40 Canadian books to read this summer

Looking for a good book to read on a nice summer day? CBC Books has you covered! Here are 40 recent Canadian books to check out this season.

Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday by Jamaluddin Aram

Set in 1990s Kabul, Afghanistan against the backdrop of civil war,Nothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesdayis a journey through the town of Wazirabad, which overflows with every kind of character imaginable. From a daughter selling scorpions to keep her mother from having to sell herself to the militiamen trying to solve a string of burglaries, to Bonesetter who reads his cat poetry, Aram provides a portrait of a community in its most mundane and extraordinary as the people of Wazirabad try to carve out a home and a life amidst war.

Jamaluddin Aram is a Toronto-based documentary filmmaker, producer and writer from Kabul, Afghanistan. Aram's short storyThis Hard Easy Lifewas a finalist for RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers in 2020. He was selected as a mentee by Michael Christie for the Writers' Trust of Canada Mentorship program for his bookMarchoba, which becameNothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on Wednesday.

The Whispers by Ashley Audrain

In The Whispers, the truths behind a picture perfect neighbourhood is revealed following an incident at a neighbourhood barbeque when the seemingly flawless hostess explodes in fury because her son disobeys her. When the son falls from his bedside window one night, and the mother stops talking to everyone as she accompanies him at the hospital where he is fighting for his life, the women in the neighbourhood begin to contend with what led to this horrible incident.

• Read an excerpt from the Canadian thriller The Push by Ashley Audrain

Ashley Audrain is the former publicity director of Penguin Canada. Her debut novel The Pushwas a New York Times bestseller and won the Best Crime First Novel at the 2022 Crime Writers of Canada Awards. She currently lives in Toronto.

The Long Way Back by Nicole Baart

In The Long Way Back, the lives of the internet-famous mother-daughter duo Charlie and Eva who post about their life on the road are suddenly changed when the daughter Eva goes missing close to her graduation.To clear her name of foul play, Charlie must confront her own role in Eva's disappearance revealing truths behind a seemingly picture perfect mother-daughter relationship that's played out on screen.

• The Next Chapter's mystery panel recommends 9 thriller and whodunit books to read this summer

Nicole Baarthas published severalnovels, including The Long Way Back and Everything We Didn't Say.Baart lived in Surrey and Abbotsford, B.C. for many years before moving to Iowa where she is now based.

The Lie Makerby Linwood Barclay

The Lie Makeris a thriller centredon Jack, a struggling author, who signs on to write made-up stories for people in witness protection. It's not just that he needs a job, Jack's father is in witness protection and this could be his way to find him after years apart. The last time Jack saw his father, he told Jack that he'd killed people. Now, it seems, no one, including the U.S. Marshals, knows where Jack's dad is, but he's determined to find him.

• How Linwood Barclay became a full-time thriller writer

Linwood Barclay is an American Canadian thriller writerwith over 20 books to his credit, including the adult thrillersBroken Promise,A Noise Downstairs,Elevator Pitchand the middle-grade novelsEscapeandChase.

Adriftby Lisa Brideau

The novelAdriftis part-mystery, part-hero's journey that incorporates her knowledge of climate change to posechallenging existential questions. When Ess wakes up, she doesn't expect to be on a sailboat in the middle of the ocean with no recollection of how she got there. The only context she has is a letter telling her not to come back. Despite the warning, Esswants answers and sets off on a journey to understand her past and decide whatto dowith her future.

• Vancouver author's debut suspense novel tackles identity, climate change and dangerous secrets

Lisa Brideau is a Vancouver-based writer, sustainabilitypolicy specialist and former aerospace engineer.Adriftis her first novel.

Coq by Ali Bryan

Coqis a cross-country family drama that explores the roles each member takes up in grief after loss and later, in acceptance as the family reforms.Claudia is used to juggling many family problems at once, whether it's the unruliness of her teenaged children, her brother's broken marriage or her ex-partner's desire to get back together. What Claudia finds she can't tolerate is her father remarrying ten years after her mother's death. This change prompts the family to take a trip to Paris to reconcile their differences. However, things quickly go astray and the trip that is meant to bring them together could be what pulls them apart.

