We're celebrating Women’s History Month! Join us all month as we pause to recognize the accomplishments of women throughout the years to our culture and society. From human rights, to science, to sports, the arts, and every field imaginable, we remember the extraordinary women who have lead the way for change. We've created a list of recent non-fiction and historical fiction titles to inspire you to celebrate with us. Shop online, or better yet, stop by to see even more of the titles we've collected for you!
And what else is new? Well, some amazing books are releasing in the next few weeks, others have just released, and our amazing staff has released their latest recommendations for you. So scroll down to see what we're excited about this month. Click any book cover to learn more, and visit us soon!
|
|
Coming Soon: Pre-order Now! |
|
|
|
All Her Little Secrets, by Martha M. Morris |
A taut legal thriller, this debut novel truly has it all – a devious plot, slick characters, and a riveting pace. Ellice, a corporate attorney, is finally given the upper echelon job she has worked hard to achieve, but only after the sudden death of her boss. Her rise to the top is not without complications that quickly turn into terror. Everyone has secrets, and her carefully crafted life unravels in the conspiracies that abound. Truly a novel for our times, it explores themes of racism, sexism and feminism in the workplace, alongside other troublesome problems in our complex society. Best of all, it is highly entertaining! ~ Jane
|
|
|
|
The Final Case, by David Guterson |
Two stories intertwine in Guterson’s gripping and heartrending new novel: One portrays the close bond between an aging lawyer and his son, a novelist; and one follows the court case involving an adopted Ethiopian girl who dies of hypothermia just outside the home of her fundamentalist family in rural Skagit County. It is revelatory and, at times, dark reading. Guterson, a master of his craft, delivers a corner of the Pacific Northwest with all the faithful nuance of description he gave to Snow Falling on Cedars. The story he tells with great elegance is fearless, profound, and very much of our time. ~ John, Bookseller Emeritus
|
|
|
|
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness, by Claire Vaye Watkins |
In a disorienting blend of autobiography and fiction, Claire Vaye Watkins creates a story about a woman named Claire Vaye Watkins, who is a writer, and, also like her, the daughter of a drug addicted mother and member of an infamous, murderous cult. Enroute to deliver a lecture in Reno, the fictional Claire, suffering post-partum depression, spirals away from the loving husband and infant child she left at home, and into the damage from her own past. This is a riveting, raw, wholly unique tale of disasters, traps, and failures, told with insight and a surprising amount of humor. ~McNevin
|
|
|
|
Small World, by Jonathan Evison |
This illuminating journey across intertwining generations of Americans begins on a train, a potent symbol of our country’s promise and expansion, as well as our flaws. Crisscrossing time and place, Evison nimbly weaves the story of five families as they rumble through history, always with the hope of reaching the American dream. From two Irish children who are orphaned not long after their arrival in the 1850s, to a high school basketball star in 2019 – whose single mom lives to give him the tools and foundation for an education and better life than her own – these stories resonate with the obstacles and triumphs that our beautiful, if imperfect, country offers. All aboard! ~Victoria, Bookseller Emeritus
|
|
|
|
Secrets of the Sprakkar: Icland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World, by Eliza Reid |
Sprakkar is Icelandic for extraordinary women. This marvelously insightful and inspiring glimpse at one of the world’s most gender-equal countries is a joy to read! Eliza Reid, Iceland’s First Lady, leads the reader on a journey through her adopted homeland from medieval legend, to the day in 1975 when Iceland’s women went on strike, to the stories and voices of contemporary women. In what could be a blueprint for the world, Iceland took a determined path to giving women the equity that would culturally and economically benefit the entire country. In relating her own story Reid gives us a unique view into the extraordinary life of this small but mighty nation. Her voice is warm, thoughtful, and leaves the reader feeling like they have just spent an afternoon chatting by the fire with a strikingly intelligent new friend. ~Susan
|
|
|
|
Olga Dies Dreaming, by Xochitl Gonzalez
|
Olga, stuck in a lucrative but intellectually vacant career as a wedding planner for the one percent, is sleepwalking through life. Olga’s conscience is awakened by a series of events: a new lover who has a bad habit of asking very personal questions about core values, her militant absentee mother’s impending return, and a devastating hurricane that sweeps across Puerto Rico. Xochitl (Shoshill) Gonzalez’s debut novel tackles questions of family, abandonment, racism, and ultimately, love. Gonzalez’ prose is confident, filled with humor and uncomfortable truths, and surprisingly mature for a new author. The characters are witty, conflicted, hilarious at times and keep the story moving at a rapid pace. A perfect read for those seeking an intelligent story with meaningful questions and a happy ending. ~Jim
|
|
|
|
Strange Beasts of China, by Yan Ge |
Fantastical, witty, sometimes spooky, this book absolutely stole my heart. While every chapter is essentially a short story, Ge skillfully carries our narrator’s beautiful, funny, poignant tale to the very end. Strange Beasts of China is a meditation on how we treat those around us, both those we love and those with whom we share our world. ~Cappy
|
|
|
|
A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, by Emma Southon |
Who knew murder in ancient Rome could be hilarious? Historian Emma Southon did! With humor, compassion, and deep expertise, Southon has crafted an absolute treat in A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. An investigation of Roman’s obsession with murder, this book will be a hit with fans of Mary Roach’s or Bill Bryson’s sense of humor. ~Cappy
|
|
|
|
Sundial, by Catriona Ward |
