North by 2000+ by H.A. Hargreaves

I've been participating in LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program for several years now. Most of the time, I choose books from authors or publishers whose names I recognize, but once in a while, I select a book that is totally new to me. Frequently, I've ended up disappointed but the odd time that I hit upon a real gem, it's a great feeling.

Recently, I won North by 2000+, a collection of science-fiction stories originally published over several decades by author H. A. Hargreaves. Given how much I enjoy both sci-fi and Canadian literature, I really ought to have heard of Hargreaves before now, but his output has been relatively small compared to other better-known sci-fi writers. An earlier version of this collection, entitled North by 2000, had been published in 1975, and this new anthology, containing 5 additional stories and an introduction and afterword by Robert Runte, was recently released by a small independent publisher, Five Rivers Publishing.

I enjoyed the stories very much, particularly "Dead to the World", "Cainn", "Tee Vee Man" and "More Things in Heaven and Earth". Alhough these stories were written many years ago  and there are some discrepancies between the future as Hargreaves had envisioned it and the reality as it is today, the stories do not feel dated. It is Hargreaves's exploration of human relationships, to one another and to the environment, in an imagined setting that makes the stories memorable. I also found Runte's commentary on "Canadian science-fiction" and how it differs from that of the British and American tradition thought-provoking.

Having experienced hits and misses with small publishers, I was genuinely surprised by the quality of the writing. I recently finished all the short stories and novelettes nominated for this year's Hugo awards, and certainly, Hargreaves's stories would not suffer in comparison. I'm glad that Five Rivers Publishing has chosen to reprint his work, as it deserves a wider audience.

Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom by Susin Nielsen

Susin Nielsen’s first book, Word Nerd, is one of my favourite young-adult novels of the past few years, and it had won a number of Canadian book awards. I looked forward to reading this second novel but I did wonder if it would live up to expectations, and I'm happy to report that I enjoyed it just as much as the first.

The story centres around twelve-year-old Violet who is trying to cope with her parents' separation, especially the fact that her father is now living with his young and beautiful second wife in a luxurious home in Los Angeles. Dismayed with the string of losers that her mother had found through dating services and worried about her most recent romantic interest, Violet attempts to set her mother up with the ideal man, George Clooney.

Like Word Nerd, this novel features hilarious situations, heartwarming moments, and quirky memorable characters. A few of the characters from the first book reappear in this one in more minor roles, and I was more than pleased to encounter them again, as I particularly love Nielsen's portrayal of her characters. She has a way of making each person unique, no matter how "ordinary" he or she is.

In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination by Margaret Atwood

In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination is a collection of essays by Margaret Atwood based loosely on the theme of science-fiction. Because they cover a broad variety of subjects and are taken from her writings and lectures over the past several decades, they are rather disjointed, and occasionally, there is some repetition of ideas.

I enjoyed in particular Atwood’s reflections on her own novel The Handmaid’s Tale and the controversy it has spawned since its publication in 1985, as well as her thoughts on 1984, Brave New World and Never Let Me Go. I also liked her sentimental yet analytical look at comic books, which made up a large part of her childhood reading, as they did my own.

People I know seem to either love or hate Atwood’s work. I belong in the former category, and I frequently find her observations clever and thought-provoking. If you’re not an Atwood fan already, I’d suggest giving this collection a miss, as there may be too many personal reminiscences to be of interest. However, if you’ve enjoyed her novels and essays, then this book is worth a read.

Among Others by Jo Walton

For the first time ever, I joined WorldCon as a supporting member and consequently got access to their Voter Packet. An amazingly good deal for only $50, the packet includes downloads of almost all the nominated works. Included was Jo Walton’s Among Others, a nominee in the best-novel category. Walton is a Welsh-Canadian author who makes her home in Montreal.

I liked this book very much but thought that it was an unusual choice for a Hugo nomination. First, it is not in any way a science-fiction novel; rather it is about science fiction. Throughout the book, the main character Mor comments on the novels (mostly but not all from the sci-fi and fantasy genres) she has read and is reading. Indeed, the novel seems very much Walton’s fond and nostalgic inventory of all the novels she herself had read as a youth. This may all be too much for readers who are not fans of sci-fi, but given that I’d also spent many hours as a teenager devouring many of the same books, I found the commentary quite enjoyable.

