This was such a unique and quirky read, both funny and philosophical. What is required for your life to be considered meaningful, valuable, worth living? What might we be missing that is right in front of us? This was a fun read am grateful to the author for the vulnerability he took in writing Cyrus‘s character. This was a fun and enjoyable read. I would highly recommend for readers who enjoy character-based literary fiction.

This book would be an excellent starting point for those wanting to learn more about Indigenous/settler relations and history in the Americas. It is thought provoking and written in a conversational manner making it enjoyable to read. The author includes actionable items at the end of each chapter and provides recommendations for further reading. Highly recommend!

Sarah Wynn-Williams worked persistently to be hired by Facebook, believing it could be a powerful force for good. Here she details her growing discomfort as she worked alongside company leaders including Mark Zuckerberg and Cheryl Sandburg. Particularly disturbing was the growing pattern of profit over ethical principles and partnerships with governments known for human rights violations. I read the audiobook narrated by the author (cont. below)

This an incredibly moving, heartbreaking, collection of poems written by Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha as he worked to keep his family alive during the ongoing genocide in Gaza. In doing so he has given a voice to the now dead and the still suffering voiceless. This horror must end.
Note: The author and his immediate family managed to gain clearance to escape Gaza. Many of members of his extended family remain in there.

This book could not be of more urgent importance. It begs us not to turn away from the horror in Gaza, or the depth of suffering being inflicted on Gaza‘s children. El Akkad reflects on his experiences growing up in Egypt, Qatar, and Canada. Now living in the US, he reflects on his disillusionment and painful coming to terms with the gulf between the values the West purports (fairness, human rights) and reality (government actions/lack of action).

Thank you so much Leah for this beautiful book and yummy chocolate. Ghirardelli is always delicious! This is a perfect book for curling up with by the fireplace (and my dog too of course!) I am sure it will be greatly enjoyed, thank you!! ❤️

Thank you @MaleficentBookDragon for hosting #JolabokaflodSwap again this year. It is always so much fun!!

@LeahBergen @MaleficentBookDragon
This lovely box for the #JolabokaflodSwap arrived on my porch tonight! Thank you Leah ❤️

Coates writes with such a remarkable degree of clarity, integrity, and compassion. The book is comprised of three essay sections where he tells of his journeys- to Senegal, South Carolina, and Palestine. He shares his experiences, observations, insights, and mind rumblings. He is willing to say “I was wrong” and tells of how his opinion changed after learning new information - something we all need to learn to do better. Essential reading.

Hello October!
#BookSpin #DoubleSpin #BookSpinBingo

#ThreeListThursday #TLT

I guess I am more a book and music person than a movie one…..I dropped from 89 to 34 🤨

Some of my favourites on the list include:
The Sound of Music
Beauty and the Beast
The Wizard of Oz

Written as a collection of 5 interrelated essays, Taylor touches upon diverse disciplines including sociology, philosophy, economics, ecology, and political science. At its heart, she attempts to demonstrate how insecurity and our responses to it (hoarding resources, policing, shaming others rather than showing care…) are causing collective harm, and encourages us to come together, recognize our joint vulnerability, and support each other.

This is a fantastic collection of short stories told in a graphic novel like format. Written by various authors, each story is a reimagining of events and every day life in Canada over the previous 150 years. The stories are written to provide a window into how “Canadian history” was experienced from a First Nations, Inuit, or Métis perspective. It vividly demonstrates how much is missing from the official narrative.

I‘m one of the lucky ones today who got to be in the path of the totality. Amazing. Wow.

Taken in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

This was excellent and important book. Sterrett shares her experience living and later working in Vancouver‘s downtown east side, and how this led her to a career in investigative journalism. Through her work she has provided a voice for the (far too many) families that have lost a loved one. In building her career and finding her voice, she has been made to endure a tremendous and disturbing amount of racism along the way. Highly recommend.

Ready for March #BookSpin #DoubleSpin #BookSpinBingo 😄

This was a brutal read. Kendzior‘s primary message is a warning to Americans that their country is on the path to self-destruction. She discusses the difference between “conspiracy” and “conspiracy theory” and how unfounded conspiracy theories are used as a distraction from genuine conspiracies and wide spread corruption. She also discusses the “weaponization” of the term “conspiracy theory” to silence would be whistleblowers.