Ali Bryan is a writer from Nova Scotia. Herfirst novel,Roost, won the Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction.Her second novel,The Figgs, wasshortlistedforStephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humourin 2019. Her novelThe Crow Valley Karaoke Championshipsis also forthcomingin 2023.

Closer bySea by Perry Chafe

Closer by Seais a coming-of-age story set in a small island community dealing with a local fishing industry on the brink of collapse. It's the early 1990s and 12-year-old Pierce Jacobs is struggling to come to terms with his fisherman father's death at sea. He's determined to save up enough to fix his dad's boat and take it out to sea himself. When the community is hit hard by the disappearance of a teenaged girl named Anna, Pierce and a group of friends embark on an epic journey to find her. Along the way, they encounter merciless bullies, brutal storms and magnificent sea creatures. As the mystery unravels, Pierce is forced to abandon his child-like innocence and face the harsh realities of growing up.

• Perry Chafe's Closer by Sea is part mystery, part east coast coming-of-age story

Perry Chafe is a TV writer producer and songwriter from St. John's. Chafe co-created and was head writer and showrunner of CBC TV seriesRepublic of Doyle.He is currently a writer and producer on the CBCseriesSon of a Critch.

LISTEN | Perry Chafe discusses Closerby the Sea:

The Next Chapter3:14Perry Chafe on Closer by Sea

The television producer and screenwriter Perry Chafe on his debut novel, Closer by Sea.

The Whole Animalby Corinna Chong

The Whole Animalis a collection of short stories that examines the power,strangeness and attributesof human and animal bodies.Chongexposes themes of loneliness,loss and self-discoverythrough stories like that of a child fixating on the hair growing out of her mother's eyelid or a linguist's attempts to connect with a boy who cannot speak.

• How Corinna Chong wrote the story that won the 2021 CBC Short Story Prize

Originally from Calgary, Corinna Chong lives in Kelowna, B.C. and teaches English and fine arts at Okanagan College. She published her first novelBelinda's Ringsin 2013.Her short fiction has been published in magazines across Canada, including The Malahat Review, Room, Grain and The Humber Literary Review.

In 2021, she won theCBC Short Story PrizeforKids in Kindergarten, which appears inThe Whole Animal.

The Comeback by Lily Chu

The Comebackis a rom-comthat follows Ariadne Hui, a type-A lawyer intent on making partner at herexclusive law firm.Her priorities quickly shift when she arrives home to find an attractive man sitting on her couch. Her roommate's cousin,Choi Jihoon, will be staying with them while he gets over a breakup.Quickly, Ariadne falls hard for Choi, but the bubble around their apartment romance soon bursts when Ariadne realizes that being Jihoon's partner means being thrown into the spotlight for the world's consumption. Can their relationship stand up to public scrutiny? Ariadne may not be able to make a simple case to appeal to the masses.

• Lily Chu's The Stand-In puts representation at the heart of her debut rom-com

Lily Chu writes romantic comedies set in Toronto with strong Asian characters. Chu's debut rom-com novel wasThe Stand-In.

The Librarianist byPatrick deWitt

InThe Librarianist,retired librarian Bob Comet is content spending the rest of his days reading in his Portland, Oregon home, until a chance encounter with an older woman in the supermarket brings him to the senior centre, where he begins volunteering. There, through conversations, reflection and a few funny characters, Bob's life story is slowly revealed.

• Patrick deWitt on the upside of clichs and why we need humour more than ever

Patrick deWittis a novelist from Portland, Ore., by way of Vancouver Island. He has written severalnovels, includingThe Sisters Brothers,which won the Governor General's Literary Award for fiction, the Leacock Medal for Humour, the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and was a finalist for the Booker Prize and the ScotiabankGiller Prize. His other books includeUndermajordomo MinorandFrench Exit.French Exitwas onthe shortlist for the 2018 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

LISTEN | Patrick deWitt discusses The Librarianist:

The Next Chapter17:52Patrick deWitt on The Librarianist

Ryan B. Patrick interviews Patrick deWitt about his new novel, The Librarianist.

Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow

Red Team Bluesis a fictional story about the underbelly of Silicon Valley. Martin Hench is a 67-year-old forensic accountant with the expertise to make some very powerful people a lot of money. Despite his know-how, his latest project may see him in over his head and could cost him his life.

