Karen of Beach Books, Seaside, OR recommends The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr. From the publisher: Clayton Stumper might be in his twenties, but he dresses like your grandpa and fusses like your aunt. Abandoned at birth on the steps of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, he was raised by a group of eccentric enigmatologists …
This novel came into my life when I needed it most. Kimberly King Parsons was able to write something that balances the darkly hilarious and the deeply heart-wrenching aspects of life so incredibly adeptly. She subtly slips undeniable universal truths onto each page as her characters grapple along to the soundtrack of grief and complicated …
Consider me in love with Old Enough by Haley Jakobson. This is every bisexual dream girl’s dream book. Jakobson handles the main character’s past traumas, growing pains, and young adult anxieties with an abundance of care and grace. I love this book, and I want you to read it SO BAD! –Nell, Country Bookshelf, Bozeman, …
For my young adult fans, this is the *perfect* sapphic holiday rom-com. I appreciate that it features a Jewish protagonist and subverts the mainstream Christmas narrative. It is simply such a delightful read. Read if you love fish, paleontology, corgis, and enemies to lovers/forced proximity tropes. –Jeanette, Browsers Bookshop, Olympia, WA Who says holiday romances …
University Book Store in Seattle shared a wonderful recommendation list alongside a gorgeous photo of their very own Brad Craft (featured in their ad campaign for The Stranger): Countless Sleepless Nights Endpapers Interesting Facts About Space All the World Beside Coming Home You Only Call When You’re In Trouble Trans Hirstory in 99 Objects …
Two story elements you wouldn’t expect to find in the same book: a classic cursed-violin musical deal with the devil, and aliens from another galaxy running a doughnut shop in southern California. Sci-fi and folklore strike brilliant sparks against each other in this delightfully inventive tale of a runaway trans teen violin prodigy; her mysterious …
“In prose drenched with awe, Charlie J. Stephens’ tender novel takes a child’s perspective on the pains of being poor in rural Oregon. Knowing that children like Smokey are cast as furniture in the house of adult desires, immobile and without needs, A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest begs us to take them seriously.” —FOREWORD REVIEWS, starred review In …
When a tight-knit group of friends loses on if its members just before graduation, they decide to make a pact. They will throw a “living funeral” for each other at times in their lives when they need a reminder that they are loved. They intend to leave nothing left unsaid. I found this premise very …
Reading this graphic novel is like eating a slice of strawberry shortcake, sweet and light and fluffy—and so good that when it’s over you want to come back for more! There’s a lot to savor, from the adorable art style and gorgeous color palette to the charming characters and heartwarming queer romance. I fell in …
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 …
