The Literary Adventures of an Opinionated Bookworm

I've been thinking about the power of the word "accuracy" when applied to fiction. The word is most often applied to historical fiction, which is important in many respects, but does that mean we should not question aspects of these stories that are deemed "accurate"? I am talking about a very specific scenario here, being Regency and Victorian romance novels. Let me explain... Regency and Victorian England are two popular time periods that many contemporary historical romance novels are set in, no doubt because of the continued love for Jane Austen over the centuries. From the Bridgerton craze, to stories of capturing dukes and seducing lords, these stories often romanticize the period by reproducing beloved romance tropes - not that I am complaining. These stories can often be imaginative and empowering for many characters that would not have had a voice in reality, and I cannot deny that they are entertaining.  And yet, under the guise of "accuracy,...

One of the biggest regrets I had during 2021 was that I let my blog slip through the cracks...which is a pity, because I like to blog. Therefore, I have decided to write once more (hopefully more than once), because I want to talk about Kamila Knows Best  by Farah Heron. You may recognize Heron's name from her previous works: The Chai Factor  and Accidentally Engaged. Both of these novels were well written, humorous, and heartwarming, but I loved them all the more because they are set in Canada and written by a Canadian.  Kamila Knows Best  stays true to all of these points. Set in Toronto, this adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma was faithful to the original while adding twists and turns that are accurate for a modern retelling. Kamila is an accountant who loves her father, friends, dog and career deeply, but all of these things means she is too busy for a serious relationship -- or so she claims. Kamila also fancies herself a matchmaker, and takes pride in the fact th...

Many months ago, I wrote a post called, "You Need More Than A Fancy Title" as a critique to a feminist manifesto I read, and it is time to reiterate this critique for the realm of novels.  How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days K.M. Jackson captured my attention with this title, partially because of the "How to" reference but mostly because of Keanu Reeves. The Matrix  trilogy (the trailer for the fourth movie is out, so I guess it is no longer a trilogy) was one of the first series I got into with my dad, and while the premise was confusing for adolescent me, Keanu captured my heart.  Such was the case for Bethany Lu, Jackson's protagonist, who is shocked to the core by a tweet stating Keanu will soon tie the knot. Because of her love for Keanu, Lu drops everything to find Keanu and stop the wedding, dragging her friend True Erickson along with her.  This is usually the type of book I love to read while I am in school; it's fun, easy to follow, and you tend t...

Ariel  is a collection of poetry by Sylvia Plath which was originally published by her husband, Ted Hughes, after her death. The restored edition was published by their daughter, Frieda Hughes, in the style she says Plath initially intended. The fact that two people who knew Plath published her work after she died forces me to ponder the question, who takes care of an author's work after they pass away? Ariel The restored edition of Ariel  was a beautiful way to get to know Sylvia Plath; not only is each poem carefully written, but the way in which Frieda Hughes published them (the order Plath wrote them in) makes the reader sympathize with Plath's struggles. I could really feel how she descended from optimism and happiness to thoughts that were more chaotic and depressed.  I also recommend this edition because after the last poem, Plath's daughter included the drafts of the poems and the edits Plath made to her poetry, which shows the care and planning that went in to ev...

I've long felt that Shakespeare is overrated, which is probably an unpopular opinion to have. I never saw the romance in Romeo and Juliet, and had little patience to read his other plays (although, I do like some of the movie adaptations that came out in the 90s and early 2000s). But as I have said before, I am willing to admit when I am wrong, and I was wrong in assuming that all of Shakespeare's Sonnets would be icky and romantic. The Sonnets As a part of my Master's, I am going to be a teaching assistant for a course called Literature and Culture, which will be looking into how poetry reflects the time in which it was written. Shakespeare is a good example of how writing reflects culture, and after reading his sonnets I can see why they were chosen for the course.  Shakespeare was interested in more than love, but that was also among the many themes he wrote about. His sonnets also discussed life, death and legacy--what a person leaves behind, and what is worthwhile. The...

