The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters We’re several months away from berry season here in Whatcom County but that shouldn’t deter you from reading Amanda Peters’ thoughtful debut novel “The Berry Pickers,” which won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and topped many “best of the year” lists. The book opens during the summer of … Read more
The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis “The Road to Roswell,” by Connie Willis is a delightful romp of a sci-fi romance novel set in the American southwest. Francie, our story’s protagonist, has traveled to Roswell, New Mexico to be the maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding. Of course, Francie’s true intention in … Read more
The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister Wenna Haddesley hasn’t seen her family, their crumbling manor, or their ancestra cranberry bog since she ran away as a teenager. But when she receives a letter calling her home for her family’s mystical, once-in-a-generation ritual, she returns to Appalachia to confront her past. Upon arrival, she finds the … Read more
The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei After years of pulling off interstellar art heists, Princeton graduate student Maya Hoshimoto now uses her skills of evasion to dodge her nagging thesis advisor. But when she stumbles upon a rare library book containing a map to the Stardust Grail—an artifact that could save an alien civilization—she and … Read more
Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey In early March 2020, just before the pandemic shut down travel, Alaskan author Eowyn Ivey visited Bellingham to share her book “To the Bright Edge of the World” as that year’s Whatcom Reads featured author. Now, five years later, fans of Ivey’s work have a new Alaskan novel … Read more
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Regan Barnhill “When Women Were Dragons” is a work of magical realism by author Kelly Regan Barnhill. It imagines a world in which women randomly transform into dragons to fly away, leaving their human lives behind. While there is a mystery here of why women are “dragoning,” don’t let … Read more
Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister On a beautiful June morning, literary agent Cam Deschamps has just arrived at work when she receives shocking news. Her husband Luke is involved in a hostage situation – not as a victim, Cam soon learns, but as the hostage taker in a standoff with police. The news is … Read more
The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens To most people, Hana Babić is an unassuming librarian, easily overlooked. Only her friend Amina knows the truth: that Hana is a survivor of the war in Bosnia who garnered a fierce reputation as a militia fighter following an unspeakable personal tragedy. After fleeing Bosnia, Hana cast aside her … Read more
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley “The Ministry of Time” is not like other romance novels. It’s more of a mashup: science fiction time travel meets spy novel lite with some history, romance and a dash of spice. The protagonist is an unnamed young woman eager to rise through the ranks of the UK … Read more
The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel Stéphane Breitwieser is perhaps the most prolific art thief of all-time. He committed over 200 heists throughout Western Europe, purloining an art collection with an estimated value of $2 billion. Working both solo and in conjunction with his partner, Anne-Catherine, Breitwieser’s heists … Read more