Cloud Lake Literary (2024)

20/05/2024

Book: Dearly
Author: Margaret Atwood
Reviewer: Sara Hailstone

For Sara’s review: https://www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/blogposts/book-review-dearly-by-margaret-atwood

19/05/2024

Book: The Stone Angel
Author: Margaret Laurence
Reviewer: Sara Hailstone

Sara writes: “Written over 60 years ago, Margaret Laurence brought to life the iconic character of Hagar Currie Shipley in The Stone Angel. The novel spans decades of Hagar’s life and brings the reader into the mind of an elderly woman facing the final throes of an emotionally isolated life. This old woman is suspicious of those around her, what they plan of her final days and pushes us head-on into the narrative of a past life ridden with turmoil and hardship.”

For Sara’s review: https://www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/blogposts/book-review-the-stone-angel-by-margaret-laurence

12/05/2024

Book: The Whirlpool
Author: Jane Urquhart
Reviewer: Sara Hailstone

Sara writes: “Fixed on the churning whirlpool two kilometers downstream of Niagara Falls in the summer of 1889, the reader is pulled into the entangled lives of several enigmatic characters and their individual obsessions.”

For Sara’s review: https://www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/blogposts/book-review-the-whirlpool-by-jane-urquhart

07/05/2024

Book: Side Effects
Author: Lorin J. Elias
Reviewer: Caprice Hogg

Caprice writes: “This book was not what I expected it to be, as I have previously researched the enhanced creativity of individuals who regularly access parts of their right brain. Before reading this book, I did not realize that we all have strong biases towards the right or left in multiple areas of our lives. These biases are exhibited throughout art history, all the way back to cave paintings and Mayan sculptures.”

To read Caprice’s review: https://www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/blogposts/book-review-side-effects-by-lorin-j-elias

05/05/2024

Book: Our Lady of the Lost and Found
Author: Diane Schoemperlen
Reviewer: Sara Hailstone

Sara writes: “‘For reasons which will become clear soon enough, I cannot tell you my name. Nor can I tell you the name of the city in which I live.’ Thus is the reader ushered into the perimeters of a novel that will attempt to package an unbelievable story into something palpable, a story made believable through the craft of storytelling amongst the domestic.”

For Sara’s review: https://www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/blogposts/book-review-our-lady-of-the-lost-and-found-by-diane-schoemperlen

31/01/2024

Book: Birnam Wood
Author: Eleanor Catton
Reviewer: Carmen Lebar

Carmen writes: “Birnam Wood is a guerrilla non-profit organization that specializes in gardening, and making crops accessible to surrounding communities in New Zealand. In 2017, there’s a landslide in the Korowai Pass that gives the nonprofit’s leader, Mira Bunting, an idea to use that land to garden. When she goes to investigate the area, she meets billionaire Robert Lemoine who promises to give Birnam Wood money to see what can be done with it.”

For Carmen’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

07/11/2023

Book: Pachinko
Author: Min Jin Lee
Reviewer: Carmen Lebar

Carmen writes: “Sunja’s story begins with a decision. After falling in love with the wealthy Koh Hansu and becoming pregnant with his child, she eventually decides to marry the dutiful minister Baek Isak, whom she cared for when he was dealing with tuberculosis. Her decision ultimately changes the fate of her children and everyone else connected to her.”

For Carmen’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

25/10/2023

Book: Dark Water Daughter
Author: H.M. Long
Reviewer: Meghan Mazzaferro

Meghan writes: “As a Stormsinger, a woman whose voice can control the weather, Mary Firth has a limited number of options: be forced into service with the military, or servitude on a pirate ship. When a notorious pirate seeks out Mary, she must side with his nemesis to protect herself and hopefully find the mother she lost years ago.”

For Meghan’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

17/10/2023

Book: Strung Out
Author: Erin Khar
Reviewer: Tiffany Miller

Tiffany writes: “Erin Khar’s memoir ‘Strung Out: One Last Hit and Other Lies That Nearly Killed Me’ sucks you in from the very beginning. ‘Strung Out’ starts with Erin Khar’s son Atticus asking his mom ‘if she ever did drugs?’ A loaded question for someone who had been trapped in a cycle of addiction for years. Like any parent, Erin panics to find the words to answer her son’s question. But quickly she finds the courage to tell her son the truth of the perils of her personal drug use.”