It’s also questionable whether this could be called a fantasy novel. Certainly, Mor talks about fairies and magic, and she calls her mother a witch. However, it is not always clear what is real in the context of the novel and what is a product of Mor’s imagination. She even wonders herself if certain events that had happened were caused by magic or simply events that would have occurred in any case.

However you want to classify this book, it is a lovely coming-of-age story. Through her passion for sci-fi and fantasy, Mor, who had always felt like she did not fit into the world, finds like-minded people who care about what she has to say. She also starts to build a bond with her estranged father through their shared interest in books. In addition, this novel pays tribute to libraries and librarians, and as a lifelong user of libraries, how could I not love that?

The Last Song by Eva Wiseman

In this young-adult novel by Canadian writer Eva Wiseman, the main character Isabel lives in Spain during the time of the Inquisition. Troubles start when it is revealed that Isabel’s parents have Jewish roots. To protect her from the dangers associated with her family’s past, her parents betroth her to a man from a respectable family, even though she finds him despicable and cruel. When her father is arrested, Isabel realizes she must act quickly to save his life.

Kate had also read this book, and we both enjoyed it. However, parts of the novel read very much like a history lesson, albeit a worthwhile one, and other parts seemed rushed. This novel is very short, which makes it an excellent read for middle-school or older reluctant readers, but I can’t help thinking that a fuller treatment of the characters and plot would have turned this from a good book into a great book.
Thanks to Tundra for this review copy, which I received through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

Red Maple Mini Reviews - 3# Fanatics (and Stones)

by William Bell

Fanatics is on this year's Red Maple list, but as it is a sequel to Stones, I decided to read and review both books together.

Garnet Havelock has never been good at school, and now, in his final year of high school, he's just waiting to get out and go into the carpentry business. However, during a class debate about love at first sight, he meets Raphaella and falls in love. Together, they discover the existence of a ghost named Hannah, stoned to death 150 years ago because of the colour of her skin and doomed to haunt a trailer park until she has brought her murderers to justice.


In the next book, Fanatics, Garnet, while trying to find a place to set up his shop, meets Ms. Stoppini and strikes a deal to rent the coach house on the estate of the late Professor Corbizzi. In exchange, he must repair the damage to the professor's library and study. However, while cleaning up the library, he finds a secret manuscript titled 'Fanatics' that results in the unveiling of an old problem surrounding theocracy. At the same time, Garnet accidentally witnesses what he thinks is a gang of terrorists.

One thing that was very interesting was how these two problems intertwined and ended up being the same message about how killing people in the name of a religion is wrong. It applied the same problem to modern and past events and presented the solution in a persuasive way that anyone could understand.

Something else that I found with both books was that they covered a lot of topics. You don't find many books that have romance, action, terrorists, social justice, history, and paranormal activities. The characters were also well-rounded. Bell vividly portrayed their unique personalities and throughout the stories, there was much character development. Overall, I thought this was a fantastic book and am hoping that a third will come out next year. However, I would recommend reading Stones before reading Fanatics.

Reviewed by Kate

The Dragon Turn by Shane Peacock

Kate and I are both huge fans of Shane Peacocks’ award-winning Boy Sherlock Holmes series, which started with The Eye of the Crow. Each book has been suspenseful and true to the world created by Arthur Conan Doyle. A big strength of the series has been the development of the young Sherlock Holmes, with entirely plausible explanations of how and why the character had evolved into the familiar detective we know from Doyle’s classic novels.

Perhaps it is because the first four novels had been so strong that I find The Dragon Turn somewhat of a disappointment. Of course, this means that the latest in the series is merely a good story rather than an exceptional one. The Dragon Turn is about two rival magicians and the disappearance of the woman that had been married to both of them in turn. As before, Irene Doyle and the Lestrades, father and son, play significant roles in the story. The plot is, as usual, exciting and fast-paced, but I missed the exploration of Sherlock’s character and history that was more prominent in the earlier books.

This is not Shane Peacock’s best, but still, the series is well worth reading, for both those well acquainted with the Sherlock Holmes character and those meeting him for the first time.