#DoubleSpin

This was my first time participating in #WinterGames so I must apologize for my relatively low points score #HollyJollyReaders but it was fun and I enjoyed our team read “Moon of the Crusted Snow”. Hope everyone else had fun too.
#WinterGames #HollyJollyReaders

1. I could not list just one!! A few include
“Threads from the Refugee Crisis” (Kate Evans)
“Our Women on the Ground” (Ed. Zarha Hankir)
“Lonely Castle in the Mirror” (Mizuki Tsujimura)
“The Hurting Kind” (Ada Limón)
2. ???
3. No
4. Yes, no braving the malls though, just an additional cozy day at home with family food and games. Growing up we would go to my Aunt‘s for our big family dinner on Boxing Day
5. Greenish

Lot‘s of words in “Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Wintergamers.” I certainly didn‘t come close to writing them all! 😂 I managed to list 357 of them

#WinterGames #HollyJollyReaders

1. PJ‘s
2. Stay up!
3. Mostly a mug….wine glass at midnight
4. Cozy couch
5. Slippers

#WinterGames
#HollyJollyReaders

Thank you so much @ShelleyBooksie ! I am so looking forward to curling up with this book (and my 🐶). The chocolate looks delicious, I love peppermint bark 😋. Hope you have a wonderful holiday! #JolabokaflodSwap
@MaleficentBookDragon

This book was recommended to me a few weeks ago and then it was chosen as a team read for #wintergames. So I had to pick it up! I The audio version was excellent. It has been a long while since a novel pulled me in so quickly….I finished it within a period of 24hrs. I am now looking forward to picking up the next book in this series!

#hollyjollyreaders

@thebacklistbook Your #JolabokaflodSwap goodies are on their way!

Here is my holiday/wintery word list for Week One of #wintergames I am noticing I spelled reindeer incorrectly 😑 but I am trying to resist rewriting it 🙃

#hollyjollyreaders
@Laughterhp @BookmarkTavern @Nelnjali @OutsmartYourShelf @mom_of_4 @Captivatedbybooks @Magpiegem

@ShelleyBooksie I think my #JolabokaflodSwap parcel has arrived! Thank you!!!!

1. Curling up with a book, blanket, hot drink, and my dog Hughie
2. I love a silly tradition my Dad started years ago of giving creative personalized gag gifts - always good for lots of laughter
3. Caramel Brulé Latte(s)
4. I don‘t know as this is my first year!
5. I don‘t really have one. I‘ve been reading a lot of excellent graphic novel memoirs this year and have been trying to read more books in translation as well.
#HollyJollyReaders

I can‘t believe it‘s December! Here‘s my final #BookSpin, #DoubleSpin, #BookSpinBingo list for 2023 😄

This is an important overview of the current impact of poverty in America on the both the individual/family and societal levels. It covers an array of issues including workers‘ rights, predatory banking services, tax evasion, barriers to home ownership, and the benefits that can with social/community integration. I appreciate that the author includes some tangible policy recommendations. Would definitely recommend to American readers.

So glad I read this book! It follows the lives of seven struggling middle school students brought together through a portal that suddenly appears in the their bedroom mirror. As they spend time together they learn to support and find safety in each other, gaining confidence in themselves and a renewed hope for future. I appreciated that the book did not minimize the emotional impact bullying and the affect it can have on how you see yourself.

In this collection of essays, Michelle Good urges all Canadians to take an honest reassessment of our country and its history. To recognize the colonial genocide wrought upon Indigenous peoples and the historical acts, policies, and lack of protections that continue to this day. She goes on to discuss some of the steps needed for genuine reconciliation to occur. Would recommend this for all Canadians.

Threads is a moving, heartbreaking, informative graphic memoir first published in 2017. In it, artist and author Kate Evans shares about her experiences volunteering in the Calais Jungle and Dunkirk refugee camps and gives the reader glimpses into the lives and ongoing trauma of the many people who sought shelter there. She makes an impassioned cry for the humane, compassionate, and respectful treatment of refugees. Heartbreaking and infuriating.

So glad I decided to pick this up! It is that type of book that can make you feel less alone. One thing that resonated with me was when she spoke of how she had “administered” many changes, challenges, and life events over the past few years, but had not been able to integrate any of it. I can relate! She goes on to discuss how grounding, finding connection, and reviving our sense of awe and wonder in the world is is vital to our wellbeing.

