Gallery Bookshop's 2019 Holiday Gift Picks

The first middle grade novel from Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’ (now a popular Netflix film), is a funny, heartwarming story perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead, Ali Benjamin, and Holly Goldberg Sloan.

Patricia “Sweet Pea” DiMarco wasn’t sure what to expect when her parents announced they were getting a divorce. She...

Black Leopard, Red Wolf

“Black Leopard, Red Wolf is fantastically queer, black, and confounding! It is an enticing read, filled with love, sex, betrayal, and truths that are not so true.”

Dartricia, @dartricia_

The world's most entertaining and useless self-help guide, from the brilliant mind behind the wildly popular webcomic xkcd and the #1 New York Times bestsellers What If? and Thing Explainer

For any task you might want to do, there's a right way, a wrong way, and a way so monumentally complex, excessive, and inadvisable that no one would ever try... Read more »

Since her astonishing debut at twenty-five with Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Jeanette Winterson has achieved worldwide critical and commercial success as “one of the most daring and inventive writers of our time” (Elle). Her new novel, Frankissstein, is an audacious love story that weaves together disparate lives into an exploration of...

FKA USA

“This book is a wild ride through a post-dissolution, post-apocalyptic United States beginning a mere decade from now and continuing to the end of the 21st century. The political, technological, and ecological disasters it envisions seem all too plausibly extrapolated from the headlines of today. Despite the litany of cascading disasters — mass extinctions, warring androids, southern California dropping into the ocean, conflicts between different corporations controlling different sections of the former USA, mind control, goat-human hybrids, and more — Reed King injects a measure of hilarity into his tale. At the same time harrowing and hysterical, this is a great book by a visionary author. Highly recommended.”

Edward Newton, The Literate Lizard

When All Is Said

“Dark and unflinching yet packed with heart and humanity, When All Is Said is Irish storytelling at its best. Maurice Hannigan sits in a bar on a Saturday night and toasts five people who have been important in his life and who have left him, either through death or distance. The 84-year-old widower spools out his story like tangled fishing line, raising one glass to each of his departed loved ones. It all leads up to a startling yet inevitable end to an unsettling yet satisfying story.”

Grace Harper, Mac's Back-Books

Mythos

“Brush up on your classical mythology painlessly with the help of Stephen Fry! The Greek gods are brought to life with a fresh perspective and loads of uncensored naughty bits served with a side of pop culture references. Best enjoyed by listening to the Libro.fm audiobook to fully appreciate the storytelling aspect of these tales that were meant to be enjoyed in the oral tradition. But hard to resist the gorgeous package of the cloth bound hardback. I own both. :)”

Kelly, Fountain Bookstore

Learn how to manage your most difficult feelings and build the emotional strength you need to create the life of your dreams.
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Sadness, shame, helplessness, anger, embarrassment, disappointment, frustration, and vulnerability. In 30 years as a practicing psychologist, Dr. Joan Rosenberg has found that what most often blocks people from success... Read more »

Heartland

“A classic is born! Sarah Smarsh takes us on a five-generation trek through the hardscrabble life of her Kansas childhood in the ’80s and ’90s. Just as J.D. Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy and Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed addressed the uncomfortable topic of poverty in this country, Heartland successfully gives the reader an in-depth look at impoverishment in the bread basket of America. She writes with a crystal-clear and objective voice, never giving in to self-pity or malevolence. Indeed, tongue-in-cheek humor and tenderness often shine through. This book is a must-read, a milestone in the life of our country.”

Nancy Simpson-Brice, Book Vault

The Need

“THE NEED is a thriller about the sheer emotional and physical intensity of mothering and perhaps a rip in the time space continuum. Phillips is a gifted lyrical creator of worlds. Not for the faint of heart and wonderfully absorbing.”

Rachel, Avid Bookshop

Sorcery of Thorns

“Amazing! I wonderful fantasy I loved every bit of. The narrator brought this story to life, and I was hypnotized the entire time. This story has some of my favorite elements in it. A strong, smart heroine? Check. A charming hero with demons and a chip on his shoulder? Check. An evil threatening the safety of the world? Check. Elizabeth is such an interesting character, she is determined and clever and she has approximately no quit in her. Despite all of the things that stand in her way, she never says die. When she is forced to choose between the person she has always been, and sacrificing all she knows about herself to help save a clueless, thankless world, she becomes someone new. Part of this is because of Nathaniel. He embodies everything she has learned to avoid and fear. But the world she lives in is bigger than the fears she has been taught. Nathaniel is mysterious and tortured. Elizabeth is everything he doesn't want to need, and he rebels against that. Their partnership progresses naturally, slowly and arduously as they wrestle with what is happening. By the end of the book they have complete confidence in each other and I reveled in every stage of their relationship. Give me the slow burn partnership that neither wants, but works so well. I'll love it every time. Margaret Rogerson is amazing and this book HAD me from the very beginning.”

