Kelly’s Comments (group member since Jan 02, 2013)

Kelly’s comments from the Read Across Canada: A 2013 Challenge group.

I thought this would be such an easy challenge...silly me! I am currently reading my second last book in this challenge and have my final one picked out but I won't complete it before the end of the year. I hope to finish it up in January.

I enjoyed this challenge, it was nice learning about such awesome Canadian books and making it a focus to read some of them.

Much appreciated!

Didn't realize Still Life was a candidate - yay! that will cover several challenges with one book (even though I already read one Quebec book).

Just added my review to the Quebec blog - really enjoyed Bride of New France

First book of my cross Canada challenge, Bride of New France

A perfect book for a perfect day of reading, curled up in bed with some tea! This is an easy and quick read, but although it is light, it is still engaging. I like the portrayal of the characters, the descriptions of a very impoverished life without feeling sorry for the women, it was a good blend of realism and acceptance of what life was like for many at that time. I also liked the thorough description and time spent in the first part of the book in France, understanding more about the true natures of the characters so that later, in the chapters about the voyage to Canada and the time there, their actions made sense. The story was well paced and while descriptive, not overly so.

Absolutely! I plan to do reviews - is there a designated spot for that thread, or shall I add it to this one?

Picked up both Bride of New France and Nikolski at the used book store today - Quebec is covered but decisions, decisions...

I'm behind on my reading but next up are:
my December read (a little late) The Master and Margarita
my January read The Double Bind
our January book club pick A Dirty Job

Other than those required books, I haven't decided but I think I'd like to start off the year with a fantasy series, maybe The Stand (a re-read, but a great one)!

Janice wrote: "I'm rethinking Colony...

I know what you mean! While I'm doing my best to put up my choices now, I'm not sure I won't come across books this year that take their place, if it seems like a good fit. The holidays bring enough family drama - I don't want to read one now, or for a good while!

Hi all - looking forward to these cross-country reads. I'm an Alberta girl and have spent some time living in Ontario and visiting New Brunswick.

Thanks, I'm excited to be here.

We read Through Black Spruce last year for book club, I loved it - so I'm looking forward to Three Day Road.

I've read The Colony of Unrequited Dreams: A Novel and enjoyed it - hope you do too! It was the epitomy of Newfoundland to me :)

I'm still undecided about whether to go for authors or settings but will add my choices willy-nilly and let the chips fall where they may!

Provinces:

(Author from, set in) Alberta - Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King DONE
British Columbia - The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed by John Vaillant DONE
Manitoba - Innercity Girl Like Me by Sabrina Bernardo DONE

New Brunswick - (Author from, set in) New Brunswick - The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor by Sally Armstrong DONE

Another New Brunswick possible read - From this World by Daniel Adsett

(Author from, Set in) Labrador & Newfoundland - Annabel by Kathleen Winter DONE
Nova Scotia - No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod DONE

Ontario - Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden

(Author from Nova Scotia, Author lives in)Prince Edward Island - By Any Other Name by Michel R. Vaillancourt DONE
(Set in) Quebec - Bride of New France by Suzanne Desrochers DONE

Saskatchewan - (Author from) Saskatchewan, lives in Ontario - The Emperor of Paris DONE

Another possible read from Saskatchewan - Devotion by Trystan Vikar

Territories:

Northwest Territories - Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman DONE
Nunavut - Consumption: A novel by Kevin Patterson DONE

Yukon (Set in) - Gold Digger by Vicki Delany DONE

Unplanned reads:

(Author from) British Columbia - Blood Red Road Rebel Heart by Moira Young DONE
(Author from) British Columbia - Seraphina by Rachel Hartman DONE
(Author from) Ontario - Under Heaven DONE
(Author from) Ontario, lives in Vancouver, BC - One Good Hustle by Billie Livingston DONE
(Author from, set in) Alberta - The Garneau Block by Todd Babiak DONE
(Author from) Canada - The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson DONE
(Author from) Nova Scotia - The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay DONE
(Author from) Canada - Chief Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny
(Author from) Ontario - The Disappeared by Kim Echlin DONE

I'll second that - I'm partial to Alias Grace if we choose Margaret Atwood.