October/November 2023 Newsletter

September Bestsellers

1. Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons by Charlotte Gray
2. Tom Lake by Anne Patchett
3. Snow Road Station by Elizabeth Hay
4. The Fraud by Zadie Smith
5. Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves
6. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
7. Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman
8. A New Season by Terry Fallis
9. A Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein
10. Murder Most Royal by S. J. Bennett


Greetings Book Lovers!

Happy Halloween! Our favourite holiday of the year is officially here – the crunchy leaves, the witchy reads, the chilly air – we love it all! A little part of us actually wishes that Halloween (and its host-month of October) could come twice a year! Whether you’re an autumn fan or someone who deeply feels the loss of those sunny summer days, there’s no denying that this time of year is perfectly designed for cozying up with a great read! After all, what could be better than snuggling under a blanket with a warm beverage and a new book while the world around us prepares for the long dark?

When walking around the store these days, it’s not hard to tell that we’ve left the beach read days behind in favour of exciting new fall and winter tomes. Our shelves and tables are packed and stacked with great biographies, fascinating histories, famously-penned novels, and highly-anticipated kids books! Not to mention all the award nominees! Things are certainly shaping up to be a wonderful fall season! From Chris Hadfield to Naomi Klein, Walter Isaacson to Micheal Crummey, Richard Osman to Michael Palin, Jann Arden to Barbra Streisand, there’s a little something for everyone here this fall!

Before we get too carried away talking about all our new arrivals, we want to take a minute to let you know about some exciting book events we have on our schedule in the coming weeks. The biggest event news we have to share with you this fall is the return of our ever popular author dinners! Renamed, reborn, and ready to treat you to unforgettable evenings with wonderful authors, the Books on Beechwood Author Dinner series has started with a bang with two very special local authors, Roy MacGregor and Charlotte Gray! After hosting a very appropriate forty Titles@Table40 dinners over the years with our friends at Fraser Cafe, rebooting our dinner series wasn’t just a question of picking up where we left off – it meant searching out a whole new venue willing to host us. In our ongoing quest to find a new permanent home for our dinners, we’ve chosen two different restaurants for our first two author dinners of the year. Our first dinner took place last week at The Bridge Public House at the Rideau Sports Centre where Roy MacGregor talked to us about his new memoir, Paper Trails: From the Backwoods to the Front Page. It was a truly wonderful evening and a lovely time was had by all – author, diners, and booksellers alike. For our second dinner, the incomparable Charlotte Gray will be giving a presentation on her new book, Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons, on Monday, November 6 at 6:00pm. This special evening will be taking place at Dhruvees Restaurant right on the corner of Beechwood and Charlevoix. Tickets cost $62 and cover your meal (a set menu served family style), the tax, and the tip. Dhruvees is happy to accommodate any special dietary needs if we are informed at the bookstore ahead of time. Though our Roy MacGregor dinner has now passed, you still have a chance to attend our dinner with Charlotte Gray. Tickets are very close to being gone, so be sure to call, visit, or e-mail us to get yours soon! If you do happen to miss out, you can always put yourself on our waiting list in event that we have a cancellation.

In addition to our Author Dinner series, we also have a number of in-store events to tell you about. On Wednesday, November 1 (tomorrow) between 5:00pm and 7:00pm, we hope you will join us in celebrating the publication of Maggie Knaus‘ debut picture book Eleanor’s Moon! Beautifully written and illustrated by Maggie, this charming picture book explores our relationships with our loved ones and how we can stay connected even when we’re far apart. Saturday, November 4 sees the return of our longtime friend, Rick Houle to the store. He will be here from 1:00pm to 3:00pm to sign copies of his newest mystery novel, Cordial Venues. This new book is the fourth in Rick’s Vicky Veston series and we’ll be sure to have copies of the previous three books, Affable Scavengers, Violet Shoal, and Vicky Veston Inc., on hand for those who want to start reading from the beginning! Looking further into November, Ottawa mystery mavens, Barbara Fradkin and Mary Jane Maffini will be paying us a visit for a joint signing on Saturday, November 25 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm. Barbara and Mary Jane will be signing copies of their newest releases, Wreck Bay and You Light Up My Death, respectively, as well as a selection of their earlier titles. Be sure to mark all these great events on your calendar so you don’t miss a minute of the fun!

