Mid-Summer Book Delights
News and reviews so hot you'll need 60SPF sunscreen!
There’s so much great stuff going on in the book world that my catchphrase is “so much fun!” and I hope that if all else fails, at least books are proving to be great escape and a haven from a crazy world for you too.
Here’s some of the lovely things that happened and a great event coming up and then XX reviews of MUST READ BOOKS to add to you TBR pile!
You don’t want to miss this super event!
Great venue: The Caledonian, fabulous authors (and me!), hosted by the fantastic Emily Weedon
and sponsored by The Seaboard Review of Books .
And don’t forget, the launch of Mad Dog and the Sea Dragon is on Wednesday, 15th October at the Supermarket in Kensington Market.
Lovely article in the Beach Metro News
Many thanks to Beach Metro News for this lovely photo, article and video by Abby Russchen.
Award-winning Beach author Lisa de Nikolits returns to the page with her twelfth novel, Mad Dog and the Sea Dragon, described as a noir, darkly comedic suspense thriller featuring a 1950s-style heroine living in modern day.
Releasing with Inanna Publications, the book takes readers through a crime-filled, nuanced tale of fractured family and romantic relationships interlacing with insatiable greed. Originally intended for release in 2018, publication was put on hold until de Nikolits’ other two books, The Rage Room and Everything You Dream Is Real, had come out.
Mad Dog and the Sea Dragon follows main character Jessica Wren, a bold, vintage-obsessed dreamer, inspired by Kim Basinger’s role in L.A. Confidential. She works as a janitor by night and fashionista by day, all while navigating a bumpy relationship with her sister. She’s not your typical leading lady; behind her beautiful exterior is someone who’s trying to rewrite her life and becomes a mobster mistress to gangster Vincenzo Esposito, who regularly commits organized crimes.
Vincenzo has a twisted fondness for Weegee, a real-life crime photographer of the 1930s and 1940s who appears as himself in the book. The character’s obsession with Weegee was sparked by a photography exhibit de Nikolits attended at Toronto Metropolitan University, where his photos were featured.
Vincenzo is drawn from real-life Anthony Esposito, one half of the so-called “mad dog killers” who fatally shot a man for his paycheck in 1971 and triggered a robust police chase.
I love writing about people who live in the quiet shadows of life,” said de Nikolits, describing her main inspiration for her protagonist, Jessica Wren.
Unlike her previous novels, Mad Dog and the Sea Dragon is her first exploration into gangsters and organized crime. She calls it “one of a kind” out of all her books.
De Nikolits’ passion and love for writing are present in the story. With an ending that surprised even her as the author, there’s something for everyone in the 200-page paperback.
In Mad Dog and the Sea Dragon, de Nikolits transforms Toronto into a crime-scape playground where cons and swindles intertwine with splintered relationship dynamics.
De Nikolits drew inspiration from many Toronto locations. Ripley’s Aquarium once housed a rare leafy sea dragon, and its beauty inspired de Nikolits to shape her story around it, making it an integral part of the plot.
I have to honour this beautiful little creature’s presence in this world in a book,” she said, and the rest fell into place.
Woodbine Beach was another source of inspiration, though not directly named in the book. De Nikolits alludes to her daily experiences and incorporates them into her stories. Beaches n’ Cream ice cream parlour is another community go-to which she alludes to in the book.
De Nikolits is originally from South Africa, moved to Australia, and has called the Beach her home since 2007. Her experiences from around the world influence her flow and communication on the page.
She hopes that readers find “a happy escape” in the story and come to love the characters as much as she does.
“There’s so much nastiness and worry right now,” she said, “I just want people to be transported from their worries with a good read.”
Mad Dog and the Sea Dragon can be found at Book City in the Beach, and it’s also available online through Amazon and most book retailers.
Four Meltingly Hot Book Reviews!
A Place for People Like Us, by Danila Botha (Guernica)
This book is compulsive and addictive reading. Powerful, passionate, incredibly insightful and sensitive, this is, in my opinion, Danila Botha’s best work to date. As always, she celebrates all the nuances and delights of Toronto, from dingy dive bars to marbled reception halls, sweeping staircases and the height of hallowed luxury.
Kudos to Botha’s deft handling of religion. From shady, off-the-grid cult leaders to illuminating insights about Orthodox Judaism, Botha maps the terrain in ways both fascinating and informative, never shying away from exploring the darker undertones of troubled compulsions and the inescapable consequential damage caused.
And there are the relationships. Poignant, multifaceted, likable and relatable, Jillian, Naftali and Hannah will live in your heart long after you’ve read the final page. Botha’s characterization is flawless with each character in the book, from bit players to protagonists and antagonists.
