My 4/5 star review of Len & Cub by Dusty Green and Meredith Batt, published by Goose Lane Editions.

Len & Cub is the story of two men who grew up in rural New Brunswick together who engaged in a romantic relationship in a time where homosexuality was not allowed. Documented by the photographs that Len took, this story is a nice mix of text and photos to tell a story that otherwise may have been missed if it hadn’t been for these photos.

This book was interesting to me because a lot of the photos speak for themselves. I could look at the photos and almost feel the relationship that these two men had, and learning bits about their lives helped to further the notation that I had developed. The fact that these photographs were taken, and then further passed along for another almost 100 years is crazy to me. These photographs represent a time that is not well documented in terms of queer history, especially in rural New Brunswick, so having read this book and viewed the pictures with them was a pleasure.

I sometimes found it hard reading this book because there is some speculation as to the lives Len and Cub led and there were not always hard details. But I also have to remember that Len and Cub were not famous people of their time, and that there really is not a whole lot to go off of for details. So speculation is almost needed to fill in the blanks, which made a lot of sense to me when I thought about this.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in queer history, but also specifically local people as it a story close to home. This book reads very well but is also very informative and has text citations, so if you are someone who likes to explore further and/or learn as you go this is a great read for that.

"The Summer Between Us" by Andre Fenton felt like reading my own diary. It was incredibly easy to connect with every character in the novel, each of them grappling with memories they’re not quite ready to let go of, trying to move forward in their lives.

We follow Adrian, a recent high school graduate who isn’t ready to move on. Is it selfish to want just a little more time? To want to pause life before it changes forever? For many reasons, Adrian doesn’t feel like he belongs. His race, his history with an eating disorder, and his gentle sensitive nature make him feel alienated, even ashamed of expressing his true self. He feels like an outsider, especially within his own home.

Throughout the novel, Adrian is under pressure to fulfill his father’s dream of him attending business school at Cape Breton University. But does his father ever stop to ask what Adrian wants? Their strained relationship, made worse by a tension in their shared home, becomes a source of deep stress and anxiety for Adrian.
As the story progresses, we witness Adrian’s journey of self-discovery. He begins to find his voice, his passion, and a sense of belonging. Through his personal struggles, he develops a desire to support other youth who, like him, feel unheard or misunderstood. He doesn’t have everything figured out, but that’s okay. What matters is that he’s driven by the belief that he can be a voice for others, and that he can create meaningful change in their lives.

I also really enjoyed reading about Adrian and Mel’s relationship as they grow and evolve together. Their contrasting personalities and goals create a dynamic that feels real and relatable. Adrian’s friend group plays a crucial role in helping him believe in himself, which beautifully highlights one of the novel's key themes: the importance of friendship.

"The Summer Between Us" has become my comfort book, one I know I’ll return to whenever I need the feeling of being seen and understood.

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“A Beginner’s Guide to Goodbye” by Melanie Mosher was an incredibly tender and deeply emotional read. The beauty of the writing was soft but powerful, carrying immense weight in just a few words.

We follow Laney, a ten-year-old girl who is completely swallowed by guilt and sorrow after the sudden death of her sister, Jenny. The guilt wraps around her like a second skin, and so she writes letters to her sister instead of speaking aloud. The way the author crafted Laney’s inner world felt so raw and intimate, like reading a diary written with invisible ink only grief could reveal. It wasn’t only Laney who went silent after the death of Jenny. Her mother shuts down completely, her father throws himself into work to avoid the truth. Her older sister turns cold and bossy, trying to hold things together through control. What the author captures so beautifully is how everyone grieves differently, and how loss can make strangers out of people who used to feel like home. But what truly gave the story life was the unexpected friendship between Laney and her neighbor, Miss Lucy, who is also dealing with her own kind of grief. Through connecting, communicating, and healing with Miss Lucy, Laney finds a way to accept and face the day.

I loved how Melanie Mosher portrayed Laney’s growth. Laney learns to speak again to her family and to the memory of her sister, like grief is a language they were trying to relearn. She begins to understand that saying goodbye doesn’t mean forgetting someone. It just means learning how to carry them with you differently.

I recommend “A Beginner’s Guide to Goodbye” by Melanie Mosher to anyone who has ever felt the ache of loss or the fear of moving forward. It’s not just a story about death; it’s a story about what comes after. About how love doesn’t disappear, even when people do. This book will allow space for hurt, for silence, and for moments of courage.

This book came about during the global pandemic when author Sheree Fitch was sharing her written works, on Instagram, as a way to navigate the unprecedented times. On April 20th 2020, upon hearing the full story of the tragic mass shooting that unfolded nearby in Portapique, Nova Scotia, she thought of all affected, and the heartbreak of what parents would say to their children and came up with this poem.

This poem, despite its brevity, tugs at readers’ heartstrings. I could feel the weight of every word. At the end of the book, the author included a note where she mentions how the words flowed through her from the affected children. It made me consider how the child addressed in the poem could also symbolize the inner child inside all of us. The poem was powerful and heartfelt. It reminded me of a quote I came across before about grief that said something along the lines of how lucky we are to have something we miss so badly.

I’m not surprised that this poem was embraced by Nova Scotians and other supporters. It really speaks to the soul. I really love how the seeming simplicity of the poem was paired with beautiful, yet also simple, line drawings. The book was just brought together wonderfully, making it a beautifully sincere tribute to the victims of that tragedy.

This touching poem is great for all ages. I recommend this short, yet very meaningful read. It’s perfect for anyone looking for solace at a time of grief.

I rate this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars