Author: Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

Ellen Whitfield is senior publicist at Books Forward, an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers.  Interested in what's possible for your book sales and building readership? Check out our services, tell us your goals, and get a customized publicity campaign tailored just for you.

Tips to consider when setting up bookstore events

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

Some authors don’t look forward to events – too many people, too much talking about themselves and their work. While others can’t wait for their launch party – it’s a chance to visit with all the people in their circle and meet potential new readers!

Regardless of what kind of author you are, events can be a great way to celebrate your book and all of the years of hard work you and a whole slew of other people put into it. Here are a few things to keep in mind when setting up author events at bookstores.

Business first

While most bookstores love to host events, they are ultimately a business. Staffing an event, whether virtual or in-person, takes hard work and money, so try not to be offended if they aren’t able to work you into the schedule.

Bringing an audience

The event coordinator may ask you if you have a network of family and friends in the area who are able to attend. This is for your benefit, as well as theirs. They (understandably) want to sell books, but more than that, they want your event to be a success for you! Having an event and expecting the bookstore to provide the audience won’t get you too far.

Don’t forget to promote your event on social media, and feel free to ask the bookstore if they do this as well. You can ask friends and family to share your posts to increase your chances of having more people show up, as well.

That being said, if you do host an event and only a few people show up, don’t despair. This gives you an opportunity to connect with readers in a more personal way that you’ll likely remember for a long time.

Inviting other authors

Partnering with other authors can be a great idea. This can cut down on nerves because the focus isn’t entirely on you, and an “in conversation event” is generally a more attractive prospect for bookstores. You can even think outside the “author” box, especially if you write nonfiction – an expert in the field that you are writing about could make for fascinating back and forth. Plus, the other speaker is likely to draw even more people to the event!

Multiple events

Be cautious about setting up several events in the same area: Will you be able to draw a good-sized crowd to both events? If you do feel like you can pull it off, having a different topic discussed at each event is a good idea. That way you don’t feel like you’re giving a speech but rather engaging in a topic with that audience.

Above all, try to enjoy this part of your author journey – it’s something that not all authors get to do, and events can be something that both you and readers will remember for years!

For more tips on different kinds of events to consider, check out this blog post: https://www.ingramspark.com/blog/tips-for-author-events.

Books to read if you love Only Murders in the Building

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

I don’t know about you, but I can’t for Season 2 of Only Murders in The Building! Watching all of the episodes in season 1 won’t take too long, so here are some great books to read if you are looking for more of the hijinks, mystery, and unlikely friendship that the show does so well.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The first title that came to mind was this hilarious murder mystery novel that takes place in a retirement village. Four septuagenarians get to take their true crime club to the next level when a local developer is found dead. Whether the female cop with her first big case wants the help or not, they are at her disposal as more bodies begin to drop. The mystery itself is great, but what really makes the book are the eccentric characters (reminiscent of Charles and Oliver) you can’t help but love.

​​A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson

This book is for the Mabel lovers out there as it follows another girl who loves true crime. Pippa Fitz chooses to do her final year proect on a local murder case from five years prior, but the more she digs, the more dangerous it gets for her. A great murder plot with a determined female protagonist that Mabel would most likely be friends with.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

If you enjoyed those flashback scenes to secrets and partying that led to Oscar being wrongfully convicted of Zoe’s murder, you’ll love this book about four rich kids with something in their past they want to keep hidden. This book’s description: “A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive,” is very reminiscent of Mabel’s Hardy Boys gang. Complicated relationships, deception, and life-altering decisions are at the root of both of these groups of friends and the book itself is quite the page-turner.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

While the show deals with only murders in the apartment building, this book deals with only the murder in Blackheath Manor. Aiden is suddenly at the mercy of his own wit, as he finds that Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until he can identify her killer and break the cycle. You get to see through the eyes of all the suspects and crazy characters as he wakes up in a different body each day. Much like the show, it will keep you guessing until the end and you’ll have almost as many theories as Charles, Oliver, and Mabel pin up on their murder board.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman

If you love the tone of the show, you will love this book about a curmudgeonly old man named Ove who finds his world turned upside down when a boisterous young family moves in next door. I honestly think Steve Martin would make a wonderful Ove. Much like you grow to love Charles more as you get his backstory, the same is true for Ove. It’s funny and heartwarming and has the energy that makes it feel like the story could exist in the same world as the show takes place.

Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

This book is a little different from the show in that instead of solving murders, the main character is doing the killing. A writer who is struggling to hold her life together and come up with a good book idea for her publisher, stumbles into becoming a hit woman and hilarity and ridiculousness ensues. Lots of twists and turns in this book and perfect if you were a fan of Jan.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

A classic for a reason, this Agatha Christie novel takes place in a big house on an island instead of an apartment building in New York, but the stakes of finding out who is doing the killing are the same. A who dunnit done perfectly, this book will have you changing yoour mind constantly and then you’ll still be surprised by who it turns out to be. Clever like the show, and a must read for anyone who calls themselves a mystery fan.

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

An unlikely duo, Detective Hawthore and the author Anthony Horowitz who he hires to write about his life end up working together to figure out who killed Diana Cowper, the mother of a famous actor. What makes the story even more strange is that she walked into a funeral parlor on the morning of her murder to plan her own service. If you love the show, you love unlikely friends solving crimes and that is eactly what this book brings to the table.

 

Books on the Bob’s Burgers character TBRs

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

I have been watching Bob’s Burgers for almost a decade, and I’m so excited that there’s finally going to be a movie! To celebrate, I made a list of the books I think each character would enjoy.

Bob
Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures by Merlin Sheldrake – Bob loves gardening, and he frequently gets overly involved in hobbies, so I think he’d enjoy this deep dive into mushrooms.

Taste by Stanley Tucci – I can see Bob listening to this one as he cooks and taking inspiration for new burgers of the day.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values by Robert M. Pirsig – He’d try several times to start this one, but once he finally gets into it, he won’t be able to put down this classic about fatherhood.

Linda
Chocolat by Joanne Harris – A book about a mom who runs a chocolate shop? Linda’s all in.

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan – Linda will definitely try to get the family to take up mahjong after reading this book about mothers and daughters.

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall – Linda lives for a good romance once, and she’s extra into this one because it involves a baking competition!

Tina
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion – Tina has a very intense fascination with zombies and this book is right up her alley.

Kiss and Tell by Adib Khorram – Just like every other preteen girl, Tina loves boy bands.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han – Tina can definitely relate to being in love with several boys at once, and doing embarrassing things to get them to notice her.

Gene
Stand Up, Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim – Gene loves being the center of attention and making people laugh.

Sarai Saves the Music by Sarai Gonzalez and Monica Brown – Always in possession of his trusty keyboard, Gene is making up a soundtrack to his own life.

Summer of A Thousand Pies by Margaret Dilloway – The title of this book sounds like a perfect summer project for Gene.

Louise
Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega – Despite being the youngest Belcher kid, Louise is often the leader of a gang of kids looking for trouble.

The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao – A book about a girl warrior in charge of an army of dragons is basically a “how to” list for Louise.

Tristan Strong Punches A Hole in the Sky: The Graphic Novel by Kwame Mbalia – The graphic novel is perfect for a younger kid who still loves pictures, and Louise would appreciate Gum Baby’s snark.

Teddy
Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey – Teddy isn’t ashamed to read romance, especially not one that involves a handywoman.

The Guncle by Steven Rowley – “Uncle” Teddy can always be counted on to take care of the Belcher kids in an emergency.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg – A book about loyal friends and a diner is very applicable to Teddy’s personality.

Mort
Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett – A family named the Mortons that run a funeral home? Enough said.

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders – It feels like Mort would enjoy this book focused on the in-between of life and death.

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe – It’s perfect for a man who is more comfortable with death than most other people.

An interview with Julia DeVarti of Books Are Magic

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

What’s your favorite area of your bookstore?

I love working at the register with our bag of dog treats right under it. All the dogs who have visited before know exactly where to go, and I love getting to say hi to all the four-legged friends who come by!

What’s the coolest book cover that you like to have facing out on the shelves?

I’m loving the current trend of covers with splashy multicolored art on them. The Startup Wife, Detransition Baby, and The Last Suspicious Holdout are all covers that come to mind especially.

If you had a staff pick for a recent new release, what would it be? Backlist pick?

My newest staff pick is a recent release called Open by Rachel Krantz, and it’s a fascinating look at polyamory. The writing style is so interesting because it’s a “reported memoir” that blends journalistic research with personal narrative. It was such a thought-provoking read, and I’m very excited to feature it on our staff picks shelf! A backlist book I recently chose as a staff pick is The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi. It’s sort of like a decolonial National Treasure for YA readers, and it’s an absolute favorite of mine!

What author have you been starstruck to meet, or have you gotten to host a fun virtual event?