This book is a winner and you won’t be able to tear yourself away from it. The writing is lush, rich, and textured, and you can almost taste the words as you read them. The book is a sensual read in so many ways, and it’s also funny. You’ll find yourself chuckling at Hannah’s observations and she doesn’t miss a detail. This book will tug at your heart and leave you pondering the many aspects it explored. You’ll be happy for the time spent escaping into a good book and there’s nothing better than that.
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The Silent Film Star Murders by Melodie Campbell (Cormorant Press).
Let’s face it, the world’s in a crunch and things feel horrible. Gone (for most of us) are the days of glittering gowns and fabulous feasts and instead, we’re price checking No Frills versus Roblaws versus canned goods at the Dollarama and checking the sell-by dates on salads. Which means, Reader, you must read this book!
Because this book IS a holiday, a first class ticket to the luxurious read of a lifetime. I just loved it - it’s funny, feisty, sassy and sexy - and simply delicious to the moon and back! It’s also en point with societal observations, appreciations and deprecations that will have you laughing out loud.
If this book is made into a film - and it should be - I’d give anything for a bit role, just to be part of the action on set (that’s me, putting my hand up to the author!).
Satisfying, gourmet and glittering, don’t miss out on reading The Silent Film Star Murders which, in my opinion, is Campbell’s finest work yet.
Because, while sumptious and satin-lined, we also visit the below deck and the lives of the less well-to-do as well as taking a look at what it meant to be a woman back in the day and how far we’ve come – and how far we still need to go.
And did I mention that Melodie Campbell is funny? Nay – make that hilarious. Treat yourself. Buy this book!
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Worldly Girls by Tamara Jong (Book*hug Press)
A gripping and riveting profound unveiling of a complex mother daughter relationship steeped in addiction and religious fervour. All fueled by the true and passionate belief of completely living God’s Will, only to find that that Will was little more than a magic carpet ride unceremoniously yanked out from beneath, leaving little more than overwhelming loss of self, a tsunami of self-doubt and a terrible sense that all that sacrifice for naught.
How then, in the aftermath of so much purely intentioned servitude, can one deal with the loss of not only Jehovah but also the community, all aggravated by the sudden loss of a mother who died in haunting circumstances?
Add to that, Jong’s own conflicted desires for motherhood and her regrets, hopes and fears that accompany that journey.
Jong is unflinching in her exploration of grief and while she guards her privacy, grace and her dignity, she lets the reader into the room of loss and longing, allowing us to sit beside her.
I salute Jong’s constant courage and I also salute her beautiful and finely crafted writing, which brings so much to mind and heart in a single sculpted sentence. In a way, it is the gaps in between that tell us so much, those careful, precise gaps in which we pause, consider and allow our hearts to reach out and feel.
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Oliver Bell and the Infinite Multiverse, by Jake Swan (Galleon Books)
An outstandingly wonderful, fabulously brilliant read! Imagine a deeply philosophical geeky mathematician traversing the infinite multiverse with the charm of the Harry Potter clan (and let it be known that I revile JK Rowling’s opinions on gender identity) as well as a dash of The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy but it’s very definitely its very own wonderful, original offering.
It’s profound, satirical and hilarious. In a way, it also reminded me of Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn by Amanda Gefter which I also loved.
I loved the irreverence, the social commentary, and the world building. Gloriously joyful and life affirming, this laugh-out-loud adventure gives voice to so many aspects of our modern day life. I loved the philosophy, the discourse, the social commentary and observations. Jake Swan recalibrates the world into a magical, mystical and optimistic place full of adventures, adversity, familial relationships and friendships.
I can’t recall a time I’ve read a book so slowly because I wanted to stop and enjoy every sentence. It’s a story of bravery, about making a difference, about embracing the unexpected, and really, what fun it all is!
Also, do NOT miss out on the author disclaimer at the front! Or the Publisher’s addendum to the author’s disclaimer.
This book made me incredibly happy and it took me on a marvelous adventure. And while I didn’t have a towel to accompany through the infinite multiverse, I did have an empty bottle of rum which had some pretty amazing powers.
And, lest I forget, there’s a ‘guest appearance’ by Stephen King which just cracked me up. All the writerly observations were outstanding.
Buy a copy of this book and experience the joy for yourself!
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The Inquisitive Raven by Richard Wagamese (Douglas and McIntyre)
Sometimes you just need a dash of beauty and wisdom in your life and I was recently gifted both in a most exquisite package: The Inquisitive Raven by Richard Wagamese, an Ojibwe Canadian author and journalist from the Wabaseemoong Independent Nations in Northwestern Ontario. He was best known for his novel Indian Horse, which won the Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature in 2013, and was a competing title in the 2013 edition of Canada Reads.
