My bookshelf - the last half dozen: no tricks here, only treats

We are just a couple of sleeps away from one of my favourite days - Halloween. What a strange and lovely tradition it is to dress up in fun costumes and knock on people's doors and receive treats. It's an escape from life's worries. Halloween also signals that winter is just around the corner and that means a time for sweaters, blankets, hot drinks, and lots of reading.

There might be something for everyone in my last half dozen for the cold months ahead - comedy, romance, tragedy, personal journeys, a trip back in time, and simply the love of words. I've even given one gem a "5.0" for the writing, content, and characters. You might or might not agree - it's just personal preference. But there's really no tricks here, just treats.

In the order they were read:

When Lemons Give You Life is by author Anna Johnston – yes, that Anna Johnston who gifted us with The Borrowed  Life Of Frederick Fife which is an international best seller and which will soon have a movie adaptation. I found When Lemons Give You Life to be a heavier read than The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife.  It  does have the same humour, silly predicaments, and feel good themes of love and forgiveness;  but there is also a lot going on in this book that might be sensitive to some including  elder care, dementia, sexuality, illness, grief, domestic abuse, suicide, family conflict, and so many regrets. Griff Barlow is a, shall I say, 'retired' Michelin-starred chef and a resident of the fictional Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility in Australia.   Appalled at the gray-slop food,  he breaks into the kitchen in the middle of the night to bake his final lemon tart before he takes his own life. But cooking again gives him renewed meaning, and soon the residents are enjoying his covert meals and are gaining new life in the process. Some of the more humourous moments in the book relate to Griff’s cooking capers, and I did like some of his recipes. Lisa is Griff’s much younger half -sister, newly diagnosed with ADHD, and she also provides some humourous moments as she  struggles with life itself. They have been pretty much estranged for years due to events and misunderstandings,  but she does remain his only visitor at the care facility. One of the most important characters, ironically, is Griff’s deceased husband, Beau, and I really liked how the author portrayed him so eloquently. There are so many twists and turns in this plot, you might wonder if the end brings any reconciliation, and you might even become a little frustrated.  The book is an easy read, in short chapters in the first person of Griff and Lisa bouncing between the present and the backstory, and there are plenty of coincidences to move the story along. So, if you are yearning for a  story in the ‘elderly person ‘genre, you might want to read When Lemons Give You Life, but be prepared for a good deal of seriousness amidst the warmth; and be sure to read the author’s note which contains some important thoughts about the content. Rating: 3.75/4

If you just want some respite from the harshness of the world and be reminded of self-discovery and the power of love in many forms, Meet Me in Paris might be for you. Over a week period,  we follow a group of Americans from all different walks of life in Paris, the City of Light or City of Love.   Whether it is the final mother-daughter trip of Julia and Piper before Julia passes from cancer or old man Henry seeking his long lost love, or Henry’s granddaughter Melanie reassessing her marriage,  or Shelby, Corinne and Vanessa celebrating Shelby’s divorce,  or Lou and George reuniting with other Vietnam War vets, or Jackson Quick relaunching his musical career, or young Kayla searching for a father she never knew, they all discover something about love and about themselves.  Throw in  a beautiful old woman, an Aussie bar tender, a French waiter, a painter,  and the pure ambience of Paris – the streets, the shops, the cafes, the bars, the food, the iconic sights – and there is plenty of opportunity for love, even love of self, to bloom. To me, the strength of this book is Kristen Harmel’s adoration and knowledge of Paris and her emotional exploration of love in it’s many forms, including the love of self-discovery, although you might find some parts a little cheesy or cliché.  As per her style, Kristen Harmel did add in a bit of historical fiction about World War II and the Muslim-Jewish connection. It’s an easy book to read in a day or so, and if you are a romantic at heart, I think you might like it. Rating: 4.0/5

A Far-Flung Life is an historical fiction by M. L. Stedman. It comes over 10 years after her first novel, The Light Between Oceans, but is definitely worth the wait. I loved this book; and if you are a fan of sweeping family sagas, intricate descriptions, difficult choices, twists and turns, drama, tragedy, and fate,  you might also really like it. A Far-Flung Life takes place in remote Western Australia on a vast  sheep station called Meredith Downs owned and operated by the longstanding  and stalwart MacBride family since the 1800’s. Their life is changed, and shattered,  suddenly with an accident when father Phil swerves to avoid a kangaroo. But that is just the start of the story. This begins the unravelling of a family tale over the next decades,  full of decisions and consequences and turmoil,  especially for youngest son Matt who struggles with both ethical and emotional  fall-out. I loved so much about this book - the description of life in the  brutal Australian outback and how this dramatic terrain dictates life and personalities (The harshness and unpredictability  is such a good metaphor for the MacBride family’s journey and for life itself); then there are the moral  dilemmas and the niggling question of what would you do in similar circumstances;    there are the life lessons – of right and wrong, of law and disorder, of live and let live – and how black and white can sometimes become gray. The characters are all well-developed – Matt and Rosie and Andy and mother Lorna – and even lesser characters like Sneaky Snook play a role -  but your favourite person just might be the kangaroo shooter, Pete Peachey, who, with quietness, strength, wisdom, and personal struggles behind his rough exterior, has played an important role to the MacBrides over generations. Yes, there is plenty of harshness in this story, and topics that might be upsetting to some, but it’s also about love and strength and resilience and forgiveness in a climate where simply life itself is hard. It’s one of the best I’ve read in a while. Rating: 5.0/5

