Okay, fellow book lovers, its the second week of September, and I've been struggling like mad with my Crohn's disease, and haven't really felt able to post another review or two, so this might not be the most fulsome post I've ever done, but its currently the best I can do between bathroom breaks, ugh. Bear with me, please.
Though its not in the best neighborhood (Pioneer Square has been going downhill for decades, and now isn't a safe place to shop, really), I am hoping to get the chance to visit this "almost underground" Seattle store...I imagine its not too far from the original location of Elliott Bay Bookstore, which had to relocate to Capitol Hill years ago. It should also be noted that Pioneer Square had a lot of damage caused by the Nisqually Earthquake some years ago that prompted a lot of business in the area to close or relocate.
Beguiled
Books Opening Physical Store in Seattle, Wash., This Fall
Beguiled Books, a romance-focused
bookstore that debuted as a mobile
bookstore earlier this year, will
open a bricks-and-mortar location in
Seattle, Wash., this fall.
Located in Seattle's Pioneer Square
neighborhood, Beguiled will span
about 2,300 square feet in an historic
building at 109 1st Ave. S. The
bookstore will carry a wide variety of
romance sub-genres, including
contemporary, romantasy, dark, LGBTQ+,
and vintage, which owner Ashley
Adair called her "little personal
baby."
Alongside those categories customers
will find YA and middle grade
options, a small selection of picture
books, and sections dedicated to
local and indie authors. The store will
sell an assortment of bookish
goods, many of them sourced from local
artisans and creators, as well as
ceramics, jewelry, and its own
store-branded coffee blend, which Adair
described as the "most Seattle
thing ever."
Adair's event plans include book
signings, classes on book bedazzling
and book rebinding, book clubs, and
writing groups. The bookstore's main
floor, she said, is "going to be
great for author events," while she
intends to make the store's loft space
a "chill out area" that will be a
good fit for book clubs and writing
groups. Noting that although the
store won't have a food or beverage
component because of an "awesome
cafe next door," she does plan to
serve refreshments at events.
Elaborating on the store's location,
Adair said that as a "little bit of
a history nerd," she's excited to
be in Pioneer Square and is pleased
that the building is "on the
Underground Tour." Those tours, she
explained, explore parts of Seattle
that were effectively buried
underground after the city rebuilt in
the wake of the Great Seattle Fire
in 1889, and many "go under our
building."
While
Adair always intended to open a bricks-and-mortar store, it is
happening sooner than she expected. She
discovered the space
serendipitously while on a trip to look
at a different space, and it was
"love at first sight."
She and her husband are able to take
this leap, she continued, because
the response to the bookstore has been
"overwhelmingly possible." The
biggest surprise, Adair said, has been
the number of loyal customers who
will "hunt us down in the wild"
to attend the mobile bookstore's various
appearances. There has been so much
enthusiasm from "all of our new
followers and friends," and even
offers to come help build out the store
or assist on opening day.
"The community is being so
supportive," Adair said. "It's taken me by
surprise, but in the best of ways."
This sounds like a fascinating book, and I will be on the look out for a copy ASAP.
Reese's
September Book Club Pick: To the Moon and Back
To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage
is the September pick for Reese's Book Club, which described the book
this way: "Steph Harper dreams of becoming the first Cherokee
woman in space, a goal that often feels as unreachable as the moon
itself. As her ambition leads her away from the people and community
who shaped her, she's forced to confront what she's truly seeking.
This debut from Eliana Ramage is a thoughtful narrative that reminds
us that identity and destiny are not separate, but deeply
intertwined."
Reese called To the Moon and Back "a
breathtaking debut about family,
identity, and love across generations."
I'm so glad that this store is just changing hands and not closing...we need indie bookstores now more than ever!
Ownership
Change at Vashon Bookshop, Vashon, Wash.
Last month, ownership of Vashon
Bookshop, Vashon, Wash., passed from Nancy Katica to longtime staff
member Carrie Van Buren.
The Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
reported that Katica became involved with the bookshop in 2001,
became a partner in 2007, and assumed sole ownership six years later.
This year, "Everything just
aligned," she said. "I was looking to
retire, and this was a good way to
transition."
