Wellesley Books Newsletter | July 7th, 2021
It's been a long time coming, but we're dipping our toes back into the water with our first in-person author event...and, as you can see above, Bill's Book Group for Guys met IRL for the first time since early 2020. (The conversation and beverages flowed in this driveway belonging to a BBGG regular.) On the 17th, Jenn Bouchard will join us for an outdoor signing at our summer Sidewalk Sale--yes, that's back this year, too. Speaking of the world shifting back to something approximating "normal," we've also been treated to an unusually stellar late-season lineup of new releases this week, as well as a Summer Paperback Bonanza. Dig in!
Upcoming Online Events
Tonight! Wednesday, July 7th at 7:00 PM
Join Wellesley Books and other independent bookstores as Christina Baker Kline celebrates the paperback release of her 2020 bestseller, The Exiles. Set in 19th-century Australia, this ambitious, emotionally resonant novel tells the story of three women who are bound together as they fight for redemption and freedom in a new society.

Christina will be in conversation with John Searles, author of Strange But True. Special guests Elin HilderbrandChris BohjalianKristin Hannah, and Paula McLain will also appear throughout the evening.
Monday, July 12th at 8:00 PM
Join Wellesley Books in partnership with the Marcus JCC of Atlanta and the National JCC Literary Consortium for an In Your Living Room Live event to launch Daniel Silva’s new novel, The Cellist. This riveting, action-packed tale of espionage and suspense is the latest in Silva's bestselling series featuring art restorer and spy Gabriel Allon.

Daniel will be in conversation with Dana Bash, anchor and chief political correspondent for CNN.
Tuesday, July 13th at 7:00 PM
Joyce Maynard, author of After Her and Labor Day, presents Count the Ways, her most ambitious novel to date. A story of holding on and learning to let go, Count the Ways is an achingly beautiful, poignant, and deeply compassionate novel of home, parenthood, love, and forgiveness.

Joyce will be in conversation with Meredith Hall, author of Beneficence.
Saturday, July 17th at 2:00 PM
Jenn Bouchard joins us in-person at our Sidewalk Sale in front of Wellesley Books to sign copies of her new book, First Course.

"The food and the characters are equally scrumptious in First Course--a delicious debut from Jenn Bouchard." -Emily Belden, author of Hot Mess and Husband Material

There is no registration necessary for this signing line.
Tuesday, July 20th at 7:00 PM
Join Wellesley Books in partnership with William Morrow for an evening with Karin Slaughter, author of Pieces of Her and The Silent Wife, as she discusses False Witness, her new, electrifying standalone thriller--described by Booklist as "pitch-perfect storytelling."

Karin will be in conversation with Alafair Burke, author of The Better Sister.
Bookseller Recommendations
Jane recommends:
Count the Ways by Joyce Maynard (available July 13th)
In Count the Ways Eleanor and Cam marry and begin to raise their family on an idyllic New Hampshire farm. Maynard follows them and their children for the next 32 years--through joys and pain, agony and peace. She describes, in sorrowful detail, the deep sacrifices parents make and the resilience of familial bonds. If you want an engrossing family story, look no further. I loved it.
Ashleigh recommends:
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
The Jasmine Throne is fire and water: smoldering, intense, and voracious. It is a story about the resilience of women--against religious fanaticism, political maneuvering, poverty, misogyny, and generational trauma. Pryia and Malini, respectively a temple child and imprisoned princess, contrive a tentative alliance from which a thirst for one another grows. They fill a need for each other, amidst the plotting and chaos, but they also respect the mutual ambition of the other. Each woman is a weapon, forged in the fire of family violence and expectation, and honed to create a path entirely her own. Together, they will burn the empire down and from the rain of its ashes, rise. A tremendous new release that starts an epic queer, feminist, India-inspired trilogy.
Lorna recommends:
How to Die in Space by Paul M. Sutter
We can all agree SPACE is amazing. Paul M. Sutter makes it funny, interesting and amazing. If you would like astrophysics explained in the most entertaining and understandable way, this is the book for you.
New in Hardcover
Jason Mott
Francine Prose
Riley Sager
S.A. Cosby
Dana Spiotta
Christina Clancy
Diane Johnson
Kelly Williams Brown
Miranda Crowley-Heller
New in Paperback
Fredrik Backman
Lynn Steger Strong
Charlotte McConaghy
Christina Baker Kline
Emma Donoghue
Megha Majumdar
John Grisham
Helen Macdonald
Michele Harper
Reeves Wiedeman
Bookseller Recommendations for Kids and Teens
Sofia recommends:
The Memory Thief by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Ghosts. Magic. Witches. Witch Hunters. If you love any of those things in a book, definitely pick up The Memory Thief! This is an exciting and heartfelt adventure about the power of stories that I couldn't put down. It's easily my favorite middle grade novel of the year, and it's perfect for fans of Keeper of the Lost Cities and Harry Potter.
Cassie recommends:
Gearbreakers by Zoe Hana Mikuta
A high octane, cinematic adventure with some of the most gorgeous prose I’ve read this year. Eris is a Gearbreaker, a rebel, who, alongside her ragtag crew, take down the Windup mechas terrorizing the Badlands under false pretenses of their Godhood. Until the day she gets caught and is thrown in prison. There she meets Sona, a cybernetically-enhanced Windup pilot. But there’s much more to Sona than meets the eye. A high-stakes adventure for fans of Pacific Rim about colossal mechas, a tyrannical regime, and two girls on opposite sides of a war who come to realize they’re fighting for the same reasons. And possibly falling for each other.
New! Middle-Grade Subscription Club!
We're thrilled to announce a new subscription service for kids ages 8-12! Each month our children's book buyer Lauren and school liaison Cassie will select a newly-released chapter book. Get your hands on the newest and soon-to-be coveted books of the year. We offer monthly and yearly subscriptions, and you can pick up your book at the store or have it mailed to you. Click on the link below for FAQs about the program.

The July 2021 pick is Almost Flying by Jake Maia Arlow. To find out more about our subscription service, click here.
Picture Book Subscription Club: A Perfect Gift!
A Child's Library is a subscription service for children ages 0-5! Lauren and Cassie select one newly-released picture book each month to be sent or picked-up from the store. The goal of A Child's Library is to help foster a love for books within the child's home. It makes a great baby shower gift!

The July 2021 pick is Amara and the Bats by Emma Reynolds. To find out more about our subscription service, click here.
You're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat
Ira Marcks
Jess Keating & Marta Álvarez Miguéns
Steve Jenkins & Robin Page
Joan Holub & Laurie Keller
James O. Fraioli & Joe St. Pierre
New Releases for Kids & Teens
Leah Johnson
Rainbow Rowell
Michelle Ruiz Keil
Shakirah Bourne
Rukhsanna Guidroz & Fahmida Azim
Chris Negron
In the Gift Department
Alan Claude prints are back! They're perfect for hanging in a summer home, or in the home office for a midwinter escape. Each print comes framed and ready to hang, and includes a certificate of authenticity.
What We're Reading
Gillian
Ashleigh
Dog of the Week
Gus
Gus is a one-year-old Godiva Golden from Maine. His parents are champions in show, but he has no plans to follow in their footsteps--instead, he'll be living the good life with his family in Dover. He loves peanut butter, and his favorite Wellesley Square stopovers are tied between the bookstore and Truly Yogurt. (No hard feelings, Gus--we wouldn't turn down a Truly's either.)
Thank you for supporting your community independent bookstore!
Sincerely,
Rebecca Stimpson
82 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02482
781-431-1160