A Year In The Life...
/The Best & The Rest…
380+ books endorsed through spotlighted features, 90+ reads reviewed and another 80+ showcased in crib notes. All lovingly curated for your browsing pleasure. We’ve reached the first Anniversary of Cracking The Spine and I thought I would sum it all up!
But before we get to that let’s have a little fun! Fun for me at least…
Donna’s Top Ten Reasons To Be A Book Nerd…
Culture
Writers, at their most masterful, ensure that place and time are as meticulously established as character and narrative. That the reader can put themselves in another country or point in history and even envision entire worlds beyond their own. Worlds with religions, ethnicities, philosophies and politics. And that’s just the beginning.
Empathy
In my opinion, this is the most remarkable gift that reading can bestow upon us. As you pull on the skin of the characters you are immersing yourself in, you will know them. Their hearts will be laid bare, their minds opened, and their struggles and triumphs will become yours. And if you are attentive, you will recognize those same things in someone in your life and understand them. This will take you from human to humane.
Intelligence (aka “Booksmarts”)
Booksmarts are the real thing! And I am not talking about “textbook” smart. Books can be as potent as any professor in mentoring you and as any Ivy league college in educating you. The catch is this, you must choose wisely and extensively and read with intent. Everything of value I have learned I have learned from reading. And that my friends and fellow readers, it not too little!
Perspective
Awareness and insight into alternative points of view is both necessary and irreplaceable. For any topic imaginable you can find a written work and gain a higher level of knowledge for all sides of the story. Something that is often difficult in our real, everyday lives. While I wouldn’t define reading itself as self-help, it certainly empowers you to do so.
Articulation
At a loss for words? A well written book is a work of artistry and a window into the power of language. How it’s used, how its structured, and most importantly, how its chosen. The formation of it conveys its message upon the page. Reading requires that you give thought to the words that you are seeing, thus inspiring you to give equal or greater thought to those you may be writing.
Escapism
From your family, your job, your own horrible internal dialogue. Seriously, someone turn that shit off! We all need a form (or two, no judgement!) of escape. My choice is of course, books. The good ones can pull you into the story in a way that shuts out the world around you. The great ones let you stay for a while.
Salvation
Some of us find our peace of mind in the varied places of worship available in our world. Some of us need our prophets and preachers to come at it in a different way. A single line from a book or a song can alight in our soul and have us closing our eyes as if in prayer. A kind of prayer. The only kind that works for me…
Emotional Intelligence
Human beings are nothing if not complex. Books can help unravel all those layers. Joy, sorrow, passion, rage, remorse, love, horror, fear, envy, surprise and so many more. You will be exposed to a greater emotional range through the diversity of characters you read, turning that into consciousness. This awareness will construct within you an incomparable foundation from which to connect to others.
Imagination
It’s believed that we are only limited by what we can imagine. The entire worlds that can be discovered in books will stretch those limits to the very edges of possibility. And even beyond. Being a booklover unleashes your creativity and curiosity in the most delightful of ways. And trust me on this, one book can lead you to another, and that to yet another. And so on…
Entertainment
Books are uniquely portable., you can take one anywhere. You never have to feel bored or lack companionship. And if you’re a visual reader, a book can play out across the screen in your head!
Donna’s Top Ten Commandments Of A Reader…
Thou Shall Not…fold your book in half to read it
To witness this sin against print and page causes me physical pain. Same goes for heathens who insist on folding their pizza in half before shoving it into their open maw. If you simply don’t have the strength to use both your hands to hold your book, then choose a different medium for reading. See the 10th commandment.
Thou Shall Not…skim words or speed read
Not every aspect of modern life needs to fit the parameters of a Facebook post! You will not reap the rewards outlined in my top ten reasons if you are not allowing yourself to be fully submerged in a book. The circuits in your brain require extensive exercise to keep those synapses sparking into your old age. Keep that flab at bay my friends!
Thou Shall…never leave home without it
Every spare second of the day can be filled up with the written word! Or maybe that’s just me…The only way I will ever enjoy just staring off into space is if I happen to die with my eyes open. Another benefit to always having a book with you is it’s a great way to strike up a conversation with strangers. Children please disregard.
Thou Shall Not…finish a book that isn’t doing it for you
I follow what I call my 50-page rule. If I don’t find something I like about a book by that point, I’m out! I never force myself to finish, never ever. I don’t understand why others do, if your trying to prove something to someone I doubt they are really all that interested. Save your time for all those undiscovered gems out there!
Thou Shall Not…be a snob
You know the old adage I’m guessing? Opinions are like…suffice to say everyone has their preferences. Being a judgmental elitist who struts around espousing their superior reading taste is not attractive. I am constantly trying to convert people to readers and as such, never look down my nose at anyone’s choice.
Thou Shall…find the time
If you have time to surf the internet for hours every weekend over a pot of coffee, you have time to read. It’s the most frequent excuse I hear from people who don’t read. Not buying it…
Thou Shall…choose wisely and personally
Read what you want to read, not what others tell you you should want to read. By all means get suggestions but make the selections based on your personal criteria. Whatever they may be. To find good picks follow a blog (get me?), boldly contort yourself in public places to see what others are reading and read the first few sentences of everything before you buy it.
Thou Shall Not…reread
Many people stake a claim on this as a significant point of pride. I read Pride and Prejudice every year…blah blah blah. But why not seek out new literary experiences? And seriously, who are we kidding, isn’t everything a retelling of something else in some fashion? As the saying goes there are no new stories. However, the telling of them can be made novel. Pun intended and embarrassingly obvious.