Red Maple Mini Reviews - 2# Haunting Violet

by Alyxandra Harvey

Violet Willoughby is convinced that ghosts don't exist. Having participated in her mother's fake séances, she has learned that ghosts are just ways to scam people of their money. However, when she has terrifying hallucinations of a drowning girl, she learns that while she doesn't believe in ghosts, ghosts believe in her. She later finds out that the girl was Rowena Wentworth, who had drowned last year. With suspicious actions by everyone, Violet must find out who the murderer was before another person gets killed.

I found this book has a little bit of something for everyone: romance, action, suspense, fantasy, history, and mystery. It always kept me on my toes wondering who she was going to be betrothed to, if her mother was going to be found out as a fake, or if she would be killed by Rowena's murderer. I would recommend this book to young adults who like a well-rounded story.


Reviewed by Kate

Red Maple Mini Reviews - 1# Home Truths

by Jill MacLean

Brick MacAvoy plans to escape his abusive father and negligent mother the minute he turns sixteen. However, when he learns that his little sister, Cassie, is just as vulnerable to his father's attacks, he realizes he needs to stay and protect her. Throughout the book, he learns that he's just as bad as his father by bullying other kids. In the end, he comes to the realization that he's a bully and decides to never hurt other kids again.

I found this book very inspiring and meaningful. The author found an effective way to introduce the topic of bullying and I understood it a lot better than any teacher ever explained it to me. The fact that the characters seemed very realistic helped me appreciate the effects of bullying.


Reviewed by Kate

The Accident by Linwood Barclay

This is the fourth Linwood Barclay thriller I’ve read and they have all been enjoyable if somewhat formulaic. His novels typically involve a small-town middle-class guy, a family man who is well educated but not quite working at his potential. This very ordinary person suddenly gets caught up in an extraordinary chain of events and discovers disturbing secrets about his family, neighbours and friends.

In this particular novel, the main character’s wife is killed in a car accident, in unexpected circumstances that seem completely contrary to everything he knows about her character and history. Unwilling to believe the police’s account, he investigates further and finds a complex chain of events leading to her death.

Despite the predictability, I cannot seem to put Barclay’s books down. They are extremely readable, well-paced, and scary because the characters are so ordinary. That family could be yours. The dialogue and characters are completely believable even if the plot seems highly unrealistic at times.

The Accident is not a deep or challenging read. It’s just a really good way to spend a few hours if you enjoy mysteries and thrillers.

Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks

Intrigued by the premise and the cover design, I picked up Queen of Hearts from a bookstore recently. This is the first book by award-winning Canadian author Martha Brooks that Kate and I have read. The novel is an honest and touching account of life in a sanatorium as seen through the eyes of a French-Canadian teenage girl during the World War II years.

Marie-Claire and her two younger siblings are put into a sanatorium in southern Manitoba after contracting tuberculosis from their uncle, who had succumbed to the illness. Marie Claire must deal with worry and fear for her sister and brother, despair about her own situation, and anger with her parents’ inability to cope with the tragic situation.

In the sanatorium, Marie Claire’s constant companion is Signy, a needy girl that she befriends with great difficulty. In the development of this relationship, Brooks examines the obligations, pains and awkwardness of friendship as well as the joys. In an environment where people are slowing dying, friendship necessarily encompasses a range of emotions, including not so pleasant ones like pity, revulsion and guilt. Yet, in this bleak environment, there is also happiness, love, and even hope for a future life outside this tiny enclosed world.

Eric Walters- Part 3

The Falls

When Jay Hunter, a fourteen-year-old boy, discovers some hidden family history, he's hooked on the story about his great-grandfather, Harold Jamison. As he digs deeper, he finds out that his great-grandfather was a famous river man. He also finds the same barrel that he went over Niagara Falls in. In an attempt to sell the barrel to a daredevil museum, he meets Boomer Williams, another famous river man, and discovers a challenge that he can't resist.

The Falls is an interesting and educational book, but I it found slightly slow-paced. However, this book would be perfect for young adults who enjoy realistic fiction.

Rating:****

Reviewed by Kate.

