The Paris Express, by Emma Donoghue
Emma Donoghue is back. Best known for the wildly successful Room, Donoghue’s latest novel takes place on an ill-fated nineteenth-century express steam train en route from Granville to Paris. Based partly on a shocking historical event, the narrative orbits around the colourful personalities in the train’s first- second- and third-class carriages as it hurtles toward the French capital. Mixing social commentary with intrigue and cinematic flair, Donoghue does what she does best—explore the human experience within the confines of a situation walled in by time and circumstance. Fast-paced, fun, and suspenseful, Donoghue’s skill is on full display as she establishes a large and eccentric cast of characters and helps us keep them straight. Observant and witty, this is a great read.
Princess Pru and the Ogre on the Hill, by Maureen Fergus
Pru is a perfectly happy princess until an ogre moves into the house on a neighbouring hill. Pru isn’t concerned about the ogre’s hygiene—he has crusty toenails and his ears drip goo—but she really can’t abide by the way he keeps inserting himself in her activities uninvited. When it occurs to her that he might be lonely, she asks her dads to throw him a party to welcome him to the kingdom. They don’t agree, but in the days that follow, the ogre begins to stock up on party supplies himself and sends handwritten notes to the people of the kingdom, inviting them over for a “big surprise.” While others worry that he’ll put them in ogre stew, Pru puts on her party dress and heads over, and a new friendship begins. Colourful and fun, with a take-no-prisoners protagonist, Princess Pru and the Ogre on the Hill delivers a lesson about kindness the importance of giving each other a chance.
Chasing Shadows: Cyber Espionage, Subversion, and the Global Fight for Democracy, by Ronald J. Deibert
In this gripping book, Ronald J. Deibert, director of the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, exposes the vast marketplace of computerized criminal behaviour, from phone hacking to coordinated campaigns of disinformation to covert surveillance of activists, journalists, and politicians, often by their own governments. While the conclusions Deibert draws about the vulnerability of ordinary citizens to surveillance and harassment are staggering and the warnings he issues are dire, the story of the Citizen Lab and how Deibert and his team have repeatedly blown the lid wide open on autocrats, dictators, and cyber mercenaries reads like a modern-day spy novel—without the comfort of telling yourself it’s just make-believe.
Tomorrow Incorporated by Robert Hodge
What does the future look like when the corporate titans decide that the bureaucracy of government is no longer needed, nor desired?
In this debut novel by Robert Hodge, the future is set and Brian and Sylvia need to figure out what their future looks like outside of the walls that have been built around Toronto, as Henry sorts out his future on the inside. Fate will bring them together as the resistance to The Corporation begins to take shape as Malcom seeks alliances in the communities around The City. Sometimes everything works out in the end. Sometimes it doesn’t.
Book Club Babes Podcast
HOSTED BY CHANTAL BLAKELY AND KATELYNN NANGLE
Book Club Babes is a weekly podcast dedicated to creating a community for like-minded women to discuss the book of the month. Genres of books vary, but mostly fall within the range of Adult Fiction, Popular Literature, and Young Adult novels. You can follow along as we read one book per month. If reading more books is a goal for you, following along with Book Club Babes is an easy way to sneak another book into your Reading Challenge every month. Join us every Thursday to hang out with the Book Club Babes. Available wherever you listen to podcasts.
