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Phantompains
By Therese Estacion. 2021
Therese Estacion survived a rare infection that nearly killed her, but not without losing both her legs below the knees,…
several fingers, and reproductive organs. Phantompains is a visceral, imaginative collection exploring disability, grief and life by interweaving stark memories with dreamlike surrealism. Taking inspiration from Filipino horror and folk tales, Estacion incorporates some Visayan language into her work, telling stories of mermen, gnomes, and ogres that haunt childhood stories of the Philippines and, then, imaginings in her hospital room, where she spent months recovering after her operations. Estacion says she wrote these poems out of necessity: an essential task to deal with the trauma of hospitalization and what followed. Now, they are demonstrations of the power of our imaginations to provide catharsis, preserve memory, rebel and even to find self-love. Praise for Phantompains: "Phantompains is a text of rare power, birthing a brave new world flush with pain, lust, drugs and the uterus. Estacion's 'Eunuched Female' is a masterpiece: utterly indelible." —Tamara Faith Berger, author of Queen Solomon "I love Therese Estacion's book. I love its humour, clarity, irreverence, and rage. It's not a book about triumph (though she has triumphed), or perseverance (though she has persevered), or courage (though she has it). To me, it is a book about vision and reckoning, descent and return. Therese Estacion plunged into an abyss—found suffering, dehumanization, terror—and when she emerged, she chose to make radically confrontational art. Phantompains is the cosmic result of her dwelling, and her passage. In her words, "she became the subject"—I think she also became the seer." —Sara Peters, author of I Become a Delight to My EnemiesRehearsals for Living
By Robyn Maynard, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson. 2022
NATIONAL BESTSELLERA revolutionary collaboration about the world we're living in now, between two of our most important contemporary thinkers, writers…
and activists.When the world entered pandemic lockdown in spring 2020, Robyn Maynard, influential author of Policing Black Lives, and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, renowned artist, musician, and author of Noopiming: The Cure for White Ladies, began writing each other letters—a gesture sparked by a desire for kinship and connection in a world shattering under the intersecting crises of pandemic, police killings, and climate catastrophe. These letters soon grew into a powerful exchange about where we go from here. Rehearsals for Living is a captivating and visionary work—part debate, part dialogue, part lively and detailed familial correspondence between two razor-sharp writers. By articulating to each other Black and Indigenous perspectives on our unprecedented here and now, and reiterating the long-disavowed histories of slavery and colonization that have brought us to this moment, Maynard and Simpson create something new: an urgent demand for a different way forward, and a poetic call to dream up other ways of ordering earthly life.Mexican Gothic
By Silvia Moreno-Garcia. 2020
An isolated mansion. A chillingly charismatic aristocrat. And a brave socialite drawn to expose their treacherous secrets. . . .…
After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region. Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom. Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness. And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind. A New York Times BestsellerThe Summer of Bitter and Sweet
By Jen Ferguson. 2022
In this complex and emotionally resonant novel about a Métis girl living on the Canadian prairies, debut author Jen Ferguson…
serves up a powerful story about rage, secrets, and all the spectrums that make up a person—and the sweetness that can still live alongside the bitterest truth. Lou has enough confusion in front of her this summer. She’ll be working in her family’s ice-cream shack with her newly ex-boyfriend—whose kisses never made her feel desire, only discomfort—and her former best friend, King, who is back in their Canadian prairie town after disappearing three years ago without a word.But when she gets a letter from her biological father—a man she hoped would stay behind bars for the rest of his life—Lou immediately knows that she cannot meet him, no matter how much he insists.While King’s friendship makes Lou feel safer and warmer than she would have thought possible, when her family’s business comes under threat, she soon realizes that she can’t ignore her father forever.The Heartdrum imprint centers a wide range of intertribal voices, visions, and stories while welcoming all young readers, with an emphasis on the present and future of Indian Country and on the strength of young Native heroes. In partnership with We Need Diverse Books.Half-Bads in White Regalia: A Memoir
By Cody Caetano. 2022
A family tries to learn from the mistakes of past generations in this whirlwind memoir from a wholly original new…
