8 Upcoming Canadian novels we can’t wait to get our hands on

TBR needs an update? No problem.

By Hannah Mercanti

Colourful books on a dark, wooden bookshelf. (Lubos Houska/Pixabay)

Ah, springtime. The beginning of a new season: birds singing, buds on the trees, shining sun and… a whole new array of Canadian books being released! But don’t worry, there’s no need to be overwhelmed by choice. We’ve gone through the best of the best to put together an ultimate Canadian new releases spring and summer reading list bound to add some colour and flair to your 2024 TBR schedule.

NONFICTION

North of Nowhere, Marie Wilson

Founded in 2008, The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established to record the previously hidden history of violent and forced residential schooling for Indigenous children across Canada. One of the commissioners leading this work was Marie Wilson, a journalist and the wife of former Dene Nation Chief Stephen Kakfwi.

In North of Nowhere, Wilson takes readers through her years witnessing the stories of survivors across Canada, providing her own take on the enduring value of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. North of Nowhere will be available on June 11, 2024.

Crooked Teeth, Danny Ramadan

From Syrian-Canadian novelist Danny Ramadan comes Crooked Teeth: A Queer Syrian Refugee Novel. Ramadan starts us off with stories of his family in Damascus, and follows his trek across multiple borders as he reckons with “a life spent out of place.” Delving into his journey of life as a queer refugee, the novel beautifully speaks on all the intricacies and difficulties that come along with that.

A “powerful refutation of the oversimplified refugee narrative,” Crooked Teeth will be available on May 28, 2024.

Monsters, Martyrs, and Marionettes, Adrienne Gruber

From Saskatoon-based essayist and poet Adrienne Gruber comes an electric collection of personal essays about motherhood and the intricacies of family life. Through detailing the births and early lives of her three daughters, Gruber shares with readers what it truly means to bring another life into the world- and the lasting consequences this has on both parties.

It isn’t uncommon for parents to shield the bad and present only the good. Here, it seems Gruber does the exact opposite, intimately welcoming us into her life and her version of parenthood. Monsters, Martyrs, and Marionettes can be purchased starting May 1, 2024.

FICTION

Dayspring, Anthony Oliveira

In a debut novel mixing poetry and prose, Dayspring by Anthony Oliveira is a queer retelling of one of the most famous books in history- the Bible. From the perspective of “the disciple that Christ loved,” Dayspring is an intimate retelling of biblical narratives asbut also a tender and emotional coming-of-age tale.

Originally a short story, a full version of Dayspring was published on April 2, 2024.

A Witch’s Guide to Burning, Aminder Dhaliwal

What originally began as a webcomic periodically posted to Instagram, A Witch’s Guide to Burning is now a full-fledged graphic novel by Canadian storyboard artist Aminder Dhaliwal. When the burning at the stake of a local witch is interrupted by a rainstorm, she is left to die, half-burnt with only minimal magic left in her. Luckily, she is found by a witch doctor and her toad friend, who make it their goal to save her and nurse her back to health.

Both a charming tale about a displaced witch and her magical friends and commentary about the insidious presence of burnout in our society, A Witch’s Guide to Burning will be available on May 28, 2024.

The Head, Robyn Braun

One day, Professor Trish Russo wakes up to find that the disembodied, but still living, head of an infant has somehow materialized in her home. Trish is unsure of what to do—it cries like a baby and makes sounds like one, so she figures she must take it with her to work.

At the office, her colleagues are disgusted- not by the head, but because she brought it to work. Put on leave, Trish goes to visit her parents, who react in a similar way to her colleagues.

No matter where she turns, Trish is blamed for this thing that she has seemingly no control over. Robyn Braun’s The Head, a bizarre and darkly funny take on trauma, workplace culture and the unsavoury ways that can manifest in our lives, will be available for purchase on May 7, 2024.

I Met Death and Sex Through My Friend, Tom Meuley, Thom Vernon

In this dark comedy by Thom Vernon, a Toronto high school teacher enlists the help of one of his students in the actioning of his gruesome suicide. Over the course of a 24-hour blizzard, the student, his best friend, his mother and a “low-down” cop must now do everything they can to hide the body and save each other before the storm ends.

I Met Death and Sex Through My Friend, Tom Meuley, will be available for purchase on May 1, 2024.

Bird Suit, Sydney Hegele

In the sleepy, tourist town of Port Peter, summers are marked by the hot sun and ripening of peaches— and also by the presence of the mysterious bird women who live in the meadow by the lake. When the summer finally ends and the tourists clear out, the girls in Port Peter left hanging with an unwanted pregnancy know what has to be done. They must deliver the baby to the bird women. The birds accept all of these babies- except for Georgia Jackson.

20 years later, Georgia is back in Port Peter and finds herself in the middle of a complicated mess of grief and emotion with her mother’s ex, his wife and their son. A folk tale described as “gorgeously strange, [and] marvellously written,” by Laird Hunt, author of Zorrie and In the House in the Dark of the Woods, Bird Suit by Sydney Hegele promises to be a debut novel that is as wildly strange as it is special and deeply emotional.

The journey to find Toronto’s best discount bookstore

We toured four local bookstores with bargain prices to find the very best options for readers on a budget

By: Lama Alshami

The first bookstore CanCulture toured, ABC Books, near Wellesley Station. (Lama Alshami/CanCulture)

It’s no secret that in Toronto and other major cities across Canada, money can be tight for university students. Rent, food and transportation take priority, so spending on our hobbies is relegated to the back burner.

Inflation has even further exacerbated this issue. With many Torontonians barely being able to cover groceries, book prices are just too high to justify. Fortunately, Toronto is filled with discount bookstores that recognize the need for inexpensive and accessible books. 

