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Hardwick, Vermont 05843
802-472-5533
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A Love of Books

As they say, "the heart wants what the heart wants," and for some of us, what our hearts want are books. Do you know the feeling of falling head over heels for a book or an author? Or of falling deeply in love with a character in a book? If so, you are among friends here!
One of the best things about working in a bookstore is sharing that joy with other readers - we get a zing of happiness from having discussions about books with people who come in, and we get the best warm fuzzy feelings when we get to witness people basking in the presence of an array of books and the stories they contain.

A love affair with literature can begin at any point in a person's life. Sometimes, it takes a while for the right book to come along and light that spark. Most often, though, it begins early, with the encouragement of parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and other mentors. This month, we are delighted to feature two young guests from the Woodbury Public Library, who shared with us their reviews of books we donated to their after school program. Our thanks to librarian Sara VanHof for being one of those mentors who are nurturing the next generation of readers.
“He loved books, those undemanding but faithful friends.”
― Victor Hugo,  Les Misérables
Valentine Special:
Free Card with Book Purchase!
February 9-15
It's our Valentine to our customers: February 9th - 15th, every book purchase will come with a free greeting card.*

Did you know that February is International Correspondence Writing Month? We encourage you to take the challenge, to send one letter, card, or postcard each day of February! If you need help thinking of people to write to, consider joining the Local Love Brigade, which is a group dedicated to sending messages of love and support in the face of hatred and intolerance.
You could also form your own love brigade with a group of friends, and make it even more fun by throwing a letter writing party!


While supplies last, one free card per transaction. Applies only to purchases that include one or more books.
Thursday, February 6
8:30 a.m. Breakfast Book Club
reads Upstream
*Meeting at The Flower Basket
Join the Breakfast Book Club for a discussion of Mary Oliver's Upstream, a collection of essays about the ways in which she connected to the world through nature and literature.

* Please note that we are meeting at a special location - The Flower Basket is hosting February's Breakfast Book Club in their tea room. The Flower Basket is located in the Daniels Building, across the swinging bridge - 156 Daniels Road, Hardwick. (Parking available!)

Book Club drop-ins are always welcome - no commitment is required, and new voices and perspectives are appreciated!
Special Guest Reviews
Starfell: Willow Moss and the Lost Day , by Dominique Valente, is a fantasy fiction story about a young witch girl with small powers who gets called upon by the most feared witch, who needs her to save the day. I liked the author's descriptive language and the storyline and plot because there was suspense and adventure. For example, I like the language in this sentence: "Willow, despite her name, was short with long stick-straight brown hair and brown eyes to match. She looked a lot like her father, while her sisters had inherited her mother's striking looks: tall, with flowing black hair and green eyes that were described as 'emerald hued.'"

I felt like the author could add more details to make the story longer. I would enjoy having others read this invigorating story because I think other young readers would like the mystical land and magical creatures. Also, other readers may enjoy the lead character, a young girl with small powers, saving the day. This is a nice
  • Review by Ava Stratman
Owly: The Way Home is a graphic novel about an owl trying to find a friend. This book is easy to read and has great pictures. I liked all the adventures Owly had while looking for a friend. In one adventure, he saved Wormy during a storm, and the unlikely friendship between a bird and a worm was started.

This is a good book, and I think kids from second grade and up who like graphic novels would enjoy reading this book.

  • Review by Maya Kittredge
Spotlight: Books We Love
One of the hardest questions for a bookseller to answer?
"What is your favorite book?"
There are just so many amazing books - it's impossible to choose just one! Still, we are prone to having love affairs with certain books and certain authors at any given time. (Sometimes, it's whichever book that we happen to be reading.) Here is a snapshot of what the booksellers at Galaxy are in love with right now.
Andrea:
The Princess Bride is the greatest twoo wuv story ever told.
Sandy:
During and after reading The House in the Cerulean Sea, I wanted to share it with everyone I could. That's how I knew I was in love.
Rachel:
Deerskin is a rough emotional ride, but I fell in love with it completely.
Ross:
Excellent writing and a compelling story.
Sally:
This one will be out in March, and it's so good!
Ivy:
This heart-rending book made me cry more than any other book I've read - I loved it.
(coming in April)
Mark Your Calendars
We take a break from events for most of the winter, but here are some dates to look forward to this spring!

  • March 7 - Paper Bag Princess Day
  • March 10 - Sean Prentiss reads from Crosscut
  • March 24 - Anne-Marie Keppel reads from Death Nesting
  • April 25 - Indie Bookstore Day
The Galaxy Bookshop | galaxybookshop.com