Although the darker days and cooler nights mean that winter is on its way, there’s still lots to enjoy about autumn before we get to that seemingly endless long dark. For one thing, what better way is there to relish the beauty, mystery, and spookiness of the season than to read books with all those qualities? In the first ever authorized return to Shirley Jackson‘s The Haunting of Hill House, Elizabeth Hand has delivered a chilly, eerie, and entirely delightful story in A Haunting on the Hill. When it looks like Holly is finally going to get her big break as a playright, all that’s left for her to do is find somewhere to rehearse her play, Witching Night. Stumbling upon Hill House, Holly thinks she’s found the perfect place! Sure, it’s pretty dark and dingy… and, yes, it creaks quite a bit… and it’s definitely what one would call drafty… but it will serve Holly’s purposes perfectly! Once her best friend and company of actors join her though, the house (and its spectral residents) begins to express itself in ever creepier and more frightening ways! Following on the same theme, from the critically acclaimed author of Ten Thousand Doors of January, Alix E. Harrow, comes a brand new creepy mansion story called Starling House. Set in a small Kentucky town and featuring a mysterious old house once owned by a reclusive 19th Century author, this spooky novel will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end! A perfect read for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Shirley Jackson, and chilling reads for dark, stormy nights!

More eerie, magical thrills await in Beth Revis and Sarah Raasch‘s new collaboration, Night of the Witch! This adventure-filled young adult novel introduces readers to Fritzi, a witch who narrowly escapes a brutal attack on her coven, only to set off immediately in search of vengeance against the ruthless perpetrators. Dogging her every step are the hexenjagers, an elite group of witch hunters who are not only responsible for her family’s demise, but are determined to obliterate the world of all witches. However, unbeknownst to Fritzi, Otto, the hexenjager captain hot on her trail, has a secret not even his commanding officers are aware of – his position as a witch hunter is a cover for his own quest for vengeance. As witch and hunter trade barbs and backstories, an uneasy (and unlikely) alliance is formed. Can their fragile relationship survive the epic, magical battle that is to come? Perfect for fans of Kelley Armstrong, P.C. Cast, and Cassandra Clare, this is the ideal enemies-to-lovers historical fantasy to keep you company on a cold, fall night. If you’re a fan of Naomi Novik‘s The Scholomance series or other books in the Dark Academia genre, be sure to put Pascale Lacelle‘s new book, Curious Tides, on your reading pile. Emory’s magical abilities have never been very remarkable, but all that changes after the devastating events she witnesses one night in the sea caves near Aldryn College. Now possessed of innumerable strange abilities and dark, troubling magic, Emory enlists the help of a classmate in an effort to understand (and gain control over) these new powers coursing through her veins. Despite her efforts, her unusual new abilities remain unchecked and begin to attract some very unsavoury attention from dangerous quarters. Suddenly, the mystery of what happened in the sea caves begins to morph into a much more sinister and twisted plot than she ever expected! Full of twists and turns, magic and mystery, this debut novel by an Ottawa author is one that should not be missed!

Although murder, mystery, and mayhem is often thought to exist mostly within the pages of the novels we love so much, there is more to find than you might think within your own flower plots and hedgerows! Evolutionary biologist Noah Whiteman takes readers deep into the uses, abuses, and origins of some of the most commonly used (but also deadly) plants in existence in his book, Most Delicious Poison. From the caffeine-riddled coffee bean to the deliciously crunchy poppy seed, the colourful mushroom cap to the humble apple seed, Whiteman outlines how although most of these items have innocent, everyday uses, in certain combinations and quantities, the consequences of consumption can be fatal! Fascinating and frightening, this book is most definitely worth a deep dive! The very real impacts of some of the world’s most toxic plants can indeed be troubling, but also, as Marta McDowell tells us, inspiring. In her new book, Gardening Can Be Murder, McDowell (an avid gardener herself) illustrates how the garden and all its contents have inspired some of the world’s most famous mystery writers – from classic authors like Agatha Christie and Edgar Allan Poe to more contemporary ones like Colin Dexter. Whether your detective has a penchant for all things horticultural, the manor you’re visiting employs a very shady groundskeeper, or your civilized tea time devolves into a shocking murder scene, there’s really no end to the connections between our beloved mysteries and the lush, green, shadow-filled gardens we find all around us. Guaranteed to appeal to gardeners and mystery lovers alike, this book is an ideal read for the long, dark, garden-less season ahead of us.

