Five Irresistible Reads for August

Cynthia Ross Cravit | August 26th, 2014

It’s summertime – and what better time to lose yourself in a great read? Here, our top picks for this month’s hot new books

ADULTERY by Paulo Coelho

From the best-selling author of The Alchemist comes this cautionary tale of forbidden sex and desire and how quickly even the most contented life can come unravelled. Here, it’s not the usual mid-life crisis-stricken man who strays, but his wife, a 30-something journalist living in Switzerland. She seemingly has it all: a successful career, a loving and extremely wealthy husband and two beautiful children. But when she runs into an ex-boyfriend, she is drawn into an impossible affair that forces her to face her darkest emotions.

THE EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY OF THE FAKIR WHO GOT TRAPPED IN AN IKEA WARDROBE by Roman Puertolas

Yet another quirky but infinitely entertaining tale a la The One-Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden and The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules. This time follow the sweet and humorous story of a fakir – a professional con artist – who leaves his small village in India on an unlikely journey to Paris, specifically to an IKEA store where he can acquire the object of his dreams: a brand new bed of nails.

DEAR DAUGHTER by Elizabeth Little

The always-complicated bond between mother and daughter becomes deadly in this debut novel from Elizabeth Little. Ten years ago, “It” girl Janie Jenkins was convicted of killing her mother, although she claimed to have no memory of the night of her death. After being released from prison on a technicality, Janie embarks on a perilous mission to find out the truth of her mother’s killer, even if it turns out to be herself. Be forewarned: it’s a whirlwind read that just might keep you up into the wee hours.

MAN by Kim Thuy

All true foodies know this to be true: food is love and love is food. Following her award-winning debut novel Ru, restaurateur-turned-author Kim Thúy’s new book follows a Vietnamese woman’s experiences as an expatriate in Montreal. Through her talents as a chef, Mãn artfully prepares dishes to heal body and soul and make her the centre of a growing community – but when she meets a married chef in Paris, a forbidden love affair changes everything.

SWEETLAND by Michael Crummey

From the award-winning author of Galore comes this story set on a remote island off the coast of Newfoundland. When the local commercial fishery dries up, the aging residents face losing everything until the government steps in with a compensation package to relocate. Everyone accepts, except for retired lightkeeper, Moses Sweetland. His refusal to leave threatens to scuttle the entire deal, forcing him to resort to a drastic plan.