You must read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry first. Harold receives a letter from Queenie informing him that she’s dying. We’re not sure what their relationship was but Harold writes back and walks to the corner to post the letter. Only he keeps walking and walking and walking – because he decides to bring it to her himself. The Love Song of Queenie Hennessy is the same story only told from Queenie’s point of view. The two books are so spiritual, so uplifting, filled with compassion and insight and humour. AMAZING!

Set in the second world war – a second world war novel like no other! Told alternatively from the perspective of a young German soldier and a young French girl who is blind – this story reminds us that, in the end, most of us just want to live simple peaceful lives. The story is beautifully written and compelling – Lovely!

What a wonderful, smart, funny, engaging, insightful book! It explores what happens to us when we set aside career to raise children if we haven’t quite worked out our own “stuff” – I LOVE Anne Marie MacDonald.

This is the story about Helene Giroux who comes to a small French speaking town in Nova Scotia to escape an event that changed the course of her life. Her family was in the piano making business in France – the war turned her world upside down and forced her to move beyond the boundaries of her town. The writing is filled with insight, wisdom and suspense.

Elizabeth Hay is one of those atmospheric novelists who pulls you in and envelops you with the sights, sounds and feelings of her characters. This is the story of a mother and son, husband and wife, two sisters with all the love, laughter, tears, disppointments and betrayals inherent in these complex relationships. The good news – redemption and forgiveness are possible.

She wrote Olive Kitteridge (a must read!) – Lucy is recovering from an operation and her mother (whom she hasn’t seen in years) comes to hang out with her at the hospital. It is a story about what we yearning and letting go. Lovely!

I don’t even need to say anything here – everytime Atwood writes a new book I feel sad because I know I’ll finish it and have to wait for another!

If you liked The Gods of Gotham by Faye these are the next two in her series. Timothy Wilde is the central character, a New York cop with a soul in the 1840’s. Well written, faced paced filled with mystery and humour – I love her books!

A beautifully written story about a man’s search for redemption – if you believe that the spirit works in mysterious ways you will love this wise and haunting novel.

First, let me apologize for being silent for so long – life!
This is the fictionalized story of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg – narrated by Ethel’s neighbour and friend Millie. It is fast paced, well written and even though you know that the two were executed as Soviet Spies by the US Government in the 50’s the novel hooks you at the beginning and doesn’t let go until the end.