October’s Bookseller Picks

“Completely original, this is the story of Benny and Annabelle, son and mother, dealing with tragic loss in their own unique ways. The narrator is The Book, and objects in Benny’s life are given voices to tell their own stories. The novel takes an innovative and magical realist look at hoarding, depression, mental illness, homelessness, climate change, and the interconnections of all things.”

Keith, Politics & Prose

“Anthony Doerr’s novel Cloud Cuckoo Land is a triumph. This cautionary yet hopeful tale of five very different people obsessed with one ancient book will transport you to Constantinople 600 years ago, present-day Idaho, and to a spaceship a generation or two in the future. It’s not too late to be good stewards of Mother Earth. Cloud Cuckoo Land reminds us that the children might just save us all.”

Rachel, Avid Bookshop

“Emily Itami has given us an incredibly engaging, hilarious, and relatable narrator in Mizuki as she navigates the fault lines in her marriage, in her past, and within herself.”

Danielle, Itinerant Literate Books

“A love letter to 1960s Harlem that’s also a heist novel, a family saga, and so much more. Colson Whitehead proves once again that he’s always at the top of his game!”

Alyssa, Copper Dog Books

“Full of heart, hope, grief, humor, delicious character development and perfectly steeped tea, Under the Whispering Door is one-of-a kind. I laughed, I cried, I stayed up far too late reading. You don’t want to miss this book.”

Miriasha, Phoenix Books

“This story sparkles and enchants! It’s a rich and layered multi-generation saga featuring strong women and a mystery veiled in magical realism that will tease and feed your imagination.”

Grace, University Book Store

“Translated from German, this was a most excellent tale of Olga. It read like a memoir. I enjoyed the varied narrators, each with a different view of her simple, yet profound life. This felt like sitting down with my grandmother’s journals and rediscovering she lived a thousand lives aside from the one I knew like the back of my own hand.”

Kathy, The Well-Read Moose

“A brilliant story set in 17th-century England about a women’s community at the margins of society and the constant dangers of religious fervor. Dark, unsettling, and highly entertaining.”

Ulrika, Brazos Bookstore

“This was just so darned delightful. I loved Moon, and her sharp retorts (she comes up with the best insults!), as well as her determination to succeed at her goals even though she constantly doubts herself. While there is a great enemies-to-lovers romance…to me, this is more about Moon’s family dynamics and how she reconciles them with her life. I listened to this and the narrator is fantastic.”

Audrey, Belmont Books

“If, like me, your catnip is the taciturn, brainy, hot hero who is secretly a big squishy marshmallow at heart, look no further than this awesome debut!”

Angela, The Haunted Bookshop

“At once gritty and graphic, tender and heart wrenching, Razorblade Tears is the story of two fathers hardened by life circumstances and their respective prejudices who seek vengeance against those who killed their gay sons. The audio was perfection. We NEED this novel to be on the big screen, with Denzel Washington playing Ike. ”

Jessica, Main Street Books Davidson

“A feel-good family mystery, with a host of quirky characters. Travel back to the golden era of holiday camps in the UK, where magic and reality collide for a young clairvoyant, creating a tangled web for the next generation. I loved listening to this book on Libro.fm.”

Amy, Bright Side Bookshop

“Six YA superstars collaborate on this delightful collection of short love stories about black teenagers falling in love during a city-wide blackout. With such a diverse lineup of voices and romance tropes, there is a love story in here for every reader.”

Sofie, Phoenix Books

“I think each of Margaret Rogerson’s books are better than the previous! Vespertine has it all. The gothic setting lent the events of the story an oppressive and mysterious feel throughout the entire novel. Then, we get a magic system that feels simultaneously ancient and unique, only to top it off with a heart-pounding cat-and-mouse chase with morally gray and unreliable characters around every corner. Every time I thought I had things figured out—another plot twist was revealed!”

Leah, Bright Side Bookshop

“This book was amazing, brutal, unique, and horrific. The audiobook was absolutely fantastic. There was so much representation and so many difficult topics and situations handled really well. The characters are extremely morally grey but it made it so intriguing to never know what they were going to do next. I will definitely be recommending this book!”

Lauren, Schuler Books

“My, my, my. This book evoked so many emotions out of me that I finished reading it last night, threw it across my room, and then screamed internally all night, picking it back up occasionally to see if the final few sentences changed, and then tossing it again when they hadn’t. Novik has perfected the art of sucking you into her worlds and chucking you right down in a seat next to her characters, making you feel like you’re one of them. I want ten more books in this world, but I’ll be content with the next one in my hands as soon as possible so I can soothe my aching heart! ”

Caitlyn, Bookmarks

“Sometimes you may just want to think about anything other than human beings. Pick up On Animals by Susan Orlean and you’ll find yourself delighting in the fascinating world of donkeys, orca whales, dogs, and pigeons. A lifelong animal lover, Orlean’s essays are beautifully written and frankly quite delightful.”

Rachel, Avid Bookshop

“Using Black performance as a loose organizing principle, Abdurraqib has written a brilliant, expansive, insightful, and personal book. There is something of Montaigne’s penchant for humility and brilliance in equal measure; of Susan Sontag’s use of cultural criticism to understand history and the self; of Zadie Smith’s verbal wizardry, playfulness, and wide-ranging curiosity; and Ross Gay’s sensitivity, sense of beauty and poignancy, and, ultimately, joyfulness. Another gift from this magical writer!”

Jeff, Seminary Co-op Bookstores

“In this brutally honest coming-of-age memoir, Qian Julie Wang comes to terms with the deprivations and struggles of her undocumented Chinese upbringing in New York City in the 1990s.”

Kayleen, InkLink Books

“The story of Sarah Ruhl’s smile—how it broke and how it healed again—encompasses so many other stories, so many other journeys: through early motherhood, through postpartum depression, through maintaining an artistic self when you are torn in many directions. Most of all, through the intelligence, vulnerability, and wisdom of her voice, Sarah Ruhl shows us how important it is to be the storyteller of your own life. This book will be your new best friend.”

Nina, Bookends & Beginnings