Book ~ "Letter to My Daughter" (2011) George Bishop

From GeorgeBishopJr.com ~

"Dear Elizabeth,

It’s early morning and I’m sitting here wondering where you are, hoping you’re all right."

A fight, ended by a slap, sends Elizabeth out the door of her Baton Rouge home on the eve of her fifteenth birthday. Her mother, Laura, is left to fret and worry—and remember. Wracked with guilt as she awaits Liz’s return, Laura begins a letter to her daughter, hoping to convey “everything I’ve always meant to tell you but never have.”

In her painfully candid confession, Laura shares memories of her own troubled adolescence in rural Louisiana, growing up in an intensely conservative household. She recounts her relationship with a boy she loved despite her parents’ disapproval, the fateful events that led to her being sent away to a strict Catholic boarding school, the personal tragedy brought upon her by the Vietnam War, and, finally, the meaning of the enigmatic tattoo below her right hip.

This is a quick read ... it's less than 180 pages ... I started it last night and just finished it.

Laura and Liz have just had a fight and Liz takes off. We don't know the details but it doesn't really matter. What matters is that Laura realizes that she is everything as a mother that she swore she would never be. So she sits down and tries to make it right by writing a letter to Liz, giving her the details of her life from when she was 15 to 18 back in the early 1970s. The Vietnam War is happening and there are still racial prejudices. Being Cajun is only one step above being "colored" ... significant considering the story takes place in Lousiana.

The voice obviously is Laura's ... the book is actually one long letter to Liz. The chapters alternate from current to the past.

I really enjoyed this book. It's hard to believe a man wrote it since it is written in Laura's voice.

Book ~ "Physical Education" (2011) Maggie Barbieri

From Amazon ~ College English professor and sometime amateur sleuth Alison Bergeron would’ve been thrilled to hear that her husband, NYPD Detective Bobby Crawford, was leaving Homicide if that were the whole story, but it turns out that Bobby’s next assignment is even worse - undercover. As if worrying about his involvement in a case he won’t talk about at all wasn’t bad enough, Alison is forced to take over the women’s basketball team at St. Thomas after the coach dies of a heart attack during a game. She may not know much about basketball but she’s no stranger to sleuthing, and it isn’t long before she suspects that the coach’s death may be more than unexpected but premeditated as well.

With Bobby deep undercover and Alison always on her way to deep trouble, it’s only a matter of time before they run smack into each other in Physical Education, the latest in Maggie Barbieri’s charming Murder 101 mystery series.

Alison and Crawford are married, his ex-wife is in London, one of his daughters likes Alison and the other daughter is being a bratty bitch to Alison because her parents have moved on.

For some reason, Alison is made the coach of the basketball team when the the coach dies on the court (she has zero experience coaching a basketball team).

Then she has everything else going on ... Crawford is being secretive and lying; her friend, Father Kevin, is still on suspension with the church and the university; and the body of the mail guy is found in the trunk of her car.

I found this book hard to get into. It was so serious in the beginning and not the usual funny sarcastic style. About halfway, when things start to be revealed, it picks up and get better.

Alison's friend, Max, isn't in the book much (yay!) but when she is, she is her usual annoying self. The mystery of what was happening to Father Kevin which started in the last book is resolved (yay!).

There are quite a few plots going on that came together at the end. It was the first book in the series that I really bought the ending.

Book ~ "52 Ways to Wreck Your Retirement: ... And How to Rescue It" (2011) Tina Di Vito

From Amazon ~ Retirement planning isn't something that happens at a specific point in time or at a specific age - we are all affecting our retirement plans every day with every decision we do or don't make. Canadians are living longer, and the average retiree in the future may have as much as 30 years of retirement to plan for, and there are many simple things that will impact our eventual retirement life.

52 Ways to Wreck Your Retirement identifies 52 things we do that could wreck our retirement, explains why it puts your retirement at risk, and provides the strategy to correct the mistake, or better still, avoid it entirely.

52 Ways to Wreck Your Retirement is not a feel-good book about how wonderful retirement will be or an alarming fear-mongering book about dying broke, nor is it a get-rich-late-retirement solution. Quite simply, it is an easily-accessible and practical guide written for Canadians of all ages that gives you the tools you need to better manage the financial and personal aspects of your retirement.

