With the summer in the rearview mirror, we’re looking forward to all of the treasures the Fall season has in store for us. Check out some of the books we’ve been buzzing about in-store and look out for those we’ll be hosting events for. This Fall’s going to be jam-packed with literary goodness!
The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
The Secrets We Kept is one of the Fall’s buzziest books – garnering attention from the New York Times, landing on countless ‘Highly Anticipated’ lists and being named the September pick for Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine book club.
All the hype aside, we’re absolutely fawning over this book. Austinite and Michener Center Graduate, Lara Prescott, spins a thrilling tale of secretaries turned spies, of love and duty, and of sacrifice—inspired by the true story of the CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of Soviet Russia, not with propaganda, but with the greatest love story of the twentieth century: Doctor Zhivago.
Uriel calls it a “lush, beautifully rendered piece of historical fiction,” while Merrilee sings the praises of a book that champions “spy novels and kick ass women,” saying it’s essential reading “for anyone who cares about literature and censorship.” And Tomoko chimes in, calling this, “a blazing debut that reminds us of the power that books wield and–despite the romance and thrills of the past–to never step back in the forward march for freedom and equality.” Be sure to grab your copy today and join us on September 17th at 7PM when Lara Prescott stops by the store to read from and sign this gorgeous novel.
Quichotte by Salman Rushdie
Out today is Quichotte, the latest from the bestselling author of The Satanic Verses and Midnight’s Children, Salman Rushdie. A finalist for 2019’s Man Booker Prize, Quichotte pays homage to the Cervantes classic with the story of Sam DuChamp, a mediocre writer of spy thrillers, who invents the titular Quichotte, a courtly, addled salesman obsessed with television, who falls in impossible love with a TV star. Together with his (imaginary) son Sancho, Quichotte sets off on a picaresque quest across America to prove worthy of her hand, gallantly braving the tragicomic perils of an age where “Anything-Can-Happen.” And like Cervantes, Rushdie uses this novel to satirize modern culture, taking readers on a wild ride through a country on the verge of moral and spiritual collapse.
Bookseller Chris says, “Rushdie gives us his madman of the present age, where madness is catching everywhere.” It’s a book we’ve been eagerly awaiting as we prepare to host Rushdie this Friday, September 6 at 7PM at the First Baptist Church of Austin. Be sure to grab tickets TODAY!
Revolution of the Soul by Seane Corn
In Revolution of the Soul, celebrated yoga teacher and activist Seane Corn shares pivotal accounts of her life with raw honesty—enriched with in-depth spiritual teachings—to help us heal, evolve, and change the world. It will help guide you into a deep, gut-level understanding of your highest Self through yoga philosophy and other tools for emotional healing—not just as abstract ideas but as embodied, fully-felt wisdom. Why? To spark a “revolution of the soul” in each of us, so we can awaken to our purpose and become true agents of change.
Come out for what’s sure to be an enlightening conversation and signing with Seane on October 11th at 7PM!
Bruce’s Big Storm by Ryan T. Higgins
Bruce is back…and in an already full house. When a big storm brings all his woodland neighbors knocking, he’ll have to open his door to a crowd of animals in need of shelter—whether he likes it or not. Find out what happens next when Ryan T. Higgins visits the store for a special storytime presentation on Tuesday, September 10th at 6 PM.
Dominicana by Angie Cruz
Dominicana is the breakout novel from Angie Cruz. It tells the story of a Dominican teenager’s arranged marriage and subsequent immigration to 1960s New York City.
Our marketing and events manager Cristina adores this book so much that her review was selected for the Indie Next List!
Here’s what she had to say: “Angie Cruz is a beautiful writer with a powerful voice, and readers of Julia Alvarez and Sandra Cisneros will greatly enjoy this book! Dominicana is a riveting story about family, womanhood, and what it means to be an immigrant. Ana Cancion, who’s only 15, leaves her home behind for a new life in New York City with her soon-to-be husband, Juan Ruiz. Big lights, tall buildings, and a bright future constitute the promise of a new beginning. However, upon Ana’s arrival, her fate untangles into something unexpected. It’ll be really hard to forget these characters and the realness in their heartache. Throughout these pages, I fell in and out of love, I laughed, I cried, and I was deeply moved.”
How To by Randall Munroe
For any task you might want to do, there’s a right way, a wrong way, and a way so monumentally complex, excessive, and inadvisable that no one would ever try it. How To is a guide to the third kind of approach. It’s full of highly impractical advice for everything from landing a plane to digging a hole. Bestselling author and cartoonist Randall Munroe isn’t just making things difficult for himself and his readers, he’s inviting us, in a delightfully mind-bending way, to better understand the science and technology underlying the things we do every day. Order a copy now and you might just snag one of a limited supply of signed copies we received earlier today!
Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff
The epic conclusion to the bookseller recommended Nevernight Chronicles is finally here, and boy is it good! Fan of the series, Rachel R says, “‘Sometimes the past won’t just die. Sometimes you have to kill it.’ The only thing higher than the stakes in this heart-stopping conclusion to the NEVERNIGHT CHRONICLES is the body count. Incredibly satisfying, DARKDAWN proves that Kristoff is a master of the long game (perhaps even more than Scaeva himself) as he slowly reveals the chess board of motivations and desires that’s been mostly cloaked in shadows. But–perhaps most significantly–even as the plots ramp up to their world-shattering conclusion, Kristoff never loses sight of what makes this trilogy important in the first place: the depth of character, their relationships with one another, and that above all else, above politics and religion and revenge, familia is all.”
