The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood

A recently deceased woman meets “the one” in the afterlife waiting room, scoring a second chance at life (and love!) if she can find him on Earth before ten days are up….

If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. Not only did she just die by choking on a microwaveable burger, she’s also now standing in her "sparkle and shine" nightie in front of the hottest man she’s ever seen. And he’s smiling at her.

As they start to chat, everything else becomes background noise. That is, until someone comes running through a door yelling something about a huge mistake and sends the dreamy stranger back down to Earth. And here Delphie was thinking her luck might be different in the afterlife.

When Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to Earth and reconnect with the mysterious man, she jumps at the opportunity to find her possible soulmate and a fresh start. But to find him in a city of millions, Delphie is going to have to listen to her heart, learn to ask for help, and perhaps even see the magic in the life she’s leaving behind. . . .

Paperback, 369 pages

Published July 2, 2024

 by Berkley

4/5 stars

Who knew that a hamburger could create a funny rom/com with a touch of the afterlife?

For Delphie, such is the case. She chokes on a microwaveable hamburger, dies then meets the love of her life. Her mission is a second chance to change your life while searching for loves true kiss.

It might sound corny, but it worked. I had fun reading this one. It was kinda quirky, with some witty banter, likeable characters and some cringe worthy moments that I find common in rom/coms. Along with all that is some good old-fashioned life lessons.

The Love of my Afterlife is the story of second chances, determination, and listening to your heart with a touch of magic thrown in.  A book and author I recommend.

This book was part of my 2024 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge

This Is Where It Ends by Cindy K. Sproles

When Minerva Jane Jenkins was just 14 years old, she married a man who moved her to the mountains. He carried with him a small box, which he told her was filled with gold. And when he died 50 years later, he made her promise to keep his secret. She is to tell no one about the box or the treasure it contains.

Now 94, Minerva is nearing the end of what has sometimes been a lonely life. But she's kept that secret. Even so, rumors of hidden gold have a way of spreading, and Minerva is visited by a reporter, Del Rankin, who wants to know more of her story. His friend who joins him only wants to find the location of the gold. Neither of them knows quite who they're up against when it comes to the old woman on the mountain.

As an unlikely friendship develops, Minerva is tempted to reveal her secret to Del. After all, how long is one bound by a promise? But the truth of what's really buried in the box may be hidden even from her.

Audiobook, 10 hours, 2 minutes

Published June 27, 2023

 by Recorded Books

4/5 stars

An intriguing blurb and book club selection had me reading this one.  Fourteen year-old Minerva's life changes drastically as she marries and moves to the mountains.  Her new husband carries a small box the whole time making her to believe that it is filled with gold.  Hidden away  he swears her to promise never to reveal its contains, which he reminds her of 50 years later as he takes his last breaths. Sounds enticing right?

Now 30 years after his passing, Minerva has stayed up in the mountain by herself.  With vivid descriptions I got a good lay of the land and how it would be isolated from human contact.  But then one day she gets a visitor and things changes.

This was a very intriguing read as pieces of her husband‘s past come to light. There were many layers to this story, not just the mystery of the box but also Minerva's transformation as she finally understands the meaning of a true friendship. 

I read this as part of our church book club and went the audiobook route. The narrator was Barbara McCulloh, who did a great job bringing this story to life.

My audio was obtained through hoopla via my public library.

Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen

Eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying dreams of becoming a world-class engineer like her father, but after his sudden murder, her life falls apart. Left with only a journal of her father’s engineering secrets and a jade pendant snatched from the assassin, a heartbroken Ying follows the trail to the capital and the prestigious Engineers Guild—a place that harbors her father’s hidden past—determined to discover why anyone would threaten a man who ultimately chose a quiet life over fame and fortune.

Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the guild’s male-only apprenticeship trial with the help of an unlikely ally—Aogiya Ye-yang, the taciturn eighth prince of the High Command. With her father’s renown placing a target firmly on her back, Ying must stay one step ahead of her fellow competitors, the jealous guild masters, and the killer still hunting for her father’s journal. Complicating everything is her increasingly tangled relationship with the prince, who may have mysterious plans of his own.

