Happy Holidays to all my fellow readers and book dragons! December, my favorite month of the year, is upon us, and it's time to start making Christmas lists of books you want to read in 2025, that will hopefully be coming on Santa's sleigh. I also have a birthday this month (next week on the 12th) so I'm looking forward to kitting out my TBR in style. Meanwhile, here's some serious tidbits and four reviews. I believe that I've read anywhere from 170 to 200 books this year, and reviewed them here on this blog, so I'm hoping for an equally banner year in 2025.
These end of the year lists always fascinate me, and none are more scrutinized than the NYT bestseller/most notable list. Though I think its been taken over by folks who are keen to put authors of color and authors from other countries, whose books are obscure to American audiences, on the top of the list (and make everyone who doesn't know these authors feel out of touch or stupid), there are still authors on the list with some decent fiction, though rarely is it the kind of fiction (or genre) that I enjoy. There's also a paywall that you have to pay the troll of commerce to get past that makes this list not so accessible to regular people who don't have a lot of expendable income, like myself. So the Gray Lady gets an automatic caste system going, which is problematic. I have to say that when I went through the list, I only recognized about 5-7 of the books listed and on reading the synopsis, found that I would not want to read 90 percent of the others listed. But, as with everything, YMMV.
It’s the Most Notable Time of the Year
The New York Times‘s annual list of 100 notable books of the year is, for my money, the very best of the end-of-year offerings. Evenly divided between fiction and nonfiction, it has a diversity of genres, subjects, and tones; a healthy mix of popular, commercially successful titles and under-the-radar gems; enough books to be useful as you select your next read or shop for the book lovers in your life but not so many as to be overwhelming. If you read widely and pay attention to the bookish zeitgeist during the other eleven months of the year, you’re likely to find validation for some of your faves alongside new-to-you picks and reminders of the “Oh, I’ve been meaning to read that!” variety. This time around, there are also boxes to tick to indicate whether you’ve read a book or want to read it. I’ve notched 23 of the 100 so far, and I’m proud to report that Jeff and I scored 11 out of the 15 titles we identified as shoo-ins when we predicted the list on a recent episode of the Book Riot Podcast.
Alas, Jeff Bezos is trying to mess with French booksellers about free delivery (he wants Amazon to be the only retailer to have it) and they're not on board with this, at all...though I had to laugh at their insult about "cowboy behavior," I assume not realizing that to most Americans, who lionize cowboys, this is a compliment, not an insult.
French Booksellers Furious at Amazon
Booksellers in France are accusing Amazon of trying for a second time to circumvent laws banning online retailers from offering free book deliveries, the Bookseller reported, adding that the first attempt was in 2014, "when parliament banned free deliveries to people's homes and Amazon introduced a delivery fee of one cent. In 2021, the Darcos law fixed a sliding scale of delivery fees, starting at 3 Euros [about $3.15], in line with those for other products, but exempted orders retrieved in bookshops."
"Amazon is seizing power to interpret laws in its favor and to trample on a bill voted into law by a sovereign parliament," said an op-ed in LeMonde that was signed by the heads of the French Booksellers Association, the Cultural Product Distributors Association (Syndicat des Distributeurs de Loisirs Culturels), and the leading cultural products chain Fnac-Darty.
The op-ed was a reaction to Amazon's recent announcement that it would provide free book deliveries to more than 2,500 pick-up points across France in shops that "notably sell books." The pick-up points are primarily lockers in shopping malls where large supermarkets are located, the op-ed noted, adding: "Amazon is pursuing its 'strategy of predation' and 'cowboy behavior.' It is engaged in a cultural battle [and] we expect the authorities to put an immediate halt to this cultural public disorder."
Happy 130th to Vroman's, a legendary California book store. I hope they're around for another century or so.
Vroman's 130th Anniversary Celebration
This past weekend Vroman's Bookstore https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscVePwusI6a1nIUp2GQ~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6mQXcOjpoMLg-gVdw in Pasadena, Calif., celebrated its 130th anniversary. The day began with the induction of the newest writer into the Vroman's Walk of Fame: Lian Dolan (Helen of Pasadena; The Sweeney Sisters). Dolan has been a huge supporter of the store throughout her career, and her handprints are now "cemented" alongside those of Walter Mosley, Leigh Bardugo, and Naomi Hirahara on the store's Walk of Fame.
