74 works of Canadian fiction to read in fall 2023

Here are the Canadian novels and short story collections we are excited to read in the second half of 2023.

The African Samurai by Craig Shreve

Yasuke was a 16th-century samurai. He was Japan's first foreign-born samurai, and the only samurai of African descent.His story is special, and little known. Canadian writer Craig Shreve, hopes to change that with his novelTheAfrican Samurai.

The African Samuraitells Yasuke's story. As a boy, he is sold as a slave toPortuguese mercenaries. A series of unlikely events results in Yasukein Japan, now imprisonedtothe powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga. From there, the two forge an unlikely bond, and Yasuke begins his journey to becoming a samurai, and the powerthat comes with it. But with this power comes attention, risk, danger and the chance to make history.

When you can read it:Aug. 1, 2023

• Yasuke was a samurai of African descent. Craig Shreve's new novel will give him the attention he deserves

Craig Shreve is a writer originally from North Buxton, Ont. He is also the authorOne Night in Mississippi.

Our Lady of Mile End by Sarah Gilbert

Set against the backdrop of renoviction threats and walking tours, Our Lady of Mile Endis a collection of short stories about a cast of recurring characters facing personal challenges in the famedMontreal neighbourhood. Tensions and affections flare as the lives of residents neighbours andstrangers, tenants andlandlords, the old generations and the next begin to overlap.

When you can read it:Aug. 21, 2023

Sarah Gilbert is an author and professor from Montreal. She teaches in the English deoartment atDawson College.

The Handyman Method by Nick Cutter & Andrew F. Sullivan

The Handyman Methodis a horror novel that centres around a young family thathas recently moved into an unfinished development community. When amysterious Internet DIY instructor hides dark messages about how to fix any problem around thehouse, strange things begin to happen that expose the cracks in the family's foundation.

When you can read it:Aug. 8, 2023

• Horror master Nick Cutter on his stomach-turning superpower

Craig Davidsonwrites horror under the pen name Nick Cutter. He has written several novels, includingCataract City, which was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2013,Rust and Bone, which was adapted into an Oscar-nominated feature film,The FighterandSarah Court. His memoirPrecious Cargowas defended byGreg JohnsononCanada Reads2018.

Andrew F. Sullivan is also the author ofThe Handyman Method,the novelWasteand the short story collectionAll We Want is Everything. He lives in Hamilton, Ont.

Breaking and Enteringby Don Gillmor

In Breaking and Entering, Beatrice is a49-year-olddealing with a stale marriage and a strained relationship with her son Thomas, who is away at university. She is the primary caregiver for her mother who is in the early stages of dementia and she has trouble getting along with her older sister Ariel. Reflecting on her life and feeling unfulfilled, she discovers a talent and passion for picking locks. Breaking into other people's homes quickly becomes a thrilling hobby that makes her feel alive again as shebegins to analyze the lives of strangers and her own.

When you can read it:Aug. 15, 2023

• Don Gillmor on teenage investments and head-scratching rejections

Don Gillmor is a Toronto journalist and author of novels and nonfiction books, includingCanada: A People's History.He has twice been nominated for the Governor General's Literary Award in theyoung people's literature text category forThe Fabulous SongandThe Christmas Orange.

Nothing in Truth Can Harm Us by Colleen Ren

Nothing in Truth Can Harm Ustells the story of three women strugglingto repair bonds fractured by a decade-old tragedy.Eva is an 18-year-old who has dropped out of school and is working as a dishwasher in Montreal. Her aunt Maddie has reluctantly been her guardian for the last decade despite the anger she feels towards Eva's mother Gaby who is an inmatein a women's jail. With Gaby's parole just weeks away,hersole focus is to findher daughter as all three women try to escape the spectre of Eva's dead father Adam.

When you can read it:Aug. 15, 2023

Colleen Renis a Toronto-based writer originally from Nova Scotia. She was on the CBC Short StoryPrize longlist in 2022. Nothing in Truth Can Harm Usis her first novel.

Back in the Land of the Living by Eva Crocker

Back in the Land of the Livingfollows a year in the life of a a young queer woman named Marcy, who moves to Montreal in 2019 after messing up her life in St. John's. With COVID-19 and lockdowns imminent, Marcy finds herself alone in the big city doing odd jobs some more ethically questionable than others to make ends meet. Caught up in a tumultuous relationship with a charismatic woman, Marcy tries to create a future for herself amidst modern-day climate, economic and health crises.

When you can read it:Aug. 22, 2023

• Eva Crocker wrote a coming-of-age story for uncertain times

Eva Crockeris an author and freelance writer from St. John's.Her short story collectionBarrelling Forwardwon the Canadian Authors' Association Emerging Writer's Award and the Alistair MacLeod Award for short fiction.CBC Books named Crocker a writer to watch in 2020.Her debut novelAll I Askwason the longlist for the2020 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

River Mummaby Zalika Reid-Benta

River Mummais a magical realist storyinspired by Jamaican folklore. The main character is a young Black woman having a quarter-life crisis whileadventuring through the streets of Toronto. The story follows Alicia, a young womanwho still lives at home with her mom and has no career prospects. One evening, River Mumma, the Jamaican water deity, appears to inform Aliciathat she has 24hours to find her missing comb in the city.

Why River Mumma chose her is a mystery. Alicia barelyremembers the legends she was told about the deity as a child. Still, Alicia embarks on her quest through the city which turns into a journey through time to find herself, but also what the river carries.

When you can read it:Aug. 22, 2023

• Zalika Reid-Benta's new novel River Mumma is a magical realism take on the quarter-life crisis

Zalika Reid-Benta is a Toronto-based author who explores race, identity and culture through the lens of second-generation Caribbean Canadians in her work.The Columbia MFA graduate's debut novelFrying Plantainwas on the2019 Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist.CBC Booksnamed Reid-Bentaa writer to watch in 2019and she served asjury chair for the2021 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

Empty Spaces by Jordan Abel

Empty Spaces is a reimagining ofJames Fenimore Cooper's 19th-century textThe Last of the Mohicans from a modern urban perspective. Jordan Abel explores what it means to be Indigenous without access to familial territory and complicates popularunderstandingsabout Indigenous storytelling.

When you can read it:Aug. 29, 2023

• Jordan Abel's book about intergenerational trauma will be there when you need it

Abel is a Nisga'a writer from British Columbia. He is also the author of the poetry collectionsThe Place of Scraps,Un/inhabitedandInjun. In 2017, hewon the Griffin Poetry PrizeforInjun.

Learned by Heart by Emma Donoghue

Learned by Heartis the latest novel by bestselling author Emma Donoghue. The novel draws on years of research and thefive-million-wordsecret journal of British diarist Anne Lister dubbed by many as "the first modern lesbian."

