Category: From My Bookshelf – Lynn Willoughby

By Lynn Willoughby The LawDog Files – D. LawDog This novice writer has a way with words that I found extremely funny.  While the subject matter is dark – he is a Sheriff’s Deputy in Bugscuffle Texas. He often works in the prison system as well.  His talent lies in how he tells the stories…

By Lynn Willoughby The Alice Network – Kate Quinn Here is a new historical novel that wowed me.  One woman, Eve, is recruited as a spy during WWI, and becomes part of the real life “Alice Network” in France.  The second woman, Charlie, is an American from a rigid, wealthy family where she never quite…

By Lynn Willoughby Lilac Girls – Martha Halle Kelly This debut novel shows us the pre-WWII life of Caroline, a New York socialite who volunteers at the French Consulate. In contrast, a young woman working for the Polish Underground Resistance Movement is trying to survive Hitler’s invasion of her homeland. Kasia knows people disappear every…

By Lynn Willoughby Punishment – Linden MacIntyre In this novel, set in Newfoundland, you are “from away” unless your family has lived there for generations.  Tony Breau, the protagonist, has known this all his life.  He was adopted. Tony’s career as a correction officer in the notorious Kingston Penitentiary, has a lot to do with…

By Lynn Willoughby The Afterlife of Birds – Elizabeth Philips This is a debut novel by a Canadian author.  It is a story of ordinary people living their ordinary lives and how we all connect  It reminds me a lot of Elizabeth Hay’s writing  – see Late Nights on Air, or Alone in the Classroom,…

By Lynn Willoughby Being Mortal ~ Atul Gawande “From Atul Gawande, a book that has the potential to change medicine – and lives.” Gawande is a practicing surgeon.  In this book of non-fiction he examines the limitations, the failures and the suffering that often precede death.  And he discussed how we can do better. Gawande’s…

By Lynn Willoughby When Breath Becomes Air ~ Paul Kalanithi I put off reading this book for a long time as the content sounded very grim.  Now, I wish I had read it sooner.  And while I seldom re-read a book, this IS one I will visit again. It is the autobiographical memoirs of Paul’s…

By Lynn Willoughby Theft By Finding ~ David Sedaris While this book is not the typical Sedaris book that I was expecting, it is still witty, poignent and laugh out loud funny.  It is a series of excerpts from his own autobiographical journals – which may or may not be edited!  Nothing is sacred –…

By Lynn Willoughby How to be a Canadian ~ Will and Ian Ferguson I am a fan of Will Ferguson and his brand of sarcastic humour always hits my funny bone.  This book is no exception.  It is a light hearted satire on all things Canadian, with chapters on beer, sex, politics, the weather, curling…

By Lynn Willoughby The Son ~ Philipp Meyer This book was a recommendation and is a good read if you like historical fiction. It deals with three generations of the McCullough family with chapters alternating so that each of the story tellers speaks in the first person. It begins in Texas in the 1800s when…

By Lynn Willoughby The Two Family House ~ Lydia Cohen Lorgman Two brothers, Abe and Mort, run the family business in Brooklyn. They marry and for the sake of economy, they purchase a house together. Abe, Helen and their family live upstairs. They eventually have four rambunctious boys, who continuously irk their Uncle Mort and…

By Lynn Willoughby My Name is Lucy Barton ~ Elizabeth Strout Strout writes with a lack of sentimentality and this book is no exception. “Lucy’s childhood is steeped not just in financial hardship, but in cultural and emotional deprivation. Lucy’s childhood is devoid of books, magazines and neighbours.” Don’t be discouraged – this is a…

By Lynn Willoughby The Garden of Evening Mists ~ Tan Twan Eng This novel is complex, sometimes brutal, often beautiful.  Teoh Yun Ling, the protagonist, is of Chinese origin but was born and raised in Maylaya. When the Japanese invaded the country, shortly before attacking Pearl Harbour, King and her sister Yun Hong are taken…

By Lynn Willoughby The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir ~ Jennifer Ryan Reading the reviews of this book I expected it to be much like the The Guernsey Potato Peel Pie and Literary Society.  It was, just not as good. This book is a series of letters, diary entries and newspaper clippings that give us insight into…

By Lynn Willoughby The Couple Next Door – Shari Lapena Every once in while I need a light book – some fluff or a thriller. This one is definitely a thriller. Marc and Anne are at their next door neighbours having dinner. Their sitter cancelled at the last moment and Marco convinces Anne to leave…