May Book Haul!

Yet another month of awesome books here. This month was the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, so in honour of that (and because I sadly rarely buy comics even though I love them), I ended up getting some comics! I was also lucky enough to get a few ARCs this month, which I'm so excited about!

1. The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy: A Handbook for Girl Geeks by Sam Maggs

Read my review here!

2. We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen

3. The Winter Family by Clifford Jackman

4. Letters to my Grandchildren by David Suzuki

5. The Truth Commission by Susan Juby

6. Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

7. All the Rage by Courtney Summers

8. Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin

9. The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook by Eric Akis

10. The Big Bad Book of Bill Murray: A Critical Appreciation of the World's Finest Actor by Robert Schnakenberg

11. The Hesitation Cut by Giles Blunt

12. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

13. The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong

14. The Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane

15. Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1, Minutemen #1, Nite Owl #1, Silk Spectre #1, Comedian #1 by Len Wein and Jae Lee, et al.

16. Tales of the Night Watchman: Volume 1 by Dave Kelly and Lara Antal

What books did you get this month?

"Boo" by Neil Smith | Book Review

"Boo" by Neil Smith

*Trigger warnings for school shootings & gun violence*

While Boo is reciting the periodic table at his locker one day, someone shoots him; he dies instantly. Boo soon wakes up in the heaven for American 13-year-olds, where he thinks he's died of a heart defect. He soon learns the truth and discovers that his killer might be in heaven as well. With the help of Johnny, a classmate who was also murdered, Boo sets out to find the boy who killed him.

Boo deals with a very dark topic while maintaining a sense of levity throughout. Neil Smith manages to include a lot of humour while never losing sight of the tragedy that's happened. There's a really great sense of balance.

It's also an absolute roller coaster of emotions; in a book involving a school shooting, I think that's to be expected. But part of the roller coaster for me was the fact that every time I thought I knew what was coming, there was another twist. I love it when a book can consistently surprise me throughout!

Another thing I love about Boo is that the cast of characters is so diverse! One of the main characters is a little person, another prominent character has vitiligo, and there are people of many different races. I'm always looking out for diverse books, so this aspect of the book made me really happy.

The idea of a heaven for every age and every nationality is really interesting to me. Boo's heaven also addresses something I myself have wondered about - if someone has a mental disorder (which they have no control over) that causes them to act violently, are they punished for it in the afterlife? I really love the way the book deals with this very sensitive topic.

I liked the inclusion of the periodic table - every chapter begins with a different element. It's a nice reminder of the science-lover Boo was while he was alive.

While it did take me a little while to get used to Boo's voice, I loved this book. The longer he was in heaven, the more he changed and the more I related to Boo. There are a lot of things I value about Boo: the subject matter is intriguing, the world and characters are well thought out, the characters are diverse, and there are twists and turns I never saw coming.

You can check out my recap of the Boo book launch here!

Boo is now available in paperback (see Chapter/Indigo) and as an eBook (see Kobo).

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

2015 Reading Challenge | Progress Post

A book set in high school - We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen

Photo Credit: I added text to the original "book sale loot" by Ginny via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.

Q&A with Colin Campbell, author of "Free Days With George"

Hi everyone! Today I come to you with a special post - the first of its kind on this blog! - an author Q&A. I got a chance to ask Colin Campbell, author of "Free Days With George," a few questions about dogs, writing, and the exciting things that have come with writing this book.

Up to this point, what's been your favourite thing about writing and promoting "Free Days with George”?  

What a great question! There have been so many positive things that have happened since I started writing and promoting the book. I have met so many wonderful people at my publishers, I have learned a ton about the art of writing and the editorial process, and I have loved connecting the dots of my childhood memories of my Gandfather and how they still have a positive impact on my life today. The best thing however is that I will be able to leave a legacy for George, and his impact on my life, but also the way he has touched the lives of everyone he has met over the years. His story is worth telling and reading, and I am thrilled that George’s personality will live on through this book. 

What was the hardest thing about writing your memoir? What was the funnest?

The hardest thing about writing the book was having to articulate the feeling of depression I had carried with me in the early parts of the book, that was difficult to write and it took a long time. The funnest (great word!) was writing about how George started to heal emotionally and the early signs that this big neglected dog possessed a warm and vibrant personality that no one had seen or imagined. Writing those parts went quickly! 