voice.The Caetanos move into a doomed house in the highway village of Happyland before an inevitable divorce pulls Cody&’s parents in separate directions. His mom, Mindimooye, having discovered her Anishinaabe birth family and Sixties Scoop origin story, embarks on a series of fraught relationships and fresh starts. His dad, O Touro, a Portuguese immigrant and drifter, falls back into &“big do, little think&” behaviour, despite his best intentions. Left alone at the house in Happyland, Cody and his siblings must fend for themselves, even as the pipes burst and the lights go out. His protective big sister, Kris, finds inventive ways to put food on the table, and his stoic big brother, Julian, facilitates his regular escapes into the world of video games. As life yanks them from one temporary solution to the next, they steal moments of joy and resist buckling under &“baddie&” temptations aplenty. Capturing the chaos and wonder of a precarious childhood, Cody Caetano delivers a fever dream coming-of-age garnished with a slang all his own. Half-Bads in White Regalia is an unforgettable debut that unspools a tangled family history with warmth, humour, and deep generosity.TJ Powar Has Something to Prove
By Jesmeen Kaur Deo. 2022
&“With an iconic heroine, delightful banter and a deeply felt message, this debut proves many times over that Jesmeen Kaur…
Deo is an invaluable new voice. TJ Powar Has Something to Prove is rife with insight and rich with rom-com joy, often on the same page.&” — Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of If I&’m Being HonestWhen TJ Powar—a pretty, popular debater—and her cousin Simran become the subject of a meme: with TJ being the &“expectation&” of dating an Indian girl and her Sikh cousin who does not remove her body hair being the &“reality&”—TJ decides to take a stand. She ditches her razors, cancels her waxing appointments, and sets a debate resolution for herself: &“This House Believes That TJ Powar can be her hairy self, and still be beautiful.&” Only, as she sets about proving her point, she starts to seriously doubt anyone could care about her just the way she is—even when the infuriating boy from a rival debate team seems determined to prove otherwise. As her carefully crafted sense of self begins to crumble, TJ realizes that winning this debate may cost her far more than the space between her eyebrows. And that the hardest judge to convince of her arguments might just be herself.In the Dark We Forget: A Novel
By Sandra Sg Wong. 2022
Some things are better left forgotten . . . When a woman wakes up with amnesia beside a mountain highway,…
confused and alone, she fights to regain her identity, only to learn that her parents have disappeared—not long after her mother bought a winning $47 million lottery ticket. As her memories painfully resurface and the police uncover details of her parents’ mysterious disappearance, Cleo Li finds herself under increasing suspicion. Even with the unwavering support of her brother, she can’t quite reconcile her fears with reality or keep the harrowing nightmares at bay. As Cleo delves deeper for the truth, she cannot escape the nagging sense that maybe the person she should be afraid of...is herself.With jolting revelations and taut ambiguity, In the Dark We Forget vividly examines the complexities of family—and the lies we tell ourselves in order to survive.Jade Is a Twisted Green
By Tanya Turton. 2022
For readers of Queenie and Honey Girl, a coming-of-age story about queer Black identity, love, passion, chosen family, and rediscovering…
life’s pleasures after loss.Jade Brown, a twenty-four-year-old first-generation Jamaican woman living in Toronto, must find a way to pick up the pieces and discover who she is following the mysterious death of her twin sister.Grappling with her grief, Jade seeks solace in lovers and friends during an array of hilarious and heartbreaking adventures. As she investigates some of life’s most frustrating paradoxes, she holds tight to old friends and her ex-girlfriend, lifelines between past and present. On the journey to turning twenty-five, she finally sees that she belongs to herself, and goes about the business of reclaiming that self. Through a series of whirlwind love affairs, parties, and trips abroad, Jade stumbles toward relinquishing the weight of her trauma as she fully comes into her own as a young Black woman and writer. A RARE MACHINES BOOKIs There Bacon in Heaven?: A Memoir
By Ali Hassan. 2022
For fans of Russell Peters, Trevor Noah, and Mark Critch comes a hilarious debut memoir about family, pursuing our passions,…
and figuring out who we are, by stand-up comedian and popular CBC host, Ali Hassan.Growing up, Ali Hassan was a chameleon. His friends came from many different backgrounds and religions—Trinidadian, Parsi, Goan, Hindu, Christian, Sikh. And as a hockey-playing, Crock-Pot–using young man who also knew the words to at least ten Blue Rodeo songs, he could blend in everywhere. But the world has a funny way of reminding you who you are, and Hassan&’s Muslim Pakistani family and community did, too. In this heartfelt and funny memoir, based on his hit stand-up comedy, Hassan shares his lifelong journey to becoming a &“cultural Muslim&”—learning to walk the line of embracing his heritage while following his passions and being true to himself. From failing to learn Arabic—or much of anything—in Sunday school and visiting family in Pakistan who mocked him relentlessly, to discovering the wonders of pepperoni as a teenager and being a celebrity judge at Ribfest, he finds himself in compromising situations that challenge his beliefs and identity. Now, as a father of four, he has to answer his children&’s questions and try to explain his point of view. But he can&’t just &“give them&” an identity as a cultural Muslim. Sharing his story is the next best thing. With the perfect blend of humour and insight, Is There Bacon in Heaven? explores the deep need to belong that exists in everyone.Sophie Go's Lonely Hearts Club
