Canadian books we can't wait to read this October
Here are some of the most anticipated titles for the month
False Bodies by J.R. McConvey
False Bodies tells the story of monster hunter Eddie "The Yeti" Gesner as he travels to Newfoundland to make sense of a mass death on an offshore oil rig. People are saying that it could be the work of a kraken and Eddie is determined to get to the bottom of it. When he discovers an antique diary, his grasp of reality is called into question and he must face an undersea power that he could have never even imagined.
False Bodies is out now.
J.R. McConvey is a writer and documentary producer from Toronto. His debut short story collection, Different Beasts, was published in 2019 and won the 2020 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize for speculative fiction. CBC Books named him a writer to watch in 2020. In 2016, McConvey made the longlist for the CBC Poetry Prize.
An Astonishment of Stars by Kirti Bhadresa
An Astonishment of Stars is a short story collection that focuses on racialized women navigating all the hardships of everyday life. From a wife who uses the name of her white husband in public to the teen girl who watches her rebellious older sister slip away, the stories shed light on those who often remain unseen.
An Astonishment of Stars is out now.
Kirti Bhadresa is a Calgary-based fiction and nonfiction writer whose work has appeared in The Fiddlehead, Prairie Fire, The Quarantine Review, The Sprawl and Room. She was a finalist for the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association Award in the Feature Writing category.
Keep by Jenny Haysom
The novel Keep is a meditation on all the stuff in our lives. Having been recently diagnosed with dementia, Harriet must sell her beloved house. Enter home stagers Eleanor and Jacob who are hired to remove the clutter, but soon find themselves immersed in Harriet's mysterious world while their own lives are unravelling.
Keep is out now.
Jenny Haysom is a writer from Nova Scotia. Her debut poetry collection, Dividing the Wayside, won the Archibald Lampman Award and was shortlisted for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. She has published her writing in magazines across Canada. Haysom was longlisted for the 2013 CBC Poetry Prize.
Tegan and Sara: Crush by Tegan Quin and Sara Quin, illustrated by Tillie Walden
In the follow up to their bestselling graphic novel Junior High, Tegan and Sara have made it out of seventh grade but that doesn't mean their junior high drama is over. Just as Tegan's falling out with her BFF and Sara is dealing with growing feelings for her dream girl — the twins also have to find a way to focus on their upcoming battle-of-the-bands and a chance to open up for their favourite artist.
Tegan and Sara: Crush is out now.
Tegan Quin and Sara Quin are twin sisters, musicians and writers from Calgary. Their previously published memoir, High School, was adapted into a television series with Amazon. They are also the authors of the graphic novel Junior High.
Tillie Walden is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist, illustrator and writer. She has published several graphic novels, including On a Sunbeam and Spinning.
Puffin and Penguin by Helaine Becker, illustrated by Kevin Sylvester
On Puffin's first day at his new school he's happy to find out Penguin, the coolest kid in school, has been assigned to be his buddy. But Puffin quickly finds out that popularity also comes with a lot of work — especially with Penguin set to play King Midas in the school play. But when a blackout threatens the play's opening night, it's up to Puffin to save the day.
Puffin and Penguin is out now.
Helaine Becker has written more than 80 books, including Porcupine in a Pine Tree , Dashing Through the Snow, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Counting on Katherine and That's No Dino! Or Is It?. Becker lives in Toronto.
Kevin Sylvester, is a broadcaster and the award-winning illustrator and writer of middle-grade books such as the Neil Flambé Capers series and the MiNRS space adventure series.
The Diapause by Andrew Forbes
The Diapause is a novel that follows 10-year-old Gabriel and his parents who retreat to an old family cabin to ride out a pandemic. As time passes, tensions between the family members rise and Gabriel will reel with the consequences for years to come.
The Diapause is out now.
Andrew Forbes's first short story collection, What You Need, was a finalist for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award and Trillium Book Award. His stories have been published widely, appearing in publications like The Feathertale Review, Little Fiction, PRISM International, New Quarterly and Maisonneuve Magazine. He is based in Peterborough, Ont. His novella McCurdle's Arm: A Fiction was released this summer.
Remember Me Tomorrow by Farah Heron
In Remember Me Tomorrow, aspiring investigative journalist Aleeza is drawn to East House, the worst dorm on campus, because of Jay Hoque's mysterious disappearance five months earlier. When she starts receiving texts from him, from the past, before he disappeared, they decide to work together to try and prevent his disappearance — no matter the consequences. But the more Aleeza discovers about Jay, the more she finds herself catching feelings for him, despite not knowing on which plane of the world he exists.
Remember Me Tomorrow, is out now.
Farah Heron is a writer from Toronto. She is also the author of the romantic comedies Just Playing House, Jana Goes Wild, The Chai Factor, Accidentally Engaged, Kamila Knows Best and the YA novel Tahira in Bloom.
The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose
The Mistletoe Mystery is a holiday novella featuring Molly the Maid from Nita Prose's earlier books. When Molly and her boyfriend are part of a secret Santa exchange that makes her question her relationship, she's thrown into solving her most personal mystery yet.
The Mistletoe Mystery is out now.
Nita Prose is a Toronto author and editor. She was formerly the Canadian vice president and editorial director for publishing company Simon & Schuster. Her books include The Maid and The Mystery Guest.
If We Tell You by Nicola Dahlin
If We Tell You follows identical twins Cameron and Lewis Larsen who have lived relatively uneventful lives up until this point. After their parents inexplicably kill two unwanted attendees at a suburban barbecue and then leave, the twins are left completely in the dark… except for the instructions to go to Edinburgh, Scotland. Set on a mysterious search for answers about their parents, the twins go undercover as one person, only to sense someone following their tracks. Will their bond as siblings be enough to protect them and uncover the truth about their family?