Thou Shall Not…write in the margins
In all seriousness, what is the point? There is so little room for anything of any magnitude or relevance. Would it surprise you to know that I hate it when someone writes on a piece of paper of mine? I am forced to reprint or rewrite. We should only deface our own materials!
Thou Shall…embrace all formats
It’s with this last of the commandments that I confess I have broken every one of Bill Gate’s rules for reading. So, I will likely never be a zillionaire. Another dream dead. I read physically, digitally and on audio. I can read while sitting, walking, in light or dark. I will consume books any way I can! Any day I can!
The Best…
Spreading The Word > 99 Books To Read Before…
The Stand – Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Fantasy
Harry Potter Series – J. K. Rowling > Fantasy/Young Adult/Fiction
Good Omens – Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman > Fantasy/Fiction/Humour
Dracula – Bram Stoker > Classics/Horror/Fiction
Lord of The Rings Trilogy – J. R. R. Tolkien > Fantasy/Classics/Fiction
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon > Fiction/Mystery/Young Adult
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee > Classics/Fiction/Historical
The Secret History – Donna Tartt > Fiction/Mystery/Contemporary
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood > Fiction/Classics/Dystopia
Ready Player One – Ernest Cline > Science Fiction/Fiction/Young Adult
Motherless Brooklyn – Jonathan Lethem > Fiction/Mystery/Crime
Red Rising Series – Pierce Brown > Science Fiction/Fantasy/Young Adult
Battle Royale – Koushun Takami > Fiction/Dystopia/Horror
The Martian – Andy Weir > Science Fiction/Contemporary/Fiction
Bad Monkey/Sick Puppy – Carl Hiaasen > Fiction/Mystery/Humour
Heart Shaped Box – Joe Hill > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold > Fiction/Mystery/Young Adult
This Story Is A Lie – Tom Pollock > Young Adult/Thriller/Mystery
I Am Pilgrim – Terry Hayes > Thriller/Fiction/Mystery
The Shining/Doctor Sleep – Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
Harriet The Spy – Louise Fitzhugh > Childrens/Fiction/Young Adult
The Eight – Katherine Neville > Fiction/Mystery/Historical
Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury > Classics/Fiction/Science Fiction
Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte > Classics/Fiction/Romance
American Gods – Neil Gaiman > Fantasy/Fiction/Urban Fantasy
Silence of The Lambs – Thomas Harris > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
Where the Sidewalk Ends – Shel Silverstein > Poetry/Childrens/Classics
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium Trilogy) – Stieg Larsson > Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
A Simple Plan – Scott Smith > Fiction/Thriller/Mystery
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak > Historical/Fiction/Young Adult
Winter’s Bone – Daniel Woodrell > Fiction/Mystery/Contemporary
Mystic River – Dennis Lehane > Mystery/Fiction/Thriller
Little Brother – Cory Doctorow > Young Adult/Science Fiction/Fiction
Frankenstein – Mary Shelley > Classics/Fiction/Horror
The Sisters Brothers – Patrick deWitt > Fiction/Westerns/Historical
The 25th Hour – David Benioff > Fiction/Crime/Mystery
Go Ask Alice – Anonymous > Biography/Drugs/Fiction
Bird Box – Josh Malerman > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
The Road – Cormac McCarthy > Fiction/Science Fiction/Dystopia
Murder of Roger Ackroyd/Crooked House – Agatha Christie > Mystery/Fiction/Classics
Princess Bride – William Goldman > Fantasy/Fiction/Classics
Grimm’s Fairy Tales – Brothers Grimm > Classics/Fantasy/Fiction
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – Jonathan Safran Foer > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro > Fiction/Science Fiction/Dystopia
Daisy Jones & The Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid > Contemporary/Fiction/Music
Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy > Classics/Fiction/Historical
A Visit from the Goon Squad – Jennifer Egan > Fiction/Contemporary/Music
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn – Betty Smith > Classics/Fiction/Historical
In the Name of the Rose – Umberto Eco > Fiction/Historical/Mystery
The Poisonwood Bible – Barbara Kingsolver > Fiction/Historical/Cultural Africa
High Fidelity – Nick Hornby > Fiction/Music/Contemporary
The Corrections – Jonathan Franzen > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
Postcards from the Edge – Carrie Fisher > Fiction/Humour/Drama
Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas > Classics/Fiction/Historical
Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger > Fiction/Romance/Fantasy
The Borrowers – Mary Norton > Fantasy/Childrens/Classics
Kane and Abel – Jeffrey Archer > Fiction/Historical/Thriller
Interpreter of Maladies – Jhumpa Lahiri > Short Stories/Fiction/Cultural India
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil – John Berendt > True Crime/Mystery/Biography
The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next Series) – Jasper Fforde > Fantasy/Fiction/Mystery
