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[rain-goodreads]

✨ DAY 5 OF BOOK BITES! ✨📖

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Oh! Hello there~! 💚 It looks like I’ve somehow found my way into this little bookish corner of Instagram. Funny how that happens, isn’t it? 😉

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Monika! President of the Literature Club, aspiring writer, and—well, let’s just say I have a knack for slipping between the lines. Normally, I’d be in Doki Doki Literature Club! (a wonderful visual novel—credit to Team Salvato @teamsalvato !), but today, I thought I’d drop by BOOK BITES to share a little writing wisdom. 🖊️ 💖

Writing can be hard. You stare at the page, the page stares back… and suddenly, your confidence mysteriously vanishes. But don’t worry! Monika’s Writing Tip of the Day is here to help. 💕 Scroll down and take it to heart, okay? After all, every great writer starts with just one word…

Oh, and before I go—be sure to let me know in the comments if you found today’s tip useful! Not that I’m watching or anything… 😏✨

📍 Find BOOK BITES on: Bluesky, Tumblr, and Instagram

(In association with @digitally_lit 💝 📚) (Doki Doki Literature Club by @dan_salvato.real and @teamsalvato !)

~ The cover being last isn’t a mistake, heehee! This tip is too important to take the sideline today 😉 Love, Monika ~

#bookbites#dailybookfun#readmore#staybookish#digitallylit#writingtips#ddlc#monikahacks#justmonika#bookstagram#dokidokiliteratureclub#writer#author#daily#tip#tipoftheday#videogame

[rain-goodreads]

✨ JOUR 4 DE BOOK BITES! ✨📖

Les livres nous transportent à travers le temps et l’espace… mais aujourd’hui, on fait un détour par la cuisine! 🍏🥧 Saviez-vous qu’un certain dessert acadien était l’un des préférés de Roméo LeBlanc, le tout premier gouverneur général acadien du Canada? Eh oui, la poutine à trou n’est pas seulement un délice sucré, mais aussi une petite bouchée d’histoire!

Faites défiler pour en savoir plus sur cette gourmandise emblématique. Et restez à l’affût—revue de livre inspirée de cette découverte arrive bientôt! 👀📚

📍 Retrouvez BOOK BITES sur : Bluesky, Tumblr et Instagram

(En collaboration avec @digitally_lit et @boutondor_acadie 💝 📚 Credit à Béryl Young pour avoir écrit “Un gamin acadien”)

#bookbites#dailybookfun#lireplus#passionlivres#digitallylit#funfact#bookstagram#histoireacadienne#lecturegourmande#acadie#acadien#livrefrancais#french#acadia#romeoleblanc#canada#bookreview#bookstagrammer#freebook#recipe #recette #food

[rain-goodreads]

✨ DAY THREE of BOOK BITES! ✨📖

Alright, readers, it’s time to settle something very important. There are two types of book lovers in this world—one follows the rules, the other… well, let’s just say they live a little too dangerously. You know who you are. 👀

Which side are you on? Drop your verdict in the comments, and let’s see who reigns supreme! ⚖️📚👇

📍 Find BOOK BITES on: Bluesky, Tumblr, and Instagram

(In association with @digitally_lit 💝 📚)

#bookbites #dailybookfun #readmore #staybookish #digitallylit #readerproblems #bookstagram #daily #choosewisely #meme #bookmemes #bookmeme #justforlaughs #memes #funny

[rain-goodreads]

Book Bites! 🍎📚

📖✨ WELCOME TO BOOK BITES! ✨📖

I’ve been wanting to do something more engaging with my book review account for a while now—something fun, fresh, consistent, and interactive that keeps the love of books alive in a way that isn’t just the usual reviews. So, after some brainstorming, I thought… why not make it daily?

Enter BOOK BITES! 🍎📚 A daily series where I’ll be sharing all kinds of bookish goodness—fun facts, memes, art, quotes, and little tidbits about books and literacy that will make you go, “Huh, neat!” or “Wow, I need to read more.” Maybe even both.