If We Tell You is out now.
Nicola Dahlin is a Canadian Scottish writer currently living in Calgary. If We Tell You is her first novel.
The Art of Making by Jared Tailfeathers
The Art of Making follows Jared Tailfeathers' land-based journey to explore and understand his cultural and historical identity as a Blackfoot man. It goes into detail about the evolution of the Blackfoot Confederacy and all that came after it.
The Art of Making is out now.
Tailfeathers is an Indigenous artist whose work explores the art, history and future of the Blackfoot and other Treaty 7 Nations.
i heard a crow before i was born by Jules Delorme
i heard a crow before i was born is a memoir in which Jules Delorme shares his difficult upbringing from resentful and abusive parents. He also pays homage to his tóta (grandmother) and the many animal protectors that helped him be strong enough to move forward — and reflects on the intergenerational trauma from residential schools that continues to affect his family.
i heard a crow before i was born is out now.
Delorme is a neurodivergent Kanien'kehá:ka writer who grew up on the Akwesasne Reserve. His other books are faller and Ahshiá:ton (You Should Write It). He is based in Toronto.
Unlike the Rest by Chika Stacy Oriuwa
Unlike the Rest charts how Chika Stacy Oriuwa realized her dream of being a doctor — and the systemic discrimination she faced as the only Black student in her medical school class of 259 students at the University of Toronto. She vividly describes what it's like to train in the hospital, have doubts and familial pressure to achieve success and become an advocate for change.
Unlike the Rest is out now.
Oriuwa is a psychiatry resident at the University of Toronto. She was named one of Time magazine's 2021 Next Generation Leaders and was on Maclean's Power 50 list in 2022. She has been on multiple boards and is an advocate for creating spaces of wellness and inclusion.
Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
In Revenge of the Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell revisits the lessons of his groundbreaking book The Tipping Point and reframes the subject of social epidemics in the current context. Using stories and research, Gladwell highlights a concerning form of social engineering and offers a guide to making sense of modern contagion.
Revenge of the Tipping Point is out now.
Gladwell has written many nonfiction books including The Tipping Point, Blink, What the Dog Saw, David and Goliath, Talking to Strangers and The Bomber Mafia. He is also the co-founder of Pushkin Industries, a company that produces the podcast Revisionist History among others as well as audiobooks. Gladwell grew up in Elmira, Ont. and now lives in the U.S.
What She Said by Elizabeth Renzetti
Drawing on her experiences as a journalist covering women's rights, Elizabeth Renzetti dives into the challenges that women are still facing in today's Canada in What She Said. With humour and sympathy, she looks into everything from reproductive justice to pay disparity through the lens of how women can work together to protect their rights and work towards a more equal society.
What She Said is out now.
Renzetti is a Toronto-based author and journalist who has worked for the Globe and Mail. Her other books include the essay collection Shrewed, the novel Based on a True Story and the mystery Bury The Lead written with Kate Hilton.
I'll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong
When Nicola's husband dies in a terrible car crash, he leaves her with one final message, "I'll be waiting for you" in the thriller I'll Be Waiting. Their final moment was leaked to the press and the person who shared it claimed it was his ghost who actually said those words. Now Nicola is fighting off spiritualists who are promising closure and her friends and family find her a reputable medium with whom to conduct a séance. Almost immediately, strange things start happening and Nicola is haunted by her past as her secrets are revealed.
I'll Be Waiting is out now.
Kelley Armstrong is the New York Times-bestselling author of the Darkest Powers, Darkness Rising and Age of Legends trilogies for teens. She is also the author of numerous thriller and fantasy series for adults, three YA thrillers and the Royal Guide to Monster Slaying series.
Treat Them Where They Lie by Ronald Stewart with Jim Meek
Treat Them Where They Lie is the memoir of Ronald Stewart, a physician who paved the way in emergency medicine. Steward served as an advisor on the TV show Emergency! and was the Nova Scotia Minister of Health. Co-written with Jim Meek, the book tells the story of a life well-lived and chronicles modern emergency medicine.
Treat Them Where They Lie is out now.
Stewart is a trailblazer in the development of modern emergency medicine and served as the Nova Scotia Minister of Health. He is a companion of the Order of Canada and founded the Music in Medicine program at Dalhousie University's medical school.
Meek is a writer and journalist. His work includes Cultivating Success: The Life of Acadian Seaplants Founder Louis Deveau and he received the Hyman Solomon Award recognizing achievements in Canadian public policy journalism.
Mars on Earth by Mark Johanson
Mars on Earth is a memoir detailing Mark Johanson's life-changing journey through the world's driest desert, the Atacama in Chile. As he treks through 1,200 miles of unknown territory and meets many unique people, he searches for a better understanding of his partner and Chile.
Mars on Earth is out now.
Johanson is a journalist based in Chile. His work has appeared in publications including Travel National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveler, The Economist, The Guardian, BBC and CNN. He has co-written several Lonely Planet guidebooks and coffee table books.
She Falls Again by Rosanna Deerchild
She Falls Again follows the voice of a poet attempting to survive as an Indigenous person in Winnipeg when so many are disappearing. Riddled with uncertainties, like if the crow she speaks to is a trickster, the poet hears the message of the Sky Woman who is set on dismantling the patriarchy. Through short poems and prose this collection calls for reclamation and matriarchal power.
She Falls Again is out now.
Rosanna Deerchild has been storytelling for more than 20 years, currently as host of CBC's Unreserved. Deerchild also developed and hosted This Place, a podcast series for CBC Books around the Indigenous anthology This Place: 150 Years Retold. Her book, calling down the sky, is her mother's residential school survivor story. Deerchild is currently based in Winnipeg.
Conversations with the Kagawong River by sophie anne edwards
sophie anne edwards, who is of English and French settler heritage, spent several years with a river on Mnidoo Mnising or Manitoulin Island. edwards immersed herself in the ecosystem, specifically listening to Gaagigewang Ziibi (Kagawong River) and the rhythms of the water, the flora and the fauna. In her poetry collection Conversations with the Kagawong River, she invites the elements of the ecosystem to speak through poetry and explores Mnidoo Mnising | Manitoulin Island Treaty history. This collection reflects on the natural world and settler's colonial relationships to it. edwards' work was supported and reviewed by Anishinaabeg elders and historians on Manitoulin Island.
Conversations with the Kagawong River is out now.
edwards is based on Manitoulin Island in Northeastern Ontario. Her writing has been supported by the Canada Council for the Arts. edwards holds a Certificate in Creative Writing from Humber College.
Toxemia by Christine McNair
In this hybrid collection of poems, essays and photographs Christine McNair describes the complexities of living with preeclampsia diagnoses and chronic illness. Toxemia works through the toxicities of the body, physical, mental and societal – ultimately revealing how illness permeates every aspect of one's life from endless appointments, sleepless nights and constant fear of death.
Toxemia is out now.
McNair is the Ottawa-based author of Charm, which won the 2018 Archibald Lampman Award, and Conflict that was a finalist for the City of Ottawa Book Award, the Archibald Lampman Award, and the ReLit Award for Poetry. McNair was also nominated for the Robert Kroetsch Award for Innovative Poetry.
echolalia echolalia by Jane Shi
In echolalia echolalia a collection of poems focus on the body politic and the experiences of being queer, disabled and in the diaspora. Reflecting on her own identities, author Jane Shi writes about chosen family and resisting colonial projects and ideologies that seek to dehumanize.
echolalia echolalia is out now.
Jane Shi is a writer and poet based in B.C. Her writing has appeared in the Disability Visibility Blog and Queer Little Nightmares: An Anthology of Monstrous Fiction and Poetry. Shi graduated from the Writer's Studio Online program at Simon Fraser University and StoryStudio Chicago. She is the winner of The Capilano Review's 2022 In(ter)ventions in the Archive Contest.
Sunrise Over Half-Built Houses by Erin Steele
In Sunrise Over Half-Built Houses, Erin Steele tells her story of growing up in a suburban town where things aren't always what they seem. While things might look okay on the outside, Steele is grappling with addiction and her sexuality. The book shines a light on her experiences and how she has finally been able to find peace.
When you can read it: Oct. 4, 2024
Steele is a writer based in Kelowna, B.C. She was a 2022 Writing by Writers fellow and has been published in Human Parts by Medium.
Mad Sisters by Susan Grundy
Mad Sisters is a memoir that explores Susan Grundy's experiences as a caretaker for her older sister with schizophrenia after their parents move away. With compassion and resilience, the book explores the collateral of mental illness and complex families while shedding light on the lack of resources in the mental health care system.
When you can read it: Oct. 4, 2024
Grundy is a writer who formerly worked in marketing. Her work has been published in The Danforth Review and Montreal Writes. She lives in Montreal and London, U.K.
Fledgling by S.K. Ali
Fledgling: The Keeper's Records of Revolution is the first book in a YA science fiction duology set amidst two earths on the brink of self destruction. When the dutiful Raisa of Upper Earth is arranged to be married to Lein, the Crown Prince of Lower Earth, Raisa obliges in the hopes of preventing further war. Lein's cousin and recently imprisoned Nada has a different idea: stop the royal wedding and spark a revolution. As tensions rise between both worlds, the paths to tyranny or peace become more and more blurred.
When you can read it: Oct. 8, 2024
S.K. Ali is a writer and teacher from Toronto. She is best known for her YA novels Saints and Misfits, Love from A to Z and is the co-editor of the middle grade anthology, Once Upon an Eid which won the Middle East Book Honor Award in 2020.
Under All the Lights by Maya Ameyaw
When Ollie Cheriet's song becomes popular online he's approached to write an album, go on tour and fulfill all his dreams as long as he can learn to manage his stage fright. As the pressure of being in the spotlight grows, his new touring partner Jesse begins to make him feel more at ease. In the coming-of-age novel Under All the Lights Ollie explores what it means to be an artist in the spotlight while he learns more about his anxiety disorder and bisexuality.
When you can read it: Oct. 8, 2024
Maya Ameyaw is a writing instructor and author based in Toronto. Her books include the YA novel When It All Syncs Up and the anthology Brilliance is the Clothing I Wear.
Light Enough to Float by Lauren Seal
Written in verse, Light Enough to Float is a thoughtful story about being a teenager with an eating disorder. Evie is a young girl yearning for a place and time before, when she felt in control of her body. After being admitted to an inpatient treatment facility, Evie is attending therapy and calorie loading every day — working with her caregivers to find love and understanding for herself and others.
When you can read it: Oct. 8, 2024
Lauren Seal is an Alberta-based writer and librarian. She is also the poet laureate of St. Albert and mentors a spoken word youth choir. Light Enough to Float, Seal's first novel in verse, was inspired by personal experiences with anorexia.
Sugaring Off by Fanny Britt, translated by Susan Ouriou
Sugaring Off follows married couple Adam and Marion who seem to have it all figured out. When Adam causes a surfing accident that leaves a young woman injured, Adam and Marion must face the reality that they've been ignoring their problems.
When you can read it: Oct. 8, 2024
Fanny Britt is a Montreal-based writer, translator and playwright. She has won multiple Governor General's Literary Awards including the 2013 Award in Drama for her play Bienveillance. Sugaring Off won the 2021 Governor General's Literary Award for French-language fiction.
Susan Ouriou is a French and Spanish to English translator, a fiction writer and a playwright. She has previously won the Governor General's Literary Award for translation for her work.
Ouriou also translated The Future by Catherine Leroux, the winner of Canada Reads 2024.
We're Not Rich by Sue Murtagh
We're Not Rich is a short story collection following the lives of neighbours living on one street. Exploring the idea of the North American dream, it highlights the realities of modern life and daily challenges of the housing market, marriage, and illness. The 13 different stories weave through each other, following a married couple's experience at a golf tournament, a grandmother's generational trauma and the impacts of wildfire. We're Not Rich mixes hope and connection with the harsh reality of everyday life and shows that community exists even in the most unexpected places.
When you can read it: Oct. 8, 2024
Sue Murtagh is a Halifax-based writer. Her work has been featured in publications including the Humber Literary Review, the New Quarterly, The Nashwaak Review, carte blanche and Grain. We're Not Rich is her first book.
The Black Hunger by Nicholas Pullen
The Black Hunger is a horror novel that explores human impulses, desires and history. It follows John Sackville who is stuck in a London cell and knows he's about to die. Reeling from the death of his secret lover and desperate to tell their story before it's too late, John sets out to write his last testament. Journeying from mystic ruins in Scotland to the soaring mountains of Mongolia and Tibet, John reveals his own story, and the ancient horrors that haunt it.
When you can read it: Oct. 8, 2024
Nicholas Pullen is a writer based in the Yukon. His short stories have appeared in publications including the Toronto Star, Anti-Heroin Chic and the Copperfield Review Quarterly. The Black Hunger is his first novel.
Finding Otipemisiwak by Andrea Currie
Finding Otipemisiwak is the story of Sixties Scoop survivor Andrea Currie and her journey to finding her Métis roots and reuniting with her birth family. It's a tale of survival, identity, family and culture in the face of colonial practices and Indigenous erasure.
When you can read it: Oct. 8, 2024
Currie is a writer, healer and activist. She lives in Cape Breton where she works as a psychotherapist in Indigenous mental health.
Walking Disaster by Deryck Whibley
Walking Disaster is a memoir that follows the trajectory of Deryck Whibley, the lead singer of Sum 41. Candid and earnest, Whibley walks readers through the highs and lows of the band and his life, coping with stardom, high-profile relationships and the music industry.
When you can read it: Oct. 8, 2024
Whibley is the founder and lead songwriter of Sum 41. The band has been nominated for seven Juno Awards and won twice.
Blackness Is a Gift I Can Give Her by R. Renee Hess
In Blackness Is a Gift I Can Give Her, founder of Black Girl Hockey Club R. Renee Hess writes essays about representation and stereotypes in the game she loves. She shares how she developed a love for hockey and her own perspectives on the game as well as research and anecdotes from players, executives, fans and media who are shaping its future.
When you can read it: Oct. 8, 2024
Hess is the founder of the Black Girl Hockey Club and works in community engagement for La Sierra University. She was a finalist for the NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award in 2021. Her work has been featured in Black Nerd Problems, Spectrum Magazine and Racebaitr.
Heart on My Sleeve by Jeanne Beker
Heart on My Sleeve is fashion and style icon Jeanne Beker's memoir detailing her experiences as host of Fashion Television and The New Music. Featuring tidbits with celebrities including Paul McCartney, Madonna and Beyoncé, Beker also reveals parts of herself — and the outfits that have made an impact.
When you can read it: Oct. 8, 2024
Beker is the former host of Fashion Television and The New Music. She is currently style editor at the Shopping Channel and host of the series Style Matters. Her contributions have been recognized with the Order of Canada (2014), a star on Canada's Walk of Fame (2016), a Canadian Screen Achievement Award (2013) and the Canadian Award of Distinction from the Banff World Media Festival (2012). She is also the author of multiple books, including her 2010 autobiography, Finding Myself in Fashion. She won Canada Reads 2018 defending Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto.
Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp
Sisters Beatrice and Magnolia are polar opposites — Beatrice is always cheerful and Magnolia is always grumpy. When Beatrice is gifted a magic yarn from a giant forest spider she sets out to knit the perfect sweater. But her greedy sister Magnolia sees this as a chance to put the spiders to work for profit. And when the spiders strike Bog Myrtle is not pleased.
When you can read it: Oct. 8, 2024
Sid Sharp is a Toronto-based painter and comic creator. Their debut comic was The Wolf Suit.
Beast by Richard Van Camp
Returning to Richard Van Camp's fictional town in the Northwest Territories, Fort Simmer, Beast is a YA novel of magic and tradition set in the 1980s. Lawson Sauron has always tried to keep the peace alongside his family on the Dogrib side of "the Treaty" with the Cranes family, who are Chipewyan. When Silver Cranes finds himself indebted to an eerie spirit set on destroying the peace of the town, Lawson and the community must face a decades-old conflict and ghoulish tales.
When you can read it: Oct. 12, 2024
Van Camp is a Tłı̨chǫ Dene writer from Fort Smith, N.W.T., who has written 26 books across multiple genres. His graphic novel A Blanket of Butterflies was nominated for an Eisner Award and his children's book Little You, illustrated by Julie Flett, was translated into Bush Cree, Plains Cree, South Slavey and Chipewyan.
