The 3 Js by Beverly Boissery My rating: 5 of 5 stars Thirteen-year-old Jenn North is dreading Grade nine because it’s such an in-between and boring year. But even before school begins things start to liven up—though not in entirely good ways. Her dad’s law practice takes him to Toronto, he and mom aren’t getting… Continue reading The 3 Js (review)
Stephen Kennedy tells me about his newly published collection of poems at breakfast Friday morning of the Write! Canada conference (Guelph, Ontario, mid-June). He looks pleased as he talks about the hand-pressed covers and individually assembled and tied books. As soon as I get home, I order one. I love chapbooks—especially when I know the… Continue reading Humble Fare (review)
Here in the Lower Mainland of B.C. we haven't had a drop of rain for all of July. This is a record for the first calendar month ever without any rain recorded at the Vancouver weather station! By now lawns that aren't watered are looking brown and thirsty. Forest fires are a very real threat… Continue reading August prompt: rain
A Garden to Keep by Jamie Langston Turner My rating: 4 of 5 stars Elizabeth Landis makes the decision to become a Christian on a Sunday just hours before she discovers her husband is having an affair. Jamie Langston Turner’s novel A Garden to Keep is the story of the next four months. It is… Continue reading A Garden to Keep (review)
Bullied Abecedarium Alone now I am bullied, bruised, battered crushed, crying, closed for love. Don’t look at me. Even my Facebook friends are fiends. Go away so I can hurt myself. I hate myself— I am an idiot, there is no justice for me just kicks, no love just more menacing messages. Never thought one,… Continue reading Bullied Abecedarium
It was an afterthought that prompted Becky Keep to ask the nurse practitioner to check five-week-old Jesse’s eyes. An observant grandma had commented that those baby eyes didn’t seem to be following normally. That last-minute request set the Keeps on a four-year journey that they never dreamed they’d be taking. Eyes to See: Glimpses of… Continue reading Eyes to See (review)
Stopping Words That Hurt: Positive Words in a World Gone Negative by Michael D. Sedler My rating: 4 of 5 stars We all know it’s not a good thing to gossip. But have we ever considered that listening to gossip, negative talk or an “evil report’ about an individual or situation might be just as… Continue reading Stopping Words That Hurt (review)
Tristan has ADHD and goes to Mrs. B.’s for help with his schoolwork. They’re right at the start of Mrs. B.’s goldfish naming contest when Mrs. B. makes a sad announcement. She will have to stop tutoring for a while because she has cancer. “Cancer” is a frightening word for Tristan. He doesn’t know much… Continue reading Mrs. B. Has Cancer (review)
Summer Serenade Summer’s orchestra plays woodwind overture of a bird-filled morning. Viola hum of bees quark of oboe ducks blend with bowing violins of an insect-busy refrain. Trombone slide convertibles show off the flashy third movement. Clink of cutlery and crystal are percussion tremolo laughter the piccolo trills of a pitch-perfect finale. Encore! © 2009… Continue reading Summer Serenade
East of Eden by John Steinbeck My rating: 5 of 5 stars This isn’t a proper review, just a list of things I noticed / liked / disliked about the Salinas Valley California family saga East of Eden by John Steinbeck. The book started out like books written in the middle of last century do—slowly,… Continue reading East of Eden (review)
Violet Nesdoly 