I work as an educator in the group retirement industry and like reading books about retirement planning. This one just came out last month and is written by the head of one of the competitors of the company I work for.

The book covers all areas of retirement and has 11 parts:

• Starting to plan for retirement
• Mistakes around investing
• Mistakes around debt
• Saving for retirement
• Pensions
• Living in retirement
• Spending in retirement
• Paying too much tax
• New realities about retirement
• Protection planning
• Not asking for help

Not much was new to me but it was interesting to read it from someone else's perspective.

It's a good book if you are looking for a high level explanation of everything from Canada's government programs (C/QPP and OAS), accumulation and payout plans, the effect of the sandwich generation, downsizing your home, etc.

Book ~ "How to Talk to a Widower" (2008) Jonathan Tropper

From GoodReads ~ Doug Parker is a widower at age twenty-nine, and in his quiet suburban town, that makes him something of a celebrity—the object of sympathy, curiosity, and, in some cases, unbridled desire. But Doug has other things on his mind. First there's his sixteen year-old stepson, Russ: a once-sweet kid who now is getting into increasingly serious trouble on a daily basis. Then there are Doug's sisters: his bossy twin, Clair, who's just left he husband and moved in with Doug, determined to rouse him from his Grieving stupor. And Debbie, who's engaged to Doug's ex-best friend and manically determined to pull off the perfect wedding at any cost. Soon Doug's entire nuclear family is in his face. And when he starts dipping his toes into the shark-infested waters of the second-time around dating scene, it isn't long before his new life is spinning hopelessly out of control, cutting a harrowing and often hilarious swath of sexual missteps and escalating chaos across the suburban landscape.

Lady Banana had recently read this and recommended it so I thought I'd check it out.

It took me a couple chapters to get into it and I'm glad I stuck with it.

I enjoyed the writing style ... most of the time it was funny and sarcastic. It's almost like Doug was talking to me. As I was reading this, I could imagine it being made into a movie.

I felt bad for Doug. He was widowed before he was 30. He thought he had found "the one" in Hailey (who was more than ten years older than him) and would spend the rest of his life with her. But when she is killed in a plane crash, his life is destroyed and he has to find a way to rebuild it ... but he doesn't want to. Instead he spends his days and nights with his buddy, Jack Daniels. A year later, the bathroom still has her products on the counter and her red bra is still hanging on the back of the door where she'd left it.

His thought processes are interesting ... he blames Hailey for catching that plane, he blames himself for letting her leave on the business trip, he blames her because now he has to start all over again, etc.

His family are characters but I liked them ... all are hurting over things in their lives and trying to makes the best of it.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it ... it's happy and sad at the same time.

Book ~ "The Suite Life: The Magic and Mystery of Hotel Living" (2011) Christopher Heard

From Indigo ~ Hotel living has always seemed exotic. Why did Claude Monet, Greta Garbo, Coco Chanel, Vladimir Nabokov, Howard Hughes, and many other mercurial individuals desire such a life? Besides answering that question, The Suite Life features interviews with high-profile celebrities who have also chosen hotel living, such as Johnny Depp, Warren Beatty, Keanu Reeves, and Criss Angel.

Author Christopher Heard was conceived in the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto and now lives there as the writer-in-residence. The Suite Life is the culmination of a lifelong fascination with iconic hotels and those who have opted to reside in them. It tells of the enchantment of being exposed to many varied energies at the same time and describes the uniqueness of life lived in a place where people can let their inhibitions relax.

Living in a hotel is many things, but first and foremost it is magical.

I had read an article in the Toronto Star a couple months ago about this book. I hadn't heard of the author but apparently he is a "TV and radio personality and an author with several celebrity bios to his name".

What attracted me to this book (so I reserved it immediately from the Toronto library system and just got it on Friday) was that the author lives in one of Toronto's historic hotels, the Royal York. I've been to a few functions there (Christmas parties and conferences) and it's a grand old hotel.

The book is split up into three parts:

1. A private oasis of solitude ... with room service - details famous personalities (from the likes of Howard Hughes to Johnny Depp) and their experiences living the hotel life
2. Some kind of epic grandeur - provides the history and stories of the Royal York
3. Suite dreams - discusses the author's experiences living in the Royal York and surrounding area such as the personalities he's met and living through the G20 last year
   

It is an interesting book and I enjoyed it. I'd recommend it to anyone who lives in Toronto, who is interested in different ways of living and/or who enjoy getting a bit of insider gossip about personalities.