Boy vs. Shark by Paul Gilligan
The summer of 1975 starts out as carefree as any other for ten-year-old Paul Gilligan. His only worries are keeping his comics in pristine condition and keeping up with his friend David's increasingly bold stunts. That is until the movie Jaws to town, leaving Paul a cowering mess as he begins to seemingly be haunted by the big screen shark.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
Paul Gilligan is a Toronto-based cartoonist. He is also the author-illustrator of Pluto Rocket: New in Town, Pluto Rocket: Joe Pidge Flips a Lid, King of the Mole People and its sequel, Rise of the Slugs.
Helge Dascher is a frequent translator of comic books. She's also translated many of Guy Delisle's titles, Aya by Marguerite Abouet and Clément Oubrerie, White Rapids by Pascal Blanchet and Paul Goes Fishing by Michel Rabagliati.
Lost at Windy River by Trina Rathgeber, illustrated by Alina Pete
Lost at Windy River tells the story of thirteen-year-old Ilse Schweder who got lost in a snowstorm checking her family's trapline. Facing freezing temperatures and wild animals and with no food or supplies, Ilse uses her traditional teachings and connection to the land to find her way home.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
Trina Rathgeber is a children's author and member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation. She is the author of French Fries Are Potatoes and The Bunnies Talk Money.
Alina Pete is a nehiyaw artist and writer from Little Pine First Nation in western Saskatchewan. She is the editor of the graphic novel anthology Indiginerds.
The Reeds by Arjun Basu
The Reeds follows one family as they navigate a summer of change. Set in Montreal, the novel sees the Reed family each experiencing their own trials and tribulations. Mimi is seeing success with her business while her husband Bobby has just lost his job. Their son Abbie is trying to turn his online fame into a career while daughter Dee attempts to discover who she really is. Reflecting the realities of the modern environmental and political climates, The Reeds depicts a family struggling to find their place in the world and the hope people find in the face of challenge.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
Arjun Basu is a Montreal-based author and podcast host. His novel Waiting for the Man was longlisted for the 2014 Scotiabank Giller Prize.
Relative to Wind by Phoebe Wang
Relative to Wind is an essay collection that describes Phoebe Wang's sailing journey — from starting as a beginner to becoming an avid racer and volunteer race organizer. While sailing is at the helm of the essays (pun intended), they also apply lessons from sailing to life, relationships, careers and community.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
Wang is an Ottawa-born poet and author. Her debut poetry collection Admission Requirements, which explores stories of the land and searches for a secure sense of belonging, was shortlisted for the 2018 League of Canadian Poets Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. Wang made the CBC Poetry Prize longlists in 2016, 2013 and 2012.
Living Disability, edited by Emily Macrae
Living Disability brings together diverse disabled perspectives to explore how urban systems can be accessible to all populations. Including both essays and interviews, the book brings research together with lived experience to share stories and strategies for an inclusive future.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
Emily Macrae is a disabled writer and organizer. Her work has been published in Canadian Architect, Spacing and NOW magazine. She is based in Toronto.
The Rough Poets by Melanie Dennis Unrau
The Rough Poets is an exploration into the literary phenomenon of oil-worker poetry and how it serves as a window into the oil and gas industry. Through compassionate close-readings, Melanie Dennis Unrau writes about how petropoets grieve the environmental and social impacts of their work and desire work that is safer and fairer.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
Unrau is a postdoctoral fellow in geography and environmental studies at the University of Regina.
Searching for Mayflowers by Lori McKay
Searching For Mayflowers tells the story of Lori McKay's mission to understand the real story surrounding Canada's first documented quintuplets. In 1880 Little Egypt N.S., Maria Murray gave birth to five children. Unfortunately, all five died within days of being born but their existence made headlines locally and across the border causing the Murrays to bury the babies in a secret location. When McKay discovers that her great-great-grandmother delivered the babies, she embarks on a quest to find out what happened.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
McKay is a journalist, editor and writer based in Dartmouth, N.S. She was a newspaper and magazine editor for over 20 years and Searching for Mayflowers is her first book.
Sacred Thought by Elder George Paul
Mi'kmaq Elder George Paul shares his stories and knowledge in Sacred Thought. It is a philosophical journey through traditional Indigenous tradition, history and symbols aiming to enrich spirituality. For those who want to meditate on themselves and their inner self, Sacred Thought offers stories, legends and traditions from Mi'kmaq history.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
Elder George Paul is an author and leader in Indigenous Studies. He is part of the Indigenous Traditional Movement to champion the revival of Mi'kmaq culture and collaborates with government agencies and schools to bring Indigenous culture into the curriculum. His previous books include The Honour Song and My Journey to The Honour Song. He is from Metepenagiag First Nation in New Brunswick and his Spirit name is Sky Blue Eagle.
Subterrane by Valérie Bah
In Subterrane, Zeynab is working on a documentary on the margins of New Stockholm, a North American city. Cipher Falls is a polluted, industrial wasteland where artists and anti-capitalists are forced to work dead-end jobs to survive. Zeynab focuses her documentary on Doudou Laguerre, an activist who mysteriously died — and the potential that his death had something to do with his dissent against a construction project.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
Valérie Bah is an artist, filmmaker, documentarian, photographer and writer based in Quebec. Their collection The Rage Letters was translated from French by Kama La Mackerel. Subterrane is their first novel in English.
