Ottawa Review of Books - a Canadian Book Reviewer for Canadian Writers

The Never Witch by JP McLean

Reviewed by Wendy Hawkin From the masterfully crafted opening line to the cheeky last comment, The Never Witch will keep you spellbound. McLean has a talent for creating unique supernatural worlds, so real they could actually exist in contemporary Vancouver. In this, the first of the Thorne Witch series, we’re introduced to a sophisticated world order of witches and warlocks who intermingle with humans. That in itself may not seem new—we’ve certainly met them before—but McLe

Starship Librarians edited by Shannon Allen and JR Campbell

Reviewed by Robert Runté When I first selected this collection for review, I had assumed it would be an example of cozy SF. I imagined quiet little stories about the library of the future: massive collections of all knowledge like in ancient Alexandria, or a compact, one-room, repurposed kitchenette storing the space colony’s tiny stack of pioneer journals and memoirs. Starship librarians would be these approachable, all-knowing guides to lead seekers to the one precise volum

Welcome to ORB’s September 2025 Issue

It’s back-to-school season, and time once again to hit the books. With the demands of classrooms, workplaces, and endless inboxes, it can...

Land of No Regrets by Sadi Muktadir

Reviewed by Ian Thomas Shaw Few novels win me over unless I can connect with the characters, the narrative, or the setting. Elegant...

Walking with Beth by Merilyn Simonds

Reviewed by Wayne Ng In Walking with Beth: Conversations with My Hundred-Year-Old Friend , Merilyn Simonds invites readers to slow down...

A Place for People Like Us by Danila Botha

Reviewed by Jerry Levy Danila Botha’s novel A Place for People Like Us portrays, often in cringe-worthy detail, just how complicated and...

Play of Shadows by Sebastien de Castell

Reviewed by Wendy Hawkin Sebastien de Castell resurrects his Greatcoats in this rollicking new fantasy series: Court of Shadows. If this...

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Reviewed by Gail M. Murray Canadian journalist, editor and author, Carley Fortune placed Ontario cottage country on the map with her...

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November 2025 Issue

Contributors

Wendy Hawkin

Timothy Niedermann

Robert Runté

Ian Thomas Shaw

Deborah-Anne Tunney

Ottawa Review of Books - A Canadian Book Reviewer - For the Best in Canadian Literature - Both Established and Emerging Authors - Ottawa Review of Books - A Canadian Book Reviewer - For the Best in Canadian Literature - Both Established and Emerging Authors -Ottawa Review of Books - A Canadian Book Reviewer - For the Best in Canadian Literature - Both Established and Emerging Authors -Ottawa Review of Books - A Canadian Book Reviewer - For the Best in Canadian Literature - Both Established and Emerging Authors -Ottawa Review of Books - A Canadian Book Reviewer - For the Best in Canadian Literature - Both Established and Emerging Authors -Ottawa Review of Books - A Canadian Book Reviewer - For the Best in Canadian Literature - Both Established and Emerging Authors -Ottawa Review of Books - A Canadian Book Reviewer - For the Best in Canadian Literature - Both Established and Emerging Authors - Ottawa Review of Books - A Canadian Book Reviewer - For the Best in Canadian Literature - Both Established and Emerging Authors -Ottawa Review of Books - A Canadian Book Reviewer - For the Best in Canadian Literature - Both Established and Emerging Authors -Ottawa Review of Books - A Canadian Book Reviewer - For the Best in Canadian Literature - Both Established and Emerging Authors - ORB

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