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October 2020 Adult Top 10 Picks

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  1. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
    by V. E. Schwab
    9780765387561
    Tor Books
    Oct 06, 2020
    FICTION / Fantasy / Historical
    Hardback
    The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
    by V. E. Schwab
    9780765387561
    Tor Books
    Oct 06, 2020
    FICTION / Fantasy / Historical
    Hardback

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
    USA TODAY BESTSELLER
    NATIONAL INDIE BESTSELLER
    THE WASHINGTON POST BESTSELLER

    Recommended by Entertainment Weekly, Real Simple, NPR, Slate, and Oprah Magazine
    #1 Library Reads Pick—October 2020
    #1 Indie Next Pick—October 2020
    BOOK OF THE YEAR (2020) FINALIST—Book of The Month Club

    A “Best Of” Book From: Oprah Mag * CNN * Amazon * Amazon Editors * NPR * Goodreads * Bustle * PopSugar * BuzzFeed * Barnes & Noble * Kirkus Reviews * Lambda Literary * Nerdette * The Nerd Daily * Polygon * Library Reads * io9 * Smart Bitches Trashy Books * LiteraryHub * Medium * BookBub * The Mary Sue * Chicago Tribune * NY Daily News * SyFy Wire * Powells.com * Bookish * Book Riot * Library Reads Voter Favorite *

    In the vein of The Time Traveler’s Wife and Life After Life, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab’s genre-defying tour de force.

    A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.

    France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

    Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

    But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.

    Also by V. E. Schwab

    Shades of Magic
    A Darker Shade of Magic
    A Gathering of Shadows
    A Conjuring of Light

    Villains
    Vicious
    Vengeful

    View this title on BNC CataList
  2. Magic Lessons
    by Alice Hoffman
    9781982108847
    Simon & Schuster
    Oct 06, 2020
    FICTION / Literary
    Hardback
    Magic Lessons
    by Alice Hoffman
    9781982108847
    Simon & Schuster
    Oct 06, 2020
    FICTION / Literary
    Hardback
    In an unforgettable novel that traces a centuries-old curse to its source, beloved author Alice Hoffman unveils the story of Maria Owens, accused of witchcraft in Salem, and matriarch of a line of the amazing Owens women and men featured in Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic.

    Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Nameless Arts.” Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson: Always love someone who will love you back.

    When Maria is abandoned by the man who has declared his love for her, she follows him to Salem, Massachusetts. Here she invokes the curse that will haunt her family. And it’s here that she learns the rules of magic and the lesson that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. Love is the only thing that matters.

    Magic Lessons is a celebration of life and love and a showcase of Alice Hoffman’s masterful storytelling.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  3. The Searcher
    by Tana French
    9780735224650
    Viking
    Oct 06, 2020
    FICTION / Thrillers / Suspense
    Hardback
    The Searcher
    by Tana French
    9780735224650
    Viking
    Oct 06, 2020
    FICTION / Thrillers / Suspense
    Hardback
    Best Book of 2020
    New York Times |NPR | New York Post

    "This hushed suspense tale about thwarted dreams of escape may be her best one yet . . . Its own kind of masterpiece." --Maureen Corrigan, The Washington Post

    "A new Tana French is always cause for celebration . . . Read it once for the plot; read it again for the beauty and subtlety of French's writing." --Sarah Lyall, The New York Times

    Cal Hooper thought a fixer-upper in a bucolic Irish village would be the perfect escape. After twenty-five years in the Chicago police force and a bruising divorce, he just wants to build a new life in a pretty spot with a good pub where nothing much happens. But when a local kid whose brother has gone missing arm-twists him into investigating, Cal uncovers layers of darkness beneath his picturesque retreat, and starts to realize that even small towns shelter dangerous secrets.

    "One of the greatest crime novelists writing today" (Vox) weaves a masterful, atmospheric tale of suspense, asking how to tell right from wrong in a world where neither is simple, and what we stake on that decision.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  4. The Night Piece
    by Andre Alexis Canada
    9780771006630
    McClelland & Stewart
    Oct 13, 2020
    FICTION / Literary
    Hardback
    The Night Piece
    by Andre Alexis Canada
    9780771006630
    McClelland & Stewart
    Oct 13, 2020
    FICTION / Literary
    Hardback
    A career-spanning collection of stories from the author of Fifteen Dogs, winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, and Canada Reads.

    Vivid, profound, moving, and with moments of sly humour, the stories in The Night Piece reveal worlds both familiar and deeply strange. Drawing from Alexis's acclaimed debut collection, Despair and Other Stories of Ottawa, and the highly original Beauty and Sadness, and including previously uncollected stories, here is the surreal and brilliant short fiction of André Alexis--one of Canada's most extraordinary writers.

