Author: Ami McKay

I loved this book. If you follow CBC Canada Reads, this was a finalist in the Book of a Decade debate. It’s Canadian and it will stay on my bookshelf. The story of the author is almost as interesting as the book. It wasn’t until Ami McKay was pregnant and looking for a midwife that she learned that in the past, her house had been used by a midwife.

Dora lives in the remote Nova Scotia community of Scots Bay, the only daughter in five generations of the Rare family. At a young age she aids the local midwife and soon begins helping at births. When the midwife dies it is Dora that the women of the community come to for help. But a new doctor has come to the area and is encouraging women to give birth at a maternity hospital. The opinions as to which is better, midwife or doctor, splits the community. An early and unhappy marriage inspires Dora to continue her work but when she is accused of murder she leaves Scots Bay for a period of time. Will she return?

Goodreads Rating * * * * * (I recommend you read it; this book will stay on my shelf)

Author: Louise Candlish

Kate is a single mother of two children, but the focus of the book is on her teenaged daughter Roxie. When Kate’s ex-husband is forced to reduce her support payments Kate divides her home and rents out a portion of it to Davis. Kate and her new lodger begin an affair. The details of their story were predictable and I wasn’t surprised by any of the twists the plot takes.

Goodreads Rating * * (It was okay)

Author: Miriam Toews

This novel is based on true cases of Mennonite women in Bolivia being drugged and raped by the men in their community.

In this story the assaults have already taken place. While most of the men are in the City raising bail for the rapists, the women of the community meet to decide what their response to the rapes will be. Will they do nothing? Will the stay and fight? Will they leave? What follows is an in-depth look at the reasons on all sides of the argument.

I liked the book but I wanted to know how things turned out after the decision was made.

Goodreads Rating * * * (I liked it)

Author: Ann Cleeves

Whew! I finished this the afternoon before it was due back at the library. And I must say I enjoyed HAVING to sit down after lunch to get it done.

There is nothing outstanding about the book – a slow and easy Scottish mystery. I really had no idea about the murderer on this one and at the end of the book there was one clue I didn’t remember so I had to go back to look for it.

This is another of the Vera Stanhope series and I can hardly wait until they are available on Netflix Canada.

Goodreads Rating * * * (I liked it)