy to have read. I look forward to seeing what this author comes out with next!
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!...more
A young woman searching for answers to her family’s hidden and mysterious past.
Dark Tourism: touri2.5 stars
Started out a lot stronger than it ended.
A young woman searching for answers to her family’s hidden and mysterious past.
Dark Tourism: tourism that involves traveling to places associated with death and suffering.
This novel pulled me in with its dark tourism website which is a main plot point. I had never heard of this term before and was fascinated to find out there is such a demand for it.
I liked the main character and was curious about her family situation which was revealed slowly.
As the story progressed, it lost its grip on me. The characters began doing things that seemed unrealistic and I realized the overall tone of the book had more of a YA feel.
By the end, I was skim reading as the plot was highly implausible and I simply wasn’t invested anymore.
Overall, this had a mysterious and intriguing storyline at first but went downhill after the halfway point. There are many favourable reviews out there, so be sure to check them out before deciding on this one.
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy!...more
A misplaced letter arrives seven years after its intended delivery. The information enclosed is life altering news for more than o4 eye-opening stars!
A misplaced letter arrives seven years after its intended delivery. The information enclosed is life altering news for more than one woman. The letter leads to an investigation and uncovering of long buried secrets.
The main topic that this highly controversial book explores is the underground abortion network in Canada in the 1970’s and 1980’s. During this time, when abortion was illegal, a secretive network of doctors, nurses and volunteers risked their lives to offer safe abortions to women in need. (Sadly, it goes without saying, that there were countless unsafe abortion options utilized during this time as well). This book shares the perspective of one of these underground teams of women.
Another eye-opening piece of history that this book explores is the postwar-era maternity home system/forced adoption mandate in Canada. “Fallen women” were sent to live as “inmates” in facilities during their pregnancy where they were offered no preparation for their upcoming birthing and forced to give up their babies.
Told through multiple character perspectives, this book offers deep insight into these horrific times and the choice-less situations countless women faced.
Though this novel covers such heavy topics, the writing itself and characters kept the tone lighter, almost having a “cute” feel at times. There was a sweetness to the characters and dialogue that kept me at somewhat of an emotional distance. This is just a “me issue” as I’m not a fan of cuteness in my books but I think the author writing the characters this way will appeal to a greater audience and reach more readers on a lighter level, which is a good thing.
It was an excellent book that I highly recommend, but I wasn’t as greatly impacted on an emotional level as I would have expected. I also found I did get confused between the main female characters and timelines a few times.
Overall, it was a fascinating, shocking and educational book revolving around the sisterhood and strength of women during an important time in our history....more
Vera grows up in a small, isolated, cloud-covered town nestled deep in the mountains. Her community watches gen4+ stars!
Captivating and contemplative.
Vera grows up in a small, isolated, cloud-covered town nestled deep in the mountains. Her community watches generations of girls become wives who become mothers, always worrying for which mother will disappear next. It’s the affliction that takes these mothers from their families who are then left to move on without them.
This book is far beyond my comfort zone. Speculative fiction isn’t something I am generally drawn to, however, from the very start, the book carried an air of mystery and peculiarity that kept me curious and invested. It is an extremely unique book — one I truly connected with and enjoyed.
There is a lot of symbolism throughout these pages. The thought-provoking storyline made me contemplate motherhood and all the pressures society puts on women. Mothers always feeling the need and pressure to “fit in” and do the “right” thing for their husbands and children.
The writing is exquisite! Beautiful sentences flow from every page and they often made me pause to truly absorb their meaning. One small critique is that I think it would have been more enjoyable and easy to pick up had it been broken down into smaller chapters instead of 5 lengthy parts. I found this was a book I had to be “ready” for and in the right mindset to pick up. The lengthy sections without chapter breaks made it feel more intimidating.
Overall, a unique and captivating read that I truly enjoyed and appreciate. This won’t be for everyone, but I strongly urge you to try it out as I know you won’t have read anything like it before.
Thank you to the publisher for my physical review copy!
1904: Ruby is a Norland nurse with an impeccable reputation. She is sent to a new placement at an isolated f4.5 stars! Loved it!
Gothic and mysterious!
1904: Ruby is a Norland nurse with an impeccable reputation. She is sent to a new placement at an isolated family estate in the English countryside. She has an immediate connection with the four children and finds herself drawn into the mysterious relationship between her employers, Mr. and Mrs. England. Ruby becomes wrapped up in the mysterious happenings and questionable circumstances within the dark and eerie mansion.
This was highly enjoyable from start to finish. I am always drawn to stories involving nannies and the children they care for. This novel included everything I love in a historical mystery. It carried a constant air of foreboding tension and suspense. The pace and flow kept me fully engaged and invested. The atmosphere was palpable and had me consumed and engrossed. I loved the family estate and forested lands that surrounded it - the author did a phenomenal job making the setting part of the intensity of the story. The characters were fantastic! I was curious and had my suspicions about each of them. I especially loved Ruby who I connected with immediately.
