Cinnamon Toast and the End of the World

Cinnamon Toast and the End of the World
by Janet E. Cameron
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this novel about a teenager in a tiny Nova Scotia community coming to terms with his sexuality. The writing was very good and the characters were for the most part well developed. It was an interesting glimpse into a community entirely different from my own set in the period of my own teenage years. I am counting this toward the Canadian Book Challenge.

Hello Fall!

Today is the first day of Fall (it begins at 4:44pm EDT to be precise). So, it seems like a good day to report on how I did on my summer reading. I don't usually commit myself to lists of specific books to read in a given timeframe, but the Top Ten Tuesday meme inspired me.
Here is what happened with my summer reading list:

1. A Farewell to Arms by E. Hemingway
   It was my Classics Club spin book and I finished it on time. I gave it one star. I think I was generous.
2. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
   I committed to reading this for the 18th Century English Literature event but I couldn't get through it. It was officially abandoned.
3. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
   Read this for Austen in August with Classics Club.
4. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
   Another Austen in August book -- I didn't get to this one. I did read some other Austen stuff though.
5. A Few Green Leaves by Barabara Pym
   I read it, I liked it (3 stars), but didn't have much to say about it so didn't write a review. Same deal with Excellent Women (4 stars).
6. Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger
   Excellent start to a new series from the creator of the Parasol Protectorate.
7. Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier
   This remains on my to-be-read (TBR) list.
8. Cinnamon Toast and the End of the World by Janet E. Cameron
   This remains on my TBR list and I'm looking forward to it based on Lisa's review. 
9. The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorthy Sayers
   I finished this one and am still working on my Sayers re-read project.
10. Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore
    This one belongs to my husband, and is still in his to read pile so I am still waiting for my turn.

I did read a bunch of other books over the summer, but they weren't the ones that I thought I would read when I made the list. Planned reading lists are not my thing. My quilting friends tease me for being unable to follow a pattern without totally changing the design/technique/etc. This may be a related issue.

Lisa's Review: Cinnamon Toast and the End of the World

Cinnamon Toast and the End of the World by Janet E. Cameron

My Rating: 5 of 5 Stars

Janet E. Cameron's debut novel Cinnamon Toast and the End of the World is set in the small town of Riverside, Nova Scotia (population 1,816) in the late 1980's,  and follows Stephen Shulevitz through his last few months of high school, after he discovers his world has ended...the moment he realizes he is in love with his best friend Mark.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read, often struggling with myself not to speed read my way through to the end. From the beginning I found myself immediately immersed in Stephen's world - at times laughing out loud at his comments & thoughts, at times wanting to cry at his pain as he struggles to fit in, and at times wanting to shake some sense into him. As I came to the end of the book, I found myself sad because I was finishing & wanted to enjoy more of this book for the first time.   

So "Bravo!" to Janet E. Cameron on her debut! I am already looking forward to her next book!

This is my second book read for the 7th Annual Canadian Book Challenge.