Staff Review: Compass Rose

Title/Author: Compass Rose - Anna Burke

Genre(s): Sci-fi, Dystopian, Climate Disaster, LGBTQ+

There was a movie in the 90’s called Waterworld. It was widely panned for being a ridiculous premise (as well as being the most expensive movie ever made at the time), however it wasn’t actually the premise, it was the execution. If you take such an idea—a far future dystopia where our climate issues just keep getting worse that the ice caps melt, and humanity is forced to abandon dry land as it’s too toxic to remain and live our their lives on boats and floating islands—and write it with more plausible science and an eye for character, you will get Compass Rose! This is an incredible book full of incredibly nuanced characters where no one is ever 100% good, or 100% bad. Future pirates, exciting adventure, drama to keep you on the edge of your seat...what’s not to love?! The first part of a (as of right now) trilogy, followed by Sea Wolf.

Reviewed by: Alex

Staff Review: Laughable Loves

Title/Author: Laughable Loves - Milan Kundera

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Short Stories, Humour

If you sometimes find Kundera's books too heavy, this book will be a change of flavour. Also with 7 short stories, Kundera humourously write about erotic relationships between the characters, the sort of mind games that lovers play, the facade we put on when we try to  impress someone and how sometimes we end up looking like a clown. This book is also Kundera's last book written in Czech and this is his last connection with his hometown, Prague. It is quite a transformation to see how the author gradually comes to terms with the Czech history from a humour-point-of-view.

Reviewed by: Ingrid

Staff Review: On the Origin of the Deadliest Pandemic in 100 Years

Title/Author: On the Origin of the Deadliest Pandemic in 100 Years - Elaine Dewar

Genre(s): Science, Journalism, 

There are going to be dozens of Covid related exposes in the coming months. Most of them won't compare to this. Canadian investigative journalist Elaine Dewar posits that there are avenues that were glossed over in the story of how all of this came to be and she has combed through all (seriously) of the source material to bring much of  what we know and did not know, to light. This reads like a political thriller in spots and seldom gets bogged down in overwrought reportage or agenda laden research.

Reviewed by: David

Staff Review: Man's Search for Meaning

Title/Author: Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor E. Frankl

Genre(s): Psychology, Therapy, Philosophy

Psychologist Viktor Frankl’s vivid description of the Nazi death camps and his experience of survival and loss is captured in this classic biography.  Frankl was born in 1902 in Vienna, Austria and trained as a psychologist until the dawning of the Holocaust.  Surviving in four death camps through the war, Frankl lost his parents, pregnant wife, and brother.  Man’s Search for Meaning has become one of the most influential books in contemporary culture, shifting the cultural focus of life away from a pure drive for pleasure towards a drive for meaningful living.

Reviewed by: Ben

Staff Review: Every Man Dies Alone

Title/Author: Every Man Dies Alone - Hans Fallada

Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Thrillers, World War II

Set in 1930s Nazi Berlin, this novel is based on a true story. From the psychological perspective of the characters, readers can also understand the mental turmoil that the author himself was going through during that period. It's a masterpiece about humanity, romance and politics at the same time. It touches the reader's heart when we read about Otto's rebellion.

Reviewed by: Ingrid

Staff Review: The Magician

Title/Author: The Magician - Colm Toibin

Genre(s): Historical Fiction, World War II, Biographical

I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff. Colm Toibin chronicles the life of Thomas (Death in Venice) Mann. The Mann family in early 20th century Germany is dealing with the death of the dominant father, when young Thomas comes to the fore. From there a life of a fascinating and contradictory man of letters is viewed through decades of war, triumph and disquiet. The Magician is a quenching literary novel that moves quickly and gets into all the corners of its subject.

Reviewed by: David

Staff Review: Thorn

Title/Author: Thorn - Anna Burke

Genre(s): YA, Retellings, LGBTQ+

Is Anna Burke quickly joining the ranks of one of my favourite authors? I think so! After my enthusiastic enjoyment of her Robin Hood reimagining, Nottingham, I sought out more titles by this writer, and came across Thorn, an imaginative retelling of Beauty and the Beast. This story follows Rowan, a city girl forcibly relocated to a village with her family due to financial ruin, Rowan herself used as a bargaining chip in an arranged marriage with the son of the village’s most powerful family. The beast is instead The Huntress, a woman of legend whose beauty is as cold as the perpetual winter that surrounds her castle high in the mountains. When Rowan’s father crosses her, his daughter is taken in payment for the misdeed, and in the Huntress’ cold realm, Rowan finds something unexpected: her life’s purpose, and possibly more. This story has the feel of a wonderfully classic Scandinavian folktale while also being a wonderfully modern fantasy. A highlight of the 2021 reading year!

Reviewed by: Alex

Staff Review: Not My Problem

Title/Author: Not my problem - Ciara Smyth

Genre(s): YA, LGBTQ+, Coming-of-Age

Set in Ireland and reminiscent of the hilarious, heartwarming show Derry girls. This is a Queer coming of age high school story with delightful characters that you will immediately fall in love with. At the center is a developing romance between the uptight, nerdy daughter of the principal and the witty, standoffish daughter of a recovering alcoholic. Both girls keep getting thrown together under chaotic circumstances that only escalate more as they form a group of unlikely friends. This story also explores the complex difficulties teenagers face from their parents, the complicated feelings of living with a parent who is recovering from an addiction, and the flaws of the education system in accommodating students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who are struggling with difficult home lives. At its core this book is about learning how to open oneself up to friendship and love, and accepting the help from people that care about you.