Van Buren moved to Vashon Island in
1999. "I'd been looking at Vashon
from West Seattle for five years,"
she said. "I was ready to have space
and quiet--in Seattle there were too
many sirens, and like Nancy, I knew
the island would be a fabulous place
for our kids."
They met at a book club more than 20
years ago; their daughters worked
at the bookshop during high school,
then Van Buren followed suit. She
said she is honored to be continuing
the bookshop's legacy: "And I'm
excited to be in this business right
now." She added that it is
"particularly gratifying to see
children respond to books," and that her
work is exciting because it connects
"people to the stories, ideas and
the collective thoughts found on these
shelves."
Katica observed: "We also enjoy
the experience here of having books that
these days have been banned elsewhere."
Both women are optimistic about the
bookstore's future. "Having Carrie
continue the bookshop's story means the
world to me--I know it's in good
and loving hands," Katica said.
Congratulations to Roxane Gay, on her well deserved win! I've long been a fan of her books.
Literarian
Award for Roxane Gay
The National Book Foundation is giving
the 2025 Literarian Award for
Outstanding Service to the American
Literary Community to writer,
editor, publisher, professor, and
cultural critic Roxane Gay. Gay will
be presented with the Literarian Award
by National Book Award Winner
Jacqueline Woodson at the 76th National
Book Awards ceremony & benefit
dinner on Wednesday, November 19, in
New York City.
Gay is perhaps best known for her essay
collection Bad Feminist and
memoir Hunger. She is also the author
of Ayiti, An Untamed State,
Difficult Women, and, most recently,
Opinions: A Decade of Arguments,
Criticism, and Minding Other People's
Business. For decades, Gay has
been a fearless champion for books,
emerging and underrepresented
writers, and the global literary
community. Gay is the editor of Roxane
Gay Books, an imprint of Grove Atlantic
dedicated to publishing works by
Black writers and writers of colors,
queer writers, writers with
disabilities, writers from varied
economic backgrounds, and those who
live at the intersections of multiple
marginalized identities.
In 2021, Gay introduced her newsletter
The Audacity, where she publishes
her own writing along with the work of
emerging writers and interviews.
She is also the curator of the
Audacious Book Club, a monthly book club
that features online reader-led
discussions and conversations with the
authors.
I'm so glad to see more bookstores opening in Iowa, a place that has been catching up on culture for years. I'm hoping that this LGBTQ positive store will be able to thrive in the fascist atmosphere of a red state, dedicated to horrible things like book bans.
Sisters
Books & Nooks Opening Tomorrow in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Sisters Books & Nooks will open
officially tomorrow, September 9,
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the Corridor
Business Journal reported.
Located at 1612 C St. SW, Suite A, in
the city's Czech Village
neighborhood, the bookstore will
emphasize genre fiction, banned books,
local authors, and LGBTQIA+ voices. At
opening there will be self-serve
coffee and tea, and co-owners Jamie
Sharar and Sarah Danielson plan to
add wine to the offerings in the
future. The store's event plans include
author appearances, book clubs, trivia
nights, craft activities, and
cabaret performances.
Danielson told the Corridor Business
Journal that the store has a "very
lived-in vibe," with a lot of
vintage decor. There are also "cozy
touches like a fireplace, candelabra
sconces, and plush chairs. We want
you to relax your shoulders when you
walk in the front door."
Sharar said she and Danielson "wanted
to create a place where people can
hang out, decompress, and find
community, not just buy a book and leave.
Especially with the political climate
right now, members of marginalized
groups especially need places where
they are comfortable and safe to be
themselves. We are unapologetic about
our inclusive beliefs and our
merchandise reflects that."
I love what they have to say about the importance of bookstores in any given community...I wholeheartedly agree.
Bookseller
Moment: Newtown Bookshop
Newtown, Pa.: "Where Stories and
People Meet. At the Newtown Bookshop, we believe that every page
turned can lead to a new connection, making our little shop a
treasure for our community. Whether you're finding your next favorite
author or sharing a laugh over a beloved book, the stories we explore
together create friendships that can last a lifetime. Remember the
last time you stumbled upon a novel that resonated with you? It's
like
finding a long-lost friend! So, let's
gather together to share our
literary journeys, engage in delightful
discussions, and discover new
adventures waiting on our shelves. Come
visit us and become part of our
vibrant reading community, where every
visit feels like coming home!"
