Book ~ "Relative Happiness" (2008) Lesley Crewe

From Goodreads ~ Lexie Ivy loves her little house in Cape Breton, her big family and the endless sea that surrounds her. She wouldn't trade her life for anything but at thirty she's starting to feel like something's missing. 

Enter Adrian, a charming backpacker who takes a wrong turn at the U.S. border and ends up on Lexie's doorstep, and Joss, an irresistible man who disappears just as quickly as he arrives. Lexie s peaceful life has suddenly become more complicated than she ever imagined. 

Lexie is a librarian living in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, with her cat, Sophie.  At 30, she is the oldest daughter of four and is always there for her family and friends.  It seems like everyone is living the lives they want except for her and she's ready for her turn.

Adrian has been traveling and ends up in Glace Bay.  He has no place to stay so Lexie invites him to be her roommate ... she can use the money and the company.  She starts to have feelings for him and then he disappears.  But she carries on like always.  When Lexie goes on a camping trip with a friend, she meets Joss there.  He works in Alaska and is visiting a friend in Cape Breton.  Lexie and Joss are drawn to each other right away and spend most of the week together.  He is going back to Alaska and makes this clear so they enjoy the time they have.

I liked this story and the characters.  I liked the writing style ... it's written in third person perspective in various voices including Lexie's, Adrian's and Joss', depending on where the focus was.  I lived in Glace Bay for grade eight in the mid 1970s, right around the corner from where Lexie does community theatre.  The story happens in the 1990s and I had a good sense of the people and characteristics.  It was nice to read a book about people from "back home".

Book ~ "Swallow" (2012) Theanna Bischoff

From Goodreads ~ With an absent father and their mother constantly ill, sisters Darcy and Carly Nolan were forced to rely on each other growing up. While unpredictable Carly bounced around, her life's direction uncertain, Darcy fell in love, went to university, and moved to another province. 

When nineteen-year-old Carly unexpectedly kills herself, Darcy is left to carry the burden of their childhood memories forward alone. The pain of these memories overwhelms Darcy as she struggles to unravel her own feelings of guilt, and to make sense of her sister's death - as an act of destruction, of misery, but also of love. 

Darcy and Carly are being raised by a single mother in Toronto (their father abandoned the family when Carly was still a baby).  Their mother's income as a waitress doesn't bring in a lot of money so the family doesn't have a lot.  When their mother isn't working, she is snappy and hard on her daughters.  Darcy, as the older sister, has to take care of her sister often but they are so different ... Darcy is more down-to-earth and responsible whereas Carly is more of a free spirit.  They have an older cat-rescuing neighbour they call Papi (they adopt him as their grandfather) who looks after them when their mother isn't around and he provides some normalcy in their lives.

When Darcy moves out of the house to go to university locally, she feels bad about leaving Carly behind but she does what she has to do for herself.  She and Carly talk and/or visit every day.  This continues when Darcy follows her boyfriend, Patrick, to Calgary where they both go to school and eventually find work (Darcy as a teacher).  Then Darcy gets the call that her sister has committed suicide.  That destroys her world and she has a hard time coping.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I liked the writing style.  It is written in first person perspective from Darcy's point of view.  It jumps around back and forth in time but I found it fairly easy to figure out what the time period was given the content.  As a head's up, there is swearing.

It's a depressing story and while I can't say I liked the storylines (none were happy), it did keep me interested.  There aren't really any likable happy characters (except perhaps Papi but he was still mourning the death of his wife who had died many years before).  Darcy had no support and was trying to do the best she could with what she was given.

I'm assuming the title refers to the reference in the book that sailors, who often had to go away for long journeys, had tattoos of swallows.  Swallows apparently symbolized hope for their safe return home, back to those they loved.

I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Book ~ "Left" (2018) Theanna Bischoff

From Goodreads ~ Twenty-nine-year-old Natasha Bell went for an evening jog, just like any other night – except now no one knows where she is. 

Not her sister, Abby – eighteen, eight months pregnant, and without a game plan. Not her childhood sweetheart, now ex-boyfriend, Greg, an introverted academic who could never bring himself to commit. Not her best friend, Josie, a newlywed, born-again Christian, with whom Natasha recently had a falling out. And not detective Reuben Blake, who thought this case would be open ’n shut – a quick way to prove himself and move up the ranks. 

