Tag Archives: House of Anansi

The Red Pole of Macau – Ian Hamilton

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In The Red Pole of Macau, Ava’s half-brother Michael is desperate to pull out of a multi-million-dollar real estate deal in the territory of Macau. The developers are threatening to halt construction unless Michael and his business partner put up another $80 million; the bank is looking for repayment on their loan; and her father is prepared to sell everything to protect his first-born son.

When Ava enlists Uncle for help, she discovers his health is failing and is forced to turn to a former client, the cunning and seductive May Ling Wong. As Ava follows the money trail, she finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into Hong Kong’s dark and deadly world of organized crime.

Will Ava protect her family’s future? Or will this job lead to a violent end . . . – Publishers Website

Fangirl Moment when this arrived in the mail !! The fourth installment of Ian Hamilton’s Ava Lee Series ! I admit, I was engrossed in another book when this one arrived, but it was literally starting me down from the living room table, I had to put down the other book, until this one was read cover to cover, in the middle of reading I’m sending my thoughts to Ava with things like “Get That Sucker!” as well as other expletives that I can’t divulge here.  Tee hee!

I absolutely LOVE Ian’s collection so far, and wont give up on reading them until the last one has been shed, the plots revealed, and Ava has ridden the world of evil and people who are trying – yes, trying to take something away from people who a) don’t deserve it, or b) are being greedy!

I found out something quite interesting (at least to me) Some have commented on Goodreads that the constant name dropping of fashion brands, and of course her Starbucks Via in the books have turned people off the books.  But, when I was at Word on the Street in Toronto, I found out by the publicist that in fact in the Asian culture, that is what they do, they go by designer names, etc.  It is just their culture.  No more no less.   And I realize that here in Canada or anywhere else that sounds a bit much or irritating, but Ian has toned it down so to speak.  You won’t hear as much of it in the books, but you do see some of it.

So, now that I’m done gushing about Ian and his Ava, go and get the books all right?!?  They are FANTASTIC!  Ava comes out with a new book in February, so get caught up would you !!

Browse inside - Ian on Twitter - Ian on Facebook - Goodreads - Ian’s Website

I really wish there were some book trailers for Ava, She would kick some serious ass in them !

#10 – The Wild Beasts of Wuhan – Ian Hamilton

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The Third installment in the wildly popular Ava Lee series, The Wild Beast of Wuhan uncovers the secret world of art fraud.

In The Wild Beasts of Wuhan, Uncle and Ava are summoned by Wong Changxing, “The Emperor of Hubei” and one of the most powerful men in China, when he discovers that the Fauvist paintings he recently acquired are in fact forgeries.

Ava uncovers a ring of fraudulent art dealers and follows their twisted trail to the Netherlands, the Faeroe Islands, Dublin, London, and New York. But the job is further complicated by Wong’s second wife, the cunning and seductive May Ling, who threaten to interfere in Ava’s investigation.

Will Ava find the perpetrators and get the Wongs’ money back? Or will May Ling get to them first… – Publishers Website

Oh Ava, how I have missed you !! You are smart, sexy, agile in more ways than one, you always manage to get things done no matter the consequences, the difficulty hunting down the bad guys, making all right with the world until the next situation comes up.  Ian surely has hit his stride with the series and his main character Ava.  This time it is about forged art, and although she isn’t sure she can produce results, you hang on while reading to see what happens next.  When I received this book I believe I actually squealed (possibly even jumped up and down a bit, but shhh don’t let anyone  know ok?)

There is also something new in the book or in her world – Ava has a love interest, which changes it a bit, but it is a good change.  I’m not sure how this will affect future books, we will just have to wait and see.  AS a matter of fact, Ian has just signed a new contract with House of Anansi – Spiderline to a new deal which will have 3 new books in the mix after the Fall release of The Red Pole of Macau.  So, I am just as excited  and honoured to be allowed to read these before anyone else when it hits the stores.

