Even though the holidays are over I am still reading amazing books about Christmas adventures. let me tell you about this amazing freebie I received from Digitally Lit and Breton Books as a part of being an Our Stories Matter Youth Ambassador. It's called 'Cape Breton's Christmas book 10’ by Ronald Caplan, and it's a must-read for anyone who loves non-fiction short stories.

This book is an incredible collection of short stories that revolve around Christmas in Cape Breton. You'll come across tales about what people eat or drink during Christmas time, a mouse’s adventure during the holiday season and even real stories about people helping their communities during a hard time!

What I loved about these stories is that although they all have different themes, they share a common setting - the picturesque Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. It's a small fishing community that reminds me a lot of Newfoundland, and you'll fall in love with it too.

These short story made me fall in love about everything Christmas and I think it's wonderful how everyone comes together in Cape Breton to help with anything.

Some of my favourite stories from this book is Christmas Is Coming Up Fast by Lesley Crewe which is about comparing how adults and children have different forms of Christmas. Another one of my favourite stories is A Christmas Wish by Sharon Dunn which is about giving instead of recieveing. A young family struggles with supplying a good Christmas and a group of high schoolers help provide a great Christmas.


Overall, I thought this book was beautifully written and made me believe in the magic of Christmas. It reminded me of how important family is and how the smallest acts of kindness can make a world of difference. I give it a solid 5-star rating! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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Decoding Dot Grey by Nicola Davison is a wonderfully written novel that I know will stick with me for a long time.
Davison is fantastic at creating well rounded and compelling characters who feel incredibly lifelike. Dot is such an engaging and distinct narrator to follow and I loved experiencing the world around her through her eyes.
This story is packed with so many small details from Dot’s observations that really help bring everything to life - and that really contributes to the emotional beats hitting as hard as they do. This novel takes a very honest look at the complexity of grief, how it manifests differently for all of us, and how it changes you. It approaches the harsh realities its characters face with a deft and understanding hand.
Decoding Dot Grey is, without a doubt, a book I’d highly recommend reading.

This coming-of-age novel was set in 1997 when 18-year-old Dorothy ‘’Dot” Grey just left home in favour of a shabby basement where she lives with several small animals. Dot works at a local animal shelter and struggles to cope with her mother’s tragic accident and other heart-wrenching occurrences.

The book deals with many heavy topics such as grief, heartbreak, and betrayal. The reader comes along as Dot navigates her way through her chaotic world. Although I wasn’t particularly very fond of Dot’s characteristics, her growth as a character, throughout the book, was very detectable. I would have loved to get more insight into the other characters' lives as well, as each character also seemed to be on their own journey of self-discovery.

This book was cleverly written with subtle humour sprinkled within. It also contained many anecdotes, and I enjoyed reading the unexpected plot twists. However, the book contained sexually explicit and descriptive scenes that I disliked. I found the book to be quite wholesome otherwise, showcasing the diversity of dealing with grief and ultimately teaching that the power of trust is one of the most precious gifts people can have.

This is a perfect read for anyone looking for a bittersweet story about loss and forgiveness.

I rate this book 4/5 stars. ‘Decoding Dot Grey’ left me hoping for a sequel to find out what happens in Dot’s next chapter of life.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Decoding Dot Grey By Nicola Davison, from @nimbuspub and @digitally_lit Is a beautifully written story!

It’s about a 18 year old girl named Dot who works at an animal shelter in Nova Scotia; Dot left home to go live in a dank, cold, basement, with questionable plumbing. She deals with regular financial struggles (like that), but also she carries the weight of her mothers accident around on her as well.

I loved how nicely written it was, it was a lovely read. It was a nice, heartfelt, and laid back story that gave me a calm, tired feeling. I absolutely loved Dot, Rachel, Joe, Judy, Earl, Toby, Ori and Button. I'm so intrigued by some of the characters in this book, like Rachel, Judy and Joe. There's stories that haven't yet been told with these characters. I would love a sequel to this story from one of these characters' perspectives. 

This book was a very nice read, I rate it 4.5/5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟⭐