Category: Canada

#PubDay Book Review | “Beyond the Wild River” by Sarah Maine

Posted Tuesday, 18 April, 2017 by jorielov , , , 2 Comments

Book Review Banner using Unsplash.com (Creative Commons Zero) Photography by Frank McKenna

Acquired Book By: I received an enquiry from a publicist at Atria in regards to a novel of suspense by an author I had not yet heard of previously. What captured my attention about this release was the heart of the story itself and the way in which this felt like an Introspective Novel which is of particular interest in my reading life as I like seeking out the Literary novels which bespeak of digging a bit deeper than genre fiction and asking different kinds of questions on behalf of the readers who enjoy reading them. They genuinely get you thinking about the layers of the story and also, of the message within the fuller scope of what the author was attempting to present to you through the duration of the novel. I was keenly grateful I could receive a print ARC in order to read this ahead of publication.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of “Beyond the Wild River” direct from the publisher Atria (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why I was keenly interested in this particular release:

One thing I truly appreciate is a wicked good novel of atmospheric suspense – which is a nod to my lifelong appreciation of Psychological Suspense films including those which were the founding entries which brought the Horror film genre to brilliant life. In other words, I grew up appreciating Alfred Hitchcock and his particular style of letting your imagination fill in the gaps between where his narrative lens left-off in such classics as: The Man Who Knew Too Much, The Lady Vanishes, North by Northwest, The Rope, Dial M for Murder and other such lovelies which truly knitted suspense into the cornerstone of the character’s journey. I specifically found his style of the craft to be a lead-in towards finding authors how convey the same appreciation for what he did in film.

A few years ago, I attempted to read my first Kate Morton novel (The Distant Hours) yet sadly never truly was able to attach myself into the story-line due to time constraints. Yet, in the beginning of her novel, I felt a kinetic energy of atmospheric beauty etching out of the narrative; both haunting and compelling all at once. There are other authors I’ve read and blogged about meeting here on Jorie Loves A Story, of whom write in a similar vein of interest – such as Kate Forsyth, M.J. Rose, Lena Coakley, Sarah E. Boucher, Richard Storry, Helene Wecker, Yangsze Choo, Edith Wharton and others of whom write in a particular style of evokes a certain layer of world-building through a Gothic-esque lens.

Whilst I continue to seek out stories which have this evocation, I am truly a Historical girl at heart – a realisation I discovered about myself as I became a book blogger, as until I blogged (in effect, journalled my reading life!) I hadn’t taken stock of which types of stories I lean towards to read moreso than others which happily enchant me as I meet them. Historical Fiction and all the lovely variants of it’s sub-genres have kept me entertained for the fullness of my reading life (ie. since I was a young girl!) due to how breath-taking Historicals can be penned! The eclipse of course to fully entreat into the historical past whilst following in the footsteps of characters so well conceived you feel as if you’ve slipped into their shoes and tackled living their life for a spell!

This particular novel felt it held enough Suspense threading through it to keep me on the pins of my nerves whilst the backdrop of moving between England and Canada would be a refreshing change in scenery! As I am oft wandering back through time periods and settings often visited; to where I like to switch things up a bit and go ‘somewhere’ new every once in awhile! I also felt it had an introspective vibe about it whilst attempting to pull out the human condition and psychological back-story of it’s lead characters who might not expect to be ‘caught’ at a fork in the road where they could chose which way they would go forward vs following an expected trajectory by someones choice.

As this is my first reading by the author, I was thankful to receive the ARC in which I had the joy of reading the Editor’s remarks on behalf of the author and of this story. I love receiving ARCs in that regard – for the little ‘extra’ insights into the author’s collective works or their initial debuts; it gives a sense of the author’s style but also, of their story’s heart. I also like seeing how each Editor in turn chooses to highlight what they feel is the core of the author’s message for the story at hand. I had to smirk to myself realising I had mentioned my personal love of Hitchcock when I was reading a direct reference to him in this Editor’s Note! Laughs. Sometimes I find there are happy coincidences and moments of quirky connections as I read and blog my reading life; this is surely one of them! I was keenly right about this being introspective – as there is a hint of a nod towards how this novel is both figuratively poignant as much as it is metaphorical; for me, that’s the baseline of a wicked good literary novel!

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#PubDay Book Review | “Beyond the Wild River” by Sarah MaineBeyond the Wild River

The day comes sooner than expected when Charles, prompted by a near-scandal between Evelyn and a servant, brings her on a business trip to New York City and the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Evelyn welcomes the chance to escape her cloistered life and see the world.

But a fishing expedition up the Nipigon River in Canada takes an unexpected turn when Evelyn discovers that their river guide is none other than James Douglas. Even more startling, her father betrays no shock, simply instructing Evelyn not to reveal their past connection with James to the rest of their party.

Evelyn never believed that James was guilty, but speculation about her father’s role in the killing has made her fearful. What is he hiding? As they travel deeper into the wilderness, and further from the constraints of polite society, the secrets and lies surrounding that night are finally stripped away, revealing the true natures of everyone in their party.


Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

ISBN: 9781501126956

on 18th April, 2017

Pages: 352

Published By: Atria ()
{imprint of} Simon & Schuster (

Converse via: #BeyondTheWildRiver
Available Formats: Hardback and E-Book

About Sarah Maine

Sarah Maine Photo Credit Susie McDonald at Brick Lane Studio

Sarah Maine was born in England but grew up partly in Canada before returning to the United Kingdom, where she now lives. She is the author of The House Between Tides.

Photo Credit: Susie McDonald at Brick Lane Studio

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • 2017 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
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Posted Tuesday, 18 April, 2017 by jorielov in 19th Century, ARC | Galley Copy, Blog Tour Host, Book Review (non-blog tour), Canada, Chicago, Coming-Of Age, England, Family Life, Father-Daughter Relationships, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Literary Fiction, Simon & Schuster, Suspense

Blog Book Tour | A new #YALit release by the #CanLit publisher I appreciate #amreading in 2015: Rebelight Publishing! Hannah Both Ways by Rosie Greenway is an evoking realistic story grabbing you by it’s heart!

Posted Monday, 30 November, 2015 by jorielov , , 2 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Chapter by Chapter, where I receive opportunities to host Cover Reveals & Author Guest Features on behalf of the Indie Publisher Month9Books. I continue to welcome hosting another Indie Publisher: Rebelight Publishing of whom I love the stories by their Middle Grade & YA authors! I jumped at the chance to read this exciting novel for Middle Grade readers, as I am always seeking out light infused Children’s Lit which has a resounding story-line stitched together with a life lesson and/or a character who children can relate too as much as they can celebrate having found. For a bit of background on Rebelight Publishing, please read my anchour supplement on the top of my review for “Missing in Paradise”.

I received a complimentary copy of “Hannah Both Ways” direct from the publisher Rebelight Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Realistic YA:

As mentioned recently on my spotlight revealling interview showcase for #DarkChocLit, I appreciate convicting realistic fiction – Hannah Both Ways is my second find for young adult literature, as The Summer of Chasing Mermaids was the last novel I’ve read where I felt a story fit this niche perfectly. Prior to Ockler’s novel, I give top credit to curating this sub-genre to Wonder by R.J. Palacio and The Strength of Ballerinas by Nancy Lorenz. The latter of whom is releasing a sequel American Ballerina this December, which I will be reading with wicked anticipation!

I appreciate finding stories that create a space for delving into the harder subjects that all teens face at some point or another. To find the novelists who get this part of life so epically real as if they were reliving their own living truth spilt out onto the pages of their novel, is one way of finding tomorrow’s classics. I like to keep my reading life open to where the redefinition of YA literature is taking today’s readers – as both teenagers and adults are reading YA. We all entered or re-entered the genre for different reasons, but what has us happily made us become encroached inside the genre are the heart centred stories and the incredible breadth of realism being etched inside them.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Notation on Cover-Art: When I first saw the cover art for this novel, it’s the numbers that drew the most curiosity out of me. I mistook them for ISP signatures because I did not realise there was a ‘space’ between the clusters to where the numbers themselves were only in sequences of XXX.XX rather than a longer numerical code. This is definitely a convincing cover for the novel because it’s reflecting the key heart of Hannah’s story: introspective and retrospectively sorting out her life.

Blog Book Tour | A new #YALit release by the #CanLit publisher I appreciate #amreading in 2015: Rebelight Publishing! Hannah Both Ways by Rosie Greenway is an evoking realistic story grabbing you by it’s heart!Hannah Both Ways

A devastating Twitter prank yanks Hannah out of the popular crowd and turns her into the high school’s best bad joke. Determined to finish the year and graduate, Hannah must keep the humiliating details from her impulsive mother—who just might pack up their belongings and move. Again.

Hannah hovers below the radar by submersing herself in a new routine. Post-it notes, Dewey Decimal numbers and carefully planned trips to the library are her refuge. That is, until a persistent new student invades her space. Lucas has complete disregard for Hannah’s cynicism and snark, and he seems to know the bullies who targeted her. Can Hannah trust him, or is he part of another ploy to torment her?


Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780994839947

on 17th November, 2015

Pages: 218

Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards Badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Published By: Rebelight Publishing, Inc. (@RebelightBooks)
Converse via: #HannahBothWays & #YALit OR #CanLit
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

About Rosie Greenway

Rosie Greenway grew up on the outskirts of Toronto, and continues to live and work in the GTA with her husband and family. After spending her formative years public-school hopping, Rosie attended the University of Toronto, specializing in English literature. A former English teacher, Rosie now finds herself putting into practice the many lessons she used to impart to the students in her class room. While she has often turned to writing as a way to relax and unwind, Hannah Both Ways is her first foray into the world of Young Adult publishing.

When she isn’t writing, Rosie is an avid traveler, armchair film critic, enthusiastic foodie and voracious reader. She is a passionate literacy advocate and one of her greatest achievements is instilling in her daughter the joy of reading.

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Posted Monday, 30 November, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, Blog Tour Host, Book Cover | Notation on Design, Book Cover | Original Illustration & Design, Bullies and the Bullied, Canada, Canadian Literature, Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours, Childhood Friendship, Coming-Of Age, Dsylexia & the Dsylexic, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Learning Difficulties, Modern Day, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Prejudicial Bullying & Non-Tolerance, School Life & Situations, Teacher & Student Relationships, Teenage Relationships & Friendships, Upper YA Fiction, Vulgarity in Literature, Young Adult Fiction

Blog Book Tour | A new book by Indie Pub: Rebelight Publishing, the #CanLit stories I love showcasing and reading this year! “To Catch A Cat Thief” by Sean Cummings is lovingly quirky!

Posted Friday, 13 November, 2015 by jorielov , , 0 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Chapter by Chapter, where I receive opportunities to host Cover Reveals & Author Guest Features on behalf of the Indie Publisher Month9Books. I continue to welcome hosting another Indie Publisher: Rebelight Publishing of whom I love the stories by their Middle Grade & YA authors! I jumped at the chance to read this exciting novel for Middle Grade readers, as I am always seeking out light infused Children’s Lit which has a resounding story-line stitched together with a life lesson and/or a character who children can relate too as much as they can celebrate having found. For a bit of background on Rebelight Publishing, please read my anchour supplement on the top of my review for “Missing in Paradise”.

I received a complimentary copy of “To Catch A Cat Thief” direct from the publisher Rebelight Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Cats and a girl named Jorie:

I have loved cats since I was a toddler – they have been my favourite companion and best friend, save my beloved canine who passed when I was a middle grader. Cats have a cheeky way of viewing the world and they are quite a bit absolute in their approaches on how they communicate their emotions! You can never forsake knowing what a cat is thinking or trying to mew a bit of information they feel is necessary for you to noodle out in a code you haven’t found the decipher key! I champion cats all the time – both in literature and in real life; as I am an advocate for cat rescues and shelters who practice No Kill. All cats (truly all animals!) deserve compassionate care and attention; even the feral cats in my area are treated with respect. They are well fed and monitored medically, whilst being given the honour of safe-guarding the city from predators and pests.

I have never travelled far from being in the company of cats either – not that my own brood of felines would take kindly to a road trip, but what I referring too is the quirky way in which wherever my feet alight elsewhere there’s a cat round the corner who meows and sits near me. Cats are socially curious, at times a bit aloof to the point of being off-putting – they move and interact at a pace of time that suits them. You can never rush a cat! Yet, what I love the most about cats are their honesty and their level of understanding about their environments.

They are naturally curious and spend a great deal of time sorting things out; they become fascinated by things that we might not even consider worthy of pondering. Observationally I can never tire of watching a cat! To be surrounded by a pack of cats now, as they were four strong before one passed, from three different litters it’s been a true blessing to simply watch how they’ve tucked inside each other and formed a family. Part of the grace in knowing a cat is never being fully surprised by the unexpected!

