The Night Watch by Sarah Waters

Not quite as good as Fingersmith for me. Although the chronology is interesting, 1947 - then 1944 - then 1941 - I felt there was a lot left unsaid that I wanted to tie up. But as a story - unputtdownable - another one-day read!

Being Caribou by Karsten Heuer

This little jewel of a book allows you to enter a completely different world wherein the author makes you feel like you belong - or that you really really want to belong. Anyone likely to read this book will be yearning by the end to partake, even just a little bit, of the world that Heuer opens up to us. I particularly liked the change of voice when bits of what appear to be an "at-the-time" journal are inserted into the flowing narrative. Lovely.

Certainty by Madeleine Thien

When I began this novel I couldn't help thinking "pretentious" but I soon changed that thought to "profound." Brilliant also comes to mind. An absolute jewel of a novel - perfect for book clubs too.

Cease to Blush by Billie Livingston

Very different - a roaring good read - read in one day. Another dysfunctional family story - and stories within stories. And then there's the mob, JFK, the Rat Pack!

Scotch River by Linda Little

Why are so many characters of Canadian fiction just so odd? And yet - we relate to them! Great read about a dysfunctional family - some of whom the reader will care about very deeply - and some with very particular talents.

Rough Crossings - Britain, The Slaves and The American Revolution by Simon Schama

Superb historical account. Very thoroughly researched - comprehensive comes to mind. Scholarly but not too scholarly. Schama includes enough of the human anecdotal to keep our interest while presenting this historical account of some lesser-known parts of The American Revolution and The French Revolution - oh, and some history of Canada and Nova Scotia as well. The reality is a little daunting - survival as a slave is so (fortunately) removed from our own modern lives.

Heat - How to Stop the Planet From Burning by George Monbiot

This oh-so-important topic of global warming has surely never before been so thoroughly researched and comprehensively investigated as you will find in this book - because what the author writes about are actual, non-political, non-bandaid real-life solutions. And sometimes, like here, the truth hurts. But the numbers and the arguments are compelling. When will we learn?

The Creation by E.O. Wilson

Reading this book of beautifully written lyrical prose is an experience not to be missed. And that's aside from the subject matter - which is something I personally care about very much. You may know E.O. Wilson as "The Ant Man" or as a double two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. But if you have never read anything by him or about him, use this book to change that.