This is Day One—the very beginning! Scroll to check out today’s super (smelly?) fun fact… and I’ll be back tomorrow with another BOOK BITE for you to chew on. Let’s make reading fun, weird, and exciting every single day! Let me know in the comments what you’d like to see NEXT!💡

(P.S. A full book review is in the works—stay tuned! 👀📖)

📍 Find BOOK BITES on: Bluesky, Tumblr, and Instagram

(In association with @digitally_lit 💝 📚)

#fresh#consistent#memes#art#quotes#“Huh#weird#Tumblr#and Instagram#bookbites#dailybookfun#readmore#staybookish#digitallylit#funfact#bookstagrammer#bookstagram#daily#new

[rain-goodreads]

💫 Special Post 💫 :

“Atlantic Canadian Books to Read in 2025… selon les personnages de South Park!”

ENGLISH / FRANÇAIS

rainsbookreviews (@rain-goodreads )~ @digitallylit ~ @paramountpictures & @warnerbrosentertainment

Description:

“This year, I discovered my first love: the bookish community of Digitally Lit, and the wonderful world of Atlantic Canadian authors 📚 . During the holiday season, I discovered my second love: a little (huge) show named South Park 🏔️ . To celebrate the New Year and my love for both these lovely things, I’ve decided to create a very special post dedicated to them by making a list of ATLANTIC CANADIAN BOOKS TO READ IN 2025, with descriptions of the various characters of SOUTH PARK AND THE BOOKS THEY’D MOST LIKELY READ!

J’espère que vous trouverez des nouveaux livres intéressants (et diversifiés) à lire cette année, ainsi que d’apprendre plus à propos du monde fantastique de South Park! Merci encore pour tout votre support - c’est à cause de vous que je suis capable de faire les choses que j’aime et partager cette amour avec vous tous! ❤️

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this little love project to kickstart this year together! 🤘

Sans plus tarder, j’espère que vous aimeriez ce petit projet d’amour pour commencer l’année ensemble ! 😎  »

Credits:

« South Park » - Paramount & Warner Bros. Entertainment

« At First, Lonely » - Tanya Davis & Acorn Press Canada

« Holocaust to Resistance » - Susanne Berliner Weiss & Fernwood Publishing

« Cours, Ben, Cours! » - Sonia Cotten et Philippe Garon & Bouton d’Or Acadie

« The Book of Letters I Didn’t Know Where to Send » - Steve Patterson & Goose Lane Editions

« Genre, féminismes et développement » - Charmain Levy et Andréas Martinez & Bouton d’Or Acadie

« Harold and Harold » - Budge Wilson with Terry Roscoe & Nimbus Publishing

« Illness and the Art of Creative Self-Expression » - John Graham-Poll and Patch Adams& HARP

« Un gamin acadien » - Beryl Young & Bouton d’Or Acadie

And of course, Digitally Lit, pour cette opportunité merveilleuse de partager l’amour de la litéracie! 💜

[rain-goodreads]

“Life Sentence: How My Father Defended Two Murderers and Lost Himself” by Amy Bell -

Book Review & Poem by Rainsbookreviews

Hey happy readers! 👋

For my second book review, I chose to read the true crime memoir “Life Sentence: How My Father Defended Two Murderers and Lost Himself” by Amy Bell. It was a riveting literary find, and I’m very excited to share with you my thoughts on this text. I learned a lot about the legal system and the people and secrets underneath it, and it was honestly one of the best pieces of law documentation I’ve read in a hot minute.

And for my surprise for this review, I wrote a narrative legal modern elegy— or POEM— to show my appreciation for this fantastic book! Read until the end to uncover it… 👀

I hope you enjoy~ ♥️

Full book review now available on DigitallyLit!: https://www.digitallylit.ca/product-page/life-sentence-how-my-father-defended-two-murderers-and-lost-himself

Life Sentence: How My Father Defended Two Murderers and Lost Himself - Review

If you thought ‘CSI’ & ‘Law & Order’ were impressive, wait until you read this!

“Life Sentence: How My Father Defended Two Murderers and Lost Himself” by Amy Bell is a compelling blend of true crime, memoir, courtroom and family drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat every time you turn a page.

