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, …
In a land living in the shadow of The University of Magics and Industry, magic is everything. And Truth is hidden. Sciona knows what she wants. She has spent 20 years honing her magical skills only to rise to highmage at the university, yet she is shunned and quietly bullied by the males, as she …
Simone’s life becomes suddenly unfamiliar when her husband commits to joining an elite unit of the Army. What follows is a vivid portrait of life as a military spouse, rendered with empathy, clarity, and complexity. Simone admirably holds space for the violence and moral quandary inherent to military life. The biggest impression I took from …
Every Wednesday, the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association publishes the regional bestseller list. On Thursdays, we celebrate Thursday Themes to shine a spotlight on some of the books from the list and give our brains a different way of thinking about books. Fantasy/ romantasy author Sarah J. Maas continues to dominate the paperback fiction bestseller list. Her first series, …
The second Monday of October is Indigenous Peoples’ Day. What was the last book you read by an indigenous author? An idea to support indigenous authors and your local bookstore at the same time is to preorder upcoming books by indigenous creators. Here are a few suggestions: The Misewa Saga #4: The Portal Keeper by …
Preorder through Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, WA for personalized copies of debut author Lily Meade’s thrilling YA novel, The Shadow Sister. Enjoy a live event with Lily Meade and Kendare Blake for the launch event June 27, 2023 at 7:00. Advance registration is required but free. You can register at the event …
March is Disability Awareness Month, “an opportunity to raise awareness about the support and rights of people with disabilities and to appreciate their contributions to our communities and society” (as stated by Vanderbilt University). Northwestbooklovers.org recognizes and appreciates booksellers, authors, and readers with disabilities. Here are a few we would like to shine a spotlight …
On Wednesdays, the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Bestseller list is published. Every week, we love to see what has been most popular in independent bookstores around our region. As we peruse the list, we ponder patterns. Then we present this weekly feature: Thursday Themes. This week, we noted bestsellers that had just been published since the holidays and …
From The Seattle Times April 10, 2022 Local author Mary Daheim passed away after a brief illness. Mary was born to Hugh and Monica Richardson in Seattle, WA. She grew up in the Wallingford neighborhood surrounded by relatives in houses within blocks of her own. Mary knew her vocation as a writer very early. She …
An absolutely devastating book that will stick with you forever. The gorgeous and overwhelming writing of Yanagihara helps convey the utter devastation of the book. If you’re looking for a book to absolutely destroy your perception of the world, this is the one. –Chase, Village Books, Bellingham and Lynden, WA In the spring of 2015, Peter from Elliott …