Reviewed by: Rosemary

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: Crossroads

Title/Author: Crossroads - Jonathan Franzen

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Family Life, Coming of Age

The Franzen haters likely won't be swayed, but Crossroads is a first rate novel. The Hildebrandts are a prototypical midwestern American family coming apart at the seams. Nothing new under the sun, but Franzen is a natural storyteller. Everything rings true, feels urgent and necessary and 500+ pages move very quickly. There's almost a warmth here that was not as evident in previous work, and it's most welcome. This year's fiction offerings are hard to top and this is (for me) at or very near to the top of the heap.

Reviewed by: David

Staff Review: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts

Title/Author: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts – Gabor Mate

Genre(s): Addiction, Self Help, Therapy

Gabor Mate, MD is a towering figure in the field of addictions.  His work has helped to bring to light the realities of addiction through research of the various ways it shows up.  In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts is an expose which smashes the common assumptions, stereotypes, and biases in society and recasts addiction less as a moral failing and more as a symptom of trauma.

Reviewed by: Ben

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: Razorblade Tears

Title/Author: Razorblade Tears - S.A. Cosby

Genre(s): Mystery, Detective Stories, African American Fiction

Full to the brim with rage, bloody revenge, and grief, Cosby's writing also bursts with humor and redemption. A Black father and a white father begin a desperate search for the murderer of their gay sons. Their sons fell in love, married, and started a family before being mysteriously murdered. Both fathers are plagued by their pasts and go through difficult transformations of character as they confront the harsh reality of the pain they caused their sons by not fully accepting them. An insightful exploration of racism, homophobia and parenting. Its a mystery crime thriller at its core with plenty of violence and fast paced action, as Cosby fuels every shocking twist and turn with visceral character development and emotional depth.

Reviewed by: Rosemary

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: Norwegian Wood

Title/Author: Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami

Genre(s): Literary Fiction, Psychological, Coming-of-Age

Murakami once said he hates people to read "Norwegian Wood" as a love story because it should be read as a story about lost souls in Japan. It is a timeless story about how teenagers at that time were constantly on a search for human touch and connection, and there's something painfully poetic about this.

Reviewed by: Ingrid

Staff Review: Halfbreed

Title/Author: Halfbreed - Maria Campbell

Genre(s): Biographies, Indigenous History, Women’s Stories

A captivating memoir of a powerhouse of a woman. Maria Campbell is a Métis scholar and an Order of Canada Award recipient- a household name, mentor, and inspiration to many Métis households and communities. Halfbreed discusses her experiences growing up and being Métis in Canada- exploring poverty, addiction, racism, and oppression. Originally published in 1973, Halfbreed is a key book in shaping Indigenous writing today.

Reviewed by: Isabel

Staff Review: Music from Another World

Title/Author: Music from Another World - Robin Talley 

Genre(s): YA, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+

This book looks at a particular time in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, namely the period from June 1977 and November 1978, between when Harvey Milk was elected and when he helped defeat California Proposition 6. The story is told through letters and journal entries between pen pals Tammy, who’s hiding the fact that she is gay from her fundamentalist Baptist family, and Sharon, living in the heart of San Francisco trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs. This is a wonderful book all about identity, human rights, how religion can be twisted into something ugly, and the importance of hope in the face of seemingly hopelessness, and has wonderful parallels to today's continuing struggle for equality, particularly in the US. 

Reviewed by: Alex

Staff Review: Nonviolent Communication

Title/Author: Non-Violent Communication – Marshall B. Rosenberg

Genre(s): Self Help, Therapy, Psychology

Rosenberg harnesses the power of non-violence to show a way of communicating that removes blame, increases mutual empathy, and challenges us to be clear with our needs.  A classic in the field of communication studies and psychotherapy, Rosenberg’s NVC method draws from a lifetime of clinical experience and challenges fundamental assumptions of the nature of emotions and feelings.

Reviewed by: Ben

Staff Review: A History of Canada in Ten Maps

Title/Author: A History of Canada in Ten Maps - Adam Shoalts

Genre(s): Canadian History, Expeditions, Georgraphy

The ultimate storytelling of European expeditions and strategy! How mapping and cartography shaped the colonizer's paths into and throughout what we now call "Canada". Shape a new understanding of euro-colony history- with ten key historical maps!

Reviewed by: Isabel

Staff Review: Persephone Rising

Title/Author: Persephone Rising - Carol S Pearson

Genre(s): Feminism, Psychotherapy, Self-Help

Dr. Pearson dives into the Persephone legend to uncover the four hidden archetypes within the story.  A depth psychologist, Pearson dissects the story to show how each character is relatable to us in different ways and invites us to connect with the narrative of our own life the same way we connect with characters external from us.  With a healthy level of analysis, exercises and journal prompts, Pearson guides us through the myth and invites us to step inside.

Reviewed by: Ben