AvidBards
Books

‘Art & Grace’ by Catherine E. Chapman Review

Taking place in the early nineteenth century in southern England, Art & Grace, a regency era novel, follows a mixed-race maid, Bess, as she struggles to ensure a stable and safe future. The premise of the story intrigued me by the inclusion of aspects of slavery and race which is so often left out in the writings of Dickens and Austen. Indeed, in his book The World, the Text and the Critic, Edward Said points out how the underlying context of colonialism serves as the unspoken funder of the rich and wealthy during this period. Author Catherine E. Chapman brings…

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Books

‘The Colonel and the Bee’ by Patrick Canning

We are so excited to have once again on the blog today a review requested by an author who very kindly sent us his book. The Colonel and the Bee is a short novel bursting with energy and excitement. The author, Patrick Canning seems to have pulled from many references and genres, ranging from Charles Dickens, Angela Carter and Jules Verne. More than anything, I was left with the feeling that this was the tale I wish I had had as a young girl myself. The novel follows thirteen-year-old Beatrix as she runs away from the circus with a man,…

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Books

Book Review: ‘Why She Lied’ by Julie Coons

Here at AvidBards, we are lucky to have authors reach out to us asking to review their work. Some of the most recent literary reviews we’ve done upon request include Meditation Time by Laurent Grenier, Seeds of Dissolution by William C. Tracy, and Lexi by Heidi J. Hewett. A few months ago, self-published author Julie Coons asked us to read her newest psychological thriller, a novel entitled Why She Lied. This is Coons’ second book, and her debut novel is called This Does Not Leave This House. Coons is extremely open about the fact that she has based her novels…

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Books

New Beginnings – Guest Post by Johanna Nield

Today’s post is an incredibly interesting one. Most often, I’m on here talking and writing about stories, what has happened in them, how they made me feel and the impression that they leave. Yet, in all that time, a question I do not seem to ask nearly enough is, how did the writer feel while creating this story and these characters. A big debate in the literary world is whether the author’s intentions actually matters. Some say that the initial intentions should be dismissed, for once the book leaves their hands into that of the reader, it is no longer…

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Books

Time for a Mental Declutter – ‘Meditation Time’ Review

The end of summer, for many, marks a return to rules, regulations and an orderliness that we had neglected a bit during the summer months. Whether a student, working professional, self-employed or a parent, the lax days of summer, when the sunshine put everyone in a bit of a better mood, the days are shortening signalling the coming of the next season. As a child, and if I am honest as an adult as well, the new school year was my favourite time of the year. I loved everything about it from the new books, new stationary and a chance…

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Books

Canongate Myth Series: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood is one author whose name every Canadian child will hear about growing up; I am no exception. She is frequently touted in schools, dinner parties and every bookshop you walk into will be sure to have her books in prominent view. Probably best known for her dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood’s writing has always taken on topics of complexity and import, and The Penelopiad is no different. From the previous Canongate Myth Series novellas, I have read, I had begun to recognise a pattern. They were not, as is their most usual identifiers, simple retellings of Greek…

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