This month we are reviewing the book Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan

Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan
When twenty-four-year-old Susannah Cahalan woke up alone in a hospital room, strapped to her bed and unable to move or speak, she had no memory of how she’d gotten there. Days earlier, she had been on the threshold of a new, adult life: at the beginning of her first serious relationship and a promising career at a major New York newspaper. Now she was labeled violent, psychotic, a flight risk. What happened?

In a swift and breathtaking narrative, Susannah tells the astonishing true story of her descent into madness, her family’s inspiring faith in her, and the lifesaving diagnosis that nearly didn’t happen.

Reviews
“As a fan of the TV series House, I found this a fascinating read, from going through all of Susannah’s symptoms and experiences to the doctors who misdiagnosed her illness. It was difficult to put the book down. Bravo to her for her strength in retelling her story so others with the same illness can benefit from her harrowing journey to recovery and to the doctor who eventually cured her.” – Review by Janice

“The book was engaging, at the same time a little scary realizing how resilient the human brain is. Reading this book is like witnessing Susannah Cahalan’s fascinating yet horrifying journey. It was very informative, interesting and well-written. I really enjoyed reading this book.” – Review by Maria

Book of the Month
Every month we will be featuring a new book to be showcased in our Book of the Month. Staff members and friends will be reading the book and posting their reviews. We’d love to hear what you thought of these books as well. Post your comments and let us know.

Brain on Fire is available at London Drugs along with many other great titles.

This month we are reviewing the book The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway

The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
This brilliant novel with universal resonance tells the story of three people trying to survive in a city rife with the extreme fear of desperate times, and of the sorrowing cellist who plays undaunted in their midst.
One day a shell lands in a bread line and kills twenty-two people as the cellist watches from a window in his flat. He vows to sit in the hollow where the mortar fell and play Albinoni’s Adagio once a day for each of the twenty-two victims. The Adagio had been re-created from a fragment after the only extant score was firebombed in the Dresden Music Library, but the fact that it had been rebuilt by a different composer into something new and worthwhile gives the cellist hope.
Meanwhile, Kenan steels himself for his weekly walk through the dangerous streets to collect water for his family on the other side of town, and Dragan, a man Kenan doesn’t know, tries to make his way towards the source of the free meal he knows is waiting. Both men are almost paralyzed with fear, uncertain when the next shot will land on the bridges or streets they must cross, unwilling to talk to their old friends of what life was once like before divisions were unleashed on their city. Then there is “Arrow,” the pseudonymous name of a gifted female sniper, who is asked to protect the cellist from a hidden shooter who is out to kill him as he plays his memorial to the victims.
In this beautiful and unforgettable novel, Steven Galloway has taken an extraordinary, imaginative leap to create a story that speaks powerfully to the dignity and generosity of the human spirit under extraordinary duress.

Reviews
“The Cellist of Sarajevo was a great read.  The author paints a beautiful picture of hope within an environment filled with extreme fear and desperate times.  I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a great read. ” – Review by Shelley

Book of the Month
Every month we will be featuring a new book to be showcased in our Book of the Month. Staff members and friends will be reading the book and posting their reviews. We’d love to hear what you thought of these books as well. Post your comments and let us know.

The Cellist of Sarajevo is available at London Drugs along with many other great titles.

This month we are reviewing the book Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
1987. The only person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus is her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can be herself only in Finn’s company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies, far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, June’s world is turned upside down. But Finn’s death brings a surprise acquaintance into June’s life. At the funeral, June notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd. A few days later, she receives a package in the mail containing a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finn’s apartment, and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet. As the two begin to spend time together, June realizes she’s not the only one who misses Finn, and that this unexpected friend just might be the one she needs the most.