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

Cory Doctorow is a science fiction author, activist, journalist and blogger. His books includeRadicalized,Walkaway, a YA graphic novel calledIn Real Life, the nonfiction business bookInformation Doesn't Want to be Freeand young adult novels likeHomeland,Pirate CinemaandLittle Brother. Born in Toronto,he now lives in Los Angeles.

Doctorow'sRadicalizedwas defended byAkil AugustineonCanada Reads2020.

LISTEN | Cory Doctorow discusses Red Team Blues:

The Next Chapter21:16Cory Doctorow on Red Team Blues

Cory Doctorow talks to Shelagh Rogers about technology, class and the noir-inspired main character of his latest novel, Red Team Blues.

We Meant Wellby Erum Shazia Hasan

We Meant Wellis a novelthatposes a difficult moral dilemma for its protagonist, Maya, an aid worker who must decide who to believe when her coworker at the orphanage, Marc, is accused of assaulting herformer protg, Lele. Caught between worldswith protests raging outside the orphanage, Maya must also balance the fate of the organization against the accusations. Navigating around these variables provides both challenge and insight as the complexity of the situation reveals the character of everyone involved.

Erum Shazia Hasanis a Toronto-based writer and a sustainable developmentconsultant for various UN agencies.We Meant Wellis her debut novel.

Snow Road Station by Elizabeth Hay

Snow Road Stationis a novel about coming to terms with the choices you've made, accepting how you feel about yourself and finding friendships that can help heal old wounds. Lulu Blake decides to uproot her life and move to small town Snow Road Station after she forgets her lines mid-act in a Beckett play. In her sixties and out of work, she returns to her family and friends where personal conflicts, weddings, romance and friendships flourish against the backdrop of the oncoming 2008 financial crisis.

• Elizabeth Hay discusses female friendships and failure in her new novel

Elizabeth Hay is an Ottawa-based writer. Her novels include the novelsLate Nights On Air, which won theGiller Prize in 2007,Alone in the Classroom,Garbo Laughs,His Whole Life, and the memoirAll Things Consoled.

LISTEN | Elizabeth Hay discusses Snow Road Station:

The Next Chapter20:27Elizabeth Hay on Snow Road Station

Elizabeth Hay talks to Shelagh Rogers about her latest novel, Snow Road Station.

Jana Goes Wild byFarah Heron

Jana Goes Wild is a romantic comedy about a woman named Jana who finds herself in an unideal situation she is attending a destination wedding that her ex Anil is also at.However, although they had broken up on not-so-nice terms, Jana soon realises at the wedding that she might be falling for Anil again.

• Why Farah Heron adores Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

Farah Heron is a writer based in Toronto. She is also the author of the books The Chai Factor which was named by the Globe and Mail to be one of the summer's best books, Accidentally Engagedand Tahira in Bloom.

Message in a Bottle by Holly Hogan

In Message in a Bottle, the author Holly Hogan who is a wildlife biologist and writer shares how the central threat to the diversity of marine life is plastic.She writes about the effects that our plastic-addicted lifestyle has on the marine ecosystemand the work that is done worldwide to mitigate the devastating impact.

• 14 Canadian books to read for Earth Day

Holly Hogan is an author and wildlife biologist who lives in St. John's and writes about seabirds. She worked for more than thirty years as a scientist.

LISTEN | Holly Hogan discusses Message in a Bottle:

The Next Chapter14:08Holly Hogan on Message in a Bottle

The Newfoundland seabird biologist on her book Message in a Bottle, and the danger that plastic poses to the world's oceans and birds.

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

Meet Me at the Lakefinds Fern Brookbanks, a 32-year-old hotel manager, stuck: shecan't quite stop thinking about one perfect day she spent in her twenties. By chance, she met a man named Will Baxter and the two spent a romantic 24-hours in Toronto, after which they promised to meet up one year later, but Will never showed up.

Now, instead of living in the city like she thought she would, Fernmanagesher mother's Muskoka resort by the lake, a role she promised herself she'd never take on.Disillusionedwith her life, Fern is shocked when Willshows up at her door, suitcase in hand, asking to help. Why is he here after all this time and more importantly, can she trust him to stay? It's clear Will has a secret, butFern isn't sure if she's ready to hear it all these years later.