Blog Book Tour | A new book by Indie Pub: Rebelight Publishing, the #CanLit stories I love showcasing and reading this year! “To Catch A Cat Thief” by Sean Cummings is lovingly quirky!To Catch A Cat Thief

Hundreds of cats are missing! Fear not-Penelope Ann Pickersgill and her hippie grandma are on the case. While her friends go to cool camps, twelve-year-old Penelope has to spend the summer with Grandma Bev, who is convinced that cat-eating aliens are beaming the town's furry friends aboard their mother ship at night. Lights in the sky point to UFO's, but Penelope is sure there's a more logical explanation.

With a little help from Sherlock Holmes, she and Grandma Bev set out to find the cats. Will they be able to solve the mystery before all the cats in Thornhill disappear?


Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780994839909

on 15th September 2015

Pages: 104

Published By: Rebelight Publishing, Inc. (@RebelightBooks)
Converse via: #ToCatchACatThief & #MGLit OR #CanLit
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

About Sean Cummings

Sean Cummings

Sean Cummings is a mutli-published author with works ranging from urban fantasy (Shade Fright, Funeral Pallor) to dark fantasy and superheroes. (Marshall Conrad) 2012 saw the publication of Sean’s first young adult novel.

Poltergeeks is a rollicking story about teen witch a race against time to save her mother’s life. The second book Student Bodies, hit stores in 2013. In 2014, he published The North, a gripping post-apocalyptic thriller for teens. To Catch a Cat Thief is Sean's first middle grade novel.

Sean lives in Saskatoon Canada with his wife, two lazy cats and a spotted dog named Stormageddon.

Author's Smashwords Profile

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Posted Friday, 13 November, 2015 by jorielov in Animals in Fiction & Non-Fiction, Blog Tour Host, Canada, Canadian Literature, Cats and Kittens, Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours, Children's Literature, Coming-Of Age, Juvenile Fiction, Middle Grade Novel, Modern Day

Blog Book Tour | An #MGLit #CanLit horse drama writ by an actress on #ThePinkertons! “Wonder Horse” by Anita Daher is an uplifting treat!

Posted Friday, 12 June, 2015 by jorielov , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By: I am a regular tour hostess for blog tours via Chapter by Chapter, where I receive opportunities to host Cover Reveals & Author Guest Features on behalf of the Indie Publisher Month9Books. This is the second time I was offered to host a blog tour outside of Month9Books, featuring another Indie Publisher: Rebelight Publishing! I jumped at the chance to read this exciting novel for Middle Grade readers, as I am always seeking out light infused Children’s Lit which has a resounding story-line stitched together with a life lesson and/or a character who children can relate too as much as they can celebrate having found. For a bit of background on Rebelight Publishing, please read my anchour supplement on the top of my review for “Missing in Paradise”.

I received a complimentary copy of “Wonder Horse” direct from the publisher Rebelight Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Horse dramas and Jorie:

I grew up with a wicked fascination with horses and the horse dramas writers would spin into creation via novels and motion pictures. I still remember staying up way past my bedtime in order to finish reading one of the Black Stallion series novels or one from the Thoroughbred series! I was the girl who cherished The Saddle Club and wished she had a wicked awesome group of girls to ride horses with and develop a keenly wicked friendship circle!

Horse dramas were simply an organic progression of where I would want to go literally through stories from the moment I stepped outside the saddle as I was a young rider. I have loads of happy memories following the hooves and dramas of horse girls, women, and men in motion pictures inasmuch as I get a wicked excitement in my heart when I find a new book coming out about the strength of the bond between horse and humans. Young or old, Children’s Lit related or Western Fiction, if the story has a grounding of insight into horses and the inseparable connection of love they give back to those of us who have realised the friendship they give so freely, than the odds are favourable I am going to find the next story which reaches my hands to be a memorable read!

Hence why when this blog tour was only a whisper of a thought on Twitter when Rebelight started tweeting about it, I *knew!* I had to take part! I wanted to read the story which has been re-translated into English from it’s original published Norwegian!

By the by, with the current winner of the Triple Crown creating a buzz in the twitterverse with the tag #WonderHorse, methinks we should have started tweeting out with #WonderHorseMG to create the distinction. Sometimes I worry books will be overshadowed by more popular tags whose ‘chatter’ is anything but on the publishing industry radar.