Though the height of autumn is pretty much behind us now, there’s still lots of time to enjoy the crisp, cool air, the carpets of golden leaves, and the deliciously haunting reads before the seasons officially turn again. And if you’re ever at a loss for a book to keep you company, be sure to pop by the store where one of our on-site book experts will be happy to help you find the perfect literary world to disappear into.

Happy Reading!

— The Staff at Books on Beechwood



Meet, greet, and eat with Charlotte Gray!

Date: Monday, November 6
Time: 6:00pm (seating available as of 5:30pm)
Place: Dhruvees Restaurant (18 Beechwood Avenue)

Contact the bookstore for more details and to purchase tickets.

 

 


Hilary’s Bookshelf

What I’m Reading: The Scandalous Confession of Lydia Bennet, Witch by Melinda Taub

“I couldn’t believe my luck when I came across this title that perfectly combines my love of witches with my love of Jane Austen! Narrated in the first person, Lydia Bennet recounts the events of Austen’s famous novel directly to the reader with lots of sly comments and snarky asides. Though not every beloved character in the book has magical qualities, you may be surprised at the ones who do… and what they use said qualities for. Funny and charming, this book is proving to be endlessly entertaining! And it may even cause me to like Lydia Bennet just a bit more than I did before.”


 

Maggie Knaus Book Launch

Join us on Wednesday, November 1 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm for the launch of Maggie Knaus‘ beautiful children’s book, Eleanor’s Moon.

About the book:

A girl and her grandfather’s shared love for the moon brings them comfort and keeps them close even when they’re apart

Eleanor is born during a brilliant harvest moon. Moments after her birth, while she lies safely in her grandfather’s arms, he tells her, “No matter where we are, we will always share the moon.”

And they do. As Eleanor grows, her grandpa teaches her to love the moon. Together they observe it in all its permutations as it waxes and wanes. Soon, Eleanor sees the moon in everything, and when she and her parents move away, these moon sightings give her comfort and make her feel like her grandfather is close by.

A debut picture book from author/illustrator Maggie Knaus, Eleanor’s Moon is a charming and cozy story that assures children a loved one can always be connected to them, even when they’re apart.”

Author Dinner with Charlotte Gray

Our second Books on Beechwood Author Dinner of the year will not only feature another beloved Ottawa author, but will also take us to another great local restaurant!

For this Books on Beechwood Author Dinner, we will be joined by the incomparable Charlotte Gray as she treats us to a presentation on her brand new book, “Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons.” Our dinner will take place at Dhruvees Restaurant right here on Beechwood Avenue on Monday, November 6.

Whether you were a regular attendee at our beloved Titles@Table40 events, or are new to the author dinner bandwagon, just scroll down to find out all the details of this new Books on Beechwood Author Dinner series!


How it Works

The evening starts at 6:00pm with dinner, followed by the author presentation and book signing. Tickets must be purchased in advance at the bookstore. The non-refundable cost is $62.00 which includes the cost of the meal (a set menu served family style), tax, and tip. All beverages are extra and will be charged at the end of the evening.

Dhruvees Restaurant can accommodate any special dietary needs if we are informed at the bookstore in advance.


Tickets for this exciting dinner event are on sale now, so be sure to call, visit or e-mail us to book yours today!


About the book:

A captivating dual biography of two famous women whose sons would change the course of the 20th century—by award-winning historian Charlotte Gray.

Born into upper-class America in the same year, 1854, Sara Delano (later to become the mother of Franklin Delano Roosevelt) and Jennie Jerome (later to become the mother of Winston Churchill) refused to settle into predictable, sheltered lives as little-known wives to prominent men. Instead, both women concentrated their energies on enabling their sons to reach the epicentre of political power on two continents.

In the mid-19th century, the British Empire was at its height, France’s Second Empire flourished, and the industrial vigor of the United States of America was catapulting the republic towards the Gilded Age. Sara and Jennie, raised with privilege but subject to the constraints of women’s roles at the time, learned how to take control of their destinies—Sara in the prosperous Hudson Valley, and Jennie in the glittering world of Imperial London.

Yet their personalities and choices were dramatically different. A vivacious extrovert, Jennie married Lord Randolph Churchill, a rising politician and scion of a noble British family. Her deft social and political maneuverings helped not only her mercurial husband but, once she was widowed, her ambitious son, Winston. By contrast, deeply conventional Sara Delano married a man as old as her father. But once widowed, she made Franklin, her only child, the focus of her existence. Thanks in large part to her financial support and to her guidance, Franklin acquired the skills he needed to become a successful politician.