Missing persons statistics suggest Natasha’s ex is the primary suspect but what about the possibility of a stranger abduction? Or the possibility that Natasha left voluntarily or took her own life? What about Natasha’s mother, who took off eighteen years before her daughter’s disappearance? 

As days stretch into months and months stretch into years, the evidence that emerges seems only to complicate the picture more. "Left" explores the ways tragedy and secrecy erode and warp people’s psyches and their bonds to one other. What secrets might Natasha have been keeping – and, for that matter, her friends and family?

Natasha is a 29-year-old nurse in Calgary, AB.  Since high school she had been dating Greg.  She's ready to get married and start a family but he isn't so she has broken up with him.  Her 18-year-old half-sister, Abby, is pregnant and will be having her baby anytime.  Abby's parents have kicked her out of the house so Natasha takes her in.  Natasha's best friend is Josie, who became a born-again Christian when she married Solomon, a born-again Christian preacher, last year and they are trying to get pregnant.  Natasha seemed to have a full life ... why did she disappear one night when she was out jogging?

This book is about all those who were "left" behind when Natasha disappeared and how they dealt with it as the years went by with no word from her.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.  It is written from many different viewpoints over different time periods.  It is first person perspective when it is Abby speaking ... it's like she's talking to Natasha and keeping her up-to-date on what's been going on.  It is third person perspective from the point of view of the other characters including Josie, Greg, Jason (Josie's twin brother), Rueben (the police officer investigating Natasha's disappearance) and Cam (the father of Abby's baby).

I like the writing style and it kept me interested to find out what happened to Natasha.  I was okay with the continually shifting perspectives and bouncing around in time.  As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Book ~ "Peggy's Cove: The Amazing History of a Coastal Village" (2008) Lesley Choyce

From Goodreads ~ Here is the complete history of the famous cove and the unique village that hosts thousands of visitors each year. The story begins with the formation of the rocks along these shores and the impact of the glaciers. The Mi'kmaq were the first to live here in the summers, harvesting the riches of the sea. A land grant in 1811 brought the first hardy settlers, who built homes and wharves and discovered that the sea could provide bounty but was also a source of great danger.

The story includes the origin of the name, Peggy's Cove, and details about the everyday life of nineteenth-century families living here. A history of the famous lighthouse is included and there are excerpts from many of the famous and not-so-famous visitors who have written about the Cove through two centuries.

The author explores the most damaging storms and the shipwrecks, the reports of sea monsters and other strange phenomena. Fishing was always a source of income, but it changed over the years. At times the fish prices were so low it was not worth the effort and, in recent years, dramatic changes to the ocean have seen the collapse of several important species of fish.

In the twentieth century, Peggy's Cove attracted artists, writers and ultimately thousands of tourists. Sculptor William de Garthe made his home here and created his monument to the coastal fishermen out of the sheer granite outcropping in his backyard. In 1998, Swissair Flight 111 crashed off the shores of Peggy's Cove and the community opened its doors to the world in an effort to provide support for the rescue workers and the families of the victims. From the earliest days to the present, the story of Peggy's Cove has been a tale of natural wonder and human endurance. 

I'm originally from Nova Scotia and have been to Peggy's Cove many times over the years.  This book caught my eye because I thought it would be interesting to learn more about it.

The first chapter in the book is called "A Gift from Africa".  Huh?  Well, that caught my attention right away.  Nearly 500 million years ago, in the other side of the Atlantic, deposits of sand and mud became compacted beneath the ocean and eventually helped form the coastline of the ancient continent of Gondwana.  The sand and mud became compressed, forming shale and sandstone.  Then 100 million year later, a collision occurred and 50 million years later, Peggy's Cove was then near the equator and still recovering from the collision.  After another 50 million years, Gondwana moved east and south and rock was dragged and dropped along the way, creating Nova Scotia.  So what was left that jammed into North America was originally part of Africa.  Interesting, eh?

The author then continues to tell about the first families who lived and settled in Peggy's Cove, how it got its name, how it has grown and thrived throughout the years, the ups and downs of fishing industry, rum running, the lighthouse, deaths of people getting too close to the edge of the rocks, the SwissAir Flight 111 crash, how it has developed into the tourist destination it is today, and more.