So, if you haven’t already read my reviews of Ian’s earlier novels in this series they are Book 1 – The Water Rat of Wanchai – Book 2 – The Disciple of Las Vegas and this one of course.  So, I cannot get enough of Ian’s series so far, what about you?I just wish that I could get all of the books at once and read them from start to finish ! Ian?!?  House of Anansi ?!? are you listening …hint hint ha!

Ian’s Website – Facebook – Twitter – GoodReads - Reading Guide – Read an Excerpt

#68 – The O’Briens – Peter Behrens

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The highly anticipated follow-up to Peter Behrens’ Governor General’s Literary Award-winning novel, The Law of Dreams.

The O’Briens follows the family from The Law of Dreams two generations later: Joe O’Brien is coming of age in a new century in remote Pontiac County, Quebec, with his two brothers and two sisters by his side. Their father has abandoned the family and died in the South African war; their frail mother has remarried the abusive and lecherous Mick Heaney. Joe and his siblings escape the poverty and violence of the Pontiac, but as Joe travels the continent, building a business and a bright young family with his wife, Iseult, he is never quite able to leave his past behind.

Told from the perspectives of Joe, Iseult, and their children and spanning the construction of the Canadian railroad as well as both world wars, this is a majestic novel that mirrors the scope and sweep of what Wilfrid Laurier calls “Canada’s Century.” Tragic, romantic, and as vivid as the novel that preceded it, The O’Briens is an epic of great heart, imagination, and narrative force.  – Publishers Website

I absolutely loved this book!  Set in a desolate part of the country where the family is poor, the mother abused by her second husband, the sons go off and start their adult lives.  Joe, being the ambitious one that he is starts off at starting his business at home doing things to keep his family afloat.  Then goes off and starts in the railway business.  As time goes on, he encounters such human debilitating sacrifices – the stillborn birth of his first child in the Rocky Mountains of Canada, Marriage, War, Love and Loss where his brother doesn’t come back as himself,  the second world war, where it touches him yet again with his own children as he is a prominent member of the City of Montreal.

I loved the way the author weaved the families circumstances from the beginning to the modern-day 1940′s where it is as if Peter has his breaking point where he goes off on one of his so-called ‘business meetings’ ; what it does to each family member.  The feelings evoked reading this will not only touch your heart but your soul as well.  Nearing the end of the book, I cried as the family has been hit with the most fervent blow – the prodigal son returning home from war…..I will leave it at that.  If you go and get this book, you will know what I mean, I don’t want to give it all away, it isn’t the point.

This is the follow-up to the best-selling novel The Law of Dreams that Peter has published previously which won the Governor’s General Award.  I haven’t read the first book, but would love to see how everything in the 2nd novel loose ends work their way out, but the 2nd is absolutely a stand alone novel if you haven’t also read the first book.

Peter’s Website – Facebook – Goodreads – Peter’s Blog

#67 – The Disciple of Las Vegas – Ian Hamilton

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The second novel in the Ava Lee series launched under Anansi’s new crime fiction imprint, Spiderline

In The Disciple of Las Vegas, Uncle and Ava are hired by Tommy Ordonez, the richest man in the Philippines, to recover $50 million in a land swindle that took place in Canada and involves his brother. The Filipino billionaire’s reputation is on the line, and his family is on the brink of disaster.

Ava tracks the missing funds from Canada to San Francisco to accounts in Costa Rica owned by the Moneida, a First Nations band that owns and operates The River, an online poker web site. Ava uncovers an illegal online gambling ring, and follows the trail to Las Vegas. There, she confronts one of the greatest poker players in the world, David “The Disciple” Douglas, and his partner, Jeremy Ashton. Meanwhile, Jackie Leung, an old target of Uncle’s and Ava’s, has made it rich. He wants revenge, and he’s going after Ava to get it.

Will Ava save Ordonez’s family and reputation? Or will Jackie Leung get to her first?- Publishers Website

If you haven’t already read the first book in this thriller of all thrillers, I want you to go and get the first book like NOW !  Ava is back and with a vengenace.  Her Uncle has her on yet another case of embezzlement that goes from Canada to Moneida, Costa Rica, to Las Vegas where she not only finds what she is looking for, but has some unfinished business as well.  Will she be found from a previous case?  Will that person exact his revenge on her?  In book two, you will not only find that, but some back history that Ian seemlessly intregrates into this lush story of the criminal underworld, the shady dealings, money, prestige, revenge and Ava encountering something she hasn’t gotten in a long time.  Here is my previous review of The Water Rat of Wanchai, the first installment of Ava Lee.  The third book is titled The Wild Beasts of Wuhan and fingers crossed will be available in February 2012 !