Did you learn anything from writing this book? 

So much..!! I was fortunate to have one of the best editors in Canada in Nita Pronovost, who was the perfect mentor in keeping the story focused on the important details and how to give George, the dog, a “voice.”  I learned better mechanics of writing, I learned to "show, don’t tell” in my writing style and I also learned that it was ok to let some of my biggest fears and secrets be shared within the book. It was an eye opening and wonderful experience at many different levels.

Do you have any writing quirks? For example, I once read a Dan Brown interview where he said he liked to use gravity boots for inspiration.

Ha Ha..!! No, nothing like that.  The only thing that some people might think is quirky is that I discovered that I like to write on airplanes. I wrote a lot of the book while traveling for work. I had a busy job, with frequent travel, and had to squeeze writing time in where, and when, I could. For some reason, I felt a great deal of clarity and creativity on airplanes and wrote some of my best passages while flying. I love to write on airplanes and still open my laptop and write anytime I am on an airplane. 

Is there a particular message you hope your readers take from this book?

I hope people will take away two things; 1. I hope people will recognize that abandoned or homeless dogs found in thousands of shelters across North America can make wonderful pets. They are not “damaged goods” like so many people assume. These dogs are all capable of great love and have many hidden talents, like surfing, that adopters will be surprised to find if they share their home and love with a shelter dog. 2. I hope people will embrace the concept of “Free Days” and make an effort to seek them out and recognize them with their own families and friends (or dogs!) 

George is a very talented dog, having competed in multiple surfing competitions. Have you ever been surprised by other talented dogs? If so, what's one of your favourite talents?

I think all dogs, like people, have talent, or at least hidden talent. It’s just a matter of opportunity and encouragement. The internet is filled with videos of dogs doing crazy things like riding skateboards, skipping rope and even driving a car. (seriously) My favorite talent though are those dogs who go to Children’s hospitals or Seniors homes and share their love and gentleness with people who can really use it and cherish it. These dogs are selfless, something that not all of us people can do. That is my favorite talent of dogs. 

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Colin, and best of luck with Free Days With George!

You can read my review of the book here, and check out my recap of the book launch here!

What's your favourite dog talent?

Aaand that's a wrap! | Bout of Books 13

Overall, I'm satisfied with my accomplishments during Bout of Books 13! I read over 700 pages, which I consider pretty good progress. Once again, I enjoyed the challenges, Twitter chats, and of course...all the reading!

Total Completed Readings: two novels, one graphic novel, three comic issues

• Black Widow #7-9 by Nathan Edmondson & Phil Noto
• Saga, Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples
• Free Days With George by Colin Campbell
• Boo by Neil Smith

Additional Started Readings: two novels, one graphic novel

• Rat Queens by Kurtis J. Wiebe & Roc Upchurch
• We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen
• Harmless by James Grainger

Total Pages Read: 734

Challenges Completed: 3

• Bookish Survey
• Book Haiku
• Favourite Bout of Books Read

How I did with my goals:

• I wanted to read 3 novels and I read 2.5.
• I wanted to read 2 graphic novels and I read 1.5.
• I wanted to read 5 comic books and I read 3.
• I wanted to join in on at least 1 Twitter chat and I did 2.
• I wanted to participate in at least 3 challenges and I did.
• I wanted to make daily progress posts and I did.
• I wanted to read for at least an hour every day and on most days, I did.

Did you meet your goals for Bout of Books 13? Leave me a comment & tell me about your accomplishments!

Day 7 Progress | Bout of Books 13

Number of Books I'm Reading: 3

Titles: Rat Queens by Kurtis J. Wiebe & Roc Upchurch, We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen, Harmless by James Grainger

Pages Read Today: 69

Pages Read Thus Far: 734

Books Completed Thus Far: Black Widow #7-9 by Nathan Edmondson & Phil Noto, Saga, Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples, Free Days With George by Colin Campbell, Boo by Neil Smith

Did you meet your goals for Bout of Books 13? Leave me a comment & tell me about your accomplishments!

Day 6 Progress | Bout of Books 13

Number of Books I'm Reading: 2

Titles: We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen, Harmless by James Grainger

Pages Read Today: 53

Pages Read Thus Far: 665

Books Completed Thus Far: Black Widow #7-9 by Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto, Saga, Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, Free Days With George by Colin Campbell, Boo by Neil Smith

How did you do on day 6? Leave me a comment and let me know. Have fun during the read-a-thon!

