Most anticipated books of 2019

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

Sally Thorne’s first book, The Hating Game, was one of my surprise favourites of 2017, and I’ve been longing for something new from this clever Australian author since then. So you can understand how stoked I am to read this one that features a sassy heroine, an Australian house-flipper (complete with power tools!) and the Cinderella story of a rundown cottage. Let the hilarious hijinks begin! - SM

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Beard Necessities by Penny Reid

The fun and fizzy Winston Brothers romance series concludes this year with the story of Billy and Claire. I refuse to call these books a guilty pleasure, because I find them all pleasure and no guilt (and I’m willing to put it in writing). Penny Reid has been building to this saga’s climax for five years, and I just know it’s going to be amazing. Okay, so don’t judge me… - SM

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Bunny by Mona Awad

From the author that brought us 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl (A Scotiabank Giller Prize finalist) comes this provocative novel that's being compared to both Heathers and The Vegetarian. Count me in. - AD

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Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Read

Told in the form of an oral history, Daisy Jones & The Six embraces the sex, drugs and rock and roll of the late 1960s and ‘70s, and follows the rise of a fictional rock band and its beautiful lead singer, Daisy. - AE

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Dirty Work by Anna Maxymiw

I love the idea of a fish-out-of-water book that takes place in Northern Ontario (a space I love), so I'll definitely be reading Dirty Work: My Gruelling, Glorious, Life-Changing Summer in the Wilderness. The author takes us through her experience working at a remote fishing lodge at 23-years-old and the things she learned (about the great outdoors and herself) while there. - AD

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Frying Plantain by Zalika Reid-Benta

This collection of short stories takes place in Canada, and are linked through the life and experiences of our protagonist, Kara Davis. She's Canadian Jamaican and must navigate growing up between two cultures as well as relationships with her family, friends and herself. - AD

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Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemic

Imaginative novelist Helen Oyeyemi (Boy, Snow, Bird) follows a mother-daughter pair and plays with family history and fairy tales, especially the lure of gingerbread in classic children’s stories. - AE

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The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley

There’s something bittersweet about reading what you think is the last in a favourite series (but there’s always a chance of more, right?), and that’s how I feel about this latest instalment in the smart and sassy Flavia de Luce series. I’m a big fan of authors who can imagine authentic settings far away from their everyday, and when Alan Bradley took on the mantle of this endearing pre-teen detective (and gifted chemist!) from the sleepy 1950s English town of Buckshaw in The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, one of the most wonderful heroines of the past 10 years was set loose on the world. I can’t wait to see what Flavia does next. - SM

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Late in the Day by Tessa Hadley

This novel about four close and lifelong friends really begins one one of them unexpectedly passes away. The three remaining individuals find themselves navigating grief and the past with little success. - AD

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The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray

Anissa Gray’s debut novel has been compared to The Mothers and An American Marriage (high praise indeed). It tells a story of two sisters coming together to care for their teenaged nieces when their eldest sister and her husband are arrested. - AE

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The Clean Plate by Gwyneth Paltrow

GP’s cookbooks always deliver, so this collection of more than 100 healthy detoxifying recipes is a must-read for me and my lofty New Year’s resolutions. - AE

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The Island of Sea Women by Lisa Sea

I loved Lisa See's last novel, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, so I'm eager to get my hands on this book. It's a close look at female friendship as two women grow up on Jeju Island amidst a community of powerful women who dive for their family's livelihood. - AD

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The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff

An abandoned suitcase at Grand Central Terminal leads a recently widowed woman to a ring of female secret agents during World War II. - AE

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We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib

Ever since I heard Samra Habib was writing a memoir, it's been on my must-read list. I'll have to wait a little longer (it's out in June), but I'm looking forward to digging into this book about the author growing up in Pakistan, coming to Canada as a refugee and navigating her Muslim faith, her family and her sexuality. - AD

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We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib

Ever since I heard Samra Habib was writing a memoir, it's been on my must-read list. I'll have to wait a little longer (it's out in June), but I'm looking forward to digging into this book about the author growing up in Pakistan, coming to Canada as a refugee and navigating her Muslim faith, her family and her sexuality. - AD

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