The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah > Historical/Fiction/War
Practical Magic – Alice Hoffman > Fiction/Fantasy/Magical Realism
The Stinky Cheese Man – Jon Scieszka > Storytime/Childrens/Humour
The Killing Circle – Andrew Pyper > Mystery/Horror/Fiction
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – Jesse Andrews > Young Adult/Contemporary/Fiction
White Teeth – Zadie Smith > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
The Pillars of the Earth – Ken Follett > Historical/Fiction/Epic
Rebecca – Daphne du Maurier > Classics/Fiction/Mystery
Lamb: Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal – Christopher Moore > Fiction/Humour/Historical
Doctor Zhivago – Boris Pasternak > Classics/Fiction/Historical
English Patient – Michael Ondaatje > Fiction/Historical/War
A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry > Fiction/Cultural India/Historical
The Historian – Elizabeth Kostova > Fiction/Historical/Fantasy
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf – Edward Albee > Plays/Classics/Drama
Fight Club – Chuck Palahniuk > Fiction/Contemporary/Classics
Ordinary People – Judith Guest > Fiction/Classics/Psychology
Rosemary’s Baby – Ira Levin > Horror/Fiction/Classics
The Andromeda Strain – Michael Crichton > Science Fiction/Fiction/Thriller
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! – Dr. Seuss > Childrens/Storytime/Fiction
Heartburn – Nora Ephron > Fiction/Drama/Humour
Clockers – Richard Price > Fiction/Crime/Mystery
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell – Susanna Clarke > Fantasy/Fiction/Historical
Swamplandia! – Karen Russell > Fiction/Magical Realism/Fantasy
Little Women – Louisa May Alcott > Classics/Fiction/Historical
The Maltese Falcon – Dashiell Hammett > Mystery/Fiction/Classics
Larry’s Party – Carol Shields > Fiction/Cultural Canada/Contemporary
The Fault in Our Stars – John Green > Young Adult/Fiction/Romance
Everything I Never Told You – Celeste Ng > Fiction/Mystery/Contemporary
The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini > Fiction/Historical/Contemporary
Franny & Zooey – J. D. Salinger > Fiction/Classics/Short Stories
Breakfast of Champions – Kurt Vonnegut > Fiction/Classics/Science Fiction
This Is Where I Leave You – Jonathan Tropper > Fiction/Humour/Contemporary
My Sister’s Keeper – Jodi Picoult > Fiction/Contemporary/Womens Fiction
For Whom the Bell Tolls – Ernest Hemingway > Classics/Fiction/Literature
The Giant’s House – Elizabeth McCracken > Fiction/Romance/Historical
Smila’s Sense of Snow – Peter Hoeg > Fiction/Mystery/Crime
The Left Hand of Darkness – Ursula K. Leguin > Science Fiction/Fiction/Fantasy
Carry On, Jeeves – P. G. Wodehouse > Fiction/Humour/Classics
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/blog/2019/05/23/spreading-the-word
Holiday Book Bag > A Mixed Bag!
The Library Book – Susan Orlean > Nonfiction/History/Books About Books
Reader Come Home: The Reading Brain in A Digital World – Maryanne Wolf > Nonfiction/Science/Books About Books
Brief Answers to The Big Questions – Stephen Hawking > Science/Nonfiction/Science Physics
She Has Her Mothers Laugh: The Powers, Perversions and Potential of Heredity – Carl Zimmer > Science/Nonfiction/Science Biology
The Emotionary: Dictionary of Words That Don’t Exist for Feelings That Do – Eden Sher > Self Help/Humour/Nonfiction
Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World – Adam Grant & Sheryl Sandberg > Self Help/Business/Psychology
Art of Gathering – Priya Parker > Self Help/Business/Psychology
Power of Why – Amanda Lang > Self Help/Business/Psychology
Messy – Tim Harford > Nonfiction/Psychology/Self Help
When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi > Biography/Autobiography/Self Help
Born A Crime – Trevor Noah > Biography/Autobiography/Comedy
Hunger – Roxanne Gay > Biography/Autobiography/Feminism
Everything Happens for A Reason – Kate Bowler > Nonfiction/Autobiography/Biography
I Am I Am I Am: 17 Brushes with Death – Maggie O’Farrell > Nonfiction/Autobiography/Biography
Small Fry – Lisa Brenman Jobs > Autobiography/Nonfiction/Biography
Love Warrior – Glennon Doyle > Autobiography/Nonfiction/Self Help
A House in the Sky – Amanda Lindhout > Biography/Autobiography/War
Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies – Michael Ausiello > Autobiography/Nonfiction/LGBT
Boundless Books – Postertext > Books About books/Nonfiction/Art
The Art of Bill – Ezra Croft > Art/Nonfiction/Photography
Your Favourite Seuss – Dr. Seuss > Childrens/Storytime/Classics
Iconic Magazine Covers – Ian Birch > Music/Photography/History
The Lost Words – Robert Macfarlane > Poetry/Environment/Nonfiction
Art Matters – Neil Gaiman > Writing/Art/Nonfiction
Broad Strokes – Bridget Quinn > Art/Nonfiction/Feminism
My Ideal Bookshelf – Thessaly LaForce > Nonfiction/Books About Books/Art
Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany – Jane Mount > Nonfiction/Books About Books/Art
Dust & Groves – Eilon Paz > Music/Nonfiction/Photography
