Wellesley Books Newsletter | February 15th, 2023
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If you've stopped at Wellesley Books within the past few weeks, you may have noticed a bookseller wearing an intent expression, moving purposely through the aisles with a clipboard in hand--both signs that we're deep into Inventory Season. (Yes--several times a year, we count every single item in the store.) Though it's a task that sometimes frustrates, and is often tedious, it also enables us to see our shelves with fresh eyes. Taking a very close look at one part of the store--especially one you're not drawn to, as a reader--feels a bit like digging through a tucked-away closet in a familiar home and finding long-forgotten treasures that are, magically, somehow already yours. The big stacks on the tables may get all of the love and attention, but let's not forget about those deep cuts lurking in quantities of one or two in History or Nature or Religion, waiting for an appreciative home. Perhaps, one day, someone will write about the pleasures of bookstore inventory--it would be a worthy addition to the micro-genre of books about the joy to be found in commonplace tasks.
In addition to inventory, February brings an increasingly packed events calendar. We're coming off of great events with Laura Zigman and Marie Benedict this week; keep reading to see what else is in store.
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Please note that we are now featuring a mixture of online and-in-person events.
For further details about each event, please click the author photos below.
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Tonight! Wednesday, February 15th at 7 PM (in-person)
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**Update: This event will now include a pizza party! Come enjoy delicious food and a great conversation with the author.**
In this charming, heartfelt YA romcom about being on the asexual spectrum, a girl tries to craft the perfect wedding for her mother but discovers that sometimes the best parts of life can't be planned.
"An engrossing, emotionally dynamic coming-of-age story."
–Kirkus Reviews
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Tuesday, February 28th at 7 PM (in-person)
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This devilish thriller has a killer concept: The McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts is a luxurious, clandestine college dedicated to the fine art of murder where earnest students study how best to “delete” their most deserving victim. A delightful mix of witty wordplay, breathtaking twists, and genuine intrigue, Murder Your Employer will gain you admission into a wholly original world, cocooned within the most entertaining book about well-intentioned would-be murderers you’ll ever read.
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Thursday, March 2nd at 7 PM (in-person)
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"This book provides a road map for how we can shape the future so that it is innovative, equitable, and prosperous. Leaders from every realm—business, government, education, and social organizations—have much to learn from this book!"
–Ginni M. Rometty, former CEO of IBM
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Saturday, March 4th at 2 PM (in-person)
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Lincoln Peirce, author of the Big Nate comics and middle-grade book series, presents his new collection of comics, Big Nate: Nailed It.
This collection includes over 170 full-color comics and abundant laughs for the whole family, especially young readers ages 8 to 12.
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Sunday, March 5th at 1 PM (in-person)
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Told through creative language play, and with depth and whimsy, this picture book reminds readers of their own agency and the power they have to direct their own path.
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Monday, March 6th at 7 PM (in-person)
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Emma Fedor presents At Sea, her riveting and powerful debut that explores the fierceness of first love and how far one woman will go to learn the painful truth about her family.
"A wonderful, haunting and original read, full of longing and watery strangeness. Fedor perfectly captures the fever dream of first love. I was immersed and didn't want to come up for air."
–Katherine Faulkner, author
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Monday, March 6th at 7 PM (online)
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"Beautifully written and profoundly reasoned, this introspective search for meaning will appeal to readers seeking wholeness and community."
–Booklist
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Tuesday, March 7th at 7 PM (in-person)
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G.R. Macallister, author of Scorpica, joins us to discuss the latest in her Five Queendoms series, Arca.
As iron and magic clash on the battlefield and powerful women scheme behind the scenes, danger and violence abound. Can anyone stop chaos from ripping the Queendoms apart?
"Macallister keeps the tension high, brilliantly weaving together political intrigue and adventure."
–Publishers Weekly
Greer will be in conversation with Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman, authors of All of Us Villains.
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Wednesday, March 8th at 4 PM (online)
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This online event will be hosted by Book Passage on their YouTube page. (Please note that since Book Passage is on the West Coast, you may see the start time listed as 1 p.m.; the event begins at 4 p.m. Eastern time.)
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Bookseller Recommendations
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All the Beauty in the World is the touching memoir of a young man who responds to personal grief by leaving his glamorous job at the New Yorker to spend ten years as a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Amid glorious masterpieces and throngs of museum-goers, he affectionately recounts the rhythms of the museum community he comes to cherish.
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This book follows our main character through her first year of singledom after her brief marriage unceremoniously falls apart. Depression, delusional thinking, and self-pity all have a turn at a starring role here, but somehow the author handles it all with tenderness and a dash of humor. Many of the protagonist's observations about her circumstances and life in general made me giggle and/or nod my head in agreement. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
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On the surface, this is a solid, modern-day piece of realistic fiction that takes place in Cambridge, MA. Readers who love to know the streets their characters live on and walk daily, as well as their favorite haunts, will enjoy the Cantabrigian references throughout this story. At the heart of this novel is the reunion of estranged sisters who have spent many years apart. Despite their familial bond, and a shared childhood tragedy, they have never been close. While sometimes comical, this story is absolutely wholehearted. Be prepared to be ambushed with all the feels: love, tragedy, loss, and the desire to connect and be seen by those we love the most.
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Bookseller Recommendations for Young Readers
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A tear-jerker of a book (at least for me!) that reassures the “quiet ones” that we are perfect and important just as we are. It's not a sappy “special snowflake” story, but more like “use your natural talents to the best of your ability. You are important! Loud people are not inherently better than you! Tap into your intrinsic purpose!”
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I didn't think it would be possible to top the gothic intrigue, romance, and adventures of Hazel Sinnett after Anatomy. Luckily, I was incorrect, as Immortality raises the stakes and exceeds expectations. Hazel's risks are greater, heart burns stronger, and suspense is higher as we enter the royal court of George III, Princess Charlotte, and the mysterious Companions to the Death society. Brava indeed!
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Middle-Grade Monthly: A Subscription Club
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Middle-Grade Monthly is our subscription service for kids ages 8-12! Each month our children's book buyer Lauren selects 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.
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Picture Book Subscription Club: A Perfect Gift!
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A Child's Library is our subscription service for children ages 0-5! Lauren selects 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 February 2023 pick is In Every Life by Marla Frazee. To find out more about our subscription service, click here.
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Megan Wagner Lloyd & Abhi Alwar
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These newly-arrived Orla Kiely mugs are irresistible. They're pleasingly light in the hand, the perfect size for one strong espresso drink (or for several trips back and forth to the carafe), and, of course, they're covered in Keily's instantly recognizable designs. A definite upgrade to your morning routine!
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What We're Reading Now...
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publishes Feb. 28th
Tracy A.
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Ringo is a 5-year-old Portuguese Water Dog from Wellesley who visited us over the holidays. True to his name, he loves everything to do with water: swimming in it, lying in it...and drying off in the sun, or by the fireplace, afterwards. His favorite food? Whatever you happen to be eating! Don't be shy, Ringo.
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Thank you for supporting your community independent bookstore!
Sincerely,
Rebecca Stimpson
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82 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02482
781-431-1160
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