I’m on our events team here, so I’ve been lucky to meet and work with a lot of phenomenal authors! I was definitely starstruck to meet Mira Jacob when we hosted her, since I’m a huge fan of her book Good Talk, and I loved meeting Jane Pek as well. And we’ve got a few really incredible authors lined up for events this summer that I am so pumped to meet, but I can’t say more than that just yet!

What are some misconceptions people have about working in a bookstore?

I think a lot of people have the idea that working in a bookstore means reading all day, but I pretty much never have time to read at work! I’m either plugging away at office work upstairs, down on the floor helping to shelve and ring customers up, or setting up and hosting an event. I’ll also say that I don’t think a lot of people know just how connected indie bookstores are to the rest of the publishing world. I’m constantly in touch with folks in marketing, publicity, or sales, and of course, so many authors as well. It’s something I really love about working at Books Are Magic — getting to be a part of the wider book ecosystem!

What is your least favorite bookstore task? Favorite part about working in a bookstore?

I don’t love having to remind customers to keep their masks on… You’d think this far into the pandemic everyone would have the hang of it by now, but I find myself having the mask conversation almost daily, unfortunately. But there are many things I love about working in the bookstore too! I think Books Are Magic has the most incredible staff, and it’s such a joy to get to work with everyone else on the team. We’ve also really been building up our TikTok presence lately, and it’s been a great way for us to get to be silly together. I’m new to making TikTok videos, but it’s quickly become a favorite store activity for me! And the last favorite I’ll name for now is getting to see the excitement of a first-time author on the event circuit. There’s a twinkle in their eyes and always such a warm energy in the room. It’s just so special to be a part of welcoming a new book into the world, and I’m really grateful that I get to do it so often as part of the events team.

Can you recommend an underrated readalike book for one of the store’s top titles?

We sell a lot of The Body Keeps the Score, and I’d recommend What My Bones Know to anyone looking for something similar. It’s a memoir about the impacts of complex trauma that draws on the author’s own experiences, and she also dives into the impacts of trauma on the immigrant community in her hometown. The author, Stephanie Foo, has come by the store to sign copies a few times, and she’s so lovely!

Julia DeVarti is a Events & Marketing Associate at Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, NY.

Celebrate spring with these floral book covers

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

One of the things I love most about spring is being reminded that flowers exist and seeing them every time I turn my head. This seems to be a trend in book covers lately as well, with florals blooming on many new releases – here are some of my favorite recent designs.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan: A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e. A young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm and sets her on a dangerous path – where choices come with deadly consequences, and she risks losing more than her heart.

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender: A revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix. E Harrow: In the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical debut.

When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo: A mythic love story set in Trinidad, Ayanna Lloyd Banwo’s radiant debut introduces two unforgettable outsiders brought together by their connection with the dead.

Sense and Second-Degree Murder by Tirzah Price: In this second book of the Jane Austen Murder Mystery series, Tirzah Price takes readers for another fun, murderous romp through one of Austen’s beloved novels.

Still Life by Sarah Winman: A captivating, bighearted, richly tapestried story of people brought together by love, war, art, flood, and the ghost of E. M. Forster, by the celebrated author of Tin Man.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo: A dazzling novel in prose about a girl with talent, pride, and a drive to feed the soul that keeps her fire burning bright.

This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Baron: Would you tempt even the most dangerous fate to save the ones you love? Briseis has one chance to save her mother, but she’ll need to do the impossible: find the last fragment of the deadly Absyrtus Heart.

Cazadora by Romina Garber: Romina Garber weaves together Argentine folklore and what it means to be undocumented in a timely, intimate, and emotionally powerful narrative.

If You Leave Me by Crystal Hana Kim: An emotionally riveting debut novel about war, family, and forbidden love–the unforgettable saga of two ill-fated lovers in Korea and the heartbreaking choices they’re forced to make in the years surrounding the civil war that still haunts us today.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh: Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

The Two Lives of Sara by Catherine Adel West: In this story of hope, resilience and unexpected love, a young mother finds refuge and friendship at a boarding house in 1960s Memphis, Tennessee.

A Prayer For the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers: After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin: For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her – the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu. When Ning hears of a competition, she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner: Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.

The Four Humors by Mina Seckin: This wry and visceral debut novel follows a young Turkish-American woman who, rather than grieving her father’s untimely death, seeks treatment for a stubborn headache and grows obsessed with a centuries-old theory of medicine.