Ian’s Website – Ava Lee on Twitter - Facebook – Goodreads


#58 – The Sisters Brothers – Patrick deWitt

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“A masterful, hilarious picaresque that keeps company with the best of Charles Portis and Mark Twain . . . a relentlessly absorbing feat of novelistic art.” — Wells Tower

Hermann Kermit Warm is going to die. Eli and Charlie Sisters can be counted on for that. Though Eli has never shared his brother’s penchant for whiskey and killing, he’s never known anything else. On the road to Warm’s gold-mining claim outside San Francisco — and from the back of his long-suffering one-eyed horse — Eli struggles to make sense of his life without abandoning the job he’s sworn to do.

DeWitt spins a violent, lustful, hung-over and humorous odyssey through the underworld of the 1850s frontier. Doffing his hat to the classic Western, he then transforms it into a comic tour-de-force with an unforgettable narrative voice that captures all the absurdity, melancholy, and grit of the West — and of these two brothers, bound to each other by blood and scars and love.

Film rights have been sold to actor John C. Reilly’s production company in a major deal, with Reilly to play one of the brothers.  – Publishers Website

Are you up for one laugh out loud hilarious novel? If you are, this is your book.  Have you seen those oldish spaghetti western movies, where they do the absolute silliest things?  I started reading this skeptical at first, but as I read, well, the book got better and better to the point I was laughing out loud and shaking my head at the antics these two brothers get into.  One, nearly is the angel in the posse because the other brother is the evil one, wanting to get the job done and collect his money.  As the trip to assassinate someone goes on and the side trips they take, you nearly wonder as I did while reading it, would they even get to their destination to even carry it out ?

Well, I’m not going to tell you how it ends, because that would be just plain mean.  So, if you’re a fan of the spaghetti westerns that sometimes still play on TV then this is the book for you.

It was recently listed for The Man Booker Prize. He is also Canadian.

Patrick’s Website – Sisters Brothers Facebook Page

#53 – Up Up Up – Julie Booker

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A radiant debut collection from Canada’s freshest new voice in fiction.

Up Up Up heralds the arrival of a writer of astonishing range, compassion and acuity. In this taut collection of twenty short, sharp stories Julie Booker grabs the reins from writers like Lydia Millet and Miranda July and takes off at full speed, and in directions all her own.

A pair of plus-sized friends make tracks for a kayaking trip in Alaska. A woman vacations with her parents at a Texas trailer park, wondering why she can’t meet a man. A worldly member of a tour group selects sacrifices from among the most cherished belongings of her fellow travellers. A young man dreams of rescuing an abusive friend’s girlfriend — and of having her for himself. Through these deceptively simple storylines, Booker reminds us of the power of words to enlighten and move us — but most of all, to delight us. Her writing is a revelation — wildly whimsical and yet razor-sharp, highly unusual and yet prompting gasps of recognition on every page. Reader, prepare to meet your new favourite writer. – Publishers Website

I really loved this book of short stories.  Julie’s fiction is one of those rare things.  Although short in stature, they contain large immeasurable acts of life.  Sure, they all may be mundane to some, she weaves the stories effortlessly, entangling you into the plot, until she is ready to let you go.  They leave you thinking what would I have done in such a situation? Would I have done exactly that? Would I have done something differently?  Other than that she also gives you some laugh out loud moments especially in the first of the stories  Geology in Motion where two women who are overweight travel to Alaska for a once in a lifetime trip with 2 girlfriends.  From the odd and somewhat quirky owner of the B and B they stay in, to the trip in kayaks to view glaciers up close…she evokes this comedic trip between 2 women who are attempting to do something different, life changing, at least in their own lives.  IF you are in the mood for some short fiction, go and get this one.  Like I stated earlier, it is good.  I cannot wait to see some of her longer fiction, she had promised me on twitter that if I wanted to read it she would write it.   Julie, this is your challenge if you choose to accept …

