Book ~ "No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality" (2020) Michael J. Fox

From Goodreads ~ The entire world knows Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, the teenage sidekick of Doc Brown in "Back to the Future"; as Alex P. Keaton in "Family Ties"; as Mike Flaherty in "Spin City"; and through numerous other movie roles and guest appearances on shows such as "The Good Wife" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm". 

Diagnosed at age 29, Michael is equally engaged in Parkinson’s advocacy work, raising global awareness of the disease and helping find a cure through The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the world’s leading non-profit funder of PD science. His two previous bestselling memoirs, "Lucky Man" and "Always Looking Up", dealt with how he came to terms with the illness, all the while exhibiting his iconic optimism. His new memoir reassesses this outlook, as events in the past decade presented additional challenges.

In "No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality", Michael shares personal stories and observations about illness and health, aging, the strength of family and friends, and how our perceptions about time affect the way we approach mortality. Thoughtful and moving, but with Fox’s trademark sense of humor, his book provides a vehicle for reflection about our lives, our loves, and our losses.

Running through the narrative is the drama of the medical madness Fox recently experienced, that included his daily negotiations with the Parkinson’s disease he’s had since 1991, and a spinal cord issue that necessitated immediate surgery. His challenge to learn how to walk again, only to suffer a devastating fall, nearly caused him to ditch his trademark optimism and “get out of the lemonade business altogether.”

Michael J. Fox is an actor and author, originally from British Columbia.  He quit school in grade eleven to move to L.A. to pursue his dream of being an actor.  He married actress, Tracy Pollan, and they have four children (the youngest recently graduated from high school).  After the birth of their first child, Michael found out he had Parkinson's disease.  Over the years, the symptoms have have gotten worse and he eventually retired from acting, though he has done some short term parts over the years.

This book is his story of dealing with Parkinson's and how it has limited his life over the years.  He's got to think about every move he makes before he makes them.  Plus he's had other health issues including having a tumour removed from his spine which was causing him excruciating amount of pain.  He has the support of his family and some great friends.

I liked this book ... it's an interesting story.  I liked the writing style ... despite all he is going through, his personality and sense of humour came though.  I didn't know much about Parkinson's and learned a lot about it (but not in a preaching way).  I'm surprised I haven't read his first two books but I've added them to my "to be read" list.

Book ~ "Any Night of the Week: A D.I.Y. History of Toronto Music, 1957-2001" (2020) Jonny Dovercourt

From Goodreads ~ The story of how Toronto became a music mecca. 

From Yonge Street to Yorkville to Queen West to College, the neighbourhoods that housed Toronto's music scenes. Featuring Syrinx, Rough Trade, Martha and the Muffins, Fifth Column, Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, Rheostatics, Ghetto Concept, LAL, Broken Social Scene, and more!

For many years after I moved to Toronto in 1987, I went to lots of bars to hear live music ... not so much any more.  Since this book covered those years, I thought I'd check it out.

The author talks about many groups that played in Toronto ... some I knew, some I'd never heard of.  I found myself saying, "I remember them!" and then going to find them on Spotify and then following them there to listen to another time.  He covers many genres of music (folk, blues, rock, pop, rap, punk, etc.).  I've been to many of the bars he spoke of like Albert's Hall, Grossman's, the El Mocambo, the Horseshoe, the Opera House, the Diamond, etc.

The author wrote with knowledge and passion.  There are bits of interviews with some of the singers and groups along with pictures.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "All Together Now: A Newfoundlander's Light Tales for Heavy Times" (2020) Alan Doyle

From Goodreads ~ Is there a more sociable province than Newfoundland and Labrador? Or anywhere in Canada with a greater reputation for coming to the rescue of those in need?

At this time of Covid, singer, songwriter and bestselling author Alan Doyle is feeling everyone's pain. Off the road and spending more days at home than he has since he was a child hawking cod tongues on the wharfs of Petty Harbour, he misses the crowds and companionship of performing across the country and beyond. But most of all he misses the cheery clamour of pubs in his hometown, where one yarn follows another so quickly you have to be as ready as an Olympian at the start line to get your tale in before someone is well into theirs already. We're all experiencing our own version of that deprivation, and Alan, one of Newfoundland's finest storytellers, wants to offer a little balm.

"All Together Now" is a gathering in book form - a virtual Newfoundland pub. There are adventures in foreign lands, including an apparently filthy singalong in Polish (well, he would have sung along if he'd understood the language), a real-life ghost story involving an elderly neighbour, a red convertible and a clown horn, a potted history of his social drinking, and heartwarming reminiscences from another past world, childhood - all designed to put a smile on the faces of the isolated-addled.

Alan Doyle has never been in better form - nor more welcome. As he says about this troubling time: We get through it. We do what has to be done. Then, we celebrate. With the best of them. 

I'm a fan of Great Big Sea and had seen them many times in concert over the years.  I discovered them in the mid 1990s when they were just starting out.  Alan Doyle was one of the members in Great Big Sea and this is his third book.  I had tuned in to his online chat last week with the Toronto Public Library so was looking forward to reading his book.

Alan's not used to not touring and admits that he needs to keep busy.  So he wrote this book telling stories as if he was sitting in a pub with his buddies.  They include meeting Jeff Healey and escorting him to the washing (and not knowing whether to turn the light on for the blind man), touching the Grey Cup AND Anne Murray in Toronto, digging a basement when he and his brother were kids (his parents like to keep them busy), his first visit to London, England, (and his first time out of Newfoundland) and thinking he got ripped off his last 20 pounds from a French busker, acting with Russell Crowe and more.