Day 5 Progress | Bout of Books 13

Number of Books I'm Reading: 2

Titles: We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen, Harmless by James Grainger

Pages Read Today: 15

Pages Read Thus Far: 612

Books Completed Thus Far: Black Widow #7-9 by Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto, Saga, Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, Free Days With George by Colin Campbell, Boo by Neil Smith

How did you do on day 5? Leave me a comment and let me know. Have fun during the read-a-thon!

"The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy" by Sam Maggs | Book Review

"The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy" by Sam Maggs

This book is basically a fangirl's dream. I wish it'd existed when I was younger and first getting into fandoms and geekery - it would've saved me a lot of time wading through the internet! Contained in these pages is practically everything you've ever wanted to know about all things geeky.

Now if you're a guy, you might be thinking, "Hey, how come this book is just for girls?" The answer is simple: it's not! The Fangirl's Guide is very accessible - it's not just for people who identify as girls - men can easily enjoy this. It's suited to different levels of fandom too, whether you're just starting to watch a show or you've learned Dothraki to show your Game of Thrones pride.

Sam Maggs, who you may know from The Mary Sue or (hello, my fellow Canadians!) the Cineplex pre-shows, provides tips on how and where to find info on geeky stuff in your community (geek trivia night, I've got my eyes on you!).

The book features a field guide to different fandoms, a glossary of fandom terms, interviews with REALLY cool women in the geek world (including Jane Espenson and Victoria Schwab!!), a guide to attending conventions, resources for learning about cosplay and buying fandom merch, and more.

Reading this felt like I was interacting with a friend. We as fangirls are incredibly enthusiastic about the things we love, and we're not afraid to admit it and show the love. This book reinforces the fact that it's ok to be really excited about something you're interested in!

There were so many references that I loved. There was a lot of tumblr/internet speak, which did make me cringe a couple of times, but it was mostly entertaining - and if you're not familiar with internet speak, there's a handy dandy glossary of common terms!

The Guide includes so many recommendations for shows, books, comics, and more, with awesome female characters. That's so important to me, so I'm always grateful for recommendations of this kind.

If you consider yourself a fangirl and/or a feminist, or you're interested in either subject - I recommend this book to you.

Also: I've seen people saying that "if you're a real fangirl you already know all these things". Come on, people - there are different levels of fandom, and some people are not as resourceful as others so they might not know about certain terms or websites. I certainly learned about a few new useful and awesome websites!

Check out my event recap of The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy book launch here!

The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy is now available in hardcover (see Chapters/Indigo) and as an eBook (see Kobo).

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Colin Campbell's "Free Days With George" Book Launch at Ben McNally Books | Event Recap

Hi everyone! Today I want to share with you about the book launch for Colin Campbell's Free Days With George.

From the moment George walked into the store, he was so comfortable walking around and greeting everyone as he investigated his surroundings. Eventually, he settled on his favourite spot: the food table.

George hangin' around his favourite spot

Christine and I spent most of the night following George around because we're huge animal lovers and George is a beautiful, sweet, fluffy big dog.

Colin giving a moving speech 

At one point during the night, Colin gave a very heartfelt speech about what this book means to him. He also thanked a few people who mean a lot to him and have helped him throughout the creation of this book. I definitely teared up.

The beautiful cake

When we met Colin, he greeted us by saying "the bloggers!" and he seemed genuinely excited to meet us, which was definitely a really cool moment for me!

Colin cutting the cake

There was a moment during Colin's speech when he called George; George ran over and smothered Colin in kisses. It was so sweet, and was probably my favourite moment of the night because it's a testament to the bond they share. Seeing them interact, it's so clear that they've had a wonderful effect on each other.

I'm genuinely happy for Colin and George, and I wish both of them the best of luck with Free Days With George!

You can read my review of Free Days With George & enter the giveaway here, and read my Q&A with Colin Campbell here.

Day 4 Progress | Bout of Books 13

Number of Books I'm Reading: 2

Titles: We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen, Harmless by James Grainger

Pages Read Today: 206

Pages Read Thus Far: 597

Books Completed Thus Far: Boo by Neil Smith, Free Days With George by Colin Campbell, Saga, Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, Black Widow #7-9 by Nathan Edmondson and Phil Noto

How did you do on day 4? Leave me a comment and let me know. Have fun during the read-a-thon!

