Books, books, books—my favourite topic! Anyone who knows me will tell you that nothing thrills me more than discovering a new book or an emerging writer who is succinctly, magically tapping into what's going on right now. I spend a good part of my life poring over reviews and making very long mental lists of what I want to read and what books capture our preoccupations, obsessions and moods. Herewith is my list of recently published Canadian books that will soon be stacked on my bedside table.

Mother Superior by Saleema Nawaz (Freehand Books, $23.95)
What it's about. This collection of short stories is full of misfits, family, lust and love, and takes down taboos in the process.

Why you should read it. I've been saying for a while now that the short story is back and there's no better example of this resurgence than Nawaz' first book. If you are in love with Montreal, fascinated with prostitutes, or consumed with family secrets, than Mother Superior is right in your sweet spot. Plus, it's a chance to read a title from Canada's newest and most buzzed-about small press.

Stripmalling by Jon Paul Fiorentino (ECW Press, $24.95)
What it's about. In this brand new graphic novel, a young man who works in a strip mall in Winnipeg desperately wants to be a writer, but is stymied by his own stupidity.

Why you should read it. My new motto is this: funny books are awesome. Seriously, in Canada, we often dismiss comedic books because we think they're more lightweight or less literary. Not true! Stripmalling is a rock n' roll ride into our self-delusions, the ennui of ordinary urbanity and the pain of evaporating dreams. Plus, it's got pretty pictures.

Fist of the Spider Woman, edited by Amber Dawn (Arsenal Pulp Press, $18.95)
What it's about. This anthology of horror stories by queer and transgressive women slices through the female characters in traditional horror—the girl who sleeps around and eventually dies, the virtuous heroine and the powerful, vampy villainess.

Why you should read it. Horror fiction is a genre that gets very little acclaim in the literary world and this anthology, edited by the fantastically multi-talented Amber Dawn, aims to both elevate and upend the horror story as we know it. It includes a rare short story from acclaimed poet Elizabeth Bachinsky, one of my favourite young Canadian writers.

The Sudden Disappearance of Seetha by Andrea Gunraj (Knopf Canada, $29.95)
What it's about. A missing child, love, sibling rivalry and the encroachment of big business on Guyana's rainforest collide in this debut novel.

Why you should read it. It's a family story and everyone loves a good family story, but what catapults it into the here and now is the sub-plot, all about the rapid development of a formerly off-the-radar wilderness in the powerful name of tourism.

Nicolas by Pascal Girard (Drawn & Quarterly, $11.95)
What it's about. This graphic memoir by emerging Quebecois cartoonist Pascal Girard follows the author's childhood, adolescence and young adulthood after the death of Nicolas, his younger brother.

Why you should read it. Sometimes the reason a book deserves attention is simple. Nicolas is a beautiful book, carefully drawn and movingly written. Loss is a universal subject and Girard treats it deftly with a clear-eyed and unsentimental perspective.

Jen Sookfong Lee claims that she's a reader, not a fighter. Others may say that she's both.