I liked the writing style ... it was humorous ... and I enjoyed this book as it was light and lively.  I bet Alan would be a fun guy to sit and have a beer with.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "Extraordinary Canadians: Stories from the Heart of Our Nation" (2020) Peter Mansbridge and Mark Bulgutch

From Goodreads ~ In this timely and heartwarming volume of personal stories, Peter Mansbridge and former CBC producer Mark Bulgutch bring together inspiring Canadians from across the country, who in their own way, are making Canada a better place for all.

Hear Gitxsan activist Cindy Blackstock describe her childhood in northern British Columbia where she straddled two communities - Indigenous and non-Indigenous - and her subsequent fight for equitable health care for all children as the executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society. Meet Matt Devlin, the US broadcaster who found a new home in Canada when he got a job with the Toronto Raptors, and read how he helped calm the crowd when a gunman began shooting in Nathan Phillips Square after the team’s NBA championship win. From the young woman living with Crohn’s disease - and proudly modeling her ostomy bag - to the rabbi whose family fled Nazi Germany - and who now gives the benediction on Parliament Hill each Remembrance Day - "Extraordinary Canadians" celebrates the people who have overcome adversity and broken down barriers to champion the rights and freedoms of everyone who calls Canada home.

Featuring voices from all walks of life - advocates, politicians, doctors, veterans, immigrants, business leaders, and more - this collection gets to the heart of what it means to be Canadian. These stories will change the way you see your country and make you fall in love with Canada all over again.

Peter Mansbridge is a former anchor of CBC’s The National and Mark Bulgutch is a former CBC producer.  They have put together a collection of stories of extraordinary Canadians which have been written by the Canadian themselves (so it's in first person perspective).

The stories are varied and interesting.  There is a bio of the person at the end of their story ... I would have moved them to the beginning of the story as I didn't know who these people are as they aren't household names.  I started reading the bio before I read their story to get an idea of who they were and what had made them so special.

Book ~ "If I Knew Then: Finding Wisdom in Failure and Power in Aging" (2020) Jann Arden

From Goodreads ~ Digging deep into her strengths, her failures and her losses, Jann Arden brings us an inspiring account of how she has surprised herself, in her fifties, by at last becoming completely her own person. Like many women, it took Jann a long time to realize that trying to be pleasing and likeable and beautiful in the eyes of others was a loser's game. Letting it rip, and damning the consequences, is not only liberating, it's a hell of a lot of fun: "Being the age I am - that so many women are  - is just the best time of my life."

Jann weaves her own story together with tales of her mother, grandmother and great grandmother, and the father she came close to hating, to show her younger self - and all of us - that fear and avoidance is no way to live. "What I'm thinking about now aren't all the ways I can try to hang on to my youth or all the seconds ticking by in some kind of morbid countdown to death," she writes, "but rather how I keep becoming someone I always hoped I could be. If I'm lucky one day a very old face will look back at me from the mirror, a face I once shied away from. I will love that old woman ferociously, because she has finally figured out how to live a life of purpose - not in spite of but because of all her mistakes and failures." 

Jann Arden is Canadian singer, songwriter, broadcaster, actor and author, who is now in her late 50s.  Her parents passed away in the last five years ... her father spent years being ill, including dementia, and her mother battled Alzheimer's.  

Jann talks about her family dynamic including the difficult relationship she had with her father, who was an alcoholic and not a happy man.  She loved her mother, who stayed and took care of her father for over 60 years.  Jann tells of the lessons she has learned over the years, of not being happy with her body but being more at peace with it as she gets older, of giving up alcohol and liking the person she has become without it, and how the crazy childhood she had of hiding in the basement to escape her father led her to become a musician because in the dreary basement she had records to keep her company.

This is the third book of Jann's I've read and I liked it.  Her personality comes through and I felt like she was sitting with me and chatting. I liked the writing style ... it was amusing at times and honest.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "Everyday Hockey Heroes, Volume II: More Inspiring Stories About Our Great Game" (2020) Bob McKenzie and Jim Lang

From Goodreads ~ In this uplifting and entertaining volume of stories, Canadian broadcasters Bob McKenzie and Jim Lang bring together hockey players, coaches and refs, as well as those behind the bench - the parents, scouts, analysts, and agents - to tell us, in their own voices, why they love the game and how they’re shaping its future.

Meet Dallas Stars’ winger Andrew Cogliano, who captivated the hockey world by playing 830 consecutive games, despite various injuries, and hear how hockey and his parents instilled in him the strong work ethic that made his streak possible. Learn about how Jeremy Rupke found his passion and created the popular website, How To Hockey, to help young hockey hopefuls who might not have money for professional lessons develop their on-ice skills and give them the confidence to achieve their dreams off the ice. Read about players like Jack Jablonski, who didn’t let a life-changing spinal cord injury at age sixteen stop him from being a part of the game, and is now using his experience to raise awareness and funds for spinal cord injury research. From LGBTQ players like Jessica Platt who are breaking down barriers to the women such as Danièle Sauvageau who are breaking glass ceilings as coaches, refs, agents, and analysts, these are the everyday heroes who are using hockey to inspire change.