Carley Fortuneis a Toronto-based journalist who has worked as an editor for Refinery29, The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine and Toronto Life.Meet Me at the Lakeis her second novel following her debut,Every Summer After.

Truth Telling by Michelle Good

Truth Tellingis a collection of seven personal essays that explore a wide range of issues affecting Indigenous people in Canada today, including reconciliation, the rise of Indigenous literature in the 1970s and the impact it has to this day, the emergence of "pretendians" and more.

• Michelle Good invites conversation not confrontation on Indigenous issues in book Truth Telling

Good is a Cree writer and retired lawyer, as well as a member of Red Pheasant Cree Nation in Saskatchewan.Five Little Indians, her first book, won the2020 Governor General's Literary Award for fictionandthe 2021 Amazon Canada First Novel Award.It also wonCanada Reads2022, when it was championed by Ojibway fashion journalistChristian Allaire.

LISTEN | Michelle Good discusses how we work towards meaningful reconciliation:

The Sunday Magazine20:38Michelle Good continues Canadas conversations on colonialism with new essays

When Michelle Goods debut novel Five Little Indians was released, it was seen as a major pillar in our public conversations on reconciliation. The Cree writer is hoping to expand on the dialogue she helped start in a new book of essays called Truth Telling: Seven Conversations about Indigenous Life in Canada. In advance of National Indigenous Peoples Day, Good speaks with guest host David Common about how to translate public platitudes into meaningful change, and her own deeply personal stories that helped inspire her calls for action.

Where We End & Begin by Jane Igharo

In Where We End & Begin, two star-crossed lovers named Obinna and Dunni reunite at a wedding, rekindling their old high school romance. They had broken up when Dunni left Nigeria to go to college in America.While things have changed, they are still drawn to each other. However, as they rediscover each other bringing up secrets, and incidents from the past, Dunni must figure out if their love from their younger days is enough to keep them together.

• 12 Canadian books about love and romance to read

Jane Igharo immigrated to Canada from Nigeria when she was 12 years old. She currently lives in Toronto. Her debut novel was Ties That Tether.

Much Ado About Nada by Uzma Jalaluddin

Much Ado About Nadais about Nada Syed, who is almost 30 and still living at home with her parents. She dreams of turning her app Ask Apa into a tech success, but her parents are focused on her finding a partner and getting married. Her best friend Haleema wants things to turn around for Nada and thinks there's no better place to do that than at a large Muslim conference downtown. But when Nada finds out Haleema's fiance Zayn and his brother Baz will be there, she knows she can't go. No matter what. Why? Because her and Baz have history.

• Uzma Jalaluddin's new book is a second-chance love story that explores female ambition in the Muslim community

Uzma Jalaluddin is a teacher, parenting columnist and author based in Ontario. She is also the author of thenovels,Ayesha At LastandHana Khan Carries On.

LISTEN | Uzma Jalaluddin talks about Much Ado About Nada:

Q20:57Uzma Jalaluddin on her latest novel Much Ado About Nada

Uzma Jalaluddins latest novel, Much Ado About Nada, tells the story of Nada Syed, a young Muslim woman whos approaching 30 and being pressured to find a husband by her mother. When shes forced to attend a Muslim convention, she runs the risk of revealing a secret past shes kept buried for years. Uzma tells Tom how female ambition inspired the novel, how she goes about writing a great romantic story, and what its like having her books being optioned for film.

Untethered Sky byFonda Lee

Fonda Lee's newest fantasy epicUntethered Skyis about the lengths we go to for the ones we love, even if it means making theultimate sacrifice.When Ester's mother and brother are killed by a manticore, she becomes obsessed with finding a way to bring justice and some semblance of peace to what's left of her family. Her quest leads her to the King's Royal Mews where she pairs up with a roc, a flying beast known to hunt manticores, in order to participate in the hunt. The journey could cost Ester her life, but there's no turning back now.

Fonda Lee is a Canadian American science fiction and fantasy writer. Lee is a three-time Aurora Award winner, including best novel forJade Cityand best YA novel forExo. Jade Cityalso won the World Fantasy Award in 2018.

Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen

A humorous and heartfelt novel, Sunshine Nails is about a Vietnamese Canadian family who are trying to keep their family business, a nail salon called Sunshine Nails, open. In addition to increasing rent, a new chain salon store named Take Ten opens in the same neighbourhood, and the family's business struggles to remain running.Family relationships are put to the test as they work together to save their nail salon.

