TBR Pile: Canadian Style

Looking for suggestions of books that are written by Canadian authors? Need help trying to decide which book by a Canadian author you should read? I've compiled lists of some of the books I've read and want to read by Canadian authors. Hopefully these will give you some ideas!

These are the books written by Canadian authors I've read and reviewed since starting Ramblings of a Daydreamer:

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery {Review || GoodReads}

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston {Review || GoodReads}

Darklight by Lesley Livingston {Review || GoodReads}

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley {Review || GoodReads}

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley {Review || GoodReads}

Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook {Review || GoodReads}

The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong {Review || GoodReads}

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong {Review || GoodReads}

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong {Review || GoodReads}

Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey {Review || GoodReads}

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey {Review || GoodReads}

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey {Review || GoodReads} 

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock {Review || GoodReads}

Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn’t Have) by Sarah Mlynowski {Review || GoodReads}

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski {Review || GoodReads}

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers {Review || GoodReads}

Ultraviolet by RJ Anderson {Review || GoodReads}

Quicksilver by RJ Anderson {Review || GoodReads}

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez {Review || GoodReads}

Flame of Surrender by Rhiannon Paille {Review || GoodReads}

Within by Clare Marshall {Review || GoodReads}

The Lighter Side of Life and Death by C.K. Kelly Martin {Review || GoodReads}

Spirits Rising by Krista D. Ball {Review || GoodReads}

Scorpio Rising by Monique Domovitch {Review || GoodReads}

These are books I've read that weren't written by Canadian authors but that were set (fully and partly, respectively) in Canada:

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake {Review || GoodReads}

The Single Girl’s To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk {Review || GoodReads}

These are some of the top books on my TBR that are written by Canadian authors:

Namesake by Sue MacLeod {GoodReads}

On Every Street by Karina Halle  {GoodReads}

The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook  {GoodReads}

Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston  {GoodReads}

This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel {GoodReads}

Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery  {GoodReads}

The Calling by Kelley Armstrong {GoodReads}

Ten Tiny Breaths by KA Tucker {GoodReads}

Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey {GoodReads}

Plain Kate by Erin Bow {GoodReads} 

The Witches of Willowmere by Alison Baird {GoodReads}

How I Lost You by Janet Gurtler {GoodReads}

Arranged by Catherine McKenzie {GoodReads}

A Stiff Kiss by Avery Olive {GoodReads}

Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen {GoodReads}

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes {GoodReads}

Build a Man by Talli Roland {GoodReads}

What Kills Me by Wynne Channing {GoodReads}

It's not too late to join the 2013 Canadian Reading Challenge. All you have to do is read and review at least one book either written by a Canadian or set in Canada.

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Review: Darklight by Lesley Livingston

Darklight by Lesley Livingston

Series: Wondrous Strange Trilogy, Book #2

Published: December 2nd, 2009

Publisher: HarperTeen

310 pages (hardcover)

Genre: Young adult paranormal

Acquired this book: From the library

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Book Depository || Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

{Read my review of Wondrous Strange}

Much has changed since autumn, when Kelley Winslow learned she was a Faerie princess, fell in love with changeling guard Sonny Flannery, and saved the mortal realm from the ravages of the Wild Hunt.

Now Kelley is stuck in New York City, rehearsing Romeo and Juliet and missing Sonny more with every stage kiss, while Sonny has been forced back to the Otherworld and into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the remaining Hunters and Queen Mabh herself.

When a terrifying encounter sends Kelley tumbling into the Otherworld, her reunion with Sonny is joyful but destined to be cut short. An ancient, hidden magick is stirring, and a dangerous new enemy is willing to risk everything to claim that power.

Caught in a web of Faerie deception and shifting allegiances, Kelley and Sonny must tread carefully, for each next step could topple a kingdom . . . or tear them apart.

With breathtakingly high stakes, the talented Lesley Livingston delivers soaring romance and vividly magical characters in Darklight, the second novel in the trilogy that began with Wondrous Strange.

 

Darklight picks up shortly after where Wondrous Strange left off, with Kelley still in New York City, and Sonny in Faerie chasing the remaining members of the Wild Hunt.