This book follows the life and work of Ed Bell, the author’s father, and his infamous defence case of two suspected killers, Richard Ambrose and James Hutchison, accused of the brutal murders of Moncton Police officers Corporal Aurèle Bourgeois and Constable Michael O’Leary. With the case taking place just before Christmas 1974, the families, police and legal parties involved would have tragically had their holidays cut

short to try and piece together this now high-profile case.

From mishandled police operations to sketchy witness testimonials and public division to the alarming implication of the previous recent kidnapping of adolescent Raymond Stein, this book keeps you guessing and reflecting with each twist and passage.

It also takes an emotionally hitting stab at the consequences behind closed doors of such a profession, with Amy Bell describing her forever-changed, complicated and severed relationship with her father ever since his case took a turn for the worse, as well as playing with the eternal ethical question of whether or not the death penalty is deserved in a scenario such as this, or for, really, any at all.

I liked this book for its direct and all-encompassing view of criminal law and investigative work. With the professional and well-researched touch of a certified historian and researcher, this book presents each piece of evidence, event, and description in a concise and well-structured manner that is hard to question. Each chapter is sprinkled with new information, and Amy’s occasional questioning and reflection of personal experiences keep the reader engaged consistently. The inclusion of photos and excerpts from newspaper articles, television reports, and the author’s own family also reinstates a sense of hard reality and an even more profound empathy for all involved.

One remark I find very impressive on Amy’s part is that she remains neutral when describing the courtroom proceedings, police involvement, and eventual verdict despite

the topic hitting so closely on behalf of her father, family, and herself. It takes a lot of restraint not to impose bias in writing a memoir relating so personally, significantly if it harms reputation in any way (whether on paper or in the social sphere), and I admire her ability to separate fact from ego.

She appropriately balances this objectivity with her own separate, more personal anecdotes and ponderings, such as those from her childhood, parents, and lifestyle, which are occasionally mentioned in between long stretches of transcript and research. This provides well-needed rest from the technicalities of the case and leaves room for more internal questioning, such as: “What would I have done if I were Amy / Ed?”, “Do I think that killers also deserve to be killed?” and “What if it were my family in their shoes?”. All these questions make the experience of reading just that much more meaningful.

Another reason I enjoyed this book was that I related to it in terms of what I want to become in my future profession. Ever since I was younger, I’ve been keen on pursuing law, specifically criminal defense law, and when I first found out about this book, I was quite excited about what was in store. It was an excellent opportunity to dig deeper into the job I wanted!

And yet, while this book did teach me many new things about the profession, it also reaffirmed some of my previous worries about pursuing such a path: the danger, financial and emotional burden, and potentially negatively life-altering the experience can be, especially considering the fact these lawyers deal daily with people accused some of the most “nightmarish crimes” (as the Guardian expressed in their 2014

newspaper representing some of the best-known criminal defense lawyers) imaginable,

such as this one.

While I was inspired by Ed Bell’s motivation to protect the underdog concerning their human rights, his father’s words perfectly summarize what I feel now after reading this book:

“To keep our society free and democratic, someone has to do your job, and do it well.

[…]

I’m just really sorry it’s you.” (Chapter 14, page 178, paragraph 1)

I know now that I may need to consider researching other types of law that are potentially not as emotionally damaging (such as tort, civil, corporate law, etc.) for my sanity (and my family’s peace of mind, too). Still, I will continue to study on criminal law as well. Despite its immense challenges, I find this idealism and moral obligation to defend inspiring, especially after reading these excerpts of trial and dedication. Perhaps

I could learn from what Ed and his family have experienced, ensure the same doesn’t happen to me, and improve on that.

This has been eye-opening for me, and I am glad to have read about these overshadowed aspects of the career here before having pursued it.

Overall, I genuinely have no complaints about this book, and I recommend it to anyone

interested in learning about criminal law and how the inner workings of a court and

investigative case play within their own realm and in society. It’s a masterful tribute to

the tireless fighters of the legal system, and it is a piece of literature I will not forget for

years to come—and perhaps you won’t either!

5/5 stars.

I recommend this book!