The secrets concealed within the guild can be as deadly as the weapons they build—and with her life and the future of her homeland at stake, Ying doesn’t know who to trust. Can she avenge her father even if it means going against everything he stood for, or will she be next in the mastermind’s line of fire?

Hardcover, 466 pages

Published June 1, 2024

 by Viking Books for Young Readers

4/5 stars

This was a recent OwlCrate book box selection. I went in totally blind, but how can one go wrong with a dragon on the cover. I love the owl crate cover but gotta say I like the other cover available, see images below.

For 18 year-old Aihui, her life is shattered with the death of her father. She saw the murderer escape and has now setout to discover the identity of the assassin and the why.  There is nothing in his past to give her a clue why this happened.  Disguising as her brother she manages to get into a guild to learn more about her father‘s past where she discovers secrets that he had been hiding.

This is the first book in the Fall of the Dragon series, which, as we know with series, the first book doesn't usually answer all of our questions. There was a lot going on, not just dragons. There is STEM content, along with mystery, betrayal, and of course a little touch of romance. 

I enjoyed this book. I found it intriguing with the world building, it was mysterious as to her father‘s unknown past, the secrets within the journal he wanted her to destroy and why someone would kill this man who was just quietly living with his family.

Book 2, The Blood Phoenix, comes out in June and I will continue this series.

This book was part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

This year’s pageant is definitely like no other, but maybe that’s exactly what makes it so special.

Laughs abound in this bestselling Christmas classic by Barbara Robinson! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, or “the worst kids in the history of the world.”

The siblings take over the annual Christmas pageant in a hilarious yet heartwarming tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, scared shepherds, and six rowdy kids. You and your family will laugh along with this funny story, perfect for independent reading or read-aloud sharing.

Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys Herdman are an awful bunch. They set fire to Fred Shoemaker’s toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and smacked Alice Wendelken across the head. And that’s just the start! When the Herdmans show up at church for the free snacks and suddenly take over the Christmas pageant, the other kids are shocked.

It’s obvious that they’re up to no good. But Christmas magic is all around and the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, start to reimagine it in their own way.

Paperback, 128 pages

Published January 1, 1972

by Scholastic

4/5 stars

I find it fitting that I post this review on Christmas Eve. A couple weeks ago we went and saw the movie for this book and I wanted to do a reread to see how similar the book and movie were. It's a pretty quick read at 128 pages.

I enjoyed the movie, it was funny, the characters were spot on as the Herdman's take over the Christmas pageant. The book was just as enjoyable with it's banter, cast of characters, zany behavior and turns into a heartwarming story.

Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a touching story that stays true to the reason for the season.

This book was part of my 2024 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge

Hopeless in Hope by Wanda John-Kehewin

We live in a hopeless old house on an almost-deserted dead-end street in a middle-of-nowhere town named Hope. This is the oldest part of Hope; eventually it will all be torn down and rebuilt into perfect homes for perfect people. Until then, we live here: imperfect people on an imperfect street that everyone forgets about. For Eva Brown, life feels lonely and small. Her mother, Shirley, drinks and yells all the time. She’s the target of the popular mean girl, and her only friend doesn’t want to talk to her anymore. All of it would be unbearable if it weren’t for her cat, Toofie, her beloved nohkum, and her writing, which no one will ever see. When Nohkum is hospitalized, Shirley struggles to keep things together for Eva and her younger brother, Marcus. After Marcus is found wandering the neighbourhood alone, he is sent to live with a foster family, and Eva finds herself in a group home. Furious at her mother, Eva struggles to adjust―and being reunited with her family seems less and less likely. During a visit to the hospital, Nohkum gives Eva Shirley’s diary. Will the truths it holds help Eva understand her mother? Heartbreaking and humorous, Hopeless in Hope is a compelling story of family and forgiveness.