I liked the writing style.  There was a lot of history and information provided but I didn't find it boring or too detailed.

I read the digital version of this book and was surprised that the illustrations and pictures were removed.  So if you are going to read this book, I recommend that you read a printed version as there are apparently pictures, etc. in it.

Here are some pictures I took when I was there a couple years ago:

Book ~ "Cat Champions: Caring for Our Feline Friends" (2013) Rob Laidlaw

From Goodreads ~ Around the world, young people are making a difference in the lives of cats. 

In "Cat Champions: Caring for our Feline Friends", meet kids who are helping at shelters, fostering kittens, volunteering with sterilization programs, and caring for abandoned cats. 

Animal advocate Rob Laidlaw brings readers a hopeful, inspiring look at the issues facing domesticated and feral cats, and the "Cat Champions" who are working to help them. 

Informational sidebars throughout the book describe issues facing cats ("The Cat's Out of the Bag") as well as good-news feline facts ("The Cat's Meow"). Filled with colour photographs and real-life stories, "Cat Champions" will inspire and empower readers of all ages. 

At the Toronto Street Cats shelter building workshop on Saturday, volunteers were given this book.

The chapters include:

• The world of cats
• It's an alley cat world
• Shelters, people who care 
• Becoming a foster parent
• Adopting a cat
• Raising funds and telling the world
• The cat lover's pledge

In the back of the book there are a list of resources and links so you can get involved in cat welfare (Toronto Street Cats got a mention in the book and is listed as a resource) and a glossary.

Though written for children, I found this book to be fun and interesting.  The information is in bite-sized chunks and there are lots of colourful pictures.  There are stories about children making a difference in Canada, the U.S. and around the world.  I would think (and hope) they would be inspiring to other children.  There are also stories about cats like Tuxedo Stan (who ran for mayor in Halifax, NS), Scarlett (who saved her kittens from a fire in New York City and was burned in the process) and Simon the War Cat (back in the late 1940s, he lived on a British naval warship).

Book ~ "You're You" (2017) Mette Bach

From Goodreads ~ 17-year-old Freyja is outspokenly lesbian and politically active about LGBTQ issues at her school's Gay-Straight Alliance. When her girlfriend Rachel breaks up with her, she suspends her work on the online video blog they created together to celebrate their pride. Instead she starts volunteering at the local food bank. 

But she can't figure out why the team leader at the food bank, a guy named Sanjay, doesn't seem to approve of her.  Freyja learns about food justice and becomes attracted to Sanjay's passion for the cause. As her friendship with Sanjay grows, she realizes that they connect in a way she never did with Rachel. 

But can Freyja be in love with Sanjay if she identifies as a lesbian? 

When members of her school's GSA assume that Freyja has "gone straight" and oppose her leadership of the group, Freyja has to choose between sticking with her old idea of herself - and taking a chance on love. 

Freyja and Rachel are in their last year of high school and in love ... in fact, they have an online video blog celebrating it and encouraging others to be open about their preferences.  When Rachel abruptly breaks up with her, Freyja is heartbroken.  Looking for another cause to lend her support to as she heals, she starts volunteering at a local food bank.  She is attracted to Sanjay, the team lead, and the feeling is mutual.  Freyja, though, fights her feelings because as a lesbian, how can she be falling in love with a guy?!

This is the third book I've read by this author.  It is written in third person perspective from Freyja's point of view.  Though I'm assuming it is written for the young adult market (so I'm not its demographic), I liked the story and the writing style.  As a head's up, there is "adult" activity so perhaps the book is for a more mature young adult.

Book ~ "Turning Secrets" (2019) Brenda Chapman

From Goodreads ~ Former teenage runaway and new single mother, Nadia Armstrong, moves to Kingston to turn her life around. But six months after she rents a low-end apartment, her body is found on a concrete slab at an isolated construction site.

Major Crimes begins piecing together her last days, uncertain if this is a case of suicide or murder. To make matters more difficult, a member of the team is leaking information to reporter Marci Stokes, putting Staff Sergeant Rouleau in a precarious position.