In hopes of finding a replacement for the retail giants, CanCulture contributor Lama Alshami visited four Toronto bookstores and ranked them based on their prices, selection of books and proximity to the Toronto Metropolitan University's campus. The following bookstores are sure to help you cut costs and enhance your personal library. 

ABC Books

By Yonge and Wellesley Streets, this bookstore can be easily identified by two bright, colourful murals on either side of the doors. A four-minute subway ride from Dundas Station and a quick five-minute walk will take you right to the storefront.

Immediately, you will notice the bright red cart of marked-down books positioned directly outside the entrance, with prices ranging from $2.99 down to as low as 50 cents. Inside the shop, the average price of books is five dollars, with a discount of more than 70 per cent off the original selling price on the majority of books.

The exterior of ABC Books, with its red carts, at the storefront on 662 Yonge St, Toronto. (Lama Alshami/CanCulture)

The store houses many young adult novels and new releases, as well as a large number of textbooks, dictionaries, classics and even TV shows on DVD like a full set of Gilmore Girls.

The philosophy section inside ABC Books. (Lama Alshami/CanCulture)

One thing to note about this shop is that the books are not organized by the author’s last name, so you may need help from staff to navigate the store and find what you’re looking for.

We found that ABC Books had the cheapest prices out of all the bookstores toured, as well as the most comprehensive availability. Although not the closest option, it is only 10 minutes from Dundas Station, making its location accessible tofor TMU students.

BMV

A massive sign with the letters ‘BMV’ in bright red and a row of glowing neon signs dominating the vast storefront will let you know that you are in the right place.

The bright red BMV sign displayed outside the store at one of its three locations on 10 Edward St, Toronto. (Lama Alshami/CanCulture)

“Read more. Spend less,” is BMV’s slogan, which they definitely hold true to. While they started by selling secondhand books, they now also sell new books at a discounted cost, though their secondhand books are significantly cheaper.

From political science to young adult fiction, BMV has an expansive selection of different genres, including many nonfiction titles. Magazines, textbooks, vinyl records and CDs are just another example of what this large store offers shoppers. For those interested in graphic novels and comic books, BMV’s Bloor Street location is the place to go.

The entrance to BMV on Edward Street with newly released books on display on the front tables. (Lama Alshami/CanCulture)

BMV has three locations scattered across Toronto, with the Edward Street location just a two-minute walk from the Sheldon and Tracy Levy Student Learning Centre. While the BMV has a wide range of books and well-organized shelves, its prices are slightly more expensive than ABC Books, situating it in second place.

She Said Boom

Outside of She Said Boom at its second location on 378 College St, Toronto. (Lama Alshami/CanCulture)

Named after the song “She Said Boom” by Toronto band Fifth Column, this bookstore specializes in both music and literature. The store is on the smaller side, with a quaint vibe that instantly welcomes you in. Although the store has a small selection of new releases, it focuses on buying and selling used books, ranging from crime to classics. While the store is not the most affordable, most books are at least half their original sale price.

Given that the store was named after a song, they also offer a large array of both new and used vinyl in many different genres, most by Canadian artists.

A collection of various genres of vinyl records in front of the literature section at She Said Boom. (Lama Alshami/CanCulture)

A 10-minute ride from the TMU campus on the College Street streetcar will drop you off directly in front of this charming bookstore on Borden and College. Since this shop is significantly smaller and not quite as affordable as BMV or ABC Books, it comes in third place.

Causa Culture

The stairs up to Causa Culture’s front door at 13 Kensington Ave, Toronto. (Lama Alshami/CanCulture)

Concealed behind tables of handmade jewellery, it can be easy to miss this hidden gem located in Kensington Market. You will be taking many twists and turns through the market to get here, and once you enter, you will be greeted not by books but by crystals, jewels and fossils.

The entrance to Causa Culture, filled with crystals, stones and jewellery. (Lama Alshami/CanCulture)

Further in, you will be met with seemingly endless stacks of books squeezed into the small rooms of the house-turned-bookstore. There are virtually no labels or organizational systems within the shop, and shoppers can almost end up lost in the unconventional layout. Though, what it lacks in organization, it makes up for in pricing, with most books having a 20-60 per cent discount off their original selling price.

Unorganized piles of books adorn the halls of Causa Culture. (Lama Alshami/CanCulture)

We do not suggest coming here with a specific book in mind, since it may be quite a struggle to pick a specific title out of the piles of books. Rather, just let yourself go with the flow and have a good time browsing.

Reading doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby. With these four bookstores, you can satisfy your desire to read without hurting your wallet. Each of these stores offer a wide selection of books at discounted prices, all in unique cultural hubs across Toronto.

Books to read to radicalize yourself

Ready to start your literary journey into social change and politics? Look no further.

By: Sharon Arulnesan

CanCulture brings you a list of 7 books to read if you want to radicalize yourself and learn a bit more about other people’s experiences (Caelan Monkman/CanCulture).

Books have always been a way for people to kick back and slip into a relaxing fantasy world, but literature can be used for much more than just chilling after a long day. It can also be an informative tool for developing our knowledge about our world. 

The phrase “radicalize” has become popular with the emergence of people speaking out about social injustices and questioning the current politics that perpetuate the status quo. 

These books are great starting points for anyone who wants to delve into the political genre without the fear of dense language and content. 

Feminism Is for Everybody: Passionate Politics by bell hooks 

Social critic and educator bell hooks writes engagingly, yet intelligently, for readers who are interested in developing their understanding of popular feminism — a branch of feminism focused on achieving gender equality through political reform. 

In her book, hooks stresses the importance of community and solidarity in achieving gender equality and applies these ideas to issues women all around the world face, such as education, reproductive rights and gender-based violence. hooks’ casual tone makes readers feel as if they are having a sincere discussion with hooks herself. Buy it here.