Here's a quote by Heard in the Toronto Star article:

"You don’t think about towels. You don’t think about making the bed, or taking out the garbage.

"One of the great lessons of hotel living is that you become very minimalist," said Heard, who personalized his room with photographs and his 5-year-old daughter’s artwork. "You just have what you need, what is of current concern. You don’t keep piles of magazines around anymore.

"And you don’t have neighbours. Your neighbours are here for two days, then gone. Whereas the maids that come in regularly and the door people that you see every day, they are the constants in your life."

It sounds like quite a life ... how would you like to live in a hotel?

Book ~ "Back on Murder" (2010) J. Mark Bertrand

From Amazon ~ Roland March, on the verge of being cut loose from the Houston Police Department after suffering a personal tragedy that has affected his job performance, is given one last chance after he notices evidence of a missing female victim at a gang-related multiple-murder scene. March tries to connect the female victim with Hannah Mayhew, a teenager who performed outreach work for her church and who recently disappeared from a local mall; his superiors are unconvinced but they agree to transfer March to the Hannah Mayhew task force. He continues to investigate the connection, working under the radar, with the help of a youth pastor, to prove his suspicions. In his personal life, March tries to reconnect with his wife, who is also suffering. Carefully drawn details of police work, well-delineated characters, multiple interesting cases, and a vivid Houston setting add to the strong mystery.

This book interested me because I like murder mysteries. It wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't great.

Though it was less than 400 pages, it seemed like a looooong book. I kept checking the chapter menu to see how far along I way and how far I still had to go.

I found that there were so many characters in this book, especially the number of cops, that I couldn't keep them all straight.

Something happened in March's past that haunts him but you don't find out what it is until about midway. Given what it was (I kind of figured it out anyway), it would have been better knowing what it was so you'd understand his behaviour.

The ending was so-so, not overly exciting. This was the first in a series but I won't be rushing out to read the others.

Book ~ "Try Fear" (2009) James Scott Bell

From Amazon ~ Poet. Teacher. Warrior. The best trial lawyers are all three at once, observes Ty Buchanan in Bell's good-natured third suspense novel to feature the quixotic L.A. lawyer who lives in a trailer and provides legal services at St. Monica's, a little Benedictine community. When Buchanan defends a client who insists on fighting a DUI charge despite the score the client registered on the Intoximeter, he fulfills the teacher function by giving the attractive prosecuting attorney, Kimberly Pincus, a lesson she'll never forget. He turns warrior after an anonymous e-mailer's ominous threats to Sister Mary Veritas, a sparky St. Monica's nun, escalate. And poetically, Buchanan, uses a Beatles tune at a critical juncture. Bell infuses the legal maneuverings with enough humor, insight and intelligence to merit an exception to Shakespeare's admonition to kill all the lawyers.

I had started reading this a couple months ago and then put it aside about halfway through and read some other books.

I like books with continuing characters ... this is the third in this series. I thought this had possibility but it was actually was kind of blah. Hence my ability to put it aside for a while (I never do that) but I was interested enough to pick it back up and finish it.

There are a few plots in this story, a main one being the murder of client Ty had defended on the DUI charge. Just when you think this plot is over, it's not.

None of the characters really grabbed me. Ty's investigator is Sister Mary and they have feelings for each other (another plot). As expected, this is a conflict for Sister Mary.

It's not a bad book, just not a great one, and I won't be rushing out to read the rest in this series.

Book ~ "Watcher" (2009) Valerie Sherrard

From Amazon ~ "I knew one thing -- I wasn't going to be rotting in that place for the rest of my life. I was getting out of there. That place turned people into the living dead. In that neighbourhood, it was hard to hear anything that didn't carry the sound of defeat."

Sixteen-year-old Porter Delaney has his future figured out, but his nice, neat plans are shaken when a man he believes may be his father suddenly appears in his Toronto neighbourhood. Porter knows that he wants nothing to do with the deadbeat dad who abandoned him and his sister twelve years earlier, but curiosity causes him to re-examine the past.