The Truth About Grandparents by Elina Ellis
In a charming and always delightful way, Elina Ellis upends our preconceived notions about grandparents in this book about all the things that make them A-MA-ZING!
It’s full of lovely illustrations and it’s also perfect for reading aloud (We tried it out for ourselves and had the best time).
Someone who can’t get enough of this one is Kids events & marketing director, Eugenia. She says, “[The Truth About Grandparents] is the ultimate love letter to grandparents everywhere! Possibly.. specifically to grandparents who are not afraid to dance… try new things… play video games… ride rollercoasters… and smooch in front of their grandkids! This book is full of life and wonder, just like its characters!”
Loki by Mackenzi Lee
Loki is is the first of three young adult novels from New York Times best-selling author Mackenzi Lee that explores the untapped potential and duality of heroism of popular characters in the Marvel Universe. Following Loki in his pre-Avengers days, we find him in a state of desperation to prove himself heroic and capable. An opportunity presents itself when Odin sends him to 19th Century London to investigate a string of mysterious murders.
Former BookPeople bookseller Jan says, “I’m obsessed with our favorite trickster god as a bisexual teen, solving magical murders in Victorian London. Spiritualism! Zombies! This book’s got it all!” Mackenzi Lee is a HUGE bookseller favorite and her contribution to the lore of Loki is sure to be a welcome addition to the MCU canon.
Permanent Record by Mark H. K. Choi
Mary H.K. Choi follows up bookseller favorite, Emergency Contact, with Permanent Record, a chronicle of unexpected romance. Record finds Leanna and Pablo, young adults on opposite paths, at the same bodega at 5:00 AM in the dead of winter. It’s absurd to think they’d be A Thing. But as they discover who they are, who they want to be, and how to defy the deafening expectations of everyone else, Lee and Pab turn to each other. Which, of course, is when things get properly complicated.
Super fan Eugenia calls the writing “completely fresh, cool,” the story, “a fun, fantastical romance that isn’t afraid to get messy.” We’re all thrilled to finally read this one and even more excited to meet her at the Texas Teen Book Festival on October 12th!
There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool
For over two thousand years, the Seven Prophets guided humanity. Using their visions of the future, they ended wars and united nations—until the day, one hundred years ago, when the Prophets disappeared. All they left behind is one final, secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness and the birth of a new Prophet who could be the world’s salvation . . . or the cause of its destruction.
As chaos takes hold, five lives are set on a collision course: a prince exiled from his kingdom; a ruthless killer known as the Pale Hand; a once-faithful leader torn between his duty and his heart; a reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone; and a dying girl on the verge of giving up. One of them—or all of them—could break the world. Will they be savior or destroyer? We’re delighted to be hosting Pool later this year the The Texas Teen Book Festival!
Butterfly Yellow by Thanhhà Lai
In the final days of the Viet Nam War, Hang takes her little brother, Linh, to the airport, determined to find a way to safety in America. In a split second, Linh is ripped from her arms—and Hang is left behind in the war-torn country.
Six years later, Hang has made the brutal journey from Viet Nam and is now in Texas as a refugee. She doesn’t know how she will find the little brother who was taken from her until she meets LeeRoy, a city boy with big rodeo dreams. Hang is overjoyed when she reunites with Linh. But when she realizes he doesn’t remember her, their family, or Viet Nam, her heart is crushed. While the distance between them feels greater than ever, Hang has come so far that she will do anything to bridge the gap.
Award-winning author Thanhhà Lai’s writing is imbued with poetry, beauty, and heartache that bring her words to life.
Grace Goes to Washington by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
When Grace learns about the three branches of the United States government, she and the rest of the student council put the lesson into practice as they debate how to spend the money from a school fund-raiser. Should they buy new sports equipment? Books for the library? Instruments for the music room? The arguments continue as they travel to Washington, DC, for a field trip. Exploring government buildings and national monuments, Grace feels closer than ever to her dream of becoming president someday. But she and her classmates have a lot to learn about what it means to serve the needs of the people, especially when the people want such different things!
DiPucchio’s first book is beloved by our booksellers and a popular title in our Modern First Library section. Grace Goes to Washington is sure to be just as splendid!
A Fortune for Your Disaster by Hanif Abdurraqib
In his much-anticipated follow-up to The Crown Ain’t Worth Much, poet, essayist, biographer, and music critic Hanif Abdurraqib has written a book of poems about how one rebuilds oneself after a heartbreak, the kind that renders them a different version of themselves than the one they knew. It’s a book about a mother’s death, and admitting that Michael Jordan pushed off, about forgiveness, and how none of the author’s black friends wanted to listen to “Don’t Stop Believin’.” It’s about wrestling with histories, personal and shared. Abdurraqib uses touchstones from the world outside—from Marvin Gaye to Nikola Tesla to his neighbor’s dogs—to create a mirror, inside of which every angle presents a new possibility. Abdurraqib is a bookseller favorite and we’re all dying to pour into this brand new collection of poems!
Meet us back here next week to get the scoop on next week’s new releases and upcoming events.
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