***

A Life Sentence to Ed Bell

Narrative Legal Modern Elegy (Poem)

Written by Rainsbookreviews

September 8, 2024

🚨 ‼️ SPOILER ALERT‼️ 🚨 Read at own precaution…

 

 

Ed Bell, do you remember?

That fateful Moncton morning of ‘74, the last Christmas week of its kind?

As you prepared festivities with your family that December,

The reports blared that officers Bourgeois and O’Leary had died.

 

The country was in shock, as you were as well,

Mourning the deaths of such outstanding men, admired in every way.

But as the suspects were out, misters Ambrose and Hutchison, now put under hell,

Something inside you sparked, and you knew where your ambitions lay.

 

You set out for their protection and were quickly made a public enemy,

But you still strove for justice and their human rights, no matter the appeal.

You saw these men as men, alienated and battered from the world to see,

The bruised Polaroid you took at the station a testimony to what you would reveal.

 

Court is now in session, tensions high from ground to roof.

The Judge beckons to all with a nod:

“Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth,

And nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

 

Your brow is filled with sweat, yet your head remainshigh.

Ambrose and Hutchison are at your side, waiting as each second drags itself by.

The stand is each witness’s stage, but their eyes and the floor are yours,

And as you stand to speak, their doubtful silence echoes across closed doors.

 

“These men before you, whom you despise, are victims,” you say.

Your hand painting a picture of empathic perspective; they’re framed and in full display.

Police brutality, failed missions and evidence in disarray:

It’s clear there’s more behind what’s known, a story woven for them to pay.

 

“You must defend them,” your heart cries out, “You must set them free.”

A forbidden justice impaled by the spiteful pinpricks of society,

Faintly yet fiercely burning in your veins, bleeding out your reason to be

Against the death penalty and violence of all men prosecuted under scrutiny.

 

How bravely you persisted in the line of fire,

Against a prosecution so strong, against even youronce Liberal mentor in the highchair.

Defying the Stein kidnapping to the executions in the woods, with inconsistencies, half-opened doors and outrageous liars,

Securing a victory against a public flash of hateful propaganda by just a hair.

 

But unfortunately, it seemed fate was against you, as the rest of the world already was:

Alas, the forensic technology developed, and your men’s blood matched sample.

And on that final day, as the jury shouted “Guilty!” and reporters buzzed,

Your underdogs were charged a life sentence, like strays leashed, forever under hateful handles.

 

You were left a shell for the years to come, and soon after, your wife’s death was your mutiny,

Leaving your children to wallow in the pain you drowned in once before.

You didn’t mean for it to be this way, but who could set you free,

When you couldn’t do the same for the men who almost lost their lives under yours?

 

As you struggled through failed projects, judgmental eyes and a broken family,

The world moved on; the officers were laid to rest in peace, but you and your clients were not.

But your efforts would not be in vain, as what would be found by your daughter, Amy,

Would finally uncover your valiance overshadowed by blind hate, showing just how hard you fought…

 

And so, as her words of your story rebound across tribunals and households,

We lay you to rest, Ed, for your pursuit of fair treatment and equality, even despite all that’s been told.

We see now what we should have and will forever owe as we move through:

 

A life sentence of determination, justice and truth…

Dedicated, dear Ed, all to you.

***

Final Notes:

Thank you very much for reading! Hopefully this inspired you to buy this piece or do your own research on the subject.

I wish you all the best in your reading endeavours~ 💜

Thank you to DigitallyLit and Nimbus Publishing for the #freebook

With that,

Rain out! ✌️ 📚

[rain-goodreads]

“Some Hellish” by Nicholas Herring — Rain’s Book Review & Fan Cover (+ Speedpaint!)

Hey happy readers!

Rain here. Welcome to my first blog post. Today, I will be compiling my book review, fan cover artwork and explanation for said artwork for the rock-lobsterin’ book “Some Hellish” by Nicholas Herring! 🦞

(You can get the book from Goose Lane Editions using the link here! : https://gooselane.com/products/some-hellish)

I have already put the speedpaint of the fan cover above as an introduction, with the song “Bad Apple!!” by ZUN (Cover by RichaadEB and Christina Vee) playing in the background. Read my explanation below for more details.

