Books Are My Passion

Season 1; Episode 12

In this episode I answer frequently asked questions posed to readers, book reviewers, bloggers and booktube content creators.  If you would like to read my book reviews, follow me on Instagram/Twitter or email me, see below on how to do that.  Thanks for listening!

Books Mentioned in Episode 12

• Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
• Watch Her Fall by Erin Kelly
• The Turnout by Megan Abbott
• The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Marjolein Bastin edition)
• The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
• Listen To the Marriage by John Jay Osborn Jr.
• The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon (#5 in Outlander series)
• Black Christmas by Lee Hayes
• The Shining by Stephen King
• Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
• Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann
• Quiet (The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking) by Susan Cain
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
• Silverview by John Lecarre
• The Constant Gardener by John Lecarre

You can follow me/reach me via:

Email:  [email protected]

Website (Blog – book reviews):  indydriven.ca

Instagram:  @indydriven

Twitter:  @indydriven

In this episode I’m going to talk about books that I consider comfortable and comforting reads and are good books to pick up if you find yourself in a reading slump.  If you would like to read my book reviews, follow me on Instagram/Twitter or email me, see below on how to do that.  

Thanks for listening!

Books Mentioned in Episode 11

• Scarlet Feather, Quentins, and Tara Road by Maeve Binchy
• Ladies Night by Mary Kay Andrews 
• Watermelon, Rachel’s Holiday, Angels, Anybody Out There and the Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes 
• The Shell Seekers, September, Coming Home, and Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
• Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert 
• A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson 

 You can follow me/reach me via:

 Email:  [email protected]

Website (Blog – book reviews):  indydriven.ca

Instagram:  @indydriven

Twitter:  @indydriven

In this episode, I’m talking about two historical fiction series and one standalone book that is set during the reign of Henry VIII.  Also in this episode is an author spotlight where I talk about three books by Ian McEwen.  If you would like to read my book reviews, follow me on Instagram/Twitter or email me, see below on how to do that.  Thanks for listening!

Books Mentioned in Episode 10

• The Atwelle Confession by Joel Gordonson
• The Joanna Strafford series (trilogy) by Nancy Bilyeau (first book is called The Crown) 
• The Shardlake series by C.J. Sansom (first book is Dissolution)
• Atonement, On Chesil Beach and The Children Act by Ian McEwan 
• The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller  

You can follow me/reach me via:

 Email:  [email protected]

Website (Blog – book reviews):  indydriven.ca

Instagram:  @indydriven

Twitter:  @indydriven

 Season 1; Episode 9

In this episode I’m talking about books set in Scandinavia and Iceland.  If you would like to read my book reviews, follow me on Instagram/Twitter or email me, see below on how to do that.  Thanks for listening!

Books Mentioned in Episode 9

• The Millennium Series by Stieg Larsson (first book is The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)
• Dark Iceland Series by Ragnar Jonasson.  (first book is Snowblind)
• The Hidden Iceland Series (trilogy) by Ragnar Jonasson (first book is The Darkness)
• Embla Nystrom Series (trilogy) by Helene Tursten (first book is Hunting Game)
• Faye von Essen Series by Camilla Lackberg (first book is The Gilded Cage)
• The Kingdom by Jo Nesbo 
• Buriel Rites by Hannah Kent 
• The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup
• The Crow Girl by Erik Axl Sund
• The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell 
• The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking
• The Cozy Life by Pia Edberg
• American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
• Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld

You can follow me/reach me via:

 Email:  [email protected]

Website (Blog – book reviews):  indydriven.ca

Instagram:  @indydriven

Twitter:  @indydriven

Season 1; Episode 8

In this episode I’m talking about books where the main characters are animals.  If you would like to read my book reviews, follow me on Instagram/Twitter or email me, see below on how to do that.  Thanks for listening!

Books Mentioned in Episode 8

• All Creatures Great and Small Series by James Herriot (First Book - If Only They Could Talk) 

• A Dog Year
• The Dogs of Bedlam Farm
• A Good Dog
• Izzy & Lenore
• The Totally True Story of Devon, the Naughtiest Dog in the World (all 5 by Jon Katz)

• Esther the Wonder Pig
• Happily Ever Esther (both by Steve Jenkins)

• Pigs in Clover
• The Sty’s the Limit (both by Simon Dawson)

• Thirty Thousand Bottles of Wine and a Pig Called Helga
• You’ve Got to Be Kidding Me:  A Shedload of Wine and A Farm Full of Goats (both by Todd Alexander)

• The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey
• Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
• Bath Haus by P.J. Vernon

 You can follow me/reach me via:

 Email:  [email protected]

Website (Blog – book reviews):  indydriven.ca

Instagram:  @indydriven

Twitter:  @indydriven

In this episode I’m talking about my top ten literary fiction reads.  If you would like to read my book reviews, follow me on Instagram/Twitter or email me, see below on how to do that.  Thanks for listening!

