Whether you’re packing your bags for an exotic vacation across the globe or a cozy weekend at the cottage, don’t forget to bring a book. From historical drama to psychological thriller to reimagined feminist fairytale, we’ve got a something for every reader. So, without further ado, here are 10 must-read new books to keep you hiding under the blankets with a reading light while your travel companions snore beside you all summer long.
Hideaway
By Nicole Lundrigan
If you’re looking for something chillingly suspenseful that will keep you up at night, this is your summer read. Hideaway tells the story of a troubled family and follows young siblings Maisy and Rowan, who are caught in a confusing web of parental separation, manipulation, and abandonment.
Buy it here: Amazon / Indigo
Divided Loyalties
By Nilofar Shidmehr
This new collection of short stories explores the Iranian Revolution and contemporary diaspora. The earliest story takes place in 1978 in Tehran, and the last brings us to contemporary Vancouver, all the while capturing small vignettes of the lives of girls and women who experienced the political turmoil at home and who joined the waves of migration to Canada.
Buy it here: Amazon / Indigo
The Confessions of Frannie Langton
By Sara Collins
This new thriller brings readers back to 1826, when Frances Langton, a former slave from a Jamaican plantation, is accused of murdering her master and his wife in their London house. The problem: she can’t remember what happened the night of the murder. Exploring race, oppression, and Georgian-era domestic dynamics, this novel will keep you turning the pages and leave you with a new understanding of an important episode of history.
Buy it here: Amazon / Indigo
The Farm
By Joanne Ramos
To keep you going until Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale sequel is out this fall, pick up this latest feminist dystopia. It takes place in a ultra-luxe retreat where organic meals, personal trainers, and daily massages (and a whopping payout) are all yours in exchange for one thing: you conceive someone else’s baby and you don’t go anywhere until it is born.
Buy it here: Amazon / Indigo
The Arrangement
By Robyn Harding
This new thriller is Pretty Woman’s creepy counterpart. It opens when a struggling young student forges an arrangement with a wealthy, older man, and follows what happens after her sugar daddy becomes the object of her obsession. Throw a little murder in there, and you have yourself a page-turner.
Buy it here: Amazon / Indigo
Every Little Piece of Me
By Amy Jones
If you’re looking for something a little closer to home, Amy Jones’ newest release is the perfect fit. Set in Nova Scotia, it tells the story of the unlikely friendship between two women—Ava, a reality TV star, and Mags, the lead singer of a rock band—and explores the consequences of social media fame and living in the public eye.
Buy it here: Amazon / Indigo
Necessary People
By Anna Pitoniak
This new novel also tackles female friendship, but this time, shows what happens when ambition, betrayal, and envy are thrown into the mix. Stella is the beautiful one, always the centre of attention. Meanwhile, Violet is the hardworking one, who quietly lives in Stella’s shadow. But when the roles are reversed and it is Violet who finds success and fame, Stella swoops in and tries to steal it all.
Buy it here: Amazon / Indigo
I’ll Never Tell
By Catherine McKenzie
This new book takes the nostalgic Canadian experience of summer camp and turns it upside down. Five siblings are reunited when their parents die and a stipulation in the will forces them to finally solve the mystery of who killed their friend at summer camp 20 years ago. It explores dangerous family secrets, loyalty, and tragedy.
Buy it here: Amazon / Indigo
The Girl in Red
By Christina Henry
This new novel gives Little Red Riding Hood a feminist facelift. The story’s heroine is Red—who, you guessed it, wears a red jacket—is out in the woods on her own trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. If revamped folklore is your thing, make sure to check this one out.
Buy it here: Amazon / Indigo
Donna Has Left the Building
By Susan Jane Gilman
Last but not least: if psychological thrillers and dystopian horrors are not your cup of tea, here is a comedic story about a middle-aged former punk rocker and recovering alcoholic. You’ll laugh out loud and also be moved by this tale of motherhood, love, art, and an epic cross-country road trip.
Buy it here: Amazon / Indigo