Unfortunately, actual memories are scarce and confusing, and much of what he knows is based on things his mother told him. As Porter looks for answers, it begins to seem that all he's ever going to find are more questions.

I came across this book on a table at my local library where they had a display of books that take place in Toronto. When I read the description, it sounded interesting ... and it was. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

This is considered a young adult novel, at a reading level of ages 12 and up. I found the writing style and language wasn't juvenile, though. The "voice" is Porter's who is sixteen. He lives in a low-income neighbourhood in Toronto with his mother and his surroundings and actions reflect his circumstances.

When he discovers a man (whom he nicknames "Watcher") who he suspects is his long lost father following him, he is torn with emotions. Should he confront him and demand to know why his father has had no contact with him and his sister? Should he turn the tables and follow him? The results are surprising when he finally makes his decision and takes action.

Book ~ "Explosive Eighteen" (2011) Janet Evanovich

From Amazon ~ Before Stephanie can even step foot off Flight 127 Hawaii to Newark, she’s knee deep in trouble. Her dream vacation turned into a nightmare, and she’s flying back to New Jersey solo. Worse still, her seatmate never returned to the plane after the L.A. layover. Now he’s dead, in a garbage can, waiting for curbside pickup. His killer could be anyone. And a ragtag collection of thugs and psychos, not to mention the FBI, are all looking for a photograph the dead man was supposed to be carrying.

Only one other person has seen the missing photo—Stephanie Plum. Now she’s the target, and she doesn’t intend to end up in a garbage can. With the help of an FBI sketch artist Stephanie re-creates the person in the photo. Unfortunately the first sketch turns out to look like Tom Cruise, and the second sketch like Ashton Kutcher. Until Stephanie can improve her descriptive skills, she’ll need to watch her back.

Like Smokin' Seventeen, I borrowed this book from the library ... I won't buy them anymore. They have become a quick mindless read but not worth spending $30.

The main plot was silly, though I did enjoy the subplot with Joyce a bit.

As I said with the last one, the author continues to follow with her tired formula. Stephanie is lusting after Morelli and Ranger ... check. Grandma Masur needs a drive to the funeral home and tries to look at the bodies when the casket is closed ... check. Stephanie's mom's nerves are shot so she irons and cooks, though she seems to be drinking all the time now too ... check. Stephanie's dad is surly and rude ... check. Lulu is eating all the time and gets violent when someone calls her fat ... check. The people Stephanie has to track down because they skipped bail are colourful characters ... check.

I loved the series in the beginning ... the writing was good, the characters actually had personalities and spunk (not going through the motions are they are now over and over) and the books had substance (now there's a lot of white space and large font to make the book bigger). Ranger and Morelli don't seem to care that she is bouncing between them ... basically they are looking for a booty call and getting one. After all the emotion she had for these two, it's sleazy.

Looking back, the last one I raved about was Lean Mean Thirteen back in June 2007. That's sad :(

Yes, I'll read the next one but because I hope this series gets back on track or is the finale.

Book ~ "Third Degree" (2010) Maggie Barbieri

From Amazon ~ On her way to meet her boyfriend’s parents, college professor Alison Bergeron stops by a coffee shop to steel her resolve. It’s a big event. Not only is it the first time she’s met NYPD detective Bobby Crawford’s entire family but it’s coming on the heels of a wedding proposal that she has left unanswered so far.

Then, as she steps into the shop, a brawl breaks out that ends in the death of Carter Wilmott, a merciless and loathed local blogger. The case couldn’t be any simpler, and Alison witnessed the whole thing, but when Wilmott’s car explodes in the aftermath, what looked to be a crime of passion becomes something far more complicated and maybe even premeditate.

With Alison and Bobby involved in the case and with each other, readers are in for a treat. Third Degree, the latest in Maggie Barbieri’s charming mystery series, is one heated mystery with plenty of steamy romance and cunning villains who are about to get burned.

I enjoyed this book. The writing was quick and fast paced with new and old familiar characters.

The plot was interesting and I bought the "who dunnit" at the end.

Alison spends a lot of her time pondering about whether she should married Crawford or not. This comes at a hard time of year for her, the month her mother had died a few years ago.

I'm not a fan of her friend, Max, who wasn't in this book all that much. Yay! A few times Crawford asked Alison why they are friends and she said it's because they'd been through so much together.