Kelley is independent, brave, and sometimes stubborn, with a fiery personality. Her stubbornness and independence sometimes get her into trouble, and even though I admired her for it, I got exasperated with her every time she went into Central Park on her own, knowing the possible dangers. I felt for her as she missed Sonny and tried to carry on with her life without him, plus deal with the life-changing knowledge that she was a faerie princess.

As with Wondrous Strange, I enjoyed that Darklight was told from alternating points of view, between Kelley in the mortal world, and Sonny in the Otherworld. I liked that we got to follow them both through their struggles, each of them waiting anxiously until they could be reunited. 

The addition of Fennrys Wolf as a more central character in the story helped to round out the cast. With Sonny gone, Kelley needed someone to watch her back, and it was interesting to see this tough character occasionally show his softer side. Love triangles don’t bother me as much as they do most people, and although I ultimately want Kelley to end up with Sonny, I like that there’s potential for a love triangle, and I have a feeling that will be something Kelley will have to work through in the final book. 

I love Livingston’s beauty writing style, and the way she describes things without bogging the story down in details. Her world-building skills are excellent, and whether the characters were in New York or Faerie, I felt like I was right there with them. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, and the story was full of tension, and punctuated by exciting scenes full of danger.

The ending was heartbreaking, and even though I wanted to scream at Kelley, I understand why she did what she did, and it made me even more anxious to read the final book in the trilogy.

In my review of Wondrous Strange, I said ‘this is what a faerie book should be’, and the same statement is true of Darklight. This series is exciting, enticing, and romantic, with elements of suspense and danger mixed in to keep things lively. I think fans of all things faerie should be pleased.

Have you read Darklight or any of the Wondrous Strange books? What did you think? What are some of your favourite faerie books?

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Stacking the Shelves October 28th

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

***Subscribe to my YouTube channel*** 

 

BOUGHT

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

The Demon Trapper’s Daughter by Jana Oliver

Dark Passage by MJ Putney

Magic Mike and Bridget Jones’ Diary DVDs

WON

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian + signed card

Harry Potter golden snitch necklace and rose ring

FOR REVIEW

Venom by Fiona Paul

Kismetology by Jaimie Admans

KOBO FREEBIE

Meant to Be by Tiffany King

LIBRARY

Dark Lover by JR Ward

Starling by Lesley Livingston

Also mentioned in the video: The Game Changer Spread the Word Giveaway

**A huge thank you to Tiff from Mostly YA Lit, Saz101 and Lauren’s Loquacious Literature, Razorbill and Penguin Canada, and JaimieAdmans**

 
 

What books did you get this week? Tell me in the comments below or post a link to your Stacking the Shelves/Book Haul/In My Mailbox/Showcase Sunday, etc. Happy reading! <3

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Canadian Spotlight Month: My Top 6 Favourite Canadian Authors

Throughout June, with the help of some amazing bloggers, I compiled a list of Canadian authors. I know there are probably dozens of names missing from this list, but I add to it whenever I discover a new Canadian author.

Today I thought I’d share my 6 favourite Canadian authors. If you guys aren’t already familiar with these authors, I really hope you’ll check them out!

My Top 6 Favourite Canadian Authors

*In no particular order*

1. Lucy Maud Montgomery (or LM Montgomery)

Montgomery is best known for her Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon series. I read Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea as a child, and I just finished rereading AoGG last week and fell in love with it all over again (I’m posting my review along with a giveaway of the book tomorrow). I feel like I grew up with Anne and Avonlea - watching the movies, the Canadian TV series Road to Avonlea, and collecting Anne memorabilia for as long as I can remember. I even got to visit “Anne’s Land” in Prince Edward Island twice when I was little. Anne will always be a character who’s very close to my heart, and I can’t wait to continue on with the series and finally read the whole thing. 

My Anne of Green Gables collection

2. Kelley Armstrong

I doubt there’s anyone in the blogosphere who hasn’t heard of Kelley Armstrong. Author of the Women of the Otherworld series, Darkest Powers series, and Darkness Rising series, Armstrong is the queen of amazing supernatural reads. I read Bitten and The Summoning several years ago, but unfortunately that was before I became a book blogger, so I don’t have reviews to share. I read The Gathering recently and absolutely loved it. I’ll have my review for that up later this month, along with two Kelley Armstrong giveaways.

