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Book Club Staff Recommendations 2021
Owl’s Nest Books is your full-service store for book clubs. When your list
has been chosen, email the store at contact@owlsnestbooks.com
“Attention: Book Club Picks”. We will confirm availability and let you
know of any potential problems, then we’ll order the titles so your
members can pick them up at their convenience and at 10% off!
Books are listed in alphabetical order by author’s surname.
LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND by Ramaan Alam (2020)
Fiction, Hardcover, $34.99
On a quest for some serious relaxation time, a modern-day couple and their two teenagers head
out to an exceedingly remote corner of Long Island, New York. Shortly after settling in, a man
and woman who claim to own the vacation home appear out of nowhere, seeking shelter. They
claim to be escaping something horrific that has happened in New York City. Are they telling the
truth? Days pass, and mistrust turns to something else. Their lives may depend on the very
tenable bond that has formed. I loved how eerie and somewhat disturbed I felt throughout, to
the very end. (Mike)
AN UNNECESSARY WOMAN by Rabih Alameddine (2014)
Fiction, Paperback, $23.95
Aaliya Sohbi might be one of my all-time favourite literary characters. I fell in love with her
immediately. She’s feisty, fiercely independent, uncompromisingly true to herself, and an
ornery old woman in the best possible way. Having shunned all convention and tradition — be it
marriage, education, or religion — and giving up anything that might make her valuable in
Lebanese society — Aaliya is what her neighbours and family call an “unnecessary woman.”
Living alone in a squalid Beirut walk-up, Aaliya has dedicated each of the past 37 years
translating exactly one literary classic, and is debating what tome she should embark upon for
her 38th. Unseen by anyone’s eyes but hers, these works remain her steadfast companions, but
in the wake of further unrest in her city, Aaliya begins to question her life of solitude. (Autumn)
1EVIL GENIUSES: The Unmaking of America: A Recent History by Kurt Andersen (2020)
Non-fiction, Hardcover, $40.00
During the first six to seven decades of the twentieth century, a large and mostly contented
middle class emerged in the United States. Things have changed. Andersen explains how and
why the radical right in politics, economics, and finance managed to control so much, and wield
so much power, while leaving more and more Americans with dwindling economic prospects.
Not to mention hope for the future! Hugely informative, regardless of where you sit on the
political spectrum. (Mike)
ENTER THE AARDVARK by Jessica Anthony (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $21.99
Taxidermy is a strange craft, with an ethically conflicted provenance, shrouded in a murky
sheath of scientific tradition, superstition, and ancient mythology. Congressman Alexander
Paine Wilson is a rising Republican star obsessed with Reagan, hell bent on beating his
Democrat opponent Nancy Fucking Beavers, and a deeply closeted homosexual. He also has a
stuffed African Aardvark sitting on his doorstep and no idea who sent it or why, but it’s
attracting attention. A lot of attention, the kind that threatens to collapse his entire political
career. Somehow this short, razor sharp novel manages to expertly blend black-humoured satire
and heart-wrenching sincerity. Plus, you get to learn about taxidermy and how cool is that?
(Sarah)
MOSTLY DEAD THINGS by Kristin Arnett (2019)
Fiction, Paperback, $21.95
With pitch black humour, Mostly Dead Things tells the story of Jessa-Lynn Morton, a young
woman living in the Florida Everglades and tasked with the unfortunate duty of keeping her
family’s floundering taxidermy business afloat after her father’s suicide. Haunted by the
memory of her brother’s estranged wife — the only woman Jessa has ever loved — Jessa is
failing miserably at life. As she tries to keep her family from falling apart, her mother descends
into derangement — transforming her grief into absurdist taxidermied hybrid creatures set in
uncomfortably suggestive poses, while her brother’s plodding withdrawal from the world leaves
his own children feeling abandoned. Jessa wrestles with the troubling inaccuracy of memory —
and how sometimes what we choose to see isn’t always what’s in front of us. (Autumn)
THE PUSH by Ashley Audrain (2021)
Fiction, Paperback, $24.95
Blythe Connor is determined to be the present, loving parent to her children that she never had
herself, but when her daughter is born, and she struggles to bond with her daughter, even years
later, she begins to wonder if something is wrong with her — or is it something that is wrong
2with her daughter? The page-turning psychological drama will have you wondering until the last
page. (Tina)
ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrick Backman (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $24,99
A group of very diverse people are taken hostage while viewing an apartment for sale. The
hostage taker is a failed bank robber who has “issues.” In his best work since A Man Called Ove,
Backman serves up a wonderful batch of comedy and heartbreak. While reading, you can’t help
pondering the strangeness of the human condition. As a bonus, there’s even a mystery! I found
myself laughing and crying throughout this wonderful novel. (Mike)
THE FLIP SIDE by James Bailey (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $19.99
Poor Josh. In one fell swoop he has lost his job, his girlfriend, and his living place. Back home
living with Mum and Dad, unemployed and broke, he realizes that careful planning has gotten
him absolutely nowhere. So, for the next year, every decision will be made by the flip of a coin.