Set against one hundred years of history, Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons is a study in loyalty and resilience. Gray argues that Jennie and Sara are too often presented as lesser figures in the backdrop of history rather than as two remarkable individuals who were key in shaping the characters of the sons who adored them and in preparing them for leadership on the world stage.

Impeccably researched and filled with intriguing social insights, Passionate Mothers, Powerful Sons breathes new life into Sara and Jennie, offering a fascinating and fulsome portrait of how leaders are not just born but made.”

Author Dinner with Roy MacGregor

Our Books on Beechwood Author Dinner series is back and all set to bring you wonderful food, great conversations, and, of course, a very special evening with a very special author!

Our series will kick off later this month with Canadian icon Roy MacGregor as he treats us to a presentation on his brand new memoir, Paper Trails: From the Backwoods to the Front Page, a Life in Stories. He will be joining us for dinner at The Bridge Public House at The Rideau Sports Centre on Monday, October 23.

Whether you were a regular attendee at our beloved Titles@Table40 events, or are new to the author dinner bandwagon, just scroll down to find out all the details of this inaugural Books on Beechwood Author Dinner!


How it Works

The evening starts at 6:00pm with dinner, followed by the author presentation and book signing. Tickets must be purchased in advance at the bookstore. The non-refundable cost is $60.00 which includes the cost of the meal (a set menu served family style), tax, and tip. All beverages are extra and will be charged at the end of the evening.

The Bridge Public House can accommodate any special dietary needs if we are informed at the bookstore in advance.


Tickets for this exciting dinner event are on sale now, so be sure to call, visit or e-mail us to book yours today!

Stephanie Chitpin Book Signing

Join us on Saturday, October 14 between noon and 2:00pm to meet local author Stephanie Chitpin as she signs copies of her memoir, Keep My Memory Safe.
About the book:
“Born in Hong Kong to unwed parents, Stephanie Chitpin was transported illegally to the Island of Mauritius by Ah Pak, the head nun of a Buddhist temple with the help of Mr. Chui, a benevolent Chinese businessman. Ah Pak raised her as an orphan ward of the temple, Fook Soo Am, known as the Pagoda. Encouraged by Mr. Chui and in spite of Ah Pak’s opposition, she did very well at school. The scars incurred by classmates’ name calling (bastard, and more) the shame of being an orphan raised in a temple, tragic deaths, and other obstacles did not prevent her from pursuing her education and finishing high school at the age of 16. Although Ah Pak had other plans for her, Mr. Chui stood by her with diplomacy and tact throughout her school years and onto university in Canada on a scholarship.
Keep My Memory Safe poetically chronicles life in the temple and in Mauritius, and the move to Canada. This immigration story is totally unique as no other orphaned temple nuns are known to have gone on to acquire a topnotch education and become academics.”

Tea, Scones, and Books!

Two great authors, two amazing new books, tea, and scones!
Join award-winning authors, Wayne Ng and Frances Peck, from 3:00pm to 5:00pm on Monday, October 2 as they sign copies of their new novels, The Family Code and Uncontrolled Flight, respectively.
Based on the real-life experiences of aircraft accident investigators and social workers, these two novels are fascinating reads which will keep you hooked to the very last page!

About the authors and their books:
Frances Peck lived, worked, and taught in Ottawa for nearly 20 years before moving to Vancouver in 2005. Her first novel, The Broken Places, about an earthquake rocking the west coast, was a Globe and Mail best book of 2022 and a finalist for the Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.
Part mystery, part tragedy, Uncontrolled Flight is the “impossible to put down” story of a pilot who dies fighting wildfires in the BC Interior, leaving behind a traumatized colleague, a grieving widow, and a conflicted crash investigator to piece together what happened.

Wayne Ng is a local, award-winning author, newly returned from a prestigious residency at the Joy Kogawa House in Vancouver. His last book, Letters from Johnny, won the Crime Writers of Canada Award of Excellence and was a finalist for the Ottawa Book Award.
A gritty family drama featuring the troubled life of a single mother, dogged by the brutality of past traumas and a code of silence that she must crack in order to be free – or else lose everything. With uncompromising grit and high-voltage prose, The Family Code unabashedly reveals the power and perils of parenting, but also the longing and vulnerability of children.

Tea and scones will be served!