Meanwhile, Officer Kala Stonechild’s niece, Dawn, is secretly corresponding with her father, who’s out on early parole. Dawn’s friend, Vanessa, is also keeping a dangerous secret - her relationship with an older man named Leo, who preys on young girls. And it’s not long before he has Dawn in his sights.

Nadia, a young single mother, is found dead at a construction site and at first everyone assumes it's suicide.  But as the Kingston police start to investigate, they suspect she's been murdered.  As they dig into her background, they discover she has a past doing drugs and prostitution.

Police officer Kala Stonechild is taking care of her teenage niece, Dawn, while Dawn's mother is in prison.  Dawn's father has recently been released from prison and heads to Kingston to connect with her before he heads east to get away from some guys he owes money too.

Kala is attracted to a fellow officer (and the feeling seems to be mutual) but things are complicated because his ex-wife has returned to town and is living with him.

Dawn's sorta friend, Vanessa, has been acting funny since she started dating an older guy named Leo.  Leo has a friend who would like to date Dawn but she's creeped out and not interested.

This is the sixth (and latest) in the Stonechild and Rouleau series and I enjoyed it.  Though it is part of a series, it works as a stand alone and you don't need to have read the previous ones to read this one (there is enough background given).   It's always nice to read a book that is happening in Ontario (these characters live in Kingston and the author doesn't hide this fact).  I liked the writing style and found the storyline interesting.  It is written in third person perspective with the focus on the various characters wherever the action was happening.

I look forward to reading future books in this series and by this author.

Book ~ "Charming" (2018) Mette Bach

From Goodreads ~ Seventeen-year-old Char has studied music but didn't think of it as a future until she posted a video of herself singing and it went viral. So now, instead of going to queer youth events or taking part in the Gay Lesbian Alliance, Char spends her time figuring out how to get enough online fame to fuel a singing career. When one of her videos is bombarded with vicious online comments, she is pleased to find an app that offers support and encouragement to people who are being bullied online.

Using the handle Charming, Char gets to know the creator and moderator of the app, who calls herself Cinders. Cinders inspires Char to reconsider her obsession with having the ideal online presence and concentrate on who she really is. But when Cinders turns out to be Ash, a shy girl who goes to the same school, Char must find a way to show Ash how much she means to her.

With a modern female version of Prince Charming as the main character, Charming expands the story of the fairy-tale prince to one of a teen girl who learns the true nature of fame and love.

Char is in her last year of high school.  Her parents are well-to-do realtors who expect Char to go on to university but she just wants to make music.  She uploads videos of herself on YouTube singing to build a following.  She is obsessed with how many views she receives and gets bummed when there are negative comments.  She suspects she is being trolled by Mimi, a mean girl at her school.  She comes across an app called SendLove, which supports people who are being bullied online and becomes friends with the creator, Cinder.  With Cinder's friendship, Char realizes that she can be who she really is and not worry about what others think.

This is the second book I've read by this author.  This book runs parallel with Cinders, which is told from Cinder's point of view (both books are written in third person perspective).  It was interesting to read both books back-to-back because we get to know the girls more in their own books with their back stories. 

Though I'm assuming it is written for the young adult market (so I'm not its demographic), I liked the story and the writing style.  As a head's up, there is lesbian activity and I came across one swear word so perhaps the book is for a more mature young adult.

I liked Char.  She knows who she is but is afraid to let anyone else see.  We see her grow and become more confident throughout the book.

Book ~ "Cinders" (2018) Mette Bach

From Goodreads ~ Seventeen-year-old Ash has been living with her mother in her mother's boyfriend's house, along with his daughter Mimi and son Noah. When Ash's mother dies, Ash stays so she can attend a high school with a top coding program. But her stepsiblings take advantage of Ash's precarious living situation, with Mimi posting embarrassing pictures of Ash online and Noah making her do his homework. Ash's only solace is the social media app she has developed to support people who are being bullied online.

Using the handle Cinders, Ash starts chatting online with a girl who calls herself Charming. They become close, without ever meeting in person. When Ash finds out that Charming is Char, an aspiring singer who goes to her school, she admires her courage in identifying herself as a lesbian and singing about it. Char helps Ash see her own strength in not letting her situation cause her to be bitter, but instead using it to reach out to help others. For the first time since her mother died, Ash feels like someone sees that she is special and is there for her.