Day 3 Progress | Bout of Books 13

Number of Books I'm Reading: 2

Titles: We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen, Harmless by James Grainger

Books Completed Thus Far:

1. Boo by Neil Smith

2. Free Days With George by Colin Campbell

Pages Read Today: 86

How did you do on day 3? Leave me a comment and let me know. Have fun during the read-a-thon!

Book Review & Giveaway: "Free Days with George" by Colin Campbell

"Free Days With George" by Colin Campbell

When Colin Campbell returned home from a business trip one day, his wife, the love of his life, announced that she was leaving him. In order to help him get through the divorce, Colin's friend suggested he adopt a dog. After much deliberation, Colin decided to adopt George, a 140-pound Landseer Newfoundland. This is the true story of how their love helped and changed them both for the better.

Early on in the book, Colin explains the notion of a "free day." When he and his brother were younger, their grandfather would encourage them to spend days doing things they loved with the people they loved. On those days, they didn't age - it was a free day.

I think that's such a wonderful way of looking at life, because days when you can do that kind of thing are great days. I absolutely love the idea of a free day, and I intend to try and live as many of those as I can.

Colin and George found each other when they needed each other the most; Colin was going through a divorce and George had been abused and abandoned - a big dog who was so full of love, was left not fully trusting people.

It was so sad to read about the way George reacted to people at first - I'm always shocked when I hear that an animal has been abused, I just don't understand how anyone could hurt or even be mean to such loving, caring, sweet creatures.

But it was truly amazing to read about how much George changed and essentially regained his faith in humanity, all by having Colin love him. George is a different dog than when Colin first met him. George changed Colin as well, and it's so clear how much he cares about George and how lucky he feels to have him in his life.

It was a pleasure to read this memoir. Colin is great at writing and storytelling, and I felt like I was there, experiencing George and his big personality. There are so many funny stories about Colin and George's life together.

I found myself experiencing so many different things while reading this - sadness, laughter, appreciation, happiness...there's so much contained within the pages.

It made me think a lot about Rosie, our golden retriever, and how much I appreciate her love. Every time I walk through the front door, she sprints over, her whole behind wagging from side to side with excitement. I love my cats very much, but dogs have a different way of showing their love - they lay it all out in the open and it's an innocent, unconditional love. It's an amazing feeling to have someone always be so incredibly happy to see you - how could I not appreciate or return that love?

This story is the perfect example of how deep human-dog relationships go. By loving each other, Colin and George changed each other for the better. Their life gives you a real appreciation for how much meaning these relationships can have, and how much they can heal.

If you like stories about humans and their animal counterparts, you'll love Free Days With George. You don't even have to be a dog-lover, although it's hard not to fall in love with George after reading this.

Free Days with George is now available in hardcover (see Chapters/Indigo and Amazon) and as an eBook (see Kobo).

Check out my recap of the Free Days With George book launch here, and my Q&A with Colin Campbell here!
____________________________________

And now for a giveaway! If you'd like to win a copy of this wonderful book, please enter below. This is a Canada-only giveaway, so I apologize to my international readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

2015 Reading Challenge | Progress Post

A book that made you cry - Free Days With George by Colin Campbell

You can read my review here!

Photo Credit: I added text to the original "book sale loot" by Ginny via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.

Book Haiku! | Bout of Books 13 Challenge

Today's challenge is hosted by Kristina Horner - we get to write a haiku about whatever book we're reading right now!

George. Gentle giant.

Landseer Newfoundland surfs.

Sweet AND talented.

Just in case you don't know, George is a dog! He's a Landseer Newfoundland and on a trip to the beach one day his owner, Colin, realized that George knew how to surf - George has even participated in surfing competitions! You can read all about their life together in Colin Campbell's Free Days with George.

What are you currently reading for Bout of Books? Did you do this challenge?

Day 2 Progress | Bout of Books 13

I read more on day 2 than I did on day 1! So far, I'm happy with my progress.

Number of Books I'm Reading: 3

Titles: We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen, Free Days With George by Colin Campbell, Harmless by James Grainger

Pages Read Today: 187

How did you do on day 2? Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know. Have fun during the read-a-thon!