After all, things can't get any worse.... (Sandy)
BEATLEBONE by Kevin Barry (2015)
Fiction, Paperback, $21.00
They say it’s in the quiet hours that our ghosts come out to visit, but for 38-year-old John
Lennon, even the steady din and hum of the streets of New York aren’t enough to drown out
what’s haunting his head. In a creative slump, and battling not so much a mid-life crisis, as
impending creative obsolescence, the former Beatle needs a change of scenery — somewhere
he can write and exercise his primal scream therapy without anyone alerting the authorities. So,
demons safely stowed away in his suitcase, Lennon hops a flight to Ireland, intent on visiting the
island he vaguely recalls buying on a lark a decade earlier. A surrealist journey from island to
island, taxied about by an exceptionally unreliable narrator and chauffeur, Beatlebone is an
Odyssean reckoning. (Autumn)
NIGHT BOAT TO TANGIER by Kevin Barry (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $19.95
Meet Maurice Hearne and Charlie Redmond, two aging, long-time partners in crime who are
lounging in a ferry terminal off the Spanish Coast. They are dangerous men who share a history
of violence, romance and betrayal. They are looking for a woman who may or may not be
Maurice’s estranged daughter. Kevin Barry’s sparse and lyrical prose drew me into an
understated and menacing undertow. So much love and regret in all their many splendors.
(Mike)
3HOW TO BEHAVE IN A CROWD by Camille Bordas (2017)
Fiction, Paperback, $22.00
I’ve always been a sucker for any novel with a young protagonist — from Black Swan Green, The
Elegance of the Hedgehog, or The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, and I suspect it has something to do
with the heartbreak and hope that is so implicit in these characters. It’s certainly why I fell in
love with this novel about young Isidore ‘Dory’ Mazel, 11-years-old, and living with his six
prodigious older siblings in a small French town. As Dory struggles to hold his own amongst the
members of his exceptional family, it takes a tragedy for him to finally find his place in the
world. (Autumn)
RECIPE FOR A PERFECT WIFE by Karma Brown (2019)
Fiction, Paperback, $24.95
Karma Brown dives into questions of gender equality and the power dynamics within a marriage
in Recipe for a Perfect Wife. Jumping between a couple in the 1950s and a contemporary
couple, this thriller explores how much life in the suburbs has changed since the 1950s, and how
much it has not. There is danger in keeping secrets, but also power. The book also includes
classic and tasty recipes to try out for you next family dinner or book club get-together. (Ryan)
THE HILL by Ali Bryan (2021)
Fiction, Paperback, $24.50
In the near future, a group of feral girls survive by their own wits and follow the laws of the
Manual on the Hill, a reclaimed garbage dump they call home. The cardinal rule? Men and boys
spell danger. In order to survive and lead her community, Wren must sort fact from fiction, ally
from enemy, and opportunity from threat. This is a feminist dystopian novel that explores
gender, power, and the search for truth in a world defined by scarcity, distrust, and gender
politics. The Hill shines a light on the consequences of consumerism and environmental neglect
while reminding us what it takes to be a girl in this world. This book is a page turner and is
guaranteed to generate some serious book club discussion. (Stacey)
BLACK SUN RISING by Matthew Carr (2021)
Fiction, Hardcover, $34.95
Set in 1909 Barcelona, BLACK SUN RISING is riveting thriller combining real historical events and
characters with a sinister detective story of eugenics, racism, and nationalist paranoia. When
the scientist and explorer Randolph Foulkes is blown up in a random terrorist bomb attack,
private detective Harry Lawton is hired by the man’s widow to identify the beneficiary of a large
payment Foulkes had made shortly before his death. Harry Lawton is a broken man, has
epilepsy, and is highly likeable. I was immersed in the time period, culture, and the setting.
(Stacey)
4BLACKTOP WASTELAND by S.A. Cosby (2020)
Fiction, Hardcover, $36.50
I love a good tale about your past catching up to you. That’s exactly what happens to Bug
Montage, loving dad and honest mechanic living quietly in Appalachia, with a gritty past as a
wheelman for any crook with cash in hand. He’d left that life behind, but now he’s got a
daughter about to go to college and a mother being evicted from her retirement home. When
one last job promises to solve his financial woes, he can’t say no. This book is about so much
more than a heist gone wrong. It’s a raw lament over racism, intergenerational trauma, the
ever-present specter of poverty, and an unquenchable thirst for a better life. (Sarah)
INVISIBLE WOMEN: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez (2019)
Non-fiction, Paperback, $22.00
Ladies, you can stop chewing on your daily dose of aspirin — turns out, it’s not going to do you
much good in terms of heart attack prevention. But keep ‘em handy in case you injure yourself
— there’s a good chance your doctor won’t prescribe you pain medication should you need it.
Your husband on the other hand…. From seatbelts, Viagra, and even snow removal, Invisible
Women illustrates all the ways the world just isn’t designed for women — and how that can
compromise the health, safety, and advancement of 50 percent of the world’s population. If you
thought the wage gap was all women had to worry about in comparison to men, I assure you, it
is not. No question, this book is a sure-fire conversation-starter. (Autumn)
THE MARSH KING’S DAUGHTER by Karen Dionne (2018)
Fiction, Paperback, $23.00
Helena has a loving husband, two beautiful daughters, and a business that fills her days. But she
also has a secret: she is the product of an abduction. Her mother was kidnapped as a teenager
by her father and kept in a remote cabin. Born two years after the abduction, Helena loved her
home in nature, and despite her father's sometimes brutal behaviour, she loved him too...until
she learned precisely how savage he could be.
More than twenty years later, her father has killed two guards, escaped from prison, and
disappeared into the marsh. The police begin a manhunt, but Helena knows they don't stand a
chance. Knows that only one person has the skills to find the survivalist the world calls the
Marsh King — because only one person was ever trained by him: his daughter.
This is a tense psychological thriller that will keep you turning pages and offers loads to discuss
at book club about trauma, abuse, healing, forgiveness, and internal strength. (Stacey)
PULL OF THE STARS by Emma Donoghue (2020)
Fiction, Hardcover, $33.99
Dublin, Ireland in 1918 is still coping with World War I when the onset of the Spanish Flu makes
everyone’s life even more miserable. Nurse Julia Powers is struggling to manage an
5overwhelmed Maternity/Fever ward. Two exceedingly different but strong women will have a
profound effect on Nurse Powers. Bridie is an untrained “runner.” Dr. Kathleen Lynn’s character
is based on the historically real Dr. Lynn. The tension and suspense Donoghue packs into this
three-day slice of life is immense and powerful. She drew me into the ward and wouldn’t let me
out. (Mike)
THE MYSTERY OF HENRI PICK by David Foenkinos (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $22.95
In a small town in Brittany, France, is a library of manuscripts that were rejected for publication:
the faded dreams of aspiring writers. Visiting while on holiday, young editor Delphine Despero is
thrilled to discover a novel there so powerful that she feels compelled to bring it back to Paris to
publish it.
The book is a sensation, prompting fevered interest in the identity of its author — apparently
one Henri Pick, a now-deceased pizza chef from Crozon. Sceptics cry that the whole thing is a
hoax: how could this man have written such a masterpiece? An obstinate journalist, Jean-Michel
Rouche, heads to Brittany to investigate.
The Mystery of Henri Pick is a fast-paced satirical mystery and a tongue-in-cheek exploration of
the publishing business and the authors that strive to succeed or hide from the world. This is a
book lovers’ delight, and it will surprise you with powerful tenderness and astute observations
about people and the decisions they make. (Stacey)
THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $23.99
A celebrity wedding in a castle on an island off the coast of Ireland. Big budget, all-star guests,
designer gowns, fabulous food, what more could you ask? Drinking games by the groomsmen, a
ruined dress, and murder as an unexpected guest. (Sandy)
THE BEGUILING by Zsuzsi Gartner (2020)
Fiction, Hardcover, $29.95, (Paperback to be released August 2021, $19.95)
This is a story of grief, guilt, and confession. After the death of her cousin due to a series of truly
bizarre events, Lucy begins to have strangers approach her with their deepest confessions. As
people confess their guilt to her, Lucy must also deal with her own guilt of surviving her cousin
and rejecting the seemingly perfect life she led before her cousin died. In her book, Zsuzsi
Gartner asks questions about life milestones, the processing of grief, and the power of love and
loss to shape a person’s life. (Ryan)
6FIVE LITTLE INDIANS: A NOVEL by Michelle Good (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $22.99
Told from the alternating points of view of five former residential school students as their lives
cross, break, and build in Vancouver in the 1960s. Each character is as vivid as the next, each
setting transporting you, this important book captures the varying issues Canada’s First Nations
people face as a result of our past. (Tina)
THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS by Stephen Graham Jones (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $22.99
Horror is my jam, and literary horror is my unholy sweet spot. I’ve been a fan of Stephen
Graham Jones for years and this Indigenous chiller is dripping with cerebral dread. Four young
American Indian men break tribal law by hunting elk out of bounds and unleash an entity bent
on revenge that will claim them, and their children one by one. This story kept me up at night
and I found my heart breaking as much for the monster as the men. (Sarah)
LESS by Andrew Sean Greer (2018)
Fiction, Paperback, $20.99
A middle aged, not so successful artist is in a bind. Does Arthur Less stay in town to attend the
wedding of a former lover, or “run away?” His decision to attend a series of questionable
literary events in different corners of the world will lead to numerous and serious
“misunderstandings.” Greer’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel combines unique humour with
endearing poignancy as we stick with Less’s increasingly madcap adventures. (Mike)
F*CKFACE BY Leah Hampton (2020)
Fiction, Hardcover, $34.99
This collection of short stories is hilarious. And devastating. And frustrating. Leah Hampton’s
opening lines are a masterclass of prose writing and will immediately hook you whether the
story is about a wildfire firefighter, Dollywood, or a snobby academic giving a midnight tour of a
swamp. Hampton writes characters and situations grounded very much in reality which offer
readers the ability to see the magic in the mundane. (Jarad)
THE FOUR WINDS by Kristen Hannah (2021)
Fiction, Hardcover, $37.99
This compelling book is The Grapes of Wrath from the women’s point of view. When Elsa
Martinelli’s husband leaves her and their two young children to fend for themselves in the Dust
Bowl of the great depression, she must make impossible choices to keep her children alive and
by her side. (Tina)
7THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES by Kristin Harmel (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $24.99
Based on a true story from World War II. A young woman discovers a talent for forgery, helping
hundreds of Jewish children escape Nazi-occupied France. A wonderful, heartbreaking story of
finding strength in the face of fear and discovering talents that can literally save lives.