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander 

In this book, Michelle Alexander presents the fact that young Black men are overrepresented in the U.S. prison system and are being subject to disproportionate levels of discrimination, facing heightened socioeconomic disadvantages. 

Making connections to modern-day politics like the Barack Obama presidency, Alexander makes it digestible for readers to understand that although the United States has abolished Jim Crow laws, the racial caste system has clearly just been remodelled. Buy it here.

Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell 

In Cultish, Amanda Montell poses the starkly frightening question to readers: What makes cults so fascinating and alluring, yet so terrifying at the same time? 

Cultish explains the phenomenon of cults and why people join, stay, and are even willing to die for their extremist groups. The powerful usage of language, Montell argues, is intrinsic to the survival of cults and this efficacious language is something that has been transferred into politics without us even noticing. Buy it here.

Life in the City of Dirty Water: A Memoir of Healing by Clayton Thomas-Müller 

In Clayton Thomas-Müller’s uplifting memoir, he recounts his personal experiences growing up in Winnipeg in an Indigenous family who continues to suffer from the intergenerational trauma caused by Canada’s residential school system. 

A former drug and alcohol user, Thomas-Müller escaped his former life path by getting back in touch with his Cree background and embracing the ways of living associated with his heritage. Now a strong Indigenous activist who campaigns for Indigenous land rights all across Canada, Thomas-Müller has shown anyone can heal from a traumatic and abhorrent past. Having an understanding of the horrors Indigenous peoples faced — and continue to face — at the hands of the Canadian government is crucial in ensuring the government is held accountable and can work towards reconciliation. Buy it here.

America Is in the Heart by Carlos Bulosan 

Shifting to fiction books, America Is in the Heart describes a fictionalized version of Filipino writer Bulosan’s childhood in the Philippines, his journey to the United States and the racial discrimination he faced while working in California. 

Although the book is fictional, readers learn about the physical and verbal abuse migrant workers face at the hands of their employers and the false notion of the American Dream that many hope for when they leave their home country. Buy it here.

They Said This Would Be Fun by Eternity Martis 

Written by Canadian author and journalist Eternity Martis, she describes in her poignant memoir her experiences of being a Black student in a sea of predominantly white students during her undergraduate years at Western University. 

Over the course of the memoir, Martis reveals time and time again the prejudice she faced from her fellow students due to her race. Confronted with blackface at a Halloween party and being fetishized in her intimate relationships are just a few of the incidents that occurred during her time at Western. Now a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, Martis’ story can help TMU students become aware of the diverse campus students are situated upon and the need to promote racial equity.  Buy it here.

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin 

A radical book list would not be complete without the trailblazing James Baldwin. A prolific writer around the time of the civil rights movement in the United States, Baldwin gave a voice to the powerless and spoke out about racial injustices. 

The Fire Next Time confronts the consequences of racism and emphasizes that moving forward as a society must be accomplished in solidarity. Baldwin implores for the United States to adopt radical changes to disintegrate racial division. Buy it here.

Although bringing about social change is often a lengthy and tough process, it is crucial to build a more equitable society. Understanding the politics present in our lives is just the first step in this process.

Check out these reads at your local library or bookstore, such as Glad Day Bookshop. With these books, you will be well on your way to becoming a more radicalized and politically informed member of society. 

Write On! Write Now: How this literary open mic night is making its mark

The host of a weekly creative exhibition has designed a safe space for writers to express themselves

By: Zoie Karagiannis

Bampot House of Tea and Board Games is located on Harbord Street in Toronto. It’s the home of Write On! Write Now, a literary open mic hosted by Jen Frankel. (Mia Johnson/CanCulture) 

As an accomplished author, screenwriter and musician, Jen Frankel has a lot on her resume. She has written several novels spanning across all genres, including horror, fantasy, science fiction and the supernatural. Beyond her creative career, Frankel consistently aims to help people become better at their craft. She says her philosophy is to never put her own stamp on someone’s work or make anyone feel as though they’re having their voice taken away, but rather make suggestions that will help them get to their next draft. Frankel has been writing for about four decades, beginning seriously in her teens.

Most recently, she has become the creator and host of Write On! Write Now: Literary Open Mic Night in Toronto. Through this platform, writers are able to express their artistry in a safe environment.

At every weekly open mic, typically 10 to 20 creatives gather at the Bampot House of Tea and Board Games, a cozy teahouse with a Bohemian-like atmosphere and shelves-upon-shelves of board games to enjoy. From a senior Canadian sci-fi writer with a decades-long publishing record to a 19-year-old reading poetry for the first time, Frankel has seen artists from all different backgrounds.

At around 10-years-old, their youngest speaker Joseph read an excerpt with his mother, Alisse Lee Goldenberg, from a book they had written together. Titled Lucky at Bat, their creation is set to come out in December of 2022, and follows the story of a boy named Jack and his two rescue rats — one of whom has a talent for baseball. Goldenberg is the mother of triplets and a writer living in Toronto.

“Apparently he had so much fun he wants to come back!” Frankel says, laughing.

Since she was around 20-years-old, Frankel has been hosting literary open mics in whichever city she found herself in. She wanted to provide an outlet for people to demonstrate their creativity.

“I try to be very encouraging and welcoming because I don’t want people to feel like they're going to be critiqued,” Frankel said.

She began hosting Write On! Write Now events in late-April, starting bi-weekly and moving to every Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Jen Frankel also runs an online drop-in for writers, where once a week she is able to work on prompts and exercises, checking-in with fellow writers and interacting with them. (Courtesy of Jen Frankel)

Frankel says a lot of those who attend are university students who stumble across the open mics by accident. While some simply stay to listen, many have found the courage to go up and share their pieces.

