Loan Stars: August |

I posted last week about Loan Stars, a new readers' advisory program put together by various Canadian library-related organizations. Every month, library staff across the country are invited to read galleys of new books that are coming out, and to vote on their favourites. The result is a monthly list of the best new books, as selected by Canadian library staff.

Here's the top-ten Loan Stars list for August (all book descriptions are from the Loan Stars site):

By Gaslight by Stephen Price London, 1885. In a city of fog and darkness, the notorious thief Edward Shade exists only as a ghost, a fabled con, a thief of other men’s futures—a man of smoke… eBook
	Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman For as long as anyone can remember, Britt-Marie has been an acquired taste. It's not that she's judgemental, or fussy, or difficult – she just expects things to be done in a certain way… Not yet available as an eBook. Place a hold on a paper copy.
The House Between Tides by Sarah Maine Following the death of her last living relative, Hetty Deveraux leaves London and her strained relationship behind for Muirlan, her ancestral home in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. She intends to renovate the ruinous house into a hotel, but the shocking discovery of human remains brings her ambitious restoration plans to an abrupt halt before they even begin… eBook
	The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall What if someone you trusted was accused of the unthinkable? George Woodbury, an affable teacher and beloved husband and father, is arrested for sexual impropriety at a prestigious prep school… Not yet available as an eBook. Place a hold on a paper copy.
The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all—a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed… eBook eAudiobook
	Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue In the fall of 2007, Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant living in Harlem, lands a job as a chauffeur for Clark Edwards, a senior executive at Lehman Brothers. Jende hopes the new job will enable him, his adored wife, Neni, and his young son, to live a better life in America… eBook eAudiobook
To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey In the winter of 1885, decorated war hero Colonel Allen Forrester leads a small band of men on an expedition that has been deemed impossible: to venture up the Wolverine River and pierce the vast, untamed Alaska Territory… eBook
	The Cauliflower by Nicola Barker To the world, he is Sri Ramakrishna–godly avatar, esteemed spiritual master, beloved guru. To Rani Rashmoni, she of low caste and large inheritance, he is the brahmin fated to defy tradition. But to Hriday, his nephew and longtime caretaker, he is just maddening, bewildering Uncle… eBook
Cooking for Picasso by Camille Aubray In the spring of 1936, Pablo Picasso, already a well-known artist, retreated to a small town on the French Riviera to escape the turbulent love life that was interfering with his work… eBook eAudiobook
	The Hike by Drew Magary When Ben, a suburban family man, takes a business trip to rural Pennsylvania, he decides to spend the afternoon before his dinner meeting on a short hike. Once he sets out into the woods behind his hotel, he quickly comes to realize that the path he has chosen cannot be given up easily. With no choice but to move forward, Ben finds himself falling deeper and deeper into a world of man-eating giants, bizarre demons, and colossal insects… eBook