The staff of the County of L&A Libraries are avid readers and always eager to share their favourite books. Here we bring you a list of some of the reads we’ve recently enjoyed. This month you’ll find compelling non-fiction titles, charming historical fiction and even a shocking horror novel set in Quebec! I hope you’ll find something that piques your interest.
Jennifer suggests Fierce by Lisa Dalrymple
“As Lisa Dalrymple explains in her introduction, Fierce is full of stories that make you think, ‘Whoa! She really did that?’ and ‘Why haven’t I heard about this?’ Incredible true stories of Canadian women previously relegated to the sidelines of history are brought to life in sharp, action-packed biographies.
“Each woman’s story highlights personal strengths like mental and physical perseverance in extreme circumstances. An excellent critique follows each story, as Dalrymple reveals the impact of historical bias: ‘how do we know what we know’, ‘what do we know’, and ‘what don’t we know’.
“Fierce offers a fantastic primer on the value of digging up overlooked accomplishments to bring balance to Canadian identity.”
Julie suggests Seven Days by Patrick Senécal
“Warning: this book is not for the faint of heart. The book blurb teases that it is for fans of Stephen King’s Misery but Annie Wilkes will look like an angel after you see the havoc Dr. Bruno Hamel wreaks in Patrick Senécal’s Seven Days.
“When Hamel’s daughter is killed and the killer found, he takes justice into his own hands by kidnapping the killer and giving police seven days to find them. He vows in those seven days he will subject the killer to torture and if the police have not found him at the end he will end of the killer’s life. Senécal leads the reader on a tense, stomach-churning journey to see if the man who claims he has nothing left to lose gets his redemption or if the revenge he sought leaves him a hollow shell of a man.”
Kristin suggests Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict
“In this charming tale, Marie Benedict returns with another imaginative novel exploring the perspective that a woman was the main influence behind one of America’s greatest philanthropists.
“What if Andrew Carnegie fell in love with a young servant? Would it change our view and opinion of this historical magnate? And what if that servant so profoundly influenced him that he would transform from industrial tycoon to a man dedicated to spending his vast wealth on charitable endeavors, such as building free lending libraries for average people? This novel was a true pleasure to read since it combines a graceful writing style with immense historical details.”
Kelly suggests Homes: A Refugee Story by Abu Bakral Rabeeah and Winnie Yeung
“Homes: A Refugee Story is the true, self-told story of Abu Bakr’s young life. Fleeing Iraq to the safety of Syria, the family soon finds itself in the middle of yet another conflict. Deeply moving, this heartbreaking and quick read is packed with violence and fear, but always the love of family and friends brings people through. Richly poetic in places, you get a feel of the sounds, smells and sights of life for this family (and so many others) that lived, and still live, in war torn areas.
“Eventually, some of the family finds a way to Canada leaving so many others behind. Overcoming so much to survive, it is, of course, a new experience as family members find their footing in this new country making new friends and connections to their communities. That a hopeful memoir comes out of so much unease is wonderful.”
Marg suggests My Lovely Wife by Samantha Dowling
“The soon to be released debut novel My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing may just be your guilty reading pleasure of 2019! It is an extremely dark, twisted and compulsively readable tale of the seemingly perfect couple next door who are anything but perfect.
“Millicent is a high-end real estate agent and her husband Tobias is a tennis pro working at an exclusive country club. They live with their teenage son and daughter and lead a normal suburban life…or so they would have you believe.
“In reality their extracurricular activities are anything normal, they like to keep their marriage interesting in a very unusual and illegal manner. These people are seriously disturbed and disturbing! To say much more would be giving too much away. I would suggest this book for fans of Paula Hawkins, Clare Mackintosh or Ruth Ware as well as for fans of the television show Dexter.”
All of these titles can be reserved from your library branch or online at www.countylibrary.ca.
– Catherine Coles