Since 2014, we’ve been hearing the slogan “On August 12, I’m buying a book from Quebec” more and more often. It’s an initiative that aims to promote Quebec’s literary culture throughout the province. This year, the team at La Halte has decided to share its recommendations and favorite Quebec literary works with you.

La mère des larves, written by Maude Jarry and published in April 2025, tells the story of a young woman who suffers from strange abdominal pains but isn’t taken seriously by anyone—neither her mother nor the medical staff. In this tragicomedy with horror elements, the author denounces misogyny in the medical field and the patriarchal system that remains so prevalent in our world. An excellent work of autofiction that you won’t want to put down until you’ve finished it!

Matthieu Simard is a name that’s becoming increasingly well-known in Quebec’s literary world. In October 2019, he published his book Une fille pas trop poussiéreuse, which was a huge success. This novel tells the story of the apocalypse, the end of the world, and survival, but also of love and the bonds people can form in times of crisis. We follow Matthieu, the narrator, as he recounts his story in the wake of a catastrophe that strikes the entire population. As the author himself so aptly put it, it is “a comedy in which everyone dies.”

In recent years, Marie-Andrée Gill has carved out a place for herself in the world of Quebec poetry. She has written numerous collections, including Frayer, which was published in September 2015. Through powerful connections to nature and a refined vocabulary, the poems in this collection offer the author’s perspective on her life as a teenager in the Ilnu community of Mashteuiatsh in Lac-Saint-Jean. Endearing, beautiful, and memorable, Frayer allows readers to escape into poetry while telling the story of so many teenagers.

Marianne Brisebois is a prominent author in contemporary Quebec literature. Her novel Balcons, published in May 2024, was a hit with readers. Balcons tells the story of the friendship between Xavier and Éli, two young men who share an apartment. At times gentle and at others less so, sad and joyful, frustrating and comforting, this book takes us through a wide range of emotions and allows us to develop our empathy on a whole new level. Among other things, the author addresses the themes of healthy masculinity and mental health—topics that are so important in our society.

Finally, Sophie Laurin, a member of our team at La Halte, has just published a new book in collaboration with four other Quebec authors (Valérie Chevalier, Marie-Christine Chartier, Marianne Brisebois, and Benoit Picard). Haute saison tells the story of five different people who rent the same cottage at different times during the summer. Their stories intertwine under the watchful eye of the cottage’s owner and resident of the neighboring cottage, Steven. Thanks to the five distinct writing styles, the result is a unique and emotionally rich narrative.

We hope these five recommendations will inspire you and encourage you to take part in the event on August 12! Enjoy the end of summer with these books, each one as thrilling as the next.