Summer 2023 Newsletter


June Bestsellers

1. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
2. Everyone in this Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin
3. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
4. 111 Places in Ottawa That You Must Not Miss by by Jennifer Bain
5. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
6. The Wager by David Grann
7. Pageboy by Elliot Page
8. Best Hikes: Ottawa-Gatineau by Vickie Lanthier
9. Carson Crosses Canada by Linda Bailey
10. Standing in the Shadows by Peter Robinson


Spring Bestsellers

1. Best Hikes: Ottawa-Gatineau by Vickie Lanthier
2.
Snow Road Station by Elizabeth Hay
3. Old Babes in the Wood by Margaret Atwood
4. Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton
5. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
6.
Homecoming by Kate Morton
7. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
8. The Wager by David Grann
9. When Last Seen by Brenda Chapman
10. When We Lost Our Heads by Heather O’Neill


Greetings Book Lovers!

So it took a little while, but summer finally arrived and is now going strong!! The days have been nice and warm (but not too hot), the sun has been shining more than not, and our shelves here at the store are absolutely filled to the brim with great summer reads! Do you like solving thrilling mysteries? Spending time exploring the shades of the past? Escaping to exotic locales? However you like to spend your warm, sunny days, we know we’ve got the book for you!

While we get great enjoyment out of curling up with a good book and a toasty drink during the dark, winter months, there’s just something extra special about the prospect of summer reading. The dream of spending those long, lazy summer days lounging in a hammock in a sun-dappled grove with a pile of great books and a mojito close at hand lives on from year to year, even if it never quite becomes a reality (not yet, anyway). Regardless of where you find yourself reading though, as long as the book is good, not much else matters. And with so many new books hitting our shelves every day, you have lots of great ones to choose from! One of our favourite places to travel by book these days is Ancient Greece and the Mediterranean, and there’s certainly no shortage of books eager and able to take us there! We’ve read and enjoyed the works of Madeline Miller (Circe and The Song of Achilles), Elodie Harper (The Wolf Den and The House With the Golden Door), Marie Phillips (Gods Behaving Badly), Claire North (Ithaca), and Natalie Haynes (A Thousand Ships and Pandora’s Jar), and now Jennifer Saint has gifted us with another retelling of an ancient myth, Atalanta. As in her previous two books, Ariadne and Elektra, in this new novel, Saint focuses her creative lens on yet another strong, underestimated woman. After being abandoned by her parents for not being the son they longed for, Princess Atalanta is taken into the protective orbit of the Goddess Artemis. Raised by a mother bear in the wilds of the forest, Atalanta grows into a strong, free-spirited young woman with a taste for adventure. In an effort to fulfill Atalanta’s longing to explore the world, Artemis grants her charge the opportunity to fight alongside the famed Argonauts in their quest for The Golden Fleece. In true Greek deity form, her parting gift is an ominous warning – marriage will be Atalanta’s undoing. Torn between the joy she feels at proving herself in a world dominated by men and her protector’s warnings, Atalanta sets out to blaze her own trail and achieve her dreams while avoiding dire divine consequences.

In the wake of television shows like Bridgerton and the recent adaptations of two of Jane Austen‘s novels, Sanditon and Persuasion, interest in all things Regency has been renewed! Our own interest may be deeply rooted in original works, but we are definitely still able to appreciate all the new stories out there that take their inspiration from the likes of Jane Austen, Susan Ferrier, and Sir Walter Scott. In fact, we were so delighted by last year’s release of The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray, that we couldn’t contain our excitement when the sequel, The Late Mrs. Willoughby, showed up not long ago. While Jonathan Darcy (son of Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam of Pride and Prejudice fame) is not overjoyed about visiting his old schoolmate John Willoughby, things become decidedly less bleak when he finds himself once again in the company of his crime-solving companion, Juliet Tilney (daughter of Catherine and Henry Tilney of Northanger Abbey), who happens to be in Devonshire visiting her new friend, Marianne Brandon (known as Marianne Dashwood prior to marrying Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility). When Mr. Willoughby’s new, young wife is poisoned at a party meant to welcome her to town, rumours begin to fly immediately, and Jonathan and Juliet join forces once more to try to solve the case! Full of twists and turns, fresh scandal, and some very messy romantic history, this Regency mystery will keep you guessing to the bitter end! Even more murder and mayhem await in Melodie Campbell‘s new mystery novel The Merry Widow Murders. If you enjoy the incredible sleuthing of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, and the quirkiness of television shows like Frankie Drake Mysteries and Murdoch Mysteries, then you will love this 1920s ocean liner murder mystery! Lady Lucy Revelstoke is a widow with deep roots in the Canadian mob scene, who, thanks to her late husband’s position in society, is now an accepted member of the British aristocracy. When an unknown dead man is suddenly discovered in her first class cabin, it’s up to Lucy, Elf (a pick-pocket turned maid), and her dashing friend, Lord Tony, to solve the mystery before the authorities can dig too deeply into Lucy’s colourful past.

