Simon & Schuster Canada

Monsters. Monsters everywhere.  Source: webcomicname

Happy Friday, Bookworms! Here’s what the team at Simon & Schuster Canada is reading. Jordyn, Sales Assistant: I just finished Loyalty in Death, by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts’ pseudonym). This book is number 9 in the in Death series. I’m not even close to finishing because there are over 50 books in the series, and they’re still coming out! I love this series because each book is a murder mystery set in a futuristic mid-21st century New York City. The main character, Lieutenant Eve Dallas, had a rough childhood, but makes up for it by being a badass homicide cop who is prickly but efficient. It also helps that there’s a hunky love interest, but really, solving the murder mystery takes precedence in this series. It’s a lengthy series, but maybe one day I’ll manage to catch up!

Jacquelynne, Marketing Assistant: As you may all recall, I was reading Owl and the Japanese Circus a little while ago. I put that book down to start reading for one of our Conferences and forgot to pick it back up. Just recently I picked it up again, and I forgot how much I LOVED Owl, Rynn, Oricho, and (of course) Captain. With that in mind, I decided to pick up the second volume, Owl and the City of Angels. I am only a few chapters in, but Owl is just as feisty and funny as ever! I love how Kristi Charish has built a character I can so easily connect with, and secondary characters that really build and move the plot. The settings are always intriguing, and the mix of modern and historical elements are definitely a favourite of mine. Owl is truly a modern Indiana Jane, with a few nerdy qualities I can’t help but adore. If you’re a fan of supernatural, historical, and adventurous light reading, Kristi Charish’s Owl Series is for you. And now is the perfect time to start this series, because this May marks the third installment in the series: Owl and the Electric Samurai.

Holley, Publicity Assistant: I loved reading The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak! It is a delightful story about young love between two young computer coders! The novel brings you into the 1980s in a coming of age story about friendship and young love.  A great read for anyone, with the bonus of being able to play the game from the book online at http://www.jasonrekulak.com/game/ 

“Maybe 2017 is the year that you're finally going to run that marathon. Maybe you're going to be more politically engaged this year, or start volunteering, or learn the clarinet. And maybe, just maybe, you'll actually make it through your To Be Read list for the first time in living memory. Here are a few tips to read more in the New Year, for all those over-scheduled book nerds out there.”

Happy Friday, Bookworms! Here’s what the team at Simon & Schuster Canada is reading.

Andrea, Digital Marketing Associate: I’m currently re-reading Kim Harrison’s The Drafter before I dig into the second book in the series, The Operator. I love any story line that involves time travel, and Peri Reed is the epitome of strong kick-ass female protagonist that readers all love and need. I’m falling in love with these characters all over again and am picking up on details I missed the first time around. Bonus: the prequel novella Sideswiped is included in the mass market paperback (which I had previously not read).

Siobhan, Editorial: I’ve stepped beyond my normal reading horizon and have been reading Jasper Forde’s dystopian novel, Shades of Grey—and no, it’s nothing like Fifty Shades of Grey. It’s a fun and highly weird tale set in a futuristic world where all aspects of society are ruled by the colours you can and cannot see. I’ve only just dipped in, but it’s been a treat so far! 

Jordyn, Sales Operations Assistant: I just finished The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne, which is a steamy romance novel featuring two coworkers who totally hate each other. It’s hard to find a good love/hate relationship book because the transition from hating to dating can be easily unbelievable. This book, however, totally nails it! I love the intensity between Lucy and Josh, and while the sexy stuff is slow-burning, there are quite a few lines in there that make you pause and say “daaaaamn”. I’m not going to lie; I had to take a water break at a couple points. Highly recommend!

“There are romance novels for literary lovers, YA fans, thriller and mystery enthusiasts, and even for your book club! There are also at least eight solid reasons (possibly many more) why every book-lover should pick up one of these books and give it a shot.”

“Sarah Andersen knows what it is to be a bookworm. Here are 3 times she nailed it in her webcomic.” 

See Sarah Andersen’s book, Adulthood is a Myth, here!

Happy Friday, Bookworms! Here’s what the team at Simon & Schuster Canada is reading.

Jacquelynne, Marketing Assistant: This weekend I’m reading To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, by Jenny Han. I know, I know, I am WAY behind on this series. I am just getting back into contemporary YA novels and I thought, why not start with a classic? (And just in time for Always and Forever, Lara Jean, out this year!)

Holley, Publicity Assistant: I have been a Zoe Whittall kick lately. After reading Holding Still for as Long as Possible, I dove into The Best Kind of People. Both novels are very different but equally compelling. Over the holidays I began Bottle Rocket Hearts. It’s a coming of age story set in Montreal in the 90’s. Whittall has such a talent for character development that, no matter what is going on, I need to read more about the interesting individuals she has created. Jordyn, Sales Operations Assistant: I am currently reading the second edition of Y: The Last Man, which is a graphic novel by Brian K. Vaughan. It’s incredibly well done, beautifully drawn, and the plot is super intriguing. The premise alone – looking at a world where all men/male animals have been wiped out – is mind boggling, and offers an interesting view of gender dynamics. I highly recommend checking out this series!

“Filling a bookshelf with all your own stuff–even better, filling it exclusively with all your own books–is a curiously personal act of public declaration.”

From bestselling author A.J. Banner comes a dazzling new novel of psychological suspense in the vein of S.J. Watson’s Before I Go to Sleep and Mary Kubica’s The Good Girl that questions just how much we can trust the people around us.

Learn more about The Twilight Wife (on sale now) here!

Relatable! 

Happy Friday, Bookworms! Here’s what the team at Simon & Schuster Canada is reading.

Shannon, Publicity Assistant: Sarah’s Raughley’s Fate of Flames is a page turner – it’s action packed and keeps you guessing to the very end!  The four female leads are totally relatable, and I had fun to getting to know them. 

Jordyn, Sales Assistant: I just finished Jill Shalvis’s Second Chance Summer. Shalvis is my go-to when I want a feel good contemporary romance. Her books always have a bit of humour in them, and her stubborn leading ladies are always memorable. And do I even have to mention her hunky men? This one is about Lily who is going back home to Cedar Ridge after losing her job. She runs into her old flame, Aiden, who has since become a brawny firefighter and Search and Rescue guy (*swoon*). The last thing Lily wants is a reason to stay in Cedar Ridge, but boy is it tempting! And so is Aiden Kincaid. Seriously though, this book is sweet and has some great family dynamics, and it was a really enjoyable read.

Holley, Publicity Assistant: On my daily commute I am currently listening to the audio book of Out Came the Sun by Mariel Hemingway. This is a touching memoir of Mariel’s dysfunctional family and how she dealt with her family’s history of mental illness, addiction, and suicide. A heavy topic bravely told with sincerity and humility. 

Jacquelynne, Marketing Assistant: I am currently reading Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. Between all the reading for work and for upcoming conferences, I need a “light” YA read, so I picked up my copy of Crooked Kingdom, which has kept me up LAAATE into the evenings. But honestly what can I say about this book that everyone doesn’t already know? It’s beautiful, action packed, and I just love Kaz and his misfit crew. It’s a wonderful follow up, so far, to Six of Crows. 

TBR Tuesdays

Another week, another great stack of books to add to your #TBR! Check out these new titles on sale today!

Somebody to Love, Matt Richards [x] Charlie the Choo-Choo, Beryl Evans [x] Hustle and Heart, Kailyn Lowry [x]

If there were ever a post to describe the staff at Simon & Schuster Canada, this might be it!