Learned by Heart tells the long-buried story of the romance between Lister, a brilliant young troublemaker, and Eliza Raine, an orphan heiress banishedto England from India. The two meetat a boarding school for girls called the Manor School for Young Ladies when they are 14and fall dangerously in love as their lives become entangled.

When you can read it:Aug. 29, 2023

• Emma Donoghue's next book is a historical novel about a secret romance for the ages

Donoghueis an Irish Canadian writer whosebooks include the novelsLanding,Room,Frog Music,The Wonder,The Pull of the Starsand the children's bookThe Lotterys Plus One.Roomwas an international bestseller and was adapted into a critically acclaimed film starring Brie Larson.

Rage the Night by Donna Morrissey

In the novel Rage the Night, it's 1914 and 20-year-old Roan has always thought himself to be anorphan with no last name. But when a deathbed confession from the man that raised him uncovers secrets about his past,Roansets off on a quest to find answers. He eventually finds himselfaboard the a rickety old ship called the Newfoundland, where he is put to the test physically and emotionally and meets a cast of unforgettable characters. As his story intertwines with the Newfoundland disaster he forms a bond of brotherhood with the other resilient men who risk their lives on the ice.

When you can read it:Aug. 29, 2023

• Donna Morrissey looks back at her Canada Reads journey

Donna Morrissey is the author of sevennovels, includingKit's LawandThe Fortunate Brother. She has also written the children's bookCross Katie Kross, which was illustrated by her daughter Brigitte Morrissey. Born and raised in Newfoundland, she now lives in Halifax.

A New Season by Terry Fallis

A New Seasonis a novel about a man named Jack McMaster. From the outside, Jack's life seems idyllic but Jack is still learning to live with a loss that he fears has changed him forever. As a last ditch effort to reclaim some joy in life he sets off to Paris where a chance encounter lands him into the art world and onto the trail of a secret the City of Lighthas kept for nearly a century.

When you can read it:Aug. 29, 2023

• Terry Fallis blends satire and espionage to address important issues in novel Operation Angus

Terry Fallis is the author of severalnovels, includingOne Brother Shy,The Best Laid Plans,The High RoadandUp and Down. He has won the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour twice, in 2008 forThe Best Laid Plansand in 2015 forNo Relation.The Best Laid PlanswonCanada Readsin 2011, when it was defended by journalist Ali Velshi.

Tales for Late Night Bonfires by G.A. Grisenthwaite

InTales for Late Night Bonfires,writer G.A. Grisenthwaiteblends theIndigenoustradition of oral storytelling with his own unique literarystyle. From tales about an impossible moose hunt to tales about the "Real Santa,"Grisenthwaitecrafts witty stories each more uncanny than the last.

When you can read it:Sept. 1, 2023

• G.A. Grisenthwaite's novel Home Waltz is a coming-of-age story about friendship, identity and acceptance

Grisenthwaite is Nekepmx, a member of the Lytton First Nation who currently lives in Kingsville, Ont.He made the2021 CBC Short Story Prize longlistand his 2020 debut novelHome Waltzwas shortlisted for theGovernor General's Literary Award for fiction.

Soft Serve by Allison Graves

Soft Serve is an edgy short story collectionall about unconventional attachments between people and the reasons they endure. Through random encounters on highways, dating apps and fast food chains, the characters in these storiesconnect as they wander through the spaces real and virtual of our modern lives.

When you can read it:Sept.1, 2023

• Riddle me this: Literary magazine pops up with an indie bookshop

Allison Graves is a Newfoundland-based writer and musician. Her work has appeared in The Antigonish Review, Riddle Fence Magazine and Room Magazine. Her fiction has been long listed for prizes in Prism, The Fiddlehead, The Newfoundland Quarterly. Soft Serve is her debut fiction collection.

Uncontrolled Flight by Frances Peck

Uncontrolled Flightis set during wildfire season in the British Columbia Interior.Experienced firefighting pilot Rafe Mackieplummets to his death during a routine drop. The ensuing investigation will forever change the lives of three people: Will, Rafe'sprotege, Sharon, Rafe's widow struggling with his loss, and Nathalie, an accident investigator with shady connections to the accident.

When you can read it:Sept. 1, 2023

Frances Peck is a fiction writer and poet from Vancouver. Her debut novel, The Broken Places, was a finalist for theRakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.

The Future by Catherine Leroux, translated by Susan Oriou

The Futureset in an alternate historyDetroit where the French never surrendered the city to the U.S.It's residents deal with poverty, pollution and a legacy of racism. When a woman Gloria, a woman looking for answersabout her missing granddaughters arrives in the city she finds a kingdom of orphaned and abandoned children who have created their own society.

When you can read it:Sept. 5, 2023

• Documentary series celebrating Canadian literatureon CBC Gem

Catherine Lerouxis a writer,translator and journalist from Montreal.She was shortlistedfor the2016 ScotiabankGiller Prizefor her novelThe Party Wall, which is an English translation of her French-languageshort story collectionLe mur mitoyen.

The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield

Inspired by the characters in Norse mythology, The Valkyrieintroduces readers to Brynhild, a shieldmaiden to Odin the All-Father, Gudrun a princess of Burgundy and Sigurd a legendary warrior. Legends tell of love, deception andtheir intertwined destinies but not all legends are true.

When you can read it:Sept. 5, 2023

Kate Heartfield is a former journalist and the author ofThe Embroidered Book.Her debut novel, Armed in Her Fashion,won the 2019 Aurora Award for Best Novel.

Half-Wild and Other Stories of Encounter by Emily Paskevics

Theshort stories in Half-Wild and Other Stories of Encounteruse the wilderness a a backdrop to focus on the connection between humans and the natural world and the intergenerational relationships within families. From a father searching for his wife and child wondering if they're better off without him, to an old woman standing on a frozen lake contemplating her death this collection askswhat it meansto be a human in nature.

When you can read it:Sept. 5, 2023

• 31 writers make the 2019 CBC Short Story Prize longlist

Emily Paskevics is a writer andeditor currently based in Montreal. She is the author of the chapbookThe Night That Was Animal.Her poetry, essaysand short fiction have appearedinnumerous publications and she was longlistedfor the 2019 CBC Short Story Prize. In 2022, Paskevics was named one of six emerging writers shortlisted for the RBC Bronwen Wallace Awards in the short fiction category.

The Bliss House by Jim Bartley

The Bliss family has farmed the same land for almost a hundred years in The Bliss House. But now with Cam, his older cousin Wes and little Dorie, this might come to an end. They buried their grandmother over a year ago, but their Gramp's body is still with them wrapped in a tarp. Rumours start to spread through the neighbourhood and with Children's Aid on their tail, the trio head north to a cabin in the woods with the body in the trunk and trydesperately to keep their family together.

When you can read it:Sept. 5, 2023

Jim Bartleyis a playwright and novelist living in Toronto. He was a playwright before he took to prose. His first two novels were set mainly in Balkan war zones.