Alison's friend, Father Kevin, is in some trouble because he is being accused of getting too close to a student but it doesn't get resolved by the end of the book (sorry for the spoiler). That was a bit frustrating.

Alison is still a bit too nosy ... it doesn't make sense that she would board a boat that doesn't belong to her, not once but twice.

Book ~ "The Future of Us" (2011) Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

From Penguin.ca ~ It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.

This was an interesting concept - mixing 1996 with 2011 - and it worked for me.

It's 1996 and Emma and Josh are just entering the world of AOL ... remember the days of modems and dial-up? Somehow after installing the AOL CD giving them 100 free Internet hours, they are able to access Facebook and their 2011 profiles. Amazing considering Facebook wasn't even invented yet (Mark Zuckerberg was only 12 years old!).

They are able to see what their futures will bring. At first it mystifies and scares them but they soon realize that any actions they choose to do today will impact their lives 15 years in the future, which they can keep track of on Facebook. If they don't like the outcome of their lives in 2011, they have the power today to change things instantly ... just spilling water from a vase on a carpet has an impact. It's kind of like time traveling (and I like time travel stories).

This is considered a young adult book (directed at ages 14+) but I didn't find that it was juvenile. Emma and Josh and their friends are in high school and act their age ... a mixture of innocence while entering into maturity.

It's a quick read. Though it's almost 360 pages, I read it in about 3.5 hours. I enjoyed the writing style and the short snappy chapters. The narrator of each chapter alternated between Emma and Josh.

I'd recommend this book for mature young adults (there are discussions/actions of sex and drinking) and adults (they would probably enjoy reminiscing about the music, movies and limited Internet). Everyone will be amused at the 1996 confusion of ipads, texting and being able to surf in your car.

Book ~ "Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss" (2011) Pam Johnson-Bennett

From Amazon ~ Feline behaviorist Johnson-Bennett suggests that if cat owners learn how to think like a cat, they can better understand their pets and build a more positive relationship. One way is to view the world not from the vantage point of a 5'7" human but from the cat's level, ten inches off the ground. If you needed to scratch your claws and saw only drapes and furniture and no scratching post, what would you use? The author gives helpful tips for stopping destructive chewing, aggression, furniture scratching, and litter-box difficulties. Her advice on grooming, pests, traveling, and first aid are clear and straightforward. She also recommends types and brands of toys, equipment, food, and other feline products.

Gord saw this ebook on the Toronto Library site and thought I'd enjoy it ... he knows I like reading books about animals. And since Crumpet is still a kitten, I downloaded it onto my Kobo.

It's a good reference book for people who have never had a cat but also for people like me who have (and do have one or two, in our case).

The beginning of the book talks about where to buy a cat, what to look for, what to buy for it, getting it checked by the vet, what to expect, etc. ... stuff that newbies should know.

It covers how to train your cat not do something you don't want it to do (Crumpet occasionally jumps on the counter or table which we don't want), how major life events like moving, having a baby, getting married, getting another pet, etc. affect you cat, caring for your aging cat, etc. The back of the book gives details about the various diseases your cat can get and what to do about it.

The books covers everything and with humour.

Book ~ "Midnight at the Dragon Cafe" (2004) Judy Fong Bates

From Amazon ~ Su-Jen Chou, six, meets her elderly father for the first time when she and her beautiful mother leave China to join him in a small Ontario town in the 1950s. She sleeps between her parents in the same bed in a room upstairs from the restaurant. "They settled into an uneasy and distant relationship. Their love, their tenderness, they gave to me." Then her adult half-brother joins them and his mail-order bride is on her way. Su-Jen, now Annie, is soon comfortable in English and makes friends as she grows up Canadian; her mother remains stranded among strangers, unable to speak the language. But even at home, the unspeakable drowns out what is being said. True to the young girl's viewpoint, the plain first-person narrative tells an immigrant story with rare intensity, the anger and the sadness, as the adults fight about one thing while Su-Jen wants to shout about what they all pretend they do not know. The mounting suspense of family secrets makes this first novel a breathless read, even as the simple, beautiful words make you want to stop and read the sentences over and over again.

I borrowed this book from my local library. They had a table set up by the door that had books set in Toronto so I checked it out and thought this one sounded interesting.

