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
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
Genuine Skagit Cooking: Over 45 Recipes from the Heart of Skagit Valley by Blake Van Roekel and Stefanie LeJeunesseForage. Gather. Feast. 100+ Recipes from West Coast Forests, Shores & Urban Spaces by Maria FinnThe MeatEater Outdoor Cookbook: Wild Game Recipes for the Grill, Smoker, Campstove, and Campfire by Steve Rinella The Pacific Northwest is blessed … Read more
We Are Not Strangers: A Graphic Novel by Josh Tuininga Growing up in Seattle, Josh Tuininga tagged along with his grandfather to Pike Place Market, where they shopped at a Japanese seafood market. He wondered why his papoo, the son of Sephardic Jewish immigrants from Turkey, knew entire Japanese families by name. Using family stories … Read more
All Our Ordinary Stories: A Multigenerational Family Odyssey by Teresa Wong When she was a kid, Teresa Wong quit Chinese lessons to watch Saturday morningcartoons. She had no idea how her choice would ripple into the future. As an adult, shelooks back on a childhood spent translating for her immigrant parents and wonders: islanguage to … Read more
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa “The Cat Who Saved Books,” a translated work by author Sosuke Natsukawa, uses magical realism to reflect on the role of literature for the greater good of society. Natsukawa deftly blends realism and the fantastical to create an endearing story about finding new meaning in life after … Read more
Book and Dagger: How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II by Elyse Graham Mention the word “spy” and most people picture an action hero, not a professor combing through dusty archives. Yet that is exactly who extracted the intelligence necessary for the Allies to win World War II: librarians and … Read more