Catherine Coles
Coles Notes
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 enjoyed this month. Some are brand new, and some are old but timely; there’s fiction and non-fiction and even young adult. Hopefully you’ll find something that piques your interest!
Karen S. suggests Gone to Pot
by Jennifer Craig
“An entertaining read about Jess, close to getting her pension but not quite there, who loses her job and most of her investments all in the same day.
It’s tough to get a new job at 64, and Jess eventually turns to growing pot in her basement, which leads her to some zany new friends and new revelations about old friends. Gone to Pot is one of this year’s Evergreen nominees, and will be getting my vote!”
Patricia suggests Things to Do When it’s Raining
by Marissa Stapley
“Things to Do When It’s Raining by Canadian author Marissa Stapley takes us to the heart of the 1000 Islands and the home of Mae, Gabe, Lily and George at the Summers’ Inn. Mae was orphaned at age 6. Gabe had an alcoholic father. Both were raised by Mae’s grandparents Lily and George at the Summers’ Inn overlooking the river that speaks to them all. It was at the Summers’ Inn where there first fell in love and where after more than a decade they are reconnected.
Mae returns home hoping to find comfort after a failed relationship but is met with the decline of her grandparents and a lifetime of secrets. Gabe returns to say goodbye to his father and the small island home that has haunted him. Stapley’s characters and her readers explore love, loss, family, friendships and secrets that can haunt us and set us free.”
Andree suggests Vi
by Kim Thuy
“Vi by Kim Thúy is an evocative, lyrical read. The story shifts between past and present flawlessly. Vi is a Vietnamese girl who escapes to Canada with other ‘boat people’.
Her fascinating journey brings her full circle as years later she returns to Vietnam for work. Every phrase in this short book reveals a wealth of meaning. The experience of refugees who must reinvent themselves in new countries is brought home with beauty and dignity.”
Kelly suggests I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
“This is an absorbing and compelling read about one woman’s obsessive search for the person who terrorized and frightened residents of California from 1974 to 1986. McNamara sacrificed time with her family (and lots of other things) to relentlessly search through mounds of evidence to find the “needle in the haystack” that would identify this person.
The book is a mash of McNamara’s completed chapters and her unfinished notes as she died during the writing of the book. Last month, a former police officer was arrested for the more than 50 rapes and 12 murders based on controversial genetic evidence. It may be that McNamara’s book was instrumental in solving the case as it shed light on the story of the criminal and his victims.”
Caitlyn suggests Grendel’s Guide to Love and War by A.E. Kaplan
“The battle between Tom Grendel and Rex Rothgar is heating up. Who will still be standing when the dust settles? Join Grendel as he confronts noisy neighbours and residual family issues, chats up old ladies, and falls hard for the girl that plays the game better than others.”
Kristin suggests The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeny
“Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeny is a very impressive author and I’m so glad I got to know the Plumb family in her debut novel The Nest.
This novel introduces us to a dysfunctional New York City family and all their problems, which will be sure to have you turning the pages feverishly through this hilarious read in order to find out what happens next.
In The Nest, the four adult Plumb children have been counting on their inheritance: Melody has two daughters to send to college, Jack needs some cash to keep his struggling business afloat and Beatrice is years overdue with her second novel. However, when their fresh-out-of-rehab oldest brother, Leo, loses it all, the siblings must reshape their futures as sparks begin to fly when years of simmering tensions finally reach a breaking point.
This story is about the power of family, how friendships help us cope, the ways we depend on one another and let one another down. A remarkable cast of characters are brought together to show us just what money can do to relationships and the troubled (yet unbreakable) ties we have with those we love.”