I once traveled to Yakima to receive a woman of the year award, and instead of flowers, I was given a silver bowl full of apples, which were delicious and lovely.
Happy
25th Birthday, Inklings Bookshop!
Congratulations to Inklings Bookshop,
Yakima, Wash., which has begun celebrating its 25th anniversary.
Through the end of the month, the store is offering customers a
(cosmic) crisp, locally grown apple from Johnson Orchards and 25% off
of adult & children's classics at the register as well as a
special surprise for in-store shoppers on September 20 and 21.
Owner Susan Richmond remembered: "In
the summer and fall of 2000, so
many people helped us get ready to open
Inklings. We applied for a
business license, applied stain to the
very same shelves we are using
today, took book recommendations from
reader friends for our opening
order, and researched gift companies.
Nerves were a little twitchy that
morning of September 18th. We had done
the work, but would anyone come?
Well, they did. And you are still
coming. One of the first comments from
a customer when they came through the
door was, 'This is a Seattle-kind
of place!' A tremendous compliment.
Thank you, faithful customers, for
our first 25 years."
Frost by C.N. Crawford is a slightly dark romantasy novel that was short and yet still told a full and rich story that read like an old fairy tale, updated. Here's the blurb: On the worst birthday of my life, I come home to find my boyfriend
in bed with another woman. Within hours, I’m drunk, homeless, and
pledging to stay single forever. And that is when the dangerously sexy
Seelie King rolls through town, looking for fae like me.
Every generation, the king holds a competition for Seelie queen. But for reasons he won’t explain, Torin is looking for a charade, not a real marriage. So when I drunkenly sling insults his way, I have his attention.
When Torin offers me fifty million to participate, I think, “What have I got to lose?” The answer turns out to be “my life,” because my competition will literally kill for the crown.
And the more time I spend with the seductive king, the harder it becomes to remember it’s all supposed to be fake. Now, my life—and my heart—are on the line.
Every generation, the king holds a competition for Seelie queen. But for reasons he won’t explain, Torin is looking for a charade, not a real marriage. So when I drunkenly sling insults his way, I have his attention.
When Torin offers me fifty million to participate, I think, “What have I got to lose?” The answer turns out to be “my life,” because my competition will literally kill for the crown.
And the more time I spend with the seductive king, the harder it becomes to remember it’s all supposed to be fake. Now, my life—and my heart—are on the line.
I found the prose to be spritely and concise, and the plot moved along on a scented wind...so, like a lot of page-turners, you're halfway through the book before you've even noticed how much time has passed. Ava and Torin's romance is very slow burn, but the added humor of the modern day woman falling for an ancient fae lord makes it all the more fascinating. I'd give this slender tome an A-, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys twists on fairy tales retold.
Never The Roses by Jennifer K. Lambert is a gorgeously produced romantasy that I just had to have, because of the purple roses on the beautiful cover and the stars and castle decorating the edge papers. Fortunately, the story within also didn't skimp on the luxury and brilliance of the body of the book. Here's the blurb: DELUXE EDITION―featuring beautiful stenciled edges, stylish endpapers, a foil casestamp and a detailed map.
The most powerful sorceress in all the world comes face to face with her greatest rival in this enchanting and seductive fantasy romance debut from Jennifer K. Lambert.
The Dread Sorceress Oneira has retired. She’s fought and won endless wars for her ambitious queen and has finally exiled herself, seeking peace in a remote forest where the mountains meet the beach. There, in the peculiar company of a wolf, a kestrel, and a cat, she comes to accept that her death would be the beginning of a better world.
But she has one last curiosity to satisfy.
Oneira makes a reckless trip from her hidden fortress to the most extensive library in existence: the collection of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos.
Perhaps at the behest of fate, a book on rare roses catches her eye. With little to lose, she steals it and returns to her self-imposed exile. As the subject takes root, she initiates a forbidden correspondence with her once-enemy. Taunting notes and clever retorts reveal a connection neither has found―nor could ever find―in any other.
But Oneira soon learns that Stearanos, bound to a vile king, is called to war against the queen she once served.
A relationship with him is far too dangerous to pursue despite their mutual desire―and yet, Oneira can’t seem to stay away. A bond with the only person who’s ever really understood her is too tempting to ignore.
But not all dreams were meant to come true and not all budding romance blooms.