• Halifax-raised author paints nail-salon experience with honest brush in new book

Mai Nguyen was raised in Halifax and currently lives in Toronto. She has written for publications such as Wired, The Washington Post, The Toronto Star as a journalist and copywriter. Sunshine Nailsis her debut novel.

Tauhouby Ktuku Titihuia Nuttall

Tauhouexamines Indigenous families, womanhood and reimagines post-colonial histories andfutures. Seton alternate versions of Vancouver Island and Aotearoa New Zealand that, in this story, are located beside each other in the ocean, each chapter contains a poem, a short story and a form of memory.Throughout the stories, theCoast Salish and Mori people worktogether to right wrongs, heal and confront colonialism from the beginning when the first ships arrived.

Ktuku Titihuia Nuttallwon the 2020 Adam Foundation Prize and was runner-up in the 2021 Surrey Hotel-Newsroom writer's residency award. She lives on the Kpiti Coast of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Pageboy by Elliot Page

Elliot Page shares his personal journey from the massive success ofJunoto discovering his queerness and identity as a trans person, while navigating criticism and abuse from some of the most powerful people in Hollywood.Pageboyis filled with behind-the-scenes details and interrogations on sex, love and trauma. It's a story about what it means to free ourselves from the expectations of others and step into our truth with defiance, strength and joy.

• Elliot Page couldn't imagine telling his own story here's why he's sharing it now

Page is an Academy Award-nominated actor, producer and director. He currently stars in the hit TV-seriesThe Umbrella Academy.Pageboyis his first book.

LISTEN | Elliot Page discusses sharing his story in his memoir Pageboy:

Q33:16Elliot Page couldn't imagine telling his own story here's why he's sharing it now

Elliot Page (Juno, Inception, The Umbrella Academy) sits down with Tom to talk about his new memoir, Pageboy, how finally writing his story helped him heal from years of having to hide his true self, and what brings him joy now that hes living openly as a trans man.

A Grandmother Begins the Story by Michelle Porter

A Grandmother Begins the Storytells the story of five generations ofMtiswomen as they raise children, reclaim lost heritage, heal past traumas, tell stories that will carry healing forward and make peace in the afterlife. Introducingthe women at different life stages, including after death, the book showcases a diversity of voices and personalities.

• 'The land had to have a voice:'Mtis author Michelle Porter discusses her debut novel

Michelle Porter is aMtis writer.She is also the author of the memoirScratching River,the nonfiction bookApproaching Fire,which wasshortlisted for the Indigenous Voices Award in 2021, and a book of poetry,Inquiries,which wasshortlisted for the PatLowther Memorial Award. She lives in Newfoundland and Labrador.Porter made the2019 CBC Nonfiction Prize longlistfor her storyFireweed. Before that, she'dalso made the 2017 CBC Poetry Prize longlist for Slicing Lemons in Apriland the 2016 CBC Poetry Prize longlist forBetween you and home.

LISTEN | Michelle Porter discusses her novel A Grandmother Begins the Story:

The Next Chapter19:12Michelle Porter on A Grandmother Begins the Story

The Metis author Michelle Porter talks to Shelagh Rogers about her debut novel, A Grandmother Begins the Story, which features a multiplicity of voices, human and otherwise.

Tegan and Sara: Junior High by Tegan Quin and Sara Quin, illustrated by Tillie Walden

Tegan and Sara: Junior Highis a middle-grade graphic novel by Canadian sisters musician duo Tegan and Sara. The story is inspired by the authors' own experiences of finding one's identity, musicianship and family in their adolescence. Growing up as identical twins, Tegan and Sara move to a new home and schooland begin to come into their own as individuals.

Tegan and Sara: Junior Highis for ages 10 to 14.

• Tegan and Sara explore coming of age and coming out in their new book Junior High

Tegan Quin and Sara Quin are twin sisters and a pop music duo from Calgary. They previously published a memoir calledHigh School.

Tillie Walden is an American cartoonist, illustrator and writer. She has published several graphic novels, includingOn a Sunbeam and Spinning.