The end of the school year has come and gone, which means it’s time to start thinking about what books the young people in your life will want to read over the coming weeks. Whether they’re off to camp for the summer or planning on sticking closer to home, they will never be bored with a handy literary companion by their side! For kids who love adventure and devoured books like Gary Paulsen‘s Hatchet, the newest Dusti Bowling book might be just the ticket! Across the Desert tells the story of 12-year aviation-obsessed Jolene, who spends as much of her free time as possible at the local library watching her favourite livestream, The Desert Aviator. A 12-year-old herself, aviator Addie Earhart loves sharing her adventures through her online platform, even if she only has a single fan. As each girl deals with troubles at home, they both find a kind of freedom and solace through Addie’s ultralight plane trips over the Arizona desert. So when Addie has an accident during her livestream and the picture goes black, Jolene knows she has to find a way to help her friend! What follows is a tale of true bravery, selflessness, and devotion. Jolene is a clever, loving, beautifully crafted character who will capture readers’ hearts despite some of her more questionable decision-making! Described as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them crossed with the fiction of Neil GaimanOnce There Was by Kiyash Monsef would make for a truly enchanting summer read for the magically-inclined! Part thriller, part mystery, part fantasy, this debut novel follows the story of Marjan, a young woman cast adrift in the world after her father’s mysterious death. Left with a struggling veterinary practice on top of her already busy school life and her mixed up feelings about her dad, the last thing Marjan needs is more surprises. So when she gets a strange phone call about a gryphon who needs medical attention, she can barely believe her ears! Thus begins a wondrous (and often dangerous) journey of discovery as Marjan learns more about herself, her father, and the magical creatures she thought only existed in fairy tales! Surrounded by a cast of lovely, quirky characters, this young heroine is one you can’t help but root for!

Given how many books we’ve been receiving lately (and how long it’s taken us to actually write this newsletter), there are so many more titles we wish we had space to tell you about. Here are just some of the other recently released and forthcoming books we think are worth a closer look: The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom HanksWhen Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill, In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune, A Shadow Crown by Melissa Blair, The Postcard by Anne Berest, Everything She Feared by Rick Mofina, The Midnight News by Jo Baker, The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane, The World by Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Merry Widow Murders by Melodie CampbellStanding in the Shadows by Peter Robinson, The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien De Castell, The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel, Outside by Ragnar Jonasson, The Poisoner’s Ring by Kelley Armstrong, The Lock-Up by John Banville, Truth Telling by Michelle Good, Killing Moon by Jo Nesbo, Pebble & Dove by Amy Jones, Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood, The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman, Lady Sapiens by Thomas Cirotteau, Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday by Jamaluddin Amal, The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick, Imagining England’s Past by Susan Owens, Lady Caroline Lamb by Antonia Fraser, The Ghost Ship by Kate MosseLady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See, Girlfriend on Mars by Deborah Willis, A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie IrwinMorgan is My Name by Sophie Keetch, 100 Places to See After You Die by Ken Jennings, How to Survive History by Cody Cassidy, Loot by Tania James, The Skull by Jon Klassen, The Collector by Daniel Silva, Silver Nitrate by Silvia Morena-Garcia, Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong, One of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus, The Little Village of Book Lovers by Nina George, How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann, The Paris Mystery by Kirsty Manning, The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec, Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (August 1), Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo (August 1), Hopscotch by Marie-Louise Gay (August 1), Paper Trails by Roy MacGregor (August 1), The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs (August 1), The Night Ship by Jess Kidd (August 8), The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman (August 15), The Romantic by William Boyd (August 15), The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang (August 22), Storyland by Amy Jeffs (August 22), A Chateau Under Siege by Martin Walker (August 29), Dead of Night by Simon Scarrow (August 29).