By Roselle Lim. 2022
A new heartfelt novel about the power of loneliness and the strength of love that overcomes it by critically acclaimed…
author Roselle Lim.Newly minted professional matchmaker Sophie Go has returned to Toronto, her hometown, after spending three years in Shanghai. Her job is made quite difficult, however, when she is revealed as a fraud—she never actually graduated from matchmaking school. In a competitive market like Toronto, no one wants to take a chance on an inexperienced and unaccredited matchmaker, and soon Sophie becomes an outcast.In dire search of clients, Sophie stumbles upon a secret club within her condo complex: the Old Ducks, seven septuagenarian Chinese bachelors who never found love. Somehow, she convinces them to hire her, but her matchmaking skills are put to the test as she learns the depths of loneliness, heartbreak, and love by attempting to make the hardest matches of her life.Imminent Domains: Reckoning with the Anthropocene
By Alessandra Naccarato. 2022
Imminent Domains: Reckoning with the Anthropocene invites readers to join a contemplation of survival—our own, and that of the elements…
that surround us. Using research, lyric prose, and first-hand experiences, Alessandra Naccarato addresses fundamental questions about our modern relationship to nature amidst depictions of landscapes undergoing dramatic transformation.We trace the veins of harm, memory and meaning amongst ecosystems and bioregions; through history and across continents, from the mines of Cerro Rico to the ruins of Pompeii. Arranged by five central elements of survival—earth, fire, water, air and spirit—these essays refute linearity, just as nature does.Naccarato offers not blanket answers about our future, but rather myriad ways to find our own, individual response to an imminent question. We are being called to work together; to dig a trench deep and wide enough that the fires around us might stay at bay. How do we turn towards the fire?Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute
By Talia Hibbert. 2023
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Brown Sisters trilogy, comes a laugh-out-loud YA novel about a quirky…
content creator and a clean-cut athlete testing their abilities to survive the great outdoors - and each other.Could you brave the wilderness with your HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS and UNFAIRLY CUTE ex-best friend? BRADLEY GRAEME is pretty much perfect: he's a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough) and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with CELINE BANGURA. They used to be best friends, until Brad decided he was too cool for conspiracy-theory-obsessed Celine and abandoned her for the popular kids' table. (At least, that's how Celine sees it.) These days, there's nothing between them but insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a two-part survival course in the woods, the last thing she expects is to find Brad right beside her. Forced to work as a team for the chance to win the grand prize, Celine and Bradley must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. As this adventure brings them closer together, they start to remember all the good parts of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?Praise for Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute'A pure delight. This book is confirmation: no one does love stories like Talia Hibbert' LEAH JOHNSON, bestselling author of You Should See Me in a Crown'An effervescent, funny, tender, and joyous story' YAMILE SAIED ME´NDEZ, award-winning author of Furia'A razor-sharp, witty enemies-to-lovers rom-com. Readers will laugh out loud and swoon at the same time. Simply unputdownable' EMIKO JEAN, New York Times bestselling author of Tokyo Ever After'Hibbert delivers yet another swoon-worthy romance filled with banter that made me grin like a fool from one page to the next. I dare you not to fall in love' JESSE Q. SUTANTO, bestselling author of Dial A for AuntiesSuperfan: A Memoir
By Jen Sookfong Lee. 2023
A sharply observed and beautifully intimate memoir-in-pieces that uses one woman's life-long love affair with pop culture as a revelatory…
lens to explore family, identity, belonging, grief, and the power of female rage. Named a most anticipated book of the year by the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star.For most of Jen Sookfong Lee's life, pop culture was an escape from family tragedy and a means of fitting in with the larger culture around her. Anne of Green Gables promised her that, despite losing her father at the age of twelve, one day she might still have the loving family of her dreams. Princess Diana was proof that maybe there was more to being a good girl after all. And yet as Jen grew up, she began to recognize the ways in which pop culture was not made for someone like her—the child of Chinese immigrant parents who looked for safety in the invisibility afforded by embracing model minority myths.Ranging from the unattainable perfection of Gwyneth Paltrow and the father-figure familiarity of Bob Ross, to the long shadow cast by The Joy Luck Club and the life lessons she has learned from Rihanna, Jen weaves together key moments in pop culture with stories of her own failings, longings, and struggles as she navigates the minefields that come with carving her own path as an Asian woman, single mother, and writer. And with great wit, bracing honesty, and a deep appreciation for the ways culture shapes us, she draws direct lines between the spectacle of the popular, the intimacy of our personal bonds, and the social foundations of our collective obsessions.Danger on Maui (Hawaii CI #4)