    With an Afterword by Madeleine Thien
    View this title on BNC CataList
  5. The Once and Future Witches
    by Alix E. Harrow
    9780316422048
    Redhook
    Oct 13, 2020
    FICTION / Fantasy / Historical
    Hardback
    The Once and Future Witches
    by Alix E. Harrow
    9780316422048
    Redhook
    Oct 13, 2020
    FICTION / Fantasy / Historical
    Hardback
    "A gorgeous and thrilling paean to the ferocious power of women. The characters live, bleed, and roar. "―Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author

    A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel • Named One of the Best Books of the Year by NPR Books • Barnes and Noble • BookPage

    In the late 1800s, three sisters use witchcraft to change the course of history in this powerful novel of magic, family, and the suffragette movement.

    In 1893, there's no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.

    But when the Eastwood sisters―James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna―join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women's movement into the witch's movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote―and perhaps not even to live―the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.

    There's no such thing as witches. But there will be.

    An homage to the indomitable power and persistence of women, The Once and Future Witches reimagines stories of revolution, motherhood, and women's suffrage—the lost ways are calling.

    Praise for The Once and Future Witches:

    "A glorious escape into a world where witchcraft has dwindled to a memory of women's magic, and three wild, sundered sisters hold the key to bring it back...A tale that will sweep you away."―Yangsze Choo, New York Times bestselling author

    "This book is an amazing bit of spellcraft and resistance so needed in our times, and a reminder that secret words and ways can never be truly and properly lost, as long as there are tongues to speak them and ears to listen."―P. Djèlí Clark, author The Black God's Drum

    For more from Alix E. Harrow, check out The Ten Thousand Doors of January.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  6. Baking Day with Anna Olson
    by Anna Olson Canada
    9780525610953
    Appetite by Random House
    Oct 27, 2020
    COOKING / Methods / Baking
    Hardback
    Baking Day with Anna Olson
    by Anna Olson Canada
    9780525610953
    Appetite by Random House
    Oct 27, 2020
    COOKING / Methods / Baking
    Hardback
    NATIONAL BESTSELLER

    GOLD WINNER 2021 - Taste Canada Awards - Single-Subject Cookbook

    Canada's baking sweetheart, Anna Olson, returns with an essential guide to baking for and with those you love.

    Baking Day is the book we have all been waiting for. In this new cookbook, Anna Olson encourages you to spend time with your loved ones, baking along with her easy-to-follow, delicious recipes for all your favourite treats. This is a cookbook to bring family and friends together, and to bond over quality time spent baking. With over 120 recipes for all skill levels, there is a baking project in Baking Day for everyone.

    Anna helps you find the right recipe by marking each one with difficulty level, necessary time commitment, required tools, and modifications for allergies or dietary restrictions. Anna's savoury and sweet recipes are suitable for every level of home baker, as she encourages you to challenge yourself and develop new skills in the kitchen. Her voice is truly encouraging, as she coaches you through each step, hoping to pass on the expertise she has learned throughout her 20-year career. She is especially mindful of her younger readers, or those of you baking with kids, making sure to point out the most important details for younger budding bakers. Step back from the craziness of life and connect with those you love over shared time in the kitchen. Very soon, "baking day" will become your favourite day of the week.

    Try making your own "Gourmet Goo" Skillet Brownies, Classic No-Bake Vanilla Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis, or Toffee Pretzel Baklava. Anna also brings together comforting classics including Dutch Baby, Giant Glazed Cinnamon Bun, and her Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies, and recipes to show your loved ones how much you care--breakfast in bed for Father's Day, maybe, or a special homemade birthday cake for your best friend. There are even treats for your pets!
    View this title on BNC CataList
  7. Confessions on the 7:45: A Novel
    by Lisa Unger
    9780778310150
    Park Row
    Oct 06, 2020
    FICTION / Thrillers / Psychological
    Hardback
    Confessions on the 7:45: A Novel
    by Lisa Unger
    9780778310150
    Park Row
    Oct 06, 2020
    FICTION / Thrillers / Psychological
    Hardback
    COMING TO NETFLIX

    “Intricate and nuanced—on par with the best top-flight psychological suspense.” —L.A. Times

    INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

    From master of suspense Lisa Unger comes a riveting thriller about a chance encounter that unravels a stunning web of lies.

    Selena Murphy is commuting home on the train when she strikes up a conversation with a beautiful stranger in the next seat. The woman introduces herself as Martha and soon confesses that she’s been stuck in an affair with her boss. Selena, in turn, confesses that she suspects her husband is sleeping with the nanny. When the train arrives at Selena’s station, the two women part ways, presumably never to meet again.

