August’s Bookseller Picks

“Katie Kitamura’s Intimacies details a few months in the life of an interpreter at The Hague who is looking for belonging to a place and perhaps to a partner. Just as she has to see beyond the words in her work, she has to interpret the actions of her married lover as well as the alleged atrocities of a war criminal she works with at the International Court. This novel is both quiet and thrilling.”

Rachel, Avid Bookshop

“Mona Awad’s latest, All’s Well, is unhinged. But it’s 2021, and after the last year, I think it’s safe to say we all feel a little unhinged. I found myself delighted to be in the company of Awad’s narrator, a woman with chronic pain who is hell-bent on staging a production of Shakespeare’s All’s Well with a troupe of mutinous undergrads. Awad has written a novel about pain that is not only funny, but heartbreakingly honest.”

Lindsay, Parnassus Books

“The concept of an app that offers custom-made rituals got me to pick up this new novel, but the fact that the protagonist is a woman of color leading a tech start up alongside her very charismatic husband got me to read it. A great summer read.”

Amber, Just One More Page Books

“McConaghy’s writing will destroy you, demand your attention, ask you to be still and listen, and will absolutely change you. Once There Were Wolves and after there were, they’ll never leave you.”

Angie, The Country Bookshop

“These stories of the members of a compact Cambodian-American community, from the refugees to the business owners to the gay teenagers, seamlessly balance humor with hardships.”

Sofia, Phoenix Books Burlington

“What would you give up to have it all? Magical and queer as hell, Jordan Baker takes readers through Jazz Age New York as her snark, rage, and feelings for Daisy keep us turning pages until early morning. Like one of Gatsby’s cursed parties, this book was one I wanted to never end.”

Abby, The Briar Patch

“Tom Lin is a fresh new voice. His novel The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu combines the grit of Cormac McCarthy with the storytelling chops of Larry McMurtry. A mysterious adventure set against the backdrop of the Central Pacific Railroad with a cast of memorable characters including a Chinese outlaw I won’t soon forget. ”

Linda, {pages} a bookstore

“A little girl is kidnapped from her parents and raised in the wilderness. As a young woman, she uses her skills to help Jewish refugees survive in the forests of Poland. From the first page, I didn’t want to put the book down.”

Jill, A Likely Story

“Alisha Rai has continued to deliver another relevant, swoon-worthy romance with First Comes Like. I enjoyed seeing the perspective of a contemporary Muslim woman in a way that wasn’t sensationalized or exoticized. Jia, the heroine, is a ball of sunshine toward whom I instantly gravitated for her open, generous heart, big dreams, and strong work ethic. Reading about her journey to conquer self-doubt taught me a little bit about reframing my own flaws and accepting myself, too.”

Stephanie, The Novel Neighbor

“There simply aren’t enough words in my vocabulary to explain how beautifully Julie Murphy is able to craft such sweet stories. If the Shoe Fits is the Cinderella twist readers have been waiting decades for.”

Hannah, Mystery to Me

“Where The Truth Lies is a disturbing and very atmospheric novel about a town full of abusers, racists, bigots and homophobes, a fire and brimstone preacher, and a congregation of religious zealots who use God as an excuse for all their evil or for the secrets they keep about their abusers. The writing will tug at your soul and even though bleakness and sadness pervade the novel you will not want to stop listening to the beautifully narrated story in the hopes that at least the young can escape and find happiness and normalcy.”

Nancy, Fiction Addiction

“Clark and Division is a propulsive mystery and a heart-wrenching examination of Japanese internment and relocation in the 1940s. Hirahara beautifully weaves history and injustice into this fascinating and compelling crime novel.”

Luisa, Book Passage

“Leah Johnson is officially an auto-buy for me. I honest to goodness could not stop marking this book, nor did I realize just how much I needed it. By the end, my eyes were run over and my cheeks were salty. This one’s for the musicians. This one’s for everyone who’s been missing the way live music grabs you and won’t let go. This one’s for the lonely-hearted and those who’ve been told they’re too big. And believe me when I say, you’re going to want to shed tears while listening too.”

Britt, Second Star to the Right

“Michael is a mixed-race gay teen growing up in London who goes to college and can’t find a place to fit in, until he discovers The Drag Society. This story, told in poetry, is full of stunning language and the joy of finding your place in the world.”

Ann, Blue Willow Bookshop

“Zhu’s tooth-and-nail fight for her destiny merges hero and antihero into a transcendent figure with an incomparably strong will. She Who Became the Sun carves out a bold and bloody new genre of epic fantasy.”

Jessie Prutisto-Chang, Third Place Books

“These small bites of fantasy and dark magic and even more dangerous characters are the best. Whether you devour it all at once or take those small bites and relish each short story, you will thoroughly enjoy this short story collection.”

Sandi, The Book Dragon

“Helen Ellis’s essays in Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light are equal parts ‘let me tell you how it is’ and sass. Her chapters celebrate the good, bad, and ugly of growing older with a dear group of friends. Read this book to find a kindred spirit then give it away to a girlfriend who needs the same. Human connection is the most important thing and Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light celebrates that.”

Rachel, Avid Bookshop

“Pop Song is an engaging blend of art criticism, memoir, and travelogue with the raw and confessional style of the microblogging generation. Larissa Pham’s prose bounces seamlessly and dexterously from looking outward to inward and back with equal attention, passion, and insight.”

Matt Stowe, Greenlight Bookstore

“A wonderful listen read by the author that is both reassuring and inspiring. If you loved Matt Haig’s Reasons To Stay Alive, this is the perfect follow-up listen. I particularly love Haig’s lists of music, art, film lists to reference after reading.”

Katie, Bank Square Books

“This book makes you feel like you’re on an adventure! More than just a saga about one eccentric millionaire’s treasure hunt, Chasing the Thrill is a nuanced and highly addictive story about Forest Fenn, his now infamous hidden treasure, and all of the controversies, joys, and tragedies that ended up being irrevocably intertwined with it. Barbarisi deftly anchors his narrative with an unvarnished look at his own experiences hunting for Forest Fenn’s hidden riches, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat until the very last page.”

Lucile, Copperfish Books

“Hola Papi was endearing and sweetly funny. I loved the structure of this memoir where Brammer is answering letters to his advice column with heart and empathy. The audiobook is expertly narrated by John Paul Brammer himself which added to the listening experience. Highly recommend!”

Jessica, Main Street Books Davidson

“Aftershocks was a really well written, compelling memoir that frequently brought you to the edge of your seat. Nadia Owusu covers many hot topics throughout her life, equating them to the before shocks, main shocks, and aftershocks of earthquakes, which are sprinkled throughout her life. This memoir is for anyone who cares about how race and identity overlap and intersect throughout a person’s life. The audiobook is also beautifully narrated by the author and is much worth the listen!”

Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys