I recall reading Katherine May’s previous book– Wintering— and getting so much out of it. I have enjoyed recommending it and gifting it to others who have also appreciated it. But now, as I attempt to write this review, I must confess that I am almost speechless. Not only does Katherine’s writing flow like a gentle river, but somehow… somehow… she knows just what I have been going through for a few months now. Lost in a reality that is …
“Looks like northeasterly winds fifteen knots with scattered clouds and light rain,” the Alaska Airlines pilot announces (or something like this) when you land at the Kodiak Airport. You drive into town with waterfalls and scree slopes on your left, the seaport on your right, and a magpie dashing along beside you. Maybe you’ve come …
In 1985, it isn’t easy for a woman to break into the tattoo business, especially not in a small town like Blue Claw. When Gina turns 18, her brother reluctantly lets her apprentice at his tattoo shop, and the next year is filled with unexpected surprises. I was completely wrapped up in Gina’s coming-of-age story. …
Portland publisher Tin House won big last night when Morgan Talty’s Night of the Living Rez was awarded the PEN/ Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection. What a joy to see photos of the NYC ceremony from Tin House publisher Craig Popelars this morning! Fiction-lovers and book club readers, take note– this …
On Wednesdays, the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Bestseller list is published. Every week, we love to see what has been most popular in independent bookstores around our region. As we peruse the list, we ponder patterns. Then we present this weekly feature: Thursday Themes. Booksellers have all had the “its cover was [blue/red/yellow]” customer query, but these bestsellers …
March 1st is Plan a Solo Vacation Day. On short, cold days, it can be particularly fun to think about possible destinations for treating yourself. Whether you’re considering an international excursion or a house- and book-swap with a neighbor, you might want to browse your local bookstore for inspiration. Here are some books that transported …
I’m a fan of romance any time of year, but I don’t want to let February go by without highlighting a favorite (or two, stay tuned for next week!). Emma Lord is on my must-read list since I devoured her PNW-set YA You Have a Match, and I was thrilled to see she had a …
Here is Oliva Matthews’s Against the Currant, a Spice Island Bakery Mystery. It’s got a West Indian bakery, an earnest baker who has everything she’s ever wanted, and a disgruntled rival who seems likely end up in some sort of romantic entanglement—except he turns up dead before any smooching can happen. Well, that’s awkward. We …
Justina Ireland caught my attention with a duology set in an alternate history where the Civil War ended early… due to the dead rising from their graves after Gettysburg. It shouldn’t have worked. Hell, I’ve been tired of zombies (and their myriad knockoffs) for years and I went in with a jaundiced eye. But Ireland …
Every Wednesday, the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association publishes the regional bestseller list. On Thursdays, we celebrate Thursday Themes to shine a spotlight on some of the books from the list and give our brains a different way of thinking about books. This week, we’re featuring Black authors as a reminder that supporting Black authors is another …
