A Sea of Spectres

On the choppy coastline of Prince Edward Island, an ocean-phobic detective evades the deadly lure of a phantom ship by delving into her family’s history and harnessing her matrilineal powers of premonition.
Raina is an accomplished detective working against smugglers and traffickers on PEI, and she’s eager for an imminent promotion. But there’s a catch: she has to go work on a Coast Guard ship for a week. And Raina, though Island born and raised, loathes the sea. When she gets too close to it, the phantom ship starts calling to her, and the lure of its deadly cold flames threatens to overwhelm her.
When she starts pulling the threads of a missing-person case, she discovers how Doiron women’s uncanny abilities have impacted her ancestral line: Madeleine’s powers tried to keep her family safe during the Expulsion of the Acadians in 1758; Celeste’s tempted her to take back what was rightfully hers in 1864. Generation after generation of women have had to reckon with what their abilities can and can’t do to protect their families. And now it’s Raina’s turn. Is she strong enough to carry her family’s legacy? Or will that legacy carry her out into the burning sea of spectres? Debut novelist Nancy Taber deftly braids three timelines together, each as engaging and fully drawn as the other. With whip-smart contemporary dialogue and moving, evocative historical writing, she brings to life three different generations of Acadian women in a riveting, crackling, chilling mystery.

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average rating is 3 out of 5, based on 150 votes, book lovers sharing their thoughts

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Jorja Walker

Location:

Dartmouth NS

average rating is 4 out of 5

Time Published

The Great Lunenburglary

I recommend this book.

Violet

Location:

average rating is 5 out of 5

Time Published

How to Kidnap a Mermaid

"How to Kidnap a Mermaid" by Andy Tolson is a fun and imaginative fantasy novel about adventure, friendship, and courage. The story follows Tiny Wilde, a twelve-year-old giant who struggles to live up to his father’s heroic reputation. When his mermaid friend Nalia asks for his help on an important quest, Tiny sets out on a dangerous journey to restore magic to the world of mythical creatures. Along the way, Tiny and his companions encounter magical beings such as pixies, witches, and dragons. The adventure is full of challenges that test Tiny’s bravery and determination. Throughout the story, he begins to realize that being a hero is not just about strength, but also about loyalty, kindness, and perseverance.

One of the strengths of "How to Kidnap a Mermaid" is its creative world and humorous tone. The character development and the fast-paced plot keeps the reader engaged. Overall, it is an enjoyable fantasy novel that encourages readers to believe in themselves and the power of friendship.

I recommend this book.

Devangana

Location:

Fredericton, NB

average rating is 5 out of 5

Time Published

Refreshing and Relevant

High school breakups are basically a sport...
but what happens when someone decides to profit from it?

The Goodbye Girls by Lisa Harrington is a YA novel, published by Nimbus Publishing that explores the story of Lizzie and Willa.

Lizzie, who is in desperate need to come up with funds for her band trip to New York, decides to partner up with her best friend Willa to start a breakup-basket business for their fellow students at Halifax West High.

I absolutely love the teen-owned business aspect of this story. Harrington developed quite an impressive plot that is equally clever and chaotic.

The concept of two savvy high schoolers moonlighting themselves as breakup realtors is nothing short of genius. There is a wonderful irony that comes from profiting off of a breakup and Harrington uses all ounces of drama and tension from it.

What makes the story stand out even more is the fact that Harrington does not neatly wrap up all the relationships at the end of the novel like a Hallmark movie does. In reality, all actions have consequences, and that was exactly the case for the novel as well. Some things do greater damage, that take more than a monologue to repair.

If you couldn’t guess it, I give The Goodbye Girls 5/5 stars because it’s witty, sharp, funny, and everything that a reader wants in a book to take an entertaining break from real life. If high school had a social media manager for heartbreak, it would be Lisa Harrington.

I recommend this book to:
anyone who is breathing
anyone who enjoys a good teen drama
anyone with a penchant for YA novels
anyone who has an entrepreneurial spirit.
and anyone who is going through a heartbreak.

I recommend this book.

Emily Hunter

Location:

PEI

average rating is 5 out of 5

Time Published

An Engaging Read!

I recommend this book.

Hidayah Al-Kanz

Location:

New Brunswick

average rating is 4 out of 5

Time Published

A Touching Read

This book is a powerful poetry collection by the Mi’kmaw spoken word artist Rebecca Thomas. It considers three similarly spelled Mi’kmaw words that have three different meanings. Kesalul stands for “I love you”; kesa’lul means “I hurt you”; and ke’sa’lul is “I put you into the fire.” The poems in the book vary in topic but all have the same heartfelt touch. This book is an exploration of what it means to fight for justice beyond the surface.

This book was a moving read that propels forward the plight for Indigenous resistance. Working towards decolonization can take many forms, and this book is a great example of one. It was insightful to read about how colonialism is embedded in our everyday lives, even if one is not used to noticing it. The book also discussed relevant themes in the world that I think many marginalized communities will be able to relate to. One example being virtual accounts producing an incorrect narrative by painting violent offenders as the victim even if they are not, simply due to the fact that they belong to a dominant group.

One of my favourite poems in the collection was the one about the author’s late grandfather. It was a touching tribute to him and highlighted the role that unconditional love plays on a person. A couple of times throughout the collection, I thought about how a different word choice could have been a better substitute, as some of the language choices took away from the depth of the poetry. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant read. I especially enjoyed the poems about North America which were structured in very clever ways.

I recommend this thought-provoking and enjoyable poetry collection. This book will make readers want to increase their advocacy efforts. It is perfect for anyone looking for an enlightening poetry collection with well-crafted writing.

I recommend this book.