"For all the girls and women pushed into the abyss of expendability and invisibility." Firekeeper's Daughter It is hard to know where to start this review. Is it a five star read? Absolutely. The must read book of the year? Quite possibly.  The thing about Angeline Boulley's debut novel is that, it is written as a young adult fictional thriller, but it is full of a reality that Indigenous and Native women live every day.  Daunis Fontaine is an eighteen-year-old in the midst of life altering traumatic events when she is approached by the FBI, asking her to be a confidential informant. With the rising meth-related deaths in the Sault community, the FBI believe that Daunis' knowledge of traditional Ojibwe culture and chemistry will help her identify those who are lacing meth with an unknown substance. With all of this drama going on, it's hard to believe Daunis still has to navigate her first year of university... This book is technically young adult fiction, but...

It is not very often that a book cover will match something in my closet; but the girl on the cover of The Glorious Guinness Girls by Emily Hourican is wearing a dress so similar to my high school grad dress, I just had to do a special post/review for it. The "Fanny" of the Guinness Family The relationship between England and Ireland during the 1920s is severely tense, and with the conclusion of the Great War, some families are excelling while others struggle. Such was the case for Felicity, whose mother sends her to live with the Guinness (yes, the beer) family because she cannot afford to keep her. Thus, Felicity (Fliss) enters the glamorous, privileged lives of Aileen, Maureen, and Oonagh Guinness. Despite the fact that it is clear she is not a Guinness Girl herself, Fliss becomes dedicated to the three sisters, accompanying them to parties and becoming their confidant.  A cross between Mansfield Park and Downton Abbey, this book is definitely a window into the roaring tw...

The end of a trilogy can either be a very frustrating event, or a very melancholy feeling. If the ending is not what you hoped, it can feel disappointing to have invested so much time. However, if the ending is satisfying, as was the case for The Toll  by Neal Shusterman, then leaving a series behind can be a concoction of emotions. The Toll The Arc of a Scythe trilogy came to a dramatic, thrilling, wonderful close in the final installment, and while I can say that I enjoyed it, I find it interesting how my interests seemed to change from the story of Citra and Rowan, to Greyson's story. I loved how complex the world got, and the ending was perfectly written, even though I still wanted more. 4 stars from this Bookworm! The only reason it was not a five is because I loved the second one. Second books are great because there is still a build up of tension, fantastic characters, and an ending that does not conclude the whole series and make me wish I could start all over again... Oh w...

The Night Wanderer by Drew Hayden Taylor, with art by Michael Wyatt is a thrilling read that manages to tell a dark tale without plunging all the way into the pit of despair. The story itself was powerful, and the art that filled the pages was absolutely perfect. When Pierre, a mysterious traveler from Europe, arrives at Otter Lake, he discovers that the land he thought he would find was much altered. He moves into the basement of an Indigenous family, and through them learns that the land is not the only thing that has been altered. Tiffany is a sixteen year old girl struggling to cope with her mom walking out on her and her father, coupled with other dilemmas that often come with being a teenager. Despite the fact that Pierre has his own intentions in coming to Otter Lake, his encounters with Tiffany awaken many of his memories, and he endeavors to help her look at the good in her own life instead of the bad. This is a standalone graphic novel, but it has the tone of an origin story ...

Hockey has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and the Gretzky family is a huge part of the game I love. Imagine my surprise when I found Great Too  by Glen Gretzky on NetGalley.  Great Too This children's book is about nerves, being overshadowed, and how a good coach and good teammates can make all the difference in a child's life. I also got a sense of how the Gretzky family grew up, which makes me truly believe that they are a beautiful family that are important to the game I love.  Inspired by Walter Gretzky, this story is an example of all coaching in kids' sports should be, and everything I aspire to as a coach. Beautifully illustrated and easy to empathize with, I believe kids will love this book (almost) as much as I do.   Thank you to NetGalley for this 5 star read! If you have any thoughts, questions, or review requests, please comment below, email me (theopinionatedbookworm@gmail.com) or follow me on Instagram (@theopinionatedbookwor...

Before Going Postal , I had never read anything by Terry Pratchett, which is why I am grateful to be in a bookclub. Bookclub gives me the opportunity to pick up books I might not have turned to on my own, and Terry Pratchett is definitely an author everyone should encounter at least once in their lifetime.  Deliver us! When con artist Moist von Lipwig is caught and charged for his crimes, he is given the choice between death, and running Ankh-Morpork's postal service, which has not been functioning at all for years. Deciding to take up the position of postmaster, Moist finds himself surrounded by peculiar problems within the post office, strange employees, and a midnight killer.  It is safe to say I have never read anything quite like Going Postal, as there is no one who writes or thinks like Pratchett. The events of this book are so strange, and yet, so entertaining, mostly because of how they were written. There was a little lull around the quarter mark, but I will give this...

What do you do when intimacy is lacking between you and your partner? Sinead Moriarty's novel, About Us , seemed to be all my fears about marriage and kids rolled into nearly 400 pages, as she tells the story of three couples struggling with intimacy in different ways who all turn to the same therapist in the hopes of rekindling the intimacy they have lost.  About Us This book follows Ann and Ken, empty-nesters nearing the years of unknown that retirement brings, Niall, Alice and their hectic life raising four kids, and Orla, a young teacher struggling with intimacy in many aspects of her life. All of these characters struggle within the privacy of their own home, but their stories are interconnected, which is one of my favourite types of stories.  Probably because of my position as a person in my early twenties, I struggled to connect with the characters and their relationship struggles, but not because the book was poorly written. I found Moriarty's writing style to be stron...

There is a lot I want to say about Yoga Pant Nation  by Laurie Gelman, but going into depth would involved spoilers and I'd rather not spoil anything for those who actually might enjoy this book. Nevertheless, I will try my best to explain why this book only received 1 star from me.  Checklists Yoga Pant Nation  is about a mom/grandma who navigates the world of kids, PTA meetings, spin classes, and, well, that's it really. Other than that basic description, I have no idea what this book is about. Four chapters in, and I could not tell what the plot was. Every chapter was just the protagonist checking things off her to-do list, and while it is impressive that a checklist was published as a novel, I fail to see the hook. The only juicy part of this book occurred when the protagonist's granddaughter's father, Raj, sues for custody of his daughter, presumably because his mother wants more time with her granddaughter. From there, a battle of the grandmas ensues. However, thi...

This reading rut I was in was a painful experience that unexpectedly came to an end when I picked up Seven Days in June  by Tia Williams. I was taken on an unexpected journey, torn open while reading about the love story of Eva and Shane. Now that the story is over, I wish it had never ended. 7 days to fall in love, 15 to forget Fifteen years after Eva and Shane first fell in love, they meet again during a writers panel hosted by a mutual friend. Although they had not spoken to each other since their love ended, they were forever in each other's thoughts when writing their respective novels, a fact that only they were aware of. Even after so many years, their feelings are still electrifying, but one question remains, can they overcome the events of the past? Sometimes, reading a romance novel can seem formulaic, but this story broke every formula I have ever experienced in my literary adventures. Each chapter told me something about Eva and Shane that I genuinely did not expect. On...

Ancient Greek myths have been told and retold for centuries; reshaped and rewritten in ways that may seem impractical, or more practical, depending on your point of view. Rick Riordan shook up the literary world with his series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians , and Margaret Atwood gave Penelope a voice in The Penelopiad . Add to this list of retellings, Medusa  by Rosie Hewlett, the story of how Medusa came to be a monster whose infamy lasted for thousands of years.  But who was really the monster in this one? Abandoned by her mother, Medusa was raised in the Temple of Athena by a lonely priestess, and as she grew older, she dedicated her life to the goddess of war and wisdom. As a young woman, news of her beauty spread far and wide, even to the ears of the gods. Enter Poseidon, god of the sea, embarrassed when the people chose Athena over himself, and set on getting revenge.  Medusa  is an interesting take on an infamous tale, and was so interesting that I read it ...