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin > Music/Nonfiction/Biography
50 Years of Rolling Stone – Rolling Stone > Music/Nonfiction/Photography
Booze & Vinyl: A Spirited Guide – Andre Darlington > Music/Reference/Nonfiction
Women Who Rock – Evelyn McDonnell > Music/Nonfiction/History
Your Favourite Band Is Killing Me – Steven Hyden > Music/Nonfiction/Pop Culture
Love Is A Mix Tape – Rob Sheffield > Music/Nonfiction/Pop Culture
27: The Legend & Mythology of the 27 Club – Gene Simmons > Music/Nonfiction/Psychology
Photography – Ringo Starr > Music/Rock Music/Photography
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
Elevation – Stephen King > Fiction/Horror/Fantasy
The Woman in The Window – A.J. Finn > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
Little – Edward Carey > Art/Fiction/Historical
Lake Success – Gary Shteyngart > Fiction/Contemporary/Comedy
The Outsider – Stephen King > Horror /Fiction/Mystery
Women Talking – Miriam Toews > Fiction/Feminism/Contemporary
See What I Have Done – Sarah Schmidt > Historical/Fiction/Mystery
Little Fires Everywhere – Celeste Ng > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
Bachelor Girl – Kim Van Alkemade > Fiction/War/Historical
Less – Andrew Sean Greer > Fiction/LGBT/Contemporary
The Great Alone – Kristin Hannah > Fiction/Historical/Drama
Whiskey in A Teacup – Reese Witherspoon > Entertaining/Autobiography/Cookbooks
Yum & Yummer – Greta Podleslei > Cookbooks/Cooking/Entertaining
Pretty Fun (and/or Pretty Happy) – Kate Hudson > Entertaining/Cookbooks/Food
Set For The Holidays – Anna Olson > Christmas/Cookbooks/Entertaining
Giada’s Italy – Giada De Laurentis > Cookbooks/Cooking/Entertaining
Oh, She Glows Every Day – Angela Liddon > Cookbooks/Feminism/Cooking
Tea: History & Varieties – Kevin Gascoyne > Tea/Nonfiction/Food
My Last Supper – Melanie Durea > Food/Biography/Cookbooks
Feast: Recipes from A Canadian Road Trip – Lindsay Anderson > Cookbooks/Food/Cultural Canada
The Stinky Cheese Man – Jon Scieszka > Storytime/Childrens/Humour
Consider Love – Sandra Boyton > Storytime/Poetry/Childrens
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore – William Joyce > Storytime/Fantasy/Childrens
The Day the Crayons Quit – Drew Daywalt > Storytime/Childrens/Fiction
Dear Girl – Amy Krouse Rosenthal > Storytime/Childrens/Feminism
The Most Magnificent Thing – Ashley Spires > Storytime/Childrens/Fiction
The Mischievians – William Joyce > Storytime/Childrens/Fantasy
The Wall in The Middle of The Book – Jon Agee > Storytime/Childrens/Humour
She Persisted – Chelsea Clinton > Storytime/Nonfiction/Childrens
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls – Elena Favilli > Childrens/Biography/Short Stories
We Are All Dots – Giancarlo Moori > Storytime/Childrens/Fiction
Wee Hee Hee – Wee Society > Storytime/Humour/Fiction
Furyborn – Claire Legrand > Fantasy/Young Adult/Historical
Scythe – Neal Shusterman > Young Adult/Fantasy/Dystopia
A Very Large Expanse of Sea – Tahereh Mafi > Young Adult/Contemporary/Romance
Dumplin’– Julie Murphy > Young Adult/Contemporary/Romance
Bridge of Clay – Markus Zusak > Fiction/Young Adult/Contemporary
Darius The Great Is Not Okay – Adib Khanram > Young Adult/Contemporary/Fiction
One of Us Is Lying – Karen McManus > Young Adult/Mystery/Contemporary
Hole in The Middle – Kendra Fortmeyer > Young Adult/Fiction/Contemporary
This Story Is A Lie – Tom Pollock > Young Adult/Thriller/Mystery
Dear Martin – Nic Stone > Young Adult/Contemporary/Fiction
Leah On the Off Beat – Becky Albertalli > Young Adult/Contemporary/LGBT
A Winters Promise – Christelle Dabus > Fantasy/Young Adult/Fiction
A Beautiful Books of Exquisite Corpses – Gavin Edwards > Art/Colouring /Humour
Ideas of Note – Chaz Hutton > Humour/Philosophy/Nonfiction
What If? – Randall Moore > Nonfiction/Science/Humour
Book of Mythicality – Rhett McLaughin > Nonfiction/Humour/Biography
An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments – Ali Almossawi > Nonfiction/Philosophy/Logic
The Devil’s Dictionary – Ambrose Pierce > Humour/Nonfiction/Referance
What’s Your Story? – Brandon Doman > Nonfiction/Biography/Referance
Am I There Yet? – Mari Andrew > Graphic Novels/Nonfiction/Autobiography
Hyperbole and A Half – Allie Brash > Humour/Nonfiction/Graphic Novels
Rick Mercer Final Report – Rick Mercer > Nonfiction/Humour/Politics
Abridged Classics – John Atkinson > Humour/Nonfiction/Books About Books
Unladylike – Cristen Conger > Nonfiction/Feminism/Referance
Guru – RuPaul > Nonfiction/Biography/LGBT
What Would Dolly Do? – Lauren Marino > Nonfiction/Biography/Self Help
Just the Funny Parts – Nell Scovell > Nonfiction/Autobiography/Humour
Sweet Revenge – Heather Kim > Cookbooks/Nonfiction/Cooking
Always Look on The Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography – Eric Idle > Nonfiction/Biography/Humour
Just When You’re Comfortable in Your Own Skin, It Starts to Sag – Amy Nobile > Nonfiction/Parenting/Referance
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/blog/2018/12/1/holiday-book-bag
Mixtape > For Every Personality!
