From my first encounter with Sharma Shields’ work, I was awed by her gifts with character, plot, mythology, and the most meaningful expressions of the human condition. From her Autumn House Award winning collection of stories, Favorite Monster, to the psychological devastation of the inner life revealed in The Sasquatch Hunter’s Almanac, and now to …
In the ’60s four young siblings visit a psychic who tells each of them the day they will die. Would you live your life differently if you knew the date of your death? Would you want to know? Free will or fate? These and other questions are surrounded by beautiful writing that keeps you turning …
This piece was originally published on the Island Books blog. Growing up, I loved getting lost in books: It didn’t matter to me if the book was adventurous, dramatic, suspenseful, or fantastical; as long as it transported me somewhere else, I was happy. I’d be so immersed in my book that I’d barely hear my …
“When one’s life seems broken beyond repair, there remains one last move: a person can at least shut her eyes.” The premise is simple: A college student falls asleep, and can’t be woken. Then another. Eventually, an entire town. Only a handful ever wake up. When they do, they remember different worlds, different lives– raising …
Bronwyn realizes she can change the atmosphere, but how much can she do, how far can she go, and what is the purpose of this gift? With an unusual story, Emmons writes a tale full of science, faith, exploration, and maybe even love. –Dianah Hughley, Powell’s Books, Portland, OR Follow the staff picks to unique …
Griffith, the author of bestselling fantasy novel Hild, gives us a compulsive psychological thriller and an important contribution to disability literature in her new novel. In the course of a week, Mara’s wife leaves her and she is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. To keep herself from spiraling, Mara launches herself to the front lines of …
Autumn has finally arrived here in the Northwest corner, sneaking up on us perhaps because so much of October was dressed up in summer-like weather, but it’s still the perfect time to look back at some favorite reads from the summer just passed. Lining them all up, it seems that although I didn’t actually get …
Truly, one of the best books I’ve read all year! The writing is beautiful and tender in this coming of age, love story, and mystery novel. This is the first novel by New York Times best-selling non-fiction writer and wildlife scientist Delia Owens (John Burroughs Medal for Nature Writing), and the way she describes the natural world …
This was originally posted on Island Books’ tumblr It’s always a pleasure to see the list of finalists for the annual Washington State Book Awards, not least because the judges are some of our favorite people, local booksellers and librarians. We especially wanted to take note of this slate of books, though, since so many of their …
Sometimes when I look back over the past few books I’ve read, I notice a common thread running through them. Might be a particular time period or historical event, a theme whether big or small, or frequently, a locale. And that’s why one corner of The Front Table is currently draped in the green, white …