    Then the nanny disappears.

    As Selena is pulled into the mystery of what happened, and as the fractures in her marriage grow deeper, she begins to wonder, who was Martha really? But she is hardly prepared for what she’ll discover…

    Don't miss The New Couple in 5B, Lisa Unger's newest psychological thriller about a couple that inherits an apartment with a truly chilling past.

    Looking for more spine-tingling thrillers? Check out these other titles by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger:
    • Under My Skin
    • The Stranger Inside
    • Last Girl Ghosted
    • Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six
    • The New Couple in 5B (coming March 2024!)

    View this title on BNC CataList
  8. Black Matters
    by Afua Cooper Canada
    9781773632957
    Roseway Publishing
    Oct 20, 2020
    POETRY / American / African American & Black
    Paperback / softback
    Black Matters
    by Afua Cooper Canada
    9781773632957
    Roseway Publishing
    Oct 20, 2020
    POETRY / American / African American & Black
    Paperback / softback

    Halifax’s former Poet Laureate Afua Cooper and photographer Wilfried Raussert collaborate in this book of poems and photographs focused on everyday Black experiences. The result is a jambalaya — a dialogue between image and text. Cooper translates Raussert’s photos into poetry, painting a profound image of what disembodied historical facts might look like when they are embodied in contemporary characters. This visual and textual conversation honours the multiple layers of Blackness in the African diaspora around North America and Europe. The result is a work that amplifies black beauty and offers audible resistance.

    View this title on BNC CataList
  9. Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories: The Early Years
    by Michael Posner Canada
    9781982152628
    Simon & Schuster
    Oct 20, 2020
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Music
    Hardback
    Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories: The Early Years
    by Michael Posner Canada
    9781982152628
    Simon & Schuster
    Oct 20, 2020
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Music
    Hardback
    The extraordinary life of one of the world’s greatest music and literary icons, in the words of those who knew him best.

    Poet, novelist, singer-songwriter, artist, prophet, icon—there has never been a figure like Leonard Cohen. He was a true giant in contemporary western culture, entertaining and inspiring people everywhere with his work. From his groundbreaking and bestselling novels, The Favourite Game and Beautiful Losers, to timeless songs such as “Suzanne,” “Dance Me to the End of Love,” and “Hallelujah,” Cohen is a cherished artist. His death in 2016 was felt around the world by the many fans and followers who would miss his warmth, humour, intellect, and piercing insights.

    Leonard Cohen, Untold Stories chronicles the full breadth of his extraordinary life. The first of three volumes—The Early Years—follows him from his boyhood in Montreal to university, and his burgeoning literary career to the world of music, culminating with his first international tour in 1970.

    Through the voices of those who knew him best—family and friends, colleagues and contemporaries, rivals, business partners, and his many lovers—the book probes deeply into both Cohen’s public and private life. It also paints a portrait of an era, the social, cultural, and political revolutions that shook the 1960s.

    In this revealing and entertaining first volume, bestselling author and biographer Michael Posner draws on hundreds of interviews to reach beyond the Cohen of myth and reveal the unique, complex, and compelling figure of the real man.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  10. If I Knew Then
    by Jann Arden Canada
    9780735279971
    Random House Canada
    Oct 27, 2020
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Women
    Hardback
    If I Knew Then
    by Jann Arden Canada
    9780735279971
    Random House Canada
    Oct 27, 2020
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Women
    Hardback
    NATIONAL BESTSELLER

    Jann Arden—bestselling author, recording artist and late-blooming TV star—is back with this funny, heartfelt and fierce memoir on becoming a woman of a certain age. The power, gravity and freedom she's found at fifty-seven are superpowers she believes all of us can unleash.

    Digging deep into her strengths, her failures and her losses, Jann Arden brings us an inspiring account of how she has surprised herself, in her fifties, by at last becoming completely her own person. Like many women, it took Jann a long time to realize that trying to be pleasing and likeable and beautiful in the eyes of others was a loser's game. Letting it rip, and damning the consequences, is not only liberating, it's a hell of a lot of fun: "Being the age I am—that so many women are—is just the best time of my life."

    Jann weaves her own story together with tales of her mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, and the father she came close to hating, to show her younger self—and all of us—that fear and avoidance is no way to live. "What I'm thinking about now aren't all the ways I can try to hang on to my youth or all the seconds ticking by in some kind of morbid countdown to death," she writes, "but rather how I keep becoming someone I always hoped I could be. If I'm lucky one day a very old face will look back at me from the mirror, a face I once shied away from. I will love that old woman ferociously, because she has finally figured out how to live a life of purpose—not in spite of but because of all her mistakes and failures."
    View this title on BNC CataList

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