This Is It by Matthew Fox
This Is It is a collection of linked short stories exploring love, grief and family through the eyes of Giovanni Zappacosta-O'Hara. Used to his parents' version of their family history, Gio suspects they aren't telling the whole truth. When his boyfriend is diagnosed with cancer, Gio flees to New York to avoid dealing with his reality. Determined to uncover the real story of his own history, Gio unearths secrets that force him to confront his shame over leaving his boyfriend behind and question his own sense of identity.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
Matthew Fox's first short story collection, Cities of Weather, was nominated for the Quebec Writers' Federation's McAuslan First Book Prize. His work has appeared in publications including Toronto Life, Maisonneuve and the New Quarterly. Fox grew up in Ontario and now lives in Berlin.
The Elevator by Priya Ramsingh
The Elevator is a romance novel following Aria and Rob as they struggle through the pitfalls of modern dating while living in the same apartment building. Aria, recovering from a toxic relationship with both food and her ex-boyfriend, has had a crush on Rob for years. When she matches with Rob on a dating app she sends him a message, hoping that this might be her chance. Recently divorced Rob has suspended his account and doesn't see her message at first, making things tense when they run into each other. When Rob finally tries the dating app again he sees Aria's message and decides to take a chance.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
Priya Ramsingh is a Toronto-based author. She was formerly a writer for Metroland Media and the Toronto Star. She is also the author of the novel Brown Girl in the Room.
The Treasure Hunters Club by Tom Ryan
The Treasure Hunters Club is a mystery novel that follows three strangers visiting the coastal town of Maple Bay, where tourists believe a pirate treasure is hidden and locals know something more sinister lurks. Peter, Dandy and Cass are all drawn to Maple Bay for different reasons. Peter receives a suspicious letter inviting him to his estranged family's mansion, Dandy is trying to solve the mystery her grandfather dedicated his life to, and Cass is an author searching for inspiration. As the three band together to unravel the secrets of Maple Bay, what they discover will shock them and bring tragedy to the town.
When you can read it: Oct. 15, 2024
Tom Ryan is the author of several books for young readers, including I Hope You're Listening, a YA novel that won the 2021 Lambda Award for best LGBTQ mystery. His novel Keep This to Yourself is being turned into a TV show at Peacock. He spends his time living between Ontario and Nova Scotia.
Survival of the Goodest by Marianne Boucher
Survival of the Goodest is a young adult environmental adventure told in the graphic novel format. Sable's destiny has always been to take on the role of the Kerpathic, a messenger sent on behalf of her remote island community through the surrounding forests to pass on their culture and remedies. Stepping into the call of a Kerpathic after her father is injured, Sable discovers the task at hand may be more dangerous than she thought. When a rare animal on the island is threatened, she is determined to protect the people and creatures in the place she calls home.
When you can read it: Oct. 17, 2024
Marianne Boucher is an artist and writer based in Kirkland Lake, Ont. She previously worked as a court illustrator for 30 years. Boucher's graphic memoir, Talking to Strangers, was listed as one of CBC Books' best Canadian comics in 2020.
[non]disclosure by Renée D. Bondy
![A white woman with short brown hair and glasses smiles at the camera. A book cover shows the word '[non]disclosure' five times with red tape covering less and less of the word each time.](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7279161.1722286466!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_780/non-disclosure-by-rene-e-d-bondy.jpg)
[non]disclosure is a novel set in the 1980s exploring the trauma of sexual abuse by the Catholic Church and what it means to keep quiet. After a young girl is abused by her priest she keeps it a secret, pretending to be the perfect girl her parents expect. It's only years later, when he is on trial for his crimes, that she realizes she was not his only victim. Feeling overcome with the realities of her life, she discovers a sense of belonging while working in a secret hospice caring for men with HIV-AIDS. The love and determination she finds there sets her on a path towards finally healing from her past.
When you can read it: Oct. 17, 2024
Renée D. Brody is a writer and professor living in Chatham, Ont. She has taught courses in Women's and Gender Studies at the University of Windsor. Her writing has appeared in publications including Bitch, Herizons, the Humber Literary Review and Bearings Online. [non]disclosure is her first novel.
we see stars only at night by Cole Pauls
This collection of art was originally created for the Nanaimo Art Gallery's group show "Gutters are Elastic," before Pauls expanded it into this full length book. This dreamlike narrative looks at the connection between the land, heritage and performance.
When you can read it: Oct. 17, 2024
Cole Pauls is a Tahltan comic artist. He created his first comic, Dakwäkãda Warriors, as a language-revival initiative. In 2017, it won Broken Pencil magazine's awards for best comic and best zine of the year. In 2020, it won best work in an Indigenous language from the Indigenous Voices Awards. He is also the author of the graphic novel Pizza Punks.
Roth by Richard Van Camp, illustrated by Christopher Shy
Richard Van Camp's latest graphic novel follows a local hero named Ross, who is bitten by a Wheetago at his cabin in northern Edmonton. The province of Alberta is crawling with the deadly monsters and Ross must form an alliance with escaped prisoners in order to reach his family, who are trapped in the city.
Half-transformed, Ross holds onto his humanity with the help of his family medicine. But the Wheetago are not discouraged — they've already renamed him "Roth" and wait for him to join their "gruesome crusade."
When you can read it: Oct. 18, 2024
Richard Van Camp is a Tłı̨chǫ Dene writer from Fort Smith, N.W.T., who has written 26 books across multiple genres. His graphic novel A Blanket of Butterflies was nominated for an Eisner Award and his children's book Little You, illustrated by Julie Flett, was translated into Bush Cree, Plains Cree, South Slavey and Chipewyan.
Christopher Shy is an American artist, book cover designer and film poster artist. His graphic novel work includes Dead Space, I Sleep in Stone and The Mummy.
Climate Hope by David Geselbracht
Climate Hope explores the efforts to fight climate change across the world from the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow to the post-wildfire land of Western Canada. The book breaks down jargon and data through interviews, research and reporting to tell real stories in an accessible format.