Gull Island by Anna Porter

When Jude's estranged father goes missing, she is persuaded by her mother to find his will in the thriller Gull Island. Jude makes her way to her family's cottage on the remote Gull Island to relive old memories but is shaken by what the discovers. Searching thorough the neglected cottage triggers terrifying dreams and frightening memorisefrom her childhood. When a storm traps her on the island with no contact with the outside world, Jude is forced to come to terms with long-buried truthsthat threaten her sanity and make her fear for her life.

When you can read it:Sept. 5, 2023

• Anna Porter's latest novel is a psychological thriller set in cottage country

Anna Porterwas born in Budapest, Hungary, studied inNew Zealand and began her publishing career inLondon, England, before moving to Ontario in the 1970s and working for publishing company McClelland & Stewart. She is the author of several books including her nonfiction bookKasztner's Train,whichwon the 2007 Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction, the memoirIn Other Words: How I Fell in Love with Canada One Book at a Timeand the novelsDeceptionsandThe Appraisal.

Away from the Dead by David Bergen

Away from the Deadis set in early 20th century Ukraine as anarchists, Bolsheviks and the White Army come and go all claimingjustice and freedom. The book follows the lives of Lehn, Sablinand Inna, three Ukranians dealing with the chaos violence around them as the best and worst of humanity are on display.

When you can read it:Sept. 5, 2023

• 6 lessons David Bergen has learned from 25 years writing fiction

David Bergen is the author of 11novels and two collections of stories. His work includesThe Time in Between, which won the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award,The Matter with MorrisandThe Age of Hope, which was championed by Ron MacLean onCanada Reads2013. He currently lives in Winnipeg.

Do You Remember Being Born? by Sean Michaels

Do You Remember Being Born?follows a famous poet named Marian Ffarmer,who after years of dedicating herself singularly to her art has started to question her life choices. After receiving an invitation to the Silicon Valley headquarters of one of the biggest tech companies in the world, Marian begins collaborating with a state-of-the-art poetry bot named Charlotte. What follows is a journey of self-discovery for both Marian and Charlotte, as the two begin to form a friendship unlike any Marian has ever known.

When you can read it:Sept. 5, 2023

• Sean Michaels plays with luck in sophomore novelThe Wagers

Sean Michaelswas born in Stirling, Scotland and moved to Montreal, where he currently lives, when he was 18 years old. His first novel,Us Conductors, won the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2014 and was nominated for the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, the Kirkus Prize and the International Dublin Literary Award. Michaels is also the founder of the music blog Said the Gramophone.

The Circle by katherena vermette

The Circleis the third and final book set in the worldof The StrangersandThe Break, featuring some of the same characters. With Phoenix set for release from prison for the assault she committed inThe Break, the news is sending ripples through the community. Her sister Cedar hasbeen both dreading and longing forher return, while M, the girl Phoenix assaulted is triggered by the news.When Phoenix goes missing shortlyafter her release, past grievances, revenge plots and accusations begin swirling and thecommunity and the people who live there all search for healing in their own ways.

When you can read it:Sept. 5, 2023

• katherena vermette's novel The Circle is about healing, justice and belonging

katherenavermette is a Mtis writer from Winnipeg. Her books include the poetry collectionsNorth End Love Songsandriver woman,the novelThe Breakand the four-book graphic novel seriesA Girl Called Echo.North End Love Songswon the Governor General's Literary Award for poetry.The Breakwas a finalist for the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and the Governor General's Literary Award for fiction. It was defended by Candy Palmater onCanada Reads2017.

The Clarion by Nina Dunic

Siblings Peter and Stasiare struggling to find their place in the world in the novel The Clarion. Peter is a trumpet player who also works in a kitchen and Stasiistrying to climb the corporate ladder. The Clarionlooks at themes of intimacy and performance and how far one must go to find or lose their sense of self.

When you can read it:Sept. 5, 2023

• CBC Books' writers to watch: 30 Canadian writers making their mark in 2023

Nina Dunic is a freelance writer and journalist living in Scarborough. She has been longlisted for theCBC Short Story Prizefour times:in 2023forThe Artist, in 2022forYouth,in 2020 forBodiesand in2019 for an earlier version ofBodies. In 2023, she was named to the CBC Books Writers to Watch list.The Clarion is her debut novel.

Everything There Is by M.G. Vassanji

World-renowned physicist Nuril Islamis a dedicated family man trying to reconcile his religious beliefs with his scientific convictions in the novel Everything There Is. On a trip to Cambridge, Massachusetts, he falls in love with a graduate student named Hilary and betrays his wife. With his views on God and science drawing the ire of fundamentalists in Pakistan, he becomes a target when he refuses to contribute to their nuclear program. His wife Sakinafinds out about his infidelity and and unwittingly betrays him as he sees everything he's worked for beginto fall apart.

When you can read it:Sept. 5, 2023

• M.G. Vassanji on how an idle thought grew into several big ideas

M.G. Vassanji is an author from Toronto. He has published short stories, novels, memoir and biography. He has won the Scotiabank Giller Prize twice: in 1994 forThe Book of Secretsand in 2003 forThe In-Between World of Vikram Lall.He is a member of the Order of Canada and has been awarded several honorary doctorates. His novelNostalgiawas defended onCanada Reads2017 by Jody Mitic.

Reuniting with Strangers by Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio

When five-year-old Monolith arrives from the Philippines to join his mother in Canada he lashes out, attacking her and destroying his new home in the novel Reuniting with Strangers. The characters in Reuniting with Strangers are all dealing with feelings ofdisplacement and estrangementcaused as a result of migrating to Canada seeking opportunity.

When you can read it:Sept. 9, 2023

JennileeAustria-Bonifacio is a Filipina-Canadian author, speaker and school board consultant who builds bridges between educators and Filipino families.She was the runner-up in the Jim Wong-Chu Emerging Writers Award recognizing Asian authors in the Canadian Diaspora.Austria-Bonifacio made the2022 CBC Short Story Prize longlistforHer Life's Work.

Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue by Christine Higdon

Set in in the 1920s,Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Ruecentres around the lives of four working-class Vancouver sisters still reeling in the wake of the First World War and the Spanish Flu pandemic that killed their brother. As they barely scrape by, determined to make the most of the Roaring '20s, forbidden love andbetrayal abound against the backdrop of the complex politicaland social realities of the time.

When you can read it:Sept. 12, 2023

• How being a CBC Literary Prize finalist gave Christine Higdon the confidence she needed to pursue writing

Christine Higdonis an author living in Mimico, Ont.Her novelThe Very Marrow of Our Boneswon the 2018 Foreword Indies Editor's Choice Prize.In 2016, she was shortlisted for theCBC Nonfiction PrizeforBecause We're Not at the Ocean, and in 2020 she made theCBC Short Story Prize longlistforCourage, My Love.Her work has appeared in Plenitude and The New Quarterly.

Her Body Among Animals by Paola Ferrante

Her Body Among Animalsis a genre-bending collection of short stories that merges sci-fi, horror, fairy tales and pop culture to examine the challenges and boundaries society places on women's bodies.

When you can read it:Sept. 12, 2023

• 13 emerging Canadian writers make 2020 longlist for $10K Journey Prize for short fiction

Paola Ferrante is a poet and fiction writer from Toronto. Her books include the poetry collectionWhat to Wear When Surviving A Lion Attack and the poetry chapbook The Dark Unwind.She was longlisted for the 2020 Journey Prize and wonRoom's 2018 prize for fiction.

Cocktail by Lisa Alward

Cocktailis a short story collection that explores some of life's watershed moments and the tiny horrors of domestic life. Beginning in the 1960s and moving forward through the decades, Cocktailtells intimate and immersive stories about the power ofdesire and the cost of pursuing it.

When you can read it:Sept. 12, 2023

• 24 books by past CBC Poetry Prize winners and finalists being published in 2023

Lisa Alward's short fiction has appeared inThe Journey Prize Stories 2017,Best CanadianStories 2017andBest Canadian Stories 2016. She is the winner of the New Quarterly's 2016 Peter Hinchcliffe ShortFiction Award as well as the 2015 Fiddlehead Short Fiction Prize. She lives in Fredericton. She was on the 2018 CBC Short Story Prize longlist for Orlando 1974which is included in Cocktail.

Rouge by Mona Awad

In Rouge,Mona Awadplayswith horror and surrealist elements to tell a fairy tale about a lonely dress shop clerk who is sent down a dangerous path in pursuit of youth and beauty after her mother's unexpected death. Drawn to theculty spa her mother belonged to by a mysterious woman in red that shows up at the funeral, Belle finds herselfunravelling the frightening secret behind her and her mother's obsession with the mirror and the demons that await on the other side.

When you can read it:Sept. 12, 2023

• Why Mona Awad wrote a twisted take on the fairy tale with novelBunny

Awad is a Boston-based author whose debut short story collection13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl, won the Amazon Canada First Novel Award, the Colorado Book Award and was shortlisted forthe 2016 Scotiabank Giller Prize. She is also the author of the novelsBunnyandAll's Well.

Daughter by Claudia Dey

Daughterexploresthe regenerative power of art, and how making art is making selfhood, when Mona Dean strives to make a life and art of her own.The story is about a playwright, actressand titular daughter named Mona Dean, who is caught in her charismatic father's web a man famous for one great novel, and whose needs and insecurities have a hold on the women in the family.

When you can read it:Sept. 12, 2023

• Claudia Dey's new novel Daughterexplores despair and father-daughter relationships

Claudia Deyis a Torontoauthor, playwright and actor. She is also the co-designer of women's clothing brandHorses Atelier. She is also the author of the novelsStunt andHeartbreaker.Heartbreakerwas a finalist for the2019 Trillium Book Award.

The Observer by Marina Endicott

When Julia moves back to Medway with her RCMP officer husband Hardy, she struggles to explain her new reality to old friends from the city in the novel The Observer. To reconnect with the community Julia takes a job at the local newspaper theObserveras she starts to notice Hardy burning out from being immersed in violence and loss on a daily basis.

When you can read it:Sept. 12, 2023

• Marina Endicott on abandoned workouts, stubborn knots and her most lovable character

Marina Endicottis the author of several critically acclaimed novels.Her most recent books includeThe Little ShadowsandClose to Hugh,both of which were longlisted for the ScotiabankGiller Prize. In 2010, her novelGood to a Faultwon the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, Canada/Caribbean,was a finalist for the ScotiabankGiller Prize and was featured on the 2010 edition ofCanada Reads.

The Economy of Sparrows by Trevor Herriot

The Economy of Sparrows is the debut novel from naturalist writer Trevor Herriot. It tells the story of Nell Rowan, a woman who has inherited her family's farmstead on the prairies. When she returns to live there after decade away, she finds herself obsessed with a 19th-century bird collector and haunted by the disappearance of her mother.

When you can read it:Sept. 12, 2023

• Land of Living Stories revisits 4 memorable characters and their bonds with Saskatchewan places

Herriot is a naturalist, grassland conservationist, and the author of several books, includingGrass, Sky, SongandRiver in a Dry Land, both of which were shortlisted for the Governor General's LiteraryAward for nonfiction.

Flicker by Lori Hahnel

After reluctant psychic Cass Reisendertouches a strange antique device, she findsherself transported from Calgary to West Orange, New Jersey in the year 1900 in the novel Flicker. There, she meets the dashing Erik Thorvaldsenin Thomas Edison's lab and eventually falls in love. But whenMadame Freyja strikes Cass hasto protect that connection to Erik or risk losing it forever.

When you can read it:Sept. 15, 2023

Lori Hahnel is the author of the novelsLove Minus Zero and After You've Gone and the short story collectionNothing Sacred. Her collectionVermin: Storieswon a 2022 Alberta Literary Award, and was a finalist for a High Plains Book Award, the CAA Fred Kerner Award and the Saskatchewan Foundation for the Arts Glengarry Book Award.

A Ramshackle Home by Felicia Mihali, translated by Judith Weisz Woodsworth

When her marriage falls apart, awoman and her son moveback into the ramshackle home in the Romaniancountryside where her parents once lived in the novel A Ramshackle Home. Struggling with feelings of isolation she escapes into her imagination where her memories are interwoven with stories from ancient mythology.

When you can read it:Sept. 16, 2023

• Her parents survived the Holocaust. Family heirlooms help Judith Weisz Woodsworth connect past and present

Felicia Mihali is is a translator, editor and author living in Montreal. She is the founder and president of Montreal publishing houseditions Hashtag.

Judith Weisz Woodsworth is a Canadian translator and recently retired professor at Concordia University. Her translation ofPierre Anctil'sHistory of the Jews in Quebecwon the 2022 Governor General's Literary Award for French-to-English translation.

Semi-Detached by Elizabeth Ruth

Semi-Detached is part ghost story, part love story with a murder mystery twist. Laura Keys is a Toronto real estate agent looking to sell a one-of-a-kind house on behalf of its comatose owner, but she is being haunted by a mysterious teenage girl with aScottish Terrier tucked in her coat. After some digging she uncovers the story of its owner Edna's ill-fated affair with her boss's daughter and a decades-old murder mystery.

When you can read it:Sept. 16, 2023

Elizabeth Ruth is an author poet and professor living in Toronto. She is the author of the novelsTen Good Seconds of Silence, Smoke and Matadora.Her debut poetry collection,This Report Is Strictly Confidential, is forthcoming in 2024.

