The leaves are colourful and crisp, the air is cold, the sweaters are soft, and the lattes are spiced. What better time of year to snuggle up with your coziest blanket and ignore your midterms with an excellent story?
Below, you’ll find 15 fun, melancholy, fantastical, and historical books by Canadian authors worth reading this fall!
1) Dark of the West by Joanna Hathaway
Hailing from Montreal, author Joanna Hathaway marks her debut with a WWII-inspired fantasy novel, filled with spies, princesses, and action.
The book itself won’t release for another few months, but it’s already receiving sparkling reviews from early readers!
Find out more about it here!
2) Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley
For all you superhero fans, Fate of Flames follows fangirl Maia as she suddenly becomes the next Fire Effigy, one of four girls with elemental powers tasked with protecting the world from monsters.
Find out more about it here!
3) The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli
The Last Namsara follows the story of Asha, daughter to the king of Firgaard, a fantasy kingdom plagued by dragons. Packed with rich mythology, forbidden romance, rebellion, and dragons, Niagara-born author Kristen Ciccarelli dazzles with the first book in her Iskari series.
Find out more about it here!
4) By Gaslight by Steven Price
Written by UVic alumnus Steven Price, By Gaslight is a historical mystery/suspense novel that spans the globe. It follows Adam Foole and William Pinkerton as they hunt for thief Edward Shade.
Find out more about it here!
5) Blue Marrow by Louise Bernice Halfe
Blue Marrow is a collection of poetry that intricately weaves together the stories of Indigenous men and women and many other characters as their lives all intertwine. Louise Bernice Halfe, a Cree poet from Saskatchewan, drew on the history of her own ancestors when she wrote this collection.
Find out more about it here!
6) The Girl with the Botticelli Face by W.D. Valgardson
Equal parts fun, sorrowful, and sometimes a little odd, The Girl with the Botticelli Face is the tale of a man in crisis, searching for a young woman who has disappeared. Written by W.D. Valgardson, a former UVic writing professor, The Girl with the Botticelli Face has the added delight of being set in Victoria itself!
Find out more about it here!
7) JPod by Douglas Coupland
Following the exploits of Ethan Jarlewski and his co-workers as he experiences the trials of working in tech and dealing with life, JPod is a wacky, satirical tale perfect for anyone looking for a little humour and and maybe a little bit of cynicism.
Find out more about it here!
8) The Woefield Poultry Collective by Susan Juby
Prudence Burns, a young New Yorker, has just inherited arguably the world’s worst farm, Woefield Farm, complete with rundown buildings and one singular sheep. But despite lacking any farm-related skills, Prudence is determined to make it work. With a host of wacky characters and a young twenty-something who refuses to give up, this book can’t be described as anything other than fun.
Find out more about it here!
9) Rick Mercer Report: The Book by Rick Mercer
The man, the myth, the legend. Newfoundlander Rick Mercer brings nothing but laughs in The Book as he picks apart Canada’s politics and her politicians and recalls the funniest of encounters. As it’s written by one of Canada’s best comedians and satirists, it should be no surprise that this book will have you laughing out loud.
Find out more about it here!
10) Not Quite the Classics by Colin Mochrie
We’ve all seen Colin Mochrie as he makes up songs on the spot, or throws on a wig and pretends to be someone’s mother, but what happens when you give an improv comedian a pen? Well, in this case, you get Not Quite the Classics, a hilarious collection of stories that borrows the first and last lines of other stories and reimagines them in an entirely new, ridiculous way.
Find out more about it here!
11) Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw: Travels in Search of Canada by Will Ferguson
Another Canadian humorist, Will Ferguson comes bearing delightfully fun tales of his travels across Canada in this collection. Although more of a travel guide, Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw doesn’t fail to please as Ferguson details fun and weird Canadian facts that some of us might not have known, as well as his own musings and (mis)adventures from coast to coast.
Find out more about it here!
12) The Illegal by Lawrence Hill
The Illegal is a poignant tale that mirrors our own political climate, all wrapped up in a heart-stopping thriller. Keita Ali is the eponymous illegal, a marathon runner who escaped the harsh regulations of his home country, Zantoroland, and is hiding in Freedom State, one of the richest countries in the world, and one that wants to deport every refugee within its borders. Timely, compelling, and featuring a diverse cast of characters, The Illegal is something you don’t want to miss.
Find out more about it here!
13) The Guests of War Trilogy by Kit Pearson
If you were a Canadian 90s kid, chances were you read at least one Kit Pearson book. Pearson, who currently resides in Victoria, is probably best known for her Guests of War trilogy. Based on historical events, Pearson’s trilogy follows a pair of English siblings after they’ve been sent to live in Canada during WWII. Equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, this historical trilogy is always worth a read.
Find out more about it here!
14) Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
Imagine pirates that sail through the sky. Now imagine a fresh tale with elements of Treasure Island and Journey to the Center of the Earth. Now imagine all of those wonderful things woven together, and you’ve got Airborn, book one in Vancouver Island-born Kenneth Oppel’s Matt Cruse series. While more of a young adult novel than anything, Airborn is a fun, exciting story about a young boy who’s always dreamed of sailing through the skies.
Find out more about it here!
15) The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
Reminiscent of old westerns, The Sisters Brothers follows Eli Sisters and his brother Charlie, contract killers in the mid 1800s, as they chase down Hermann Kermit Warm on the orders of their employer. The misadventures of these brothers are at once funny, gritty, and violent as the book follows them on a strange odyssey from Oregon to California in search of their prey. Also, the movie adaptation of the book was recently released!
Find out more about it here!