I completely understood Oneira's desire to retire from being used by humans as a weapon to win their bloody wars, for the purposes of greed and egotistic rulers, but I didn't get why she was willing to give it all up for her rival Stearanos, who was still bound to one of the rulers as a long-term indentured servant who must commit atrocities on his behalf. In the end, though, as it most always is in books with romance, the woman makes the final sacrifice that the man is too stupid or blind to make, and saves the day at the expense of her own dear life. So with the nearly Sleeping beauty style ending, we're left to ponder what a woman's life is worth, and whether we're always doomed to be the martyr in our own stories. The elegant prose and lovely plot that never hesitates makes this a page turner of a book that I will be thinking about for years to come, ie "what price love?" the question that has consumed writers through the ages. I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone who is mature enough to understand women's need to become solitary as they grow older and retire.
The most powerful sorceress in all the world comes face to face with her greatest rival in this enchanting and seductive fantasy romance debut from Jennifer K. Lambert.
The Dread Sorceress Oneira has retired. She’s fought and won endless wars for her ambitious queen and has finally exiled herself, seeking peace in a remote forest where the mountains meet the beach. There, in the peculiar company of a wolf, a kestrel, and a cat, she comes to accept that her death would be the beginning of a better world.
But she has one last curiosity to satisfy.
Oneira makes a reckless trip from her hidden fortress to the most extensive library in existence: the collection of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos.
Perhaps at the behest of fate, a book on rare roses catches her eye. With little to lose, she steals it and returns to her self-imposed exile. As the subject takes root, she initiates a forbidden correspondence with her once-enemy. Taunting notes and clever retorts reveal a connection neither has found―nor could ever find―in any other.
But Oneira soon learns that Stearanos, bound to a vile king, is called to war against the queen she once served.
A relationship with him is far too dangerous to pursue despite their mutual desire―and yet, Oneira can’t seem to stay away. A bond with the only person who’s ever really understood her is too tempting to ignore.
But not all dreams were meant to come true and not all budding romance blooms.
I completely understood Oneira's desire to retire from being used by humans as a weapon to win their bloody wars, for the purposes of greed and egotistic rulers, but I didn't get why she was willing to give it all up for her rival Stearanos, who was still bound to one of the rulers as a long-term indentured servant who must commit atrocities on his behalf. In the end, though, as it most always is in books with romance, the woman makes the final sacrifice that the man is too stupid or blind to make, and saves the day at the expense of her own dear life. So with the nearly Sleeping beauty style ending, we're left to ponder what a woman's life is worth, and whether we're always doomed to be the martyr in our own stories. The elegant prose and lovely plot that never hesitates makes this a page turner of a book that I will be thinking about for years to come, ie "what price love?" the question that has consumed writers through the ages. I'd give it an A, and recommend it to anyone who is mature enough to understand women's need to become solitary as they grow older and retire.
The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center is a "women's fiction" short novel about being a single mother, unexpectedly, of course, and dealing with all the bittersweet problems of finding your way as a person while you're helping a small person grow up. Though many blurbs call this book wise and mature, I found the main character, Jenny, to be the opposite; immature and lost, constantly questioning herself and her life choices and worried that her daughter will pay the price for her gullibility and ignorance. Here's the blurb: Very pregnant and not quite married, Jenny Harris doesn't mind
that she and her live-in fiancé, Dean, accidentally started their family
a little earlier than planned. But Dean is acting distant, and the
night he runs out for cigarettes and doesn't come back, he demotes
himself from future husband to sperm donor. And the very next day, Jenny
goes into labor.
In the months that follow, Jenny plunges into a life she never anticipated: single motherhood. At least with the sleep deprivation, sore boobs, and fits of crying (both hers and the baby's), there's not much time to dwell on her broken heart. And things are looking up: Jenny learns how to do everything one-handed, makes friends in a mommy group, and even gets to know a handsome, helpful neighbor. But Dean is never far from Jenny's thoughts or, it turns out, her doorstep, and in the end she must choose between the old life she thought she wanted and the new life she's been lucky to find.