Wild Hope by Joan Thomas

Wild Hope follows Isla and Jake, a couple who are slowly drifting apart. Isla's farm-to-table restaurant is failing and visual artist Jake is haunted by his late father's legacy in the oil and gas industry.Jake's childhood friend-turned-enemy Reg Bevaquais a local bottled-water baron and harbours a seething resentment toward Jake. Reg is a demanding regular at Isla's restaurant and Jake is keeping a closeeye on him. When Jake disappears after awinter camping trip all signs point to Reg and his magnificent Georgian Bay property and Isla is determined to get to the bottom of it.

When you can read it:Sept. 19, 2023

• Joan Thomas's novel Wild Hope is a page-turning mystery about wealth, water and art

Joan Thomas is the author of four previous novels. Her first novel,Reading by Lightning,won the Commonwealth Prize for Best First Book (Canada and the Caribbean) and the Amazon First Novel Award. Her novelFive Wiveswon the2019 Governor General's Literary Award for fiction. Her novelThe Opening Skywas a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for fiction in 2014.

The Legend of Baraffo by Moez Surani

A mythic work of sweeping literary imagination,The Legend of Baraffospeaks to our current social climate and the ingredients for progress. This coming-of-age story, of a boy and a town, asks prescient questions about the nature of social change: is it better accelerated by those who seek total transformationor attained by those trying to work within the system?

When you can read it:Sept. 26,2023

• The 150-page poem that Moez Surani spent four years writing

Moez Suraniis the author of four poetry books, includingOperationsandAre the Rivers in Your Poems Real.Hiswriting has been published inHarper's Magazine, Best Canadian Poetryand the Globe and Mail. Surani was longlisted for the 2015CBC PoetryPrize.

How to be Alone by Heather Nolan

How to Be Aloneis a duet ofpoetic novellas documenting the double-edged sword of self-acceptance. Heather Nolandepicts the euphoric highs of a queer awakening and the crushing lows of feeling othered in a world that isn't built for you. The workexploresthemes such as isolation, traumaand loss.

When you can read it:Sept. 19, 2023

• Home and Native Land by Heather Nolan

Nolanis a neurodiverse writer from St. John's. They arethe author ofLand of the RockandThis is Agatha Falling, which wasshortlisted for the ReLit Awardand longlisted for the BMO Winterset Award. Nolan was on thelonglist of the 2017 CBC Poetry PrizeforHome and Native Land. Nolan was also areader for the 2022 CBC Poetry Prize.

Time to Shine by Rachel Reid

In Time to Shine, hockey player Landon Stackhouse has just gotten his call up to the big leagues from the Calgary farm team, though he doesn't get to play much. When Calgary's star player Casey Hicks hit it off this bromance evolves into a romance between the two. But what will happen to the budding relationship when Landon's time in Calgary comes to an end?

When you can read it:Sept. 26, 2023

Rachel Reid is a romance writer and die-hard hockey from Nova Scotia.

The Adversary by Michael Crummey

The Adversaryfeatures two rivals who represent the largestfishing operations on Newfoundland's northern outpost. When a weddingthat would have secured Abe Strapp's hold on the shore falls apart it sets off a series of events that lead to year after year of violence and vendettas and a seemingly endless feud.

When you can read it:Sept. 26, 2023

• Most of what follows is true: Michael Crummey on writing and the relationship between fact and fiction

Michael Crummeyis a poet and novelist from Newfoundland and Labrador. He is also the author of the novelsThe Innocents,SweetlandandGaloreand the poetry collections Arguments with Gravity and Passengers. Two of Crummey's novels have been shortlisted for the Governor General's Literary Award for fiction Sweetlandin 2014 andGalorein 2009.The Innocentswasshortlisted for the 2019 Scotiabank Giller Prize,the 2019 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prizeand the Governor General's Literary Award for fiction.

And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott

And Then She Fellfollows a young woman named Alice who is struggling to navigate the early days of motherhood and live up to the unrealistic expectations of those around her.

When you can read it:Sept. 26, 2023

• Alicia Elliott publishing first novel get the first look at And Then She Fell now

Alicia Elliott is a Mohawk writer living in Brantford, Ont.Her writing has been published most recently in Room, Grain and The New Quarterly.She is the author of the nonfiction bookA Mind Spread Out on the Ground,a columnist for CBC ArtsandCBC Booksnamed hera writer to watch in 2019.She waschosen by Tanya Talaga as the 2018 recipient of the RBC Taylor Emerging Writer Award.

Double Eagle by Thomas King

Double Eagleis the latest entry in the DreadfulWater mystery series.Thumps DreadfulWateris tasked with making sure a gold coin exhibition goes off without a hitch. When one of the dealers at the exhibition dies it's up to Thumps to get to the bottom of the mystery as he struggles to balance the rest of his chaotic life.

When you can read it:Sept. 26, 2023

• Thomas King on why humour and tragedy are inseparable

Thomas King is a Canadian-American writer of Cherokee andGreekancestry.He delivered the 2003 Massey Lectures,The Truth about Stories. His books includeTruth & Bright Water,Green Grass, Running Water, whichwasonCanada Reads2004,The Inconvenient Indian,which was onCanada Reads2015,andThe Back of the Turtle,which won theGovernor General's Literary Award for fiction in 2014.

Avalanche by Jessica Westhead

The short stories in Avalanche all take a critical look at the ideas of whiteness, identity and relationships. The characters encounter and perpetuate everyday racism in many of its insidious forms and reckon with the implications of that.

When you can read it:Sept. 26, 2023

• Why Jessica Westhead wanted to explore the everyday fears of motherhood in her fiction

Jessica Westheadis the author of the novelPulpy & Midgeand the short story collectionAnd Also Sharks. Her novelWorrywason theCanada Reads2020 longlist.

Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin & Marissa Stapley

Three Holidays and a Weddingis a multi-faith holiday rom-com about the love that occurs when Christmas, Ramadanand Hanukkah all fall at the same time. The story follows two strangers-turned-friends, Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson, whoare snowbound in the small, charming town of Snow Falls along with the cast and crew of a holiday romance movie, nosy family members, and their lifelong crushes.

When you can read it:Sept. 26, 2023

• Marissa Stapley and Uzma Jalaluddin'sThree Holidays and a Weddingis a funny & festive multi-faith rom-com

UzmaJalaluddinis a teacher, parenting columnist and author based in Ontario.She is also the author of the novelsAyesha At Lastand Much Ado About Nada.

Marissa Stapley is a writer and journalist from Toronto. Her other novels includeMating for Life,Things to Do When It's RainingandThe Last Resort.

The B-Side of Daniel Garneauby David Kingston Yeh

The B-Side of Daniel Garneau is the third in a trilogy of books that include A Boy at the Edge of the World and Tales from the Bottom of My Sole. Now Daniel is preparing to graduate from med school while his boyfriend David sets out to donate sperm so his brother can have a baby. But when Daniel's celebrity ex launches a shocking exhibit, a crisis forces Daniel to re-evaluate his priorities.

