Canada Reads 2008: We Have a Winner!

It's been a long week! But we have a winner:



King Leary was selected by Dave Didini.

Here's the blurb:

Percival Leary was once the King of the Ice, one of hockey’s greatest heroes. Now, in the South Grouse Nursing Home, where he shares a room with Edmund “Blue” Hermann, the antagonistic and alcoholic reporter who once chronicled his career, Leary looks back on his tumultuous life and times: his days at the boys’ reformatory when he burned down a house; the four mad monks who first taught him to play hockey; and the time he executed the perfect “St. Louis Whirlygig” to score the winning goal in the 1919 Stanley Cup final.

Now all but forgotten, Leary is only a legend in his own mind until a high-powered advertising agency decides to feature him in a series of ginger ale commercials. With his male nurse, his son, and the irrepressible Blue, Leary sets off for Toronto on one last adventure as he revisits the scenes of his glorious life as King of the Ice.

Canada Reads 2008: Fourth Book Off

The fourth book voted off:



Not Wanted On The Voyage was selected by Zaib Shaikh

Here's the blurb (taken from the publisher's site):

Not Wanted on the Voyage is the story of the great flood and the first time the world ended. It is a brilliant, unforgettable drama filled with an extraordinary cast of remarkable characters: the tyrannical Noah and his indomitable wife, Mrs. Noyes; the aging and irritable Yahweh; a chorus of singing sheep; and a unicorn destined for a horrible death. With pathos and pageantry, desperation and hope, magic and mythology, this acclaimed novel weaves its unforgettable spell.

Canada Reads 2008: Third Book Off

The third book voted off is:



Icefields was selected by Steve MacLean.

Here's the blurb (taken from the publisher's site):

At a quarter past three in the afternoon, on August 17, 1898, Doctor Edward Byrne slipped on the ice of Arcturus glacier in the Canadian Rockies and slid into a crevasse...

Nearly sixty feet below the surface, Byrne is wedged upside down between the narrowing walls of a chasm, fighting his desire to sleep. A stray beam of sunlight illuminates the ice in front of him with a pale blue-green radiance. There, embedded in the pure, antediluvian glacier, Byrne sees something that will inextricably link him to the vast yet disappearing bed of ice, and the people who inhabit this strange corner of the world. In this moment, his life becomes a quest to uncover the mystery of the icefield that almost became his tomb. Along the way, he encounters a series of eccentrics, each involved in their own quest: the explorer Freya; the industrialist Trask; the poet Hal; and the slightly mad Elspeth, Byrne's lover.

Within the deceptively simple framework of a tourist guidebook, Icefields takes a breathtaking, imaginative look at the human spirit, loss, myth, and elusive truths. Here is an impressive literary landscape, and an expedition unlike any you have ever experienced.

Imagine

I watched American Idol on Tuesday evening. The men were performing classics of the 70s. The show itself was just okay, until David Archuleta sang John Lennon's Imagine. I was blown away. Enjoy!

Canada Reads 2008: Second Book Off

Here's the second book voted off:



Brown Girl In The Ring was selected by Jemeni.

Here's the blurb (take from the publisher's site):

Brown Girl in the Ring tells the story of Ti-Jeanne, a young woman in a near-future Toronto that’s been all but abandoned by the Canadian government. Anyone who can has retreated from the chaos of the city to the relative safety of the suburbs, and those left in “the burn” must fend for themselves. To survive without traditional government, people in the inner city have had to rediscover old ways: farming, barter, herb lore. But now the wealthy want organs for transplants, and they begin to prey upon the helpless of the streets.

Ti-Jeanne is a new mother trying to come to grips with her baby and also trying to end her relationship with her drug-addicted boyfriend, Tony. But a passion still burns between the young lovers, and when Tony runs afoul of Rudy, the local ganglord, Ti-Jeanne convinces her grandmother Gros-Jeanne to help out. Gros-Jeanne is a Voudoun priestess, and it’s clear that Ti-Jeanne has inherited some of her gifts. Although Ti-Jeanne wants nothing to do with the spirit world, she soon finds herself caught up in a battle to the death with Rudy and the mother she thought she lost long ago.

Canada Reads 2008: First Book Off

It was bound to happen... The first book voted off was:




From the Fifteenth District was selected for Canada Reads by Lisa Moore.