3. OR Melling

Unfortunately, I don’t know many people who are familiar with OR Melling, and that makes me so sad. I discovered her books The Chronicles of Faerie and My Blue Country (about a Canadian girl who goes on an exchange program to Southeast Asia - I read this one a couple times) in my early teens. Now that I’m a blogger, I’d like to reread My Blue Country and write a review, and hopefully bring attention to this great Canadian author.

4. Alyxandra Harvey

Alyx writes the Drake Chronicles - stories about a family of kick-ass vampires. The books give vampires a fresh, unique spin, and are a mixture in romance, action, and suspense. So far I’ve only read Hearts at Stake and Blood Feud (review to come later this month), but I can’t wait to carry on with the series and keep up with the Drakes. I also recently read Stolen Away (review to come soon for that one, too), which is about faeries - I love anything to do with faeries.

Alyx will be in the spotlight here mid-month with a guest post, and she’s got an exciting Drake-related giveaway for us!

5. Sarah Mlynowski

Sarah writes amazing contemporary YA fiction. Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn’t Have) and Gimme a Call (again, review to come later this month) have been two of my favourite books of 2012 so far. Sarah’s got a knack for writing stories that are funny, cute, believable, and surprisingly touching, plus she writes totally swoonworthy boys! And since I’ve talked about several other giveaways already, I can’t leave Sarah out - later this month, she’s giving away a copy of Ten Things, so be sure to check back for that!

6. Lesley Livingston

Faeries!! As I said, I love anything do with faeries, and Lesley has written the Wondrous Strange trilogy, all about the Fae. I’ve only read the first two books so far, but I was lucky enough to recently win book 3 from Lesley herself, so I’ll be reading that as soon as it arrives! Check out my review of Wondrous Strange; I’ll have a review for book 2, Darklight, later this month. 

 

Who are some of your favourite Canadian authors? Have you read books by my favourites?

 

This post has been part of the Canadian Spotlight Month. Click the graphic below to check out the schedule and all things Canadian here at Ramblings of a Daydreamer. 

Have you seen this cover? Starling by Lesley Livingston

So, amazing fellow Canadian and uber-talented author Lesley Livingston has a new book coming out in August - yay! For those of you who don't know, Lesley wrote the Wondrous Strange trilogy (love faeries? Then you MUST read these books), as well as Once Every Never.

She revealed the cover of her new book, Starling, on her blog a couple weeks ago, and I thought I'd share it, along with a synopsis of the book, because it's just so damn cool.

"Love is just the beginning... of the end."

Mason Starling is a champion fencer for Gosforth Academy, but she’s never had to fight for her life. Until now. When a ferocious storm rips through Manhattan and unleashes terrifying creatures onto Gosforth’s campus, Mason barely escapes alive. Without help from the mysterious stranger who appeared in the midst of the storm, she might not have made it at all. But now, in the aftermath, Mason’s life begins to spin dramatically, mystically out of control, and the only one who seems able to help her is the stranger who can remember nothing but his name: Fennrys Wolf.

As Mason and Fenn uncover more about Fenn’s past and the strange events that surround them, they realize that Mason’s family — and its dark allegiance to the ancient Norse gods — is at the center of everything. A predetermined fate seems to be closing in on Mason, but is it possible to change one’s destiny?

Readers who fell in love with Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange trilogy and those who love Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series will be captivated by the sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action of Starling.

What do you think? I love the cover. The dark colours are great and it's mysterious looking and kind of creepy. I also love how the title is reflected underneath. I can't wait to read this book, it sounds great! Wondrous Strange was one of my favorite books of 2011, and I'm sure that by the time Starling comes out, I'll have read the rest of Lesley's books!

Add Starling to your GoodReads to-read list!

In My Mailbox Week 20 - January 15th

In My Mailbox is weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren.  The idea is to share books you've acquired during the week, whether you've won them, bought them, picked them up at the library, received them for review, whatever.  It's a great way to bring attention to books and authors and share the love!