Dodge City is an intriguing book by intriguing Canadian/American author Patrick DeWit who has won or been nominated for numerous literary awards for books such as The Librarianist, French Exit, and the Sisters Brothers. Dodge City has been longlisted for the Canadian Giller prize in 2026. If you are a child of the ‘60’s and remember a thing or two, you might like this book. This rather unhinged story just might be a metaphor for the rather unhinged  state of the United States at the time. It’s 1967, and protagonist 23 year old Lee, who is contented with his life in Los Angeles, California, not even upset by his recent expulsion from university for fighting, has just received his letter instructing him to report for the Vietnam War draft. He’s sent into a tailspin as he in no way wants to fight a war that goes against his beliefs. He decides to get rid of his possessions and signs up with a car delivery service who gives him a brand new Jaguar to drive to the east coast, on his way to Canada as a draft dodger.   Of course, the car service does not know his true aim.  His journey is fueled by amphetamines and frequent stops for alcohol. Along the way, he stops to visit each of his family members, now all dysfunctional in their own right:  his father, a World War II vet, now a decrepit  alcoholic dog catcher, his rather manic mother, enmeshed in a household with her brother, then there is Lee’s older brother with whom he has been estranged for years and who is now in emotional chaos, and finally Lee's twin sister, who is training to be a  psychiatric nurse and who embroils herself in inappropriate sexual relationships. This book is a quick read (maybe one day). It’s heavy on brief, one word conversations.  It’s  not deep on emotion or plot and it doesn’t moralize or push you in any one direction.   It’s more a kind of a dialogue on personal journeys, wars, affiliations, and family that might leave you thinking - or remembering. Rating: 3.5/5

This debut novel by Lavanya Lakshmi, Leave and Come Back, might be a book that is of special interest to the millenial demographic, although I quite liked it for diversion. The author skilfully blends two story lines – comedy and drama, or a ‘fam-dram-rom-com’ as one character calls a family drama romantic comedy. Thirty-one year old Simran was born in India, but when her parents died tragically in an accident when she was a teenager, she moved to New Jersey to live with her very traditional Indian aunt and uncle. As soon as possible after school, she moved to Toronto to pursue her own life outside the clutches and expectations of her adopted family which began a long period of estrangement.  She is comfortable in Toronto and finally enters into a relationship with a long-time friend, tall, handsome Leo, who just happens to be white. The majority of the book focuses on the two weeks surrounding her cousin’s wedding when Simran returns to the family home in New Jersey and where boyfriend Leo unintentionally crashes the engagement party and ends up staying for the entire period of the wedding which, we learn, is a long process in traditional Indian culture with colorful event after colorful event. With the cousins reunited, the plot begins for Leo to merge his way into the family. It even comes with a powerpoint presentation. But this is only one of the story lines -there are many more truths to be revealed in the next couple of weeks that challenge Simran’s aunt’s and uncle’s traditional views and Simran's own beliefs. I really liked the description of the rich Indian culture surrounding weddings – the  extended families, the feasts, the numerous changes of clothes in many colours, the dances, and even the  competition. I liked how the author portrayed the generational gap, especially between a traditional ethnic culture and more modern views and practices; and finally I liked the growth of the characters changing their viewpoints, of the strength of family and relationships, and, of course, the romance and comedy. It’s a nice blend. (I can just see the movie potential.) Rating: 3.75/

Bonnie Garmus, you remember, wrote the best-selling  Lessons in Chemistry. Now, she gives us Peck and Peck. Well, Peck and Peck might be very different from Lessons in Chemistry, but it confirms that Bonnie Garmus can really spin an original story. You might really like this book if you love words or if you are a twin - or especially if you are a twin who loves words.

The protagonist and narrator is Batter Gray. When the main character is named after the family dog, you just know he is going to be quirky and unique.  He also lacks confidence and is inadequate in life. He is the son of an unconventional professional typeface designer mother and a college history teacher father. Batter had an identical twin who passed at birth which has had a lasting impression on his life. Batter recently graduated from college after sampling many majors, but he is infatuated by poetry for which there are few career opportunities. He manages to secure a job as a copy boy with Peck and Peck, the most desirable and prestigious poetry publisher in the world in the most amazing architectural building in New York.  He has big plans to be promoted through the ranks as an editor, but what he doesn’t know is that Peck and Peck is in disarray with warring family (the Peck and Peck twins - the twin relationship is strong throughout this story) and combative editors who compete to find the most original and creative poetry. Batter is caught in the middle of drama and scandal.  Will he be sucked into the vortex or will he be able to maintain his ethics – or a bit of both? Peck and Peck is a lengthy novel of over 400 pages.  It combines mystery, thriller, romance, humour, surprise twists, commentary on the state of the arts, the struggle between good and bad, and  a whole lot of information about writing and typesetting that I definitely did not know. To get to the real drama and unraveling, you need to persevere to the very strong end; and I would encourage you to have a pen and paper handy to jot down the family tree and other relationships as there are so many twists and turns, you might find yourself checking back in the story to clarify who is who. Peck and Peck would make a great book club pick, and there are plenty of discussion questions online. Rating: 4.0/5

That's my last half dozen. There's no Halloween tricks in this bunch (except for some gifted writing tricks). My preference for 1) is definitely A Far-Flung Life followed by 2) Peck and Peck 3) Meet Me In Paris 4) Leave and Come Back 5) When Lemons Give You Life 6 ) Dodge City

So, choose your treat. Happy Halloween!