Calling all Toronto book lovers! You aren’t going to want to miss the new season of one of the city’s best book clubs, with three opportunities to read, discuss, and even meet the authors of an incredible lineup of books. 

As the summer cools off and we’re soon to see falling leaves, light jackets and golden sunsets, there’s no better time to dive into new worlds by reading a good book. And what better way to catch up on your reading than with other passionate book lovers?

The City of Toronto’s By The Lake Book Club is making a comeback this fall, with dozens of new authors offering interactive reading experiences. 

Running every fall since 2009, the club has featured over 50 diverse Canadian authors, sharing their inspiring worlds and entertaining stories with readers across the city and beyond. This includes Desmond Cole, Kim Fu, Michelle Good, John Irving and more.

Now, the signature series will return from September to December, featuring three Tuesday-night events filled with live readings, discussions, audience Q&As, and book signings with award-winning authors Alicia Elliott, Anuja Varghese and Maurice Vellekoop. 

2025 BY THE LAKE BOOK CLUB EVENTS

Looking to take part in the year’s book club? Here are some of the titles featured in this year’s reading list, with author events scheduled for this season.

If you’re into solving a good mystery with a hint of horror and complex themes, keep an eye out for the 2024 Amazon First Novel Award Winner Elliott’s And Then She Fell, which has an author event scheduled for on Sep. 16. This novel follows a young Indigenous woman who has her seemingly perfect life interrupted when inexplicable things start to happen. 

Varghese’s Chrysalis is perfect for those looking for multiple stories that go deep. It is not a coincidence that this author won the 2023 Governor General’s Literary Award Winner. 

This collection, which will be presented at a reading on Oct. 14, features themes of family, sexuality, folklore and more, following different genre-blending stories that vary from mundane struggles to fairy tales.

Looking for some non-fiction? Make sure you attend the event for Vellekoop’s I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together on Dec. 9! This deep, revealing memoir follows the author’s journey growing up in the 1970s as the only queer child in a Christian, Dutch immigrant family in Toronto, touching on themes of sexuality, mental health, forgiveness and more. This revealing book brought this author not only one but two prizes, including the 2025 Trillium Book Award and the 2024 Toronto Book Award.

The events will also be available both in-person and virtually, with in-person American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and streaming live subtitles. 

Single tickets for each session with tiered seating go for $21. However, readers looking for an opportunity to meet all three authors for a discounted price can also purchase the three-pack event pass, which grants them access to the entire series for $55! 

All events will take place at the Assembly Hall at 1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr. in Etobicoke, with the first event happening on Sep. 16 between 7 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. 

Head to the event’s website for more information and to purchase your tickets.