book recommendations

What to Read After Watching Saltburn

So you just watched Saltburn, and you’re looking for something else decadent and deranged? Luckily for you the decadent and deranged are some of fiction's favorite subjects. 

Here are sixteen books to read after watching Saltburn:

 

Your Favorite Bob's Burgers Characters Go Book Shopping

Your Favorite Bob's Burgers Characters Go Book Shopping

Ever wonder what the characters of Bob’s Burgers would buy from an indie bookstore? Look no further! We have compiled a list of books that your favorite characters would (probably) read!

Cozy Mysteries to Read After Binging Only Murders in the Building

Cozy Mysteries to Read After Binging Only Murders in the Building

I recently had the pleasure of watching the tv show Only Murders in the Building (shout out to Rosa, Claire, and Allie for recommending it!) and I was delightfully charmed from start to finish. I quickly fell into this cozy mystery set in New York City following the unexpected trio of Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez as they try to solve a murder that took place in their fancy apartment building while starting a true crime podcast along the way. I was pulled in by the eclectic cast of characters, funny moments, and the twists and turns as the plot thickened.

As someone who tends to veer away from things with murder in the title, this show reminded me how fun a mystery can be and that there is in fact an entire genre of cozy mysteries out there to explore. So, if you too have just finished binging this show and are searching for some fun and not-too-scary cozy mysteries to read, check out the list below! And if you haven't watched the show yet, please go and remedy that right away. Happy sleuthing!

Our Top 10 Books of 2021

Our Top 10 Books of 2021

We asked the booksellers at all three of our locations for their favorite books of 2021. These are the top 10 books that made it onto the majority of those lists.

Check out the list below. All books are also available as digital audiobooks here.

Bookseller Danielle Chooses Your Next Book Club Pick

In our second installment of this series, we bring you a delightful queer romance to brighten up your day. And to make your book club meeting for this title even more fun, we also have some great ideas for what to drink, eat, read, watch, and listen to inspired by the book!

K-Pop & K-Drama Matches with YA Books

K-Pop & K-Drama Matches with YA Books

My mom has always been an important part of my media consumption. She is a true tastemaker, not caring if what she enjoys is trendy or cool, but is always ahead of the curve. She told me about the wonderful world of k-dramas back when Netflix had JUST switched to their early streaming platform from their mail-in system. Yeah, I know. She's cutting-edge! But my enjoyment of all sorts of Korean media began in earnest when I started seeing my partner. He showed me one Taemin video, and I was immediately and fully smitten and soon realized there was no turning back. K-pop, k-dramas, and even some Korean variety shows, I was hooked. 

Now, I'm not as enthralled as I was a few years ago, but Korean media is still very much a part of my balanced diet. And with the full global takeover of BTS, Parasite winning Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars, plenty of Korean stars in Hollywood films (Ma Dong Seok in the Eternals, anyone? Very exciting!), and now Squid Game becoming Netflix's most watched show ever it's safe to say that Korean media is here to enrich all of our lives for good.

For your reading (and viewing and listening) pleasure, my colleague Nicole and I paired some of our favorite young adult books with either a k-drama or a k-pop act. So if this is your first foray into the wonderful world of Korea—and its rich diaspora here in America—then look no further than the following titles. - Bookseller Niki

Happy Latinx Heritage Month!

Happy Latinx Heritage Month!

In honor of Latinx Heritage Month, here is a list of some incredible books by Latinx and Hispanic authors! From fiction to romance to young adult and middle grade, I hope you're able to find a new story to fall into.

Let us know what you're reading during Latinx Heritage Month by tagging us @thirdplacebooks on social media! We always love seeing what you're reading and finding new recommendations. This month long celebration takes place from September 15th - October 15th, as many independence anniversiaries for Latin American countries are between that time range.

We Love Indie Publishers

We Love Indie Publishers

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.

A Romance for Every Reader

A Romance for Every Reader

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!

Human Stories Behind Incarceration

Human Stories Behind Incarceration

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.

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