Here's the blurb (taken from the publisher's site):

Set in Europe in the aftermath of the Second World War, the nine stories in this glittering collection reflect on the foibles and dilemmas of human relationships. An English family goes to the south of France for the sake of the father’s health, and to get away from an England of rationing and poverty. A displaced person turned French soldier in Algeria now makes a living as an actor in Paris. A group of selfish English expatriates on the Italian Riviera are incredulous that Mussolini and the Germans may affect their lives. A great writer’s quiet widow blossoms in widowhood, to the surprise and alarm of her children, who send a ten-year-old grandson to Switzerland to keep her company one Christmas. Full of wry humour and penetrating insights, this is Mavis Gallant at her most unforgettable.

I wonder which one will be next?

The Duke & The Seamstress

I enjoy Laura Lee Gurhke's books, and I was so excited to have found her latest at the library. I thought I was going to have a great cozy read in front of the fire place last evening.

Here's the blurb from The Wicked Ways of a Duke:

Once upon a time, there was a seamstress named Prudence who lived in a lodging house, worked very hard, and dreamed of a better life. Then she inherited a fortune, met a handsome duke, and fell in love. Her life was wonderful, and it seemed as if she was destined to live happily ever after.

Then she found out money can’t buy happiness, handsome dukes can also be wicked, lying scoundrels, and a broken heart hurts like hell. Will Prudence ever find true love and happiness? Will the wicked duke mend his ways? Will she take him back or kick him to the curb?

OMGosh I was so disappointed. In theory the story had so much potential, but the story fell short, in my opinion. I loved the Duke, I just adored his cynicism, he made me laugh. The heroine, Prudence, just got on my nerves. At the beginning, she seemed to be a strong individual, working hard, living independently from her family, but once she turns into an heiress, she becomes a bleeping idiot... why oh why does this happen?!

Now you may be asking yourself, why didn't I just stop reading the book. I couldn't, I enjoyed the author's books thus far, and I didn't want to give her up. Will I stop reading Guhrke? No way, I just have to revisit my favorites: Guilty Pleasures, Not So Innocent, His Every Kiss and And Then He Kissed Her.

The Wicked Ways Of A Duke by Laura Lee Guhrke (2/5) Historical Romance; Published: Avon Books (January 2008); Library Book;

Canada Reads Challenge

In honour of Canada Reads, I'm going to start my own (personal) challenge. I'm going to read the entire list of books. But here's the beauty of my challenge, I don't have a time limit. I'm hoping that I'll be able to read at least two books a month.

Here are the books:

Canada Reads 2002:
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
In The Skin Of A Lion by Michael Ondaatje
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood *** Completed March 4th, 2008
The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence *** Previously read
Whylah Falls by George Elliott Clarke

Canada Reads 2003
Life of Pi by Yann Martel *** Read and posted on July 28th, 2010
Next Episode by Hubert Aquin
Sarah Binks by Paul Hiebert
The Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston
The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys

Canada Reads 2004
Barney's version by Mordecai Richler
Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King
The Heart is an Involuntary Muscle by Monique Proulx
The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe
The Love of a Good Woman by Alice Munro

Canada Reads 2005
Beautiful Losers by Leonard Cohen
Rockbound by Frank Parker Day
No Crystal Star by Mairuth Sarsfield
Volkswagen Blues by Jacques Poulin
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood *** Previously read

Canada Reads 2006
A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews **Completed on January 16th, 2009
Rooms for Rent in the Outer Planets by Al Purdy
Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden
Deafening by Frances Itani
Cocksure by Mordecai Richler

Canada Reads 2007
Children of My Heart by Gabrielle Roy
Natasha and Other Stories by David Bezmozgis
Stanley Park by Timothy Taylor
The Song of Kahunsha by Anosh Irani
Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill

Canada Reads 2008
Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson
From the Fifteenth District by Mavis Gallant
Icefields by Thomas Wharton
King Leary by Paul Quarrington ** Completed on June 19, 2008
Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley **Completed on March 22, 2008

Canada Reads 2009
The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill **Completed on July 21, 2009
The Fat Woman Next Door is Pregnant by Michel Tremblay
Fruit by Brian Francis **Completed on June 20, 2009
Mercy Among the Children by David Adams Richards
The Outlander by Gil Adamson Completed on March 1st, 2010

Canada Reads 2010

Good to a Fault by Marina Endicott

Nikolski by Nicolas Dickner

Generation X by Douglas Coupland *** Previously Read

The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy

Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald *** Previously Read

Six Unimportant Things About Me

I've been tagged by Ana for a new meme:

The rules are:

1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your blog entry.
5. Let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs.

I love lipstick! I cannot leave the house without it. And I also have a huge collection... just don't tell my husband.

Another obsession: nail polish! For everyday use, here's my fav. And for special occasions or just when I want splurge I use this.

I'm an avid knitter. I love going to yarn shops and see the differect colours and feel all the different textures.

