Catherine Coles
Coles’ Notes
No matter what else you have planned for this summer, I hope picking up a great book or two is on your list! Library staff are always happy to lend a hand with suggestions and even share a few titles on their TBR (“to be read”) as inspiration. Below, a few library staff share what they are most looking forward to reading this summer. For more suggestions, check out our “Summer Reading Special,” which will be accessible through our website at CountyLibrary.ca and social media on Friday.
Amy, Supervisor, Amherstview Branch
- Lady Sunshine by Amy Mason Doer (available Jun 29) will transport readers to 1970s sunny California. After inheriting The Sandcastle, a sprawling estate that was once a gathering place for musicians, artists and free spirits, Jackie finds a way to bring it to life again while trying to solve a 20-year-old mystery that reveals dark secrets.
- The People We Keep by Allison Larkin (available Aug 3) is the moving account of a young woman who, against all odds, forges her path in the world of American folk music in the 90s.
- Rock the Boat by Beck Dorey-Stein (available June 29) is the story of old friends who discover how much has changed (and how much has stayed the same) when they reunite in their seaside hometown for one unforgettable summer.
Coleen, Technical Assistant
- Billy Summers by Stephen King (available Aug 3) follows the titular Billy Summers, a gun for hire who will only target those who are truly bad. He’s one of the best snipers in the world, but he’s done with the gig — just after this one last job.
- Trejo by Danny Trejo (available July 6) is the surprising true story of actor Danny Trejo’s journey from crime, prison, addiction, and loss to unexpected fame as Hollywood’s favourite bad guy with a heart of gold.
- The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid (available June 8) is a debut novel inspired by Hungarian history and Jewish mythology. It follows a young pagan woman rescued by a disgraced prince. She makes a tenuous pact to stop his brother from instigating a violent reign.
Kate, Programming & Outreach Coordinator
- Easy Crafts for the Insane by Kelly Williams Brown (available July 6) is a “mostly funny” memoir in which the author describes how she used crafting to help her cope with a series of adverse events in her life, including a failed marriage, unrelated bodily injuries, and her father’s cancer diagnosis.
- We Want What We Want by Canadian Alix Ohlin (available July 21) is a collection of thirteen darkly humorous stories that examine the idea of thwarted desire being a source of pain in the world.
- How Y’all Doing? By Leslie Jordan (available now) is comprised of entertaining stories about the odd, funny, and unforgettable events in the author’s life, echoing his signature droll, irreverent voice.
Patricia, Library Assistant, Napanee Branch
- Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand (available June 1) is a satisfying beach read that finds a woman succumbing to a hit-and-run car accident in Nantucket, only to ascend to the “beyond” where she can keep watch over loved ones for one last summer.
- Blush by Jamie Brenner (available June 22) is the story of a so-called “trashy” book club resurrected by one college-aged woman to reconnect her family.
- Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins (available June 8) follows a recently widowed man whose late wife has left him letters, one for every month in the year after her death. Joshua is led on a journey of pain, anger and denial that eventually makes room for laughter and new relationships.
Julie, Readers’ Services Coordinator
- The Spectacular by Canadian writer Zoe Whittall (available Sept 14) is a novel that shifts perspectives and time periods, capturing three very different women who each struggle to build an authentic life.
- The Wonder Test by Michelle Redmond (available July 6) follows a widowed FBI agent who grows suspicious of her son’s school and the aptitude test it will soon be administering to students. Is there a sinister link between the test and the Silicon Valley elite?
- Operation Angus by Terry Fallis (available Aug 31) is the long-awaited follow-up to The Best Laid Plans and The High Road. This comic spy story heralds the return of Angus McLintock, an accidental Member of Parliament.
While most of the titles mentioned are forthcoming, you can place holds today with your library card at CountyLibrary.ca.