Need help finding your next read? Here's what the Yahoo Canada team recommends
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There’s nothing like losing yourself in the pages of a good book.
Putting your phone on silent, pouring yourself a cup of tea and escaping to a quiet corner to read not only relieves stress, it also fosters creativity and can even improve your quality of sleep.
Whether you’re an avid reader or looking to fall back in love with the written word, Yahoo Canada is here to help.
ALSO SEE: Home office must-haves you can buy from small Canadian retailers
From romance to non-fiction, mysteries to memoirs, we asked our team to share book recommendations to inspire any type of reader.
Kate Mendonca - Shopping Editor
The Giver of Stars: A Novel - Jojo Moyes
“I’ve been a huge fan of Moyes’s work since I first read her tearjerker “Me Before You.” In times like these, her books are just the sort of romantic escapism that I’m looking for in a book, and her latest title set in Kentucky in the 1930’s is no exception.”
SHOP IT: $37
Over The Top: A Raw Journey to Self Love - Jonathan Van Ness
“Continuing with my escapist theme, I’ve been reading Van Ness’s biography. The star of Netflix’s “Queer Eye” has an over-the-top personality that shines through on every page, even when discussing tough issues like his early family life and past addiction issues.”
SHOP IT: from $22
Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes- Dana Thomas
“With the current coronavirus outbreak causing many of us to consider trimming our wardrobes, I’d recommend this book for anyone looking to go one step further. It’s an eye-opening look at the current state of fashion, but rather than being all doom and gloom, it also offers a look at the makers and innovators who are helping to transform the industry.”
SHOP IT: $37
Hilary Hagerman - Lifestyle Managing Editor
The Phantom Prince: My Life With A Serial Killer -Elizabeth Kendall
“In times of stress, some people turn to fun books — not me! I turn to serial killers. This is an expanded, updated edition of Elizabeth Kendall’s 1981 memoir about her six-year relationship with Ted Bundy. I find the personal aspects of Bundy’s life so interesting and horrific, and this is no exception. It’s a gripping account of daily life from Kendall, someone who saw Bundy as the love of her life for many years.”
SHOP IT: from $32
The Wives -Tarryn Fisher
“Sitting down with a semi-trashy, easy-to-read thriller is the ultimate form of relaxation for me. Right now, I’m reading The Wives, which is a page-turner about a polygamist marriage...WITH A TWIST.”
SHOP IT: from $15
Noel Hulsman - Head of Media, Yahoo Canada
Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel’s Targeted Assassination- Ronen Bergman
“OK, fine, not the feel-good book of the year, but is massive and has more than 750 pages. I figured it would hold me over if book stores temporarily shutdown. Plus, it was $70 when it came out in hardback and is now in paper and finally affordable. It’s an incredibly interesting read as it explores all of the vexing decisions that need to be made before sending agents into hostile territory to conduct operations. And unsurprisingly, it’s nothing like the movies where one person does it all. In real life, the people who do the spying don’t analyze the intel or act on it. Those are completely separate jobs. So even the smallest stuff is enormously complex. I could go on and on…”
SHOP IT: from $27
Elisabetta Bianchini- News Editor
My Friend Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress - Rachel DeLoache Williams
“I love Vanity Fair, in general, so this true story from a Vanity Fair photo editor about how she was duped by a fake heiress in New York City is everything I love, wrapped up in one package. It’s a really quick read and one of the news stories of recent years I couldn’t stop reading about. This is also about to be a Netflix series, so read it now and be prepared for when that happens.”
SHOP IT: $36
Vanity Fair’s School for Scandal: The Inside Dramas at 16 of America’s Most Elite Campuses - Graydon Carter (Editor)
“Anyone else completely captivated by the college admission scandal that was revealed last year? If so, this is a great book that looks back at Vanity Fair’s coverage of other scandals and “secrets” at high-profile schools, like Yale, Harvard and Duke, over a 25 year period.”
SHOP IT: $20
A Thousand and One Afternoons in Chicago - Ben Hecht
“A lot of journalists don’t like reading books related to their job in their personal time, but I am the complete opposite. This book, admittedly, is not the easiest to get your hands on but it’s a great collection of pieces from Hecht’s column in the Chicago Daily News from the 1920s.”
