Readers – and a few Globe journalists – suggested the notable books of 2025 they would have added to this year's list.Supplied
This year’s Globe 100 list of the best books from 2025 sparked a lively discussion between readers, editors and reviewers about which notable books made the list and which weren’t included.
Many Globe readers were delighted the list recommended books they had never heard of, or encouraged them to take a second look at titles they had passed over in 2025. Our archive project also now allows book lovers to browse all the Globe 100 lists from the last 30 years, and to save books to their personal lists.
Explore the full Globe 100 list of the best books of 2025
But we know many of you are voracious readers with your own unique interests, and might have some more suggestions. So this year, we asked readers to tell us which books they would add to the list if they were in charge.
And Globe readers, a well-read and highly informed bunch, delivered.
From historical non-fiction to Canadian thrillers, here are the 2025 books you – and some of our staffers – would include in the Globe 100.
Submissions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World by Mark Waddell.Amazon/Supplied
Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World by Mark Waddell
A modern science-fiction novel with a Severance-esque premise, B.C.-based Waddell’s debut novel sees a low-level employee begin to unravel a mystery at his ominous employer.
“Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World has such a poignant description of the role of human resources that it is worth reading for just the first few chapters. But read it to the end and figure out what happens to Colin and his management ambitions,” wrote Bevin Worton from Ottawa.
The Sapling by Marc Bendavid
Bendavid’s autobiographical novel explores the bond between a young boy and the teacher who takes him under her wing.
“A book almost every person could relate to – a tale of a young boy and the impact his teacher-mentor had on his life in the form of an eloquently written novel. Bendavid’s writing style is moving – allowing the reader to feel the emotion of each moment described without knowing everything – and the mystery leaves you wondering if you want to know more, or just imagine the details. I’m hoping there will be more from this first-time author!” wrote Nathalie Grachnik in Richmond Hill, Ont.
Kukum by Michel Jean.Amazon/Supplied
Kukum by Michel Jean
The Quebec bestseller, based on Jean’s great-grandmother, tells the story of young woman who falls in love with an Innu man and is accepted into the Pekuakami Innu community despite their cultural differences.
“When I read Kukum I had just returned from a long trip through the Northwest Passage during which I was introduced to the Inuit people, their life as a Northern peoples and their relationship to the rest of Canada. This book notes that the Innu and their culture are unknown to many Canadians. It talks of the pressure to conform to the norms of the general Québécois population and that by adapting they risk losing their own identity and rich culture,” wrote Eithne Coyne Taylor in Ogden, Que.
Heart The Lover by Lily King
“This short novel, which starts with its main character in college and follows her down the winding path of her life, is simple in its premise: A young woman falls in love, or what she believes is love, then discovers the real thing with her [now-ex] boyfriend’s best friend. But Lily King does something remarkable with this fairly well-trod territory, imbuing her characters’ all-too-human decisions and penetrating observations with the kind of detail that makes you feel like you’re reading about people you know [or want to know]. A quick, excellent, heart-wrenching read,” wrote Rebecca Zamon, The Globe’s audience growth manager, in Toronto.
She Didn’t See It Coming by Shari Lapena
A couple coping with seemingly routine challenges of work and parenting star in this suburban psychological thriller that pulls readers into what they believe to be true and then leaves them shocked.
“She Didn’t See it Coming is a standout read in 2025. This was a suspenseful read that took me from saying ‘no way’ to ‘I didn’t see that coming,’ again and again. The plot twists and red herrings keep you hooked until the very end,” wrote Ellen Austin in Markham, Ont.
Finding Flora by Elinor Florence.Amazon/Supplied
Finding Flora by Elinor Florence
“Finding Flora is a well-researched, vivid portrayal of early prairie life, resilient characters, and themes of survival, community, and courage in the face of hardship. The novel tells the story of Scottish newcomer Flora Craigie, who escapes an abusive husband to homestead in 1905 Alberta, highlighting the struggles of female pioneers. I particularly enjoyed discovering a chapter of Canadian history that was new to me, which is why I’m recommending it for the Globe’s book list,” wrote Lynne Avard in Ottawa.
Holy Lacrimony by Michael DeForge
“Holy Lacrimony is one of the best books in recent years by Toronto artist Michael DeForge. It starts as a man is abducted by aliens – beautifully illustrated in DeForge’s abstract and surreal style and all wearing some form of the Ghostface slasher mask from Scream in an effort to make him feel more comfortable. They claim he is the ‘saddest man alive’ and must be studied to learn how they can replicate his sadness. But just as quickly as he was taken, he’s dumped back on Earth and forced to make sense of his experience. It’s dark, funny, and strange, and I love it,” wrote Jacob Dubé, The Globe’s community editor, in Toronto.
One Minute More by Robert Rotenberg.Amazon/Supplied
One Minute More by Robert Rotenberg
“One Minute More is Robert Rotenberg’s latest offering introducing Ari Greene, a detective in the Toronto Police Service. This prequel, published years after his other books had established Ari Greene as one of Canada’s beloved detectives, is a fast-paced story set during the G7 Summit in Toronto in the late 1980s,” wrote Satish Menon in Chatham, Ont.
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
“Full disclosure: The New York Times bestselling author is a friend, but our connection has no bearing on her ability to make a grown man sob at the beach [who, me?]. The beats of Fortune’s hot and hotter cottage-country romance [okay, I blushed, too] are wrapped up in emotional explorations of not just young love, but love for the family we have and the chosen family we never see coming,” wrote Cliff Lee, The Globe’s letters editor, in Toronto.
Capitalism and Colonialism: The Making of Modern Canada by Bryan Palmer
“Bryan D. Palmer’s highly readable two volumes, Colonialism and Capitalism: Canada’s Origins 1500-1890 (2024) and Capitalism and Colonialism: The Making of Modern Canada, 1890-2025 (2025) deliver an unprecedented survey of Canadian history that for the first time integrates modern scholarship’s investigation of gender, race, class and Indigeneity into the portrait of the nation. Everyone who wishes to understand Canada’s collective difficulty or its great promise in addressing the challenges of the 21st century should read these books,” wrote Veronica Strong-Boag in Victoria.
You Didn’t Hear This From Me by Kelsey McKinney.Amazon/Supplied
You Didn’t Hear This From Me by Kelsey McKinney
“Fans of the hit podcast Normal Gossip will be well-acquainted with McKinney’s expertise in this subject matter. But for the uninitiated, she uses this thoughtful essay collection to explore gossip’s history as an oral storytelling tradition, the role it plays in how societies function and how the act of gossiping has been weaponized against oppressed groups for centuries. Through it all, McKinney never loses sight of how fun gossip can be and how sharing whispered stories can build relationships and community for those who engage in it,” wrote Danielle Webb, The Globe’s deputy visuals editor, in Toronto.
The Fairfax Way by David Thomas
A business biography chronicling the rise and fall – and eventual rise again – of Fairfax Financial under Prem Watsa, a spectacular but not well known Canadian business success.
“Probably the most important business biography in a long time because if one reads it they might buy a bunch of Fairfax stock and hope they make multiples of their money over the next few decades,” wrote one Globe subscriber.
We Breed Lions by Rick Westhead
TSN reporter Westhead’s examination of hockey’s culture was published after the acquittal of five former Canadian world juniors players accused in an alleged 2018 sexual-assault. But beyond the high-profile case and ramifications for Hockey Canada, Westhead looks more deeply at the cultural reckoning it has spurred in Canada’s favourite sport. One Globe subscriber described it as “the most important book I have read this year.”