By R. Barri Flowers. 2023
With a serial killer on the loose A homicide detective is on the hunt… In Hawaii to research a mass…
murder, Daphne Dockery seeks out the lead detective on the case. Kenneth Kealoha is glad to help—and eager to get to know her better. They&’re exploring their instant connection when Daphne realizes that she&’s being followed. Has an obsessed fan tracked her to the island, or has the monster Ken is hunting chosen her as his next victim? From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.Discover more action-packed stories in the Hawaii CI series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order: Book 1: The Big Island KillerBook 2: Captured on KauaiBook 3: Honolulu Cold HomicideBook 4: Danger on MauiThe Story of Us: A Novel
By Catherine Hernandez. 2023
From the author of Canada Reads finalist Scarborough, a stunning new novel about the unbreakable bond of family and the…
magic that can happen when we meet in the middleLike many Overseas Filipino Workers, Mary Grace Concepcion has lived a life of sacrifices. First, she left her husband, Ale, to be a caregiver in Hong Kong. Now, she has travelled even farther, to Canada, in the hopes of one day sponsoring Ale and having children of their own. But when she arrives in Toronto, she must navigate a series of bewildering and careless employers and unruly children. Mary Grace seeks new employment as a Personal Support Worker and begins caring for Liz, an elderly patient suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, whose health is as fragile as her rundown bungalow beside the Rouge River in Scarborough. While Mary Grace’s time with her charge challenges her conservative beliefs, she soon becomes Liz’s biggest ally, and the friendship that grows between them will turn out to be just as legendary as Liz’s past. Beautifully narrated by the all-seeing eye of Mary Grace’s newborn baby, The Story of Us is a novel about sisterhood, about blood and chosen family, and about how belonging can be found where we least expect it.The Daughter of Doctor Moreau
By Silvia Moreno-Garcia. 2022
NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS&’ CHOICE • From the bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a lavish historical…
drama reimagining of The Island of Doctor Moreau set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Mexico.&“This is historical science fiction at its best: a dreamy reimagining of a classic story with vivid descriptions of lush jungles and feminist themes. Some light romance threads through the heavier ethical questions concerning humanity.&”—Library Journal (starred review)&“The imagination of Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a thing of wonder, restless and romantic, fearless in the face of genre, embracing the polarities of storytelling—the sleek and the bizarre, wild passions and deep hatreds—with cool equanimity.&”—The New York TimesCarlota Moreau: A young woman growing up on a distant and luxuriant estate, safe from the conflict and strife of the Yucatán peninsula. The only daughter of a researcher who is either a genius or a madman.Montgomery Laughton: A melancholic overseer with a tragic past and a propensity for alcohol. An outcast who assists Dr. Moreau with his experiments, which are financed by the Lizaldes, owners of magnificent haciendas and plentiful coffers.The hybrids: The fruits of the doctor&’s labor, destined to blindly obey their creator and remain in the shadows. A motley group of part human, part animal monstrosities.All of them live in a perfectly balanced and static world, which is jolted by the abrupt arrival of Eduardo Lizalde, the charming and careless son of Dr. Moreau&’s patron, who will unwittingly begin a dangerous chain reaction.For Moreau keeps secrets, Carlota has questions, and, in the sweltering heat of the jungle, passions may ignite.The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is both a dazzling historical novel and a daring science fiction journey.Not the Plan
By Gia De Cadenet. 2022
An ambitious chief of staff risks her career and her heart when she falls hard for her new colleague in…