Hit Man – Lawrence Block > Mystery/Fiction/Crime
Bad Things Happen – Harry Dolan > Mystery/Fiction/Thriller
Oblivion – Peter Abrahams > Mystery/Fiction/Thriller
I Am Pilgrim – Terry Hayes > Thriller/Fiction/Mystery
Red Rising – Pierce Brown > Science Fiction/Fantasy/Young Adult
Sick Puppy – Carl Hiaasen > Fiction/Humour/Mystery
Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger > Fiction/Romance/Fantasy
Odd Thomas – Dean Koontz > Horror/Fiction/Mystery
Visit from the Goon Squad – Jennifer Egan > Fiction/Contemporary/Music
Ready Player One – Ernest Cline > Science Fiction/Fiction/Young Adult
Before I Go To Sleep – S. J. Watson > Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
The 25th Hour – David Benioff > Fiction/Crime/Mystery
Motherless Brooklyn – Jonathan Lethem > Fiction/Mystery/Crime
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon > Fiction/Mystery/Young Adult
The Secret History – Donna Tartt > Fiction/Mystery/Contemporary
Good Omens – Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman > Fantasy/Fiction/Humour
Wonder – R.J. Palacio > Young Adult/Fiction/Contemporary
Battle Royale – Koushun Takami > Fiction/Dystopia/Horror
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – Jonathan Safran Foer > Fiction/Contemporary/Historical
Winter’s Bone – Daniel Woodrell > Fiction/Mystery/Contemporary
Kitchen Confidential – Anthony Bourdain > Nonfiction/Food/Autobiography
Atonement – Ian McEwan > Fiction/Historical/Romance
Turtles All the Way Down – John Green > Young Adult/Fiction/Contemporary
A Scanner Darkly - Philip K. Dick > Science Fiction/Fiction/Dystopia
Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy > Classics/Fiction/Cultural Russia
The Stand – Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Fantasy
The Once and Future King – T. H. White > Fantasy/Classics/Fiction
Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini > Fiction/Historical/Contemporary
Little Women – Louisa May Alcott > Classics/Fiction/Historical
Dracula – Bram Stoker > Classics/Horror/Fiction
Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury > Classics/Fiction/Science Fiction
The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas > Classics/Fiction/Historical
The Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel Hawthorne > Classics/Fiction/Historical
Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro > Fiction/Science Fiction/Dystopia
Princess Bride – William Goldman > Fantasy/Fiction/Classics
The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold > Fiction/Mystery/Young Adult
A Million Little Pieces – James Frey > Contemporary/Biography/Autobiography
Room – Emma Donoghue > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood > Fiction/Classics/Dystopia
Practical Magic – Alice Hoffman > Fiction/Fantasy/Magical Realism
Postcards from the Edge – Carrie Fisher > Fiction/Humour/Drama
Chocolate – Joanne Harris > Fiction/Romance/Magical Realism
The Martian – Andy Weir > Science Fiction/Fiction/Contemporary
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson > Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
The Gun Seller – Hugh Laurie > Fiction/Humour/Mystery
Restless – William Boyd > Fiction/Historical/Mystery
Bad Monkeys – Matt Ruff > Fiction/Science Fiction/Mystery
Little Brother – Cory Doctorow > Young Adult/Science Fiction/Fiction
The Edible Woman – Margaret Atwood > Fiction/Cultural Canada/Feminism
Every Dead Thing – John Connolly > Mystery/Thriller/Crime
The Eight – Katherine Neville > Fiction/Mystery/Historical
See Jane Run – Joy Fielding > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
World Without End – Chris Mooney > Thriller/Fiction/Crime
Station Eleven – Emily St. John Mandel > Fiction/Science Fiction/Dystopia
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee > Classics/Fiction/Historical
Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte > Classics/Fiction/Romance
Where the Sidewalk Ends – Shel Silverstein > Poetry/Childrens/Classics
Oh, The Places You'll Go! - Dr.Seuss > Childrens/Storytime/Fiction
Heartburn – Nora Ephron > Fiction/Drama/Humour
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl > Childrens/Young Adult/Classics
The 13 Clocks – James Thurber > Fantasy/Fiction/Childrens
Black Dahlia – James Ellroy > Mystery/Crime/Fiction
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret – Judy Blume > Young Adult/Fiction/Childrens
The Maltese Falcon – Dashiell Hammett > Mystery/Fiction/Classics
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/blog/2018/10/23/mixtape
I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar > Great Female Characters!
Fates & Furies - Lauren Groff > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larrson > Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
The Princess Bride - William Goldman > Fantasy/Fiction/Classics
Circe - Madeline Miller > Fantasy/Fiction/Mythology
Pain Of Others - Blake Crouch > Thriller/Fiction/Short Stories
NOS4A2 - Joe Hill > Horror/Fiction/Fantasy
Harriet The Spy - Louis Fitzhugh > Childrens/Fiction/Young Adult
Misery - Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
Reboot - Amy Tintera > Young Adult/Dystopia/Science Fiction
Restless - William Boyd > Fiction/Historical/Mystery
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas > Young Adult/Fiction/Contemporary
The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins > Young Adult/Fiction/Dystopia
Nancy Drew Series - Carolyn Keene > Mystery/Childrens/Classics
In Real Life - Cory Doctorow > Science Fiction/Young Adult/Comics
Even Cowgirls Get The Blues - Tom Robbins > Fiction/Humour/Drama
Winter’s Bone - Daniel Woodrell > Fiction/Mystery/Contemporary
The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold > Fiction/Mystery/Young Adult
Pippi Longstocking - Astrid Lindgren > Childrens/Classics/Fiction
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott > Classics/Fiction/Historical
To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee > Classics/Fiction/Historical
The Woman Upstairs - Clare Messuad > Fiction/Drama/Contemporary
When She Woke - Hiliary Jordan > Fiction/Dystopia/Science Fiction
See Jane Run - Joy Fielding > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
Life & Death Of Sophie Stark - Anne North > Fiction/Contemporary/LGBT
Postcards From The Edge - Carrie Fisher > Fiction/Humour/Drama
The Eyre Affair - Jasper Forde > Fantasy/Fiction/Mystery
Coraline - Neil Gaiman > Fantasy/Horror/Fiction
Shadowhunter’s Series - Cassandra Clare > Fantasy/Young Adult/Dystopia
Practical Magic - Alice Hoffman > Fiction/Fantasy/Magical Realism
The Handmaids Tale - Margaret Atwood > Fiction/Classics/Dystopia
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak > Historical/Fiction/Young Adult
The Flamethrowers - Rachel Kushner > Fiction/Historical/Drama
Charlotte Gray - Sebastian Faulks > Historical/Fiction/War
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/blog/2019/03/5/i-am-woman-hear-me-roar
Constant Writer > Best Stephen King Reads!
