Staff Review: Gods Behaving Badly

Title/Author: Gods Behaving Badly - Marie Phillips

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Magical Realism, Comedy, Mythology

This novel tells the story of the Greek Gods attempting to survive in modern-day London. They're dying and need saving, but they've got nobody to save them - or so they thought. Enter our heroine, a shy and modest cleaning lady. The survival of not only the gods, but the entire world, is at stake when our beloved TV psychic Apollo screws up big time.

Marie Phillips knows how to make her readers giggle. She slams you straight into a love-hate relationship with each and every God and Goddess from page one. This book was genuinely so hard to put down, and quickly became one which I recommend to all my friends. A must-read if you are in need of a laugh!

TLDR; Gods Behaving Badly is witty, fast-paced, and hilarious.

Reviewed by: Nat

Staff Review: The Cafe Books

Title/Author: Before the Coffee Gets Cold - Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Magical Realism, Time Travel

Yes, another novel about time travelling. But no, this is not another "Back to the Future" kind of Sci-Fi. This novel is a philosophical book about mending regrets with the people you value. *Spoiler* You do not get to change the past, BUT what if you get to meet some people one last time? Tell them once more you love them, hold their hands one last time, would it mean something? Sometimes time travelling is not only about changing the past, but also doing something for your own good. A book about relationships, teaching you to treasure the present and the people. It's never too late

Title/Author: Tales from the Cafe - Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Magical Realism, Time Travel

Back with a second novel, sequel to his acclaimed "Before the Coffee Gets Cold", Kawaguchi once again writes about the myth of time travelling in this cafe. However, the golden rule about this myth is you cannot change the past in reality. Even so, customers still want to go back in time once more to meet with their loved ones one last time, just to make amends. Dive in, discover the complicated, yet simple personal stories of the customers and their reasons for revisiting the past and enjoy that one last cup of coffee with their loved ones.

Reviewed by: Ingrid

Staff Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Title/Author: The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman

Genre(s): Fantasy, Modern Fairtales

Out of Neil Gaiman’s storied career, I often feel like Ocean at the End of the Lane often gets missed or glossed over in favour of bigger titles like Good Omens or American Gods, but I feel this one stands firmly on it’s own. It’s a fairytale in the classic sense, you’ve got a young boy finding himself in a situation that starts out benign that turns out to be more fantastical than he could possibly imagine, the struggle between light and dark, and a hint of danger. You also have the boy, now a middle-aged man, recounting his tale like some of the best stories do. This book also delves into celtic mythology, and functions as a remarkable look at how perceptions change over time.

Reviewed by: Alex

Staff Review: The Pump

Title/Author: The Pump - Sydney Warner Brooman

Genre(s): Short Stories, Magical Realism, LGBTQ+

Brooman's debut collection of short stories reads like a mixture of magical realism, horror, and Southern Ontario Gothic. Each story adds to the terrifying world of The Pump - a small Ontario town that has become so polluted by local factories that its entire ecosystem has become completely disturbed. Together Brooman's stories entwine to rope you further into each character's unsettling tale, with prose haunting and elegant. The world that Brooman creates is the real highlight of this debut. Dare to enter the corrupted life of The Pump at your own risk.

Reviewed by: Shelby

Staff Review: Son of a Trickster

Title/Author: Son of a Trickster – Eden Robinson

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Magical Realism, Indigenous, LGBTQ+

Blending the modern realities of being a teenager growing up in the BC Interior with the mysteries of Haisla legend and spirituality, Son of a Trickster follows the daily struggles of 16 year old Jared Martin as he tries hard to excel in school, while making a name for himself locally as the best baker of pot-cookies, all while having random conversations with corvids, whales and creatures that come out of a hole in his bedroom.

Reviewed by: Ben

Staff Review: Gods of Jade and Shadow

Title/Author: Gods of Jade & Shadow - Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Genre(s): Fantasy, Magical Realism, Folktales

A girl who has been forgotten and pushed aside rebels against her status to seek adventure in this rich and enrapturing fairytale. Moreno-Garcia’s writing sparkles off the page to reveal a dazzling 1920’s Mexico steeped in magic and mythology, weaving stories of Mayan gods, sorcerers and the underworld into a quest for freedom and fulfillment of dreams. Casiopea will find herself face to face with the gods of Xibalba, with ghosts with glittering promises and with her own willpower. Is her path of love and loss already written in the stars that she gazes up at so fondly?

Reviewed by: Rosemary