Here are some of the highlights, and one notable low-light, from the past month of my reading life.
Nine Raves
The Disappearers, by Marlon James (2026)
Premise: An act of unspeakable anti-queer violence in 1988 Jamaica has lasting repercussions for its survivors and perpetrators.
Review: There are two things you need to know about this: 1. This is an exceptional novel. It could easily win the Booker this year, and if it does, I could see it being considered among the all-time best winners. 2. If anything, early reviews highlighting the book’s violence understate the matter. Not only do we see a lot of violence on the page, but James also puts us in the minds of the attackers and, as the years go on, the bitter, increasingly vengeful survivors. As brilliant as this is, I do have to wonder what value the excessive violence has. But while this is unlikely to be a favourite book of the year for me, it’s unquestionably one of the best.
The Hill in the Dark Grove, by Liam Higginson (2025)
Premise: A kindly shepherd in North Wales is oddly changed by the discovery an ancient artifacts on his lands, in this unsettling story of isolation and obsession.
Review: This took a while for me to settle into, but once it had me, it got me good. The main character’s slow descent into obsession and possibly worse is beautifully rendered, and the shift to his wife’s perspective, and increasing concern, worked really well in the second half of the novel. This is eerie and atmospheric in the best ways, and will be great for Spooky Season or as a winter ghost story.
Exit Party, by Emily St. John Mandel (2026 🇨🇦)
Premise: Doppelgängers navigate life in two very different (and equally terrifying) versions of the near future.
Review: This is trademark Mandel, dropping the reader headfirst into complex and often disturbing worlds. I admit to often feeling lost in the first half, to the point that it almost lost me. But, Mandel is a trusted enough author that I stayed with it and I’m very glad that I did. Everything came together beautifully, with rich characters, two vividly pictured worlds, and a surprisingly hopeful sensibility. For obvious reasons, this will spike political anxieties for many readers, so be good to yourselves, and also know that it’s remarkably hopeful in the end.
Bookish Pair: There are some interesting thematic similarities between this an Astronaut! by Oana Aristide
The Clarion, by Nina Dunic (2023 🇨🇦)
Premise: Two siblings deal in their different ways with the realities of their mediocre, disappointing lives.
Review: This book from the 2023 Giller longlist is a beautiful exercise in subtle storytelling. The narrative is split between a brother, who struggles to make ends meet working in kitchens while unsuccessfully auditioning for trumpet gigs, and his older sister, who has recently experienced a career setback and general disaffection stemming from a parentified childhood. This is not a flashy book, but it really worked for me.
Switzy, by Emma Cline (2026)
Premise: A successful businessman with rapidly declining cognition tries to hold on long enough to say meaningful goodbyes before accessing end of life care.
Review: This was one of the Booker longlisted books I was most intrigued by, and it turns out, it was with good reason. This is an EXCEPTIONAL novel. The way the author navigates her character’s brave facing of death, combination of regret and self-justification, along with his failing faculties is nothing sort of brilliant.
Bookish Pair: When the Cranes Fly South, by Lisa Ridzén (2024, transl. 2025)
The Novice of Holloway Hall, by Wayne Johnston (2026 🇨🇦)
Premise: The return of the family pariah from a failed stint in a convent shakes a family’s iron grip on their small Newfoundland town.
Review: This is a deceptively delightful book. The main character has been extremely sheltered and expanded her horizons through reading and a love of wordplay. It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered such an engaging POV. But as the book goes on, and the family closes ranks and its dark secrets are slowly revealed, it becomes very dark. All in all, I loved this—a great start to my Giller Prize reading this year!
Bookish Pair: Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day (1989)
The Unravelling of Ou, by Hollay Ghadery (2026 🇨🇦)
Premise: The story of a woman struggling to live an integrated life, told from the perspective of her most helpful, and detrimental, coping mechanism, a sock puppet.
Review: As the premise suggests, this is a weird novel. But it’s wonderful. Minoo is always sympathetic even when you (and whatever part of her psyche the puppet represents) want to scream at her to get her act together. It’s a powerful story of shame the consequences of becoming disconnected from one’s body.
Bookish Pair: Panenka by Ronan Hession
At Sea in a Sieve, by Cordelia Strube (2026 🇨🇦)
Premise: A Superior Court judge is challenged by difficult questions of justice and truth as they play out in the criminal justice system, families, and neighbourhoods.
Review: The premise of this novel didn’t interest me, but I was absolutely blown away by it. It’s an incredible character study of a woman who is worn down by the conflict between the justice of due process and true justice, and who struggles to put her principles into effect in her personal life—even as those principles become abstractions hindering those relationships. This is a novel that will stick with me for a long time. (Content warning: There is significant discussion of the difficulty in obtaining convictions in sexual assault cases. Be good to yourselves if this is something that hits too close to home.)
Eliza Sunshine, by Michelle Good (2026 🇨🇦 🧡)
Premise: A multigenerational saga about the resilient women of one Cree family.
Review: This is a very smart novel. On one side, it speaks uncomfortable truths about Canadian history and society, but on the other side, at its core, it’s a universally relatable story of being shaped by our pasts and accepting the many ways life doesn’t go as hoped. Overall it solidifies Good’s well-earned place at the top level of contemporary Canadian literature. It’s also a great place to start for anyone wanting to start their Truth & Reconciliation journey.
Bookish Pair: 21 Things You May Not Know about the Indian Act, by Bob Joseph (2018 🇨🇦 🧡)
And One Disappointment
The Age of Calamities, by Senaa Ahmad (2026 🇨🇦)
Premise: A collection of speculative short fiction, all placing historical or legendary figures in alternate histories.
Review: This collection has a strong narrative voice, is exceptionally well-written, and a cohesive premise. Unfortunately, I felt a bit let down in the execution of the actual stories. Nothing here is bad, and a lot is good, but I was left wanting more from virtually every story.
Notable Non-Fiction
Sounds Like Me, by Sara Bareilles (2015)
Premise: A series of essays from beloved singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles.
Review: I always knew Sara Bareilles was brilliant, and this memoir / essay collection only grew my appreciation for her talent, wisdom, and insight. It’s eleven years old now, so her career and the world were at very different places then than they are now. I’d love a part two to catch us up, especially in light of all the things that happened to inspire her new album Good Grief. But this youthful part one was a lot of fun. Listen to this on audio to hear her sing snippets from some of her songs!
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