With a modern version of Cinderella as the main character, Cinders tells the story of a teen girl who overcomes adversity and bullying with kindness and compassion. (less)

Ashley's mother has recently passed away.  Ash is in her last year of high school and living with her stepfather (he had married her mother just before she passed away) and his two children, Mimi and Noah, who are Ash's age.  Mimi and Noah are really nasty to her but Ash has nowhere else to go ... she has to suck it up until graduation.  She knows her only hope is to win a scholarship so she can go away to university.  In the meantime, she is is a coding geek (who goes by the alias "Cinders") and develops an app called SendLove, which supports people who are being bullied online.  She "meets" Charming, another girl who is being bullied, on the site and they form a friendship.

This is the first book I've read by this author.  This book runs parallel with Charming, which is told from Charming's point of view (both books are written in third person perspective).

Though I'm assuming it is written for the young adult market (so I'm not its demographic), I liked the story and the writing style.  As a head's up, there is lesbian activity and I came across one swear word so perhaps the book is for a more mature young adult.

I liked Ash.  She was in a difficult situation having no one to turn to until she "meets" Charming.  Though he did the right thing in letting Ash stay after her mother passed away and treated her okay, her stepfather wouldn't be winning any father of the year awards.  While Mimi and Noah had the best of everything and never lacked for anything, Ash's room was a storage room and she was using a five year old laptop.  His children treated Ash like crap and the stepfather was either unaware of it or didn't care.

Book ~ "Happily Ever Esther" (2018) Steve Jenkins, Derek Walter and Caprice Crane

From Goodreads ~ Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter had their lives turned upside down when they adopted their pig-daughter, Esther - the so-called micro pig who turned out to be a full-sized commercial pig growing to a whopping 600 pounds - as they describe in their bestselling memoir, "Esther the Wonder Pig". The book ends with them moving to a new farm, and starting a new wonderful life where they will live on the Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary to care for other animals and just live happily ever after.

Or so they thought. 

People often think about giving it all up and just moving to a farm. In theory, it sure does sound great. But as Derek and Steve quickly realized, the realities of being a farmer - especially when you have never lived on a farm let alone outside of the city - can be frantic, crazy and even insane. 

Not only are they adjusting to farm life and dutifully taking care of their pig-daughter Esther (who by the way lives in the master bedroom of their house) but before they knew it their sanctuary grew to as many as 42 animals, including pigs, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, cows, roosters, a peacock, a duck, a horse, a donkey, and a barn cat named Willma Ferrell.  

Steve received a call from an old friend ... she had a mini pig that she was trying to find a home for because she couldn't keep her.  Steve said he'd take the pig and he and his partner, Derek, named her Esther. Then they discovered that Esther wasn't a six month old "mini" pig at all ... she was, in fact, a six week old commercial pig, which means she should have been destined to be raised and butchered.

Esther grew from being the size of a sneaker to over 650 pounds! They tried to raise her as long as they could in their house in Georgetown, just outside of Toronto. They eventually bought a farm about 45km west of Toronto and opened the Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary and take in animals that need homes.  This is the story of them starting this sanctuary.

I had read Esther the Wonder Pig in 2016 and enjoyed it.  Reading about the sanctuary, I wanted to go and have been twice (I was just there in July with my friend, Trish*) ... I look forward to going again next summer.  Plus my friend, Christine*, volunteers there on a regular basis and I like seeing the pictures she posts of her days there on Facebook.

I liked this book.  It was interesting to read how adopting what they thought was a mini pig had changed Steve and Derek's life so much.  They became vegan (they were cooking bacon for breakfast one morning and suddenly connected where it came from ... a pig similar to their pig-daughter, Esther), gave up their jobs, sold their house, bought a farm, started the sanctuary and became activists.  Since I've been to the sanctuary, I could picture the place and the animals they spoke about.

It wasn't easy starting the sanctuary.  The farm needed a lot of work and they did a lot of the manual work themselves, figuring it out as they went along.  They now have a great team of volunteers behind them.  People assume they will take every animal that needs a home and unfortunately they can't.

There are "Esther-approved" recipes at the end of the book along with pictures.

* I'm not vegan and Trish and Christine are.