Eric Walters- Part 2

Fly Boy

Fly Boy is one of Eric Walters' more suspenseful books. It is set mostly in England during World War II. I think the description on the back of the book is more accurate than I could ever do, so here it is:

It's 1943, and World War Two is raging across Europe and around the globe. Seventeen-year-old Robbie McWilliams can't wait to follow in his father's footsteps and enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force-he wants to become a Spitfire pilot and fight for his country. The only problem is that he's still too young to join. So with a little help from his best friend, Chip, Robbie devises a plan that will allow him to enlist early and keep it a secret from his mother, from his schoolmaster, and most important, from the authorities at the RCAF.

Using the birth documents issued to his older brother who died in infancy, Robbie joins the air force and begins his training in Brandon, Manitoba. He aces all his classes and shows the makings of a great Spitfire pilot, but is dealt a huge blow when he's assigned to train as navigator on a Lancaster. Soon he's on his way to England, where he completes his training on treacherous missions bombing German targets in enemy territory, all the while wishing he were training to be a pilot. One of his bombing missions goes awry, though, and Robbie is about to learn that you should be careful what you wish for...

This book is exactly what anyone would look for in an adventurous historical fiction book. Its suspense-filled pages keep you on your toes and it's accuracy makes it educational as well as interesting. I would recommend it to anyone.

Rating:*****

Reviewed by Kate

Eric Walters- Part I

Alexandria of Africa and Beverly Hills Maasai

Alexandria of Africa and Beverly Hills Maasai focus on Alexandria Hyatt, a spoiled and rich fifteen-year-old girl. When she is caught shoplifting, she is faced with the decision of going to a juvenile detention center or joining a diversion program in Africa. When in Africa, Alexandria befriends Ruth, the daughter of a Maasai warrior. Throughout her entire life-changing trip, she learns about the difficult conditions people in third world countries live in and becomes a different person.

I would recommend this book to people who enjoy Eric Walters' writing, but find some of his books scary. This book is "lighter" than his others and doesn't have the same tension and suspense. I would also recommendd this book to people who like inspiring books, that make you see a new perspective to events or situations. Overall, this book was a good read, even though I prefer some of his other books.

Rating: ****

*When we met Eric Walters at the Silver Birch Awards, we mentioned that we had read We All Fall Down for our Mother/Daughter book club. He suggested that Alexandria of Africa would also be a good choice.

Reviewed by Kate

Interview with Nan Forler

Nan Forler has answered some questions about her book, Bird Child, and her life as an author.

Q: What inspired you to write this book? Did the story come from a personal experience?

A: I am often asked this question, but to be honest, Bird Child did not come from a particular incident. As a teacher, I see a great deal of bullying. I wanted to empower kids with the knowledge that we can each make a difference in the life of another. The idea of standing up for someone who needs you is a message that has always been close to my heart and this came across through my writing.

One day, I was driving home through the country, listening to Erik Satie, and the idea of flying beyond these difficulties came to me. I pulled over and jotted down my ideas and this was the beginning of Bird Child.

Q: Do you think you are more like Lainey or Eliza?

A: First of all, I must tell you that I love this question. No one has ever asked me this before!

I think growing up, I was probably more Lainey. I was quite shy and I am not sure I would have had the confidence to stand up and say stop. I remember both bullying others as a bystander within a group, and also being bullied. Bullying seemed to be an accepted part of growing up back then. I think we are finally seeing it for what it is: cruel anti-social behaviour that can destroy the life and self-esteem of another.

As an adult, I believe I have become an Eliza and I really focus on convincing others - my children, my students, or groups of students at a reading - to speak out when they see injustice. My husband and I have done some traveling in developing countries and this has made me painfully aware of the global injustices in the world. We really try to live our lives and raise our kids to be aware of injustices in our community and in our world and to do something about it. Craig and Marc Kielburger and Greg Mortensen have some great books for kids and adults on these topics. One of my favourites for parents is “The World Needs Your Kid” by Craig and Marc Kielburger.

Q: How did you come up with the message, "Look down and see what is. Now, look up and see what can be." Was this told to you by your own parents?

A: No, this message did not come to me from my parents, though my parents did instill in me a deep respect for all and a belief that everyone should be treated with equality and dignity. I think the message came from the idea of flight. I am big on description and after I described what Eliza was seeing from the air, both above her and below her, the line about looking upwards toward possibilities evolved.

Q: What do you suggest to people who are being bullied or watching someone get bullied?

