The Passage by Justin Cronin

This novel is The Stand meets 28 Days Later with a little dash of Thunderdome. But with vampires. It's a good escape novel and with many interesting characters and settings you won't put it down. There are a few moments where you can feel your heart racing, maybe find yourself glancing over your shoulder...you know, all that good stuff...for a few days anyways.

Rating: Donate It.

The Lesser Blessed by Richard Van Camp

For being short, this novel has a lot to say. Larry is a high school kid from Fort Simmer and this story chronicles his journey into self discovery and healing. It is filled with stories he uses to grow and understand the world around him. In the process Richard Van Camp is doing the same for us as readers. Astounding.

Rating: Slow Clap It.

Missing Sarah by Maggie de Vries

Maggie de Vries reflects on and tries to understand the story of her sister Sarah and her path to living in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. This story chronicles how a woman from a safe and loving home, albeit a broken one, transitions into a life of prostitution and drug abuse. It is a very good look into the lives these people struggle with and how so many factors come into play when deciding many of these people's fate. From government laws and restrictions to the evolution of the drug trade, it is an insightful look at how complicated and fragile this system is. It shows how the move of prostitution from inside brothels and hotel rooms to cars and streets, from residential and business areas to the isolation of industrial areas, and the economics of the drug trade forcing competitive prices in prostitution plays a role in the safety and control these women have over their own lives. A very informative and humane look into a misunderstood world that most people would prefer to turn a blind eye to.

Rating: Slow Clap It.

Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson

This is a story filled with mystery, magic and heartbreak. It tells of a family living on Vancouver Island in the small Haisla community of Kitamaat and takes place just as the family's son goes missing. It is told by his sister, Lisa, and is filled with memories of her youth and her route towards self discovery and maturity. It reflects on the dynamic of a family and the influences they have on each other. A wonderfully written, moving, funny and thought provoking novel.

Rating: Slow Clap It.

Porcupines and China Dolls by Robert Arthur Alexie

This is the story of an aboriginal community suffering from the effects of abuse from the residential school system. It is a good look at how suffering from this type of abuse affects not only yourself, but how the people in your life and your community suffer too. It is about how abuse is dealt with on a personal level and manifests itself in many different ways. This novel is a good look at how people flounder with the shame, hate and fear that comes from abuse. As a reader, you feel for these characters and want to see them succeed in overcoming these tremendous obstacles and find the strength, bravery and pride that will lead them to healing.

Rating: Slow Clap It.