Follow Julie on Twitter - Goodreads

#26 – You and Your Future Your Signs, Your In-Depth Personality Patterns, Your 40 Year Horoscope – Georgia Nichols

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You and Your Future is the first book by Canada’s foremost astrologer, Georgia Nicols, whose newspaper columns are read daily by millions. Now you can read 40 years of forecasts (1985-2025), allowing you to predict your future by testing Georgia’s accuracy in reading your past.

Never before has a single astrology book spanned four decades of change — it’s the only astrology book you’ll ever need!

Georgia’s sage advice for being happy in this — mixed-up, muddled-up, shook-up world is tailored to each sign. Here is a book you will treasure as it helps you reach your highest self. And you’ll be pulling it out of the bookcase and referring to it for the next quarter century.

Discover:

  • What Makes You Tick
  • What Your Style Is in Love and Romance
  • When Partnerships Are in Jeopardy
  • When You Should Buy or Sell Real Estate
  • When a Major Move Is Coming
  • When to Ask for a Raise or Promote Your Career
  • Who You Really Are at Home and at Work
  • How to Be a Happier Person

Eerily accurate and written in Georgia’s wickedly witty trademark style, You and Your Future is an entertaining and insightful astrology guide that works! – Publishers Website

I did enjoy this humorous book.  Although I am divided on whether Astrology is real or not, I did find some things pretty darn accurate.  It is different for every sign, so this is a must read for those who do understand and believe in this type of research.  The intimate detailing as well as the humour that Georgia includes will have you chuckling you way through, reading what your sign is great and not so great at.  As a matter of fact, my son even had looked up his own sign to see what would behold him in his future – he’s 12.  He did enjoy learning about his sign as well.

Georgia’s Website – Follow Georgia on Twitter

Also be sure to check out her website for tour dates, daily horoscopes as well as other great tidbits!

#13 – The Water Rat of Wanchai – Ian Hamilton

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Ava Lee is a young Chinese-Canadian forensic accountant who specializes in recovering massive debts. Ava works for an elderly Hong Kong-based “Uncle,” who may or may not have ties to the Triads. At 5’3″ and 115 lbs., she hardly seems a threat. But her razor-sharp intelligence and unorthodox rules of engagement allow her to succeed where traditional methods have failed.

In The Water Rat of Wanchai Ava is persuaded by an old friend of Uncle’s to help his nephew who is owed $5 million from a seafood company. The nephew’s Hong Kong business financed purchase orders for a company that was producing cooked shrimp for a major U.S. retailer. The deal went sideways. The money disappeared.

On a journey that takes her from Toronto to Seattle to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Guyana, and the British Virgin Islands, Ava encounters everything from the Thai katoey culture to corrupt but helpful law enforcers. But it’s in Guyana where she meets her match: Captain Robbins, a huge hulk of a man and godfather-like figure who controls the police, politicians, and criminals alike. In exchange for his help, he decides he wants of piece of Ava’s $5 million action and will do whatever it takes to get his fair share . . . - Publishers Website

I absolutely could not put this book down.  Immediately engaging, A female heroine, forensic accountant takes the stage away from the people she is hunting and hits them where it hurts – Who knew Forensic Accounting could be so exciting, engaging, full of exotic locations, headed by a woman with knowledge of a secret martial art.  I loved it, I loved it, I loved it.  This is the first in a three-part series, so, I am anxiously awaiting the next two in the series, I feel like I want to read all three in succession they are that good !

Spiderline is a new imprint from The House of Anansi.

Ian’s Website for all things Ava Lee

Become a fan on Facebook

Become a fan of House of Anansi

Far To Go – Alison Pick

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Based on actual events the authors own Grandparents took from their native Czechoslovakia, as well as my own Grandparents on my mother’s side, this book isn’t for the faint of heart.