Featuring incredible stories of comebacks, milestones, and friendship, "Everyday Hockey Heroes, Volume II" highlights the very best of hockey: the power it has to unite us to be the best we can be - for ourselves and for others. 

I'm not a big fan of hockey but I do like reading stories about real people and that's why this book caught my eye.

This book is a collection of stories about people connected to hockey and some are Canadian ... hockey players, wannabe hockey players, a gay hockey player, a trans hockey player, scouts, referees, statisticians, agents and more.

Though I'd never heard of anyone discussed in this book, I found the stories inspirational.  I liked the writing style and found there was just enough enough information.  Social media accounts were listed after the stories and I sometimes checked out the Instagram accounts.

Hockey fans will enjoy this book.  Non-fans (like me) will also like this book and it deals with real people.

Books ~ "Saving Tiberius" (2020) Gordon K. Jones

From Goodreads ~ Morgan Watson has a problem. When word leaked that his cat, Tiberius, miraculously cured itself of diabetes and may hold the key to a cure, he is attacked in his home and almost killed in a bloody fight. 

Paula Rogers, a strong-willed dedicated police officer, has put herself in the line of fire protecting them, and for the first time is stretching the rules and hiding facts from her superiors. 

The two fiercely independent people find their romantic feelings for each other grow as they search to find who is behind the brutal attempts to get Tiberius before they find themselves intertwined with the growing list of dead bodies. 

Morgan works in an office and lives alone with his cat, Tiberius, who had had feline diabetes but seems to have miraculously cured itself of it.  Morgan comes home one evening and finds two men in his apartment, trying to kidnap Tiberius.  They have been hired to bring Tiberius to a man whose only goal is to profit financially from the cure and Tiberius' certain death.  Morgan is able to fend them off but is shaken.  He contacts the police and Paula, an officer, investigates.  There are more threats on Morgan and Tiberius' lives and Morgan and Paula race against time to do all they can to protect Tiberius and stop whoever is trying to kill him.

This book will appeal to readers of crime fiction and cat lovers (like me!).  It is written in third person perspective with the focus on wherever the action.  I liked the writing style and it moved along at a fast pace.  It's got a bit of everything ... suspense, romance, action and a cat!  What more could you want?!  As a head's up, there is violence and adult activity.

Book ~ "Dance with the Devil: A Memoir of Murder and Loss" (2015) David Bagby

From Goodreads ~ In November 2001, the bullet-riddled body of a young doctor named Andrew Bagby was discovered in Keystone State Park outside Latrobe, Pennsylvania. For parents Dave and Kate, the pain was unbearable - but Andrew's murder was only the beginning of the tragedy they endured. 

The chief suspect for Andrew's murder was his ex-girlfriend Shirley Turner. Obsessive and unstable, Shirley lied to police and fled to Newfoundland before she could be arrested. While fending off extradition efforts by U.S. law enforcement, she announced she was pregnant with Andrew's son, Zachary. 

Hoping to gain custody of the child, the Bagbys moved to Newfoundland. They began a drawn-out court battle to protect their grandson from the woman who had almost certainly murdered their son. Then, in August 2003, Shirley killed herself and the one-year-old Zachary by jumping into the Atlantic Ocean.

Andrew Bagby was an American who went to medical school in St. John's, Newfoundland, in the late 1990s.  There he met an older woman named Shirley Turner, who was a doctor, who was from Newfoundland.  She came from a broken home, had been married twice and had three children with the two husbands (the children lived with their fathers).  She had a history of violence and instability.  Andrew and Shirley started dating on and off for a couple of years.

Andrew was found dead on November 5, 2001, in a state park in Pennsylvania where he was a resident at a local hospital.  He had been shot five times and the number one suspect was Shirley, his then ex-girlfriend, who was practicing in Iowa.

Shortly after Andrew's death, on the advice of a lawyer, Shirley returned home to St. John's.  The Pennsylvania police wanted her back in the States to face murder charges but she refused to go so the extradition to the U.S. process began.  Andrew's parents, David and Kate, were living in California and flew to St. John's for the hearings.  It turned out that Shirley was pregnant and gave birth to her and Andrew's son, Zachary, in July 2002.

The Bagbys put their lives on hold and moved to St. John's.  If Shirley ended up in jail and prison, they wanted to establish a relationship with Zachary and be able to raise him since he was their grandson.  They had to fight for visitation.

On August 18, 2003, Shirley drugged Zachary and then jumped into the Atlantic Ocean with him trapped to her.  It was ruled a murder-suicide.

David wrote this book to tell the story. He and Kate feel they were failed by the legal system that let Shirley out on bail and allowed her to retain custody of Zachary.  After Shirley and Zachary's death, they began a quest to have Canada’s bail laws changed.  Bill C-464 or "Zachary's Bill" was introduced which would change the Criminal Code of Canada to allow the courts to justify their refusing bail to those accused of serious crimes in the name of protecting their children.  It received support and was signed into law on December 16, 2010.

I don't remember this happening at the time and I'm not sure where I came across this book but it was an interesting story.  It was dry at times but the love for Andrew and Zachary, their frustration and fight of David and Kate came through.

I read an e-version of the book and there were no pictures.

Book ~ "Forever Terry: A Legacy in Letters" (2020) Darrell Fox

From Goodreads ~ Terry Fox defined perseverance and hope for a generation of Canadians. Forty years after Terry's run ended, "Forever Terry" reflects what Terry's legacy means to us now and in the future.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope, "Forever Terry: A Legacy in Letters" recounts the inspiration, dedication and perseverance that Terry Fox embodied and gives voice to an icon whose example spoke much louder than his words. 

