Crow Winter by Karen McBride. While this novel wouldn’t qualify as a page turner in that I wasn’t ripping through it at high speed, I was interested in finding out how it all turns out. There are two levels of plot: one in our world and one in the world of the Gods. At the nexus of both worlds, and both plots, are Hazel, an Anishinaabe woman who lingers in an extended period of mourning for her father, and Nanabush, the demi-god human/raven trickster who is trying to help her find her way forward and help himself back into the graces of the Gods as well. Both threads eventually wind together as Hazel uncovers a plot involving her father and a mine that has sat unproductive for decades, after its initial founding in a history of white exploitation.

The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertell. I adored this delightful and spirit-soothing teenage angsty novel. It made my 2020-battered heart grow at least 3 sizes. Must read!

Hunger by Roxane Gay. Wrenching, gripping and real. A memoir and social criticism, part manifesto and part apologia.

Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett. A weird, charming novel that I don't really know how to describe (stream-of-conciousness narrative?). At first, I was spellbound and was trying to get deeper into the world of the narrator. About mid-way, there was a tonal shift between chapters/episodes and I wondered if I was hearing from a different person. I don’t think it was; I think it was the same narrative throughout and the off-kilter feeling I had was similar to that presumably experienced by some of the neighbours or colleagues in the novel. It was an interesting device, but I was running out of patience by the end.