When you can read it: Oct. 19, 2024
David Geselbracht is a lawyer and environmental journalist based in the East Kootenays, B.C. His work has appeared in publications including The Globe and Mail and Canadian Geographic.
Dog Days by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, translated by Janet Hong
Dog Days is cartoonist Keum Suk Gendry-Kim's latest graphic novel, which centres on an unconventional family trying to build trust, not only with each other, but with their neighbours.
When you can read it: Oct. 22, 2024
Keum Suk Gendry-Kim is a Harvey Award-winning South Korean comic artist and translator. Her books include Grass, The Waiting, La saison des pluies, Jiseul, Jun, The Naked Tree among others.
Janet Hong is a writer and translator based in Vancouver. She has translated numerous works of fiction, essays, and graphic novels such as Keum Suk Gendry-Kim's Grass.
Walking & Stealing by Stephen Cain
Walking and Stealing is a threefold collection of poems about baseball, Toronto and immersing oneself in deep thoughts. The first section of the book was written in the moments between innings of Stephen Cain's son's little league games. This is followed by two sections: "Intentional walks", or 99 poems walking through Toronto, and "Tag & Run", nine cantos that form a poetic puzzle. In this experimental collection, Cain reflects on culture and space.
When you can read it: Oct. 22, 2024
Stephen Cain is a Toronto-based author of six full-length collections of poetry and a dozen chapbooks, including False Friends, I Can Say Interpellation, Torontology, and dyslexicon. He also published a critical edition of bpNichol's early long poems: bp: beginnings. Cain teaches avant-garde and Canadian literature at York University.
Inside Every Dream a Raging Sea by Liz Worth
Drawing on Liz Worth's experience reading tarot, Inside Every Dream a Raging Sea connects the ritual with the individual. A collection of personal stories of the occult, the poet focuses on our perceptions of self and how to stay connected and open to our lives as we change and grow.
When you can read it: Oct. 22, 2024
Liz Worth is a Hamilton, Ont.-based poet, novelist and nonfiction writer. She is a two-time nominee for the ReLit Award for Poetry for her books The Truth is Told Better This Way and No Work Finished Here: Rewriting Andy Warhol. Her other works also include Treat Me Like Dirt, an in-depth history of southern Ontario's first wave punk movement, Amphetamine Heart, PostApoc and The Mouth is a Coven.
Montreal Standard Time, edited by Neil Besner, Bill Richardson and Marta Dvorák
Montreal Standard Time is a collection of columns written by journalist Mavis Gallant during her time at The Montreal Standard from 1944-1950. They cover topics including immigration, suffrage, labour issues and comedy through a witty, precise lens. Creating an image of post-war Montreal through the eyes of a young woman, the book highlights a previously under-reported part of Gallant's life.
When you can read it: Oct. 24, 2024
Neil Besner is a writer and editor. He wrote the first book on Gallant in 1988, The Light of Imagination and has edited and written books on Carol Shields and Alice Munro. He released Fishing With Tardelli in 2022.
Bill Richardson is a writer living in Vancouver. His works include Last Week and The Alphabet Thief.
Marta Dvorák is a professor and editor. She teaches Canadian and postcolonial literature at the Sorbonne Nouvelle and is the editor of Commonwealth Essays and Studies.
Defy by Sara de Waard
Defy tells the story of 17-year-old Darius hell-bent on saving the life of his younger sister, Mahlah, within a dystopian world. Zalmon is a city where the course of everyone's lives have already been prescribed by a book. Everything from life to the day of your death is set, including the impending Death Date of Mahlah, who's only just turned 13. Darius works to hijack the system and save his sister, only to learn the truth about his city and what a life with choices is really worth.
When you can read it: Oct. 26, 2024
Sara de Waard is a Métis writer and educator currently based in Port Colborne, Ont. She is also the author of the YA book White Lies.
For She is Wrath by Emily Varga
For She is Wrath reimagines The Count of Monte Cristo as a Pakistani romantasy novel about a girl named Dania and her lost love. Dania is wrongfully imprisoned and plotting her revenge against Mazin, the boy at fault for her punishment. By way of a hidden djinn treasure and dark magic, Dania escapes with another prisoner and sets out to avenge her family. Still, when old flames meet, her feelings for the boy she used to know grow more complicated, as does the price she'll ultimately have to pay for vengeance.
When you can read it: Oct. 29, 2024
Emily Varga is a Pakistani Canadian writer of YA fantasy. She currently lives in western Canada where she works as a lawyer. For She is Wrath is her first novel.
The Coincidence Problem by Stephen Osborne
The Coincidence Problem is an essay collection charting a range of subjects including the city, global terrorism, violence against Indigenous people and climate change in the Arctic. It brings together selected essays Osborne has written over the past 23 years and presents them in one cohesive work that is approachable and intimate.
When you can read it: Oct. 29, 2024
Stephen Osborne is a writer and the founder of Arsenal Pulp Press. He is the author of Ice and Fire: Dispatches from the New World, 1988-1998. His previous work has received a CBC Nonfiction Prize, the Vancouver Arts Award for Writing and Publishing and the National Magazine Foundation Special Achievement Award. Osborne lives in Vancouver.
No Credit River by Zoe Whittall
No Credit River is a memoir following Zoe Whittall through six years of her life which include the loss of a pregnancy, a global pandemic and abandoned love. Honest, emotional and painful, the memoir examines anxiety and creativity in the modern world.