When you can read it:Oct. 1, 2023

• Why David Kingston Yeh's debut novel, A Boy at the Edge of the World, explores 'sex, love and intimacy'

Daniel KingstonYehis aToronto-based writerand LGBTQcounsellor. He isthe author of the novelsA Boy at the Edge of the WorldandTales from the Bottom of My Sole.

Blacklion by Luke Francis Beirne

Set against the backdrop of early 1970s Irelandin the wake of Bloody Sunday, Blacklioncentres around aplot by the U.S. government to infiltrate the IRA. CIA agent Raymond Dalyis tasked with gaining the trust of the community an embed himself into the organization. Loyalties are put to the test andRay finds himself having to make a decision that will have lasting effects on everyone involved.

When you can read it:Sept. 1, 2023

• 3 must-read books for fans of wartime historical fiction

Luke Francis Beirnewas born in Ireland and grew up in Western Canada.His first novel,Foxhunt,was afinalist for the 2022 Foreword Indies General Fiction Award.He lives in Fredericton.

Whistle at Night and They Will Comeby Alex Soop

Whistle at Night and They Will Comeis follow up to Alex Soop'sprevious horror collection, Midnight Storm Moonless Sky. The stories mix reality with dark terror to uncover th anxieties affecting Indigenous people across North America.

When you can read it:Oct. 1, 2023

• 22 Canadian books that will get you in the Halloween spirit

Soop is a Calgary writerof the Blackfoot Nation. His stories focus on Indigeneity, identity and the legacy of residential schools.

A Dream Wants Waking by Lydia Kwa

A Dream Wants Waking weaves speculative fiction and Chinese myth to imagine a future where the ideas of sentience and personhood come into question. Yinhe is a half-human half-fox spirit living in a patchwork city called Luoyang, which is controlled by an artificial intelligence called No.1. When the AI starts behaving erratically Yinhe is sent on a mission to stave off an ancient enemy and possibly reunite with her soulmate, who was lost many lifetimes before.

When you can read it:Oct. 3, 2023

• Lydia Kwa's favourite book of 2017 wasDr. Edith Vane and the Hares of Crawley Hallby Suzette Mayr

Lydia Kwais a clinical psychologist and writer based in Vancouver. She is also the author of the booksOracle BoneandThe Walking Boy.

The Marvels of Youth by Tim Bowling

The Marvels of Youthis set in the short window between the release of the films Jaws and Star Wars and follows a adolescentboy named Sean as he pieces together a mystery that could shake the foundation of his working-class town.

When you can read it:Oct. 3, 2023

Tim Bowling is the author ofseveralworks of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, includingThe Dark Set,The Heavy BearandThe Lost Coast.He hasbeen the recipient of numerous honours, including two Edmonton Artists' Trust Fund Awards, five Alberta Literary Awards, a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, two Writers' Trust of Canada nominations, two Governor General's Literary Award nominations and a Guggenheim Fellowship in recognition of his entire body of work.

A Season in Chezgh'un by Darrel J. McLeod

A Season in Chezgh'unis a fictionalized year in the life of aNehiyaw man and what he experiencesworking in a remote B.C. First Nations community.James, a man from a small settlementin Northern Alberta has created a comfortable life for himself in a trendy neighbourhoodin Vancouver. He has all the things he once dreamed of hetravels, has great friends, a great career and a caring partner but part of him is wary of assimilating into mainstream culture. When his mother dies suddenly, James embarks on a journey to reconnect with his roots. After securing a job as a principal in a remote northern Dakelh community where he encounters poverty, cultural disruption and abuse, he is haunted byghosts from his past that threaten to throw him off balance.

When you can read it:Oct. 7, 2023

• Governor General's Literary Award winner Darrel J. McLeod publishing first novel this fall

Darrel J. McLeod isfrom Treaty 8territory in Northern Alberta. Before his retirement, hewas chief negotiator of land claims for the federal government and executive director of education and international affairs with the Assembly of First Nations.He's the author of thememoirsMamaskatchandPeyakow.Mamaskatchwon the2018 Governor General's Literary Award for nonfictionandPeyakowwas shortlisted for theHilary Weston Writers'Trust Prize for Nonfiction.

Once Upon an Effing Time by Buffy Cram

In this novel, set in the tumultuous 1960s, young Elizabeth Squire and her mother navigate a complex relationship and become deeply entangled in an American hippie doomsday cult. This darkly comedic tale astutely dissects the various cults that shape our lives, from the cult of family to the counter-cultural movements of the times.

When you can read it:Oct. 7, 2023

• Buffy Cram on sippy cups and the colourful world of Dr. Seuss

Buffy Cram is a writer from Victoria. Her first book, Radio Belly, is a collection of short fiction."

Sadie X by Clara Dupuis-Morency, translated by Aimee Wall

Sadie Xis novel about the mysterious Sadie. By day, Sadie is a researcher in a lab inMarseille who spends most of her time in the microscopic world of the creatures she studies. By night, she gets lostin bars, music and drugs until a call from the past entices her back home to Montreal. When her father tells her about a new virus that's been found in his hospital, Sadie must find a solution to the puzzle.

When you can read it:Oct. 10, 2023

• Aimee Wall explores care for women by women and rural access to abortion in novel We, Jane

ClaraDupuis-Morencyis a writer and professor based inMontreal. Her first book was the novelMre d'invention, which was a finalist for Prix des libraires du Qubec, Prix du CALQWork by an Emerging Artistand for the France-Qubec prize.

Aimee Wall is a writer and translator from Newfoundland who now lives in Montreal. Her translations include Vickie Gendreau's novelsTestamentandDrama Queens. Her first novelWe, Janewas onthe 2021 Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist.

The Defector by Chris Hadfield

The Defectoris a follow-up to astronaut Chris Hadfield's debut novel, the space thriller The Apollo Murders.The Defectorfollows NASA flight controller and former U.S. test pilot Kaz Zemeckis as he takes to the sky in aerial combat to hunt down a high-level defector and uncover Soviet secrets.

When you can read it:Oct. 10, 2023

• Chris Hadfield's new 'high-octane' thriller novel The Defector to be published this fall

Hadfield was a military pilot and astronaut for 35 years. He was the first Canadian to walk in space and served as commander of the International Space Station. He received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 2002 and became a member of the Order of Canada in 2014. Heis also the author of the memoirAn Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth,the children's bookThe Darkest Dark,which was illustrated by the Fan Brothers, and the photo bookYou Are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes.

Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice

Moon ofthe Turning Leavestakes place 10 years after the events of the post-apocalyptic novelMoon of the Crusted Snowand depictsan epic journey to a forgotten homeland. With food supplies dwindling, Evan Whiteskyand his band of survivorsneed to find a new home. Evan volunteers to lead a group including his daughter Nangohnsand a great archer and hunter to their ancestral home, the "land where the birch trees grow by the big water." Along the way, they come across other survivors not all of whom can be trusted.

