The Haunted Hornby Edward WillettPublished by Endless Sky BooksReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$19.99 ISBN 9781998273706 Wow: Regina’s Edward Willett has done it again. He’s written a book—this time a light-hearted, middle years’ horror—that’s certain to keep young readers transfixed. The longtime multi-genre writer and publisher’s cracked the code to literary success: his plots zoom; his characters are credible and maintain d...
Featured Reviews
HopeStreetby Bel TerrillPublished by Pete’s PressReview by Toby A. Welch $24.99 ISBN 9781997713029 If you’re into dystopian stories with a tech twist, HopeStreet needs to be on your radar. HopeStreet centres around a city named Toivo – picture a futuristic, grim version of Toronto. It is a bleak city ruled by AI that has stripped its residents of autonomy and joy. Enter HopeStreet, a total-immersion virtual reality game whe...
Gods of a New Worldby Ryan MelsomPublished by Shadowpaw PressReview by Michelle Shaw$26.99 ISBN 9781998273379 A mind-bending thriller set in a dystopian future is not something I usually read, but Ryan Melsom’s immersive world and powerful writing in Gods of a New World kept me turning the pages. All 336 of them! What initially drew me to the book was its premise. A thriller set in a world controlled and reshaped by trillionaires usin...
March Forthby Dale Botting, Richard Jankowski, and Alan WallacePublished by Benchmark PressReview by Sally Meadows$25.00 ISBN 9781927352533 March Forth is a bold undertaking by three seasoned Saskatchewan businessmen to help guide and strengthen business and government leadership during our current tumultuous economic and political climate. Drawing from decades of real-life experience in multiple, diverse industries, the authors challen...
Waiting for the Piano Tuner to Dieby Harriet RichardsPublished by Shadowpaw Press RepriseReview by Toby A. Welch $24.99 ISBN 9781998273317 This compact collection of ten short stories delivers a nonstop emotional rollercoaster. Richards explores heavy themes – death and dying, family dynamics, sibling relationships, love, loss – but what stands out is how hope runs through it. It packs a punch by taking raw situations and...
Wîhtamawik/Tell Them: On a Life of Inspirationby Louise Bernice Halfe – Sky DancerPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$27.95 ISBN 9781779400840 Award-winning Saskatchewan writer Louise Bernice Halfe – Sky Dancer is renowned for her candid, Cree-infused poetry and presentations. Her latest book, Wîhtamawik/Tell Them: On a Life of Inspiration, braids memoir, poetry and essays to reveal where the author...
Twice Cursed: An Ever After Tales Collectionby Robyn TockerPublished by Pete’s PressReview by Toby A. Welch $24.99 ISBN 9781069345998 Twice Cursed, the fifth installment of Robyn Tocker’s Ever After Tales series, takes a beloved fairy tale and gives it a fresh twist. Tocker began developing this series when she was just twelve-years-old and what a great idea for a book collection it is! She takes classic fairy tales and...
Blue thinks itself within meby Kim TrainorPublished by University of Regina PressReview by Shelley A. Leedahl$27.95 ISBN 9781779401205 I knew I was in for a different kind of book when I read the author’s dedication, which begins: “For the flying beings, the ones with sharp teeth,/the ones who swim, the fire stones, the trees, the rain.” By the end of prize-winning Vancouver writer Kim Trainor’s text, Blue thinks itself within m...
The Laundrymanby Dwayne BrennaPublished by Shadowpaw PressReview by Brandon Fick$26.99 ISBN 9781998273522 If you’re looking for a fast-paced historical crime novel, presenting a cross-section of frontier life and a region on the brink of massive changes, then The Laundryman is for you. What Dwayne Brenna achieves in his third novel is twofold: a mystery with twists and turns and two protagonists of differing but complementary personal...
Thatcher versus Douglas: The CCF, the Liberals, and the Mossbank Debate of 1957by M. G. BucholtzPublished by Wood Dragon BooksReview by Toby A. Welch$21.99 ISBN 9781990863349 Saskatchewan never fails to amaze me! Its political history is richer and deeper than many of us realize,and Thatcher versus Douglas captures one of its defining moments. Ross Thatcher and Tommy Douglas both played integral roles in shaping modern Saskatc...