June Bestsellers
1. Full Disclosure by Beverley McLachlin
2. Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
3. Building on River by Jean Van Loon
4. Lost Ottawa by David McGee
5. Less by Andrew Sean Greer
6. The President is Missing by J. Patterson & B. Clinton
7. The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
8. A Legacy of Spies by John Le Carre
9. Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley
10. Master of Persuasion by Fen Osler Hampson
Greetings Book Lovers!
Well, we all wished for summer…we’re not sure that sweltering heat waves are quite what we had in mind though. At least it’s not snowing. That does seem like a small comfort when you find yourself sweating before nine o’clock in the morning, just by standing still outside. Thankfully, we can think of at least one activity that we can all do in this type of weather without completely doing ourselves in…reading! Not only can you do it while lying in front of a fan or in a shady spot beside the pool, but the energy it takes to turn the pages is negligible! Luckily, the worst of the heat seems to have passed (for now), but it’s always good to be prepared for these things. So, be sure to pop in to see us (the store in air-conditioned) and stock up on great reads to get you through any forthcoming summer heat waves!
Although we love reading anytime of year, there’s nothing quite like finding that perfect summer read! No matter where you’re spending your hot, sunny days, the most important thing is not who you spend it with, but which books you bring with you! So, in an effort to facilitate your choosing and help you reach ultimate summer reading enjoyment, here are some of our top picks from among the most recent releases. Swimming with Bridgeport Girls by Anthony Tambakis is a funny, wacky, and slightly insane story about the lengths one man will go to to win back the woman he loves. With a warrant out for his arrest, his ex-wife shacking up with a bookie who wants to kill him, and the sudden appearance of an inheritance from his long-lost father, Ray Parisi has had more than his share of unusual experiences recently. Add to that a hair-brained scheme to win his wife back and you get a hilarious, dysfunctional love story that will keep you laughing from start to finish! With a whiff of Agatha Christie’s Poirot and a splash of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Rachel McMillan‘s Murder at the Flamingo is a fun, sparkly murder mystery with just a hint of seedy underbelly. Featuring Hamish DeLuca and Regina “Reggie” Van Buren, two unlikely sleuths fleeing the lives their high society parents have lined up for them, this 1930s set mystery takes readers through the glittering doors of the swanky nightclub The Flamingo, where all is not as it seems and a killer must be stopped before the encroaching darkness overshadows them all!
After hitting all the right notes in her previous novel The Party, Robyn Harding is back with another, even more chilling story, perfect for fans of Shari Lapena, Paula Hawkins, Cynthia Swanson, and Ruth Ware. Her Pretty Face is the ultimate psychological thriller in which readers find themselves on unsteady ground from start to finish! As you try to weave your way through the mire of disingenuous characters, uncomfortably obsessive love, and endless twists and turns, you very well might start to anticipate a horrible outcome while simultaneously hoping we’re wrong. When you don’t know what’s real and what’s not, which characters to take at their word and which to completely disregard, you know you’re in for an emotion-laden rollercoaster ride of a book! After loving Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave and The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan so, so much, picking up AJ Pearce‘s new novel, Dear Mrs. Bird, was one of the easiest decisions we had to make this month! Set in London during WWII, this book introduces us to Emmeline Lake who, in an attempt to do her bit for the war effort, answers a job advertisement in the paper with dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent. But when a series of misunderstandings dash her high hopes and land her typing letters for a renowned advice columnist, Emmeline must find her own way to help the women searching for answers in a time of incredible uncertainty and upheaval. Writing with wit, charm, and emotion, Pearce is a very welcome addition to our bookshelves – at home and here at the store!
