Throw the curtains open and spring clean your reading list with May's newest releases! This month's hot reads feature debut authors and well-known voices, including a few with a local connection.
Woman, Watching: Louise De Kiriline Lawrence And The Songbirds Of Pimisi Bay by Merilyn Simonds
From local author Merilyn Simonds, a remarkable biography of an extraordinary woman -- a Swedish aristocrat who survived the Russian Revolution to become an internationally renowned naturalist, one of the first to track the mid-century decline of songbirds.
Hidden Kingdom: Exploring The Microscopic World In Our Forests, Homes, And Bodies by Keith Seifert
In this illuminating account, esteemed career mycologist Keith Seifert reveals the important role that microscopic fungi, including yeasts, molds, and slimes, play in our lives, all while remaining invisible to the naked eye. Divided into sections, each one exploring a different environment where fungi thrive, The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi introduces readers to the fascinating world of mycology.
God Isn't Here Today by Francine Cunningham
For fans of Chuck Palahniuk, Joyce Carol Oates, and Karen Russell, the stories in Francine Cunningham's debut collection God Isn't Here Today ricochet between form and genre, taking readers on a dark, irreverent, yet poignant journey led by a unique and powerful new voice.
Son Of Elsewhere: A Memoir In Pieces by Elamin Abdelmahmoud
From one of the most beloved media personalities of his generation comes a one-of-a-kind reflection on Blackness, faith, language, pop culture, and the challenges and rewards of finding your way in the world. Professional wrestling super fandom, Ontario's endlessly unfurling 401 highway, late nights at the convenience store listening to heavy metal--for writer and podcast host Elamin Abdelmahmoud, these are the building blocks of a life. There is a Kingston connection as Abdelmahmoud settled in Kingston with his family after leaving Sudan at age 12.
This Is How We Love by Lisa Moore
From the celebrated author of February and Caught comes an exhilarating new novel that asks: What makes a family? How does it shape us? And can we ever really choose who we love? As the snowstorm of the century rages toward Newfoundland, twenty-one-year-old Xavier is beaten and stabbed in a vicious attack. His mother, Jules, must fight her way through the shuttered streets of St. John's to reach the hospital where Xavier lies unconscious. When a video of the attack surfaces, Jules struggles to make sense of what she sees in the footage -- and of what she can't quite make out.
While Xavier's story unfolds, so, too, do the stories that brought him there. Here, across families and generations, are stories of mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers; of children cared for, neglected, lost, and re-found; of selfless generosity and reluctant debt.
All The Seas Of The World by Guy Gavriel Kay
Internationally bestselling author Guy Gavriel Kay brilliantly evokes a near-Renaissance world in this sweeping novel of vengeance, power, and love.
Kiss The Red Stairs: The Holocaust, Once Removed by Marsha Lederman
Kiss the Red Stairs is a compelling memoir by award-winning journalist Marsha Lederman, who delves into her parents' Holocaust stories in the wake of her own divorce, investigating how trauma migrates through generations with empathy, humour, and resilience.
Half-Bads In White Regalia by Cody Caetano
Capturing the chaos and wonder of a precarious childhood, Cody Caetano delivers a fever dream coming-of-age garnished with a slang all his own. Half-Bads in White Regalia is an unforgettable debut that unspools a tangled family history with warmth, humour, and deep generosity.
Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner
Natalie Jenner, the internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society, returns with a compelling and heartwarming story of post-war London, a century-old bookstore, and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world.
We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story by Simu Liu
Marvel’s newest recruit shares his own inspiring and unexpected origin story, ranging from China to the bright lights of Hollywood. An immigrant who battled everything from parental expectations to cultural stereotypes, Simu Liu struggled to forge a path for himself, rising from the ashes of a failed accounting career (yes, you read that right) to become Shang-Chi.
Take Your Breath Away by Linwood Barclay
A gripping psychological thriller about a formerly missing woman who has suddenly returned under mysterious circumstances.