Along with the skilled writers reading excerpts from their works, the Write On! Write Now stage has welcomed stand-up longform comedic monologues, scripts of screenwriters’ original soap operas and poems recited by artificial intelligence. Frankel fondly recounts intriguing poetry readings following the stream of consciousness of Lilith, a demonic figure of Mesopotamian mythology.

At the end of every performance, the room erupted in applause, the sense of support and community filling the air

The night I attended, I had the privilege of listening to a reading from The Face in the Marsh, a 2019 psychological thriller by Canadian author Elizabeth Hirst. As her pacing and tone set the scene, and as I held onto her every word, the twists and turns throughout the story had me constantly at the edge of my seat, awaiting and anticipating what was coming next.

The same night, I also listened to a first-time reader who had announced she was there to try public speaking and a man who had been presenting different chapters of his story every week. At the end of every performance, the room erupted in applause, the sense of support and community filling the air.

“It’s always transformative when you put work in another medium,” Frankel shared. “You learn a lot about your work as a writer if you speak it out loud – it can change entirely.”

She said that while you should write for yourself and not for others, knowing how different people will be impacted by your writing is valuable. Her open mics provide an opportunity to see how one’s stories can resonate with others.

Frankel believes young poets can benefit from hearing from more experienced writers — those who understand how to compose poetry by digging into the rhythm of their own words and the swings of their own phrases.

Through her open mics, she has fostered a built-in acceptance for the underrepresented voices and stories that don’t often get heard. She emphasizes the importance of showcasing and hearing from different perspectives; without representation, other writers and listeners may not feel acknowledged or welcomed.

“We’ve had some young poets who have come from Syria and the Middle East, and they have these lived experiences and are very active as human rights activists,” Frankel noted. “When they share them, you see those who were born in Canada become eye-opened, and you see the places where they recognize their own human experiences. I love seeing their responses.”

Frankel also understands that for many writers, platforms for getting their work out are not accessible to everyone. As someone with experience in the publishing industry, Frankel tries her best to promote websites and databases of publishers and agents to those who want to pursue a career in writing or get a story published. She always wants to make sure people feel their voices are strengthened and embraced.

“No one as a writer is in competition with anyone else. We all have our own ideas and our own voice,” Frankel said.  

Frankel also hosts a Hamilton Literary Open Mic for Keeping Six, an established harm-reduction organization that advocates for the rights of people who use drugs. There, writers with lived experience or knowledge of substance abuse, or who simply know someone who's been affected, are able to present their work. She hopes to start a second Write On! Write Now in Hamilton, the place she calls home.

Pongapalooza: Ping-pong players rally in support of children’s literacy

First Book Canada’s ninth annual ping-pong fundraiser returns in all its pong-tacular glory to promote higher education and literacy access for children

By:  Anna-Giselle Funes-Eng

Teams Pongflict and Double Double (left to right) face off at Pongapalooza in Toronto, on Nov. 8, 2022. (Anna-Giselle Funes-Eng/Canculture)

Neon-orange ping-pong balls whirl around the room at lightning speed as triumphant cheers break out. In an epic table-top battle, teams duke it out at Pongapalooza, First Book Canada’s ninth annual charity event, competing in high-stakes games to fight for equal access to educational resources for children.

Taking place at SPiN Toronto on Nov. 8, this was the first tournament held in-person since 2019. It had open tables for rounds of ping pong, donate-to-play side games, a silent auction and even a ping pong-themed craft table lined with tubes of glitter glue. The room was buzzing with energy as ping-pong players went all-in, diving with paddles outstretched to return the rally.

"The best thing about this event is that it's all for fun," said Tom Best, former executive director of First Book Canada who helped originate the event back in 2012.

Over 10 teams competed this year, with some dressing in group costumes to win more prizes, including signed books from featured authors. Teachers from Lord Dufferin Public School competed in full Toronto Raptor’s gear, with one woman donning an inflatable T-Rex costume. For their excellence in costuming, they ended their night with arms full of gift baskets and the title of best dressed.

It was RBC Capital Markets, though, who walked away as the reigning Pongapalooza 2022 champs. The bank bros of the boardroom conquered until the end, and kept their trophy they first won in 2019. 

The two-time reigning champions, RBC Capital Markets, maintain their ping-pong master status at Pongapalooza in Toronto on Nov. 8, 2022. (Anna-Giselle Funes-Eng/Canculture)

The event has been a major component in First Book Canada’s fundraising, having raised $280,000 since 2012, according to their website. The funds go towards providing under-served children with books, school supplies, winter coats and more.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, pre-existing educational disparities have worsened, according to Heather Farquharson, the current executive director at First Book Canada. She said there is an increased need for educational resources to ensure all children have equal access when more than one-third of kids in Canadian public schools come from low-income households.

“Our work is even more important with the learning loss than it ever has been,” said Farquharson.

According to First Book Canada, almost 25 per cent of Canadian households don’t have a single book. Their work aims to reduce that number, and they say they have already provided over seven million books and other resources to those who need them. Through partnering with smaller educational organizations across the country, they are able to reach hundreds of thousands of children.

One of those organizations is Books With Wings, an entirely volunteer-run organization that provides children on remote Indigenous reserves with books, connecting with them through letters. Thanks in part to their partnership with First Book Canada, they have been able to send new books to at least 1,200 children since they began 10 years ago, according to founder Anna Rosner.

“Books offer a world to children that they might not otherwise have access to,” Rosner said. “With an education, there’s a much better chance the child will be able to eventually see the world and experience it the way he or she wants to.”

Creating educational equity makes room for children to dream, Rosner said.

Instilling a life-long love for reading begins at a young age, as both Books with Wings and First Book Canada believe. While ping-pong may have been all about the serves, the money raised will continue to serve children and close educational gaps across the country to ensure that all children have the chance to learn and thrive.