A: I think the most important thing you can do is to not be silent. Talk with an adult about the bullying you are experiencing or the bullying you are witnessing. Speak with a parent or a teacher or anyone you trust. If that adult doesn’t seem to listen, or does nothing, tell another adult. Not only can an adult intervene to stop the situation, if necessary, but he or she can also give you the courage, support and guidance for you to stand up to the bully.

Speaking up and telling the bully to stop and challenging the bully to see the point of view of the person being bullied is also a brave and important step to stopping the bully. When we do nothing, we are giving the bully more and more power.

And finally, befriending the person who is being bullied, even standing close to that person, takes some power away from the bully and gives the person being bullied greater confidence and a needed sense of belonging.

I recently read an amazing quote by Martin Luther King Jr. that said, “It’s not the violence of the few that scares me. It’s the silence of the many.”

Q: Do you write full time? Or do you have another job?

A: In addition to being a writer, I am a mother and a teacher. I currently teach Kindergarten in Kitchener. Though it takes time away from my writing, teaching and being out in the world gives me much inspiration. I also get ideas from my own children and the things they say and do.

Q: What is the first thing that you think about when you sit down to write? How do you start a story?

A: I rarely start a story by sitting down and writing. I usually take little notes on the backs of napkins, scraps of paper, sticky notes. I notice something when I am out somewhere or think of an idea I want to explore. That idea keeps growing and changing in my mind and in notebooks long before I actually sit down to begin the story. With a picture book, I like to have the entire arc of the story in my mind before I begin. With a novel, I write little chapters and excerpts, not necessarily in order, until a story begins to form.

When I have the story ready in my mind, I like to read the very best books I can find, in the style I am trying to achieve. This seems to give me a rhythm for my writing and something great to strive for. Just as watching Sidney Crosby can improve your hockey game, reading great books can really improve your writing abilities!

Q: Are you working on any other books now?

A: I do have a couple of new books coming out. In Fall 2011, I have another picture book forthcoming with Tundra Books about an Old Order Mennonite girl. This is a subtle coming-of-age story told through a series of narrative poems. The poems go through each month of the year and describe little happenings in the life of Naomi, such as trying to ride her brother’s bike that she is forbidden to ride, attending her first quilting bee, and imagining a dress in a more “worldly” fabric. There is a recipe, using seasonal ingredients, to accompany each month.

I am especially excited about the illustrations for this story. Peter Etril Snyder is an amazing artist, specializing in artwork depicting Old Order Mennonites. He has come out of retirement for this commission. He is using my 9-year-old daughter as the model, as Old Order Mennonites cannot be photographed because of their faith. We take specific pictures and he sends us the sketches and paintings. It has been an exciting process.

I also have something coming out for the educational market this fall that will be in the form of a Big Book and CD for classroom use. Scholastic is actually setting my kid’s poem to music and I am looking forward to that!

After that, I will hand my editor some more of my work and see if something catches her eye. I have a number of picture book manuscripts completed and I have some partial novels on the go. As my children are getting older, I am spending the summer reading as many novels for young people as I can find, and I may see if this genre wears off on me a bit. A novel is a big commitment and I want to make sure I find a topic I can live with for an extended amount of time.

My mom and I would just like to say a big thanks to Nan Forler for answering all our questions!

Bird Child

My kids are in their preteen/teen years now, so I haven't kept up with newer picture books. However, I kept running into author Nan Forler, who lives in my community, and decided to pick up Bird Child, published by Tundra Books.

The story is about Eliza, a girl who can "fly". Ever since she was a baby, her loving mother has been encouraging her to see all the possibilities in her life. One day, she sees children bullying the new girl at school, Lainey. Summoning her courage, Eliza shows how she can indeed "see what can be" and make things better in the world.

The writing is lovely and lyrical, and the story conveys a great message for kids. With the stunningly beautiful illustrations from Francois Thisdale, this book would make an excellent gift for a special child.

Coming soon: Kate's interview with author Nan Forler!

Reviewed by Paulina

Two by Marthe Jocelyn

I had the good fortune to win recently two books by Canadian writer Marthe Jocelyn through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. Both novels are published by Tundra Books.

