He Who Drowned the World by Parker-Chan is the second book in the Radiant Emperor duology, and it absolutely destroyed me (in the best way). Gender-bent tale of the Ming emperor and their rise to power. This series features the single most socio/emotionally developed cast of characters I’ve ever seen. If you’re into fantasy with extremely complex characters, …
This beautiful little gem of a novel follows the unnamed narrator as she goes from one temporary assignment to the next, taking on roles such as Chairman of the Board, pirate, and murderer’s assistant. Leichter’s writing style is playful and clever, and the world she creates in this novel feels all at once fantastical and …
Love spending hours on Wikipedia, falling down rabbit hole after rabbit hole? A book about writing, about research, about the endless unfolding paths whenever we latch on to something that fascinates every fiber of our being. Can’t stop dreaming about the next time you’ll get to dig through a university library archive/special collection? This book …
From the staff picks of Elliott Bay Book Company‘s Grace (Seattle, WA). “A short, swift, and luminescent book. . . . A remarkable thing: proof that Toni Morrison is at once America’s most deliberate and flexible writer. She has almost entirely retooled her style to tell a story that demands speed, brevity, the treat of …
From Monday February 5, 2024: Maximum Shelf: Ocean’s Godori Elaine U. Cho‘s debut novel, Ocean’s Godori (Hillman Grad Books/Zando, April 23, 2024), is a rollicking space adventure featuring a brave new world in which a united Korea leads the solar system, but unrest is never far away. When ace pilot Ocean Yoon’s best friend’s life implodes, she’s the …
Like D.B. Cooper, poet-logger Wobblies, potlatches, and the geoduck, The Golden Spruce is the kind of story Cascadia produces best: mystical, misty, mystifying, and just a little bit larger than life. A great read, engaging without pandering or condescension, this story is part whodunit, part song-of-place, and part sorrowful cautionary parable. A must for all …
In the early ’80s I lived near the Frog Rock on Bainbridge Island. It was cheaper to live on the island and ride the ferry than to live in Seattle. On rare days, when I had a little money, I would treat myself to bookstore visits to Eagle Harbor Book Co. in Winslow and Elliott …
Honestly this book is phenomenal in every way. Gorgeous writing – ✔️Lush and epic worldbuilding – ✔️ Strong well developed female protagonists – ✔️ Slow-burn sapphic romance – ✔️ Excellent plot and pacing – ✔️ Nuanced exploration of empire as tool for oppression – ✔️ –Rania, Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA Find books that …
Set in Seattle mere weeks after the stock market crash that kicks off the Great Depression, prohibitionists and the cream of the (magical) crop clash with speakeasies and changelings in this enchanted heist novella. Comeuppance Served Cold clips right along but somehow makes room for copious intrigues, prejudices, and so many delightful, colorful characters. I want …
This is the punk, feminist gender theorist’s take on the classic American road novel. Nevada reads the way people actually talk–both in general, and about gender politics and queerness. The unique style of the prose makes for a read that folks who often don’t see themselves in literature can immediately relate to. I love this book; it’s …