This is my second book by this author and I can confidently say I love her writing!
Thank you to the publisher for my physical review copy!...more
Can’t get enough of this amazing cast of characters!
DI Anjelica Henley and her parter Ramouter are on a new serial killer case. A well known p4 stars!
Can’t get enough of this amazing cast of characters!
DI Anjelica Henley and her parter Ramouter are on a new serial killer case. A well known pastor found murdered in his church. Bodies begin piling up as tortured and mutilated victims are discovered. Are the cases connected to the church?
The crimes themselves are gory, dark, unique and disturbingly engrossing. I was immediately invested in these cases, my curiosity piqued from start to the very end. The fantastic part of this series is the characters personal lives are equally intriguing. Though I read Book 1 over a year ago, I was able to jump right back in to their backstories without missing a beat. The writing is smooth, chapters are short and the tension is palpable.
There are several heavy topics presented in thought provoking ways — racism, sexism, mental health stigma. I enjoyed the way the author brought these important topics forward giving the reader much to consider.
Overall, an excellent addition to this series that I highly recommend!
Warning: rape, sexual assault.
Thank you to the publisher for my digital review copy! Thank you to my lovely local library for the physical copy!...more
It’s official — I am adding true-crime to my ‘favourite genres’ list!
I loved this true-crime memoir! I was quite literally hanging on every wo5 stars!
It’s official — I am adding true-crime to my ‘favourite genres’ list!
I loved this true-crime memoir! I was quite literally hanging on every word, feeling both frightened and fascinated as I turned each page.
Paul Holes spent the majority of his highly successful career as a cold case criminalist investigator. He started working in police forensics and lab analysis, but always found himself drawn to investigating the high profile cold cases that sat gathering dust on the shelves. Once Paul felt the itch to open a cold case, it haunted him until he was able to make some sort of headway on the case in the search of finding answers. He had the drive and determination to continue working cold cases long after colleagues and superiors had moved on to more pressing matters. He motivated himself to keep pushing forward on cold cases by focusing on getting answers for the families who were lost in the grief of having no answers for the crimes against their loved ones.
One of the things I found most memorable while reading this book was the negative impact that Paul Holes job had on his personal life. His extreme dedication and obsession with the cold cases surpassed his dedication to his family. He simply couldn’t “turn off” his work mind. His thoughts constantly spun with the details of his cases, negatively impacting his marriages and fatherhood as his mind would constantly be elsewhere when he was at home. It’s an upsetting fact, but it is a true testament to how seriously he took his job and provides some insight as to why he was so successful.
I recently finished, I’ll Be Gone In The Dark, the true crime book about the Golden State Killer. Reading these two books close together really enhanced the impact they both had as they strongly compliment each other.
Overall, this is one of the best memoir and true-crime reading experiences I’ve had. I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy. Thank you to Celadon Books for the review copy!...more
A gothic, mysterious, foreboding, dark academia thriller!
I am always drawn to mysteries involving college campus settings. This one was done 4+ stars!
A gothic, mysterious, foreboding, dark academia thriller!
I am always drawn to mysteries involving college campus settings. This one was done extremely well. The Oxford campus is like a character in itself. The old, eerie buildings harbouring the secrets of thousands of students from previous decades. The hidden doors and stairwells known only to a select few. The sprawling exquisitely manicured lawns prohibiting students passage. All of these elements were combined perfectly, keeping me engaged and invested from start to finish.
My one critique is that the plot lost its intensity and sense of believability in the end. It didn’t ruin the book, but it definitely dropped it down a notch. My rating is based on 5+ stars for the first 70% and 3.5 stars for the last 30%. The main character takes the amateur sleuth role a little too far and the ending is dramatically unrealistic yet, I was hanging on every word. There is something about this authors writing that I so smoothly click with. However, the plot choices in the end didn’t match the amazing-ness of the rest of the book.
Overall, a great read that I highly recommend! Already looking forward to this authors next release!
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!...more
One of the most impactful, eye-opening, informative and inspiring memoirs I’ve ever read! A powerfully phenomenal book that supports and stren5 stars!
One of the most impactful, eye-opening, informative and inspiring memoirs I’ve ever read! A powerfully phenomenal book that supports and strengthens the LGBTQ+ community. I am forever changed after reading this.
This is Amanda’s family story. It is a heart wrenching, raw, emotional, eye-opening look at her life during some very difficult years centring around LGBTQ+ rights and education. Amanda openly shares her family’s experiences while they go through some big transformations that drastically change their family dynamic. I applaud Amanda and thank her for sharing this intimate look at her life as a mother of a transgender child and the wife of a transgender spouse. This book challenged my thinking. I believe that all who read this could learn a lot from Amanda and how she processed and moved forward with the major changes in her family. She CHOSE LOVE, KINDNESS AND ACCEPTANCE each and every time she was faced with a challenge and she fought for her family. She teaches the importance of promoting love, support and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community rather than simple ‘tolerance’. There is a HUGE difference between the two.
Not only did I find the content of this book extremely intriguing, informative and unforgettable, but I found the writing truly mesmerizing! The way Amanda wrote touched my heart repeatedly and never felt preachy. She narrated the audiobook herself and I often felt as though I was simply having a conversation with her, learning from her and feeling true connection with each and every word. Amanda is such an inspiring person!
This book challenged my thinking, my opinions, my biases, my naivety. It’s truly a life changing book that I highly recommend to everyone.
Amanda - thank you for sharing your story and teaching me.
Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!
A wartime novel about family, love, loss and loyalty.
I knew from the first page I was going to love this book. Kelly Rimmer is a powerful w4.5 stars!
A wartime novel about family, love, loss and loyalty.
I knew from the first page I was going to love this book. Kelly Rimmer is a powerful writer - she has proven this to me time and time again with her highly impactful and thought-provoking novels. She creates such deep, relatable, vulnerable characters that have me rooting for them and contemplating their personal situations. Her books make me ‘think’ and ‘feel’ which is what I love most about them.
Historical fiction is my most favourite genre but I had taken a break from it over the last year as I found a lot was becoming repetitive and similar. This was the perfect historical fiction book to get me back into my groove. Although I’ve read plenty of WWII books, this provided multiple fresh perspectives and had me connected to each and every character.
This multi-layered story involves the 1930’s drought in Texas. That piece of the storyline reminded me of Kristin Hannah’s Four Winds which I loved. It was an intense, atmospheric and intimate look at that devastating time in our history.
This was a fantastic book in every way. My one tiny critique is that I felt the ending wrapped up a little too quick and neat, but nothing that took away from my immense enjoyment of the overall story. I highly recommend!
Thank you to the publisher for my physical review copy!...more
Jaw dropping. Unsettling. Disturbing. Haunting. Devastating. These are just a few more of the words I w5 frightening and fascinating true crime stars!
Jaw dropping. Unsettling. Disturbing. Haunting. Devastating. These are just a few more of the words I would use to describe this unforgettable book and serial killer case.
Never have I been so completely terrified yet addicted to a book! True crime is a genre I find myself becoming more and more interested in. This book was written so extremely well! It didn’t feel bogged down by facts and dates. I was quite literally hanging on every single word of this horrific story.
The author, Michelle McNamara, was a true crime researcher and journalist whose career largely focused on hunting down the Golden State Killer. McNamara gave the “Golden State Killer” this name after piecing together that he was the same perpetrator of several rape and murder cases that weren’t originally linked. She spent years dedicated to tracking this serial rapist and killer down through extensive online research, interviews and revisiting crime scenes. She became a well known and respected resource for police detectives who were haunted by this case for decades. The Golden State Killer was responsible for 50 rapes and 10 murders in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Sadly, Michelle McNamara passed away before this book was published and before the world discovered the real name behind this masked man.
The writing was excellent! I was completely consumed. I had no knowledge of this sickening serial killer and found myself in a constant state of shock while discovering all that he got away with FOR DECADES before being caught. I was equally terrified and fascinated by the words I was reading. The book kept me on edge from start to finish.
I found myself in awe of McNamara when I began to truly understand her dedication and determination in solving this decades old cold case. The constant ups and downs she faced throughout her meticulous research was a roller coaster of emotions for her. Just when she thought she was on the right path, a road block would send her right back to the start, and yet she never gave up.
It goes without saying that this is an extremely tough read. There are countless gruesome and highly uncomfortable details presented but all are necessary in order to present all the facts to the reader.
Overall, this was a compulsively readable, well written account of one of history’s worst villains. Though I may be sleeping with my light on for a while longer, I’ll definitely be adding this to my 2022 Favourites shelf!
Thank you to my lovely local library for the loan!...more
A mysterious and unique story exploring a woman’s determination to break boundaries and expectations in the 1960’s.
There is a lot packed in2.5 stars.
A mysterious and unique story exploring a woman’s determination to break boundaries and expectations in the 1960’s.
There is a lot packed into this novel! Several heavy topics are explored within this era — race, class, women’s rights, etc. I enjoyed the newsroom/reporter aspect. The mystery kept me intrigued until the end that had some interesting surprises.
There are a lot of perspective changes. I appreciate how the author kept the narratives fresh and surprising, but in all honesty, I found myself lost within the details. The multiple characters, narrative perspectives and storylines were tedious to keep track of and therefore hard to feel invested in. The story’s focus became lost in the shuffle and I found it dragged at times. The main character wasn’t likeable and failed to tie the multiple narratives together for me. This book offers a lot to think about but it failed to truly pull me in.
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy! Thank you to my lovely local library for the audio loan!
Audio rating: 3 stars. The audio narration was good. Neither enhanced or took away from my enjoyment....more
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