When you can read it:Oct. 10, 2023

• Waubgeshig Rice continues his Anishinaabe-inspired vision for the future with novel Moon of the Turning Leaves

Waubgeshig Rice is an Anishinaabe author, journalist and radio host originally fromWasauksing First Nation. Rice's first short story collectionMidnight Sweatlodge,which was about his life growing up in his Anishinaabe community, won an Independent Publishers Book Award in 2012. His novelMoon of the Crusted SnowwasontheCanada Reads2023 longlist.

Normal Women by Ainslie Hogarth

Normal Womenis a darkly comic story about a stay-at-home momDani who is becoming increasingly anxious about what would happen to her financially if her husband died. Stumbling into a yoga centre called The Temple, she falls under the spell of its guardian Renatawho seems to becommitted to helping people reach their "full potential."Things take a turn when Renata disappears just and Danitires to piece together exactly what's going on.

When you can read it:Oct. 10, 2023

• A mother's love is supposed to be unconditional. What happens when it's not?

Ainslie Hogarth is a Canadian YA and speculative fiction writer. Her other books includeMotherthing,The LonelyandThe Boy Meets Girl Massacre (Annotated).

Enough by Kimia Eslah

Faiza Hosseiniis a ruthless executive trying to circumventthe old boys club in the novel Enough. Sameera Jahanihas a passion for equity but can't get her girlfriend to care as much as she does. And Goldie Sheer has just landed her first job but work drama is making her question herself. Enough chronicles the lives of these three women of colour as they navigate the cubicles and courtyards of Toronto's City Hall.

When you can read it:Oct. 12, 2023

• 26 Canadian books to read for Pride Month

Born in Iran, Kimia Eslah spent her early childhood in New Delhi before immigrating to Toronto with her family. She is a feminist, queer writer and the author of the novelsThe Daughter Who Walked Away andSister Seen, Sister Heard.

JawbonebyMeghan Greeley

Jawboneis a work of speculative fiction that tells the story of a young woman determined to win a trip toMars byentering a one-minute video pitch contest. As she secludes herself in a cottage by the sea to prepare to record her entry, she examines her fixation on the colour red, guilt, shame and the dramatic end of her most important friendship all while dealing with a recently unwired jaw that makes it difficult to speak.

When you can read it:Oct. 10, 2023

• 26 Canadian books to read for Pride Month

Meghan Greeley is an actor, author, director and playwright from Corner Brook, N.L.Her playHungerwas shortlisted for the 2023 Winterset Award. Her stageplays have been produced in Toronto, Halifaxand across Newfoundland. She currently lives in St. John's.

Grandview Drive by Tim Blackett

Grandview Driveis a collection of connected short stories that examinethe way humans feel alone yet must rely on others. The characters in Grandview Drive long for meaningful connections and have a hard time finding them even when those connections are right in front of them.

When you can read it:Nov. 18, 2023

Tim Blackettis a Canadian writer from Regina. His work has appeared inBriarpatch,Swift andFlowing.Grandview Driveis his debut fiction collection.

The Blood of Five Rivers by Arjun Bedi

The Blood of Five Rivers is an intergenerational novel about fathers and sons and the meaning of legacy. From a rural farming village in the Indian province of Punjab, through the Middle East and Europe and eventually Canada, the book charts the journey of young man named Kakaandthe indelible mark the journey leaves on him.

When you can read it:Oct. 16, 2023

Arjun Bediand Indian Canadian author from Mississauga, Ont. The Blood of Five Rivers is his first novel.

Mudflowers by Aley Waterman

Mudflowersis a novel about, Sophie, a 20-something living in Toronto's west end where everyone is in their late20s and makes artof some kind. Since her mother's death, Sophiehas been making ends meet by making stained glass mosaics for rich people. While navigating the Toronto arts scene, Sophie soon finds herself caught between her on-again off-again boyfriend and a glamorous poet named Maggie.

When you can read it:Sept. 19, 2023

• 5 Newfoundland albums released in 2019 you should have in your collection

Aley Waterman is a musician and authorbased inCorner Brook, N.L. Herwriting has appeared inBad Nudes,Hart House Review,Vault Zine,Riddle Fenceand the Trampoline Hall Podcast. Mudflowersis her first novel.

Yara by Tamara Faith Berger

The titular Yara is a teenage girl in Brazil who is in a relationship with awoman10years her senior who is becoming increasingly jealous and controlling. Her mother finds out and is sodistraught that she sends Yara on a Birthright trip to Israel. The trip takes turn when Yaraleaves Israel for Toronto and then California gaining new insight into her own life and relationships along the way.

When you can read it:Oct. 17, 2023

• 40 books shortlisted for 2019 ReLit Award

Tamara Faith Berger is Toronto-baseda writer of fiction, nonfiction and screenplays. Her books include Lie With Me, The Way of the Whore, Maidenhead, Kuntalini and Queen Solomon.

Nights Too Short to DancebyMarie-Claire Blais, translated byKatia Grubisic

Renis finally feeling his age in the novel Nights Too Short to Dance. He wants nothing more but to continue to dress elegantly and be independent but those days are long gone.Ren is visited by old friends and together theyreminisceabout everything from past loves totragedies and fights. The old friends find comfort and hope in each other's presence as they fight to live on their own terms.

When you can read it:Oct. 17, 2023

• Quebec author Marie-Claire Blais dead at 82

Marie-Claire Blais was often lauded as one of Quebec's greatest writers.Her latest novel isThe Acacia Gardens. She was the winner of numerous awards includingthe Mdicis Prize, the W.O. Mitchell Literary Prize, four Governor General's Literary Awardsand two Guggenheim Fellowships. She died in 2021.

Katia Grubisic is a writer, editorand translator.She has been a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for translation and the A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry. Her collection of poems What if red ran out won the Gerald Lampert award for best first book.

The Red One by Safia Fazlul

Nisha is an image-obsessed woman living the "perfect" life in a Toronto suburb in the novel The Red One. But behind closed doorsshe is in a passionless marriage with anunfaithful husband. She hides the pain of her abusive past with shopping sprees, fake friends and a secret drug addiction. A chance meeting with a mysterious man who she's instantly attracted to makes her realize that she must face her past and overcome it.

When you can read it:Oct. 23, 2023

Safia Fazlul is a Bangladeshi Canadian author and poet based in Toronto. She is also the author of the novelThe Harem.

What Wild Women Do by Karma Brown

What Wild Women Do follows a screenwriter Rowan as she's searching for her purpose and finds an unsolved mystery the disappearance of camp leader Eddie Calloway at an abandoned camp in the Adirondacks.

When you can read it:Oct. 24, 2023

• Ontario author Karma Brown's novel explores abandoned Adirondack camp get first look at What Wild Women Do

Karma Brown is the author of five other novels, including Recipe for a Perfect Wife.She lives in Ontario.

