‘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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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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‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ Season Review

When the trailer for Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (2019) was released, I must admit that I had no idea what it was. I had no clue it was meant to be a prequel series to the 1982 film The Dark Crystal, created by Jim Henson. In fact, I had never even seen or heard of the original film at all. I do know, however, that Jim Henson and his company are renowned for being some of the most important, if not the most important, innovators of puppetry in the film and television world. Jim Henson is…

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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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The Age of Disney Remakes

“The Lion King” (2019) Film Review I’m sure I speak for all of us millennial-era humans, or anyone else who grew up watching the Golden Age of Disney movies, when I say that The Lion King (1994) is a classic. You can ask anyone what their favourite Disney movie is, and The Lion King will almost always be an instant reply as being on their list. The soundtrack, all-star cast, Shakespeare-inspired concept, one of the most heartbreaking deaths of film history, and an epic redemption arc makes it one of the most lauded animation movies of all time. Simply put,…

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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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