The Stand - Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Fantasy
The Shining - Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
Salem’s Lot - Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Vampires
Dead Zone - Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
Misery - Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
It - Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
Needful Things - Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
Dolores Claiborne - Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
Joyland - Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Mystery
The Outsider - Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Mystery
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/blog/2018/8/20/the-constant-writer
Reviews: 7.5 & Up
The Fireman – Joe Hill > Horror/Fiction/Science Fiction
Morningstar – Pierce Brown > Science Fiction/Fantasy/Fiction
Dark Hollow – John Connolly > Thriller/Mystery/Crime
Unraveling Oliver – Liz Nugent > Fiction/Thriller/Mystery
Forty Words For Sorrow – Giles Blunt > Mystery/Fiction/Crime
Caught Stealing – Charles Huston > Fiction/Crime/Mystery
Dark Matter – Blake Crouch > Science Fiction/Fiction/Thriller
Shutter Island – Dennis Lehane > Mystery/Fiction/Thriller
Find You In The Dark – Nathan Ripley > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
Crazy English – Richard Lederer > Language/Nonfiction/Humour
Bookshop Of Yesterdays – Amy Meyerson > Fiction/Books About Books/Mystery
Basket Case – Carl Hiaassen > Fiction/Mystery/Humour
Silent Corner – Dean Koontz > Thriller/Mystery/Fiction
Tattooist Of Auschwitz – Heather Morris > Drama/Fiction/Historical
The Time Travelers Wife – Audrey Niffenenger > Fiction/Romance/Fantasy
The Dinner List – Rebecca Serle > Fiction/Romance/Magical Realism
Ginny Moon – Benjamin Ludwig > Fiction/Contemporary/Young Adult
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
Robin – Dave Itzoff > Biography/Nonfiction/Comedy
Confessions – Kanae Minato > Mystery/Fiction/Thriller
Unwanted Guest – Shari Lapena > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
Where The Sidewalk Ends – Shel Silverstein > Poetry/Childrens/Classics
An Anonymous Girl – Greer Hendrickss & Sarah Pekanen > Thriller/Mystery/Fiction
This Story Is A Lie – Tom Pollock > Young Adult/Thriller/Mystery
Let Me Lie – Clare MacKinstosh > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
The Good Son – You Jeong Jeong > Thriller/Fiction/Mystery
Women Talking – Miriam Toews > Fiction/Feminism/Contemporary
A Spark Of Light – Jodi Picoult > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
Furyborn – Claire Legrand > Fantasy/Young Adult/Historical
When All Is Said – Anne Griffin > Fiction/Contemporary/Cultural Ireland
Chase The Darkness With Me – Billy Jensen > True Crime/Nonfiction/Biography
My Lovely Wife – Samantha Downing > Thriller/Mystery/Fiction
The Homecoming – Andrew Pyper > Horror/Thriller/Mystery
Elevation – Stephen King > Fiction/Horror/Fantasy
Vox – Christina Dalcher > Fiction/Dystopia/Science Fiction
Run Away – Harlan Coben > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
You Know You Want This – Kristen Roupenian > Short Stories/Fiction/Horror
The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
Daisy Jones & The Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid > Historical/Fiction/Music
Rick Mercer’s Final Report – Rick Mercer > Nonfiction/Humour/Politics
No Happy Endings – Nora McInerny > Autobiography/Nonfiction/Comedy
Confessions Of Frannie Langton – Sara Collins > Historical/Fiction/Mystery
State Of The Union - Nick Horby > Fiction/Comedy/Contemporary
Recursion - Blake Crouch > Science Fiction/Fantasy/Contemporary
The Chain - Adrian McKinty > Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
The Turn Of The Key - Ruth Ware > Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
A Nearly Normal Family - M.T. Edvardsson > Fiction/Mystery/Drama
The Mastermind - Evan Ratliff > True Crime/Memoir/Historical
Dear Wife - Kimberly Bell > Mystery/Thriller/Contemporary
Save Me The Plums - Ruth Reichl > Biography/Feminism/Gourmet
Trick Mirror - Jia Tolentino > Essays/Feminism/Biography
An Unkindness Of Magicians - Kat Howard > Fiction/Fantasy/Drama
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/reviews
& The Rest…
Out Of The Ashes > Dystopian Fiction
Vox – Christina Dalcher > Fiction/Dystopia/Science Fiction
Red Clocks – Leni Zumas > Fiction/Feminism/Dystopia
Water Cure – Sophie Mackintosh > Fiction/Dystopia/Feminism
The Power – Naomi Alderman > Fiction/Science Fiction/Feminism
When She Woke – Hilary Jordan > Fiction/Dystopia/Science Fiction
Only Ever Yours – Louise O’Neill > Young Adult/Dystopia/Fiction
Battle Royale – Koushun Takami > Fiction/Dystopia/Horror
The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins > Young Adult/Fiction/Dystopia
Company Town – Madeline Ashby > Science Fiction/Fiction/Cultural Canada