For Tiffany’s review see link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

02/10/2023

Book: The Emotional Brain
Author: Dean Burnett
Reviewer: Carly Smith

Carly writes: “‘The Emotional Brain’ is suitable for readers seeking insight into why emotions exist. It is a good choice if you’d like to learn more about the role emotions play in your everyday life, both consciously and subconsciously. It’s not a light read or a binge read. I recommend this book to anyone who may desire or require a deeper understanding of theirs and others’ actions and reactions, moods, and personalities.”

For Carly’s review see link in bio!

22/09/2023

Book: The Night in Question
Author: Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson
Reviewer: Meghan Mazzaferro

Meghan writes: “Several months after solving the murder of her former best friend, Alice Ogilvie is happy to stick to investigating older mysteries—like the death of a movie starlet in Levy Castle back in the 1920s. Unfortunately, while snooping around the castle at a school dance, Alice stumbles onto a chilling scene: one of her classmates, Rebecca Kennedy, lying in a pool of her own blood, and another, Helen Park, standing over her with a bloody knife.”

For Meghan’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

20/09/2023

Book: Will to Murder
Author: Gail Feichtinger with John DeSanto and Gary Waller
Reviewer: Tiffany Miller

Tiffany writes: “The book was gripping, shocking and full of so much interesting history about the city of Duluth, the Glensheen family, and the economy of Northern Minnesota. Written by the lead investigator of the case and a career journalist, this book follows the story of the philanthropic, millionaire Gleensheen family and the shocking murder of the youngest Glensheen daughter Elisabeth Congdon and her night nurse Velma Pietila.”

For Tiffany’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

24/08/2023

Book: Strange Sally Diamond
Author: Liz Nugent
Reviewer: Erica Wiggins

Erica writes: “As Sally tries to step out of her comfort zone, she learns that people don’t always mean what they say, and the truth of her horrific childhood is about to come to the surface. ‘Strange Sally Diamond’ is the fifth crime novel from Irish novelist Liz Nugent.”

For Erica’s review see here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

21/08/2023

Book: The Agathas
Author: Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson
Reviewer: Meghan Mazzaferro

Meghan writes: “‘The Agathas’ follows two girls who live very different lives, brought together by circumstance and the desire to get justice for a missing girl. The writing style is quick and immersive. Alice and Iris are compelling characters, and I wasn’t able to put the book down until the mystery was solved.”

For Meghan’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

07/08/2023

Book: One Step Too Far
Author: Lisa Gardner
Reviewer: Erica Wiggins

Erica writes: “‘One Step Too Far’ brings back Frankie Elkin who we met in ‘Before She Disappeared.’ Now Frankie learns about a young man who has gone missing in a forest. The search for him has been abandoned by law enforcement, but his father and a small crew are still looking for him. When Frankie sees how desperate the father is, she goes to help but quickly sees that something is amiss.”

For Erica’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

04/08/2023

Book: The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies
Author: Alison Goodman
Reviewer: Carly Smith

Carly writes: “In a breath of fresh air, readers follow along as Gus, Julia, and their mysterious assistant devise careful plans — albeit sometimes requiring luck and spontaneity — without the help of new technology. Goodman sets the time and place beautifully, with descriptive language that allows the reader to feel fully immersed in the ladies’ adventures.”

For Carly’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

31/07/2023

Book: The Power of Thank You
Author: Joyce Meyer
Reviewer: Jamie Maletta

Jamie writes: “Joyce explores the many benefits of thankfulness, being grateful, being generous, and expressing and feeling a sense of gratitude and contentment, and what that all means from a place of faith. She often pulls quotes and stories directly from the Bible and perfectly manages to ‘bring it back to the basics,’ explaining how thankfulness, gratitude, generosity, contentment, and the like can be dated back to Biblical times and were always held with importance (and still should be).”

For Jamie’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

24/07/2023

Book: Kamila Knows Best
Author: Farah Heron
Reviewer: Sara Hailstone

Sara writes: “Heron slowly teases out a romantic arc for Kamila, but her character strives for more in a world that, despite its contemporary setting, still limits expectations of women. Kamila asserts her desire to take over her father’s company upon his retirement. In a narrative flushing out childhood issues, ‘Kamila Knows Best’ is a vibrant coming-of-age story of a woman from a South Asian Toronto community.”

For Sara’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

20/07/2023

Book: The Witch King
Author: H.E. Edgmon
Reviewer: Meghan Mazzaferro

Meghan writes: “H.E. Edgmon’s ‘Witch King’ duology follows Wyatt, a trans witch desperate to be free of the expectations and prejudices of fae society. Two years after fleeing into the human world, Eymr, Wyatt’s mate and prince of one of the fae kingdoms, finally catches up with him. With people questioning Emyr’s right to rule and fae society trying to slip back into the old ways, Emyr needs his mate if he has any hope of keeping the kingdom together.”

For Meghan’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

17/07/2023

Book: My Face in the Light
Author: Martha Schabas
Reviewer: Carmen Lebar

Carmen writes: “‘My Face in the Light’ is a story of getting lost in life, but not necessarily finding one’s self. It offers another solution: the importance of removing oneself from a situation. Removing herself from Toronto, Justine can see things more clearly and assess what she should do. This novel doesn’t try to solve all of Justine’s problems, but it shows the process in which she makes decisions in her life.”

For Carmen’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

14/07/2023

Book: In A New York Minute
Author: Kate Spencer
Reviewer: Sara Hailstone

Sara writes: “In a humorous and plot-catching turn of events, Franny and ‘Mr. Hot Suit’ are recorded by a bystander and the encounter goes viral on social media. What follows is a roller-coaster romantic plotline of crests and dips between Franny and Hayes. An opposites attract archetypal plot and folded in with pure humour and the enduring qualities of female friendship in the city, Spencer provides rom-com readers of the genre with a pleasing text that could be taken along as a feel-good vacation read.”

For Sara’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

10/07/2023

Book: Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail
Author: Ashley Herring Blake
Reviewer: Meghan Mazzaferro

Meghan writes: “‘Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail’ is the second book in the Bright Falls series. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. The characters felt incredibly real, the plot was interesting, I enjoyed all the home renovation shenanigans, and the romance was powerful and moving. This book is a great addition to the Bright Falls series, bringing back all the girls I met and loved in ‘Delilah Green Doesn’t Care’, and it will stick with me for a long time.

For Meghan’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

07/07/2023

Book: Elizabeth Finch
Author: Julian Barnes
Reviewer: Sara Sadeghi Avai

Sara writes: “Julian Barnes manages to bring history to life in this romantic and rather academic story. We are thrown into the middle of a university philosophy class and, along with every other classmate, watch as Neil falls in love with Professor Finch and her stoic ways. Barnes’s ability to create love and admiration of one character by another gives way to the boundless magic of imagination and humanity in writing.”

For Sara’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

05/07/2023

Book: One Night on the Island
Author: Josie Silver
Reviewer: Carmen Lebar

Carmen writes: “Cleo is on a journey to create a new path in her life as her birthday approaches. Cleo came to the island to marry herself, but she is also there to figure out what she wants her thirties to look like. At 29, she is facing things that many people do when approaching their thirties. Cleo is constrained in her job, making her unable to focus on her true passion: novel writing. It’s through this trip that she realizes the importance of the people around her and decides what kind of life she wants to live.”

For Carmen’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

03/07/2023

Book: Something to Talk About
Author: Meryl Wilsner
Reviewer: Meagan Stockwell

Meagan writes: “The story centres around Jo, a successful Hollywood showrunner, and her assistant Emma. When a photo of the two women at an awards ceremony goes viral, rumours about their relationship begin to circulate in the media. Despite their insistence that they are just friends, Jo and Emma find themselves struggling to navigate their growing feelings for each other while also juggling the demands of their high-pressure careers.”

For Meagan’s review see the link here:

www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/impressions

Cloud Lake Literary