Our Top 4 Must-Have Summer Reads!

THE VALEDICTORIAN OF BEING DEAD

BY HEATHER B. ARMSTRONG

The author and American blogger known as Dooce has written about her depression on her blog for years, but in The Valedictorian of Being Dead, Armstrong recounts where she found herself in 2016. She was deep in suicidal depression (unlike any episode she’d felt before) and decided that, for the sake of her family and living the rest of her life without this darkness, she’d participate in an experimental and ground-breaking clinical trial that chemically induced a coma, and caused the brain to come close to death. Her memoir details her month-long treatment (one that only few people have participated in) and explores what she went through in her quest to find peace. Spoiler: It worked. Heather hasn’t experienced suicidal depression since. $33

THE GOOD SISTER

BY GILLIAN MCALLISTER

Sisters Martha and Becky Blackwater are about as close as any two sisters can be. In fact, when Martha finds herself unable to balance life with her new daughter, Layla, and her growing business, ever the helpful sister Becky comes to her sister’s rescue and offers to babysit her niece. All is wonderful until tragedy strikes and Becky is charged with murder. Both sisters maintain Becky’s innocence, but before long Martha’s curiosity gets the best of her and she makes it her mission to find out what happened that fateful night. Several months into Becky’s trial, the sisters find themselves in a situation that really threatens the deep sibling bond they’ve built. Be prepared to get wrapped up in the sisters’ secrets, the harsh courtroom scenes and a healthy dose of family drama. $22

THE GIFTED SCHOOL A NOVEL

BY BRUCE HOLSINGER

The fictional town of Crystal, Colorado, is full of loving friends and neighbours — parents raising their children together. That is, until an exclusive school for only the smartest kids opens in their picture-perfect small-town community. The Gifted School tells the story of “good intentions and high ambitions” through four families who’ve been connected for more than a decade. This juicy read not only captures the lengths North American adults will go to get ahead, it also touches on marriages and careers, sibling relationships and the effect the secrets and lies within this group of parents has on their children. It’s smart, full of quips, timely and we’d be willing to bet you have a colleague or acquaintance (or two) like the competitive “friends” in this shocking story. $37

STAY SEXY & DON’T GET MURDERED

BY KAREN KILGARIFF & GEORGIA HARDSTARK

I’m a podcast fanatic — actually, I’m a true-crime podcast fanatic — so when I found out Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstalk, the American hosts of “My Favourite Murder” penned a book, I was all in. The premise of the show, which started in 2016, is Karen and Georgia chatting about their “favourite tales of murder” and listening to crime stories from fans. (It’s a bit gruesome, I know.) But their book is different — it delves into uncharted territory with stories about their struggles with addiction, eating disorders and depression. They candidly talk about their biggest fears, mistakes and how they’ve become two of the most famous podcasters in the world. $33