Top 7 LGBTQ+ book recommendations from Lavender Literature Book Club

If your reading list needs an update, we’ve got your back.

By: Hannah Mercanti

(Edson Rosas/Unsplash)

With the summer coming to a close, it's easy to get caught up in the motions of our busy day-to day-lives. From a fresh school year to the exciting prospect of a new job, our responsibilities  can force reading for fun to take a backseat in our lives.

Fortunately, Jade Falsetti, founder of Lavender Literature, has some of the best book recommendations in the game. Lavender Literature is a sapphic book club located in Toronto that focuses on LGBTQ+ literature, and together we’ve curated a list of books packed with queer characters and themes to make sure your reading list has never looked better.

@lavenderliterature Lavender literature is a sapphic book club! Connect with us virtually from anywhere in the world, or partipate in local activities in Toronto :) #wlw #gay #queer #booktok #lgbt #lesbiansoftiktok #nonbinary #toronto #queertiktok #queerbookclub #queerbooktok ♬ original sound - Lavender Literature aka Jade

She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Featured as Lavender Literature’s January 2022 Book of the Month, She Who Became The Sun follows Zhu, a Chinese peasant desperate to escape her fated life of nothingness.

Following the death of her brother, Zhu decides to follow through with his fate of greatness. After taking on his identity, Zhu forges her own path to survival and eventual success.

This genderqueer retelling of a piece of Chinese history explores a uniquely nuanced perspective of the dynamics between gender and personal identity. For queer readers looking for historical fiction and fantasy novels, Falsetti recommends She Who Became The Sun. 

The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe

Nora O’Malley swears she has left crime—and her con-artist mother—behind in favour of a normal, 17-year-old life.  Even so, old habits die hard. When Nora, her girlfriend, and her ex-boyfriend find themselves in a hostage situation Nora has no choice but to break out her old skills to ensure they all get out alive.

For queer readers who aren’t exclusively looking for romance novels, Falsetti feels this title is perfect. This thriller is packed with queer characters and themes while also providing readers with twists and turns guaranteed to keep them on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

Her Name In The Sky by Kelly Quindlen

A classic best friends-to-lovers slowburn, Her Name In The Sky follows Hannah and Baker, best friends trying to navigate high school life in their religious, conservative community in Louisiana. 

When Hannah starts to realize she has romantic feelings towards Baker, the two must work together to unlearn everything they’ve ever known about what love can look like if their relationship can ever come to fruition.

Quindlen is a favourite over at Lavender Literature, and her titles are frequently featured as books-of-the-month, or books-of-the-week, for shorter novels. If you're a reader looking for romantic LGBTQ+ stories, Falsetti recommends looking no further than Her Name in the Sky, or any other novels by Quindlen.

@lavenderliterature Wlw our younger selves needed when we were thirteen #wlwbooks #sapphicreads #booktok #lgbtbooks ♬ original sound - Lavender Literature aka Jade

Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden

On a rainy day in New York City, 17-year-olds Liza and Annie meet for the first time. Quickly developing from fast friends to romantic partners, the two girls must rely on each other to help realize their identities understand the intricacies of their first queer relationship.

Named during a phone interview by Falsetti as a book every queer reader should have on their list, Annie on My Mind is a classic love story seen through an LGBTQ+ lens — similar to Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper comics. Queer characters are not always afforded happy endings in mainstream media, so readers on the lookout for something sweet need to look no further than Annie On My Mind.

The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar

Teenager Nishat is beyond sick of living life in the closet both at home and at her Catholic school. In Jaigirdar’s debut novel, the enemies-to-lovers trope is turned on its head after a charismatic and beautiful childhood friend re-enters Nishat’s life and sets up a rival henna stand at the school's entrepreneurial contest.

Jaigirdar does a beautiful job of exploring the intersections of sexual identity and cultural identity for South Asian youth, a topic not frequently explored in media. For readers looking for a fun, romantic novel with in depth themes of how race and sexuality can intersect, Falsetti recommends The Henna Wars.

The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

A favourite of both TikTok's self-proclaimed 'booktok' community and the Lavender Literature team, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo follows the title character, an old Hollywood star who hires a young author to write her life story.

Dramatic and high-concept, this story follows Evelyn's whirlwind romance with co-star Celia St. James and her experiences with her aforementioned husbands.
For queer readers craving deep tales of romance and history, Falsetti suggests checking out The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo.

Last Night At The Telegraph Club by Melinda Lo

In 1950’s San Francisco, the Red Scare has the nation deep in anti-communist sentiments; civil liberties for Americans have never been stricter. This does not bode well for 17-year-old Chinese-American Lily Hu, who’s growing relationship with Kathleen, a girl she met at a lesbian bar, threatens to put both of them in immense danger.

Under the looming threat of deportation, Kathleen and Lily must risk everything they have if they ever want the chance to live out their authentic lives.

Back in May of 2021, Last Night At The Telegraph Club was the first ever featured Book of the Month at Lavender Literature. For readers on the lookout for historical fiction with a deep, emotional love story, Falsetti proposes Last Night At The Telegraph Club.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jade Falsetti 🌈 (@jadefalsetti)

Lavender Literature can be found on Instagram, TikTok and on their website. They consistently post their Book of the Week and Book of the Month online, as well as a reading guide. Simply message the team on Instagram and you can join weekly or monthly sapphic book club meetings. It’s a perfect way to meet likeminded queer people in Toronto.

5 Ways to Give Life to Your Books After You’re Done with Them

Everyone loves that accomplished feeling of finishing a book, but now that you’re done with it, what should you do with the thing? Here are a few ideas!

