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May 2019 Adult Top 10 Picks

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  1. Me, Myself, They
    by Luna M. Ferguson Canada
    9781487004774
    House of Anansi Press
    May 07, 2019
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / LGBTQ+
    Paperback / softback
    Me, Myself, They
    by Luna M. Ferguson Canada
    9781487004774
    House of Anansi Press
    May 07, 2019
    BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / LGBTQ+
    Paperback / softback

    From renowned trans activist, Luna M. Ferguson, comes a work of memoir and critical analysis that embraces an inclusive understanding of sex and gender.

    Me, Myself, They: Life Beyond the Binary chronicles Luna M. Ferguson’s extraordinary story of transformation to become a celebrated non-binary filmmaker, writer, and advocate for trans rights. Beginning with their birth and early childhood of gender creativity, Ferguson recounts the complex and often challenging evolution of their identity, including traumatizing experiences with gender conversion therapy, bullying, depression, sexual assault, and violence. Above all, Ferguson’s story is about survival, empathy, and self-acceptance. By combining personal reflections on what it feels like to never truly fit into prescribed roles of male and female, and using an informed analysis of the ongoing shifts in contemporary attitudes towards sex and gender, Ferguson calls for an inclusive understanding of diverse human identity and respect for trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people. Through their honest and impassioned storytelling, we learn what it means to reclaim one’s identity and to live beyond the binary.

    View this title on BNC CataList
  2. Bina
    by Anakana Schofield Canada
    9780735273214
    Knopf Canada
    May 14, 2019
    FICTION / Literary
    Hardback
    Bina
    by Anakana Schofield Canada
    9780735273214
    Knopf Canada
    May 14, 2019
    FICTION / Literary
    Hardback
    The extraordinary bestselling novel from the acclaimed writer whose previous book, Martin John, was shortlisted for the Giller Prize, and whose debut, Malarky, won the Amazon First Novel Award.

    "My name is Bina and I'm a very busy woman. That's Bye-na, not Beena. I don't know who Beena is, but I expect she's having a happy life. I don't know who you are, or the state of your life. But if you've come all this way here to listen to me, your life will undoubtedly get worse. I'm here to warn you ..."

    So begins this "novel in warnings"--an unforgettable tour de force in the voice of an ordinary-extraordinary woman who has simply had enough. Through the character of Bina, who is writing out her story on the backs of discarded envelopes, Anakana Schofield filters a complex moral universe filled with humour and sadness, love and rage, and the consolations, obligations and mysteries of lifelong friendship. A work of great power, skill, and transformative empathy from a unique and astonishing writer.

    "Anakana Schofield's Bina is a fiction of the rarest and darkest kind, a work whose pleasures must be taken measure for measure with its pains. Few writers operate the scales of justice with more precision, and Schofield is no less exacting in what she chooses to weigh. The novel's themes--male violence, the nature of moral courage, the contemporary problems of truth and individuality, the status of the female voice--could hardly be more timely or germane. Schofield's sense of injustice is unblinking and without illusion, yet her writing is so vivacious, so full of interest and lust for life: she is the most compassionate of storytellers, wearing the guise of the blackest comedian." --Rachel Cusk, Giller Prize-shortlisted author of Outline and Transit

    "Intimate, disarming, and riotous, Bina is a searing exploration of one woman's soul that unwinds like a reluctant confession. Whether Bina is rescuing a ne'er-do-well from a ditch, taking a hammer to a plane or considering the dark request of her best friend, Schofield has created a compelling, practical everywoman--someone who has had enough and is ready to make a spectacle." --Eden Robinson, Giller Prize-shortlisted author of Son of a Trickster and Monkey Beach

    "Insightful. Inventive. Hilarious. Genius." --Eimear McBride, author of A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing, winner of the Bailey's Prize for Women's Fiction, and The Lesser Bohemians, winner of the James Tait Memorial Prize
    View this title on BNC CataList
  3. Year of the Orphan
    by Daniel Findlay
    9781628729924
    Arcade
    May 21, 2019
    FICTION / Dystopian
    Hardback
    Year of the Orphan
    by Daniel Findlay
    9781628729924
    Arcade
    May 21, 2019
    FICTION / Dystopian
    Hardback
    The Road meets Mad Max in this stunning debut with a gutsy, badass young female protagonist—for fans of Station 11, The Passage, and Riddley Walker.
    In a post-apocalyptic future where survivors scavenge in the harsh Australian Outback for spoils from a buried civilization, a girl races across the desert, holding her treasures close, pursued by the Reckoner.

    Riding her sand ship, living rough in the blasted landscape whose taint she carries in her blood, she scouts the broken infrastructure and trades her scraps at the only known settlement, a ramshackle fortress of greed, corruption, and disease known as the System. It is an outpost whose sole purpose is survival—refuge from the hulking, eyeless things they call Ghosts and other creatures that hunt beyond the fortress walls.