A good pick for book clubs that enjoy historical fiction. Offers a lot of possibilities for research
and comparison, as well as the ability to debate the protagonist’s choices. (Kristi)
THE SURVIVORS by Jane Harper (2020)
Fiction, Paperback $22.99
When a body is discovered on the beach of a small coastal community, it dredges up memories
of another lost boy, years before, for the families looking for answers. Guilt rises to the surface,
secrets long to spill out, and family bonds will strain in this page turning book. (Tina)
BOOK CHARMER by Karen Hawkins (2019)
Fiction, Paperback, $22.00
A young girl discovers that books in her local library talk to her — not just appeal to her
imagination, but literally talk to her. So naturally she grows up to be the town librarian! She has
a knack for knowing who needs what book — because the books tell her. An intriguing concept,
and a lovely look at small towns in America. (Susan)
A THOUSAND SHIPS by Natalie Haynes (2021)
Fiction, Paperback, $23.99
For lovers of The Song of Achilles, Circe, or The Silence of the Girls, this is the story of the battle
of Troy from the women’s varying points of view. From the Amazon princess who fought
Achilles, to the once noble women of Troy who are now slaves to Greek men; from Penelope
waiting for Odysseus to return, to the goddesses who started it all, these women are the true
life and heart of the classic story. (Tina)
WE ARE ALL THE SAME IN THE DARK by Julia Heaberlin (2020)
Fiction, Hardcover, $36.00, (Paperback to be released August 2021, $23.00)
A young cop, a small town, and an unsolved missing person case. Odette Tucker is driven to
discover what happened to her friend Trumanell, who disappeared years ago. When a mute,
one-eyed girl is found by the side of the road, Odette is determined to make sure this girl’s story
doesn’t end like Trumanell’s. A page-turning thriller, We Are all the Same in the Dark
demonstrates the importance of the characteristics and traits we let define ourselves, and the
power the truth can wield. (Ryan)
8CROSSHAIRS by Catherine Hernandez (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $22.99
Queer fiction has long led the charge of stories with big ideas that challenge, terrify, and thrill,
and this novel exemplifies those qualities. In near-future Toronto, devastating floods stoke the
fear and hatred of the privileged, giving rise to a powerful civilian militia with a mission to
eradicate immigrants, queer folks, poor folks, and anyone deemed to be other. This dark wave
spreads unchecked across the country, until a black drag queen, transgender refugee, and a
former social worker are recruited into a resistance movement that might be their last hope.
Prepare to confront your biases in this unflinching novel where humanity shines in all its
beautiful, messy, resilient diversity. (Sarah)
KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro (2021)
Fiction, Hardcover, $34.00
True to his Nobel and Booker Prize-winning form, Ishiguro has crafted a world not much
different than our own, but with slight —and morally questionable — adjustments meant to
improve quality of life. Klara, an “AF” or, artificial friend, is chosen as a companion for Josie, a
young girl suffering from a mysterious illness. The complete opposite of an unreliable narrator,
Klara sees the world around her with stunning observational precision. As she navigates the
concepts of love, empathy, and sacrifice, Klara encounters a moral dilemma: is there a thine
own self for an AF to be true to? Written by any other author, a novel of this sort would end up
on science fiction shelves, but from Ishiguro, this novel is entirely about the human condition.
(Autumn)
THE BRAVER THING by Clifford Jackman (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $24.95
Ships at sea are a sealed microcosm, a metaphor for societal structures. The Braver Thing tells
the tale of one of the last pirate ships to build a crew of free men and set sail in search of glory
and gold. But as the ship sails, the crew is asked to sacrifice certain freedoms in order to achieve
their common goals. Divided by the different styles of governing the ship, this book explores the
balance between true freedom and sacrifice for the common good. (Ryan)
WHEN THESE MOUNTAINS BURN by David Joy (2020)
Fiction, Hardcover, $36.00
Raymond Mathis’s son is in trouble. Again. Only this time there may not be a way to save him.
