CanadianContent discussion

As February arrives, it is chilly and time to hibernate and read.

what are you reading? What is next?

Are you participating in the Canada Reads 2026 reading?

Just finished The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue for my book club. I really liked it. It’s set in Dublin hospital during the 1918 flu outbreak. I guess there was enough distance from our recent pandemic for me to enjoy the tale of Nurse Julia. So many layers to it and the rigid social structure you find yourself in was just fascinating. 4.5 stars.

Hi Mel - that is a great one for book club. We had a great discussion and were lucky that the author came to our community to speak about that book as well as the Paris Express.

I am still raving about Theo of Golden which was fabulous!!

I also finished 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life which was just ok and read like a memoir and a way to highlight his wife's care.

I finished The Cure for Drowning for Canada Reads which I really enjoyed and look forward to discussing.

I'm almost done Wild Dark Shore, which I was supposed to finish this aft. And then I got a skip the line loan for Heated Rivalry, which I devoured. Although, I have no ability to rate it because I feel like I can't judge it as a piece of writing - I have no ability to divorce it from the show, which played in my head as I was reading it.

I am two done on Canada Reads (Foe and A Minor Chorus) and am waiting for my holds on the other three to come in.

I'm hoping to finish Chloe Sparrow this month (I love it so far, but I got derailed from reading it by needy clients making it so that audiobooks were the only thing I had time for...).

I probably won't do Canada reads right now, since my bookshelf is... in need of some TLC, see above (lol), but I do want to read Billy-Ray Belcourt's book. I used to work as a researcher for his Nation, so I always want to read anything coming out of the community.

I now have all five of the Canada Reads shortlist books - I actually owned 2 of them. Hoping to get to them. Just finished for my Bermuda book club Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books - which we all enjoyed. Our current pick is Homegoing

Mel wrote: "Just finished The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue for my book club. I really liked it. It’s set in Dublin hospital during the 1918 flu outbreak. I guess there was enough distance from our recent..."

I liked it very much too although I did think the ending was a bit if a stretch. Her research was incredible-very harrowing stories.

Just finished Peter Mainsbridge’s Off the Record. He comes across as being an extremely decent fellow-a great Canadian. The entire book is made up of three pages vignettes and the ones that interested me were the best.Lots of insight into Canadian politics and world leaders. He never mentions whether or not he is a reader though.

@Alan - I have enjoyed his books as well... he does seem like a truly nice guy,.. my husband was a big fan of his news reporting and would love to get his books signed someday and we always chat about that when we are in Stratford, where he lives!