Staff Favorites

One Italian Summer

“This book was the perfect read that I finished with happy tears streaming down my face. Rebecca Serle’s writing is beautiful and gripping, and I will now read everything she writes. One Italian Summer has a hint of magical realism with time-travel in the premise. Katy and Adam are both so relatable I found myself wishing I was friends with both of them. This book is a love letter to motherhood, overcoming grief, and rekindling lost love. This book also helped feed my wanderlust and made me want to revisit Italy as soon as possible. Serle paints a pictures of Italy so beautifully that I could see it for myself and it felt as though I was transported for a day. This story will make you crave to learn more about your parents’ past and will allow you to look at every relationship with fresh eyes. ”

Abby, The Snail on the Wall

Liberation Day

“The stories are creative and well written, although can be a bit dark! This audio version is a must listen however. The various actors that read are all fabulous. It was such fun listening, I listened to some twice!”

Kristine, Buttonwood Books and Toys

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 »

Poverty, by America

“Desmond challenges readers to recognize how they benefit from poverty through low cost goods, services, and systemic structures that benefit those who already have resources (no surprise - they also have roots in racism and misogyny!). He reminds us that both the rich and poor benefit from government assistance, but only programs for the poor are denigrated. He examines why current programs aren't working, and proposes policies and attitude shifts that might help to close the gap. ”

Amy, A Great Good Place for Books

From the bestselling author of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir comes an unforgettable novel of a BBC-sponsored wartime cooking competition and the four women who enter for a chance to better their lives.

Two years into World War II, Britain is feeling her losses: The Nazis have won battles, the Blitz has destroyed cities, and U-boats have cut off the... Read more »

All My Rage

“Two thumbs up. I loved how the pacing accelerated as the story unfolded. Intense and heartbreaking, as well as refreshing and angering, in the best of ways. I was hooked, listening to the different voices and learning so much about Pakistani beliefs and traditions. Trigger alerts, though! Also important to hear about how folks live with unbelievable trauma and are still able to rise above. ”

Jen, Townie Books

Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting

“If you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (Gail Honeyman) and Anxious People (Fredik Backman), you’ll love Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley. I want to be Iona, and I want all of her fellow commuters to be my friends. This is a cheerful read, laugh out loud funny, and just what I wanted to read in these crazy times. Available for pre-order (June 7, 2022 publication date).”

Genevieve, A Great Good Place for Books

Things get textual when a steamy message from a random wrong number turns into an anonymous relationship in this hilarious rom-com by Lynn Painter.

Bad luck has always followed Olivia Marshall...or maybe she's just the screw-up her family thinks she is. But when a "What are you wearing?" text from a random wrong number turns into the hottest,... Read more »

If you enjoyed The Last House on Needless Street, then you’ll love How to Sell a Haunted House.

“When Louise returns home for her parents' funeral, she and her brother uncover long hidden family secrets and an entity that has haunted both of them for much longer than they have realized. While scary and very much a horror novel, this book is a beautifully heartfelt exploration of family and grief. It truly brought me to tears by the end!”

Will, Newtown Bookshop

“What Mr. Rogers was to children, Alexandra Horowitz is to dogs: a wise and patient observer who seeks to intimately know a creature... Her chapters, packed with close observations about canine cognition and behavior, are mini-mood lifters." —NPR, Maureen Corrigan on Fresh Air

What is it like to be a puppy? Author of the classic Inside of a Dog,... Read more »

WINNER OF THE 2023 PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTIONA New York Times "Ten Best Books of 2022 • An Oprah’s Book Club Selection • An Instant New York Times Bestseller • An Instant Wall Street Journal Bestseller • A #1 Washington Post Bestseller "Demon is a voice for the ages—akin to Huck Finn or Holden Caulfield—only even more resilient.” —Beth Macy,... Read more »

An intimate and electrifying collection of essays from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Delights  

In these gorgeously written and timely pieces, prize-winning poet and author Ross Gay considers the joy we incite when we care for each other, especially during life’s inevitable hardships. Throughout Inciting Joy, he explores... Read more »

The Light Pirate

“A survivor of a book. In the not-too-distant future, Florida is hurricane central, and Wanda (a hurricane namesake) is in the eye of this story that wraps around you; you’ll hold on for dear life, with everybody else.”

Michelle Bear, Edmonds Bookshop

A sharp allegorical novel about a hidden human civilization, a crucial election, and a mysterious invisible force that must not be named, by one of our most imaginative comic novelists

LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/FAULKNER AWARD • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post

When sociologist Nalini Jackson joins the SS Delany for the first... Read more »