By: Mariana Schuetze

Summer break is upon us, and you might be getting back into your time-consuming hobbies. For me, that’s going to be reading — though one thing does come up when I keep devouring one book after the other: what to do with the physical copies of the books after you finished reading them? 

One simple thing I’ve started doing in the last couple of years is reading on an e-reader, like the Kindle. But I know there is nothing quite like the feeling of holding a good copy of a book in your hands (and don’t get me started on the palpable smell of its fresh pages). So here are a few ideas for what you can do with your book after you’ve finished reading it!

1. Paint them

Let’s start this list with the most controversial idea I could come up with: decorate your books. If you’re an artsy person, or just want to try it out, you could gather the books you’ve read and paint or draw on them. You could write little poems that relate to the story, or maybe draw what you imagine a character looks like. This way, you can still preserve the story in the book, if that’s important to you, but now there are some unique details to it that make the text unique only to you and your idiosyncrasies. 

What I think I would do, since I’m not the most talented painter, is try some watercolour painting to create a nice first page for the book. One thing to keep in mind if you choose to go this route is that you’ll probably need to put in some sort of protective layer, like a piece of craft paper, in between the page you want to paint and the rest of the book. This way, the paint doesn’t bleed through. And don’t forget to let it properly dry! 

I decided to decorate one of my favourite books: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I coloured the Hogwarts flag using each of the houses' colours. (Mariana Schuetze/CanCulture)

I also tried painting Pride flags on an old book. I used watercolour paint and I actually think it looks really cool! (Mariana Schuetze/CanCulture)

2. Use them for arts and crafts

Now, if you don’t mind cutting up and ripping out some pages of your book, you could use its pieces to do some arts and crafts. You can use some pages to do blackout poetry, or you can cut out some words and use them to create collages. You also can glue things onto the page and make a cute scrapbook out of the entire book. 

I actually created a Pinterest board with some fun ideas for a few art pieces you can create out of a book you don’t care too much for. 

My mom and I even tried doing some collages using old books and magazines (Mariana Schuetze/CanCultrue).

3. Create an exchange program with your friends 

Back to talking about those dear books that you might not want to risk ruining for art: what about lending them to some friends? You can create a book exchange program with your family and friends where you trade your favourite books and then talk about them. 

Another idea: you could all do some sort of White Elephant game where everyone brings a book they’ve read and you all get to go around choosing another book to read next. You can add to this by wrapping up the books and writing only a brief synopsis on top. This can be a fun game that can even turn into a monthly book club. Every month you can all bring a book you’ve read to lend to someone else; when the month is up, everyone does a short presentation on what they enjoyed (or even hated) about their chosen book. This can give some life to those books you love too much to get rid of. 

4. Use them as personalized gifts

This is my favourite idea! So, let’s say you read a book you really enjoyed and now think one of your friends might appreciate it too. You can personalize the book with sweet messages and insightful annotations and then wrap it up to make it look like a present. Now you have an amazing gift full of love that you can give to your friend on the next special occasion. I am sure your fellow book-lover will appreciate it very much! 

5. Sell or donate them

One more common way to give your book a new purpose after you’re done reading it is to sell it online or donate it. Selling it on websites like Amazon or even in an in-person yard sale can be a great way to make some extra money and share the book with other people in a more affordable way. On the other hand, places like public libraries, thrift stores and charitable organizations, like The Children’s Book Bank in Toronto, are always looking for new donations of books.

I hope this little list helps you make the most out of the books that have given us so much! If you do end up making some art with it and post it to your social media, we’d love it if you tagged us @canculturemag so we can see what you’ve created!

Falling out of love with books: Leisure reading declining in students

Many younger folks are losing their interest in reading, possibly due to an increase in social media usage

By: Aylia Naqvi

(Christin Hume/Unsplash)

There is a growing number of people who don't read books like they used to anymore. Some read for school, others read news articles when they can and some were passionate readers as kids but lost the habit as they grew older. 

As a child, I used to be an avid reader. I read regularly and could complete 500+ page novels in the Harry Potter and The Hunger Games series in a day. As I got older, more responsibilities fell on me and leisure time for reading moved to the back burner because it was hard to balance reading for pleasure and juggling school, work and family. 

The truth is, as people progress through stages of life, responsibilities increase. Whether that's school, work, extracurricular activities or even the mental demand of social media, many give up their passion for reading. According to research published by the American Psychological Association, less than 20 per cent of U.S. teens report reading a book, magazine or newspaper daily for pleasure. In comparison, more than 80 per cent say they use social media every day.

Sonny Sehra, a second-year student at X University, blames declining attention spans on one's ability and lack of desire to read. 

"I used to read one book per day, and now I'm only reading a couple of chapters every week,” said Sehra. “It's hard to focus with so much going on now." 

While everyone can agree that reading in children should be encouraged, it is also essential to promote healthy reading habits, so they don't lose their passion for reading. 

Larry Swartz, a classroom teacher and instructor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, questions how reading habits form at a young age.

"What happens in their early years when the kids are learning to read, when they sit around as a community listening to the teacher read aloud? What experiences have they had in their lives with books in their homes?"

Swartz believes teaching children healthy reading habits rather than forcing them to read in a classroom encourages a relationship with books.

"If my teacher forces me to read a book that I'm not interested in, that would be too hard for me. I do want us to explore and critically look at a book, but I think we need balance," said Swartz.

Some students say they find it difficult to read for their pleasure, preferring to use their leisure time for other tasks.

Kayla Fonte, a second-year X University student, was afraid of losing the time to read for leisure even before starting university. As expected, the heavy workload that university life brings on forced her to prioritize her curriculars first. 

"This is what I was scared of in high school, that the workload was just going to be too much and then with everything else that was going on, my job and personal life, and I was right. I don't have the time to read anymore," said Fonte.

