Hello book clubs! (And aspiring book club members!) Welcome back to our recurring blog post series: seasonal book club recommendations!
Below you will find our Fall 2021 book club picks - new paperback releases for the months of September, October, and November. Again, the books listed below are not intended to be exhaustive, rather a starting point for you and your clubs to find new and exciting voices to share with each other. And remember, we would love for you to join us at one of our virtual TPB Book Clubs. More information on programming and book picks can be found here. You don’t want to miss these amazing reads and discussions!
Happy fall reading!
When I didn't have a dog, I dreamed about the days when I finally would. I pictured long walks to far flung parks where I would spend an afternoon reading and dozing in the sun with my beloved pal resting against my legs. Or maybe a chilly fall evening, fully content with a steaming mug of tea in one hand, a book in the other, and my dog curled up on the rug at my feet. Hours of bliss while chipping away at my TBR pile with my loyal companion by my side. So cozy, so peaceful, so naive.
I think that's what many of us book folk imagine when we think about inviting a pet into our lives. The coziness, the peace. What we don't imagine is pushing the cat off our open book for the 23rd time, or removing books from the bottom shelves of the bookcase to save them from sharp and unforgiving puppy teeth. And we definitely don't imagine a hungry cat pulling books off a shelf at 5 AM trying to wake us up, or having to trudge out into a cold, rainy December night to walk the dog. Decidedly not cozy on the couch, decidedly not reading a book, and don't even ask about what dog vomit does to the pages of the brand new hardcover you just splurged on.
Fan Fiction can get a bad rap but that's generally because people who've never read fanfic have only heard the bad stuff which creates a lot of negative preconceived notions about it. When in reality, the content and community that has been created around fanfic is one of the most genuine things I've ever encountered on the internet that I think deserves more appreciation and recognition. If you're like me and have always been curious about fanfic but were never really sure where to start, keep reading.
Two of my co-workers, Claire and Caroline, are avid fanfic readers and I had the chance to sit down with them and pick their brains about the wondrous and wild world of fanfic. They have gone above and beyond with sharing their thoughts and resources and even created a helpful guide for fanfic key terms (that will be bolded throughout) and bios with each of their fanfic reading habits. So if you thought you'd missed your chance to be a part of this online community, let me assure you, it is never too late to start reading fanfic. I hope you have as much fun reading this as we did making it. - Nicole
There's just something special about a new title from Milkweed, Graywolf, or Tin House — to name only a few of the groundbreaking independent publishers operating today. I find myself mulling over the beautiful covers, eager to crack the spine without cracking the spine. Some of my favorite books have been published by indie presses, such as Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s World of Wonders from Milkweed and Carmen Maria Macahdo’s Her Body and Other Parties from Graywolf. Copper Canyon Press is also a favorite, publishing poetry books a mere hop, skip, and a jump away from Seattle in Port Townsend, WA. I mean, how cool is it that in this small, nondescript white building in Fort Worden State Park they birthed Ocean Vuong’s beautiful and wildly popular debut collection, Night Sky with Exit Wounds! And these are just some of the indie press titles we have available at Third Place Books.
Whether you’re new to the romance genre or an old hat, chances are you’ve read and enjoyed a good love story at some point in your life. I love this genre for its timeless element of human connection and the happy escapism of a satisfying ending. While the Romance genre has always been well read, it’s currently enjoying a resurgence of popularity, with publishers recognizing the genre as more than a guilty pleasure. There are so many authors of diverse backgrounds to choose from it can almost be overwhelming. Good thing our staff has many romance readers who can help show you the way!
There are so many podcasts that now have books associated with them!! Quite literally, these are two of my favorite things overlapping and it makes me so happy. I think it’s incredibly exciting that these stories and shows are not bound to just one medium but can exist in all sorts of formats.
The explosion of creativity and unique storytelling in the podcasting space continuously inspires me and always helps to refill my “creative well”. One of the best comfort remedies I have is to pop my headphones in, press play on one of my go-to chatty podcasts and color in one of my adult coloring books (or play Animal Crossing & Stardew Valley - shout out to Bookseller Allie for blowing my mind when she recommended listening to audiobooks/podcasts while playing video games, a total game changer). The combination of letting the casual conversation of friends wash over me while my hands and basic brain functions are kept busy with small, simple tasks that I can complete is very relaxing and an almost meditative process that I highly recommend.
The first time I processed an internet order for an inmate, it came along with the following comment: "Please include the invoice or it will be marked as contraband." I looked at the book on the order, and it was a harmless enough title that it wasn't even significant to remember now. I processed the order with extra care to highlight the important details, including the inmate's number that the customer provided. I wanted to make sure it reached its destination without any issue.
I take this amount of care with every order we receive on our site, and if you've purchased a book for pickup or shipping from Lake Forest Park, you've probably seen my name at the end of your email confirmations once or a dozen times. I take care not only because I like to do my job well, but I like to make sure the people who took the time to order through us -- carefully combing through staff picks for a new favorite, or checking previous blog posts for gift inspiration -- have an experience similar to actually being *in* our bookstore. Their support creates my desire to ensure the best service. Also, as someone who loves books as much as she depends on them, I know the excitement that comes with getting that package in the mail and opening it up in anticipation of all the new pages to flip through or underline or dog-ear. It's a ritual of sorts, one that I feel is universal among people of the bookish persuasion.
Hello book clubs! (And aspiring book club members!) Today I’m happy to introduce a new recurring blog post series: seasonal book club recommendations! Each season we’ll work to provide a list of new paperback releases that we’re excited about!
It’s so much fun pouring over the new release lists to find books that are great to read and discuss together. For this summer, we've gathered recent and upcoming paperback releases for the months of June, July, and August. The books below are not intended to be exhaustive, but we hope they’ll be a starting point for you and your clubs to find new and exciting voices and stories to share with each other. And if you want to join any of our Third Place Books hosted Book Clubs you can find more information here.
Part 2 of our book recommendations for the Adult Summer Reading Book Bingo is here! This game is put together by Seattle Arts & Lectures (SAL) and the Seattle Public Library (SPL). We've got lots of amazing picks for the second half of the bingo card so you can easily check off those squares and be on your way to getting bingo or a full card blackout! The challenge goes until September 7th so you've still got plenty of time to get in some great summer reading and potentially win some prizes.
Are you participating in the Seattle Public Library's Summer Book Bingo? Have you been meaning to do it during summers passed? Is this the first you're hearing about this? Well, however you answered these questions, I'm here to tell you all about the wonderfulness that is Book Bingo 2021!
Every summer, the Seattle Public Library (SPL) and Seattle Arts & Lectures (SAL) team up to bring hundreds of readers and non-readers alike 24 squares of reading opportunities. Why do kids get to have all the fun? You have until September 7th to read a line of five for a bingo or to read all 24 for a blackout. After submitting it via email, in-person, or social media, you are in the running to win some very cool prizes.