Books Mentioned in Episode 7

• The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
• A Widow for One Year by John Irving
• A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
• The Secret History by Donna Tartt
• A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
• The Shipping News by Annie Proulx
• East of Eden by John Steinbeck
• The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne
• The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
• The Prince of Tides/South of Broad/The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy
• Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

You can follow me/reach me via:

 Email:  [email protected]

Website (Blog – book reviews):  indydriven.ca

Instagram:  @indydriven

Twitter:  @indydriven

Season 1; Episode 6

In this episode, I will be talking about books where the settings and/or storylines are in or about libraries and bookshops.  If you would like to read my book reviews, follow me on Instagram or Twitter or email me, see below for how to contact me.  Thanks for listening!

Books Mentioned in Episode 6:

• The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
• The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
• The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis
• The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
• The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin
• The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
• The Bookshop on the Corner
• The Bookshop on the Shore both by Jenny Colgan (part of the Scottish Bookshop series)
• The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs
• The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland
• The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser
• The Diary of a Bookseller
• Confessions of a Bookseller
• Seven Kinds of People You Find In Bookshops all three by Shaun Bythell
• Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops
• More Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops both by Jen Campbell
• The Library Book by Susan Orlean
• The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (Release date June 29th)
• The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson (release date August 31st)

 You can follow me/reach me via:

 Email:  [email protected]

Website (Blog – book reviews):  indydriven.ca

Instagram:  @indydriven

Twitter:  @indydriven

In this episode, I will be talking about the new buzzy book releases of summer. If you would like to read my book reviews, follow me on Instagram or Twitter or email me, see below for how to contact me.  Thanks for listening!

Books Mentioned in Episode 5:

• The Perfume Thief by Timothy Schaffert (August 3rd)
• Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson (August 3rd)
• Greenwood by Michael Christie (available now)
• We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange (August 3rd)
• The Echo Chamber by John Boyne (August 5th)
• The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne (available now)
• The Winter Wives by Linden MacIntyre (August 10th)
• The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Harris (June 1st)
• The Pilot’s Daughter by Audrey J. Cole (June 22, 2021)
• Falling by T.J. Newman (July 6th)
• False Witness by Karin Slaughter (July 20th)
• The Family Plot by Megan Collins (August 17)
• The Librarian of Saint-Malo by Mario Escobar (June 1 – already released)
• Haven Point by Virginia Hume (June 8th)
• The Disappearing Act by Florence de Changy (available now)
• My Life of Crime, Redemption and Hollywood by Danny Trejo (Tray-Hoh) (July 6th)
• Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann (available now)
• Indy Split by John Oreovitz (available now)

 You can follow me/reach me via:

 Email:  [email protected]

Website (Blog – book reviews):  indydriven.ca

Instagram:  @indydriven

Twitter:  @indydriven

In this episode, I will be talking about long running series and whether, in my opinion, they are worth your time and effort or whether you should give them a pass.   Also, if you would like to read my book reviews, follow me on Instagram or Twitter or email me, see below for how to contact me.  Thanks for listening!

Books Mentioned in Episode 4:

Series/Author/First Book in Series:

•  The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carringer (Soulless)
• The Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers (The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet)
• The Murderbot series by Martha Wells (All Systems Red)
• The Realm Of The Elderlings series by Robin Hobb (The Farseer Trilogy - Assassin’s Apprentice)
• Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon’s (Outlander)
• Six Tudor Queens series by Alison Weir (Katherine of Aragon)
• Three Pines series by Louise Penny (Still Life)
• John Rebus series by Ian Rankin (Knots and Crosses)
• Logan McRae series by Stuart MacBride (Cold Granite)
• Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths (The Crossing Places)
• Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French (In the Woods)
• Katie Maguire series by Graham Masterton (A Terrible Beauty)
• Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series by Val McDermid (The Mermaids Singing)
• Inspector Lynley series by Elizabeth George (A Great Deliverance)
• Ava Lee by Ian Hamilton (The Water Rat of Wanchai)
• Joanne Kilbourn series by Gail Bowen (Deadly Appearances)

Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout

 You can follow me/reach me via:

 Email:  [email protected]

Website (Blog – book reviews):  indydriven.ca

Instagram:  @indydriven

Twitter:  @indydriven

In this episode, I will be talking about books set in Australia and New Zealand.  There have been some fantastic books coming out from there in the past several years and I want to share some of my favorites.  Also, if you would like to read my book reviews, follow me on Instagram/Twitter or email me, see below for how to how to do that.  Thanks for listening!

Books Mentioned in Episode 3:

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

The Dry by Jane Harper

Scrublands

Silver

Trust (all 3 by Chris Hammer)

The Dark Lake

Into the Night

Where the Dead Go (all 3 by Sarah Bailey)

Only Killers and Thieves

Dust Off The Bones (both by Paul Howarth)

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton

Bitter Wash Road/Hell to Pay

Peace

Consolation (all 3 by Garry Disher)

Overkill

The Ringmaster

Containment

Bound (all 4 by Vanda Symon)

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

 The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

 Sunshine Girl by Juliana Margulies

 You can follow me/reach me via:

 Email:  [email protected]

Website (Blog – book reviews):  indydriven.ca

Instagram:  @indydriven

Twitter:  @indydriven