Tokyo Dreaming by Emiko Jean: When Japanese-American Izumi Tanaka learned her father was the Crown Prince of Japan, she became a princess overnight. Her parents have even rekindled their college romance and are engaged. Izumi’s life is a Tokyo dream come true. Only… Her parents’ engagement hits a brick wall. And on top of it all, her bodyguard turned boyfriend makes a shocking decision about their relationship.

The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller: A fascinating whodunit set in a lush, gothic world of secrets and magic – where a dying emperor charges his favorite concubine with solving his own murder, and preventing the culprit, which undoubtedly is one of his three terrible sons, from taking control of an empire.

Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies by Tara Schuster: By the time she was in her late twenties, Tara Schuster was a rising TV executive. By all appearances, she had mastered being a grown-up. But beneath that veneer of success, she was a chronically anxious, self-medicating mess. This is the story of Tara’s path to re-parenting herself and becoming a “ninja of self-love.”

Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez: A lush, enchanting standalone fantasy inspired by medieval Spain, filled with romance, adventure and just the right amount of danger.

An interview with Aron Spellane of Solid State Books

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

1. What’s your favorite area of your bookstore?

I try to read in every section, but I always come back to the general fiction section, where most of my favorite authors are shelved. Every time I shelve or alphabetize in that section, I find a new gem to add to my to be read pile.

2. What’s the coolest book cover that you like to have facing out on the shelves?

There are so many great ones, but I really enjoy the cover of Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James, as well as the recently released sequel, Moon Witch, Spider King.

3. If you had a staff pick for a recent new release, what would it be? Backlist pick?

My favorite recent release is a graphic novel from January called The Short While by Jeremy Sorese, a book that explores falling in and out of love, dance cults, post-internet culture, and joyful queerness. My go to backlist pick is always What is Not Yours is Not Yours, a short story collection by Helen Oyeyemi that inspired me to be a bookseller.

4. Do you have a strange customer story?

Every bookseller has that classic, “I forgot the title and the author, but it was red, and I think I saw it here last month…” story, but I recently had to do a little sleuthing for someone who found a recipe for mushroom risotto in the Washington Post’s Food section and was trying to find the cookbook from whence it came.

5. What author have you been starstruck to meet, or have you gotten to host a fun virtual event?

Meeting Jeannette Winterson was a trip. I hosted an event with her for her book Frankissstein. She is tinier and louder than you might expect, but it felt a little bit like meeting royalty.

6. What are some misconceptions people have about working in a bookstore?

I think a lot of people think it is a chill job with a lot of downtime for reading, and let me tell you, that has never been the case for me.

7. What is your least favorite bookstore task? Favorite part about working in a bookstore?

I want to say that my favorite task, like all booksellers, is talking to people about books, and that’s certainly true. But I not-so-secretly adore getting to receive book shipments into our inventory. I feel much more connected to what is coming through our doors and what we are choosing to sell, and I think it makes me a better bookseller since I have a more intimate knowledge of the books on our shelves, since I touch each one as it arrives. My least favorite part is kicking people out when we’re closing. If someone has a way to do that without it being awkward for everyone involved, please let me know.

8. Can you recommend an underrated readalike book for one of the store’s top titles?

For everyone reading Malcolm Gladwell’s Talking with Strangers right now, I recommend Intimacies by Katie Kitamura, one of my favorite fiction books of last year. I think Gladwell’s insights pair extremely well with Kitamura’s prose and deep characterization, and the lessons learned from each will stay with you long after you finish.

Aron Spellane is a bookseller at Solid State Books in Washington, D.C.

An interview with Donna Paz Kaufman of Story and Song Bookstore

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

1. What’s your favorite area of your bookstore?

It depends on my needs, but I always feel calm, supported, and grounded when I’m in the corner we call “Our Lives”. The sections we’ve grouped there are Personal Growth, Wellness and Faith. Plus, you’ll find handmade beaded jewelry from women who volunteer to create gorgeous pieces and donate the proceeds to local charities. The whole area is filled with good energy on many levels!

2. What’s the coolest book cover that you like to have facing out on the shelves?

I Am Woman, I Am Invincible, I Am Tired…

3. If you had a staff pick for a recent new release, what would it be? Backlist pick?

Fresh Water for Flowers: I was so intrigued by what became a runaway bestseller in Europe during Covid that I just had to read this book and put it on top of my reading pile. The novel is beautifully written with an uplifting ending. There’s so much to discuss – this makes for an excellent selection for book groups.
For backlist, The Storyteller’s Secret is my go-to for someone who wants a well-written story that is engaging and transports you to another life and another country. Set in the U.S. and India, this story is about healing and growing and embracing life. This didn’t get a whole lot of attention when it was published, but is one to savor and read with a nice hot cup of tea.