While ruminating on his son’s life and the growing drug problem in Appalachia, Raymond
struggles to do what is best for his son. Writing in a genre some call “Grit-Lit,” David Joy
describes Appalachian life in North Carolina with a blunt yet beautiful honesty. Having grown up
in the foothills of Alberta, I find there are many connections between this province and the
Appalachians and often use Joy’s work to understand my surroundings. (Jarad)
9PRETTY LITTLE WIFE by Darby Kane (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $23.99
Lila: calm, cool, impeccably dressed real estate agent. Married to Aaron, beloved high school
teacher with an independent income. When Aaron goes missing, the town is in an uproar, and
Lila is particularly worried because she was the last person to see his body, and it is gone; but
there is more than one dirty little secret waiting to be uncovered. (Sandy)
BREASTS AND EGGS by Mieko Kawakami (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $25.50
A rewritten version of her 2008 novella, Mieko Kawakami’s Breasts and Eggs serves as an
introspection on the bodies of women by the protagonist, Natsuko. In contemplating her sister
Makiko’s plan to get breast implants and her own intentions of undergoing in-vitro fertilization,
Natsuko ponders the ethics of motherhood and the societal impacts on women’s bodily
autonomy. In this book there is no pontificating. Instead, Kawakami invites readers to question
not only tradition, but progress made without forethought as well. (Jarad)
SAY NOTHING: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden
Keefe (2019)
Non-fiction, Paperback, $22.95
I had to sit with this story for a while before I could muster up a solitary “WOW” for a
Goodreads review after finishing it. At first glance, this is the tale of one of the most haunting
“disappearances” of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, that of Jean McConville, mother of 10,
who was kidnapped at gunpoint before her young children on a cold night in 1972. McConville, a
Protestant married to a Catholic, had no confirmed political or religious affiliation, but made the
grave mistake of offering aid to an injured British soldier outside of her tenement home —
setting off an irreversible chain of events still torturing her family decades later. But
McConville’s abduction is only one link in the chain that is this unputdownable history of
terrorism, subterfuge, and the naïve but deadly rock star revolutionaries of the IRA. (Autumn)
LAST GARDEN IN ENGLAND by Julia Kelly (2021)
Fiction, Paperback, $24.99
A multigenerational story set around one of the major gardens in England. From the original
designer of the garden through the person restoring it many years later, women’s lives,
triumphs, and losses speak through the decades. A beautifully written story that will spark
discussions and memories. (Susan)
10THE HOLLOW PLACES by T. Kingfisher (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $22.99
Kara discovers a mysterious bunker behind a hole in the wall of her uncle’s house. Freshly
divorced and living back at home, Kara starts exploring the bunker and discovers that it holds
portals to countless alternate realities. But these places are haunted by creatures that seem to
hear thoughts…and the more one fears them, the stronger they become. This is a horror story
with substance and humour that explores the meaning of family, friendship, and resilience.
(Stacey)
THE EXILES by Christina Baker Kline (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $23.99
True to the fate of many young women in nineteenth-century London, Evangeline finds herself
pregnant, disgraced, and sent to prison. She is sentenced to exile in Van Diemen’s Land, a penal
colony in Australia. On the long journey she befriends other women, and through times of
hardship, loss, sorrow, and challenges, they forge unbreakable bonds and find new ways of life,
and new chances to be free. (Tina)
THE CENTAUR’S WIFE by Amanda Leduc (2021)
Fiction, Paperback, $24.95
After a global meteor strike destroys the world as we know it, the survivors must organize and
work together to build a new life. But despite their best efforts, fear and failure drive the
survivors apart. Amanda Leduc explores how past hardships and trauma that seem to break a
person down can also serve to strengthen and prepare a person for hardships to come.
Heartbreaking and uplifting, The Centaur’s Wife subjects its characters to some of the most
sorrowful hardships and tragedies imaginable, but shows how determination, perseverance, and
love can allow for something new and good to be created from the ashes. (Ryan)
LUSTER by Raven Leilani (2020)
Fiction, Hardcover, $29.95, (Paperback to be released June 2021, $19.95)
Edie is the only black woman working at a children’s book publisher where she hopes to get
promoted from reception to illustrator. But when they hire another, younger, hungrier, lighter-
skinned black lady, Edie is fired. It’s racism, tokenism, an outrage. It’s also because Edie fucked
most of the men in the office and isn’t good at her job. So, lacking any other option, she moves
in with her married white boyfriend, his white wife, and their recently adopted 11yo black
daughter. It’s every bit as strange as it sounds but this book blew my mind. A story of
unconventional relationships, the surprising ways in which people bond, and what they can
teach each other. Raven Leilani’s prose is voracious, with a full set of teeth in each sentence.
(Sarah)
11KILL THE MALL by Pasha Malla (2021)
Fiction, Paperback, $25.00
After writing a letter in praise of "malls," the narrator is offered a "residency" at a shabby
suburban shopping centre. His mission: to occupy the mall for several weeks, splitting his time
between "making work" and "engaging the public," all while chronicling his adventures in
weekly progress reports. And then strange things start to happen. Things get hairy, literally and
figuratively.
Kill the Mall is hilarious and disturbing and a satirical critique of consumer culture. There is a lot
to unpack in this oddball yet highly intelligent novel. (Stacey)
THE DARK LIBRARY by Cyrille Martinez (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $20.95
The books in The Dark Library are alive: not just their ideas or their stories, but the books
themselves. We meet the Angry Young Book, who has strong opinions about who reads what
and why. He’s tired of people reading bestsellers, so he places himself on the desks of those
who might appreciate him. And we also meet the Old Historian and some very colourful
librarians. The Dark Library is a meditation on what libraries and books and reading mean in our
digital world. In turn funny, sarcastic, satirical, and poignant, Martinez, who is a librarian
himself, has written a love letter to the urban forest of the dark, wild library, where ideas and
stories roam free. (Stacey)
24 HOURS IN ANCIENT ROME: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There by Philip
Matyuszak (2020)
Non-fiction, Paperback, $12.95
A look into the history of Rome through the eyes of the ordinary citizens who lived there. From
the City Watchman, to the Slave, to the Priestess, to the Baker, to the Prostitute, to the
Gladiator, we learn the stories of what it was like to live in Rome, meeting a new citizen each
hour and seeing what life was really like.
