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. Sometimes the themes come from the covers, sometimes the titles. On this week’s list, we …
I ran across this book when it was described as “a himbo meets an archivist,” so of course, I had to pick it up. Two men are unwittingly caught up in trying to break a deadly curse that, if left unattended, may come to spell out disastrous consequences for all the magicians in Britain. A …
Ryan O’Connell has created a novel that has been missing from the publishing industry for too long. This novel follows the story of Elliot, a gay man with cerebral palsy who’s trying to find his way in LA as he navigates an impending life crisis. I loved cheering him on through all of the awkward …
From the author of The Food Lab comes a thorough and step by step guide with visuals to cooking with a wok using science, humor and accessible directions. The physical weight of this book is significant and you might begin by making the range of sauces from the Fragrant Scallion Ginger Oil or the Mysterious …
Battle of the Linguist Mages is a mad bastard of a book, and that is high praise. On the one hand, it’s a pretty familiar story (young woman learns that magic in a video game has real power) with familiar elements of course there are nefarious forces arrayed to exploit them AND her)… but they …
From Marissa at Grass Roots Books & Music in Corvallis, OR, originally posted on nwbooklovers on April 11, 2018: In Zumas’s all-too-familiar dystopia set in a small Oregon coastal town, Roe v. Wade has been overturned. The narrative explores the complexity of childbearing — both the desire for and not for — and the reduction …
I’ve been collecting this series since it began in 1988, and though my enthusiasm for each volume differs, I love how it’s become an historical artifact of sorts. Each volume features a guest editor (2021 is curated by Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate of the U.S. 2017-2019), who, along with their picks for the 75 …
A tropical murder mystery perfect for mid-winter reading, this book is set on a sinister island in the Pacific, packed with Hawkins’ wonderfully gritty characters, and a murderer amongst them. I devoured this one. —Samantha Ladwig, Imprint Bookstore, Port Townsend, WA Saucy! Salty! Sexy! SCARY!!! I always love Rachel Hawkins’ narrative voice: funny, zesty, easy …
If you’re looking for engrossing, high-stakes fantasy, you need this emotionally rich, gorgeously written novel. It’s about about power that winds up being about love, sacrifice, honor, and family— that we choose and are given. Raybearer is absolutely brilliant, gripping, and one-of-a-kind. I couldn’t wait to read more from this author, and luckily the sequel is …
A gripping, propulsive free verse novel that addresses the first year of college in a way I haven’t seen but absolutely loved: through exploration of self-love, overcoming trauma, trusting one’s instincts, questioning the socially-normalized paths, and pursuing passion. I hope adults and teens will read and discuss together. (It should be required reading for any …