I consider audiobooks a treat, as listening to someone read to you can be a special event. Jonny Appleseed  was a particularly special experience, however, as it was narrated by the author of the novel, Joshua Whitehead. Because of this, listening to the story of Jonny felt all the more authentic, as it was read exactly as the author intended. Saying it in those words makes it sound like a divine event, but that is kind of what it felt like, every word spoken exactly as it was meant to be read. Jonny Appleseed Another reason why this book was an interesting read is because it tells the story of a two-spirit Indigiqueer named Jonny, a person who tells their story of finding their identity by weaving culture, sexuality and gender together in a delicate web. Finding one's identity within the context of family, community, and the rest of society is a careful dance, especially when the person you are is not always someone society wants to accept. Nevertheless, Jonny defies obstacles thr...

For as long as I can remember, I have had a deep, nearly obsessive, fascination with the past. The stories I was drawn to were ones of kings and queens, knights and wizards, myths and legends. Regardless of the truth behind these stories, the language and the heroic characters that populated the tales created a romantic attachment that lasts to this day.  Even now, I prefer stories of fantasy and adventure to those of real life, and in admitting this I feel like I have failed in my duty as a bookworm, as I only just finished reading The Lost Queen by Signe Pike, even though it was published in 2018.   The Lost Queen I have to sincerely thank Netgalley and Atria Books for giving me access to this ebook, because it was truly a wonderful adventure. The story begins when Languoreth, daughter of a King who still follows the Old Ways of their ancestors, is a child who just lost her mother and must learn to navigate womanhood in a changing world. As the years pass, Languoreth ex...

Throughout centuries of stories of the achievements of the human beings, there have been women (either openly or in the shadows) who have done amazing things for themselves, as well as for others. They worked in sciences, mathematics, athletics, arts, and social justice movements all around the world, sometimes with severe personal consequences.  Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls I love these books because they are a collection of stories of those amazing women who have achieved things that might have gone uncredited at the time, or who are well known and in the spotlight. However, this particular edition 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic  was especially powerful, because Black women have often been pushed to the side of the narrative, even when they are crucial to the story. The women included in this edition are from many countries, circumstances and generations, but they all changed the world through their actions. Definitely 5 stars! I want to add a small note here, ...

I find it fascinating how there is literature that looks far into the past, speculating about what might have been. In my mind, much of this literature centres around an Austen theme, telling tales of proud Lords and Ladies who fall in love. Although, some venture beyond what Austen could ever write, that is, into the bedrooms of these young lovers (such as Bridgerton).  I am a proud Austen fan and thus, rather cautious about what Regency Era lit I consume, but I am open to any recent authors who venture into this time as I too, like to imagine those witty conversations and joyful dances. Never Fall For Your Fiancee Despite the predictability of character and plot development, I really enjoyed Never Fall For Your Fiancee  by Virginia Heath, strictly because Heath is a very talented writer. The language she used both for scene descriptions and in conversations between characters situated me as the reader in the Regency Era, and the troubles of this world seemed to blissfully me...

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is quite possibly my favourite writer of all time. Full stop. Anyone who knows me would claim I am a fan of Tolkien, and this is true, but no one can write like Adichie. How to Write Grief I was not sure what to expect when I picked up Adichie's reflection, Notes on Grief , which is also a short memoir about her relationship with her father. I know Adichie to be a talented and imaginative author, as well as a strong feminist writer, but this book was unlike anything I have read from her. Somehow, she captured her grief on paper, and chose to share it with the rest of the world.  Grief, it turns out, is extremely complicated, and I found it interesting how grief manifests not only as pain, but as fond memories of the person who is gone. The stories she succinctly articulated in these pages were touching, and I ended up dwelling on the beautiful relationship she shared with her father rather than the feeling of grief itself. Although I know I will never meet ...