The Cobra and the Key by Sam Shelstad

The Cobra and the Keyis a satirical novel centred around the life of a writer named Sam Shelstad who is busy at work ona book about his failed relationship, while he awaits word from a publisher about the manuscript he's sure will make him a star. He's also got another project in the works: a how to book for aspiring fiction writers detailing the finer points of the craft.

When you can read it:Oct. 10, 2023

• 12 mystery and crime books to keep you on the edge of your seat this summer

Sam Shelstad is a writer currently based in Toronto. He was formerlylonglisted for theCBC Short Story Prizeand a runner-up for the Thomas Morton Memorial Prize. He has previously published a short story collection calledCop House. His debut novel wasCitizens of Light.

An Ordinary Violenceby Adriana Chartrand

An Ordinary Violence is a darkly funny horror novel about a young Indigenous woman named Dawn trying to findpeace in a world where the lines between the spirit realm and the real world are blurred. For most of her life, Dawn has been haunted by cryptic messages from her dead mother andwhen her life implodes shereturns to her childhood home and must face the past.

When you can read it:Oct. 31, 2023

Adriana Chartrand is a mixed-raceMtisauthor originallyfrom Winnipeg and currently based in Toronto. An Ordinary Violence is her debut novel.

Shanghai Immortal by A. Y. Chao

Drawing from various elements ofChinese mythology, Shanghai Immortaltells the story of Lady Jing, a half vampire, half fox spirit who struggles with anexplosive temper.When Jing gets wind of a plot to overthrow the King of Hell it's her opportunity to expose the traitorous courtiers once and for all. With the help of a mortal assigned to the Central Bank of Hell, Jing sets out on wild chase that might lead to self-discovery.

When you can read it:Oct. 31, 2023

A. Y. Chao is an author and former lawyer based in London, Ont. Shanghai Immortal is her debut novel and the first in a fantasy trilogy.

Zulaikha by Niloufar-Lily Soltani

It's 2007 and Zulaikhafinds herself on the same flight from Amsterdam to Tehran as a family friend named Kia who she hasn't heard from in many years in the novel Zulaikha. Zulaikha suspects Kia knows something about her brother's disappearance during the Iran and Iraq War. After their flight is cancelled, Zulaikha is taken into custody and interrogated about her relationship with Zia, which sets off a series of eventsthat seesher caught in the crossfire of international politics.

When you can read it:Nov. 9, 2023

Niloufar-Lily Soltani is a fiction writer, poet and translator based in Vancouver. She is a graduate of the Humber College creative writing porgram.Zulaikha is her debut novel.

The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Societyby Christine Estima

The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Societyis a collection of connected stories traces the immigrant experience of an Arab family through multiple generations. From brave Syrian refugees to trailblazing Lebanese freedom fighters,Azuree knows she comes from a long line of daring Arab women.These stories follow her as she explores ideas oflove, faith, despair and the effects of war and what those family histories mean for her as an Arab woman in the 21st century.

When you can read it:Nov. 14, 2023

• Who gets to be a part of Canadian history, asks Arab-Canadian writer

Christine Estima is a writer, playwright and journalist living in Toronto. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications and she was longlisted for the 2015 CBC Short Story Prize. The Syrian Ladies BenevolantSociety is her first book.

The Lost Cause by Cory Doctorow

This sci-fi novel from Cory Doctorow imagines a world in the near future where climate change has gone from a divisive topic to a reality of life. Whole cities are being moved inland to prevent flooding and clean energy projects abound. But there are still aging holdouts, who refuse to let go of their old destructive ways and they are willing to use violence to protect their way of life.

When you can read it:Nov. 14, 2023

• Cory Doctorow discusses the noir side of tech companies in his new novel Red Team Blues

CoryDoctorowis a Canadian science fiction writer, activist and journalist currently based in Los Angeles. Among his many novels are notable titles such asWalkawayandLittle Brother. His novelRadicalizedwas a finalist onCanada Readsin 2020.

Held by Anne Michaels

Weaving in historical figures and events, the mysterious generations-spanning novel Held begins on a First World War battlefield near the River Aisne in 1917, where John lies in the falling snow unable to move or feel his legs. When he returns hometo North Yorkshire with life-changing injuries, he reopens his photography business in an effort to move on with his life. The past proves harder to escape than he once thoughtand John is haunted by ghosts that begin to surface in his photos with messages he struggles to decipher.

When you can read it:Nov. 14, 2023

• Anne Michaels latest book Held is a decades-spanning novel about desire, life and death

AnneMichaelsis the winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction, the Guardian Fiction Prize, the Commonwealth Poetry Prize, the Trillium Book Award and a Guggenheim Fellowship. She has been shortlisted for theGovernor General's Literary Award, the Griffin Poetry Prize and the ScotiabankGiller Prize.

The First Few Feet in a World of Wolves by Scott Mainprize

The First Few Feet in a World of Wolveschronicles the fictionalization of the year the author spent teaching in Aupaluk.Told through the voice of Nomad, who finds himself very much at odds with the land itself as he slowly learns how to reconnect with his fractured history as he embraces and is embraced by the Elders and his own students.

When you can read it:Nov. 21, 2023

Scott Mainprize is an Algonquin two-spirit lawyer and university instructor who has lived across Turtle Island.The First Few Feet in a World of Wolvesis his debut novel.

The Mystery Guestby Nita Prose

The Mystery Guestis a sequel to the bestseller The Maid.The Mystery Guestsees Molly now risenthrough the ranks to become the Head Maid at the five-starRegency Grand Hotel. Things are looking great until world-renowned mystery author J.D. Grimthorpedrops dead in the hotel. Molly must look deep into her past to unlock clues that revealher connection toGrimthorpeand hopefully solve his murder.

When you can read it:Nov. 28, 2023

• Toronto author's bestselling novel The Maid started as an idea on a napkin

Nita Prose is an Toronto author and editor. She is currently the Canadian vice president and editorial director for publishing company Simon & Schuster.

The Jazz Club Spy by Roberta Rich

The 1930s-set novel The Jazz Clubfollows Giddy Brodsyk, a Jewishgirl who makes a living serving cigarettes at a Manhattan jazz club called Sid's Palace.When she thinks she recognizes the man who burned her Russian village to the ground decades earlier, she agrees to become a spy for Carter van der Zalm, Commissioner of Immigration ad Ellis Island. Betrayals and intrigue ensue as Giddy finds herself in the middle of a political conspiracy on the eve of the Second World War, and has to choose between justice and forgiveness.

When you can read it:Nov. 21, 2023

• Music, spycraft and political intrigue meet in Roberta Rich's novelThe Jazz Club Spy read an excerpt now

Roberta Rich is a former lawyer andthe bestselling author of aseries of historical novels set in Venice in the 16th century and revolve around the life of a midwife. Her books includeThe Midwife of Venice,The Harem MidwifeandA Trial in Venice.