A great pick for book clubs interested in non-fiction. Written with a storyteller’s skill, it feels less
like reading dry history and more like reading a story. With the detail provided for each person’s
occupation there is a lot to discuss, including how life in ancient Rome mirrors our lives today.
(Kristi)
MIGRATIONS by Charlotte McConaghy (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $24.99
Set in the near future, Migrations explores what the next great extinction may look like. The
Arctic tern is thought to be about to make its last great migration from the edge of the Arctic
circle, all the way to Antarctica. Franny Stone is determined to make the journey with the terns
and study them along the way. Throughout the journey, Migrations looks at the different
12perspectives of those effected by the climate crisis, from academics studying and preserving the
disappearing wildlife, to the trades people who rely on the continued existence of these animals
in order to make a living. (Ryan)
THE RISE OF WOLF 8 by Rick McIntyre (2019)
Non-fiction, Paperback, $24.95
A thrilling account of one park ranger’s work in reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone National
Park in the 1990s. Following the first wolves brought down from Canada into Wyoming,
McIntyre immerses himself in their journey, getting to know their personalities and their
relationships. Alliances shift, territories become battlegrounds, babies are born and lost, and
one little underdog will rise to become the greatest wolf of them all. This book is a high stakes
emotional adventure from start to finish. (Sarah)
WHY FISH DON’T EXIST: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller
(2020)
Non-fiction, Paperback, $23.00
A story of obsession, chaos, grief, murder, and fish… and every word of it true. Scientific
journalist Lulu Miller was at a crossroads in her personal and professional life when she learnt
about David Starr Jordan, the founding president of Stanford University and a taxonomist who
dedicated his life — and possibly sacrificed others’ — to catching, preserving, and classifying
each and every possible species of fish. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake decimated
Starr Jordan’s first collection, and his singular quest to find order in the disorder began to take
its toll on his sanity, he goes to further and further lengths to ensure his legacy — which, as it
turns out, may have been for naught. Miller’s writing was sparse but captivating, driving a
surprisingly dark natural history. (Autumn)
DIRTY BIRDS by Morgan Murray (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $22.95
After the year we have all experienced I wanted to offer at least one lighthearted and hilarious
option and that is Morgan Murray’s Dirty Birds. The odyssey of Milton Ontario follows him from
Bellybutton, Saskatchewan to Montreal and beyond as Milton attempts to follow his hero
Leonard Cohen to become a poet. However, Milton is painfully average in every way and his
writing reflects it. Where this novel truly comes alive is in the voice of the narrator as Murray
presents tidbits of Canadian factoids while inviting readers to laugh at the ludicrous situations
Milton attempts to navigate. This book is especially great for anyone who has moved from a
small town to a big city, but it can easily be enjoyed by everyone lucky enough to pick it up.
(Jarad)
13MEMORY COLLECTOR by Kim Neville (2021)
Fiction, Paperback, $23.00
This debut novel looks at what power objects have over us all. We collect (or refuse to collect)
items that bring us memories when we look at them. Some objects haunt us, others bring us
happiness. Kim looks at how we can use the objects to heal or to continue being hurt.
A collector of objects starts to accumulate so many items that carry a negative energy, it starts
to make her neighbours ill. The healing starts when she hires someone to help her create a
museum of memory to heal instead of injure. A compelling story. (Susan)
HAMNET AND JUDITH by Maggie O’Farrell (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $24.95
This impossible to put down novel is the story of Shakespeare’s wife and children, where the
bard himself plays very much a side role. Instead, it is written of the real people and events that
would have inspired him, and indeed led to one of his best-known plays: Hamlet. This book will
completely transport you back to this time and place, with each character catching you and
dragging you in. (Tina)
BLITZED: Drugs in Nazi Germany by Norman Ohler (2016)
Non-fiction, Paperback, $21.99
Did downers play a role in the uprising of the Third Reich? Did uppers lead to its downfall? Drug
use and abuse in the Nazi regime isn’t exactly a secret at this point, but from the top down, the
Germans were definitely the originators of “Big Pharma” and the war on drugs — all due to the
aid and innovation of Dr. Theodor Morell, Adolf Hitler’s personal physician. Svengalian master
manipulator? Or bumbling shyster in WAY over his head — that’s for the reader to decide. But
put it this way, even Walter White knew not to smoke his own supply. Outrageous, droll, and
utterly absorbing. (Autumn)
THE SWITCH by Beth O’Leary (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $22.99
Overachiever, Leena Cotton, is suffering a burn-out, and work has just forced her on a two
month leave of absence. Her grandmother, Eileen, has just had grandpa run off with their dance
instructor and is ready for a second chance at love. The trouble is that Leena doesn’t know
anything else but work in her life in London, and her grandmother knows too much about every
available bachelor in her rural Yorkshire town. They decide to switch places for the two months
and hilarity ensues! As they take on each other’s duties and friendships, they both are surprised
by exactly what they need. (Tina)
14WHEN WE BELIEVED IN MERMAIDS by Barbara O’Neal (2019)
Fiction, Paperback, $21.95
What happens when your dead sister is suddenly shown on international TV? Kit has to fly to
New Zealand to find out why her sister, dead in a terrorist attack many years ago, is suddenly
shown fleeing a fire. Mystery and suspense ensue, but also the revealing of memories and
secrets. Secrets prevent growth and understanding — but revealing them can almost break a
person. Engrossing on so many levels. (Susan)
THE MIDNIGHT BARGAIN by C.L. Polk (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $24.95
Shortlisted for Canada Reads 2021 and the Nebula Awards 2021. Local author. A romantic story
about a young sorceress who is determined not to get married and be forced to set aside her
magic in favour of children. But when she meets a young man who makes her feel things she
never felt before she starts to question her choice.