The first couple of chapters weren't grabbing me. If I can't get into a book, I stop reading it and move onto the next one. I'm glad that I stuck with this one because I ended up really enjoyed it. I liked the writing style and the story.

The story is written in Annie's voice, from age six to twelve. She manages to fit in in the small town where they are the only Chinese family and become Canadian. Annie knows she's different from the other kids but she doesn't want to be and assumes she doesn't have to be different.

Her young and beautiful mom, on the other hand, is bitter about having to leave China and live in a small dead town in Ontario. She doesn't bother to fit in or learn English which just makes it worse for her.

Annie's elderly dad owns a Chinese restaurant. Because he feels the only way to get ahead is to work hard, that's all he does. Her older brother eventually moves from Owen Sound and buys into the restaurant and works with them. Their dad is very intent on getting him married off, whether that is with a "mail order bride" or using a matchmaker, and her brother resists.

The book doesn't tell you what adult Annie is doing. Did she stay in Irvine and help her brother and sister-in-law run the restaurant? Or did she accomplish what her parents had hoped for her ... go to university and get a good job. Did she married a Chinese guy as her family expected or did she avoid an arranged marriage and marry a white guy? It would be interesting to know ... but maybe we are better off just hoping for the best for this family.

Book ~ "Dead Man's Grip" (2011) Peter James

From Amazon ~ Carly Chase is still traumatized ten days after being in a fatal traffic accident that kills a teenage American student from Brighton University. Then she receives news that turns her entire world into a living nightmare. The drivers of the other two vehicles involved have been found tortured and murdered. Now Detective Superintendent Roy Grace of the Sussex Police force issues a stark and urgent warning to Carly: She could be next.

The student had deadly connections. Connections that stretch across the Atlantic to America and an organized crime group. Someone has sworn revenge and won’t rest until the final person involved in that fateful accident is dead. The police advise Carly her only option is to go into hiding and change her identity. The terrified woman disagrees. She knows these people have ways of hunting you down anywhere. If the police are unable to stop them, she has to find a way to do it herself. But already the killer is one step ahead of her, watching, waiting, and ready.

The story sounded interesting and had possibilities. I tried to like it but couldn't.

I found it long and draggy. A quarter of the book could have been cut out to make it more enjoyable.

I didn't find any of the characters likeable. Well, the only one I liked was Tony, the cyclist who got killed in the beginning of the book.

There seemed to be a lot of characters, especially cops or cop-related, so I gave up trying to keep them straight.

SPOILERS/POSSIBLE SPOILERS

This is the latest is a series featuring Roy Grace. His wife, Sandy, has apparently been missing for ten years and she pops up in this book in Germany. Why is she there? I dunno. And I'm not really sure why she disappeared in the first place. She seemed to be angry because she felt he was more dedicated to his job than to her. Just a guess.

And Carly was an idiot. She knows that the American-based mob are suspected of torturing and killing the other two people involved in the accident for revenge and she'll be next. Yet she turns down getting relocated along with her son by the police and flies to the U.S. to reason with the pissed off parents of the dead cyclist. Really?!

Book ~ "Randy Bachman's Vinyl Tap Stories" (2011) Randy Bachman

From Chapters Indigo ~ Randy Bachman has been rolling out chart-topping songs his whole life -"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet," "These Eyes," "American Woman," "Taking Care of Business" - and since 2005, treating fans to a lifetime of stories on his hit CBC Radio show Randy's Vinyl Tap.

His approach is always fresh - even the most hardcore music fans will be surprised by what they can learn from Randy. Writing music and lyrics, performing live and recording #1 songs, producing new music, organizing reunion tours-Randy has done it all. Music is his life, and his anecdotes put you at the centre of it all.

These are his best stories. Even with all his success Randy is "still that kid from Winnipeg" and his enthusiasm for great music is as strong as ever. Hear how after years of dreaming Randy finally got to see his musical heroes, The Shadows, play live, and then got to record a Shadows tribute song with longtime friend Neil Young. Encounters with celebrities and rock legends abound, but it is the music that is the driving force behind his extraordinary career, and what brings us back for more stories from Randy's Vinyl Tap.

I don't listen to CBC and I've never heard of Bachman's show, Vinyl Tap. Though I'm not a huge fan of the Guess Who or Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO), I like a lot of their songs.