The Inquisitive Raven is excerpted and abridged from One Drum: Stories and Ceremonies for a Planet by Richard Wagamese (Douglas and McIntyre 2013), which led me to look up that book and for sure, it will be next on my reading list after reading the below on the Douglas and McIntyre site:
“The most profound truth in the universe is this: that we are all one drum and we need each other.” —Richard Wagamese, One Drum
“Fans of Richard Wagamese’s writing will be heartened by the news that the bestselling author left behind a manuscript he’d been working on until shortly before his death in 2017. One Drum welcomes readers to unite in ceremony to heal themselves and bring harmony to their lives and communities.”
In One Drum, Wagamese wrote, “I am not a shaman. Nor am I an elder, a pipe carrier, or a celebrated traditionalist. I am merely one who has trudged the same path many of this human family has—the path of the seeker, called forward by a yearning I have not always understood.”
One Drum draws from the foundational teachings of Ojibway tradition, the Grandfather Teachings. Focusing specifically on the lessons of humility, respect and courage, the volume contains simple ceremonies that anyone anywhere can do, alone or in a group, to foster harmony and connection. Wagamese believed that there is a shaman in each of us, and we are all teachers and in the world of the spirit there is no right way or wrong way.
Writing of neglect, abuse and loss of identity, Wagamese recalled living on the street, going to jail, drinking too much, feeling rootless and afraid, and then the feeling of hope he gained from connecting with the spiritual ways of his people. He expressed the belief that ceremony has the power to unify and to heal for people of all backgrounds. “When that happens,” he wrote, “we truly become one song and one drum beating together in a common purpose—and we are on the path to being healed.”
And from One Drum comes The Inquisite Raven, a book which will speak to your heart and soul. There’s no doubt that we live in jaded times and sometimes it feels as if we’ve lost the soul flight of curiousity and the joy of discovery, and even the valuable knowledge we gain from the trials we suffer to get there and be there. Because sometimes fullfulling one’s insatiable desire for knowledge and adventure can have its bad side, particularly for creative folk for whom things don’t always end up going swimming well.
My mother used to tell me that courage is rewarded and I’m very grateful she encouraged me to be brave (in fact, there were times she had to force me to be brave because I can be a timid soul!) but my mom said “You can do it! Go do it! I’m so proud of you!” To which I always said (and still say) “Don’t be proud yet!”
I think my idea of courage being rewarded was more aligned with winning an all expenses paid resort trip to Cuba as opposed to gaining soul wisdom and in reality, it’s quite easy to end up alone and lonely, out of pocket, with one’s feathers battered and bruised. However, most importantly, you still did that hard thing – you went out into the world, you sailed the seas, saw those sunrises and sunsets, met perfect strangers and wonderful weirdos who were kindred spirits, and all kinds of good things happened.
“Wonder,” Grandpa Raven said, “is the glue that holds everything together. It keeps you searching, eager for more. Out of wonder comes awe and out of awe comes respect and that’s the most valuable gift of all.”
Respect. If only humans could truly respect one another, high and low, rich or poor, what a wonderful world it really would be.
So Reuben the Raven went out to find his adventures and when he saw Migizi, the eagle, he couldn’t stop watching her. And he started comparing himself to her, noting her glorious grace and his own comparative short comings.
But Reuben was a determined fellow and he put his mind to learning to soar.
“He craved the sensation of becoming more: bigger somehow, more beautiful, less a raven and more revered and respected like an eagle, through the singular act of soaring.”
I don’t want to tell you the story of Reuben the Inquistive Raven because I want you to read the book but I will let you in on another gem by Grandpa Raven: “You were created to be part of the world. Respect is nothing something you earn, Grandson. It’s something you carry. It’s something you give. That’s the blessing of it.”
This is such a beautiful story and it’s hard to tell from the online cover image but when you hold it in your hands, the book is just exquisite; the cover has stunning bronze/gold leaf and I gasped when I unwrapped it. The story is utterly is soul medicine, and Bridget George’s illustrations which are so lovely you’ll want to frame every page and hang them on your walls. [bridgetsioln on Insta]
Oh, Reuben the Raven who dared to soar, you have inspired me. So, dear Reader, if you are in need of some inspiration in life, or you’d like to give yourself a treasured gift to help you through hard times, or you’d like to give someone a real treat, be they young or old, healthy or infirm, give them this book.
Thank you Harbour Publishing/Douglas McIntyre for the treasured copy of this book.
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And thank you, Readers for reading this post.
I always hoped I’d feel the energy of every person who ever read one of my books – that I’d somehow know if my book helped them, or moved them and changed their lives. I soon realized that wasn’t the case at all, and unless a reader contacted me and told me know what they thought or posted a review or comment online, I had no idea they’d even read the book, much less liked it.
Which is exactly why I have this site and have had it, since 2017. I want writers to know that I read their books. I appreciated their books. Their books made a difference to my world. That’s my goal, with every book I review.
And there you have it, Readers! I must say, this bunch was just fantastic and I encourage you to read them all.
Thanks so much for the review. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
As always, love the reviews, and grateful for the attention to Jake's novel. Of course I totally love the book, too.