A great pick for book clubs that enjoy regency romance stories with strong female characters.
While it is set in a fantasy world with magic, the general theme of women being forced to give
up what they find important in life in favour of marriage and children is universal. A great book
for discussion on society as a whole and the decisions the protagonist makes within the confines
of the rules society dictates she live by. (Kristi)
THE TRAVELERS by Regina Porter (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $23.00
Two families, one black, one white, and their intertwining story spanning from the 1950s to
present day, from small town Georgia to Manhattan. Family sagas that get you hooked on
characters only to leave them behind within a few chapters aren’t usually my favourite, but
Regina Porter weaves a narrative so compelling and propulsive I couldn’t not put this book
down. What I loved most about this story was the theme of what families pass down through
generations, a legacy of prejudice, love, secrets, and violence. Though I read the book months
ago I still think about these characters and their journey of reconciliation. (Sarah)
ROSE CODE by Kate Quinn (2021)
Fiction, Paperback, $24.99
Kate Quinn’s special area of interest is World War II and the years immediately afterwards. This
time she is writing about the Enigma code breaking project at Bletchley Park.
Has this been done before by others? Clearly, yes. Has it been done like Kate Quinn can do? No.
One paragraph tells you more about the times and the personality of a character than most
writers put into a chapter. Compelling reading, with great historical detail about the times, and
fascinating characters. (Susan)
15THE BARREN GROUNDS by David A. Robertson (2020)
Fiction, Hardcover, $21.99, (Paperback to be released August 2021, $12.99)
Reminiscent for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Barren Grounds tells the tale of two
Indigenous youth who discover a gateway to another world in the attic of their foster home. In
this other world, the kids meet figures from their cultural stories and must help them end an
endless winter. This book starts a conversation about reconciliation and introduces Indigenous
vocabulary and culture. (Ryan)
NORMAL PEOPLE by Sally Rooney (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $21.00
Normal People is a best-selling love story. Oh dear! Perhaps we should give it a miss. Sometimes
though, best-selling love stories deserve every ounce of praise, accolades, and awards it gets.
Marianne and Connell are teenagers who attend the same high school is County Sligo, Ireland
and later, Trinity College Dublin. Their on/off relationship is intense as they weave in and out of
each other’s lives. Rooney’s writing is so strong I had the sense of reading my own thoughts. She
has an uncanny skill of getting to the interior of a character’s life journey. (Mike)
QUIET IN HER BONES by Nalini Singh (2021)
Fiction, Hardcover, $36.00, (Mass Market to be released 2022, $19.99)
New Zealand author Nalini Singh has an incredible talent for drawing a reader into her
characters’ lives and emotions. She has taken this approach to her new thriller, in which you
don’t quite know what’s real and what’s fake through most of the book. A great look at the
upset a woman’s disappearance can cause, and the even greater disruption that occurs when
she is found. Good for character studies and mystery readers. (Susan)
THE DEEP by Rivers Solomon (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $19.99
Inspired by a song co-written by Daveed Diggs (best known for his role as Thomas Jefferson in
Hamilton), The Deep explores one of the most troubling and little-known aspects of the African
slave trade — the femicide of pregnant women held captive on slaving ships. If found to be
pregnant, many would be thrown overboard and drowned so as not to drain resources. The
Deep gives a voice to these women and is a short but brutal Afro-futuristic allegory about
intergenerational trauma and the complexities of one’s innate need to connect to history,
despite the unbearable burden of re-traumatization. In striking prose, it illustrates the
dichotomy of being both robbed of and beholden to a past you never chose. (Autumn)
16MONARCHS OF THE SEA: The Extraordinary 500-Million-Year History of CEPHALOPODS by
Danna Staaf (2020)
Non-fiction, Paperback, $21.00
Before mammals, there were dinosaurs. And before dinosaurs, there were cephalopods.
Cephalopods, Earth’s first truly substantial animals, are still among us: Their fascinating family
tree features squid, octopuses, nautiluses, and more, and they presided over the sea for millions
of years. In Monarchs of the Sea, marine biologist Danna Staaf unspools how these otherworldly
creatures once ruled the deep — and why they still captivate us today. A perfect non-fiction pick
for your book club that will shine a fresh light on cephalopods, and the author’s enthusiasm for
these incredible creatures is highly contagious. (Stacey)
THE SUN DOWN MOTEL by Simone St. James (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $22.00
In 1982, Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to pay for the move she takes a job as
the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. But something isn’t right at the motel.