Since summertime often means packing a bag and traveling to foreign shores or jumping in the car to discover unexplored nooks and crannies a little closer to home, what better time than now to read a fascinating travel memoir? The late, great, and wonderfully prolific Peter Mayle has gifted us this month with a new (and final) volume of writing about his years living in Provence. Our overseas journey with Peter, which began over two decades ago with the publication of A Year in Provence, comes to an end with My Twenty-Five Years in Provence – a heartfelt love letter to a beautiful place that welcomed him and became his forever home. Full of musings on his culinary, cultural, and countryside explorations over the years, new and long-time Mayle fans alike will fall in love with the man himself as well as the place, as they make their way through this witty and charming volume. In our minds, nothing could fall further from reading about the lavender fields of France than a book about the great American road trip. Though not strictly an American pastime, it was the arrival of the first interstates in the U.S. that paved the way for the golden age of the family car trip – a golden age that Richard Ratay explores in his new National Lampoon-esque book Don’t Make Me Pull Over. Before portable technology like iPods and in-car DVD players changed the game, the only things you needed to worry about out on the black top were having enough pillows for the number of kids in the back seat and how long everyone could last between bathroom stops! Told in a light-hearted and nostalgic way, Ratay‘s book reminds us of a time when family outings were king (no matter how much the kids protested) and the journey was always more important than the destination.
As usual, there are so many great new books out there, but only so much space in our small newsletter. So, here are some of the recent and forthcoming releases that we’re most looking forward to dipping into: The Ruinous Sweep by Tim Wynne-Jones, The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James, Geraldine by Elizabeth Lilly, Clock Dance by Anne Tyler, The Winners’ Circle a by Gail Bowen, All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover (July 17), Women of the Dunes by Sarah Maine (July 24), The Quiet Side of Passion by Alexander McCall Smith (July 31), The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams (July 31), Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin (August 7), Our Homesick Songs by Emma Hooper (August 7), and 101 Things To Do With a Retired Man by Gabrielle Mander (August 7).
Finally, to help you all celebrate this season of swimming, sailing, and sun-tanning (and to indulge our love of alliteration), we have some summer sales happening in the store this month! If your kids are looking for something to occupy their time this summer, why not get them to join Camp Penguin? From now until Saturday, July 28, a selection of books for middle-grade reader featured in our front window will be 10% off! Not only are your kiddies bound to be endlessly entertained in the coming weeks by these great reads, but they also get to track how many books they’ve read with special Camp Penguin stickers in their complimentary copy of the Ultimate Summer Reading Guide. Interactive, intriguing, and on sale! Click here to find out what books are included in the Camp Penguin promotion, or visit us in the store to check out our Camp Penguin display! Also on the docket this month is our Summer is an Open Book promotion featuring brand new paperback releases of great Canadian adult fiction and non-fiction titles from Penguin Random House of Canada! From perennial favourites like Linden MacIntyre and Salman Rushdie to newer authors like Sarah Faber and Kate Taylor, you’re bound to find your perfect summer love among these great reads! Check out the full list of featured titles here or come and visit our book display in store! Our Summer is an Open Book books will be on sale for 15% off from Sunday, July 22 to Saturday, August 11, though they are available in store now at regular price if you find that you can’t wait until the 22nd to pick one up and dive right in!
No matter where life takes you this summer, it’s always important to be prepared. So, when you’re picking up your car keys and sliding your passport into your pocket on your way out the door, be sure to double check your bag for its most important items – all the books you plan on reading! They may take up some valuable real estate and weigh a little more than you’d like, but remember, they aren’t as heavy as shampoo and they’ll never ruin everything else in your suitcase by leaking! Clean, self-contained, and good for more than one read! So come visit us to stock up – we’ll be more than happy to help you pick and choose!
Wishing you all a safe and fun summertime, no matter where your plans take you!
Happy Reading!
— The Staff of Books on Beechwood
Special Store Hours
We will be CLOSED until 2:00pm on Monday, July 30 for staff training. The store will be open in the afternoon from 2:00pm to 6:00pm.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
Christmas in July…and August
From July 17 to August 31, we’ll be celebrating our favourite winter holiday four months early by putting all our Christmas cards on sale!
- All Christmas cards marked with a red slash will be 50% off!
- For every five cards you buy, get one of equal or lesser value for free!
- Buy four or more copies of one design, and get an additional 5% off!
On My Shelf
Staff Member: Hilary
What I’m Reading: Jar of Hearts by Jennifer 
Hillier
“In the huge stack of books that is my ‘to read’ pile, this intriguing thriller caught my attention and has yet to lose it! Far from your average ‘if you liked Gone Girl, you’ll like this’ kind of book, this story of murder, friendship, dark secrets, and semi-truths is a chilling and riveting read.
The jury’s still out on the ending, of course (I haven’t gotten there yet), but with its disturbing and unique premise, and face-paced narrative, I can’t imagine it’ll take me long to get there!”