Tainted - Ross Pennie

When I read about this book in the Globe and Mail, I got super excited.  I work in a public health context, so really, why wouldn't I want to read more about it in my time off ;)?

Tainted is described as a medical mystery and follows a Public Health Specialist as he tries to uncover the cause of a mysterious illness.  While it did not go into incredible depth, I did enjoy that it was science being used to solve this mystery.  The characters were engaging and it was a great book to escape  with over the Christmas holidays.

For something a little bit different, that is also a real page turner, I would recommend picking this up (particularly if you're a public health geek like me).

Bride of New France - Suzanne Desrochers

I had high hopes for this book as Quill and Quire had named it one of the top books of 2012.  Alas, it was not to be.

The story itself sounds quite interesting.  Desrochers tells the tale of one fille du roi (Laure Bausejour), who travels from Paris to become a wife in New France.  Her husband will be selected once she arrives.  As it turns out, her husband is not only crass, but also quite incapable of providing the necessities of life in a Canadian winter.  Laure's salvation (in some ways) comes in the form of a First Nations boy, with whom she will have an affair.

Sounds complling, right?  And yes, I did keep reading BUT Laure's character was simply so self-centered and insufferable that I found myself cringing at every turn.  So, if you don't mind an egocentric main character, you may enjoy this book.  It was interesting to learn more about this era in Canadian history.

2/5 Stars.