Following the ceremony, the store hosted a party to celebrate its customers. The event included wine tastings at the 1894 Wine Bar, a memory wall, and a raffle for exclusive 130th-anniversary merch.
I love that Ms Bender is trying to help women denied reproductive rights through her bookstore. I hope that her efforts are successful, and that others follow her lead.
Split Rock Books Looking for Booksellers Interested in Abortion Rights Collaboration
Heidi Bender, co-owner of Split Rock Books in Cold Spring, N.Y., is looking to find independent booksellers interested in taking part in a collaboration with abortion rights organizations like Plan C and the American Society for Emergency Contraception. Bender is currently working with ASEC to install an emergency contraceptive vending machine in-store, and she has had a brainstorming session with Imani Askew-Shabazz, the partnerships and engagement manager for Plan C. Though they discussed things like distributing information and doing a day of action, no definitive plans were made, and with the holiday season at hand, Bender will focus on finding like-minded booksellers prior to scheduling another meeting with Plan C in January.
"This is one way to take concrete action in a way that feels useful," Bender said. She noted that at a time when there are "so many things tocare about," the important thing is to "pick one and do something."
I mentioned how devastating this storm was to our home in MV, where we went 4.5 days without power, and had to search far and wide for a hotel room with power and heat. Though we made it through without too much damage (we did have to clean out the refrigerator/freezer, which was an expensive waste of food) there were many in our housing complex whose homes were damaged and who went weeks without power. Here's how to help Third Place Books, which suffered loss of custom during and after the storm.
Seattle's Third Place Books: How to Help After the Storm
Last Tuesday's bomb cyclone storm in the Seattle, Wash., area caused widespread damage and power outages for many thousands, including the Third Place Books store in Lake Forest, where power was finally restored Saturday afternoon.
Powerless booksellers at Third Place: "No phone, no Internet, but thousands of books."
In response to requests from customers asking how they might help, ThirdPlace owner Robert Sindelar posted his reaction on the bookstore's social media sites yesterday, writing: "Like many of us in the greater Seattle area, our Lake Forest Park store lost power last week after the powerful bomb cyclone that swept through Western Washington. We had to close for almost four days during a critical season for retailers-bookstores in particular. Those lost sales are always tough. But at this time of year, when holiday shopping is kicking into gear, losing those four days is devastating to a local business.
Some customers and friends of the store have asked if there are ways to help. Here's what you can do." Sindelar's suggestions included buying a gift card, making a donation to the store's Books to Students Fund, or simply coming to the store to shop. "Also, if there are other local stores that you love and care about that lost power for days this past week, please consider supporting them with gift card purchases as well," he added.
"As we all reflect on things we are thankful for this week, I will be thinking about how lucky I am to work and live with such an amazing community of readers. All the best to our Third Place Community."
I'm thrilled for the debut of this new book, as it sounds interesting. Reese has transformed the lives of many authors by promoting their work and by getting their books adapted into movies or streaming shows.
Reese's December Book Club Pick: City of Night Birds
City of Night Birds by Juhea Kim (Ecco) is the December pick for Reese's Book Club https://www.shelf-awareness.com/ct/x/pjJscVfbkbkI6a1nd0t-Sw~k1yJoKXv-hs8x6mQCZDxpoMLg-gVdw, which described the book this way: "When a devastating accident stalls Natalia Leonova's professional ballet career, she returns home to St. Petersburg with a choice: return to the demanding world of Russian dance that nearly broke her or walk away for good. City of Night Birds explores the fierce and beautiful world of ballet and what it means to be an artist." Reese wrote: "This story left me thinking about the ways we overcome setbacks and redefine what truly matters."
This is another book that I will be on the lookout for. I miss PG Wodehouse's fabulous wit and stylish prose. I think it's hilarious that the prize for this work of comedic fiction includes champagne and a pig.
Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction Goes to Glorious Exploits
Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon has won the 2024 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. Chair of judges Peter Florence called the novel, published in the U.S. by Holt, "a delightful mash of contemporary Irish comedy and classical Athenian tragedy. It's a caper, a buddy story, and it had us all laughing and cheering Ferdia Lennon's comic spirit." Lennon receives a jeroboam of Bollinger Special Cuve, a case of Bollinger La Grande Anne, the complete set of the Everyman's Library P.G. Wodehouse collection, and a pig named after his winning book.
The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis is a romantic mystery with a touch of magic realism that will keep readers glued to the page. Here's the blurb:
I was fascinated by Ashlyn's psychometric powers with books, and her affinity for both sides of this love story that all came down to miscommunications. Unfortunately, you have to wait until the final 1/3rd of the book for there to be any big reveals on the character's lives, so you have to exercise patience with this novel. The "real" names and the nicknames of the characters got kind of confusing toward the end, too, but the ending did tie everything up fairly well, into an HFN if not a complete HEA. I'd give this book a B, and recommend it to romance lovers who enjoy a good book mystery about relationships.
But they aren’t the only ones looking for it.
The evil goddess, Atë, has already tried to kill them once for the book, and now Brogan and Lula must race to find it before Atë finds them and finishes the job.
Luckily, a coven of honkytonk witches in Shamrock, Texas claims to know where the book is hidden. But their information comes at a great price. Brogan and Lula must help the witches kill an ancient monster. To do so, they will have to form an alliance with an old enemy who wants the Gauges dead.
Brogan and Lula’s luck is turning, but whether it’s good or bad teeters on a knife’s edge: trust the devils they know, or go all in with the wayward devils they’ve just met.
It's always Brogan and Lula against the world of gods and monsters in Monks compulsive and engaging Souls of the Road series, and this book is no exception. I found the POV of Brogan telling the story refreshing, however, and though he's something of a possessive sexist guy, his love for Lula is eternal and has seen them both through many deadly circumstances. I was glad to see the addition of Raven the trickster god from the Ordinary Oregon series make an appearance here, and the mention of the Delaney sisters and their ability to deal with all the crazy stuff the gods get up to leads me to wonder if the next book will have Brogan and Lula meeting the sisters and enjoying some time together free from running for their lives. I'd give this enthralling novel an A, and recommend it to anyone who has read the other Souls of the Road books.
From author Mary E. Pearson comes a thrilling romantic fantasy full of dangerous fae, dark secrets, and addictive romance―the first book in a duology.
After losing both of their parents, Bristol Keats and her sisters struggle to stay afloat in their small, quiet town of Bowskeep. When Bristol begins to receive letters from an aunt she’s never heard of who promises she can help, she reluctantly agrees to meet―and discovers that everything she thought she knew about her family is a lie. Her father might even still be alive, not killed but kidnapped by terrifying creatures and taken to a whole other realm―the one he is from.
Desperate to save her father and find the truth, Bristol journeys to a land of gods and fae and monsters. Pulled into a dangerous world of magic and intrigue, she makes a deadly bargain with a fae leader, Tyghan. But what she doesn't know is that he's the one who drove her parents to live a life on the run. And he is just as determined as she is to find her father―dead or alive.
Three hundred and sixty-four days.
Framed for a crime she didn't commit, Dania counts down her days in prison until she can exact revenge on Mazin, the boy responsible for her downfall, the boy she once loved―and still can't forget. When she discovers a fellow prisoner may have the key to exacting that vengeance--a stolen djinn treasure--they execute a daring escape together and search for the hidden treasure.
Armed with dark magic and a new identity, Dania enacts a plan to bring down those who betrayed her and her family, even though Mazin stands in her way. But seeking revenge becomes a complicated game of cat and mouse, especially when an undeniable fire still burns between them, and the power to destroy her enemies has a price. As Dania falls deeper into her web of traps and lies, she risks losing her humanity to her fight for vengeance--and her heart to the only boy she's ever loved.