Books mentioned: 

Won:
Shut Out by Kody Keplinger {GoodReads}

Thank you very much to Kathy from I Write, I Read, I Review ♥

Library:

10 Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski {GoodReads}

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison {GoodReads}
Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey {GoodReads}

Illuminated by Erica Orloff {GoodReads}

Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston {GoodReads}

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake {GoodReads}

Ebooks for review:

Near Death by MB Mulhall {GoodReads}

Hope's Daughter by Melanie Cusick-Jones {GoodReads}

Ebooks I bought:

The Man Code: Exposed by Rachel Thompson {GoodReads}

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Darkside by Beth Fantaskey {GoodReads}

Hollowland by Amanda Hocking {GoodReads}

A Scottish Ferry Tale by Nancy Volkers {GoodReads}

DVDs mentioned:
U2: From the Sky Down {Amazon} ♥♥♥♥♥
Crazy Stupid Love {Amazon} 

Be sure to check out the information and prizes for the Blue Sky Days launch party!

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

~Marie

Book Review: Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Published: September 22nd, 2009
Publisher: HarperCollins Canada/Harper Teen
327 pages (paperback)
Genre: Young adult urban fantasy
Acquired this book: at the library, although I'm eventually going to buy a copy because I loved it so much
Warning: may include spoilers

Synopsis, taken from the book's dust jacket: Seventeen-year-old actress Kelley Winslow thinks that playing the role of the fairy queen Titania in a production of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream could be her lucky break - if she can pull it off.  But when she meets the handsome Sonny Flannery, Kelley has to face the shocking truth that the world of Faeries is all too real  and that she is an unwitting part of it.
Sonny is a guard of the Samhain Gate, the doorway between the mortal sphere and the Faerie's enchanted, dangerous Otherworld.  Usually kept shut, the Gate stands open only once a year, exposing the unsuspecting human world to an onslaught of malevolent Faerie creatures intent on destruction. 
Sonny warns Kelley that she is no mere mortal, and that she is being hunted by powerful forces from the Faerie realm.  Now, Kelley must come to terms with her heritage - and her growing feelings for Sonny - if she wants to save not only herself, but also the human world she holds dear.
 
I've mentioned several times before that after I'm done with my current novel, I plan on writing a novel about faeries.  It's an idea I've had kicking around in my mind for years, and not a day has gone by in the last couple of months that I haven't thought about it - even though I'm knee-deep in the rewrite/revision stage of my current WIP.  I decided that I would read as many books about faeries as I could to see what's out there to make sure my idea is original.  I was surprised to discover there really aren't that many faerie books (although they seem to be gaining popularity), but that's how I came across Wondrous Strange, and let me tell you, I am so glad I did.

I just want to talk about Lesley Livingston first for a second.  When I chose this book, I had no idea that she was a Canadian author.  Not only is she Canadian, she apparently lives about 2 hours from me.  When I found this out, I was so excited that I tweeted: Started reading Wondrous Strange by @LesLivingston last night and just realized she's Canadian - I love her already! ;-)  A few days later, she tweeted me back saying: @SweetMarie83 I ♥ u right back fellow Canuck!  How cool is that?  I was ridiculously excited.  Also, she has a masters degree in English, with a specialization in Arthurian literature and Shakespeare - if I'd known I could have gone to university and studied Arthurian literature, I would have!  I think that's so cool, and I love how she worked her knowledge/love of Shakespeare into Wondrous Strange.

Ok, fangirly stuff over, now onto the review...

THIS is what a faerie story is supposed to be.  I've read quite a few over the last few weeks, and some have been good, some not so much, but this one was what I've been looking for and waiting for.  Finally!

Kelley and Sonny are great characters.  Kelley is independent and willfull, trying to make a life for herself doing what she loves, and on her own terms.  Sonny is loyal and strong, sweet and protective.  As a guard of the Samhain Gate, he's between the worlds, not really belonging in either, but like Kelley, trying to do his best and make it work.  Both are believable and relateable characters, as are all the other characters.  I won't go into detail, but I loved Maddox and Bob, too - you'll have to read the book to find out what I'm talking about!

I like how the story is shown from both Kelley's and Sonny's perspectives.  Most YA books I've read are told from the perspective of just the main character, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but I do enjoy getting a deeper insight into a character by seeing things from their perspective.  It just gives more depth to the story I think, and it worked perfectly in this book.