I enjoyed this book that follows the lives of six people/groups - each with a strongly held system of beliefs that shape their day to day lives (be that a “good” death, ghosts, a young earth, or UFOs.) Like others I too felt most invested in the sections on the death doula (Annie) and Katrina. There is a lot of interesting “food for thought,” however I would have liked if author‘s reflections were presented a little more cohesively.

Yay for May! I have my #BookSpin #DoubleSpin #BookSpinBingo list ready to go!

I am joining the large chorus of voices saying this book is fantastic. I really liked Kate Beaton‘s use of the graphic novel novel format to tell of her experiences working in Alberta‘s oil sands. She writes with insight and compassion, resisting simple judgments of others. This book deals with a lot of heavy content but the comic irony in many of her observations helped it from seeming too heavy. Highly recommend. (Note: a number of CW apply)

This is a lovely little poetry anthology reminding us all of our joint humanity in all its beauty and brokenness. It will be a comfort read to come back to when needed.

Highly recommend this fantastic essay collection by female Middle Eastern journalists on their unique experiences travelling and reporting as women. They share nuanced and intimate perspectives of how war, political unrest, and crises are affecting the day to day lives of civilians - and being women they have access to the voices of women and children that often go unheard.

This was so good. Strong southern gothic vibes addressing issues of identity, othering, religious toxicity, and how well we know ourselves and our own motivations. The style in which this is written is very unique too. It reminds me a bit of Rachel Cusk‘s Outline trilogy in that much of the content is written as comments and confessions that are made to the MC (who says almost nothing themselves).

Hello April #BookSpin #DoubleSpin #BookSpinBingo

If you feel like you are drowning, struggling to manage even the basics of caring of yourself, your family, and home - especially if this is resulting in feelings of shame and self-loathing - please pick up this book. The methods in this book meet you wherever you are at and focus on having a space that is functional you & your family. I found the book helped me reframe my thinking and personalize my approach to tackling “care tasks” for success

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

This is the very lengthy first line of “Pew” by Catherine Lacey

Powerful. Painful. Stark. Brilliant. I am curious as to how this reads in other formats. The art in the graphic novel however is fantastic.

I throughly enjoyed this sweet story that demonstrates the healing power of community, compassion, and companionship. I must not forget to mention the star of the story, a brilliant octopus named Marcellus McSquiddles. Marcellus requests that you please not mistake him for a squid - he considers this to be an insult of the worst sort. I found the book to be a bit slow getting started, but then I was was hooked 🙂

In honour of national puppy day I had to share a picture of my little guy Hughie. ❤️ If you enjoy poetry and are a dog lover, I would highly recommend the tagged collection by Mary Oliver. #dogsoflitsy

In this YA coming of age memoir, Nikki Grimes has the reader come along with her as she navigates through a childhood that is rife with instability and trauma. She also writes of small kindnesses, moments of joy, and how she summoned courage to remain hopeful for better days ahead. Beautifully written, primarily in verse with snippets of childhood notebook entries throughout. Highly recommend (FYI - many CW apply) #DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks

I loved this mental romp into theoretical physics, philosophy, history, sociology, and the scientific process. The essays in this collection range from comparing octopuses to extraterrestrials (for studying of the evolution of consciousness), our knowledge of black holes in relation to the nature of time, the toxicity of rising nationalism, and insights gained while using LSD. It is not an easy read, but nonetheless it was fun and rewarding.

I cannot imagine growing up and having to live under such constant scrutiny and public speculation about your every move. The lack of needed mental health support following the sudden death of his mother is heartbreaking. I understand why he would want to tell his own life story himself (from his perspective by necessity). I am happy he has found love, empathy, emotional security, and companionship in Meghan.
I recommend the audiobook version

Here‘s my #bookspin #doublespin #bookspinbingo list for March !!!

This is a beautiful, moving graphic memoir sharing the journey of the author‘s family through the 10 months following their mother‘s terminal cancer diagnosis. Full of funny, touching moments and memories. It made me laugh, and it made me cry - in that needed pent up grief releasing sort of way. All humans in the book are drawn as birds - the author‘s family as penguins, which I think (perhaps strangely) made them feel even more relatable. ❤️