Although the summer months always seem to fly by faster than they should, there’s still lots of time in which to enjoy the sunshine and a few great reads! So, wherever this summer takes you, be sure to pay us a visit before you go. Our staff will be here, ready and willing to help you find the perfect book (or books) to keep you company on all your summer adventures!

Happy Reading!
– The Staff at Books on Beechwood


Holiday Hours

We will be CLOSED on Monday, August 7 for the civic holiday and Monday, September 4 for Labour Day.


Hilary’s Bookshelf

What I’m Reading: The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson

“I don’t know about you, but I definitely have a few choice ‘drop everything and read’ authors in my life and Morgan Matson is one of them! I’ve read and loved all six of her teen books and couldn’t wait to dive into this newest book, her first for middle grade readers! Ryanna is a charming protagonist and you will love following along on her adventures at Camp Van Camp. This is a wonderfully sweet, enchanting treat of a book that will leave you just as satisfied (if not more) as the most delicious fireside s’mores!”


 

Karen Christie Book Launch and Signing

Be sure to join us in mid-May to celebrate the release of Karen Christie‘s new book, Six Continents Over Five Decades: An Intrepid Woman’s Memoir.
On Thursday, May 18 from 4:00pm to 5:30pm, Karen will be here in the store to launch her book with an intimate talk about her travels and adventures around the world. Refreshments and snacks will be served.
If you can’t make it to the launch (May 18), you can always pop by between 3:00pm and 5:00pm on Saturday, May 20 when Karen will be paying us a second visit to chat with customers and sign copies of her book.
We hope you’re able to come out to one (or both) of these exciting events. Karen’s story is a fascinating one and we know you’ll love both hearing about it and reading about it!
Read on to find out a bit more about Karen and her book!
About the book:
“In her first 66 years, Karen Christie lived and worked on 6 continents, moving at least 32 times. Every decade provided unique opportunities for a rich and rewarding life. Karen’s 20s took her from Norway and northern Canada to Down Under, circling the Pacific Ocean, both by plan and bicycle. By the end of that decade, Karen had learned to say “Yes!” to life, and “No!” to fear. This set her up with work assignments for the next four decades in these challenging places: famine-ridden Ethiopia in her 30s, post-conflict Bosnia in her 40s, war-torn Kandahar and Kabul, Afghanistan in her 50s and 60s, and Haiti after its horrific 2010 earthquake. How did it all come about? Hop on for the journey.”
About the author:
“Karen is an intrepid adventurer, whose innate curiosity has taken her around the world. She began that life-long journey as a teacher in remote corner, and ended her career as a diplomat representing Canada in a couple of tough, insecure countries. She is now happily retired in Victoria, BC, Canada, by the Salish Sea.”

The Ottawa Indie Bookstore Crawl

Guess what’s just around the corner! Canadian Independent Bookstore Day!!
In addition to celebrating in-store with freebies, grab bags, discounts, and door prizes, we have a special treat for Ottawa area book lovers this year – we’ve joined forces with our fellow independent bookstores, Octopus Books, Perfect Books Ottawa, The Spaniel’s Tale Bookstore, Singing Pebble Books, and World of Maps to bring you the first ever Ottawa Indie Bookstore Crawl!
From Friday, April 28 to Sunday, April 30, book lovers from the Ottawa area can collect stamps from each of our city’s six independent bookstores for their chance to win a $150 bookstore shopping spree! You can pick up your stamp card at any of the six stores, collect your stamps from the 28th to the 30th, and then hand in your card at your last bookstore stop!
Entries must be submitted at a participating store before closing time on Sunday, April 30. Be sure to check individual stores’ hours of operation before heading out!
Please note that here at Books on Beechwood, we will be CLOSED on Sunday, April 30 so will only be able to give out stamps and collect completed entries on Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29.
We can’t tell you how excited we are about celebrating Canadian Independent Bookstore Day with you all this year!! Even if The Ottawa Indie Bookstore Crawl isn’t something you think you can swing, we hope you’ll still able to make the trek out to your local indie to show them some love and partake in the celebrations!
As booksellers, we all dearly love what we do and we know that none of it would be possible without all of you and your deep and abiding love of books! So, here’s to you, dearest Book Lovers! Happy Canadian Independent Bookstore Day! We look forward to seeing you on Saturday! ❤️📚🥳

Canadian Independent Bookstore Day!


Greetings Book Lovers!