LISTEN | Tegan and Sara talk about their middle-grade graphic novel inspired by their lives:

The Next Chapter21:12Tegan and Sara on Junior High

Pop duo Tegan and Sara talk to Shelagh Rogers about their graphic novel Junior High, their lightly fictionalized account of entering Grade 7 in 1990s Calgary, illustrated by Tillie Walden.

The Imposters by Tom Rachman

During the pandemic in London, a once successful but now aging and embittered author named Dora Frenhofer is trying to finish her final book.The Imposters follow Dora as she writes stories based on the diverse and fascinating people in her own life, and the experiences and realisations she has while writing them. A twist at the end puts the final piece of the puzzle into place.

Tom Rachman is an English-born, Vancouver-raised novelist and journalist. He has published three novels including his 2010 Giller Prize-nominated novel The Imperfectionists, and its follow-up The Rise & Fall of Great Powers. He has written inpublications such as the New York Times, The Atlantic and The New Yorker.

I Got a Name by Eliza Robertson, with Myles Dolphin

Eliza Robertson reopens the case of Krstal Senyk's murder in the bookI Got a Name. When Senyk stepped up to help her best friend leave an abusive husband, Senyk became the outlet for the husband's rage. Ronald Bax terrorized and threatened Senyk for months, until one day, she was shot and killed at her home in the Yukon and Bax was nowhere to be found. Robertson pieces together Senyk's story and examines gender-based violence and the failings of law enforcement.

• Author delves into life and tragic death of Krystal Senyk, murdered 31 years ago in Yukon

Robertson is the Montreal-based author of the novelDemi-Gods, which won the Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction. Her first story collection,Wallflowers, was shortlisted for the East Anglia Book Award and selected as a New York Times Editor's Choice.In 2013, she wasshortlisted for the CBC Short Story Prizefor her storyL'tranger.

Myles Dolphin is a communications specialist and a former journalist in all three Canadian territories. He has worked for newspapers such as Hay River Hub, Nunavut News and Yukon News. He currently lives in Victoria.

LISTEN | Eliza Robertson discuses I Got a Name:

The Next Chapter14:03Eliza Robertson on I Got a Name

The Montreal fiction writer Eliza Robertson talks to contributor Ryan B. Patrick about her debut work of non-fiction, I Got a Name: The Murder of Krystal Senyk, which she co-wrote with the journalist Myles Dolphin.

Delicious Monsters byLiselle Sambury

The YA novelDelicious Monstersis set in Toronto and involves a girl named Daisy who can see ghosts. When her mother inherits a secluded mansion in northern Ontario, Daisy discovers supernatural secrets that might be beyond her control. Flash forward a decade later and a teen named Brittney gets wrapped up in a mystery about what befell Daisy years prior.

Delicious Monstersis for ages 12 and up.

• Liselle Sambury's YA novelBlood Like Magicis a fantasy/sci-fi mashup about Black Canadian witches in Toronto

Liselle Sambury is a Trinidadian Canadian YA writer and blogger. Her debut novel,Blood Like Magic, was onthe shortlist for the 2021 Governor General's Literary award for young people's literature text.

Ordinary Notes by Christina Sharpe

Ordinary Notesreflects on questions about Black life in the wake of loss. Christina Sharpe brings together the past and present realities with possible futures to construct a portrait of everyday Black existence. The book touches on language, beauty, memory, art, photography and literature.

• Christina Sharpe reflects on the complexities of Black life through a new literary form

Sharpe is a writer and professor. She is the author ofIn the Wake: On Blackness and Being.It was named one of the best books of 2016 by the Guardian. She is also the author ofMonstrous Intimacies: Making Post-Slavery Subjects. Sharpe is the Canada Research Chair in Black Studies in the department of humanitiesat York Universityin Toronto.

LISTEN | Christina Sharpe discusses Ordinary Notes:

The Next Chapter18:37Christina Sharpe on Ordinary Notes

Christina Sharpe talks to Shelagh Roger about her book, Ordinary Notes.

Camp Zeroby Michelle Min Sterling

Camp Zerois a futuristic, dystopian thriller set in 2049 that imagines a social order characterized by climate change and digital technology. The protagonist, Rose, is a lower-class hostess working in an elitebar in one of theFloating Cities located away from the dangers of climate breakdown. When a clientinvites Rose towork as an escort in a place called Camp Zero, she says yes, hoping the job will enable herto take care of her mother. It turns out, her escort job is a cover: she has been tasked with monitoring the architect in charge of designing Camp Zero.Everything changes when Rose settles in to Camp Zero andmeets a diverse group of characters, including an all-female military unit,shedecides to take her fate into her own hands.