SHOP IT: $38
Anyone Who’s Anyone: The Astonishing Celebrity Interviews - George Wayne
“My favourite kind of book, hands down, is any collection of interviews that a publication puts out. There are some great box sets from Rolling Stone and The Paris Review (which I also recommend), but this is a one-off book of interviews that I refer back to frequently. If you’re looking for a bit of an escape with some celebrity insight, this is great. George Wayne is an interesting interviewer and this Q&A style book looks back at some great conversations from 1987-2017.”
SHOP IT: $32
Elizabeth Di Filippo - Lifestyle Editor
The Silent Patient - Alex Michaelides
“An entertaining read that will keep you guessing to the very last pages. Perfect for readers who loved books like “Gone Girl” or “Girl on the Train,” there’s a twist at the end of this book that I definitely did not see coming. Michaelides’s debut novel is an easy read that you can - and will- want to read in an entire weekend.
Michaelides recently announced that Annapurna Films and Brad Pitt’s production company, Plan B, have signed on to produce the “The Silent Patient” movie. Get in on it now and be able to say what we all love telling our friends, “I liked the book better.””
SHOP IT: from $24
Did You Ever Have a Family - Bill Clegg
“I have been wanting to read this book for ages and finally had the chance during a self-imposed isolation. The book begins with a devastating fire that kills June Reid’s daughter, son-in-law, ex-husband and her partner the night before her daughter’s wedding. What follows is a study on grief and guilt told from multiple perspectives of endearingly flawed, damaged characters.
If you’re looking for a potential book club pick, I highly recommend this book. It will stir debate, reflection and ultimately explore the complexities of family.”
SHOP IT: from $12
The Liars’ Club - Mary Karr
“Nobody masters memoir and voice like Mary Karr. Karr recounts her childhood growing up in the ‘60s in rural Southeast Texas in a family fraught with alcoholism and mental health issues. The book takes its title from the group of characters Karr’s father used to socialize with to gamble, drink and tell tall tales. Despite the heavy subject matter, the book perfectly blends child-like honesty with humour and establishes Karr as one of the most gifted writers of our time.
Karr followed up her childhood memoir with her coming-of-age journey in “Cherry” and explores motherhood and her road to sobriety in “Lit.” Karr will win you over, break your heart and make you fall in love with the art of memoir.”
SHOP IT: $24
Michal Stein - Editorial Assistant
Exit West - Mohsin Hamid
“This is the perfect book to read if you’re looking for something to help understand the present moment but need to disengage from the news a little bit. It’s a story about two young people falling in love as war descends on their city, which becomes increasingly locked down. They decide to leave and we join them on their journey towards what they hope is a better life.
Something so striking about this book is the way it portrays the transition from life as normal to things getting a little bit weird, to all of a sudden finding yourself living in a completely different reality. It’s a fairly quick read, but powerful (and good book club material, if you’re in a long-distance book club).”
SHOP IT: from $10
Tori Floyd - Editorial Support Specialist
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - Stuart Turton
“Without giving too much away, this book starts out as historical fiction, but quickly turns into so much more. If you’re like me and you love getting lost in a mystery and trying to solve a whodunnit, this is such a delightful read. Lots of great characters, and the perfect amount of bread crumbs so you can solve the mystery yourself, without making it too easy.”
SHOP IT: $25
The City of Brass - S.A. Chakraborty
“This is my current read, which I picked up just before I had to switch to working from home. I’m thrilled that I started this trilogy since it’s a great escape into the fictional world of Djinn, set in the Middle East. It’s filled with complex characters - no one’s truly good, but you find yourself rooting for them anyway, which are my favourite kinds of characters. Looking forward to wrapping this ever-evolving story up and moving on to the sequel, The Kingdom of Copper.”
SHOP IT: from $22
Jeff Lagerquist - Senior Finance Reporter
Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of Blackberry
“Everybody remembers the time when CrackBerries were everywhere! From the company’s beginnings in an office above a bagel store in Waterloo, Ont., BlackBerry outsmarted the global giants with an addictive smartphone that generated billions of dollars. Its devices were so ubiquitous that even Barack Obama favoured them above all others. But just as it was emerging as the dominant global player, BlackBerry took a dramatic turn.”
SHOP IT: $46
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