I do like reading bios, books by Canadians and music. I was attracted to this book because I thought Bachman would have interesting stories to tell ... and he did. He is indeed still just "a kid from Winnipeg" who has had some experiences, both good and bad. He sounds like a nice fella who is very hardworking who hasn't forgotten his Canadian roots. My favourite chapters are the ones where he tells of meeting and playing with other great musicians.

The last chapter has some of his favourite lists. An interesting one is "Songs Played at Your Funeral" as suggested by his listeners which include:

• Old and Wise - Alan Parsons Project
• Friends in Low Places - Garth Brooks
• Wasn't that a Party? - Irish Rovers
• Thank You for Being a Friend - Andrew Gold
• Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
  

It's an interesting book to read and I'd recommend it.

Book ~ "Final Exam" (2009) Maggie Barbieri

From Amazon ~ Going back to dorm life isn't much fun for Alison Bergeron. Alison, an English professor at St. Thomas University in the Bronx, becomes the temporary resident director of Siena dorm after Wayne Brookwell, its popular RD, fails to return from spring break. Det. Bobby Crawford of the NYPD, Alison's faithful boyfriend, helps her move into her new digs, Wayne's small, less than spotless suite. When the toilet overflows after Alison flushes it, Crawford cleans up the mess—and discovers a brick of heroin hidden under the bathroom floor. Adding spice is a love triangle involving Wayne and Amanda Reese, a Siena RA who's engaged to a Princeton student. Less entertaining is a subplot about Alison's bitchy best friend, whose estrangement from her detective husband has gone into overkill.

I am enjoying this series and liked this book.

In this book, Alison discovered things (such as where Wayne was) rather than actively investigated things. She's a professor not a detective. In previous books, though I've enjoyed them, having her poke her nose in things wasn't really all that believable.

I found the side story of Max and Fred breaking up and Max being so self-centred kind of annoying. If Max was my friend, I would have dump her a longtime ago. It was good to see Alison finally stand up to her.

It's a fun read that doesn't drag. I bought the ending.

Book ~ "Holding Still for as Long as Possible" (2009) Zoe Whittall

From Amazon ~ This captivating glimpse into the lives of three twentysomethings showcases Whittall’s ability to create complex characters. Connected through social circles in their Toronto neighborhood, they struggle to accept the past while mapping out the future: Josh, a female-to-male transgender works strenuous shifts as a paramedic and tries to erase from his mind the atrocities he witnesses daily; Amy, his ex-girlfriend and an amateur filmmaker, lives off of her wealthy parents; and Billy, a former child pop star, now endures extreme anxiety attacks. As the three become wrapped up in each others’ lives, the emotional roller coaster dips and rises. Haunted by memories of the tragedy of 9/11 and of the rampant fear of a SARS epidemic, which served as the scenery of their youth, this new generation’s members proclaim their true feelings through text messages and drown their excess emotion in booze. A poignant climax seems almost like a dream as the characters drift toward the shattering conclusion. An unforgettable depiction of growing up in the new millennium.

I came across this book in my quest to read more books by Canadian authors. As a bonus, it takes place in Toronto.

It's an interesting story of Josh, Amy and Billy, each with their own demons and how they deal with them. Josh and Amy break up but are determined to remain friends. Billy and Maria have just broken up and are trying to remain friends. Tensions are added when Billy and Josh get together.

This story "happened" in my 'hood. They live and hang out not far from where I live which made it more enjoyable as I knew exactly where they were and the type of places they were hanging out in. The author did a good job of capturing the mood and atmosphere of the area.

I enjoyed the writing style. The voice of each chapter changes from Josh to Amy to Billy so you get an idea of what is going on in their head and hearts.

I'd recommend this book.

Book ~ "Barking!" (2002) Liz Evans

From Amazon ~ Stuart Roberts is a mild-mannered, shy accountant suffering from nightmares in which he remembers committing a violent murder and he wants to know if they really happened. Grace doesn't want to take the case on the grounds that murders tend to mean there's someone who is prepared to kill around and she'd rather pass, thanks very much. However, these are killings with a difference—they took place nearly 30 years before Stuart was born. During his dreams, Stuart becomes "Joe," and has vivid recollections of life as a hop farmer's son, a world Stuart swears he knows absolutely nothing about. Despite her scepticism, Grace has never been able to resist the lure of an unlimited expense account, so she takes the job. And then discovers that her client isn't quite what he appears to be.