Day 1 Progress | Bout of Books 13

I had a pretty good start to Bout of Books 13! I finished a book I'd started before the read-a-thon, and I started a new one.

Number of Books I'm Reading: 3

Titles: We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen, Free Days with George by Colin Campbell, Harmless by James Grainger

Book Completed Today:

1. Boo by Neil Smith

Pages Read Today: 118

How did you do on day 1? Leave me a comment and let me know. Have fun during the read-a-thon!

Neil Smith's "Boo" Book Launch at Type Books | Event Recap

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the book launch for Neil Smith's wonderful new book, Boo.

Type Books' storefront

It was hosted by Type Books, which is a lovely book shop in downtown Toronto.

The crowd

 The event drew a large crowd and everyone got very well acquainted with each other.

"Liquefied Ghost"

We had Boo-inspired drinks, lovingly named Liquefied Ghost, which was a cool touch (no pun intended)!

Neil Smith reads from "Boo"

Neil Smith did a great dramatic reading of the first chapter of Boo, which he followed with a signing!

Bookish Survey! | Bout of Books 13 Challenge

It's Bout of Books Day 1, and you know what that means...the challenges have begun! Today's challenge is hosted by Lori over at Writing My Own Fairy Tale, and it's a bookish survey. Feel free to answer any/all of the questions in a comment below or, better yet, leave a comment and link me to your very own responses!

1. How do you organize your shelves?

"Organize"? I no longer know the meaning of that word. I used to arrange my books vertically with some carefully-placed horizontal ones, but now my collection has extended to piles on my desk, floor...any clear surface, really.

2. What is one of your favourite books that's not in one of your favourite genres?

I don't tend to read many autobiographies or memoirs, but I loved The Wild Oats Project by Robin Rinaldi. It's a really honest account of Robin's one-year open marriage with her husband. I love the honesty and the way it made me think about possibilities in life...and it's educational in more ways than one.

3. What is the last 5 star book you read?

Boo by Neil Smith. I finished it today and oh. my. gosh. It's wonderfully unique, and if you want diverse characters, look no further. Review coming soon!

4. What book are you most excited to read during the read-a-thon?

That's tough because I've picked quite a few good'uns for this week. But I'm going to have to say Saga, Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples; I love this series so much and I'm excited to journey through the next volume!

5. What book do you recommend the most?

I tend to recommend books based on what I've just finished, so this changes quite a bit.

2015 Reading Challenge | Progress Post

A book with a one-word title - Boo by Neil Smith
See my review here!

Photo Credit: I added text to the original "book sale loot" by Ginny via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.

My Goals and To-Be-Read List! | Bout of Books 13

Bout of Books 13 starts tomorrow!! I usually get a lot of reading done during the read-a-thon, so needless to say, I'm excited for this next round. And as you might know, I love doing the daily challenges hosted by fellow bloggers.

To-Be-Read:

1. We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen

2. Free Days with George by Colin Campbell

3. Harmless by James Grainger

4. Saga: Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

5. Black Widow Volume 2: The Tightly Tangled Web by Nathan Edmondson, Phil Noto & Mitch Gerads

6. 5 comic books

Goals:

• Read 3 novels
• Read 2 graphic novels
• Read 5 comic books
• Participate in at least one Twitter chat
• Participate in at least three challenges
• Make daily progress posts
• Read for at least one hour per day

I'm so excited to get started tomorrow! Feel free to leave me a comment below and a link to your TBR list :)

Sam Maggs' "The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy" Book Launch at The Pilot Tavern | Event Recap

See my review of The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy here!

Fangirl's Guide posters

I had so much fun at this launch! As expected, this book attracts a lot of geeks and fangirls, and that's exactly who showed up at The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy launch.

From left: Me, Michelle, and Christine

I was so pumped for this event that I got my geeky self dressed in fandom things, including my Jayne hat, Doctor Who purse, and Samulet from Supernatural.

Sam Maggs says a few words

Sam and her partner both spoke at the event, and it was really great to hear all the things they had to say. Sam is so nice and I'm glad I got to talk to her not only about my cunning hat, but also about my favourite parts of the book!

2015 Reading Challenge | Progress Post

A nonfiction book - The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy by Sam Maggs

Photo Credit: I added text to the original "book sale loot" by Ginny via flickr in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.