“Cat’s Eye is my favorite Atwood novel and the best psychological coming-of-age story I know. A Toronto girl is remorselessly bullied by her best friends and grows up to be a brilliant but troubled painter. Riveting and beautiful.” - Cindy

“A complex story about the disappearance of a young girl and a woman into the same forest 100 years apart, this novel deftly examines memory, mental illness, self, and human nature. It’s narrated by a chorus of dead inmates from a defunct local insane asylum.” - Dianah

“This beguiling debut from Canadian Bradley is an enchanting and masterfully told mystery that reveals itself at a perfect pace. Clever and delightfully devilish, Flavia de Luce is an intriguing young heroin who is featured in seven volumes so far!” - Martha

“The fabulous and innovative Sheila Heti is like a Canadian Miranda July. Don’t miss her novel about young artist types floundering and doing crazy stuff in Toronto.” - CP

“Still Life is the first volume of Penny’s beloved Inspector Armand Gamache mystery series. Wonderful details about life in Quebec!”

“Alice Munro’s first short story collection is wonderful. If you love her later fiction, try this. It’s different but with the same compelling voice.” - Cindy

“Elf and Yoli are opposites, and while their bond as sisters is strong, it’s not strong enough to keep Elf from contemplating suicide. Toews, an exceptional writer, bases the story on her own experiences with her sister, and she truly captures this complicated relationship.” - Dianah

“Robertson Davies is a lion of Canadian literature — he was put on a Canadian stamp in 2013. His books are witty, erudite, and full of oddball characters.” 

“Will is the unfortunate son of an agoraphobic mother, and he doesn’t remember ever going outside. When he ventures out, his world gets bigger very quickly. The quirkiest coming-of-age tale that you are likely to encounter.” - Dianah

“Blade Runner took place in future L.A. Dick’s novel is set in future San Francisco. It’s just one of the differences in both stories. If you loved the movie, you MUST read the novel.”

“Joan Didion is a national treasure, her calculated prose the envy of many. The California native regularly — including in this book — pinpoints Los Angeles culture with acute precision. It’s a spiraling, engrossing read.” - Jess

“This brief, candid novel about an evangelical girl’s sexual and intellectual awakening is one of my favorite books for 2014. Miller deftly conveys teenage angst and self absorption while creating an equally compelling portrait of the religious and cultural trappings of the modern American South.” - Rihanna 

“This meticulously researched story of 1870s San Francisco is a perfectly realized murder mystery with a literary bent. Prostitutes, frog catchers, madams, gamblers, and “baby farms” all play an integral part in this great story.” - Dianah

“A memoir of sorts about Bukowski’s hilarious trials with the making of Barfly with Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway. The names have been changed (including production companies) so keep Google handy!” 

“California was one of the “it” books of Summer 2014, and deservedly so. In a bleak post-apocalyptic L.A., a young couple has fled to the surrounding forest. But other nearby settlements are full of mysteries and menace. So original and compulsively readable!”

“Almost a memoir, Steinbeck’s greatest novel is also a history of Northern California itself.”