Sam, Bright Side Bookshop

PBS fitness personality on Classical Stretch and creator of the fitness phenomenon Essentrics, Miranda Esmonde-White offers an eye-opening guide to anti-aging that provides essential tools to help anyone turn back the clock and look and feel younger no matter what age.

Miranda Esmonde-White trains everyone from prima ballerinas to professional...

Hollow Kingdom

“This is the zombie apocalypse like you’ve never seen it before! Things go sideways when S.T. the crow’s human, Big Jim, loses an eyeball. Jim’s worsening condition propels S.T. to leave the safety of domestic life, along with the simple, slobbering bloodhound, Dennis. Together they roam the ruins of Seattle, searching for purpose in this new, Cheeto-less world. While Hollow Kingdom mostly follows the foul-mouthed, human-loving crow, Buxton also takes the occasional detour to see how other animals are coping around the world. Not only is our corvid companion a profane delight, she also manages to effortlessly capture the aloof arrogance of a cat, the wise cadence of an elephant, and even the eternal serenity of trees. Hilarious and at times surprisingly poignant, Hollow Kingdom is a must-read for anyone with a sense of humor as black as a crow’s wing.”

Darcy, Mysterious Galaxy Books

The Ten Thousand Doors of January

“This is one of the most beautifully written pieces of magical fiction I’ve ever read. I was obsessed with the book within the first two pages. Take an unforgettable journey with January Scaller through doors of lost worlds and heart-wrenching love stories. This book shows just how much power a story can hold, especially with the right storyteller at the helm. I could re-read this book countless times and still find new treasures that speak to me!”

Alexa Butler, Beach Books

The Bone Houses

“Featuring a pair of lovable, courageous misfits and their unexpectedly charming goat companion, "The Bone Houses" is truly a magical read. One part historical fiction, one part Welsh fairy tale, and one part zombie horror, this story will chill your bones and warm your heart in equal measure.”

Molly, Gallery Bookshop

A "suspenseful, atmospheric tale. . .punctured by a gut-punch twist" (Entertainment Weekly), A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World is a story of survival, courage and hope amid the ruins of our world.

My name's Griz. I've never been to school, I've never had friends, and in my whole life I've not met enough people to play a game of football.... Read more »

The Good Neighbor

“A wonderful biography of an American icon who seemed too good to be true. And yet, believe it or not, he was an even better, more caring man than he portrayed on television. If you are a fan of Fred Rogers and want to understand what drove him to create Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, this is an essential read. Learning more about Rogers’ life through the words of his family and friends in this well-researched and comprehensive biography will give you even more reason to admire the man. And when’s the last time a biography made you cry tears of joy?”

James Wilson, Octavia Books

Underland

“I don’t think there is a square mile of ground on this planet where Robert Macfarlane couldn’t dig up a new, wondrous story. Underland continues the tradition of profound storytelling, reflection, and, quite simply, gorgeous writing we have come to expect from him. Macfarlane’s ventures into the underworlds of our planet, both mythical and literal, may amount to his finest work yet, and not just because these are the places that have captivated me most throughout my life. I feel fortunate to be living at the same time as him, knowing that as long as he is writing, there is something to look forward to.”

Chris La Tray, Fact & Fiction Downtown

Experience earth from the big bang to the dinosaurs and beyond in this beautifully written, vibrant overview of our home planet's journey from creation to our time today.

The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone

“Fresh, fun, and fantastical! Rational, sensible Bronte was living an idyllic life with her Aunt Isabelle, when her absent parents get killed by pirates. Their will decrees that Bronte must travel through various kingdoms on a very specific schedule, delivering gifts to her 10 other aunts. How inconvenient! And yet – as Bronte learns how to speak dragon and makes friends with water sprites, she also hears tales of her parents, learns of her family heritage, and starts to suspect there may be more to this journey than she was first led to believe. An absolutely charming read for all ages to enjoy, though written for ages 8-12.”

BrocheAroe, River Dog Book Co.