In a completely predictable trope, Jenny's idiot boyfriend, the father of her baby, is only compelled to return to her and their child when his rich parents give him an ultimatum of marrying her and helping to raise the baby or saying goodbye to his monthly allowance, which keeps him from growing up and having to work to sustain himself (and pay child support, which his parents do for him, but they're not happy with Jenny's homemade and poor living circumstances). That Jenny doesn't realize this early on is just mind-boggling, when its obvious that Dean isn't mature enough to keep a monogamous relationship going, or deal with a crying, messy baby 24/7. There was a bit of the Gilmore Girls about this book, but Jenny wasn't smart or funny enough to keep it interesting, nor did she have Lorelai's fascinating quirks. I'd give this book a B-, and only recommend it to those who find women who act like lost teenagers and their idiot boyfriends interesting.
In the months that follow, Jenny plunges into a life she never anticipated: single motherhood. At least with the sleep deprivation, sore boobs, and fits of crying (both hers and the baby's), there's not much time to dwell on her broken heart. And things are looking up: Jenny learns how to do everything one-handed, makes friends in a mommy group, and even gets to know a handsome, helpful neighbor. But Dean is never far from Jenny's thoughts or, it turns out, her doorstep, and in the end she must choose between the old life she thought she wanted and the new life she's been lucky to find.
In a completely predictable trope, Jenny's idiot boyfriend, the father of her baby, is only compelled to return to her and their child when his rich parents give him an ultimatum of marrying her and helping to raise the baby or saying goodbye to his monthly allowance, which keeps him from growing up and having to work to sustain himself (and pay child support, which his parents do for him, but they're not happy with Jenny's homemade and poor living circumstances). That Jenny doesn't realize this early on is just mind-boggling, when its obvious that Dean isn't mature enough to keep a monogamous relationship going, or deal with a crying, messy baby 24/7. There was a bit of the Gilmore Girls about this book, but Jenny wasn't smart or funny enough to keep it interesting, nor did she have Lorelai's fascinating quirks. I'd give this book a B-, and only recommend it to those who find women who act like lost teenagers and their idiot boyfriends interesting.
The Robin On the Oak Throne by K.A. Linde is the second book in this romantasy series, and it's beautifully put together, with a gorgeous cover illustration, interior color illustration and lovely indigo woven with ivy end papers. The book is nearly 500 pages long, but even that can't detract from how glorious it looks and reads. Here's the blurb: The only thing worse than fearing a monster is falling for one…
Kierse McKenna just shattered the Monster Treaty. Again.
It wasn’t entirely her fault. The job was supposed to be simple: steal a goblin-made bracelet off of the Queen of the Nymphs in her own palace. Trade the bracelet for a way to uncover the truth about her past. Except everything goes sideways.
And then he shows up to save her.
Graves—the warlock who ensnared her, betrayed her, and left her to fend for herself. He’s a villain. A monster draped in charm and shadows. And gods help her, he always knows exactly what she wants.
But Graves never does anything for free. He has a job for his favorite little thief. One that will pit her against the most powerful monsters in existence, including his mortal enemy, the Oak King.
An ancient artifact has been located, and only together can they hope to steal it. She just has to let him in.
But once she lets a monster in, he’s impossible to forget…and even harder to resist.
Kierse McKenna just shattered the Monster Treaty. Again.
It wasn’t entirely her fault. The job was supposed to be simple: steal a goblin-made bracelet off of the Queen of the Nymphs in her own palace. Trade the bracelet for a way to uncover the truth about her past. Except everything goes sideways.
And then he shows up to save her.
Graves—the warlock who ensnared her, betrayed her, and left her to fend for herself. He’s a villain. A monster draped in charm and shadows. And gods help her, he always knows exactly what she wants.
But Graves never does anything for free. He has a job for his favorite little thief. One that will pit her against the most powerful monsters in existence, including his mortal enemy, the Oak King.
An ancient artifact has been located, and only together can they hope to steal it. She just has to let him in.
But once she lets a monster in, he’s impossible to forget…and even harder to resist.
Several times things seemed to happen in slow motion in this book, and the plot, though interesting, was uneven. The prose was lyrical, for the most part, but I kept waiting for the good guys to win, and that didn't happen. The ending of the book was indirect and unsatisfying, and I felt the whole novel needed a good 75 to 100 pages trimmed off of it. Hence I'd give this hefty tome a C+, and only recommend it to those who don't mind a sexist male protagonist and an uneven/unhealthy relationship between the male and female protagonists.
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