Book Review: Hannah and Ariela by Johnnie Bernhard (novel)

I like larger-than-life characters. I love stories that companion senior citizens. I admire strong, independent, capable, competent, stubborn, determined, kind-hearted Hannah Schoen Durand. Just like her grandmother, she does what needs to be done--even if it means risking her own life, even if it means breaking the law. In this Canadian's mind, Hannah is a true Texan.

Hannah and Ariela

Johnnie Bernhard

2022

166 pages

I received my copy of this novel from the author

Told from multi-points-of-view--friends, family, law enforcement, members of the Mexican cartel--Hannah and Ariela is the story of how seventy-three-year-old Hannah saved twenty-something Mexican Ariela Morales's life and in the process learned how to live again. It is the story of two courageous women.

About the Author...

'A fourth-generation Texan, Johnnie Bernhard's family home is located 100 miles from the Texas-Mexico border. it is with reverence for the cultural diversity of this land she wrote Hannah and Ariela, her fourth novel.'

 

photo by b dyck

 

 Go RED for Dyslexia

photo by ldyck

October on this Blog...

Scotiabank Giller Prize

and...

Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize

It's literary awards season and we're celebrating on this blog. I'm devoting the entire month to reviewing books and here's the last review...

Sunday, October 31

 The Dollhouse: a ghost story by Charis Cotter

Is anyone in the mood for a scary story?

Frog Legs

A woman and her dog traveled to a foreign land. Over mountains, through desserts, they walked. When they finally arrived the woman

Book Review: Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin, published by Atria

Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead is a philosophical study of death in fiction with light touches of humour and suspense.

Buy This Book

Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead

Emily Austin

Atria 

an imprint of Simon & Schuster

2021

243 pages

27-year-old Gilda is obsessed with dark thoughts as a result she can barely get out of bed, barely keep a job. In fact, as the story begins Gilda has just lost her job in a bookstore. It's not like she hasn't tried some way to escape these dark thoughts. The nurses, doctors, and janitors in the hospital's emergency unit know her by name. She keeps going back; they keep trying to help, but nothing works. Gilda is desperate. So desperate, in fact, that when a nun hands her a pamphlet advertising therapy Gilda follows this lead and winds up at St. Rigobert's Catholic Church. Father Jeff misunderstands the reason for her visit and hires her as the new secretary. What happened to the old secretary? That's a mystery Gilda is driven to solve and for a time her new job gives her a new lease on life until...

If I knew the wild ride this book was offering I may not have bought it, but Anne Logan's recommendation on I've Read This convinced me to give the book a try. And from page one the compelling writing reeled me in. In the end, I'm glad I joined Gilda on her introspective journey because I found this book about death surprisingly uplifting. 

photo by b dyck

Go RED for Dyslexia

photo by ldyck

October on this Blog...

Scotiabank Giller Prize

and...

Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize

and...

City of Victoria Butler Book Prize

and...

It's literary awards season and we're celebrating on this blog. I'm devoting the entire month to reviewing books...

Sunday, October 24

Book Review: Hannah and Ariela (novel) by Johnnie Bernhard

Sunday, October 31

 The Dollhouse: a ghost story by Charis Cotter

Sharing my author journey...

In order to grow as a writer, you have to be courageous enough to try