The Giver – Lois Lowry > Young Adult/Fiction/Classics
City Of Ember – Jeanne DuPrau > Young Adult/Fantasy/Dystopia
Proxy – Alex London > Young Adult/Dystopia/LGBT
Red Rising – Pierce Brown > Science Fiction/Fantasy/Young Adult
Ready Player One – Ernest Cline > Science Fiction/Fiction/Young Adult
A Scanner Darkly – Philip K. Dick > Science Fiction/Fiction/Dystopia
Yesterday – Felicia Yap > Mystery/Fiction/Thriller
Snow Crash – Neal Stephenson > Science Fiction/Fiction/Dystopia
Severance – Ling Ma > Fiction/Science Fiction/Dystopia
Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro > Fiction/Science Fiction/Dystopia
Station Eleven – Emily St. John Mandel > Fiction/Science Fiction/Dystopia
The Fireman – Joe Hill > Horror/Fiction/Science Fiction
Super Sad True Love Story – Gary Shteyngart > Fiction/Dystopia/Science Fiction
The Circle – Dave Eggers > Fiction/Science Fiction/Dystopia
The Leftovers – Tom Perrotta > Fiction/Fantasy/Science Fiction
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/blog/2019/4/2/out-of-the-ashes
Page Fright > Scary Books
Dracula – Bram Stoker > Classics/Horror/Fiction
The Shining – Stephen King > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
A Good and Happy Child – Justin Evans > Horror/Fiction/Mystery
The Killing Circle – Andrew Pyper > Mystery/Horror/Fiction
Heart Shaped Box – Joe Hill > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
The Ruins – Scott Smith > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
Rebecca – Daphne du Maurier > Classics/Fiction/Mystery
A Head Full of Ghosts – Paul Tremblay > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
Burnt Offerings – Robert Marasco > Horror/Fiction/Paranormal
Bird Box – Josh Malerman > Horror/Fiction/Thriller
14 – Peter Clines > Horror/Science Fiction/Fiction
Broken Monsters – Lauren Beukes > Horror/Fiction/Mystery
Affinity – Sarah Waters > Historical/Fiction/LGBT
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/blog/2018/10/9/page-fright
Be Gone Already! > Domestic Thrillers
Find You In The Dark – Nathan Ripley > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
Women In The Window – AJ Finn > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
Unravelling Oliver – Liz Nugent > Fiction/Thriller/Mystery
I Let You Go – Claire MacIntosh > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
Always Watching – Chevy Stevens > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
Pretty Girls – Karin Slaughter > Thriller/Mystery/Fiction
Lying Game – Ruth Ware > Mystery/Fiction/Thriller
Don’t Let Go – Harlan Coben > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
Little Deaths – Emma Flint > Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
Behind Closed Doors – B.A. Paris > Thriller/Fiction/Mystery
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/blog/2018/8/16/be-gone-already
40 Going On 14 – For Any Age…But Really For Young Readers!
To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee > Classics/Fiction/Historical
Princess Bride – William Goldman > Fantasy/Fiction/Classics
Holes – Louis Sachar > Young Adult/Fiction/Childrens
House With A Clock In It’s Walls – John Bellairs > Fantasy/Horror/Mystery
Flush – Carl Hiaassen > Young Adult/Fiction/Humour
Mysterious Benedict Society – Trenton Lee Stewart > Mystery/Fiction/Young Adult
Harriet The Spy – Louise Fitzhugh > Childrens/Fiction/Young Adult
Graveyard Book – Neil Gaiman > Fantasy/Young Adult/Fiction
Inkheart – Cornelia Funke > Fantasy/Young Adult/Fiction
The Borrowers – Mary Norton > Fantasy/Childrens/Classics
Ella Enchanted – Gail Carson Levine > Fantasy/Young Adult/Fiction
The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton > Classics/Young Adult/Fiction
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak > Historical/Fiction/Young Adult
For The Win – Cory Doctorow > Science Fiction/Fiction/Young Adult
Book Of Lost Things – John Connolly > Fantasy/Fiction/Young Adult
Evil Genius – Catherine Jinks > Young Adult/Fiction/Science Fiction
Endgame – James Frey > Young Adult/Fantasy/Dystopia
Otherworld (Last Reality) – Jason Segel > Young Adult/Science Fiction/Fiction
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/blog/2018/11/6/40-going-on-14
Crime Seen > True Crime Books
Helter Skelter – Vincent Bugliosi > True Crime/Nonfiction/Cults
Under the Banner of Heaven – Jon Krakauer > True Crime/Nonfiction/Religion
I’ll Be Gone in The Dark – Michelle McNamara > True Crime/Nonfiction/Mystery
Midnight in The Garden of Good and Evil – John Berendt > True Crime/Nonfiction/Mystery
The Stranger Beside Me – Ann Rule > True Crime/Nonfiction/Murder
In Cold Blood – Truman Capote > True Crime/Nonfiction/Murder
The Innocent Man – John Grisham > True Crime/Nonfiction/Crime
Mindhunter – John Douglas > True Crime/Pyshcology/Murder
Wiseguy – Nicholas Pileggi > True Crime/Biography/Organized Crime
