Category: book reviews

Book review: How to make herself agreeable to everyone, by Cameron Russell

A compelling look at the seamy underside of the fashion industry, told from the perspective of a vulnerable young person who had more of a backbone than most right from the beginning but was still manipulated and abused. Instead of letting herself remain a victim, she used her visibility became an advocate for others in order to help change the system. This book will also go a long way in doing that. Thank you, Cameron Russell, for sharing your experiences in what must have been a very painful memoir to write.

The Lower Power — creepy awesome read! 5/5 stars

Reading this tense supernatural thriller set in NYC’s 1980s crack epidemic is like falling down a rabbit hole and hoping, praying that there’s some way out. Michele W. Miller creates an authentic cast of characters who will break your heart and make you sit up and cheer. Raven will stay with me for a very long time.

Cold 5/5

What could be more Canadian than a wendigo killer and an Indigenous hockey player hero? Wry, amusing, and so entertaining — this isn’t the usual description for a larger-than-life-horror-thriller but it fits Drew Hayden Taylor’s Cold perfectly. I loved the tight writing and the tension of this page-turning thriller. I also appreciated the homage to so many great Indigenous Canadian writers. This refreshing and entertaining novel will amuse every reader who is willing to suspend their disbelief for just a few hundred pages.

Scarcity Brain

This highly readable self-help book delves into our addictive behaviors — what they are, how they originated and how to understand and ultimately overcome them. I like the way that each chapter is a vignette with Michael Easter going to people and their experiences that personify the issue. For example, with overeating, visiting a remote tribe where no cardiovascular problems exist, or when discussing gambling, visiting the scientists involved in transforming mechanical slot machines into video-gamified ones, and how this video-gamified model has been applied to so many other areas of our lives. Readable, refreshing and helpful. Thank you, Netgalley and Rodale books, for the ARC.

Putin’s Exiles

This is a quick book surveying Russians who abandoned their country once Putin began his “special military operation” against Ukraine. Granted, many of those who fled were thinking more of their personal comfort, but it was uplifting to read about those who where more principled. Even more uplifting was reading about some of the exiled Russians who are working behind the scenes to help Ukraine win the war, like the physicist who helped develop defensive equipment and was honored by Ukraine for doing so, and about those who have enlisted in the Ukrainian army and are risking their lives for Ukraine’s freedom. There are others working behind the scenes in Russia, assisting with sabotage. Those Russians willing to defy Putin are a small percentage of the whole. But even so, this book gives me hope that one day there might be a Russia that isn’t premised on killing one’s neighbors and isn’t premised on treating ones own citizens as medieval slaves.

A Brief History of Ukraine: the forging of a nation 5/5

Hrytsak takes a holistic approach, focusing on large subjects with a storytelling technique rather than relying on dry chronology. It starts with the day Russia attacked Ukraine in the current war and describes the innovative and communal way individual Ukrainians successfully fought back the surprise attack from a massive force that should have been more organized. Individual Ukrainians took responsibility for the defense of their country and fought back with whatever weapons they had. Their creativity and dedication set them apart from the monolithic army of the Russians, whose every movement came from above, often from Putin himself, meaning individual soldiers and their commanders were frozen, waiting for orders. This vignette sets the tone for the rest of the book: how is it that neighboring nations can have such starkly different citizens in outlook, response and resourcefulness? Hrytsak’s book answers that question by delving back into the history of Ukraine and its record of protest against unjust rule vs Russia and its history of the populace being held down by despots. Anyone wanting to understand the current war should read this book.

Midnight by Amy McCulloch 3/5

I loved Breathless and was looking forward to Midnight but didn’t find that McCulloch’s second novel was as strong as her first. There are a lot of the same engaging ingredients — murders, mystery and an expedition holiday — but the story bogged down. That said, anyone wanting to vicariously take a luxury expedition Antarctica cruise will love the authenticity of her setting.

I’m Afraid, said the Leaf 4/5

There is a lot to like about this simple picture book. The text is precise and spare and would be particularly appealing to a beginning reader. The illustrations are approachable, and again, this makes it a good choice for a reader who is learning or by one who might feel intimidated by books in English. I also like the reassuring message that all of us are afraid sometimes and all of us feel alone, but there are people and moments and nature to share those moments with. I think this book would be best used in a classroom rather than as a read aloud or bedtime book at home. Why? There wasn’t really a story arc and to me the pages seemed to go on longer than necessary and sort of petered out, rather than come to a culmination. Thanks Tundra, Netgalley for the ARC.

Narwhal’s Sweet Tooth 5/5

Narwhal’s Sweet Tooth will educate its young readers about the importance of dental hygiene while entertaining all the way. Every single page spread in this 80 page graphic novel is chock full of hilarious drawings and word puns, making the underlying message go down quite easily. Kids of all ages will love it. Thanks Tundra and Netgalley for the ARC.