Blog Book Tour | An #MGLit #CanLit horse drama writ by an actress on #ThePinkertons! “Wonder Horse” by Anita Daher is an uplifting treat!Wonder Horse
by Anita Daher
Source: Publisher via Chapter by Chapter

Fitting into a new school in a new city isn’t easy, but dreams come true for Sera with a gift from her parents: a gorgeous and spirited American Paint horse. Sera’s bubble bursts when a mean girl, Brittany, tells her that neither she nor her less than well-trained horse belong with the rest of the “reiners” in their riding class. As Sera sets out to prove Brittany wrong, she risks losing her passion for training and the friendship of Dev, another girl who truly understands her.

Genres: Children's Literature, Middle Grade



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

Published by Rebelight Publishing Inc.

on 8th May, 2015

Format: Paperback

Originally published as “Wager the Wonder Horse” by Stabenfeldt (Stavanger, Norway) in 2011 and distributed in six languages: Norwegian, Hungarian, Czech, German, Finnish and Swedish.

Published By: Rebelight Publishing, Inc. (@RebelightBooks)
Converse via: #WonderHorse & #MGLit
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

About Anita Daher

Anita Daher has been entrenched in the publishing industry since 1995, and is (thus far) author of fourteen books for children and teens. Aside from short stints as grave-plot seller, tour guide, and children’s party clown, she’s worked in aviation, publishing and broadcasting. When not word wrangling, she enjoys inhabiting characters on stage and screen.

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Posted Friday, 12 June, 2015 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Bookish Films, Canada, Canadian Literature, Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours, Childhood Friendship, Children's Literature, Coming-Of Age, Equality In Literature, Juvenile Fiction, Middle Grade Novel, Modern Day, Motion Picture Inter-related to Bookish Topic, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Transfer Student at School

Blog Book Tour | “Girl Runner” by Carrie Snyder

Posted Wednesday, 25 February, 2015 by jorielov , , , 2 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Girl Runner” virtual book tour through TLC Book Tours. I received a complimentary ARC copy of the book direct from the publisher HarperCollins Publishers, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Inspired to Read:

I grew up watching the Winter (Olympic) Games, whilst the Games themselves inspired me to correspond with other girls who lived overseas, as my original pen pals were sought through a friendship exchange linked to the Norwegian Games in the early 1990s. Those friendships dissolved in my early to mid twenties, but the friendships sparked a love of exchanging postal mail and letters of correspondence! A tradition that I still carry forward today, as I will be blogging a bit more about my love for postal mail, stationeries, mixed media collage and postal mail art; intermixed with my love of knitting, as segues of how a bookish girl like me has found beauty and joy in lost arts of the recent past.

The Games themselves by definition and by example, lead us towards a world that is close-knit and tied together through sportsmanship and the honour of competing not merely against each other on teams, but against our ‘best moment inside the sport itself’ to better ourselves and strengthen our abilities therein. It’s a magical and inspirational time every four years, as we get to dip inside a country’s history and the passion they have for not only the continuation of the Games themselves but the diplomacy and the curated friendships that athletes find amongst the community of which they find themselves living for this moment in time and history. The Olympic Village stories combine with the Opening & Closing Ceremonies and the documentaries on the host country, to knit together my overall joy of watching from afar as the Games pursue as the telecast feeds are limited by time zone and distance.

I anchoured myself into the Winter Games a bit quicker than the Summer Games, but I enjoy each of them quite equally, whilst finding the X-Games are a wicked sweet surprise in-between! I have fond memories extending out of Nagano, Japan; Vancouver, British Columbia; London, England; and Beijing, China which gives an overview of my favourite Winter & Summer Games of the past decade or so. When I came to discover the narrative behind Girl Runner, I must confess I had an intense cascade of beautiful memories alighting through my mind’s eye as I considered accepting this novel for review. To explore a part of the Olympic past cast against a fictional character’s story simply enveloped me in full anticipation of what I would discover within the pages themselves!