    Sold as a child, then raised hard in the System, the Orphan has a mission. She carries secrets about the destruction that brought the world to its knees. And she's about to discover that the past still holds power over the present. Given an impossible choice, will the Orphan save the only home she knows or see it returned to dust? Both paths lead to blood, but whose will be spilled?

    With propulsive pacing, a rich, broken language all its own, and a protagonist whose grit and charisma are matched by a relentless drive to know, The Year of the Orphan is a thriller of the future you won’t want to put down.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  4. The Unhoneymooners
    by Christina Lauren
    9781501128035
    Gallery Books
    May 14, 2019
    FICTION / Romance / Romantic Comedy
    Paperback / softback
    The Unhoneymooners
    by Christina Lauren
    9781501128035
    Gallery Books
    May 14, 2019
    FICTION / Romance / Romantic Comedy
    Paperback / softback
    THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

    Starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews * Publishers Weekly * Library Journal

    Named a “Must-Read” by TODAY, Us Weekly, Bustle, BuzzFeed, Goodreads, Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, Southern Living, Book Riot, Woman’s Day, The Toronto Star, and more!

    For two sworn enemies, anything can happen during the Hawaiian trip of a lifetime—maybe even love—in this romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling authors of Roomies.

    Olive Torres is used to being the unlucky twin: from inexplicable mishaps to a recent layoff, her life seems to be almost comically jinxed. By contrast, her sister Ami is an eternal champion...she even managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a slew of contests. Unfortunately for Olive, the only thing worse than constant bad luck is having to spend the wedding day with the best man (and her nemesis), Ethan Thomas.

    Olive braces herself for wedding hell, determined to put on a brave face, but when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. Suddenly there’s a free honeymoon up for grabs, and Olive will be damned if Ethan gets to enjoy paradise solo.

    Agreeing to a temporary truce, the pair head for Maui. After all, ten days of bliss is worth having to assume the role of loving newlyweds, right? But the weird thing is...Olive doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, the more she pretends to be the luckiest woman alive, the more it feels like she might be.

    With Christina Lauren’s “uniquely hilarious and touching voice” (Entertainment Weekly), The Unhoneymooners is a romance for anyone who has ever felt unlucky in love.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  5. Vessel
    by Lisa A. Nichols
    9781501168772
    Atria/Emily Bestler Books/Alloy Entertainment
    May 21, 2019
    FICTION / Thrillers / Suspense
    Hardback
    Vessel
    by Lisa A. Nichols
    9781501168772
    Atria/Emily Bestler Books/Alloy Entertainment
    May 21, 2019
    FICTION / Thrillers / Suspense
    Hardback
    “A surprising page-turner...Compelling. Highly recommended.”—Library Journal (starred review), Debut of the Month

    An astronaut returns to Earth after losing her entire crew to an inexplicable disaster, but is her version of what happened in space the truth? Or is there more to the story…A tense, psychological thriller perfect for fans of Dark Matter and The Martian.

    After Catherine Wells’s ship experiences a deadly incident in deep space and loses contact with NASA, the entire world believes her dead. Miraculously—and mysteriously—she survived, but with little memory of what happened. Her reentry after a decade away is a turbulent one: her husband has moved on with another woman and the young daughter she left behind has grown into a teenager she barely recognizes. Catherine, too, is different. The long years alone changed her, and as she readjusts to being home, sometimes she feels disconnected and even, at times, deep rage toward her family and colleagues. There are periods of time she can’t account for, too, and she begins waking up in increasingly strange and worrisome locations, like restricted areas of NASA. Suddenly she’s questioning everything that happened up in space: how her crewmates died, how she survived, and now, what’s happening to her back on Earth.

    Smart, gripping, and compelling, this page-turning sci-fi thriller will leave you breathless.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  6. The Campfire Cookbook
    by Viola Lex
    9781465483966
    DK
    May 07, 2019
    COOKING / Methods / Outdoor
    Paperback / softback
    The Campfire Cookbook
    by Viola Lex
    9781465483966
    DK
    May 07, 2019
    COOKING / Methods / Outdoor
    Paperback / softback
    The ultimate cookbook for al fresco eating, with more than 80 recipes for cooking outdoors.

    Rustle up your choice of sweet and savory dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Alongside traditional campfire favorites such as bbq chicken, corn on the cob, and kebabs, you'll find recipes for stuffed flatbreads, gnocchi, and even apricot cakes in a jar. With step-by-step instructions and evocative photography, the recipes are easy to follow.

    Each recipe has a symbol that tells you the best way to cook it, be it an open fire, grill, or camping stove. As well as outdoor cooking hacks and clever tips, you'll find checklists of camping essentials, ideas for using local produce, and basic recipes for camping must-haves such as bbq sauce and ketchup, plus new favorites like dukkah.

    Outdoor cooking can be magical, so break out of the kitchen, light your fire, and enjoy delicious recipes from The Campfire Cookbook - the perfect culinary companion for any camping trip or outdoor cooking.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  7. Always Remember Who You Are
    by Anita Ekstein
    9781988065533
    Azrieli Foundation
    Jul 30, 2019
    HISTORY / Modern / 20th Century / Holocaust
    Paperback / softback
    Always Remember Who You Are
    by Anita Ekstein
    9781988065533
    Azrieli Foundation
    Jul 30, 2019
    HISTORY / Modern / 20th Century / Holocaust
    Paperback / softback
    When the Nazis invade eastern Poland in 1941, young Anita Ekstein discovers that being Jewish is dangerous, and her days are suddenly filled with fear. Her parents no longer have time to dote on her and instead are occupied with trying to save her life. In 1942, when Anita is only eight years old, her mother is taken from the Skole ghetto by the Nazis. Devastated, her father immediately enlists the help of a Catholic man, Josef Matusiewicz, who courageously smuggles Anita out of the ghetto and gives her shelter. Anita must do whatever it takes to survive ? be quiet, stay in the house ? and become a Catholic. When her hiding place is discovered, Anita narrowly escapes and is concealed in a cramped, dusty wardrobe for weeks on end. Next taken in by a priest and his abusive and antisemitic housekeeper, Anita has only her prayers and her faith to give her hope. As an orphan after the war, Anita struggles with her identity. She is afraid of being Jewish and clings to her new faith, but ultimately, she embraces her father?s last words to Always Remember Who You Are.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  8. Before I Was a Critic I Was a Human Being
    by Amy Fung Canada
    9781771665056
    Book*hug Press
    May 07, 2019
    LITERARY CRITICISM / Feminist
    Paperback / softback
    Before I Was a Critic I Was a Human Being
    by Amy Fung Canada
    9781771665056
    Book*hug Press
    May 07, 2019
    LITERARY CRITICISM / Feminist
    Paperback / softback
    View this title on BNC CataList
  9. The Bride Test
    by Helen Hoang
    9780451490827
    Berkley
    May 07, 2019
    FICTION / Romance / Contemporary
    Paperback / softback
    The Bride Test
    by Helen Hoang
    9780451490827
    Berkley
    May 07, 2019
    FICTION / Romance / Contemporary
    Paperback / softback
    From the USA Today bestselling author of The Kiss Quotient comes a romantic novel about love that crosses international borders and all boundaries of the heart...

    Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he's defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

    As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can't turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn't go as planned. Esme's lessons in love seem to be working...but only on herself. She's hopelessly smitten with a man who's convinced he can never return her affection.

    With Esme's time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he's been wrong all along. And there's more than one way to love.
    View this title on BNC CataList
  10. The Paris Diversion
    by Chris Pavone
    9781524761509
    Crown
    May 07, 2019
    FICTION / Thrillers / Suspense
    Hardback
    The Paris Diversion
    by Chris Pavone
    9781524761509
    Crown
    May 07, 2019
    FICTION / Thrillers / Suspense
    Hardback
    “The most clever plot twist of the year.”—Washington Post

    “I nominate Kate Moore, the protagonist of Chris Pavone’s sizzling new thriller The Paris Diversion, for patron saint of working wives and mothers everywhere.”—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

    “The Paris Diversion is the best espionage novel I’ve read this year. Smart, sophisticated and suspenseful, this is Pavone’s finest novel to date—and that’s saying something.”—Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fool Me Once

    “Deliciously twisty . . . This involving work has been skillfully engineered for maximum reader enjoyment.”—The Wall Street Journal

    From the New York Times bestselling author of The Expats. Kate Moore is back in a pulse-pounding thriller to discover that a massive terror attack across Paris is not what it seems—and that it involves her family

    American expat Kate Moore drops her kids at the international school, makes her rounds of chores, and meets her husband Dexter at their regular café: a leisurely start to a normal day, St-Germain-des-Prés.

    Across the Seine, tech CEO Hunter Forsyth stands on his balcony, wondering why his police escort just departed, and frustrated that his cell service has cut out; Hunter has important calls to make, not all of them technically legal.

    And on the nearby rue de Rivoli, Mahmoud Khalid climbs out of an electrician’s van and elbows his way into the crowded courtyard of the world’s largest museum. He sets down his metal briefcase, and removes his windbreaker.

    That’s when people start to scream.

    Everyone has big plans for the day. Dexter is going to make a small fortune, finally digging himself out of a deep financial hole, via an extremely risky investment. Hunter is going to make a huge fortune, with a major corporate acquisition that will send his company’s stock soaring. Kate has less ambitious plans: preparations for tonight’s dinner party—one of those homemaker obligations she still hasn’t embraced, even after a half-decade of this life—and an uneventful workday at the Paris Substation, the clandestine cadre of operatives that she’s been running, not entirely successfully, increasingly convinced that every day could be the last of her career. But every day is also a fresh chance to prove her own relevance, never more so than during today’s momentous events.

    And Mahmoud? He is planning to die today. And he won’t be the only one.
    View this title on BNC CataList

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