Happy New Year!

Perhaps our favorite column of the year… Edmonds Bookshop best sellers of 2023. For some reason we are always surprised! Which is just so much fun! A couple of these titles we’ve been selling for over a year – and they still made the list! Amazing! [“Remarkably Bright Creatures” we’re looking at you] And there are a few really new titles that already made the list [“Iron Flame” was just published 11/7/2023].

Fiction:

“Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus.

“Demon Copperhead” by Barbara Kingsolver.

“Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros.

“Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt. And it’s not just us! Great article in The New York Times.

“Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese.

“North” by Brad Kessler.

“Iron Flame: Empyrean #2” by Rebecca Yarros.

“Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett.

“Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin.

“Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osman.

Non-Fiction:

“On Island Time” by Chandler O’Leary.

“The Wager” by David Grann.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” by David Grann.

“Fever in the Heartland” by Timothy Egan.

“Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown.

“Crying in H-Mart” by Michelle Zauner.

“Fine Line” by Graham Zimmerman.

“A Dog’s Devotion” by Suzanne Elshult.

“Spare” by Harry the Duke of Sussex.

Creative Act” by Rick Rubin.

More information, and order any of these here.

We have chosen our staff favorites for the year 2023!
The complete list is here on our blog, including staff reviews and more information about the books, and yes! you can order them right there!

We have a very special opportunity for fans of Ivan Doig! We have been gifted with a limited number of books from his personal collection – all autographed by Ivan Doig. All hardcovers. And some first editions. More information here.

Edmonds Bookshop Events.

Edmonds Bookshop Book Club:
Wednesday, Jan. 17, 9-10 a.m.

Our book for January 2024: “The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles.
The bestselling author of “A Gentleman in Moscow” and “Rules of Civility” and master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction returns with a stylish and propulsive novel set in 1950s America.
So much more information about the book is here.

More information about the book club is here.

Thursday Jan. 18, 6-7 p.m. Join us to welcome Elizabeth A. Nesbitt and David B. Williams for Third Thursday Art Walk!

We are thrilled to welcome the authors/paleontologists/historians and their wonderfully illustrated and informative guide to fossils: “Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales: Fossils of Washington State.”. All the information is here.

Jan. 26,  9:30 a.m. Story Time. We are excited to welcome Lily LaMotte to our first Story Time of 2024!  More information here as the details are finalized.

Recent book releases of note:

“The Narrow Road Between Desires” by Patrick Rothfuss. This return to the Kingkiller Chronicle universe explores a previously unseen part of Temerant, and shows a side of Bast we’ve only glimpsed before. Learn more about Bast as he goes against his better judgement and follows his heart’s desire.

“The Mystery Guest: A Maid Novel” by Nita Prose. When an acclaimed author dies at the Regency Grand Hotel, it’s up to a fastidious maid to uncover the truth, no matter how dirty.

“Frozen River” by Ariel Lawhon. A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history. Martha is brilliant and strong in a period when women were lucky to read. Throw in a murder mystery with vivid characters? A NPR book of the year. December book recommended by The New York Times.

“Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning” by Liz Cheney.
“In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump and many around him, including certain other elected Republican officials, intentionally breached their oath to the Constitution: they ignored the rulings of dozens of courts, plotted to overturn a lawful election, and provoked a violent attack on our Capitol. Liz Cheney, one of the few Republican officials to take a stand against these efforts, witnessed the attack first-hand, and then helped lead the Congressional Select Committee investigation into how it happened. In Oath and Honor, she tells the story of this perilous moment in our history, those who helped Trump spread the stolen election lie, those whose actions preserved our constitutional framework, and the risks we still face.”  December book recommended by The New York Times.

“Heartstopper #5: A Graphic Novel” by Alice Oseman. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between: this is the fifth volume of the much-loved HEARTSTOPPER series, featuring gorgeous two-color artwork. *Now an acclaimed live-action Netflix series!*

Books coming in January:

“Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth” by Natalie Haynes. A female-centered look at classical Greek legends and stories, delivered with Haynes’ patented insight and humor. Bonus trivia: Across the pond, Haynes is a celebrity historian. They have those in England. January 2, 2024.

“The Storm We Made” by Vanessa Chan. Chosen for January IndieNext. Recommended by The New York Times, books for January. January 2, 2024.

“Mercury” by Amy Jo Burns. Chosen for January IndieNext. Recommended by The New York Times, books for January. January 2, 2024.

“Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone” by Benjamin Stevenson. Chosen for IndieNext. Now in paperback. January 2, 2024.

“First Lie Wins” by Ashley Elston. “This fast-paced read has everything you could want in a thriller: secret identities, a mysterious boss and a cat & mouse game that kept me guessing the whole way through.”–Reese Witherspoon. REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK  January 2, 2024.

“Age of Vice” by Deepti Kapoor. Chosen for IndieNext. Now in Paperback. January 2, 2024.

“Cold Victory” by Karl Marlantes. Helsinki, 1947. A propulsive and sweeping novel in which loyalty, friendship, and love are put to the ultimate test. January 9, 2024.

“Sugar, Baby” by Celine Saintclare.  Chosen for January IndieNext. NPR recommends. January 9, 2024.