Social media is another large part of why people spend less time reading nowadays or have trouble getting back into it. According to Instictif, experts in influence and communication, in the pre-social media age, downtime "wouldn't be spent scrolling through posts on different social media platforms but rather with a book, magazine, or newspaper in hand." 

According to their blog post, when social media use gained popularity, societies integrated it to such a degree that it changed human thought and behaviour often without us even realizing it.

Second-year X University student Sania Ali shares that she's been trying to get back into reading, but it's been hard because the social media apps on her phone are much more tempting.

"Reading takes a lot of energy and my attention span is a lot shorter now so I find myself buying books and really having difficulty getting through one chapter and giving up on it and procrastinating on reading it," said Ali.

Swartz advises those struggling with reading to connect with peers and take on the task with others. 

"It's a very social thing and for older students, in particular, it is very much peer-influenced. Start with peers, and if you're a parent, talk to your kid about a book. I think there's always different ways we can experience reading," said Swartz.

Ten must-read books by Indigenous authors

Novels, poetry collections and more work by Indigenous writers to add to your reading list

By: Didhiti Kandel

(Emily/Pexels)

Over the past couple of years of quarantine, many people have picked up reading again. There's nothing quite like sinking your teeth into a good book! If you’re one of those people, here’s not one but ten more books by Indigenous authors for you to add to your reading list.

1. Five Little Indians by Michelle Good

Published in 2020, Five Little Indians is a story about five residential school survivors from British Columbia coming to terms with their history and eventually finding a way to overcome the thorns laid upon them in their journey. Michelle Good is a descendant of the Battle River Cree and a member of the Red Pheasant Cree Nation. The novel is based on her mother's and grandmother's real-life experiences as survivors of Canada's residential school system.  

The novel has been highly praised by many critics since its publication. It was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and was shortlisted for the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize in 2020. The debut book by Good also won the 2020 Governor General’s Literary Award and also the Amazon Canada First Novel Award in 2021.

2. A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliot

Award-winning Haudenosaunee writer Alicia Elliott offers a daring and poignant reflection on “trauma, legacy, oppression and racism in North America” in her book, A Mind Spread Out On The Ground. The book explores critical issues regarding the treatment of Indigenous people in North America and provides an invaluable insight into the ongoing legacy of colonialism. 

The compelling and evocative work by Elliot also relies on inner aspects of her own life and experiences with intergenerational trauma. Race, motherhood, love, mental illness, poverty, sexual assault, gentrification, writing and representation are just a few of the subjects she tackles in her book. This is Elliot’s debut novel and it was shortlisted for the 2019 Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction.

Since it's Mental Health Awareness Week, you should read my book, A Mind Spread Out on the Ground. It deals with depression, mental illness, racism, colonialism & the ways those things combine to create inequitable health outcomes. Here's an excerpt:https://t.co/AF7ao1tGp8

— Alicia Elliott (@WordsandGuitar) May 12, 2021

3. If I Go Missing by Brianna Jonnie

A few years ago, at the age of 14, Brianna Jonnie wrote a letter to the mayor of Winnipeg, Brian Bowman and then-police Chief Devon Clunis requesting changes to the way missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls’ cases are treated. The letter was nationally perceived and caught the attention of many people. If I Go Missing is a graphic novel that depicts a story based on a few excerpts of her letters. The young adult novel provides a glimpse into one of the many risks of being an Indigenous child in today’s world. Indigenous artist Neal Shannacappo provided the illustrations for the book. 

Published in 2019, the graphic novel won the 2021 Indigenous Voice Award for published graphic novels, comics and illustrated books in any language. Jonnie herself has been awarded the  City of Winnipeg Citizen Equity Committee’s Youth Role Model Award and the lieutenant-governor’s Vice-Regal Award among many others.

4. The Red Files by Lisa Bird-Wilson

The Red Files, published in 2016, is a debut poetry collection by Lisa Bird-Wilson which explores the impact and the horrifying legacy of the residential school system. Drawing on experiences of her own family and gathering other fragments of a past ripped apart by colonial brutality, this collection of poetry explores the wider political background that drove the processes which tore families and nations apart. The name of the collection comes from the federal government's organizational structure for residential school records, which is separated into "black files" and "red files."

“I can hold in the palm of my right hand
all that I have left: one story-gift from an uncle,
a father’s surname, treaty card, Cree accent echo, metal bits, grit—
and I will still have room to cock a fist.”

— Excerpt from The Red Files

5. The Strangers by Katherena Vermette

The Strangers by Métis writer, Katherena Vermette looks into how we are always linked to one another even when we are apart. The story is about the Stranger family’s strong relationship and the shared agony of their history. The book is a harrowing examination of intergenerational trauma, race, class and matrilineal ties that resist being severed against all odds. 

This book is a sequel to her first novel The Break, which has won many awards such as the 2017 Amazon First Novel Award, Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction, Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award and McNally Robinson Book of the Year.

6. Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

Moon of the Crusted Snow is a post-apocalyptic novel where a small northern Anishinaabe village goes dark as winter approaches, leaving many people apathetic and confused. As the food supply runs out, panic sets in. An unexpected guest arrives, fleeing the disintegrating society to the south, as the band council and a small group of community members fight to keep order. Others quickly follow suit. The sequel to this thrilling story of survival is expected to be published in 2022.   

The book has won the OLA Forest Reading Evergreen Award in 2019 and it was also shortlisted for the 2019 John W.Campbell Memorial Award as well as the 2019-20 First Nation Communities READ Indigenous Literature Award.