Reviews
“Tell the Wolves I’m Home is the first book written by author Carol Rifka Brunt.  It tells the story of 14 year old June who is dealing with the death of her adored uncle Finn.  Through a friendship she develops with Toby, her uncle’s “special friend” she discovers things about herself, her uncle, the rest of her family, and what true friendship is all about.  This book covers a wide range of emotions from grief, to love, to distrust , to caring , to name just a few.  It will open your eyes to see both strangers and people you know, in a different way.” – Review by Carolynn

Book of the Month
Every month we will be featuring a new book to be showcased in our Book of the Month. Staff members and friends will be reading the book and posting their reviews. We’d love to hear what you thought of these books as well. Post your comments and let us know.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home is available at London Drugs along with many other great titles.

This month we are reviewing the book He’s Gone by Deb Caletti

He’s Gone by Deb Caletti
The Sunday morning starts like any other, aside from the slight hangover. Dani Keller wakes up on her Seattle houseboat, a headache building behind her eyes from the wine she drank at a party the night before. But on this particular Sunday morning, she’s surprised to see that her husband, Ian, is not home. As the hours pass, Dani fills her day with small things. But still, Ian does not return. Irritation shifts to worry, worry slides almost imperceptibly into panic. And then, like a relentless blackness, the terrible realization hits Dani: He’s gone.

As the police work methodically through all the logical explanations – he’s hurt, he’s run off, he’s been killed – Dani searches frantically for a clue as to whether Ian is in fact dead or alive. And, slowly, she unpacks their relationship, holding each moment up to the light: from its intense, adulterous beginning, to the grandeur of their new love, to the difficulties of forever. She examines all the sins she can – and cannot – remember. As the days pass, Dani will plumb the depths of her conscience, turning over and revealing the darkest of her secrets in order to discover the hard truth – about herself, her husband, and their lives together.

Reviews
“I found this book to be very emotional.  I connected and identified with Dani from the very beginning.  I wasn’t expecting such a page turner.  Probably because I could not figure out how it was going to end.  Just when I thought I did, something happened to steer it in another direction.   It’s one of those books that stays in your mind long after you put it down, so you can’t wait to get back into it again to find out what actually happened.  It was eloquently written and thought provoking.” – Review by Susie

“This book started with a really great idea and in general had a good storyline but I found the main character, Dani, a bit frustrating. I kept wishing I could shake some sense into her. I didn’t like that she spends a lot of time either feeling sorry for herself or making excuses for the people that are treating her poorly. I wasn’t sure if she really missed him or if she was more concerned about how his disappearance reflected on her. I finished it because I wanted to know how it would end, but it turned out I had predicted it correctly in the first chapter. A good read but I just wasn’t a fan of the character.” – Review by Kelly

Book of the Month
Every month we will be featuring a new book to be showcased in our Book of the Month. Staff members and friends will be reading the book and posting their reviews. We’d love to hear what you thought of these books as well. Post your comments and let us know.

This month we are reviewing the book The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
When Harold Fry leaves his house one morning to post a letter, with his wife vacuuming upstairs, he has no idea that he is about to walk from one end of the country to the other.

He has no hiking boots or map, let alone a compass, waterproof jacket or mobile phone.

All he knows is that he must keep walking.

To save someone else’s life.

Reviews
“I really enjoyed reading this book; I finished it in two sittings. At first, I didn’t have much empathy for either character. Harold’s sudden abandonment of his wife seemed very selfish, and Maureen was a bitterly unhappy woman taking out her unresolved anger on her husband. But as the novel progresses, details of their past are revealed and they grow as people, and you begin to see hope for them as a couple. ” – Review by Melissa

“Unusual and intriguing story about the reflections and regrets of one’s life. A simple introspective adventure with surprises around every corner.  Thoroughly enjoyed reading about Harold and the interesting people he meets along his journey that culminates with an unpredicted ending.” – Review by Janice

“I was pleasantly surprised by this book. At first Harold and his wife seem so unhappy and uninteresting both as people and as a couple, but as Harold embarks on his journey you learn about their past and how they got to such a place. They both begin to reflect and rethink about their past actions and to find hope for their future. I found myself cheering for them both.” – Review by Kelly

Book of the Month
Every month we will be featuring a new book to be showcased in our Book of the Month. Staff members and friends will be reading the book and posting their reviews. We’d love to hear what you thought of these books as well. Post your comments and let us know.