Comprising 40 letters from 40 contributors, and edited by Terry's younger brother Darrell on behalf of the Fox family, "Forever Terry" pays tribute to Terry's legacy, as seen through the eyes of celebrated Canadians ranging from Margaret Atwood, Bobby Orr, Perdita Felicien, Jann Arden, and Christine Sinclair, to those who accompanied Terry on his run, Terry Fox Run organizers, participants, supporters, and cancer champions. Appearing alongside never-before-seen photos of their hero, their reflections reveal connections that readers would never have expected, and offer a glimpse into the way goodness and greatness inspire more of the same.

"Forever Terry" is a testament to the influence one brave man has had on the shape of Canadian dreams, ambitions, and commitment to helping others. Author proceeds support the Terry Fox Foundation, which has raised over $800 million for cancer research.

Terry Fox was an ordinary young man living in Port Coquitlam, BC.  He was athletic and enjoyed running and basketball.  When he was 19, they discovered he had a cancerous tumour and his right leg was amputated at the knee.  With an artificial leg, he began running again and played wheelchair basketball.

On April 12, 1980, Terry began the Marathon of Hope, a cross-country run to raise money for cancer research.  He hoped to raise one dollar from each of Canada's 24 million people.  He began in St. John's, NF, in April and ran the equivalent of a full marathon every day.  On September 1, 1980, he was forced to end his run outside Thunder Bay because the cancer had spread to his lungs.  He headed home to BC immediately to begin treatment and passed away in June 1981.

This book has 40 letters from Canadians (some knew him and some didn't) telling what Terry meant to them including Hayley Wickenheiser, Tom Cochrane, Darryl Sittler, Shawn Ashmore, Doug Alward, Nadine Caron, Douglas Coupland, Rick Hansen, Sidney Crosby, Akshay Grover, Lloyd Robertson, Bret Hart, Leslie Scrivener, Isadore Sharp, Wayne Gretzky, Jim Pattison, Catriona Le May Doan, Malindi Elmore, Michael Bublé, Silken Laumann and Steve Nash.

I was 17, in grade twelve and living in Sydney, Nova Scotia, when Terry started his Marathon of Hope.  Though he came through Sydney in the beginning of May after making his way through Newfoundland, I don't have any recollection of that, which I think is strange and sad considering what a big deal it is ... but it didn't really start picking up steam until he got out of the Maritimes.

One of Terry's earliest supporters was Isadore Sharp, founder of the Four Seasons Hotels, who proposed an annual fundraising run in Terry's name.  Terry agreed but insisted that the runs be non-competitive.  The first Terry Fox Run was on on September 13, 1981 ... over 300,000 people took part and raised $3.5 million.  The Run has grown to involve millions of participants in over 60 countries and is now the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research ... about $800 million has been raised.

Though the run is virtual this year because of Covid, it's still on on September 20!  This is my third year as a volunteer/organizer of our local one.

Book ~ "Never Going Back" (2020) Sam Wiebe

From Goodreads ~ Before she went to prison, Alison Kidd was the best thief in the city. But Ali has changed. All she wants now is to clean up her act and work in her brother Dean's restaurant. She never wants to go back inside. On the day she gets out, Dean is supposed to pick her up. But he never shows. Ali makes her way to Dean's apartment and uses her unique skill set to let herself in. Dean is missing. After some investigation, Ali discovers that he was kidnapped and is being held hostage by powerful crime boss, Lisa Wan. Lisa is the reason that Ali was in prison and wants Ali to work one last job in exchange for Dean's safety. 

Now, to save her brother and her own future, Ali must pull off the toughest job of her career. 

Since she was in high school, Alison was a thief.  She eventually started working for Lisa, who she'd met in detention.  Lisa double crossed her and Alison ended up going to prison for a year.  She's just getting out and looking forward to staying clean and working in her younger brother Dean's restaurant.

Dean was supposed to pick her up at prison but doesn't show up.  Alison goes looking for him and discovers that Lisa had kidnapped him because she wants Alison to do one last job for her.  Alison can't say no because she wants to save her brother.

This is the fourth book I've read by this author and it was okay.  It was a quick read at about 130 pages so it's pretty high level.

Book ~ "The End of Her" (2020) Shari Lapena

From Goodreads ~ In upstate New York, Stephanie and Patrick are adjusting to life with their colicky twin babies. The girls are a handful but Stephanie doesn't mind being a stay-at-home mom, taking care of them while Patrick does the nine-to-five to pay the bills.

When a woman from Patrick's past drops in on them unexpectedly, raising questions about his late first wife, Stephanie supports her husband wholeheartedly. She knows the car accident all those many years ago was just that - an accident. But Erica is persistent and now she's threatening to go to the police.

Patrick is afraid his job - and his reputation - will be at risk if he doesn't put an end to Erica's questioning immediately. And when the police start digging, Stephanie's trust in her husband begins to falter and Patrick is primed to lose everything he loves. As their marriage crumbles, Stephanie feels herself coming unglued and soon she isn't sure what - or who - to believe. Now the most important thing is to protect her girls but at what cost?