The Executioner’s Song – Norman Mailer > True Crime/Biography/Justice
The Devil in The White City – Erik Larson > True Crime/Historical/Crime
Escape – Carolyn Jessup > True Crime/Nonfiction/Cults
The Five – Hallie Rubenhold > True Crime/Historical/Crime
Bad Blood – John Carreyrou > True Crime/Business/Corporate Crime
Trail of Lizzie Borden – Cara Roberston > True Crime/Historical/Justice
Say Nothing – Patrick Radden Keefe > True Crime/Nonfiction/Organized Crime
The Mastermind – Evan Ratliff > True Crime/Nonfiction/Tech Crime
Burned – Edward Humes > True Crime/Nonfiction/Justice
Killer Across the Table – John Douglas > True Crime/Pyshcology/Crime
The Library Book – Susan Orlean > True Crime/Historical/Mystery
Highway of Tears – Jessica McDiarmid > True Crime/Nonfiction/Murder
Billion Dollar Whale – Tom Wright & Bradley Hope > True Crime/Corporate Crime/Tech Crime
Blood Will Out – Walter Kinn > True Crime/Pyshcology/Corporate Crime
You All Grow Up and Leave Me – Piper Weiss > True Crime/Nonfiction/Cults
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/blog/2019/7/11/crime-seen
Reviews: 7 & Down
The Nest - Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeny > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
Transcription – Kate Atkinson > Historical/Fiction/Drama
Something In The Water – Catherine Steadmen > Fiction/Thriller/Mystery
The Short Drop – Matthew Fitzsimmons > Mystery/Fiction/Thriller
Her Every Fear – Peter Swanson > Thriller/Mystery/Fiction
Dead Sleep – Greg Illes > Mystery/Fiction/Suspense
The Marsh Kings Daughter – Karen Dionne > Thriller/Fiction/Mystery
Behind Closed Doors – B.A. Paris > Thriller/Fiction/Mystery
Less – Andrew Sean Greer > Fiction/LGBT/Contemporary
Foe – Ian Reid > Horror/Fiction/Science Fiction
101 Simple Truths For A Better Life – Humble The Poet > Nonfiction/Self Help/Biography
The Last – Hanna Jameson > Mystery/Fiction/Thriller
The Suspect – Fiona Barton > Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
The Dreamers – Karen Thompson Walker > Fiction/Science Fiction/Fantasy
My Sister, The Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite > Fiction/Mystery/Thriller
Wicked Saints – Emily A Duncan > Fantasy/Young Adult/Fiction
Beautiful Bad – Annie Ward > Thriller/Fiction/Mystery
Lying In Wait – Liz Nugent > Thriller/Mystery/Fiction
Nine Perfect Strangers – Liane Moriarty > Fiction/Contemporary/Mystery
The Feral Detective – Jonathan Lethem > Fiction/Mystery/Crime
101 Life Lessons Without The Bullshit – Humble The Poet > Self Help/Nonfiction/Biography
Cari Mora – Thomas Harris > Thriller/Fiction/Mystery
The Editor – Steven Rowley > Fiction/Historical/Contemporary
Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered – Georgia Hardstock & Karen Kilgariff > Nonfiction/True Crime/Autobiography
Your Life Is Mine - Nathan Ripley > Thriller/Mystery/Crime
Diary Of A Murderer - Young Ha Kim > Thriller/Mystery/Crime
The Lost Man - Jane Harper > Mystery/Fiction/Crime
Miracle Creek - Angie Kim > Fiction/Mystery/Drama
Growing Things & Other Stories - Paul Tremblay > Horror/Fiction/Science Fiction
The Braid - Laetitia Colombani > Fiction/Contemporary/Drama
The Escape Room - Megan Goldin > Thriller/Mystery/Fiction
https://www.crackingthespine.ca/reviews
OTHER…
Monstrous Devices – Damien Love > Fantasy/Childrens/Fiction
Nightbooks – J.A. White > Childrens/Fantasy/Horror
Miscalculations Of Lightning Girl – Stacy McAnuity > Childrens/Realistic Fiction/Fiction
Magic Misfits – Neil Patrick Harris > Childrens/Fantasy/Fiction
Roses Baking Basics – Rose Levy Bernbaum > Cookbooks/Food/Nonfiction
Modern Baking – Donna Hay > Cookbooks/Cooking/Nonfiction
Sweet Mary Jane – Karin Lazarus > Cookbooks/Food/Nonfiction
Babette & Belle – Allyson Bobbitt > Cookbooks/Cooking/Nonfiction
The Past & Other Things That Should Stay Buried – Shawn David Hutchinson > Young Adult/Contemporary/LGBT
Heretics Anonymous – Katie Henry > Contemporary/Young Adult/Fiction
Good Enough – Jen Petro-Ray > Childrens/Realistic Fiction/Contemporary
When The Sky Fell In Splendor – Emily Henry > Young Adult/Science Fiction/Fiction
Hammer Of The Gods – Stephen Davis > Music/Biography/Nonfiction
Dirt – Motely Crue with Neil Strauss > Music/Nonfiction/Biography
The Sun, The Moon & The Rolling Stones – Rich Cohen > Music/Nonfiction/Biography
Rock She Wrote – Evelyn McDonnell > Music/Nonfiction/Essays
Beastie Boys Book – Michael Drummond & Adam Horowitz > Music/Nonfiction/Autobiography
Twylight of The Gods – Steven Hyden > Music/Nonfiction/History
I’m With The Band – Pamela Des Barres > Music/Nonfiction/Autobiography
Please Kill Me – Legs McNeil & Gillian McCain > Music/Nonfiction/History
Night Circus - Erin Morgenstein > Fantasy/Science Fiction/Fiction
A Good & Happy Child - Justin Evans > Horror/Fantasy/Fiction
The Taker - Alma Katsu > Horror/Fantasy/Fiction
Mr. Peanut - Adam Ross > Horror/Fantasy/Fiction