On a separate note, I had to remind myself that I was a charity runner when I was nine years old who accomplished more than the runners twice her age or older. I hadn’t even realised I was running further and faster than the others around me; as I did experience a bit of what Snyder talks about in her novel Girl Runner where everything outside your run starts to blur and it is you alone on the track or path you’ve elected to race. Running a race isn’t always about a specific end result, it can be for the clock in competition or it can simply be a defining moment where you seek to prove your own fortitude of strength. How far can you personally take yourself to run? How far will you go? The irony is that before I picked up Girl Runner I had forgotten I was a runner myself; one who elected not to run for sport, but to run for myself. I gave myself the freedom to pace my extensions and my distance by what I knew I could achieve against the clock of how long the charity run would last. The best joy was knowing my true best was better than I could have dreamt.

Running gives you an honest account and assessment of your capabilities — how far you can push yourself and how where your own barriers might lie to hold you back from what you can do. There is freedom of spirit in running over and beyond where you felt you physically could travel.

I was encouraged to run during recess and P.E. even though I knew I could not compete with the girls who would make the track team. I decided to find my own buoyancy of rhythm, to tap into where my breath could match my feet and where my gait could extend itself into an individual pace of quickness. I hadn’t realised how I have missed that feeling of achieving something I never expected to gain. Running is an elevated joy from walking; but being in motion in and out of time itself is the appeal.

Rainbow Digital Clip Art Washi Tape made by The Paper Pegasus. Purchased on Etsy by Jorie and used with permission.

Blog Book Tour | “Girl Runner” by Carrie SnyderGirl Runner
by Carrie Snyder
Source: Publisher via TLC Book Tours

An unforgettable novel about competition, ambition, and a woman’s struggle to earn a place in a man’s world, Girl Runner is the story of 1928 Olympic gold medalist Aganetha Smart. Will Aganetha’s undeniable talent help her to outrun the social conventions of her time, or the burden of her family’s secrets?

As a young runner, Aganetha Smart defied everyone’s expectations to win a gold medal for Canada in the 1928 Olympics. It was a revolutionary victory, because these were the first Games in which women could compete in track events—and they did so despite opposition. But now Aganetha is in a nursing home, and nobody realizes that the frail centenarian was once a bold pioneer.

When two young strangers appear asking to interview Aganetha for their documentary about female athletes, she readily agrees. Despite her frailty, she yearns for adventure and escape, and though her achievement may have been forgotten by history, her memories of chasing gold in Amsterdam remain sharp. But that triumph is only one thread in the rich tapestry of her life. Her remarkable story is colored by tragedy as well as joy, and as much as Aganetha tries, she cannot outrun her past.

Part historical page-turner, part contemporary mystery, Girl Runner peels back the layers of time to reveal how Aganetha’s amazing gift helped her break away from a family haunted by betrayals and sorrow. But as the pieces of her life take shape, it becomes clear that the power of blood ties does not diminish through the years, and that these filmmakers may not be who they claim to be. . . .

Genres: Canadian Lit, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780062336057

Published by Harper Books

on 3rd February, 2015

Pages: 288

Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards Badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Published by: Harper Books (@harperbooks)

an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers (@HarperCollins)

Available FormatsHardback & Ebook

Converse via: #GirlRunner

About Carrie Snyder

Carrie Snyder’s Girl Runner is shortlisted for the 2014 Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize. Her previous book, The Juliet Stories, was shortlisted for the prestigious Governor General’s Literary Award and named one of the Globe and Mail‘s Top 100 Books of the Year. Her first book, the short story collection Hair Hat, was shortlisted for the Danuta Gleed Award for Short Fiction. A mother of four, Carrie lives with her family in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

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Posted Wednesday, 25 February, 2015 by jorielov in 20th Century, Animals in Fiction & Non-Fiction, ARC | Galley Copy, Audio Play, Audiobook, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book | Novel Extract, Bookish Films, Canada, Canadian Literature, Cats and Kittens, Chapter or Novel Adaptation in Audio, Clever Turns of Phrase, Death of a Sibling, Death, Sorrow, and Loss, During WWI, Geographically Specific, Grief & Anguish of Guilt, Herbalist, Historical Fiction, Interviews Related to Content of Novel, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Literary Fiction, Lyrical Quotations, Midwife | Midwifery, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Realistic Fiction, Siblings, Sisters & the Bond Between Them, Soundcloud, Sports, The Olympic Games (Winter or Summer), the Roaring Twenties, TLC Book Tours, Wordsmiths & Palettes of Sage