Stephanie and Patrick are parents to six-month-old twins who have colic ... so Stephanie and Patrick are exhausted all the time.  This is Patrick's second marriage ... his first wife, Lindsay, had passed away about ten years ago in an accident while pregnant.  Erica, Lindsay's good friend, appears in their lives wanting money and threatening to go to the police to say that she and Patrick had been having an affair and that Patrick had murdered Lindsay.  Patrick admits to sleeping with Erica a couple times but swears that Lindsay's death was an accident.   At first Stephanie supports Patrick but when he is arrested for Lindsay's murder, Stephanie starts to doubt her love and trust for her husband.

I liked this book and as with this author's other books, there's always a weird twist at the end, which I'm not sure I was buying them in this one.  I was okay with the epilogue.  I liked the writing style ... it's written in third person perspective with a focus on wherever the action is.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

Book ~ "All We Knew But Couldn't Say" (2019) Joanne Vannicola

From Goodreads ~ After Joanne is pressured to leave home at fourteen, encouraged by her mother to seek out an acting career, she finds herself in a strange city, struggling to cope with her memories and fears. She makes the decision to cut her mother out of her life and over the next several years goes on to create a body of work as a successful television and film actor. Then, after fifteen years of estrangement, Joanne learns that her mother is dying. Compelled to reconnect, she visits with her, unearthing a trove of devastating secrets.

Joanne relates her journey from child performer to Emmy Award-winning actor, from hiding in the closet to embracing her own sexuality, from conflicted daughter and sibling to independent woman. All We Knew But Couldn’t Say is a testament to survival, love, and Joanne’s fundamental belief that it is possible to love the broken and to love fully, even with a broken heart. 

Joanne Vannicola is a Canadian actress and, to be honest, I've never hear of her.  I read it because I saw actor Colin Mochrie recommended it on Twitter.  It sounded like an interesting story ... and it was.

This is Joanne's story.  She was the youngest of four children living in Montreal in the 1960s.  Their Italian father was abusive ... their mother would tell him that the children had done something and he would beat them to punish them, which excited their mother.  Their mother, who had a crazy abusive childhood herself, was extremely obese and lived vicariously through Joanne, encouraging her to take dancing and acting lessons.  Unfortunately she also sexually molested Joanne when she was young.  One by one, Joanne's older sisters were kicked out of the household.  When Joanne was 15, her mother sent her to Toronto to go to acting school.  Left on her own at such a young age, Joanne had to fend for herself and figure things out.

I like reading bios/auto bios.  Joanne went through a lot in her childhood with her abusive parents and then was left to deal with it and sort it out on her own as a teenager.  It sounds like she has come out on the other side knowing who she is and being comfortable with that.  The book ends in 2002 when the children gathered in Toronto to be with their mother when she died ... I wouldn't have been there if I'd had the childhoods they did.

Book ~ "The English Wife" (2020) Adrienne Chinn

From Goodreads ~ VE Day 1945 - As victory bells ring out across the country, war bride Ellie Burgess' happiness is overshadowed by grief.  Her charismatic Newfoundlander husband Thomas is still missing in action.  Until a letter arrives explaining Thomas is back at home on the other side of the Atlantic recovering from his injuries. Travelling to a distant country to live with a man she barely knows is the bravest thing Ellie has ever had to do.  But nothing can prepare her for the harsh realities of her new home.

September 11th 2001 - Sophie Parry is on a plane to New York on the most tragic day in the city's history.  While the world watches the news in horror, Sophie's flight is rerouted to a tiny town in Newfoundland and she is forced to seek refuge with her estranged aunt Ellie.  Determined to discover what it was that forced her family apart all those years ago, newfound secrets may change her life forever.

During World War II, 18-year-old Ellie is living with her family in England.  She has been comfortably dating George for years and they are planning on getting married once the war is over.  Thomas is a soldier from Newfoundland who is based in England.  Ellie and Thomas meet at a dance, and though she tries to fight it, they fall in love and get married before Thomas is shipped off to Italy.  She doesn't hear from him for a long time and when she does, she discovers he has been shipped home to Newfoundland with an injury.  She joins him there with their son, Emmett, and discovers that life in rural Newfoundland is a lot different than England ... they have no electricity or indoor plumbing, the men fish and drink, and she's living with her in-laws (her mother-in-law hates her because she's English and Catholic ... it didn't seem like Thomas stuck up for Ellie to his mother and let her take the abuse).

On September 9, 2001, Sophie is flying from London to New York for a job interview.  Her plane gets grounded in Gander, Newfoundland.  Remembering her Aunt Ellie lives in Newfoundland, Sophie gets a ride and arrives at Ellie's house rather than staying with the rest of the "plane people" scattered around Gander.  Aunt Ellie is very pleased to welcome her long-long niece into her home and Sophie gets to know Ellie's son, Emmett, son-in-law, Sam, granddaughter, Becca (her mother, Ellie's daughter, had passed away) and Florie, Ellie's friend.

I'm not a fan of period books but I liked this one.  I liked the writing style and most of the characters (Dottie, Ellie's sister, was annoying).  It's written in third person perspective with the focus on wherever the action was.  I liked that it was set so much in Newfoundland and I found the author captured the flavour of their accents.  The book bounces around between three different timelines.  I don't usually mind this style but I found it took a while for me to catch the rhythm.  I found it odd that during the 9/11 week Sophie spent in Newfoundland, no one there was overly concerned there about the terrorist attacks.