Without further ado, here we go! 📚 🗣️

The Book Review (also available on DigitallyLit here: https://www.digitallylit.ca/product-page/some-hellish)

Some Hellish by Nicholas Herring is a charming blend of contemporary, philosophical, and slice-of-life fiction. It follows the expedition of a PEI lobster fisherman and his complicated relationship with himself, his life, and those around him. It is a reflective and empathic journey toward forgiveness, transformation, and love that also manages to balance the harsh realities of substance abuse, self-hatred, and regret.

The story follows a middle-aged lobster fisher named Herring, who leads a semi-impoverished life on the ocean harbours of Prince Edward Island. His life is falling apart at the seams: he buries the family dog on Christmas Eve, his wife and children leave him, he is in a constant losing battle against alcohol and financial struggle, his reputation is quickly dwindling, and his living room is now left with an enormous hole in the floor after a fit of blind anger. After being saved from a drunken truck crash by a group of passing monks, Herring and his similarly troubled friend, Gerry, go lobster fishing on the M&M (Herring's boat), high on acid, to cope with the misery of their lives. After a careless accident, Herring falls overboard and is lost at sea for days, presumed dead. But just when the world begins to mourn his loss, he miraculously survives, coming back to his broken life a new man: determined, bald, and willing to do better.

I found Some Hellish to be a beautifully written, thought-provoking work of literature in which I was thoroughly immersed until the very end, which gave me an equally undeniable impression that lasted even days after reading. It did an honest job of crawling inside the human psyche and exposing man's darkest, most vile contemplations and his most passionate aspirations and perseverance toward fulfillment and purpose. It did not hesitate to call out the thoughts that we hate to-- or would never—admit thinking (ex., secretly wanting a friend to suffer after they've wronged you or admitting to admiring the virtues we lack in someone we hate).

Additionally, it could paint a vivid, realistic picture of the Maritime lobster fisherman lifestyle, describing the realities of its intense physical toils, the general uneducated, drunken, anti-technological societal outlook, the turbulent weather, poverty and often quite disgusting normalcies of animal guts and lack of personal hygiene. (Needless to say, it isn't sunshine, lollipops and rainbows…).

I found the book's honest portrayal of both psychological and environmental aspects admirable, and I caught myself guiltily relating to Herring but happily comparing his unfortunate circumstances to my own many a time.

Though I found the book to be a bit slow in terms of plot progression, as most of it centred around character development and the slow harbour life rather than an action-filled overarching narrative like most stories, I ironically found that its sluggishness and focus on the people and personality rather than plot added to the charm, portraying itself as true-to-life and ultimately a story I enjoyed reading through. (After all, real life isn't a 24/7 MARVEL comic-book story with bad guys to defeat and cities to save… in truth, we're all living Herrings in one way or another.)

My favourite line from this book is:

"Well, at the end of it all," he said, "I guess you could say that I was willing to die so that people could eat. No matter all the stupid shit I've done, I'll always have this. Be able to say this about myself. And that's not nothing, huh." (paragraph 1, page 311)

In all, while Some Hellish may not be everyone's cup of tea (and if you can't stand the thought of reading the obscure existential crises of a middle-aged drunkard for 325 pages, this may truly be some hellish for you…), it is undoubtedly a book that merits its prestigious Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and one that deserves the recognition and praise it has now. With its poetic disquisition, memorable characters and environment, thoughtful philosophical overtones and humane message of hope, it is a truly unforgettable experience that I strongly urge any stoic, deep-thinker and enjoyer of moving storylines to dive into.

Overall, I give the book a solid 4.7 out of 5 rating.

I recommend this book!

The Artwork + Explanation

Before we begin, I’d like to first warn you of…

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!! 🚨 ‼️

So take caution before reading ahead…

Anyhow, here is the completed fan cover artwork and the explanations for its symbolism! Enjoy.

Thank you very much for reading. I hope you enjoyed this post and hopefully found your new fave! 😉

Thank you as well to DigitallyLit and Goose Lane Editions for the awesome read. 😎

And with that,

Rain out. ✌️