Pavel and Anneliese Bauer, affluent secular Jews who are living in Czechoslovakia during Hitler’s invasion in WWII flee with their young son Pavel, and nanny Marta.

Between the horror of what is happening at that given moment, as well as to come, it is the Bauer’s who are thinking the people who help them are also loyal to them; only to find later their loyalty lasted only as long as the money did in some circumstances.  Pavel received a last-minute seat on the kinder transport, not knowing where he was going, who he was going to on the other end of the line.  Combing through letter in present day, retracing the steps they all took – their ultimate fates as the war raged on in Europe, and in the death camps.

Pavel’s journey is the key to finding out what ultimately happened to his parents and to Marta, along with a surprise or two when he meets someone who is researching what happened to him as well as his parents who has a surprise or two of her own.

Harrowing, Desperate to leave their homes, families, their possessions, their only way of life as they knew it in search of peace where ever they were allowed to go and ultimately be free.  How much would it take, the roadblocks after roadblocks of people to pay off, to gain access to things other had possibly taken for granted.

Although, my Grandparents weren’t Secular Jews, It still remains that urgency they must have felt when wanting to leave the only home and country they knew for one where they could start a new life.  I know they had spent weeks apart as my Grandfather came to Canada first, and then my Grandmother and Uncle some years later, so that he could find work and a place for them to live once they have arrived in Canada.  I do not know if it was because of the looming threat to war was the reason why they left Czechoslovakia, but, they did so for good reason.

Tumultuous, Traumatic, the things you want to forget, but keep you awake in your dreams at night, to be able to be free, to live your life as you wished to.

House of Anansi

Far To Go on Facebook

Alison’s Website or Blog

Follow Alison on Twitter

Annabel – Kathleen Winter

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I urge you to read this novel, such a compelling read with so many relevant issues in it that it would be a wonderful book club book.

Jacinta and her husband Treadway are having their first child.  Thomasina, is the midwife during the birth since they live in remote coastal Labrador, too far to travel to give birth in a conventional hospital, but close enough to travel to a larger center for other things.

They all aren’t quite ready to face what will happen next.

The baby is born intersex, meaning that it has both male and female genital organs.  You may have heard about these people  being called “hermaphrodites”.

After the child is born, it is decided that the baby will be a boy named Wayne, but in the days before the decision, the dilemma and the anguish trying to decide will be as hard as anything that will happen in anyone’s life.  Deciding the fate as you will of another human being for the rest of their lives.  Will it be the right or wrong decision.

As Wayne grows up, his father is determined to raise him as his father did.  Being able to fish, trap, building things, being able to take care of his family.  Treadway wants to move on, attempting to forget the condition his son has, not having to think about it.

Thomasina and Jacinta nurture Wayne’s feminine side in secret.  Although, the feminine side is readily apparent after watching female synchronized swimming on TV on afternoon.

Will Treadway come to terms with his son’s femininity?  Will he accept Wayne for who and what he is?  Will Wayne come to terms about his condition once it is told what it is ?  Will Wayne be ostracized once other know?

I was not only intrigued, but glued to the pages as the story enveloped me.  Being raised in a small town myself when younger, there was always someone who knew more about the people who you interacted with on a daily basis, some secret that wasn’t supposed to get out, scathing or not.  The access to health care was also a major point of curiosity as well, will the secret be revealed from someone who works there?

I could only have thought fear for Wayne while reading.  Being he is from a small, remote, native area where sex and stature in the community is everything during the different seasons of the year when it pertains to feeding and raising your family is important.

Recently, I had the opportunity to ask the Author Kathleen Winter some questions about the book, as well as I have a giveaway as well for ONE copy of her novel courtesy of the wonderful people at House of Anansi.

So, I will post the Q and A tomorrow, as well as the giveaway, so stay tuned !

House of Anansi

National Post review

The Globe and Mail review

Kathleen’s Blog

The Breakwater House – Pascale Quivier

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The woman without a name, Lucie, Claire, Aurore, Suzanne, and Odyssee all have a connection to one another.

The Breakwater House is a place where they all have visited at one time or another.