Michelle Min Sterlingwas born on Vancouver Island, B.C.and now lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she teaches literature and writing at Berklee College of Music.Her writing has appeared in publications such asThe Baffler,ViceandJoyland.Camp Zerois her first novel.

LISTEN | Michelle Min Sterling discusses Camp Zero:

The Sunday Magazine18:13Michelle Min Sterling on her debut novel Camp Zero

Natural gas, rare minerals and oil may be some of the most valuable resources in the world right now, but with climate change causing temperatures to rise dramatically on every continent, Canadian author Michelle Min Sterling began thinking about a natural resource that we take for granted: the cold. Her debut novel, Camp Zero takes place in an abandoned oil town in northern Alberta where American elites are building a climate refuge for the rich. Min Sterling joins guest host Robyn Bresnahan to talk about the book, and how a trip to visit her cousin working in the oil patch inspired the setting for her first eco-thriller.

The Eden Testby Adam Sternbergh

The Eden Testis a psychological thriller about Daisy and Craig, a couple in a failing marriage who travel to a remote cabin in the woods for marriage counselling and get a lot more than they bargained for. The retreat is called "The Eden Test." Each day of the seven days, the couple is given one question to answer about their relationship. For Daisy and Craig, each question and each day brings with it increasing tension. Even assome truths are told, the lies are knocking at their door and some strange activity suggests neither of them is to be trusted in an isolated cabinout in the woods.

• Thriller writer Adam Sternbergh on spirituality, redemption and making a living

Adam Sternberghis an editor at The New York Times. His books includeShovel ReadyandThe Blinds. Hewas raised in Toronto and now lives in Brooklyn.

Unbroken by Angela Sterritt

In her memoirUnbroken, Angela Sterritt shares her story from navigating life on the streets to becoming an award-winning journalist. As a teenager, she wrote in her notebook to survive. Now, she reports on cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada, showing how colonialism and racism create a society where Indigenous people are devalued.Unbrokenis a story about courage and strength against all odds.

Sterritt is a journalist, writer and artist. She currently works with CBC Vancouver as a host and reporter. Sterritt is a member of the Gitxsan Nation and lives on Swxw7mesh, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh territories, Vancouver, Canada.

LISTEN | Andrea Sterritt discusses her memoir Unbroken:

The Next Chapter21:01Angela Sterritt on Unbroken

The award-winning journalist Angela Sterritt talks to Shelagh Rogers about Unbroken: My Fight for Survival, Hope and Justice for Indigenous Women and Girls.

The Marigoldby Andrew F. Sullivan

The Marigoldexplores current eco-anxieties, urban sprawl and social disorder through a futuristic and dystopian lens.In a near-future Toronto, condo developments and ecological collapse reign supreme. And then, the sludge appears. Inside the Marigold, an almost empty condo building, a mysterious, thick substance begins spreading through the walls. Meanwhile, a 13-year-old girl goes underground to save her friend after a creature pulls him down a sinkhole and condo developers stop construction on the Marigold II, a new luxury condo, for what appears to be nefarious reasons.

Andrew F. Sullivan is also the author ofThe Handyman Method, a forthcoming horror novel co-written with Nick Cutter,thenovelWasteand the short story collectionAll We Want is Everything. He lives in Hamilton, Ont.

The Private Apartmentsby Idman Nur Omar

The Private Apartmentsis a series of stories about Somali immigrants and their will to survive despite the racism, displacement, trauma and isolation they endure. From a wife who escapes her broken marriage by attending weddings to a young mother who forms friendships in her community housing project, each character showcases the hope, persistence and beauty of these people.

Idman Nur Omar is a Calagry-based writer who alsoteaches at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in the communication and liberal arts department.

The Melancholy of Summer by Louisa Onom

YA novelThe Melancholy of Summeris about a girl named Summer who must fend for herself when her parents abruptly leave town. When Summer is discovered to be living alone, without a guardian or a permanent residence, for a whole year, she is sent to live with a cousin who teaches her more about trust and the meaning of resilience.