I've read five of Evans' books with Grace Smith as the heroine and really enjoyed them. They were mysteries that were funny.

I found this one not funny at all and rather boring. There is some genealogy in it since she is trying to track "Joe" that I found interesting but that was about it.

The reason why it all happened and thus the ending were silly and I wasn't buying them.

I'm glad I never read this book first because I wouldn't have read any of her others.

Book ~ "Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man" (2011) Chaz Bono

From Amazon ~ Chaz Bono's groundbreaking and candid account of a forty-year struggle to match his gender identity with his physical body and his transformation from female to male

At first, America knew the only child of Sonny and Cher as Chastity, the cherubic little girl who appeared on her parents' TV show. In later years, she became famous for coming out on a national stage, working with two major organizations toward LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) rights and publishing two books. And just within the past eighteen months, Chaz Bono has entered the public consciousness as the most high-profile transgender person ever.

All through the hoopla surrounding his change, Chaz has insisted on maintaining his privacy. Now, in Transition, Chaz finally tells his story. Part One traces his decision to transition, beginning in his childhood-when he played on the boys' teams and wore boys' clothing whenever possible-and going through his painful, but ultimately joyful, coming out in his twenties, up to 2008, when, after the death of his father, drug addiction, and five years of sobriety, Chaz was finally ready to begin the process of changing his gender. In Part Two, he offers an unprecedented record in words and photographs of the actual transition, a real-time diary as he navigates uncharted waters. These chapters capture the day-to-day momentum of his life as his body changes.

Throughout the book, Chaz touches on themes of identity, gender, and sexuality; parents and children; and how harboring secrets shatters the soul. It is an amazing contribution to our understanding of a much- misunderstood community.

I watched the Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour when I was a kid and remember Sonny and Cher bringing Chastity on stage with them. I didn't know too much else about Chaz other than she was gay and then recently became transgendered.

So it was interesting to read this book and learn more about him ... what life was like being the child of entertainers, coming out as gay, figuring out what to do career-wise, dealing with alcohol and drug problems, realizing he was a man in a woman's body and having the courage to go ahead with the process to be true to himself.

It's told with honesty especially regarding his mother's reaction and his relationship with his girlfriend, Jenny, and how she handled it.

I enjoyed it ... it's an interesting story.

Book ~ "Quick Study" (2009) Maggie Barbieri

From Amazon ~ In Barbieri's third book to feature English professor Alison Bergeron, Alison befriends Hernan Escalante and his extended family from Ecuador at the soup kitchen where she's doing community service north of New York City. When the beaten body of Jose Tomasso, one of Hernan's relatives and an illegal immigrant, surfaces in the Hudson near Riviera Pointe, a luxury condo development in the Bronx where Jose was a construction worker, Alison offers to help Hernan find out what happened. After a second murder at Riviera Pointe, Hernan disappears. Alison's investigation leads her and her sidekicks, including her faithful canine companion, Trixie, into all sorts of nail-biting danger. An offer of assistance from former sweetie Jack McManus, marketing director for the New York Rangers, tests Alison's relationship with her main squeeze, NYPD detective Bobby Crawford. Barbieri scores again with this high-octane blend of romance, laughs and chills.

This is the third book in this series.

Alison is a prof at a Catholic university. She stumbles into situations that wouldn't happen to anyone else. The rest of us would walk away. Instead she charges in to solve the problem.

This time she is trying to solve the murder of Jose, a fella she knows from the soup kitchen she volunteers at once a week. Even though her cop boyfriend tells her to back off and someone is leaving her threatening notes, she still tries to find out what happened.

Jack McManus, the brother of her friend who is a priest, still pursues her even though he knows she has a boyfriend.

Max, her recently married friend, is having problems with her husband, who is Alison's boyfriend's partner. I'm not a fan of Max's ... I find her self-centered.

I enjoyed the writing style and it kept me interested even though I found the plot not overly exciting. The ending was quick and I didn't really care about the bad guys who got caught in the end and what they were involved with.

I look forward to reading the next one in the series.