In 2017, Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously
disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and visit the
motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself
ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.
The Sun Down Motel is a psychological thriller and contemporary ghost story that will immerse
you in the setting and keep you turning the pages. Discussion points include family, loyalty,
independence, and the lingering impact of evil. (Stacey)
THE LION’S DEN by Katherine St. John (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $21.99
Like a train wreck you can’t look away from, and like a cross between Agatha Christie and the
Real Housewives of Somewhere Rich, this very entertaining novel will have you reading with
your jaw hanging open in disbelief (and guiltily loving every gossipy moment of it). Belle’s
exceedingly rich friend, Summer, invites a very select few friends for a birthday cruise through
the Mediterranean on her billionaire boyfriend’s yacht: The Lion’s Den. Hoping for a dream
vacation, Belle soon realizes she is in a nightmare, and it will take all of her wits, and some of
her acting skills, to stay alive until the yacht docks. (Tina)
SHUGGIE BAIN by Douglas Stuart (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $25.50
Around once a year I find myself in a mood for a Big Sad Book and Shuggie Bain did not
disappoint. This Booker Prize winner chronicles a working-class family in 1980s Glasgow, fallen
on hard times and driven to public housing on the edge of a pit mine. The story’s namesake is
the youngest child of Agnes Bain and really this is her story. A woman who can’t quite close her
17heart to terrible men, or her enduring true love, the bottle. The Bain family hangs together by a
few fraying threads with Agnes navigating her alcoholism and Shuggie navigating Agnes and his
confused queer kid troubles, all surrounded by a coal dusted cast of neighbours that will make
you cringe and cry. (Sarah)
A CERTAIN HUNGER by Chelsea Summers (2020)
Fiction, Hardcover, $38.95, (Paperback to be released October 2021, $24.95)
This one is for the foodies out there — you little deviants, you. Dorothy Daniels is a renowned
food critic known for her scathing reviews and her fearlessness in the face of some of the most
daring cuisines in the world. Fugu, casu marzu, sannakji; she’s tried everything, except… the
most taboo take-out ever. It’s then that Dorothy starts wondering if her ravenous lust for the
men in her life might better serve her other appetites. It’s Basic Instinct meets Barefoot
Contessa meets Orange is the New Black… with a protagonist who’d have made Anthony
Bourdain blush. Deep, dark, and deliciously funny. (Autumn)
HENCH by Natalie Zina Walschots (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $23.99
Shortlisted for Canada Reads 2021. After Anna, a young woman who works as a “hench” for
supervillains, is injured by a superhero when not a threat, she begins to turn her considerable
talents to understanding exactly how much damage superheroes do in the name of “good” and
using that to fight back against the idea of these so-called saviours.
A fantastic book for book clubs who enjoy looking at stories from a different perspective. You
really begin to question why we worship heroes when they always seem to do more damage
than the bad guys. (Kristi)
THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP by Susan Wiggs (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $23.99
The unexpected death of Natalie Harper’s mother leaves her reeling. It also leaves her stuck
with a financially ruined bookshop, and an ailing Grandfather who she wonders how she will
ever take care of. She hires a local contractor to help her try to fix things up and they both
discover artifacts hidden away in the walls of the bookshop that may save both the business and
their broken hearts. (Tina)
THE END OF OCTOBER by Lawrence Wright (2020)
Fiction, Paperback, $23.00
An epidemiologist from the WHO stumbles upon a new form of hemorrhagic fever in an
internment camp in Indonesia, and his investigation will lead to staggering repercussions.
Meanwhile, the deputy director of U.S. Homeland Security scrambles to mount a response to a
rapidly spreading pandemic, with all the evidence pointing toward a biowarfare attack.
18A great pick for book clubs who enjoy thrillers and medical mysteries. Offers a ton of options to
pick apart the decisions made by all the people involved in the process and discuss if things
could have been handled better. (Kristi)
FIELD NOTES FROM AN UNINTENTIONAL BIRDER: A Memoir by Julia Zarankin (2020)
Non-fiction, Paperback, $24.95
A fascinating memoir of a woman who discovers herself through her unexpected new hobby.
Julia manages to make the hobby of birding accessible to those who don’t understand it, but she
also makes clear how the support of a community can be life-altering. Her life takes her on
unexpected journeys, and she brings us along with her. A great read for birders and non-birders
alike. (Susan)
PUTNEY by Sofka Zinovieff (2018)
Fiction, Paperback, $21.00
In the Bohemian enclave of her parents’ Putney cottage, 9-year-old Daphne meets the
charismatic composer Ralph Boyd, the great love of her life. But decades later, when Ralph is
very publicly accused of sexual abuse, Daphne is forced to re-evaluate their relationship. Putney
is riveting and timely in the wake of the #MeToo movement — I've very rarely read a book with
such detailed subtleties. The precise nuances of manipulation, egotism, and profound damage
done are devastating. Ralph's infatuation and grooming of the spritely, free-spirited, 9-year-old
Daphne, to his thinly veiled disgust towards a now aged Daphne is one of the most discomfiting
passages of literary time I've ever sat through. Sofka Zinovieff is an absolute master storyteller.
(Autumn)
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