Louisa Onom is a Nigerian Canadian author living in Toronto. Her YA books include novelsLike HomeandTwice as Perfect.

A History of Burning byJanika Oza

A History of Burningis an epic novel about how one act of rebellion can influence a family for generations. It's 1898 and a 13-year-old boy in India named Pirbhai needs to make money to support his familyand ends up inadvertently being sent across the ocean to be a labourer for the British. He has a choice to make, and what he does will change the course of his life, and his family's fate, for years to come. The story takes readers to Uganda, India, England and Canada in the wake of Pirbhai's choice as the novel explores the impacts of colonialism, resistance, exile and the power of family.

• Janika Oza's A History of Burning is a multigenerational saga exploring the impacts of colonialism and exile

Janika Oza is a writer, educator and graduate student based in Toronto. She won the 2019 Malahat Review Open Season Award in fiction for her short storyExile, the 2020 Kenyon ReviewShort Fiction Award and the 2022 O. Henry Award.

Oza made the2019 CBC Short Story Prize longlistfor her storyThe Gift of Choice,which is a chapter inA History of Burning.Her writing is published in a number of journals, including The Columbia Review, Into The Void, Hobart, and Looseleaf Magazine.

Any Other Cityby Hazel Jane Plante

Any Other Cityis afictional memoir of a trans indie rock musician in two parts. The first part followsTracy St. Cyr in 1993 as she's just starting out in music and finding a community of trans women. The second part is set in 2019, at which point Tracy is a somewhat-famous musician using songwriting to process a traumatic event. The novel is an ode to queer friendship, the body and what it stores through time, sex and the transformative power of art.

Hazel Jane Plante is a librarian, musician, photographer and writer. Her debut novelLittle Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian)won a Lambda Literary Award and was a finalist for both a Publishing Triangle Award and a B.C. and Yukon Book Prize.

Sunset and Jericho by Sam Wiebe

Sunset and Jerichois the fourth novel in the Wakeland detective series which takes place in Vancouver. Private Investigator Dave Wakeland just went through a breakup and is feeling a little lost when he ends up in the thick of the city's latest mystery. The mayor's brother has gone missing and so has a transit cop's gun. In this investigation, Wakeland is sent down mysterious paths which cause him to question his ethics.

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Sam Wiebe is the award-winning author of the Wakeland detective series, includingInvisible Dead,Cut You DownandHell and Gone. Wiebe's debut,Last of the Independents, won the Arthur Ellis Award for best unpublished first novel and the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. He is currently based in Vancouver.

Fire Weather by John Vaillant

Fire Weather: The Making of a Beastisan epic nonfiction work thatexamines the events surroundingthe 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire.In May 2016, Fort McMurray, the hub of Canada's oil industry and America's biggest foreign supplier, was overrun by wildfire. The multi-billion-dollar disaster melted vehicles, turned entire neighbourhoods into firebombs, and drove 88,000 people from their homes in a single afternoon.Fire Weatherexplores the legacy of North American resource extraction, the impact of climate science and the symbiotic relationship between humans and combustion.

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John Vaillantis a writer based in Vancouver. His is also the author ofThe Golden Spruce,whichwon the 2005 Governor General's Literary Award for nonfiction.The Tiger,which was was a contenderonCanada Readsin 2012, and the novelThe Jaguar's Children.

LISTEN | John Vaillant discusses the future of forest fires:

The Current19:17Fire weather creating explosive conditions for devastating blazes, says author

Canadian writer John Vaillant says climate change is creating the perfect conditions for devastating wildfires, like the ones ravaging parts of Alberta right now. He talks to Matt Galloway about his new book Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast.

Bookworm by Robin Yeatman

In Bookworm, a woman named Victoria begins to fantasize about a romanticized life when she sees an attractive man reading the same book that she was reading, at her favourite caf. She believes that he is her soul mate.

However, there's just one catch. Victoria is already married, albeit unhappily, to a controlling and zealous lawyer. In an attempt to seek happiness, she makes up scenarios in her mind they're harmless, until one night, when fantasy and reality collide.

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Robin Yeatman is a Vancouver-based broadcast journalist who has worked in radio for about a decade. Bookworm is her debut book.