The cold mountain air is settling in, and the holidays are quickly approaching. ‘Tis the season and at Word After Word Bookshop, we are ready to cozy up with some good books! Whether you’re looking for your next read or the perfect book for everyone on your holiday list, we’ve curated a selection of our favorites — from captivating mysteries to heartwarming tales — all perfect for enjoying by the fireplace during the chilly winter evenings to come.
For contemporary fiction fans, we can’t stop raving about The Wedding People by Alison Espach. This darkly comical exploration of human relationships and what we live for has won over all of our booksellers. A mix of comedy and heartfelt moments, The Wedding People will spark laughter and reflection, and restore a little bit of your faith in humanity.
If you’re a historical fiction reader, you need to check out There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak. A sprawling novel about persecution, stories, cultural memory, and how water has shaped (and continues to shape) civilization, it is written with the cadence of a poet. Shafak moves between 2014 Turkey and 2018 and 1840 London, between the Thames and the Tigris, following three characters whose fates are entwined by a single drop of water.
For the literary fiction reader, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Powers returns with another astonishing novel, Playground, once again seamlessly integrating the majesty of the natural world into the lives and struggles of his characters. Enthralling and fascinating, this ocean-centric narrative flows from Chicago to French Polynesia and from the seafloor to the brave new world of AI.
Fantasy fans will have no shortage of books to add to their TBRs! If you’re looking for a great, cozy fantasy, look no further than The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman, a fantastically crafted exploration of Arthurian myths that will keep you engaged from start to finish. For an epic fantasy, check out The Night Ends with Fire by K.X. Song, a Mulan-retelling filled with magic, adventure, vengeance, and battling dragons. If you’re looking to fill the Fourth Wing-shaped hole in your heart, look no further than Fear the Flames, a delicious new enemies-to-lovers romantasy following a runaway princess bent on revenge (and yes, there are dragons).
Thriller lovers can’t miss our staff favorite, All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker, a beautiful yet gritty coming-of-age story with a who-done-it and characters so vivid they could walk off the page. For those who are more into cozy mysteries, we’re thrilled that Richard Osman, author of the Thursday Murder Club series, is kicking off a whole new series with We Solve Murders, following a private security officer who teams up with her retired cop father-in-law to spot a powerful and dangerous foe. You’ll be taken around the world in this humorous, yet twisty, whirlwind mystery.
Nonfiction readers will also find plenty to read this season! For the outdoor adventurers, A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fadarko is a fascinating addition to the genre wherein the author and a band of canyon-hardened desert aficionados undertake the herculean effort of traversing the length of the Grand Canyon end-to-end, a feat completed by fewer than 30 people. On top of tales from the trail, Fadarko also takes the time to thoroughly explain canyon ecology, geology, history, archaeology, and the struggles of various Native American tribes since the park’s inception.
Nature lovers will rejoice to hear that Robin Wall Kimmer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass, is publishing his first new book in over a decade. The Serviceberry, out Nov. 19., is another piece of foundational nature writing that explores the reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude of the natural world to create an inspiring vision for how we can be better members of the natural community.
For the history buff, look no further than Yuval Noah Harrari’s latest, Nexus. Where Sapiens traced the history of our species, Nexus takes a look at the quintessentially human invention of information networks. Beginning with oral storytelling, Harrari traces the evolution of our civilizations and their associated networks all the way up to the latest and greatest iteration: AI. Harrari paints a compelling, often harrowing vision of the ways in which this new technology is already reshaping society.
We can’t forget our younger readers! For our budding fantasy fans Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell is sure to become a modern classic. We follow Christopher as he discovers Archipelago, home to all the creatures of myth; but the magical world is threatened by the diminishing of the Glimourie, the power that drives all life in both realms, and he must team up with a wily girl and her griffin to save both their worlds.
For our novice sleuths, we’ve loved Sherlock Society by James Ponti (of City Spies stardom), which follows the two siblings that get in over their heads when they decide to start a detective agency over summer break. Not only is it laugh-out-loud funny, but it’s also impossible to put down until you’ve solved the mystery right along with Alex and Zoe Sherlock.
~ Word After Word Books, your local Truckee/Tahoe bookshop, is excited share its favorite book recommendations. Located in historic downtown Truckee, it offers a curated selection of books with an emphasis on local interests. It carries a range of indie bestsellers in fiction and non-fiction, and the Kids’ Room is amazing. It’s also home to Truckee’s vinyl record store, Rock Cellar Records. Learn more at wordafterwordbooks.com.