Folly was released just this spring, and it is a young-adult historical novel based in the late 1800's. The title refers to the folly of Mary, a young woman working as a servant in a London household. Through Mary's eyes and those of three other characters, we see how the consequences of her actions are played out.

This is a well-written, easy-to-read and engaging story that shows the brutal reality of life for the very poor in Victorian London. The paths of the characters intertwine and slowly work toward a satisfactory, if perhaps somewhat predictable, ending.

Would You?, published a year earlier, is also written for teens. It is set in contemporary times and it is an honest account of how a teenager deals with the days following an accident which sends her older sister into a coma. It is a short, intense novel, in which the ordeal is seen through the eyes of the narrator, Claire.

One aspect of the novel I particularly liked is how Jocelyn contrasts the unthinkable with the mundane. This is not so much a novel that one enjoys but rather experiences, and I found at times, it was hard to put down. Would You? is a fast, easy read in simple language suitable for a reluctant teen reader.

After reading both books, I am most impressed by Jocelyn's range. If there's one thing that Jocelyn does particularly well, it's that she gives characters believable voices, whatever the setting may be. On a personal note, I was pleasantly surprised to find out from the bio on Jocelyn's Web site that she spends her summers in Stratford, Ontario, a town I visit regularly to attend the Shakespeare festival. It's always nice to find talent just around the corner.

Reviewed by Paulina.

48-Hour Reading Challenge: Update 5#

Hi! Kate here again. Unfortunately, we've run out of pie, but luckily, we have brownies.

Here's the latest update.

My update:
Hours of reading: 9.5
Books finished: 2
Books in progress: 2

Paulina's (Mom's) update:
Hours of reading: 14.5
Hours of listening to audiobooks: 2.5
Books finished: 3
Books in progress: 2

Paulina's list of finished books:
- Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant
- Say What? The Weird and Mysterious Journey of the English Language by Gena K. Gorrell
- Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston

Kate's list of finished books:
- The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
- No Small Thing by Natale Ghent

Mom has started another book called Everything Asian. She continues to listen to Wolf Hall on her iPod.

I have started on the sequel to No Small Thing by Natale Ghent, All the Way Home. We had our Mother-Daughter book club earlier this morning, so I wasn't able to read much. I'll give more details later. I'm also reading an Abby Hayes book in french for school.

No Small Thing is a moving book about Nat, Cid and Queenie- three siblings. Their father had left them and their mother four years ago, and their mother was struggling to pay for hydro, electricity, food, etc. One day, they find an ad in the newspaper offering them a free horse, and they jump to the chance. Luckily, their mom lets them keep it, but, a few months later, the barn catches on fire.

I thought the year the book was set in, 1977, was an unusual choice for a kid's book. Parents of kids reading this book would have likely been kids then, and my dad already tells me enough "Back in the old days...." stories.

However, the book turned out to be better than I expected. It was not one of those My Little Pony books for younger kids. It even had a bit of romance. It also surprised me that the kids stole a lot, but I guess when your mom can't even pay hydro, you might feel tempted. This book overall was great. I recommend this book for ages 10+.

Word Nerd

Being a huge Scrabble fan, I have to use, for my first blog review, one of my favourite young-adult books of this past year. Word Nerd by Susin Nielson is published by Tundra Books and, just a couple of weeks ago, it won the Ontario Library Association's 2010 Red Maple award.

Word Nerd is a wonderful book about 7th-grader Ambrose who, friendless and bullied, lives a lonely life with his over-protective mother until he meets an ex-convict neighbour and discovers the world of competitive Scrabble.

Nielsen describes the same competitive Scrabble subculture that Stefan Fatsis portrays so brilliantly in Word Freak (mentioned in Nielsen's acknowledgments) but from a teenager's perspective. Having been a tournament Scrabble player myself, I can confirm that Nielsen gets it right. She succeeds in describing the eclectic mix of personalities that get drawn in by this game and conveying the reasons why it's so easy to become obsessed by it. However, the book is about so much more than Scrabble. It's about gaining your independence, casting aside your prejudices and finding the place where you really belong.

There are a few mild and humorous references to Ambrose's emerging sexuality, so even though some booksellers include this book in the 9-12 age category, parents of younger children may want to wait a bit before introducing this book. It is certainly an appropriate and easy read for middle-school children.

Reviewed by Paulina