I HATE TO DRIVE!

I'm paranoid about my cat sleeping too much. He's getting older (14 years old), so he's sleeping a lot more lately and it freaks me out. I'm afraid that he'll pass away in his sleep.

I'm a member of Weight Watcher's. I've been since September 2007. I love the fact that I'm able to eat the foods I love and not feel guilty that I'm "indulging". So far I've lost 16 pounds. I'm losing them slowly and I'm okay with that.


Hmmm, who to tag? Well, I'm going to leave that one wide open....

What City Do You Belong In?

Saw this at Aneca's World, and I just had try it too...

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern. A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock. A unique soul like you needs a city that offers everything. No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?

Weighed In The Balance

In the seventh installment of the William Monk series, Oliver Rathbone is retained to defend Countess Zorah Rostova in a slander case.

The Countess accused Princess Gisela of killing Prince Friedrich, the exiled prince of a German principality. The problem is that the Countess cannot produce a shred of evidence against the princess. Rathbone then asks Monk to investigate this accusation. Monk travels to Vienna and Felzburg (the German principality), but he cannot find anything to support Zorah accusation. It seems that Rathbone has his work cut out for him...

Another wonderful book by Anne Perry. As usual it was a quick paced novel, with an amazing group of characters. There was also an appearance of a character from a previous book.

The one thing that is really ticking me off is the William Monk and Hester Latterly relationship, we know that they're attracted to each other but there's also a disdain for each other. This needs to be resolved already! Oh well, maybe next book...

Weighed In The Balance by Anne Perry (4.5/5) Historical Mystery; Published: Fawcett (October 1996); Series; # 7, William Monk; Library Book

White House Chef & Women's Murder Club

I have to admit that I picked this book because of the title. I just love it!

Olivia Paras, White House Assistant Chef has alot on her plate. Her mentor is retiring, she's hoping to be named the executive chef for the White House, she's having a secret romance with a Secret Agent, and she may be the target of a assassin. What's a girl to do?

Here's the blurb:

Never let them see you sweat -- that's White House Assistant Chef Olivia Paras's motto, which is pretty hard to honor in the most important kitchen in the world. She's hell-bent on earning her dream job, Executive Chef. There's just one thing: her nemesis is vying for it, too. Well, that and the fact that an elusive assassin wants to see her fry...

The highly-trained Secret Service agents couldn't do it. Snipers swarming the White House grounds were no help. Only Ollie Paras was able to stop the intruder-hitting him with a frying pan. She'd like to wash her hands of the whole thing, but after she witnesses a murder, there's no going back...

Ollie's Secret Service boyfriend warns her that the killer is a world-class assassin. And Ollie's the only person alive who can recognize him. Still, guilt propels her to investigate, even if it means putting herself -- and her relationship-in hot water...

I read this book in one sitting. This doesn't happen very often, but when I have the time (snow day, the kids were busy playing XBox) I try to do it...

I enjoyed the setting, and I got a little glimpse on the life of someone that works for a very important person. The stresses of being a chef, the daily work, the set up ,the menus, etc. The characters were very good. It was fast paced and the dialogue was awesome. You really need to have great dialogue in a mystery, they're mostly visual, but you need that extra interaction between characters. Just my opinion... And we have a bonus: Recipes! I'll have to try some.

State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy (4/5) Contemporary Mystery; Published: Berkley Prime Crime (January 2008); New Author; Series: # 1, White House Chef Mystery; Library Book



With the latest book of the Women's Murder Club series out, I just had to read, er, listen to The 6th Target. I'm glad that I did, I first read it when it was published, so I had forgotten a few things that may be important in the next book. Let's just say I have a few questions regarding certain characters.

Here's the blurb - taken from the author's site:

Someone opens fire on unsuspecting pedestrians and one of the Women's Murder Club is caught in the middle. As she struggles for her life, the others must work fast to track down the madman. In another part of the city, somebody is targeting children and their nannies. As the kidnappers await their ransom, Lindsay and company are faced with finding the mastermind before more children are harmed.

I enjoyed the way the author showed the intricacies of dealing with mental illness and crimes in the legal system. Although I didn't agree with what happened in the book (the verdict), I enjoyed the way it was dealt with.

Kidnapping is terrible, but as a parent it brings it too close to home. It's something that you just do not want to think about. But it happens, it's pretty frequent (sad but true), and I don't know how parents deal with it... and the way it was portrayed in the book was very real to me.

The 6th Target by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro (4/5) Contemporary Mystery; Published: Little, Brown and Company (May 2007); Series: # 6, The Women's Murder Club; Library Audio Book