The Seaboard Review of Books: Best 2025 Picks
Our contributors pick their favourite reads from their 2025 reviews
It’s time to look back at some of the standout titles our contributors reviewed in 2025. I asked them to nominate one or two favourite reads from the books they covered this year—but many - myself included - found it impossible to choose just one, or even two. In the end, I opted to leave no book behind and include every title they felt deserved a “Best of 2025” pick.
Here they are, in no particular order. Have you read any of these, or are they on your TBR list? Let us know in the comments section.
We are also offering a 40% discount on new annual subscriptions until December 31, 2025. Please use this link: https://www.theseaboardreview.ca/EOY2025
James M. Fisher, editor-in-chief
This special issue of The Seaboard Review of Books is brought to you by the good folks at Camel Literary Magazine.
Michael Greenstein:
The Book of Records by Madeleine Thien (Knopf Canada) Fiction
This Is How We Love by Lisa Moore (House of Anansi) Fiction
In Winter I Get Up at Night by Jane Urquhart (McClelland & Stewart) Fiction
Lisa Timpf:
Out of the Ordinary by Tom Wayman (Harbour Publishing) Poetry
Chrystia: From Peace River to Parliament Hill by Catherine Tsalikis (House of Anansi) Non-Fiction
The Last of Its Kind by Sibylle Grimbert (Book*hug Press) Fiction
Dawn Macdonald:
Muttertongue by Lillian Allen, Gary Barwin and Gregory Betts (Exile Editions) Poetry
Melanie Marttila:
I Love You Bunny by Mona Awad (Scribner) Fiction
The Midnight Project by Christie Climenhage (Poplar Press) Fiction
Shannon MacLeod:
The Spirit of Scaterie by Lesley Crewe (Nimbus & Vagrant Press) Fiction
Ian Colford:
A Town With No Noise by Karen Smythe (Palimpsest Press) Fiction
Animals by Jerrod Edson (Galleon Books) Fiction
The Austens by Sarah Emsley (Pottersfield Press) Fiction
Olga Stein:
Endling by Maria Reva (Reviewed by Michael Greenstein) (Knopf Canada) Fiction
John Oughton:
The Castor’s Choice by Jeff Wilson (Cormorant) Fiction
Anne Smith-Nochasak:
Behind the Bricks: The Life and Times of the Mohawk Institute, Canada’s Longest-Running Residential School, edited by Richard W. Hill Sr et al.(University of Calgary Press) Non-Fiction
When I Became Never by Nathalie Guilbeault (Montreal Publishing Company) Fiction
Heather McBriarty:
This Rare Earth by Jeremy Gilmer (Vehicule Press) Non-Fiction
The Arrows of Fealty by Jill MacLean (OC Publishing) Fiction
Melanie Jackson:
Ham’s Heaven by Ori Gersht (Warbler Press) Fiction
The Antifa Comic Book, revised and updated by Gord Hill (Arsenal Pulp Press) Non-Fiction
Partisans: A Graphic History of Anti-Fascist Resistance, edited by Raymond Tyler and Paul Buhle, (Between The Lines Books) Non-Fiction
Naomi MacKinnon:
We’re Not Rich by Sue Murtagh (Nimbus Publishing and Vagrant Press) Fiction
We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin (Scribner) Fiction
The Tudor Prophecy by Julie Strong (OC Publishing) Fiction
Laura Patterson:
Reverse Ripples by M.E. Strautmanis (Purple Porcupine) Fiction
The Road to Goderich by Linda McQuaig (Dundurn Press) Fiction
Johnny Delivers by Wayne Ng (Guernica Editions) Fiction
Pamela Sinclair:
Immortal Woman by Sue Chang (House of Anansi) Fiction
Terminal Solstice by Sean Minogue (Turnstone Press) Fiction
Fun Times Brigade by Lindsay Zier-Vogel (Book*hug Press) Fiction
James M. Fisher
The Undesirables by Katie Ingram (Pottersfield Press) Non-Fiction
Mad Dog and the Sea Dragon by Lisa de Nikolits (Inanna Publications) Fiction
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories by Thomas Ha (Undertow) Fiction, Horror
Saints Rest by Luke Francis Beirne (Baraka Books) Fiction
Midway by Brent Mason (Galleon Books) Fiction










You made my day!! Nay, my year!! 🙏🌟🎉
Awesome list! Your team is excellent! So many great books here! Everyone can find a book to love!