The editing could have been better ... there was missing punctuation and typos (it's Port aux Basques not Portes aux Basques ... the author should know this since she's originally from Newfoundland).

Book ~ "The Answer Is ... Reflections on My Life" (2020) Alex Trebek

From Goodreads ~ Since debuting as the host of "Jeopardy!" in 1984, Alex Trebek has been something like a family member to millions of television viewers, bringing entertainment and education into their homes five nights a week. Last year, he made the stunning announcement that he had been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. What followed was an incredible outpouring of love and kindness. Social media was flooded with messages of support, and the "Jeopardy!" studio received boxes of cards and letters offering guidance, encouragement, and prayers.

For over three decades, Trebek had resisted countless appeals to write a book about his life. Yet he was moved so much by all the goodwill, he felt compelled to finally share his story. “I want people to know a little more about the person they have been cheering on for the past year,” he writes in "The Answer Is ... Reflections on My Life".

The book combines illuminating personal anecdotes with Trebek’s thoughts on a range of topics, including marriage, parenthood, education, success, spirituality and philanthropy. Trebek also addresses the questions he gets asked most often by "Jeopardy!" fans, such as what prompted him to shave his signature mustache, his insights on legendary players like Ken Jennings and James Holzhauer, and his opinion of Will Ferrell’s "Saturday Night Live" impersonation. The book uses a novel structure inspired by "Jeopardy!", with each chapter title in the form of a question, and features dozens of never-before-seen photos that candidly capture Trebek over the years.

This wise, charming, and inspiring book is further evidence why Trebek has long been considered one of the most beloved and respected figures in entertainment. 

Alex Trebek was born in Sudbury, ON, in 1940 to a Ukrainian father and Franco-Ontarian mother, who broke up when he was young.  He went to boarding school and university in Ottawa.  He got a job at CBC and that was the start of his career.  After spending about 12 years with CBC, he headed to the U.S. and ended up hosting many game/quiz shows, including Jeopardy! since 1984.

Alex married his second wife, Jean, in 1990 and at the age of fifty, became a father for the first time (they now have two children) ... it's obvious that family is important to him.  He and Jean have supported many causes over the years, both financially and with their time.  In March 2019, he had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer and started chemo treatments.

Who hasn't heard of or watched Jeopardy!?  I like the show and Alex seems like a nice guy so I thought it would be interesting to learn more about him in a book written by him.  Last week I read a book about him written by someone else that recently came out so knew a lot of the stories he told.  But Alex told them at a higher level in his own voice and didn't give as many details.  I liked the writing style.  And it seemed like he picked and chose the stories he wanted to tell.  As a head's up, there is some swearing (he doesn't drink or smoke so said he needed to have one vice to make him "cool").

It was interesting to read about Jeopardy! ... how the show works, how he feels about it, the contestants that stand out for him, etc.

There were lots of pictures.  I read the ebook and the pictures were really small, though, regardless of my efforts to make them bigger.

It was nice to hear his story in his words.

Book ~ "Their Last Secret" (2020) Rick Mofina

From Goodreads ~ Janie Klassyn was only fourteen years old when she made the blood pact with her friends. She could never imagine she was setting in motion the horrifying crime that would tear her peaceful prairie town apart. 

Twenty years later in California, school counselor Emma Grant struggles to keep her past buried. But when she finds a note on her car threatening to reveal her secret, it becomes harder to keep up the deception. Even her teenage stepdaughter suspects that Emma is hiding something. Now, with her celebrated true-crime author husband digging into a decades-old murder case for his next book, and a suspicious accident involving someone who’s been following her, the perfect life Emma’s built is crumbling, forcing her to take desperate steps to save it.

Janie, Nikki and Marie (the "Skull Sisters") were fourteen and living in Eternity, a small town in Manitoba.  Janie regularly babysat for the Tullocks and, though they were wealthy, they always shortchanged her when it came to paying her.  One night while the Tullocks were out of town, the girls decided to break into their house and steal some money so Janie could have what was owed to her.  The family came home unexpectedly and by the end of the night, the family of four were brutally murdered.  It didn't take the police long to realize that Janie, Nikki and Marie did it and they were sentenced to prison.  When they were released to start a new life, their names were changed and their records buried since they had been minors.

Twenty years later, we meet Emma who is a school counselor in California.  She is married to Ben, a successful crime writer, and stepmother to Kayla.  Suddenly there are notes left on her windshield and she suspects she is being followed and she'll do anything to keep her secret past hidden.

I've read a few books by this author and liked this one ... until I got to the end.  I didn't like the ending and thought it should have gone a different way.  I liked the writing style and it is written in third person perspective with the focus on wherever the action is.  It jumps back and forth in time, which is noted at the beginning of the chapters so you know where and when it is.

Book ~ "Who Is Alex Trebek?" (2020) Lisa Rogak

From Goodreads ~ After a contestant wrote “We love you, Alex!” as his final "Jeopardy!" answer, fans around the world quickly chimed in to proclaim their own love and support for beloved Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. In the wake of his devastating cancer diagnosis, the moment provided the perfect opportunity to reflect on what the show - and the man - meant to them.

It was no surprise since millions of devoted viewers have long considered Alex Trebek to be a part of their daily lives ever since he began hosting the show in 1984. Now biographer Lisa Rogak gives readers a look at Trebek's early life, his career and his personal life throughout the years, drawing on many sources to tell his full story for the first time.