“The Atlas Complex” by Olivie Blake. The third installment of the Atlas series reveals the ultimate fate of the Alexandrian Society. Six Society recruits must decide what they’re willing to sacrifice for limitless power. The fate of the world, need we add, hangs in the balance.  January 9, 2024.

“My Friends” by Hisham Matar.  Chosen for IndieNext. Recommended by NYT for January. January 9, 2024.

“The Heiress” by Rachel Hawkins. The new thriller. Chosen for IndieNext. January 9, 2024.

“Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend” by Emma Alban. In paperback. Chosen for IndieNext. January 9, 2024

“The Bandit Queen” by Parini Shroff. Chosen for January Indie Next. Now in Paperback.  January 9, 2024.

“The Writing Retreat” by Julia Bartz. Thriller.  “Sex, suspense, and the supernatural fuel this propulsive debut.” –People   Chosen for IndieNext.  In paperback. January 9, 2024.

“The Fury” by Alex Michaelides. Mystery fans who enjoyed the grim fun of “The Silent Patient” will be happy to hear Michaelides is back patrolling similar twisty terrain. The action moves to a posh Greek island, where movie star Lana Farrar has gathered all her besties. Murder ensues. January 16, 2024.

“Only If You’re Lucky” by Stacy Willingham. Psychological suspense exploring a Bad Roommate Situation gone nuclear! January 16, 2024.

“Midnight Ruin : Dark Olympus #6”  by Katee Robert. Now in paperback. January 16, 2024.

“Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine” by Uché Blackstock. The rousing, captivating story of a Black physician, her career in medicine, and the deep inequities that still exist in the U.S. healthcare system. January 23, 2024.

“The Bullet Swallower” by Elizabeth Gonzalez. This magical-realism Western introduces the legendary bandido El Tragabalas. What starts in 1895 winds up in 1964, when Mexican singer Jaime Sonoro discovers he has inherited his ancestor’s otherworldly problems. January 23, 2024.

“The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels” by Janice Hallett. Eighteen years ago, the Alperton Angels suicide cult made headlines around the world—and an infant mysteriously disappeared. Now true-crime writer Amanda Bailey may have found the Alperton Baby, all grown up, which would be the scoop of the century. Complicating matters: The child may be the anti-Christ. Uh-oh. January 23, 2024.

“Womb City” by Tlotlo Tsamaase. This author’s debut adult novel takes place in a future Africa where men control women’s bodies via microchip, one desperate woman faces off against cruel systemic inequality—and a vengeful ghost bent on bloody revenge. January 23, 2024.

“Martyr!” by Kaveh Akbar. “The best novel you’ll ever read about the joy of language, addiction, displacement, martyrdom, belonging, homesickness.” —Lauren Groff, best-selling author of “Matrix” and “Fates and Furies”January 23, 2024.

“House of Flame and Shadow: Crescent City #3” by Sarah J. Maas. The stunning third book continuing the epic tale of sexy fallen angels and the semi-mortals who love them. We are one of the lucky Independent Bookstores that will be receiving a few of the Special Indie Exclusive Editions! Pre-Order here! January 30, 2024.

“The Mayor of Maxwell Street” by Avery Cunningham. An epic love story that explores the American Dream between the monolith of Jim Crow, the inflexible world of the original Black upper class, and the violence of 1920s Chicago. January 30, 2024.

“The House of Last Resort” by Christopher Golden. Perhaps you’ve seen those news reports about remote Italian village homes available for free? Yeah, author Christopher Golden saw those reports, too, and his latest high-concept horror show presents a worst-case scenario: Think creepy villagers, unholy rituals, ancient evil, haunted catacombs, this sort of thing. January 30, 2024.

Pre-order any of these January titles here.

Some more great blog posts/lists:

Barack Obama’s Favorite Books of 2023. The list on our blog here. He highly recommends buying books from Independent Book Shops!

The New York Times recommends 18 new books coming in January 2024. Our blog here.

The Washington Post chooses noteworthy books for January 2024. Our blog here.

The Washington Post chooses 10 best books of 2023! Here.

Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association [PNBA] bestseller list. Local best sellers, updated weekly. We do our best to have all of these books in stock.

Author, journalist, whiskey-sipper, and friend of the Bookshop, Neal Thompson, writes a fantastic blog/newsletter called Blood and Whiskey! It’s all about crime fiction and true crime: roundups, reviews, author interviews. Pluscocktails and playlists! Check it out here.

National bestselling authors. and friends of the Bookshop!,  Marie Bostwick, Rachel Linden, and Katherine Reayhost “The 10 Minute Book Talk” and gather with author friends weekly to chat about new and wonderful books! For 10 short and sweet minutes. Link to the free YouTube Channel is here!

We will keep posting our favorite reads, along with links to all kinds of book-related interesting things! In all the places: on our website, Facebook and Instagram.

You may pre-order any forthcoming title by visiting our website.

Stay safe. Enjoy the little things. And as always: Happy reading!

— By Elaine Mattson

Edmonds native Elaine Mattson has worked at The Edmonds Bookshop off and on since she was 12 years old, and has also worked at a book wholesaler, a book publisher, and for the book publishing division of a large local software company (yes, that one). “I was raised a book lover [thanks, Mom!],” Mattson says. “We got book lights by our beds as soon as we were old enough to read. And then I probably got in trouble for reading too late the very next night. And I still read too late!”