Book ~ "The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store" (2018) Cait Flanders

From Goodreads ~ In her late twenties, Cait Flanders found herself stuck in the consumerism cycle that grips so many of us: earn more, buy more, want more, rinse, repeat. Even after she worked her way out of nearly $30,000 of consumer debt, her old habits took hold again. When she realized that nothing she was doing or buying was making her happy - only keeping her from meeting her goals - she decided to set herself a challenge: she would not shop for an entire year.

"The Year of Less" documents Cait’s life for twelve months during which she bought only consumables: groceries, toiletries, gas for her car. Along the way, she challenged herself to consume less of many other things besides shopping. She decluttered her apartment and got rid of 70 percent of her belongings; learned how to fix things rather than throw them away; researched the zero waste movement; and completed a television ban. At every stage, she learned that the less she consumed, the more fulfilled she felt.

The challenge became a lifeline when, in the course of the year, Cait found herself in situations that turned her life upside down. In the face of hardship, she realized why she had always turned to shopping, alcohol, and food - and what it had cost her. Unable to reach for any of her usual vices, she changed habits she’d spent years perfecting and discovered what truly mattered to her.

Blending Cait’s compelling story with inspiring insight and practical guidance, "The Year of Less" will leave you questioning what you’re holding on to in your own life - and, quite possibly, lead you to find your own path of less.

I'm not a big shopper ... if I need something, I buy it.  I rarely get tempted for impulse purchases.  I learned a $1,500 lesson about 20 years ago when I impulsively bought a knitting machine and then hardly used it (I eventually tossed it after two moves and still not using it).  The only things I buy when I don't need them are scented tarts/candles if I come across a sale ... but I use them on a daily basis.

This book caught my eye, though, because I thought it would be interesting to see how a woman stopped shopping, gave away her stuff and lived a minimalist life.  The author started by sorting through all her stuff and gave away everything she wasn't using, hadn't used in a while, didn't like, etc.  Then she put herself on a shopping ban for a year ... she couldn't buy anything that wasn't a necessity (like food, toiletries, etc.).  She could spend her money of travel but she had to do it as cost-efficient as possible.  At the beginning of every chapter, she updated us on her progress.

As it turns out, this book is less about not shopping and more of a memoir about her life.  She is the oldest of three children and grew up in British Columbia.  She realized she had a drinking problem so stopped.  She had gained weight and lost 30 pounds.  She describes her relationships, her friendships, her family, her career, etc.  The not shopping part and living a more simple life seemed to be an aside ... so the title is very misleading.  What I took from the book is she realized that how she dealt with stress was to eat, drink and shop and she took measures to find other ways (good for her!).  All the stresses in her life are the focus of the book, though.

In the appendix at the end of the book (after the epilogue), she lists ways that you can do with less, which is supposed to be what the book is about.  I found it kind of strange that she still allows herself to buy books but then she gives them away when she's finished.  Isn't that a waste of money?  If she was going to practice what she is trying to preach, why doesn't she borrow books from her local library (like I do)?

Book ~ "Somebody's Daughter: Inside an International Prostitution Ring" (2016) Phonse Jessome

From Goodreads ~ A stunning exposé of prostitution in Canada, where a criminal syndicate traffics young women across the country, selling their bodies and murdering them at will.

Annie Mae Wilson was nineteen years old on the night she died. After five years working the streets of Nova Scotia, she had found a new pimp and cut ties with supermarket bag boy Bruno, who had called himself her man. Bruno was furious and demanded to be compensated. When Annie Mae refused, he lost his temper and killed her with a single punch. People like Bruno call prostitution “The Game,” and Annie Mae lost.

Annie Mae was one of twenty-two prostitutes killed in Canada in 1992, victims of an oppressive system of terror and violence that often leads to addiction, rape, and death. In this groundbreaking piece of investigative journalism, Annie Mae’s story is finally told, along with those of other young women caught in the vice of prostitution.

Impeccably researched and engagingly written, this true crime account from veteran reporter Phonse Jessome approaches a difficult subject without judgment. Relying on first-person testimony from prostitutes and their pimps, Jessome explores a side of modern life that few people have seen but which no one can afford to ignore.