7. The Girl Who Grew A Galaxy By Cherie Dimaline

Métis author Cherie Dimaline’s The Girl Who Grew a Galaxy braids together a narrative of hope, hardships and magical beauty. Planets begin to develop around the main character as she goes through a string of terrible childhood traumas. The planets symbolize a variety of daily emotions such as guilt, worry, anxiety and jealousy, among other things. The book ultimately weaves “contemporary Indigenous experiences with fantasy and magic.”

8. Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq

The internationally acclaimed Inuit throat singer imagines “a world where the distinctions between good and evil, animal and human, victim and transgressor, real and imagined” are blurred, yet love remains as the driving force in her novel Split Tooth. Tagaq glides seamlessly between fiction and biography and constructs a universe and a character that is compelling and unforgettable. 

The book won the 2018 Alcuin Society Awards for Excellence in Book Design and the 2019 Indigenous Voices Award for Published Prose in English. It was also shortlisted for Kobo Emerging Writer Prize and shortlisted for 2018 Scotiabank Giller Prize as well as the 2019 Sunburst Award. 

If you haven’t read my book Split Tooth yet or listened to the audiobook...you should! pic.twitter.com/OdOkWAVcZB

— tanya tagaq (@tagaq) November 13, 2020

9. Full-Metal Indigiqueer by Joshua Whitehead 

This poetry book by Joshua Whitehead centres on Zoa, “a hybridized Indigiqueer Trickster who combines the organic (the protozoan) and the technological (the binaric) to re-beautify and re-member queer Indigeneity.” The Trickster comes back to torment and recover in the apocalypse. Zoa “infects, invades and becomes a virus to canonical and popular works in order to re-centre Two-Spirit livelihoods,” as per oral tradition.  

The book was shortlisted in 2017 for Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Poetry as well as for the Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry in 2018.

10. Not your Pocahontas by Lisa Charleyboy

Tsilhqot’in writer Lisa Charleyboy “dives into appropriations, pop culture and politics as she blends her story with her desire to change the climate around being an urban Native” with her debut book Not your Pocahontas. Developed out of a yearning to feed her passion and interact with Indigenous people from all across Turtle Island, Charleyboy talks to Indigenous adolescents with positive success stories in her book, breaking the stereotypes of 21st century.

Whether it be through a work of fiction, poetry or prose, all of these books establish a critical role in linking the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples and bringing attention to both present and past issues regarding the Indigenous community through literary expression. Happy reading!

10 Canadian Books for Valentines of Every Kind

By: Jacklyn Gilmor

It’s Feb. 14, and people everywhere are overspending on chocolate boxes and tacky cards. To be different, why not get lost in some wonderful Canadian literature that speaks to your love life?

Whether you’re single, in a relationship, casually dating, or deeply committed to your bed, the cold weather makes it the perfect time to catch up on some good books. So, here are 10 tried and true Canadian novels to read, chosen for your current relationship status.

1. If you’re in a long-distance relationship: The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood. The Penelopiad tells the epic Greek tale of Odysseus from his deceased wife’s point of view. Abandoned by her adventurous husband for years, Penelope waited for him, turning away many suitors. She retells the story from the afterlife, revealing secret truths and illustrating her complicated romance with a man who was always far away.

2. If you’re looking for ‘The One’: Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery. Part of the classic and beloved Anne of Green Gables series, this book follows Anne through college as she navigates relationships. She ends up having to choose between two men, and learns about true love and adventure along the way.

3. If you’re head over heels: The Cinnamon Peeler: Selected Poems, by Michael Ondaatje. Ondaatje’s poetry is rich and dream-like, but The Cinnamon Peeler stands out. It’s an elegant, passion-filled piece about the woman he loves. It will have your heart racing.

4. If you’re single and finding yourself: The Sun and her Flowers, by Rupi Kaur. A recent release by the celebrated young poet, The Sun and Her Flowers is raw, wise, and ultimately relatable. Kaur writes about her personal journey through heartache and joy, and you’ll definitely want to join her in it.

5. If your dates are disappointing: The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha. If you’ve been going on dates but potential partners just aren’t cutting it, check out this book for a guaranteed pick-me-up. Author Neil Pasricha compiled short essays on the little things in life that make him happy, like popping bubble wrap or the smell of bakeries. What’s not to love?

6. If you’re recently single and possibly plotting revenge: The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison. This gripping thriller follows a cheating husband and a wife determined to settle the score. It’s told in alternating viewpoints for added suspense. (Side note: enjoy the thrill, but please don’t actually kill anyone, eh.)

7. If you’re struggling with relationships: Dahanu Road by Anosh Irani. This time-traveling tale set in Mumbai combines tragedy, morality, and romance. Its author has published several award-winning novels so far, so it’s sure to capture your emotions and take your mind off your own troubles.

8. If you’re married: Hearts and Minds: Canadian Romance at the Dawn of the Modern Era, 1900–1930, by Dan Azoulay. Take a break from cheesy romance novels or sub-par ‘chick-lit’. This is a creative non-fiction exploration of Canadian romance and courtship in the early 20th century. Azoulay writes about and analyzes history, weaving in beautiful relics of the era to bring it to life, like real love letters and diary entries.

9. If you just went through a breakup or divorce: Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro. This collection of short stories brilliantly explores the lives of many different characters, through love, heartbreak, and everything in between. It’s not in the romance genre by any means, but you’ll be caught up in the unique journeys of both married and single characters.

10. If you’re celebrating family love: Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch. It’s sweet, it’s simple, and it’s classic. This blue picture book has likely been in every Canadian family’s household at some point. A mother’s devotion to her son from his birth to adulthood slowly evolves into a role reversal. As the mother grows older and more vulnerable, her son learns to care for her with the kind of love she showed him throughout his life. Read this with your kids, with your parents, or with a blanket and mug of tea if you’re feeling sentimental.

This piece was edited by Luke Elisio