Ward's quickly becoming one of my favorite writers! The title's reference to a famous Shirley Jackson book is appropriate, both in terms of content and quality. From a lonely homestead deep in the Mojave Desert, this propulsive psychological thriller and gruesome gothic tale of familial trauma, lies, and secrets that won't stay buried springs forth. There are ghosts, literal and not, as well as more physical and visceral threats. In the wide, empty expanse of the desert, reality itself is unreliable. Macabre. Moving. Masterful. ~Luciano
|
|
|
|
The Splendid and the Vile, by Erik Larson |
Larson combed extensive primary-source materials to illuminate the experiences of Britons during the 1940-41German bombing of London, in an effort to make an invasion and occupation possible. In fascinating detail, we come to understand how Britain survived, with the result that Hitler pivoted and invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. The author skillfully mined his sources and told the story of the blitz with care and eloquence. Fans of Larson's previous books, Dead Wake and Devil in the White City, will not be disappointed. ~David
|
|
|
|
The Ministry for the Future, by Kim Stanley Robinson
|
Ministry of the Future is an unconventional novel, and an important one. Told through a combination of various first-person accounts – plus internal meeting notes and brief essays – it follows a small handful of characters across decades as they struggle to save citizens of the future from the destruction of the ecosphere. The story shies away from nothing – indeed, it starts with a vividly described climate disaster that results in the death of millions – yet it is not a story about a post-apocalyptic dystopia, but of hope and struggle. It is about a
future already upon us, and in which we must just overcome extraordinary
challenges. ~McNevin
|
|
|
|
Lost & Found, by Kathryn Schulz
|
In this brilliant treatise on grief and love, Schulz uses fascinating pockets of research to help us think about loss, weaving in personal narrative on the death of her beloved father. Just as we begin to settle into the complexity of grief, the second part of the book emerges with Schulz's enchanting story of love as she illustrates the satisfying art and accident of discovery. Such a beautiful book! ~Carrie
|
|
|
|
Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century, by Kim Fu |
Fu's debut collection is a stylish prose potpourri of fantasy, crime, and sci-fi. Reality shifts with every word to reveal the weird, the strange, and the wonderful. Technology is a double-edged sword, of course, but so is marriage, friendship, sleep, even food. An insomniac is seduced by the sandman. A sea monster looms as a conflicted bride plans her big day. Wings sprout on the legs of a young girl. A funeral crasher discovers a potential murder. Fans of Kelly Link, Karen Russell, and Neil Gaiman will find themselves right at home. ~Luciano
|
|
|
|
The Last Samurai, by Helen DeWitt
|
First, an important spoiler: This book has nothing to do with the Tom Cruise movie by the same title. Rather, Helen DeWitt has written an elegant novel about an American woman in England and her precocious son Ludo, raised on the full gamut of philosophers, mathematicians, and linguists. What he has most lacked, she feels, is a father figure, but she has found Kurosawa's classic The Seven Samurai fills that gap well enough. Or it does until Ludo, determined to learn his father's identity, embarks on a strangely perilous quest for information, using the film (not to mention Icelandic sagas, mathematical formulae, & more) to light his path. ~Rafe
|
|
|
|
How to Be Perfect, by Michael Schur |
How honest must we be if the truth would offend a friend? What if the products we buy involve child labor or animal cruelty? The field of ethics is endlessly fascinating, but much moral philosophy can seem abstract and far removed from such real-life concerns. Although this book is flippant in places, it is nonetheless a mostly accurate introduction to classic ethical theories, and delves into many practical and intriguing issues, including the famous "trolley problem" that vexed one of the main characters in The Good Place. If you've seen either of these clever TV series, The Office or Parks and Rec, you'll recognize Shur's comedic style; he worked as a writer and producer for those shows. ~David
|
|
|
|
The Sun and the Moon: The Remarkable True Account of Hoaxers, Showmen, Dueling Journalists, and Lunar Man-Bats in Nineteenth Century New York, by Matthew Goodman |
Fake news! Really, really fake! Fans of Erik Larson and Daniel James Brown will love this seemingly too-good-to-be-true story of how a middling NYC penny paper became the most read news publication in the world after running a series of sensational fictitious stories detailing the discovery of life on the moon. Cutthroat politics, unscrupulous newsmen, P.T. Barnum, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Big Apple itself, a troubled but booming metropolis wracked by growing pains of every stripe, are all feature players in this rollicking atmospheric tale. ~Luciano
|
|
Eyes That Speak to the Stars
by Johanna Ho
|
|
Tilda Tries Again
by Tom Percival
|
|
Why Not You
by Ciara and Russell Wilson
|
|
Once Upon a Tim
by Stuart Gibbs
|
|
New From Here
by Kelly Yang
|
|
Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts
by Erika Lewis
|
|
The School for Whatnots
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
|
|
White Bird
by R.J. Palacio
|
|
The Ogress and the Orphans
by Kelli Barnhill
|
|
New Books For Young Adults |
|
Travelers Along the Way
by Aminah Mae Safi
|
|
|
Girl on Fire
by Alicia Keys
|
|
This Golden State
by Marit Weisenberg
|
|
Lost Dreamer
by Lizz Huerta
|
|
All My Rage
by Sabaa Tahir
|
|
Drop In - You are Welcome! |
All Store Book Group titles are discounted 15% up until the date of discussion
Reader's Circle Book Group
April 5, 7:00 pm
Speculative Fiction Book Group
April 6, 7:00 pm
Mystery Book Group
March 22, 7:00 pm
Our popular in-store book groups are now meeting virtually by zoom!
Contact us or check our website for the meeting links.
|
|
|
Thank You For Supporting The Island's Independent Bookstore |
|
157 Winslow Way E
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
206.842.533
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