Paperback, 216 pages

Published September 5, 2023

by HighWater Press

5/5 stars

Hopeless in Hope is one of those stories that makes me wonder why it isn’t getting the hype that it deserves. And knowing that this is the authors debut makes it all the more poignant.

Eva is 14-years-old, she lives in Hope, BC.  Not only is she indigenous, but bullied for being overweight and impoverished. Her mother is an alcoholic, along with her brother Marcus, they are being raised by their grandmother, her Hohkum.

Hopeless in Hope was an emotional read as it tackles a number of subjects. It is about Eva‘s journey as she enters a group home while her brother enters a another one following their grandmother's hospitalization. It is during that time that Eva reconciles with her mother and grandmother‘s past and how they arrived where they are today.

Such a well written story about the effect of Canada‘s past on future generations.  This book should be in classrooms and widely talked about.  I recommend this to readers of all ages.

My copy was obtained through my local public library.

Better Together by Kallie George

Spring has sprung and the animal staff of the Heartwood Hotel gear up for another busy season in the next installment of this adorable illustrated chapter book series.

Spring has come to Fernwood Forest, and the Heartwood Hotel is all a-bustle. With Mr. Heartwood off on vacation, it’s up to Mona and the rest of the staff to keep everything running smoothly. When rumors buzz of a rival hotel, Gilles is determined to prove that the Heartwood is the very best with the splashiest Spring Splash the forest has ever seen. Guests check in from near and far to compete for the Cutest Egg, the Tiniest Talent, and the Best Blossom. Newcomer Henry is all too happy to help out, making Mona start to feel unsure of her place. Does the Heartwood really need her as much as she thought? But soon there’s more to worry about than whose egg has the sweetest speckles. Some decidedly uninvited guests have been drawn to the festivities. Can Mona find a way to bring everyone together in time to save them all from danger?

Readers will cheer for these kind, brave, beloved characters as they embark on their next adventure in the third book of the charmingly illustrated Heartwood Hotel series.

Hardcover, 168 pages

Published February 6, 2018

 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

3.5/5 stars

Book 3 in the Heartwood Hotel Series, a series geared for you readers, those new to chapter books.  But honestly this adult has been enjoying them.  It is wonderfully illustrated. as well.

It is springtime now in Fernwood Forest and everyone is getting ready for a new season at Heartwood Hotel. Hibernation is over and everyone just wants to get out, enjoy the fresh and play. Henry is a new comer in the midst, he wants nothing more than to get involved and help out.  But now Mona begins to feel like she isn't needed at all.

Again Heartwood Hotel is a story of friendship with a lot of heart.

I have one more book to read in this series, I'll miss this place when I read the final book.

This book was part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge.

The Answer Is No by Fredrik Backman

In a hilarious short story from New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman, the absurdities of modern life cause one man’s solitary world to spin suddenly, and comically, out of control.

Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone?

Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.

Told in Fredrik Backman’s singular witty style with sharply drawn characters and relatable antics, The Answer Is No is a laugh-out-loud portrait of a man struggling to keep to himself in a world that won’t leave him alone.

Kindle Edition, 68 pages 

Published December 1, 2024

 by Amazon Original Stories

4/5 stars

Fredrik Backman is one of my auto-read-authors, this was a bonus since it's been awhile since he has published something new.  Available both on Kindle and Audio. 

This was a fun short story (novella?)  It was quirky and a quick read.  Lucas just wants to be left alone but there are people that don't agree with him.  The story very much had that Backman vibe with some great banter, silly scenario and a plot that was out there.  All coming together nicely at the end.

My thanks to Amazon First Reads for a digital copy in exchange for a honest review.

Beyond Mulberry Glen by Millie Florence

A captivating tale filled with heartwarming characters and an undertone of hope for readers of all ages.

Eleven-year-old Lydia Green doesn’t want anything to change. She lives happily in Mulberry Glen with her mismatched family of a fairy guardian, a philosopher, and twin troublemakers known as the Zs. But now, rumors swirl about The Darkness, a powerful force that dwells in the forest Tenebrae.