There are many surprises, like the fact that Trebek was almost 50 when he discovered that he had a half brother, as well as the revelation that for a short time he actually dreamed of becoming a priest. The native Canadian also struggled with depression after the failure of his first marriage and for years afterward he despaired of ever having a family of his own until he met the woman who would become his soulmate.

Alex Trebek was born in Sudbury, ON, in 1940 to a Ukrainian father and Franco-Ontarian mother.  His parents broke up when he young, with his mother leaving the home because she wouldn't have been able to support the two children if she took them with her.  His father couldn't work and look after them so Alex was sent to boarding school in Ottawa, where he eventually went to university.  Not knowing what he wanted to do after graduation, he applied for a job at CBC and that was the start of his career.  After spending about 12 years with CBC doing various jobs, he headed to the U.S. and ended up hosting many game/quiz shows, including Jeopardy! since 1984.

Alex married his second wife, Jean, in 1990 and at the age of fifty, became a father for the first time (they now have two children).  He also discovered a thirty year secret that he has a half brother.  Alex and Jean have supported many causes over the years, both financially and with their time.  In March 2019, he had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer and started chemo treatments.

Who hasn't heard of or watched Jeopardy!?  I like the show and Alex seems like a nice guy so I thought it would be interesting to learn more about him.  I don't know if the author spent any time with Alex but the notes section in the back is quite detailed.  I liked the writing style ... there was a lot of information provided but it wasn't too much.  I feel like I got to know Alex, if what the author writes is true.  It was also interesting to get some behind-the-scenes info on what happens on Jeopardy!.

I read an ARC-version and I'm assuming (hoping?) the published version will have pictures as there were none in the ARC.  If there aren't any, there should be.

Book ~ "Outrageous Misfits: Female Impersonator Craig Russell and His Wife, Lori Russell Eadie" (2020) Brian Bradley

From Goodreads ~ Craig Russell was an internationally admired entertainer and actor, known for his outrageous impersonations of some of Hollywood's greatest female celebrities: Mae West, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Carol Channing, and Judy Garland, to name a few. Lori Russell Eadie, a shy theatre lover, was Craig's No. 1 fan and, eventually, his wife.

Together they were fun, fabulous, and eschewed convention. But behind the curtains, Craig and Lori's lives were troubled by their mental health, drug addiction, sexual assault, and abuse.

Through nearly one hundred interviews and extensive research, Outrageous Misfits reveals the life and legacy of one of the world's most popular female impersonators and his biggest fan. 

Craig Russell (1948 - 1990) was a Canadian female impersonator and actor.  He was born and passed away in Toronto.  To the disappointment of his father, growing up he was more interested in girly things.  As a teenager, he started a Mae West fan club and realized his dream by briefly working and living with her in California.  When Craig returned to Toronto, he worked as a hairdresser and started pursing his career as a female impersonator in gay clubs around Toronto.  Eventually he became famous worldwide doing impersonations of Carol Channing, Bette Davis, Mae West, Barbra Streisand, Tallulah Bankhead, Marlene Dietrich, Bette Midler, Anita Bryant, Shirley Bassey, Peggy Lee and Judy Garland.  In 1977, he starred in the film Outrageous!, based on a short story written by a friend and former roommate, and it won film festival awards.  In 1987, he starred in the sequel, Too Outrageous!.

In 1982, Craig married Lori Jenkins (1958 - 2008).  Lori was obsessed and in love with Craig and catered to his every need.  At times he found her suffocating and would push her away but other times needed her in order to feel loved.  They spent many years apart (Craig's choice while he lived in Europe) and she took him in when he moved back to Toronto penniless a couple years before his death.

After Craig's AIDS-related, Lori became a dresser, working on some of the larger theatre productions that came to Toronto.  When she passed away from cancer, she was buried next to her husband in Port Perry, ON.

I like reading bios/autobios and this one caught my eye because Craig and Lori were Canadian and from Toronto.  I'd heard of Craig Russell but had never seen any of his work.

Both came from messed-up abusive childhoods ... Craig reacted by being as loud and flamboyant as possible and Lori was quiet and compartmentalized everything.  Lori loved Craig but he didn't love her back.  No matter how badly he treated her, she always stayed with him.  At some points, Craig had it all ... fame and fortune ... but he blew it all on drugs, alcohol and partying.  He had mental illness, which wasn't talked about then as it is today.  He acted out a few times and lost everything including money and respect.

I liked the writing style and it was obviously well-researched ... the author spoke with their family, friends and colleagues and had access to Lori's journals and daytimers.  Not only does it discuss Craig and Lori's life but it also gave background about what it was like being gay in the 1970s right up today.

Book ~ "The Brideship Wife" (2020) Leslie Howard

From Goodreads ~ England, 1862. Charlotte is somewhat of a wallflower. Shy and bookish, she knows her duty is to marry but with no dowry, she has little choice in the matter. She can’t continue to live off the generosity of her sister Harriet and her wealthy brother-in-law, Charles, whose political aspirations dictate that she make an advantageous match.

When Harriet hosts a grand party, Charlotte is charged with winning the affections of one of Charles’s colleagues but before the night is over, her reputation - her one thing of value - is at risk. In the days that follow, rumours begin to swirl. Soon Charles’s standing in society is threatened and all that Charlotte has held dear is jeopardized, even Harriet, and Charlotte is forced to leave everything she has ever known in England and embark on a treacherous voyage to the New World. 

