David recommends: Don't Tell Anybody The Secrets I Told You: A Memoir, Lucinda Williams

Williams is widely regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of the last hundred years. I have listened to her songs endlessly since my mid-teens in the late 1980s, so it was fascinating to learn about her itinerant, "southern gothic" childhood, the colourful people she has met over the years, and the stories behind her stupendous songs. Williams also sheds light on the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry; it is a testament to her perseverance that she managed to break through into the mainstream in the late 1990s, when she was already well into her forties. As soon as I finished reading it, I began reading it again; I didn't want to leave her world. The writing is incisive and penetrating. This book will stay with me forever. This would make a great gift for anyone who loves reading.

Our newest employee Maddy recommends: Station Eleven: A Novel, Emily St. John Mandel

Emily St. John Mandel's fourth novel is perfect for those interested in dystopian futures and quirky, complex characters. Set in a post-apocalyptic world which has been gravely affected by a flu epidemic, we follow a nomadic group called the Travelling Symphony as they attempt to keep culture and art alive. Through what seems to be the end of the world and a global loss of humanity, this group of Shakespearean actors attempt to bring back the lost art of theatre. Mandel's novel tackles complex themes of death, obsession, and kindness as her characters uncover what is essential to their own survival and that of the world as a whole. The novel won the Arthur C. Clarke Award and was a finalist for National Book Award and PEN/Faulkner Award.

Carey recommends: A Tulip in Winter: A Story About Folk Artist Maud Lewis, Kathy Stinson; Illustrate

A Canadian artist from Nova Scotia, Lewis was plagued with poor physical health from early childhood. What she painted, however, was the beauty and colour in life and nature. Her ability to see beyond the hardships of her life are now displayed as Canadian folk art treasures. Stinson is an award-winning children's author and Soley is an author and a Nova Scotian. This is an uplifting story with colorful illustrations that recreate Lewis' joy for life and colour. Ages 4-8.