A Thing Called Truth written by Iolanda Zanfardino, illustrated by Elisa Romboli
This is a spectacular graphic novel. The plot and characters are fully developed, and it’s a romance that pushes them to grow even further. A road trip, science, love AND a heist-what better way to start 2026? Perhaps, I don’t know, draw me some chibis, and I’m one hundred percent a fan. –Blanca, King’s Books, …
Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Makuta
We love when an author visits their books in our stores! Here’s a post by Zoe Hana Makuta from her visit to Charlie’s Queer Books in Seattle. (Also: Zoe’s The Coven Tendency just came out in paperback this week!)
The In-Between Bookstore by Edward Underhill
I felt so connected to this book and its characters in a way I never have before. This book follows a 30-year-old trans guy who, after losing his job and housing stability, returns to his hometown– only to find himself face-to-face with his pre-transition teenage self in the bookstore he once worked at. It’s funny, …
Like in Love with You by Emma R. Alban
Delightfully witty and ever so charming. It’s always a pleasure to fall into the Regency world Alban crafts; each character dazzles and stands on their own. Catherine and Rosalie give all the feels! —Chloe Brew, Invitation Bookshop, Gig Harbor, WA Fall into a book you’ll love from Invitation Bookshop and other independent bookstores.
Palaver by Bryan Washington
Palaver centers on the relationship between a queer Black man living in Japan and his mother, who unexpectedly visits from the US. The book explores the hurt we accumulate and carry with us as adults. It looks at the difficulties of tending to that hurt while living our day-to-day lives and the hard work of …
Bestseller Spotlight: Fiction Series Sweeps
On Wednesdays, the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Bestseller List is published. Every week, we love to see what books have been most popular in independent bookstores around our region. As we peruse the list, we look for something special to showcase. Then we present this weekly feature: Thursday Themes. This week, two series dominate the regional bestseller list: …
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! Do you have a new year’s reading resolution? Why not resolve to treat yourself to books that bring you joy? Grow your reading habit and increase your quality of life with books from independent bookstores. About There’s Always Next Year by Leah Johnson and George M. Johnson: “A snow-kissed, warmhearted ode to …
When Darcy Met Lizzy by Sammie Downing
The gay Pride and Prejudice retelling of our collective dreams, When Darcy Met Lizzy has all the yearning and intelligence of its source material while also adding new life. Reading this felt like falling in love with something familiar for a second time. You can feel Downing’s love for Austen in her reimagining of our …
Psychiatrist MM Desch Explores the Mind in Debut Thriller
Mary Desch, writing under the pen name MM Desch, brings years of psychiatric expertise to her debut psychological thriller, Tangled Darkness. The novel follows Dr. Leslie Schoen, a psychiatrist who becomes a suspect when a clinical assistant is found dead amid missing opioid allegations. She becomes ensnared in a deadly scheme of clinic conspiracies and …