this steamy workplace romance from the author of Getting His Game Back.&“A sexy and sensitive love story set against a backdrop of political intrigue . . . I loved it!&”—Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake It in HollywoodAfter nearly a decade of experience in state politics, Isadora Maris is damn good at her job. Aggressive lobbyists and stonewalling senators are no match for her diplomacy and her unflappable commitment to her principles. If all goes according to her meticulous plan, she&’ll soon be managing her boss&’s successful campaign for U.S. representative and finally land her dream role: congressional aide in Washington, D.C., where she can really make a difference.But Isadora&’s cool professionalism is knocked off-kilter when she meets Karim Sarda. Karim is gorgeous and brilliant and seems to share many of her ideals. So why is he working for the California senate&’s most detestable scumbag? Given their bosses&’ fierce political rivalry, Isadora finds she can&’t risk tarnishing her reputation by flirting with the enemy, and she&’s been betrayed enough times to want to keep people at a distance. So she deems Karim off-limits—no matter how flustered she feels whenever he enters the room.Karim knows that struggle all too well: Still processing the wounds from his failed marriage, he&’s ready for a fresh start. But Karim can&’t hide his attraction to Isadora&’s commanding presence. Her strength is captivating, even as he recognizes something fragile beneath its surface.When Karim and Isadora succumb to their undeniable chemistry, their initial desire blossoms into something more—something real. But if Karim&’s boss takes control of the California senate, everything Isadora worked for could be destroyed. Will workplace politics shatter their chance at love?Delicious Monsters
By Liselle Sambury. 2023
&“A haunted house thriller packed with cryptic mystery, dark humor, and bone-chilling twists.&” —Ryan Douglass, New York Times bestselling author…
of The Taking of Jake Livingston The Haunting of Hill House meets Sadie in this &“genuinely terrifying&” (School Library Journal, starred review) psychological thriller following two teen girls navigating the treacherous past of a mysterious mansion ten years apart.Daisy sees dead people—something impossible to forget in bustling, ghost-packed Toronto. She usually manages to deal with her unwanted ability, but she&’s completely unprepared to be dumped by her boyfriend. So when her mother inherits a secluded mansion in northern Ontario where she spent her childhood summers, Daisy jumps at the chance to escape. But the house is nothing like Daisy expects, and she begins to realize that her experience with the supernatural might be no match for her mother&’s secrets, nor what lurks within these walls… A decade later, Brittney is desperate to get out from under the thumb of her abusive mother, a bestselling author who claims her stay at &“Miracle Mansion&” allowed her to see the error of her ways. But Brittney knows that&’s nothing but a sham. She decides the new season of her popular Haunted web series will uncover what happened to a young Black girl in the mansion ten years prior and finally expose her mother&’s lies. But as she gets more wrapped up in the investigation, she&’ll have to decide: if she can only bring one story to light, which one matters most—Daisy&’s or her own? As Brittney investigates the mansion in the present, Daisy&’s story runs parallel in the past, both timelines propelling the girls to face the most dangerous monsters of all: those that hide in plain sight.As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
By Zoulfa Katouh. 2022
A love letter to Syria and its people, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a speculative novel set…
amid the Syrian Revolution, burning with the fires of hope, love, and possibility. Perfect for fans of The Book Thief and Salt to the Sea. Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. She still had her parents and her older brother; she still had her home. She had a normal teenager&’s life. Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe. But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free. And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all. Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are—not a war, but a revolution—and decide how she, too, will cry for Syria&’s freedom.The Foghorn Echoes
By Danny Ramadan. 2022
*WINNER OF A 2022 LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD**SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 BC AND YUKON ETHEL WILSON PRIZE**SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 VANCOUVER…
BOOK AWARD*"A sweeping and mesmerizing story that spans time and mortal space so expertly and elegantly." —Alan CummingA deeply moving novel about a forbidden love between two boys in war-torn Syria and the fallout that ripples through their adult lives.Syria, 2003. A blooming romance leads to a tragic accident when Hussam&’s father catches him acting on his feelings for his best friend, Wassim. In an instant, the course of their lives is changed forever.Ten years later, Hussam and Wassim are still struggling to find peace and belonging. Sponsored as a refugee by a controlling older man, Hussam is living an openly gay life in Vancouver, where he attempts to quiet his demons with sex, drugs, and alcohol. Wassim is living on the streets of Damascus, having abandoned a wife and child and a charade he could no longer keep up. Taking shelter in a deserted villa, he unearths the previous owner&’s buried secrets while reckoning with his own.The past continues to reverberate through the present as Hussam and Wassim come face to face with heartache, history, drag queens, border guards, and ghosts both literal and figurative.Masterfully crafted and richly detailed, The Foghorn Echoes is a gripping novel about how to carve out home in the midst of war, and how to move forward when the war is within yourself.