It's the the early 1860s and 21-year-old Charlotte is living with her sister, Harriet, and brother-in-law, Charles in England.  The sisters were left penniless when their parents died and Harriet was lucky that Charles married her.  Now it's Charlotte's turn to find a husband and she's being pressured to marry a man in Charles' social circle so it will advance his political aspirations.  Charles and Harriet have set her up with George but it turns out he is not the man they think he is.  When Charles learns that George is not happy with Charlotte, he banishes her on a brideship which is bound for Victoria, British Columbia.  With a shortage of women because of the gold rush in western North America, this ship is carrying 60 women who have no other options and are looking for new opportunities in their live.

This is the first novel by this author and, though I'm not a fan of historical period pieces, I liked it.  I liked the writing style and thought it flowed well.  It is written in first person perspective in Charlotte's voice.  I found the story interesting and learned much about a piece of Canada's history that I hadn't known much about.  It's amazing how different times are today.  A woman's role was to be a wife and mother and it didn't matter if she liked a man she was supposed to marry ... the accepted goal was to marry well and keep her mouth shut.

Books ~ "Canada" (2020) Norah Myers

From Goodreads ~ When you think of Canada, do you picture the awe-inspiring magnificence of the Rocky Mountains, the sprawling metropolis of Toronto, or the vast expanse of the northern territories? Or do moose, dogsledding, and maple syrup spring to mind? 

This fascinating exploration of the world’s second-largest country extends from Churchill, Manitoba (the “Polar bear capital of the world”) to Vieux Montreal to Vancouver beaches. 

Packed with more than 200 spectacular photographs, presented in a handy pocket-sized landscape format, and with expert commentary for both armchair and prospective tourists, Canada captures the breathtaking beauty of this large and varied country. 

As a Canadian, born in Nova Scotia, living in Toronto for more than 30 years and doing a fair bit of travelling for my job, I thought it would be fun to read about Canada, especially with Canada Day being less than a week away.

This book is not only a collection of full-colour pictures but also interesting facts to go along with the pictures.

The book is split into five sections:

1. The Atlantic Region - New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland
2. Central Canada - Ontario and Quebec
3. The Prairie Provinces - Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba
4. British Columbia
5. The North - Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon.

Here are a couple things I found odd with this book.  While the author states that Ontario and Quebec are Canada's two largest and most populated provinces, she lumps them together into one section.  Being the largest provinces, I would have thought that they would have warranted their own sections, especially given how different Quebec is in many respects from the rest of Canada.  Yet, British Columbia got its own section?!

Another thing I found odd was some of the choices of pictures.  There is a picture of a bull moose in the Atlantic Region section, for example, but no specific location provided in the picture's description, just that they are found in most of Canada.  Is this an Atlantic bull moose?  So a general picture of a bull moose was included but where were the pictures of Peggy's Cove or the Cabot Trail?

Book ~ "All I Ask" (2020) Eva Crocker

From Goodreads ~ A little before seven in the morning, Stacey wakes to the police pounding on her door. They search her home and seize her computer and her phone, telling her they’re looking for “illegal digital material.” Left to unravel what’s happened, Stacey must find a way to take back the privacy and freedom she feels she has lost. 

Luckily, she has her friends. Smart and tough and almost terrifyingly open, Stacey and her circle are uncommonly free of biases and boundaries, but this incident reveals how they are still susceptible to society’s traps. Navigating her way through friendship, love and sex, Stacey strives to restore her self-confidence and to actualize the most authentic way to live her life - one that acknowledges both her power and her vulnerability, her joy and her fear. 

Stacey is a 26-year-old aspiring actress living in St. John's, NF.  She works for a theatre in the box office and as a bartender, and picks up odd jobs doing voiceover work.  Her best friend is Viv and for  a few years she shared an apartment with Viv and Mike, Viv's boyfriend.  When Viv and Mike want to get their own place, Stacey shares an apartment with Holly, who she had recently met.

Early one morning the police come pounding on Stacey and Holly's door looking for illegal digital material.  Stacey is home alone and has to deal with it.  They confiscate all of Stacey's and Holly's electronic devices.  Not only has Stacey lost her phone and laptop so she can't communicate with anyone, she feels violated and paranoid that the police are now watching her.

I like reading books that are written by Canadian authors and set in Canada.  The story started off interesting with the police showing up at Stacey's door and I was wondering what they would find and why.  But then it became a hot mess, focusing more on Stacey's budding relationship with Kris.  The illegal digital material case took a backseat and fell flat, which was disappointing. 

Perhaps I'm not the target demographic since I'm not in my twenties, trying to advance my career or gay/bisexual (Stacey has an issue with both terms).  It is written in first person perspective in Stacey's voice.  The story jumped around in time, back and forth, with no warning providing background about Stacey.

I didn't find the characters likable.  They are supposed to be in their mid-twenties but they acted younger and less mature.  When I started reading, I assumed they were around 20 so was surprised when I came across their age.

For some reason, Stacey has a couple of cats ... why when she can barely afford to feed herself?  The only time she seems concerned about them is when the police are there ... she keeps asking them to close the door so the cats don't get out.  Otherwise, it doesn't seem like she feeds them, takes care of them or is around them much.  And why are their names Snot and Courtney?!

Then the story ends abruptly.  Huh?

As a head's up, there is swearing and explicit adult activity.