Lydia knows The Darkness is nothing to be trifled with, but when a foolish choice by the Zs puts her family in danger, she must leave home and face the strange magical world of The Valleylands.

Among the shifting library shelves and new friends of her quest, Lydia uncovers more questions than answers, and the Darkness begins to creep into her mind. If she wants to save her family, she will have to be braver than ever before.

Kindle Edition, 288 pages

Expected publication - January 7, 2025

 by Waxwing Books

3.5/5 stars

This is my first time reading a book by Millie Florence, I was attracted to it because of that cover.

Lydia is a girl who does not like change. She’s quite content with her home in Mulberry Glen where she feels secure. After hearing about a Darkness in a forest a couple days journey, 2 of her friends set out to discover what is actually going on and try to stop it from spreading.  Lydia embarks there herself to stop them.

This is quite a journey for Lydia, she meets new people, had a few adventures of her own and learned more about this Darkness. There is some great metaphors here that are relevant today and easily seen. 

Beyond Mulberry Glen is a coming-of-age story, it's about friendships both old and new. It's an adventure story that was fun with some great life lessons.

You can find Beyond Mulberry Glen on bookshelves Jan 7th.

My thanks to Waxwing Books for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski

An eighth grader uses social media posts, passed notes, and other clues to find out why a formerly popular girl is now the pariah of her new school in this #metoo story.

Anna Hunt may be the new girl at East Middle School, but she can already tell there’s something off about her eighth-grade class. Rachel Riley, who just last year was one of the most popular girls in school, has become a social outcast. But no one, including Rachel Riley herself, will tell Anna why. As a die-hard podcast enthusiast, Anna knows there’s always more to a story than meets the eye. So she decides to put her fact-seeking skills to the test and create her own podcast around the question that won’t stop running through her What happened to Rachel Riley? With the entire eighth grade working against her, Anna dives headfirst into the evidence. Clue after clue, the mystery widens, painting an even more complex story than Anna could have anticipated. But there’s one thing she’s certain about, if you’re going to ask a complicated question, you better be prepared for the fallout that may come with the answer.

 

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published January 10, 2023

 by Quill Tree Books

5/5 stars

I saw this book on Instagram with rave reviews so I grabbed a copy from my local public library. Here’s the thing with this book. The blurb is great in that, it doesn’t give any spoilers as to what happened to Rachel that turned her into an outcast. Now some of the reviews are very pointed as to what took place, but I am going to try to steer away from that.

Anna Hunt has started at a new school in grade 8, probably the worst time to begin anew as all the friendships are usually formed. However, there is Rachel Riley, who at one time was one of the most popular girls but now she sits alone at lunchtime, no one talks to her. She is basically on her own. All of this from something that happened last spring, and no one will tell Anna what that is.

I enjoyed the writing of this book with its different format in terms of Anna‘s point of view, text messaging, and a project Anna, the would be podcaster, is putting together. And it worked great.

What Happened to Rachel Riley is a story of determination, standing up for what you believe in, friendship, family and willing to go the extra mile for injustice. I’d like to say more, but that would give part of the story away. This is realistic fiction, in that the issues taking place not just for grade 8 students, but reaches far and wide. This book has won many awards and they are all well deserved.

So if you are a middle grade reader or even if you’re not, I highly recommend this story. It was published last January and readily available.

Queen of the Mist by Caroline Cauchi

School teacher. Widow. Legend.

It’s 1901 and the mists of change are swirling. Queen Victoria’s reign is about to come to an end, and an obscure widow in Buffalo, New York, is about to attempt the impossible.

Meet the courageous Mrs Annie Edson Taylor. The bravest woman you’ve never heard of and the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel ―over a decade before any man dared to do the same.

Enter a world of lost fortunes and friendship, as Annie, grieving the past and determined to change the lives of the women around her, attempts to alter the course of history.

With a single jump, that is.

Paperback, 416 pages

Published October 1, 2024 

by One More Chapter

3/5 stars

I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw the cover and realized the setting is close to my backyard. There’s nothing this Canadian reader loves more than reading historical fiction taking place in Canada. Though most of the story takes place across the border it does revolve around Annie Edson Taylor the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel .

It’s not a quick read coming in at 400 pages and after the first couple of chapters I did move over to the audiobook. It was a fascinating look at Annie’s life, her friendships with those residents of a boarding house she helps to run. A look into her past reveals her grief over the loss of loved ones, but also shows her with an independent spirit as she strives to take care of others.

Told not just from Annie’s point of view there were times I felt it a little disjointed, and even parts of the story were not necessary, making the book longer than it needed to be. That being said one couldn’t help feel for Annie and the things that go on in her life after her trip over the fall.

Queen of the Mist  was an educational read that will appeal to those that like reading about unknown women in history.

This book was part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge.

The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall

The #1 bestselling author of Looking for Jane returns with a poignant, gripping novel about a pianist in Berlin on the cusp of WWII and a choice she makes that echoes across generations.

Sometimes the best place to hide is the last place anyone would look.

Northern England, 2010

After a tragic accident upends her life, Kate Mercer leaves London to work at an old guest house near the Scottish border, where she hopes to find a fresh start and heal from her loss. When she arrives, she begins to unravel the truth about her past, but discovers the mysterious elderly proprietor is harbouring her own secrets…

Berlin, 1938

Audrey James is weeks away from graduating from a prestigious music school in Berlin, where she’s been living with her best friend, Ilse Kaplan. As she prepares to finish her piano studies, Audrey dreads the thought of returning to her father in England and leaving Ilse behind. Families like the Kaplans are being targeted as war in Europe threatens.

When Ilse’s parents and brother suddenly disappear, two high-ranking Nazi party members confiscate the Kaplans’ upscale home, believing it to be empty. In a desperate attempt to keep Ilse safe, Audrey becomes housekeeper for the officers while Ilse is forced into hiding in the attic—a prisoner in her own home. Tensions rise in the house and the chance of survival diminishes by the day. When a shocking turn of events pushes Audrey to become embroiled in cell of the anti-Hitler movement - clusters of resisters working to bring down the Nazis from within Germany itself - Audrey must decide what matters most: saving herself, protecting her friend, or sacrificing everything for the greater good.

Inspired by true stories of courageous women and the German resistance during WWII, this is a captivating novel about the unbreakable bonds of friendship, the sacrifices we make for those we love, and the healing that comes from human connection.

Paperback, 432 pages

Published June 4, 2024

 by Simon & Schuster

4/5 stars

A number of years ago, Heather Marshall released Looking for Jane which received great reviews, I loved it also. This her 2nd release had me trying not to get my expectations too high in case I didn’t love it as much. There was no problem there I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Told in dual time period, my favourite, the story weaves between Berlin 1938 and through the war years. Then it's 2010 with Kate leaving a tragic past to work for Audrey or rather with her.

I’m usually drawn to one story over the other when it comes to a dual time. However, I enjoyed both of these ones immensely.  For Audrey living through the wars was intense in all that she went through and saw.  It all started with her best friend witnessing the loss of her family, then forced to hide in the attic... well there is a lot going on.  I enjoyed the friendship that developed between Kate and Audrey and the twist that I didn't see coming.  

A well written story of love and loss, courage and determination.  A book I highly recommend.

This book was part of my 2024 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge.

More or Less Maddy: A Novel by Lisa Genova

The powerhouse New York Times bestselling author and Harvard-trained neuroscientist returns with a breathless, exhilarating, and heartbreaking novel about a young woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder and the ripple effects her mental health has on her family and her pursuit of a career in stand-up comedy.

Maddy Banks is just like any other stressed-out freshman at NYU. Between heaps of homework, finals, and navigating life in the city, it’s normal to be feeling the pressure. It doesn’t help that she’s always felt like the odd one out in her “perfect” Connecticut her blonde, toned, and tanned mother; her flawless, high-achieving, engaged sister, Emily; and her always popular, athletic, easygoing brother, Jack. Yet lately, Maddy’s highs seem dizzyingly high, and the lows seem terrifyingly low. Suddenly, the things that used to make her happy are becoming harder and harder to grasp.

When a spontaneous visit to a comedy club opens her eyes to a new hobby just as her mental health begins to spiral and an incident at a family Thanksgiving dinner leads to a terrifying breaking point—and to a new diagnosis—Maddy’s life starts to look quite different. As she struggles to accept her bipolar disorder and attempts to navigate her burgeoning stand-up career, she’ll have to figure out how to manage being both too much and not enough.

Kindle Edition, 368, pages

Expected publication January 14, 2025

 by Simon & Schuster

4/5 stars

Lisa Genova is known for her books that deal with real medical conditions in an authentic and respectful way.  It's evident that she does a lot of research and digs deep into the subject matter.  With More or Less Maddy she opened my eyes to bipolar.  Being unfamiliar with it this was a true eye opener.

For 19-year-old Maddy, a freshman at NYU, she has all the experiences other first years have but her world comes tumbling down with a bipolar diagnosis. I did find this book slow going at the beginning, but after her episodes and diagnosis I was captivated.  Though there were a few times I had to set the book aside as I found it a bit emotionally and overwhelming with all that she was going through. This was very much a telling story, seen through Maddy’s eyes.  Talk about a first hand account.

More or Less Maddy is a story of mental health and the stigma that goes with it and about family, one can't help feeling her mother’s struggle also. A well written read.

My thanks to Simon & Schuster CA for a digital arc and exchange for a honest review

Forever Birchwood by Danielle Daniel

The middle-grade debut of star picture-book author and illustrator Danielle Daniel

Adventurous, trail-blazing Wolf lives in a northern mining town and spends her days exploring the mountains and wilderness with her three best friends Penny, Ann and Brandi. The girls' secret refuge is their tree-house hideaway, Birchwood, Wolf's favourite place on earth. When her beloved grandmother tells her that she is the great-granddaughter of a tree talker, Wolf knows that she is destined to protect the birch trees and wildlife that surround her.

But Wolf's mother doesn't understand this connection at all. Not only is she reluctant to engage with their family's Indigenous roots, she seems suspiciously on the wrong side of the environmental protection efforts in their hometown. To make matters worse, she's just started dating an annoying new boyfriend named Roger, whose motives--and construction company--seem equally suspect.

As summer arrives, so do bigger problems. Wolf and her friends discover orange plastic bands wrapped around the trees near their cherished hangout spot, and their once stable friendship seems on the verge of unravelling. Birchwood has given them so much--can they even stay together long enough to save this special place?

With gorgeous yet understated language, Danielle Daniel beautifully captures an urgent and aching time in a young person's life. To read this astonishing middle-grade debut is to have your heart broken and then tenderly mended.

Paperback, 304 pages

Published January 18, 2022 

by HarperCollins

4.5/5 stars

I have previously read Daughters of the Deer by Danielle Daniel, so I was anxious to read this her debut middle grade Forever Birchwood.

Taking place in Sudbury, Ontario 12-year-old Wolf along with three of her best friends spend a summer trying to save their beloved Birchwood from destruction.

Though I started off reading the book, it wasn’t long before I grabbed the audio and finished it in a day. I don’t understand some other reviews that criticize the audio and the narrator, for myself I found it a pleasant listen.  The reader did a great job, I was captivated.

 Wolf is a strong girl, determined along with her friends. But she also has other things going on in her life, her mother‘s new boyfriend who just happens to work for the construction company set to destroy Birchwood. She can't help wondering if her real estate mother is also somehow involved.

As these girls sneak around trying to thaw the demolition effort they get more than they bargained for in this mining town.  I won’t go into what all these obstacles are for fear of spoilers.  But suffice to say I think this was a well written coming of age story, that shows determination, the importance of heritage and family along with standing up for something you strongly believe in.

This Canadian reader also loves the setting and hopes the author will continue featuring this great province.

This was part of my 2024 reading off my shelf challenge and my copy of the audiobook was obtained through CloudLibrary