Originally written in 1996 by Nova Scotia journalist Phonse Jessome, this book is about a prostitution ring with its roots in Nova Scotia (the ring was referred to as the "Scotians") in the early 1990s, which prompted a police task force to be formed in Halifax to combat this issue.

Young girls either willingly or were forced into prostitution (the "Game") and many of their pimps were from North Preston, which is just outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Many of the girls who went into it willingly thought they had no other choice ... they had no education and came from abusive homes where love was shown through beatings ... and this was the only way to make money.  Others were seduced by a pimp who made them think they were a couple and she was helping them make a better life by doing it.  Regardless they soon found out that their pimp was in control and there was no way to escape the life, even if they wanted to.  If they stepped out of line, they learned a lesson through vicious beatings.  Girls were regularly moved from Halifax to Toronto, Montreal and other places and sold among the other pimps.

With this book, I learned a lot about the issue of prostitution and pimps.  Some girls enjoy the lifestyle while others have no choice but to stay in it because they feel they have no other options, they are terrified to leave and/and can't afford the "fee" to their pimp to buy their freedom.  The book follows the lives of Annie Mae, Stacey, Taunya, Gizelle and others ... how they ended up involved, how/if they tried to get out and their status as a couple years after the task force had been set up.

Despite the subject matter, I liked the writing style and found this book interesting.  The editing could have been tighter as there were typos (it's too bad these weren't picked up when it was rereleased ten years later).  As a head's up, there is swearing and obviously violence.

Book ~ "Disposable Souls" (2016) Phonse Jessome

From Goodreads ~ The body of Pastor Sandy Gardner, a TV preacher with a global following, turns up near a Halifax container pier. The mysterious case lands with Cam Neville, a city cop with a dead wife, PTSD and a haunting past. Can Neville, a former biker and war hero, solve the killing and find himself?

In search of the truth, Neville and his partner, a Mi’kmaw Mountie named Blair Christmas, enter a perilous world of strippers, kiddie porn and corruption that threatens to destroy them. Meanwhile, Neville is torn between loyalties to his two brothers, one still with the Satan’s Stallion bike club founded by their father, and another, a priest who wants to save everyone, including Cam.

Cam is a police officer working in Halifax, NS.  His father was the founder of the Stallions, a motorcycle club, which Cam used to be in and his brother, Gunner, is currently a VP.  Cam had gotten married (then widowed), went to war in Afghanistan and as a prisoner was tortured.  He had a hard time handling everything once he got home.  His brother, Greg, a priest, straightened him out and he joined the police force.  His former biker "brothers" hated him because he was now a cop and his new police "brothers" hate him because he is a former biker.  He is paired up with Blair, a Mi'kmaw Mountie, who everyone is prejudiced against.

A TV preacher is found murdered near where Cam and Blair are assigned.  As they dig deeper, they discover there may be ties back to the Stallions which puts Cam in a precarious position.  The Stallions, including Gunner, don't want to help him and the police don't trust him.

This is the first book I've read by Phonse Jessome and I liked it.  His name is familiar to me ... he is Nova Scotia journalist so that's probably why.  The story was interesting and was intense and heavy duty.  In addition to the story, there is a lot of information and I learned a lot about the relationship between the joint force of the police and Mounties in Halifax and motorcycle clubs.

The author doesn't hide the fact that the story takes place in Halifax and there are lots of references to locales (I've been so many of them).  I was born in Nova Scotia and lived my first ten years in the Halifax area.  In fact, my sister lives in Spryfield, where the "Litter Box Boys" reign and some of the action actually takes place about a five minute drive from her house.

I found the writing a bit dense at times, though ... there were a lot of long paragraphs that could have been broken up to make reading easier.  One page, for example, was made up of just three paragraphs.  As a head's up, there is swearing (lots of F-bombs) and violence.

I liked the characters.  The friendship between Cam and Blair was obvious as was Cam's torment between his two worlds.  Despite the differences between the three brothers (one is a cop, one is a bike and another is a priest) and their messed-up childhoods,  they did care about each other.

I look forward to reading other books by this other.  I understand there is supposed to be a sequel to this book coming out in the fall and I'll keep an eye out for it.

Book ~ "Live Long and ... What I Learned Along the Way" (2018) William Shatner and David Fisher

From Goodreads ~ "Star Trek" legend and veteran author William Shatner discusses the meaning of life, finding value in work and living well whatever your age.