When you can read it: Oct. 29, 2024
Whittall is an author, poet and screenwriter. Her past works include short story collection Wild Failure, the novels The Fake, The Best Kind of People and Bottle Rocket Hearts. She has also written poetry collections including The Emily Valentine Poems and The Best Ten Minutes of Your Life. She has received the Writers' Trust Dayne Ogilvie Award, a Lambda Literary Award and been shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. She currently lives in Ontario.
No Jews Live Here by John Lorinc
No Jews Live Here explores John Lorinc's Hungarian Jewish family history during the Holocaust, the 1956 Revolution and eventual move to Toronto. It follows Lorinc's grandmother, grandfather and father's experiences with the Nazis. No Jews Live Here uses historical insight and human stories to chart one family's trajectory across cities and cultures.
When you can read it: Oct. 29, 2024
Lorinc is an editor and journalist living in Toronto. His work has appeared in publications including the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, and the Walrus. His books include Dream States: Smart Cities, Technology, and the Pursuit of Urban Utopias and The New City. Lorinc received the 2019/2020 Atkinson Fellowship in Public Policy and the 2022 Balsillie Prize for Public Policy.
The Nail That Sticks Out by Suzanne Elki Yoko Hartmann
The Nail That Sticks Out dives into the history of the Japanese Canadian experience in the post-war era. It focuses on Hartmann's mother's life during the Second World War living in an internment camp as a baby and then after, with their community ripped apart and scattered across Canada. The memoir details the triumph of resilience and hope and what it means to be a community.
When you can read it: Oct. 29, 2024
Suzanne Elki Yoko Hartmann is a Toronto-based author and editor. Her previous work includes the children's book My Father's Nose.
Dangerous Memory by Charlie Angus
Dangerous Memory explores the politics and revolution of the 1980s from the AIDS epidemic to the fall of the Berlin Wall to the anti-apartheid movement. Highlighting hope and resistance, Dangerous Memory details the political and cultural shifts that took place, arguing that the 1980s can give insight into our current world today.
When you can read it: Oct. 29, 2024
Charlie Angus is a Canadian politician, musician and author. His works include Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower which was a finalist for the Trillium Book Award. Angus lives in Cobalt, Ont.
The Queen by Nick Cutter
The Queen is a horror mystery novel that follows lifelong friends Margaret and Charity. Charity Atwater has been missing for more than a month and is presumed dead when Margaret discovers an iPhone on her doorstep containing a text message from her best friend. Set over the course of one impossible day, Margaret must unravel the real story of what happened. As tragedy and disaster follow her pursuit of the truth, secrets are revealed that paint Charity in a whole new light and show Margaret that she never really knew her best friend after all.
When you can read it: Oct. 29, 2024
Craig Davidson writes horror under the pen name Nick Cutter. He has written several novels, including Cataract City, which was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2013, Rust and Bone, which was adapted into an Oscar-nominated feature film, The Fighter and Sarah Court. His memoir Precious Cargo was defended by Greg Johnson on Canada Reads 2018.
The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny
In the 19th installment of the Inspector Armand Gamache series, The Grey Wolf follows Chief Inspector Gamache and his allies as they pursue a deadly threat from Three Pines, Quebec, across the province and beyond. What starts as one murder evolves into a desperate mission to track a creature that has the potential to devastate cities and towns including Three Pines. Dealing with betrayal, suspicion and loyalty, Gamache must rely on his instincts to unravel the mystery before it's too late.
When you can read it: Oct. 29, 2024
Louise Penny is a former CBC broadcaster and journalist. She is now the author of the Inspector Armand Gamache mystery series and recipient of the 2020 Agatha Award for best contemporary novel for the 16th installment in the series, All the Devils are Here. She collaborated with former U.S. secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton to write the political thriller State of Terror. Penny was named to the Order of Canada in 2013.
The Cosmic Con by Ron Kasman
It's 1960s Toronto and Herbie Weingarten finds out his uncle Jeffrey has been taken in by a religious cult called "Exalted Consciousness." The young man tries to free his uncle from the cult's grasp as he navigates Toronto's downtown core when Yorkville was a hippy haven, Rochdale College was a centre of the illicit drug trade.
When you can read it: Oct. 30, 2024
Ron Kasman is a Canadian comics creator. He created William Lyon Mackenzie, the first graphic novel of Canadian history.
Blessed Nowhere by Catherine Black
Blessed Nowhere explores grief and loss in the late 1990s, following Abby as she turns her life upside down after the sudden death of her son. Buying a car, she embarks on a road trip with only one destination in mind: south. Finding herself in a small Mexican town filled with other outcasts, Abby must work through her pain while searching for belonging.
When you can read it: Oct. 31, 2024
Catherine Black is a Toronto-based author and associate professor at OCAD University. Her collection of prose poetry, Bewilderness, was nominated for the 2020 Pat Lowther Award. Blessed Nowhere is her first novel and was the 2023 winner of the Guernica Prize.
Johnny Delivers by Wayne Ng
Johnny Delivers is the standalone follow up to 2021's novella, Letters from Johnny. Set in 1970s Toronto, it follows teenage Johnny as he attempts to hold his family and their restaurant together when his Auntie calls in the family debt. Johnny turns to delivering weed along with his regular Chinese food all while struggling to manage his emotionally difficult parents and chaotic little sister. Desperate to figure out who he is, Johnny must face unpleasant family secrets and one crucial game of mahjong as he learns that help doesn't always come from where he expects.
When you can read it: Oct. 31, 2024
Wayne Ng is a novelist, travel writer and social worker from Toronto, who now lives in Ottawa. His previous books include The Family Code, which was shortlisted for the Guernica Prize, Letters from Johnny, which won the Best Crime Novella at the Crime Writers of Canada Awards, and Finding the Way: A Novel of Lao Tzu.