Lucie and Claire were born 5 days apart in the same hospital.  Their mothers Aurore and Suzanne stayed in the same room after they gave birth.  They live in the same neighbourhood in Paris.  When they see each other in the park one day, they slowly become friends; their daughters become more than just friends – they are more like sisters, inseparable like twins.

Lucie’s mother starts telling the girls tales of the family.  As the tales are being told, they are becoming rich with detail.  As the girls grow up and become teenagers, the stories are done with a final shocking end.

Not until Lucie has her own daughter, Claire, helping out with Odyssee where the stories all come into focus for the girls.  That is until something catastrophic happens.

It is as if the world and everything in it ends for them in a sense.  Something that they once had is gone forever, out of their reach.

Someone is trying to find all the pieces to being it all back together…

This story of love, mother, daughters, friends, what we are willing to do for these people in our lives is one that touched my heart and will remain with me for many years to come.

I was in awe of the magic she wove into her writing like a magician would pass his wand over a hat and pull out a rabbit.  Just like that, you were pulled into its mesmerizing feeling, touching novel until it was all revealed wanting more.

The woman without a name was an intriguing premise.  You never get to know who she is.  You may think you know who it is, but never is revealed.

House of Anansi

Help Me, Jacques Cousteau – Gil Adamson

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I have to say this little book had me laughing out loud, I just loved it.

This is a reprint of Gil’s work that was originally published about 10 years ago by a small press The Porcupine’s Quill, which until now had a limited print run and was quite hard to find.

Through the eyes of oldest Hazel along with her younger brother Andrew are born into an eccentric and quirky family.  Through vignettes of the short stories, they have travelled and lived in Australia when their father taught there then moved back to Canada.

Talking about her family through her eyes, as only one could – her brother that once just stopped speaking and read books instead; her father the amateur inventor where the house they live in has been re wired more than once; the house is strewn with old and new inventions; the grandfather who once kept a deceased dog in the back of his car and drove around for a while.

There were many instances where I either laughed out loud, shook my head, and jaw dropped at the antics this family encountered.  Unbelievably funny, with a side of insanity will have you in the same boat as I was – in stitches, unable to comprehend what else was in store while being a part of this family.

Immensely addictive, full of personal insights and flowing like poetry, this would be a great book for an afternoon of reading when you need a pick me up on a snow falling day in front of a window with a hot beverage of your choice.

House of Anansi

Gil Adamson’s Website

February – Lisa Moore

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If you have ever experienced grief first hand, there are certain thoughts and feelings that come along with it and at times there just aren’t words to be able to express them fully to a person who hasn’t been through it themselves. Albeit, the death of a loved one such as a parent or a partner or primary breadwinner in Eastern Canada aboard an oil rig or anything of the like until now.

Helen’s husband works on an offline oil rig off the coast of Newfoundland, and all of a sudden she has this in inescapable feeling that her husband is dead or something horrible has happened. Everyone that she tells this to tells her she is silly and that everything is fine, but then the comes the news – The oil rig the “Ocean Ranger” has sunk off the coast of Newfoundland in a fierce storm on the most loving day of the year – Valentine’s Day, 1982.

Helen’s husband and 83 other men perished. What she doesn’t yet know is that she is pregnant with their 4th child.

Going from the past to present in the novel, Lisa Moore encompasses you in Helen’s grief so utterly and completely and at times without you even knowing it until you are smack dab in the middle of what she is experiencing until you take a breath and then you realize you’re there. At this point you really have only 2 choices, put the book down or continue on and wait for the tears to flow.

Lisa definitely takes you on a journey of life, loss, grief, and finding oneself and finally being able to let go.

I have to admit, this book is will hands down be one of my absolute favourites for 2009. I know that I have said that in 2 posts so far, but book February is definitely at the top of that list. Totally engulfing, mesmerizing, and succinct, she has a way with words and how she puts them all together that will leave you breathless and wanting more.

Lisa has also written Alligator, Open, and Degrees of Nakedness.

She was also a Giller Prize Short Listed Nominee for Open and Alligator.

Thanks to Julie for sending me this wonderful book.

House of Anansi (you can purchase the book here as well)

Chapters Indigo