We’re steadily approaching the end of April here which means we are right on the doorstep of one of our favourite days of the year! That’s right, Saturday, April 29 is Canadian Independent Bookstore Day, “the annual day when readers, writers, illustrators, publishers, and other industry supporters come together to celebrate indie bookstores across Canada.”

Though our numbers have dwindled over the decades, we’re lucky enough now to have a handful of wonderful independent bookstores here in town and we’re so proud and happy to call them our extended bookstore family! As a special treat for Canadian Independent Bookstore Day this year, we’ve joined forces with our fellow indies, Octopus Books, Perfect Books, The Spaniel’s Tale Bookstore, Singing Pebble Books, and World of Maps to bring you the first ever Ottawa Indie Bookstore Crawl! From Friday, April 28 to Sunday, April 30, book lovers from in and around Ottawa can collect stamps from each of our city’s six participating independent bookstores for their chance to win a $150 bookstore shopping spree! You can pick up your stamp card at any of the six stores, collect your stamps from the 28th to the 30th, and then hand in your card at your last bookstore stop! And the cherry on top? There’s no purchase necessary to participate! Entries (only one per person) must be submitted at a participating store before closing time on Sunday, April 30. Since each store is run slightly differently, be sure to check individual stores’ hours of operation before mapping out your book crawl route! Please note that here at Books on Beechwood, we will be CLOSED on Sunday, April 30 so will only be able to give out stamps and collect completed entries on Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29. When you do stop by, be sure to tag our social media accounts to add to the fun!

On top of The Ottawa Indie Bookstore Crawl and in the tradition of CIBDs past, on Saturday, April 29 onlyeverything here in the store will be 20% off! The discount will be available in-store and online, but it will not include CDs, magazines, newspapers, or customer special orders. We will also have a number of special door prizes on hand for which a single purchase will get you one entry. Each door prize has a retail value of around $100 and winners will be drawn and contacted once all the festivities are over. There will also be some special CIBD exclusives, including an Indie Bookish Canvas Tote Bag, a special Bibliophile Banned Books Puzzle, and an Ann Cleeves novella called Too Good to Be True featuring Shetland‘s Jimmy Perez! These items are available in limited quantities and will go on sale first thing Saturday morning. While we may be able to get extra tote bags and puzzles once CIBD is over, once the Ann Cleeves book is gone, it’s gone, so be sure to pop by early to secure your copy! We’ll also have lots of freebies up for grabs throughout the day – stickers and pins and tote bags, oh my – so there’s absolutely no chance of you walking away empty-handed!

As if that wasn’t enough, there’s one more contest we need to tell you about. Put on by the Canadian Independent Booksellers Association (CIBA) especially for Canadian Independent Bookstore Day and open to book lovers from coast to coast, you can enter to win one of three gift certificates to the independent bookstore of your choice! Every book purchased at an independent bookstore on Saturday, April 29 is worth a single entry and if any of your purchases happen to be written or illustrated by Canadians, you get a bonus entry! Purchases made in-person, by phone, or online are all valid, but you need your proof of purchase to enter the contest. The entry form will only become available as of midnight Pacific Time on Saturday and you’ll have until midnight on Sunday, April 30 to submit your entries. Check out the Canadian Independent Booksellers Association online for more details.

We really can’t tell you how excited we are about celebrating Canadian Independent Bookstore Day with you all this year!! Even if The Ottawa Indie Bookstore Crawl isn’t something you think you can swing, we hope you’ll still able to make the trek out to your local indie to show them some love and partake in the celebrations!

As booksellers, we all dearly love what we do and we know that none of it would be possible without all of you and your deep and abiding love of books! Thank you so, so much for continuing to support “the little bookshop that could!” Independent businesses are special places born of dreams and determination, and we feel so lucky to be one that’s grown and flourished in this very special community.

So, here’s to you, dearest Book Lovers! Wishing you all a very Happy Canadian Independent Bookstore Day! We look forward to seeing you on Saturday! And for those of you who can’t be with us, we know you’ll be here in spirit!

With love,
The Staff at Books on Beechwood


From Friday, April 28 to Sunday, April 30, collect stamps from each of our city’s six independent bookstores and enter for your chance to win a $150 bookstore shopping spree! Pick up your stamp card at any of the six stores, collect your stamps from the 28th to the 30th, and then hand in your card at your last bookstore stop! Entries must be submitted before closing time on Sunday, April 30.

Please note that we will be CLOSED on Sunday, April 30 so will only be able to give out stamps and collect completed entries on Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29.