"I have always felt," William Shatner says early in his newest memoir, that "like the great comedian George Burns, who lived to 100, I couldn't die as long as I was booked." And Shatner is always booked.

Still, a brief health scare in 2016 forced him to take stock. After mulling over the lessons he's learned, the places he's been and all the miracles and strange occurrences he's witnessed over the course of an enduring career in Hollywood and on the stage, he arrived at one simple rule for living a long and good life: don't die.

It's the only one-size-fits-all advice, Shatner argues in "Live Long and ... What I Learned Along the Way" because everyone has a unique life - but to help us all out he's more than willing to share stories from his unique life. With a combination of pithy humor and thoughtful vulnerability, Shatner lays out his journey from childhood to peak stardom and all the bumps in the road (sometimes the literal road, as in the case of his 2,400-mile motorcycle trip across the country with a bike that didn't function).

Everyone knows who William Shatner is ... he is an actor, author, producer and director originally from Montreal.  He was in Star Trek, T.J. Hooker, 3rd Rock from the Sun, The Practice, Boston Legal among others.  He has been in plays, including the Stratford Festival early in his career.  He is also a musician, author, screenwriter and director, celebrity pitchman and owner, trader, breeder and rider of horses.

There are ten chapters in this book:

1. A Fortunate Life
2. The Show Must Go On
3. A Passion for Passions
4. An Emotional Appeal
5. The Basic Ingredients:  Health and (Some) Wealth
6. My Curious Quest for Adventure
7. Working to Find Happiness
8. Relationships are not All Relative
9. My Principal Beliefs
10. Where Does the Time Go?

This is the second book I've read by Shatner.  In this book, he shares stories about his life and what he's learned in his 87 years ... his childhood, marriages, children and grandchildren, career, interests, passion, etc.   I liked the writing style and this book and I could "hear" Shatner's voice as I was reading it.

Here are some of his tidbits of wisdom, which are good reminders ...

1. His secret to a living a good long life?  Don't die!  Keep living and try not to slow down.
2. Always say "yes" to opportunities.
3. Find your passions.
4. Be happy.
5. Don't allow your fear of dying cause you to lose your passion for living ... be actively engaged in life until your very last breath.

Book ~ "Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man" (2016) William Shatner and David Fisher

From Goodreads ~ Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner first crossed paths as actors on the set of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Little did they know that their next roles, in a new science-fiction television series, would shape their lives in ways no one could have anticipated. In seventy-nine television episodes and six feature films, they grew to know each other more than most friends could ever imagine. 

Over the course of half a century, Shatner and Nimoy saw each other through personal and professional highs and lows. In this powerfully emotional book, Shatner tells the story of a man who was his friend for five decades, recounting anecdotes and untold stories of their lives on and off set, as well as gathering stories from others who knew Nimoy well, to present a full picture of a rich life. 

As much a biography of Nimoy as a story of their friendship, Leonard is a uniquely heartfelt book written by one legendary actor in celebration of another. 

Leonard Nimoy was an American actor, film director, photographer, author, singer and songwriter. He was best known for his role as Spock of the Star Trek franchise, a character he portrayed in television and film from a pilot episode shot in late 1964 to his final film performance in 2013.  He past away in 2015 at the age of 83.

This book is written by William Shatner, his Star Trek co-star and friend of many years.  The book starts with Nimoy's childhood, growing up in Boston, the son of Jewish immigrants who had escaped from the Ukraine.  His parents had wanted him to go to university so he would have a "stable" career but instead he wanted to pursue acting.  Doing many odd jobs that rarely lasted more than two weeks while he was picking up acting jobs, he caught a break when he was cast as Spock in Star Trek.  In addition to playing Spock in TV shows and movies, he was also in plays, non-Star Trek movies and eventually directed movies (such as Three Men and a Baby).  Later in life, he became a successful photographer.

I will admit that I'm not a Star Trek fan but I do like learning more about different people.  I thought Nimoy would have an interesting life and he did.  It was interesting to learn Nimoy's story told from Shatner's point of view.  They didn't always get along but Shatner's love and respect for Nimoy comes through.

I liked the writing style and would recommend this book even if you aren't a Star Trek fan (like me).