The plot is well-thought-out and original.  It's like a blending of old and new - legend/myth and pure imagination.  I love that it's set in New York City, a place that feels familiar to most us of, even if we've never been there.  There are some great twists, turns and surprises, action, and just enough romance in the storyline for a romance junkie like me to appreciate and be left with hope.  I love that Kelley and Sonny don't fall in love right away, and that Kelley doesn't fall all over herself to be with him.  The fact that they have to work for it and they have a lot of obstacles along the way makes it that much more interesting and believable.

One final thing I loved about this book: the cover.  I'm a total cover-whore - if you've been reading my blog, you'll know that I often choose books completely at random based on titles or covers, and this would be one of those books.  It's simple but so beautiful and ethereal.

I can't wait to see what happens next in Darklight, the second book in the series!

 *I belong to Amazon Affiliates - anything that you buy from my blog through Amazon gets me a small commission, and as a struggling freelance writer, I can use every cent I can get!  If you're considering buying this book or any other book I review, if you go to Amazon through the links on my blog to buy, I'll be eternally grateful!*

WWW Wednesdays: Week 5

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading.  All you have to do is answer these 3 questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you'll read next?

Simple right?  I love to read and love to know what other people are reading!

What are you currently reading?

I started reading Night of the Vampires by Heather Graham a couple days ago.  She used to be one of my favorite authors - I love all of her books up until a few years ago, then I don't know what happened, her books just weren't as good.  I keep trying though - I'm only about 70 pages in and not sure what I think so far. 

What did you recently finish reading?

Just before starting Night of the Vampires, I finished reading Lesley Livingston's Wondrous Strange.  I loved this book!  THIS is what faerie stories are supposed to be like.  I've been super busy so I haven't had time to write a review yet, but I will very soon!  Be sure to check back if you're interested! 

What do you think you'll read next?

My next read will be from one of the last two weeks' Library Loots, but I'm leaning toward Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen.  

So, what are you reading this week?  Have you read any of the books on my list?  Have any suggestions?  I'd love to hear from you!

WWW Wednesdays: Week 4

WWW Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading.  All you have to do is answer these 3 questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you'll read next?

Simple right?  I love to read and love to know what other people are reading!

What are you currently reading?

I just started reading Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston.  I started it before bed last night, so I'm only a chapter in.  I just realized last night that Ms Livingston is not only Canadian, but lives about 2 hours from where I live.  Very cool.  There are definitely not enough Canadian authors out there!

What did you recently finish reading?

Last night, I finished reading Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot.  I'll be starting my review on it later today.  It was really funny and cute.  Before that, I read Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen - click the link if you're interested in reading my review.  That book was excellent - my first 5-star review in a long time.

What do you think you'll read next?

After Wondrous Strange, I think I'll read Night of the Vampires by Heather Graham.  It's been awhile since I read a Heather Graham book - her earlier books are amazing but in the last year or two, they haven't been very good.  I keep trying though!



So, what are you reading this week?  Have you read any of the books on my list?  Have any suggestions?  I'd love to hear from you!

Library Loot: May 21st - May 28th

 

Library Loot is a weekly theme hosted by  Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader. 

Since I'm currently scraping by as a freelance writer, I unfortunately can't afford to buy books right now *insert sad face here* which I hate, but luckily I have an awesome library, so until I can have my own personal library filled with wall-to-wall books, the public library's the next best thing.

This week I only got one book and that was because it was a reserve that I had to pick up.  I always get way too many books, and because I'm a slow reader, I end up taking books back and getting them again at a later date.  I wanted more new books this week but still have most of my books from last week, so this week's only new book is The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.  I've had this book on my list for awhile, and my cousin reminded me about it recently when she said she was going to read it, so I requested it.

I finished Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin tonight, and really enjoyed it.  I'll be adding a book review for it sometime this coming week.  Last week's library loot that still needs to be read includes: Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot, Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt, Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston, and Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen, which I started tonight.

I also got 2 movies: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, which I haven't seen since it was in theatres, and The King's Speech, which I've been dying to see.  Looking forward to watching both of those, and hopefully getting more books read this week.

What are you reading this week?  What have you read lately that you really enjoyed?  Do you have any suggestions for my library loot picks next week?  I read just about any genre, and I'm always looking for suggestions!