Reflections on “London Sojourn” and Home
Maybe I was meant to live and write in Portland, Oregon. But first I had to get London out of my system. In 2014, I retired from the University of Hawaii and moved to London. I’ve lived in the city before, short-term, but this time, I settle in for two years. My agenda: to reinvent …
The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden
A sensual and absorbing debut novel that was short-listed for the 2024 Booker Prize. In this tale of two vastly different women, brittle Isabel and free-spirited Eva, are thrown together in a country house in [the Netherlands] following WWII. What begins as a deeply tense relationship moves into a complex exploration of self-discovery, acceptance, and …
The Secret Market of the Dead by Giovanni De Feo
I haven’t felt this enraptured and immersed since The Shadow of the Wind! The richly layered world and atmosphere hit me just right. Oriana and her twin brother Oriano live in an Italian village steeped in religion and superstition. Their father is a blacksmith, and their family may have entered into a dark contract that will …
If I Stopped Haunting You
by Colby Wilkins
Two rival authors are tossed together on an writer’s retreat in Scotland, and on their searches for inspiration, they also come across a ghostly mystery… and unexpected chemistry. Wilkens’s debut is a fun and thoughtful romp of a romance. –Andrew, Ridgecrest Books, Shoreline, WA Support local authors and local bookshops when you shop at Ridgecrest …
The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace
Jo Jones – autistic, hyperlexic, and kind of exhausted – is having a rough time. When her semi-estranged mother dies and leaves her a decrepit estate in Yorkshire, Jo leaps at the opportunity to leave the US and start fresh across the pond. But why is the estate’s handyman so shifty? What happened to the …
Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller by Oliver Darkshire
I did not expect a book written by someone who works in a rare books store to be so entertaining. From his first days as an apprentice rare bookseller, when he was assigned a desk more suited for a munchkin than his lumbering 6’ frame, Oliver Darkshire humorously describes his experiences and the unique individuals …
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
I found this to be an engaging, intelligent, and moving story. We tend to judge our books by their covers, and we so often don’t know the half of who people really are. Philosophical and lovely; I am very glad this story found me. –Debbie, The Well-Read Moose, Coeur d’Alene, ID Let life-changing stories find …
The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher
Early 1900’s in Paris. Sylvia Beach wants to open a book store and she does, with a love of literature and a lot of hope. And it is a success – at first. Shakespeare and Company draws more than just customers. It is also the landing place for folks like Hemingway and his pals, including …
The Book Spy by Alan Hlad
I am a sucker for historical fiction based on fact, particularly if it involves World War II. Add to that mix, people who make their living dealing with books, such as booksellers and librarians and I will jump on the book. Alan Hlad has written just such a book. The title is The Book Spy. It …