4. Do you have a strange customer story?

I think all of us booksellers have a cast of characters among our customers and we have ours too. One is beloved and always cheerful and loud. One of her comments is a keeper: “I just love coming in here. It always smells like books and Sunday supper!”

5. What author have you been starstruck to meet, or have you gotten to host a fun virtual event?

After reading “Florida” and “Matrix”, I was so very happy to meet and interview Lauren Groff. We hosted a literary luncheon for her during the pandemic and she drove from Gainesville for a small, vaccinated group. She’s smart, funny, authentic, and such a great writer.

6. What are some misconceptions people have about working in a bookstore?

By far the biggest one is you’ll have time to read. We are always so busy that there is never a day we leave when everything that needed to get done is crossed off the “To Do” list.
Sadly, I think we are always working to counteract the idea that booksellers are smarter than the customer. We try to break those barriers immediately when we greet each customer with kindness and a smile.

7. What is your least favorite bookstore task? Favorite part about working in a bookstore?

I am least fond of bookkeeping. My favorite part is enjoying an event right along with our customers. We often host author events with a talk-show setting where someone on staff facilitates a conversation. How lovely it is to hold these conversations with an author and our community. This isn’t work; it’s a calling.

8. Can you recommend an underrated readalike book for one of the store’s top titles?

If you liked The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi, read The Storyteller’s Secret by Sejal Badani.

Donna Paz Kaufman is the co-founder and owner of Story and Song Bookstore in Fernandina Beach, Florida.

Interview with Michael Keefe from Annie Bloom’s Books

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

1. What’s your favorite area of your bookstore?

The Fiction section. It occupies the middle area of a long stretch of wall, with enough room for a good number of faced-out titles, so it looks inviting. Plus, I mostly read contemporary fiction, so it’s my favorite section to browse in any store.

2. What’s the coolest book cover that you like to have facing out on the shelves?

The Great British Baking Show: A Bake for All Seasons. Though I’m not a baker, I love the show. And the cover makes my mouth water.

3. If you had a staff pick for a recent new release, what would it be? Backlist pick?

My current Staff Fave is the novel Mercy Street by Jennifer Haight. The main protagonist is Claudia, a counselor at a women’s clinic in Boston. It also follows a couple of male protestors, and Claudia’s pot dealer. A backlist title that’s really stuck with me in recent years is Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck, about a retired professor in Berlin who becomes involved with a group of immigrants from Africa. It’s a beautiful examination of empathy, with plenty of well-intentioned missteps along the way.

4. Do you have a strange customer story?

This one has stumped me! I’ve forgotten all the strange customer stories from before the pandemic. Since reopening our doors to the public in April 2021, the vast majority of our customers have been extra gracious and supportive.

5. What author have you been starstruck to meet, or have you gotten to host a fun virtual event?

Until the pandemic started, I’d only ever hosted one or two events at Annie Bloom’s. Then we went online, and I suddenly found myself hosting all of them. It’s been an unexpected treat!

6. What are some misconceptions people have about working in a bookstore?

Having now read a few Books Forward interviews, I’ll have to agree with my fellow booksellers out there: we spend a lot more time lugging around heavy books than we do getting paid to read them.

7. What is your least favorite bookstore task? Favorite part about working in a bookstore?

My least favorite part is carrying the aforementioned heavy books upstairs to the sales floor from the receiving desk in the basement.

8. Can you recommend an underrated readalike book for one of the store’s top titles?

For anyone who’s been drawn in by American Dirt‘s migration story, Infinite Country by Patricia Engel would make for an excellent complimentary novel about the trials of emigrating from Latin America to the US.

Michael Keefe is the events coordinator and publicist for Annie Bloom’s Books in Portland, OR.

What to read if you are trying to fill the Euphoria void

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

I know we are all still reeling from Season 2’s finale of Euphoria and everyone wants more immediately. Here are some books that will give you the same feelings while we wait (hopefully not as long as last time) for a new season. Check out these titles!

It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizinni:

Mental health and the struggles that teenagers face are big themes in Euphoria and Vizinni captures those things beautifully in this story following a suicidal teen into a mental hospital. Craig meets other patients including a transgender sex addict, a girl who has scarred her own face with scissors, and the self-elected President Armelio as he works through the events that led him there. The author’s own experience in a psychiatric hospital elevates the story just as Sam Levinson’s own battle with addiction impacts the show.

Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky:

Much like Euphoria’s narration from Rue, this book walks readers through the halls of high school through Charlie’s letters as he deals with the hilarity and devastation that can come with growing up – especially if you have trauma from when you were younger to work through. Exploring sex, drugs, and the search for the perfect song to feel infinite, this book is full of heart, even if it’s one that’s been cracked and bandaged back together a time or two.

Heroine by Mindy McGinnis:

This book follows Mickey, an injured high school softball player who gets hooked on painkillers, in a captivating and powerful exploration of the opioid crisis. Much like Rue, Mickey alienates herself from friends and family along her journey to find a high from something other than the sport she can no longer play. If you want to read about the balance between addiction and hope, take a look at this book.

The Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert:

If you love Rue and her relationship with Gia, and find yourself rooting for them to have a happy ending, you’ll fall in love with Birdie Randolph’s journey as she navigates love and changing family dynamics. Birdie strives to be the perfect daughter, but things shift when she falls in love with a boy with a troubled past at the same time her estranged aunt Carlene moves into her family’s apartment after spending time in and out of addiction treatment centers. As she gets closer to them, secrets are revealed, which turns everything she knows to be true upside down.

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera:

Euphoria is known for taking viewers on an emotional roller coaster every episode much like this book confronting race, class, and sexuality during one charged summer in the Bronx. In the month’s after his father’s suicide, Aaron Soto is struggling to find happiness again until he meets Thomas. As his relationship with Thomas grows stronger, tensions from his friends and girlfriend also rise. In order to escape the tension, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute’s revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is. This story takes you from laughing out loud to full-on sobs and back again so definitely be prepared with a box of tissues.

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver:

If you found yourself connecting to Jules, especially in her special episode where we delved into her story through her therapy session, you’ll love connecting with Ben De Backer as they find themselves. After coming out to their parents as nonbinary and being kicked out of the house, they find acceptance and the beginning of a new life while living with their estranged sister A growing relationship with the charismatic Nathan Allen who takes them under his wing, they finally start to enjoy the last half of senior year. Finding acceptance and young love are the themes of this poignant look at hope in the face of adversity.

Tweak and We All Fall Down by Nic Sheff:

Two books, both memoirs, follow Nic Sheff as he details his life from the first drug he takes to where he is today. Tweak gives a brutally honest account of his days as an addict and the emotional and physical toll he took on himself and his loved ones along the way. We All Fall Down focuses on his continued efforts to stay clean and gives an eye-opening account of rehab stays, relapses, and difficult realizations. Eventually inspiring the film A Beautiful Boy, these books provide a heart-wrenching story of addiction and hope without other storylines to distract from the reality of getting sober.

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins:

For those who loved the ensemble cast of high schoolers trying to find their own paths, you’ll love this story following four high school seniors as they strive towards their varying ideas of perfection. Whether that perfection is about looks, love, or the ability to live up to expectations, these characters have to decide what they are willing to give up in order to achieve their goals. Following their journeys and how they intersect feels very much like sitting down to watch a new episode or maybe sitting in the audience at Lexi’s play. While this book can stand on its own, if you love it, check out the first book in the Impulse series as well.

An interview with Shady Rose of Lost City Books

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

1. What’s your favorite area of your bookstore?

I absolutely love spending time in our comfy areas upstairs with all the nice vintage armchairs and warm atmosphere. It can be so exciting to peruse the sci-fi and fantasy shelves up there, discovering authors I’d never heard of before. Our staff has such a wide variety of interests, we’re able to bring in a really diverse selection and show each other some of our lesser-known faves!

2. What’s the coolest book cover that you like to have facing out on the shelves?

I will say that the book cover game has been on point these past couple years. There are so many interesting works of art and design gracing covers lately. Probably one of my favorites right now has been the cover for Olga Dies Dreaming: all rich and colorful just like the characters and the story.

3. If you had a staff pick for a recent new release, what would it be? Backlist pick?

I fell in love with Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun (March 2021). I read it straight through in one night! So bittersweet and heartladen, with all the ruminations on human experience tucked under the lens of innocence and hopefulness. Then, one of my all-time favorite books would be either of Ted Chiang’s books of short stories (Story of Your Life & Others and Exhalation) Both have such a variety of perspectives layered in, including so many wonderfully unusual stories that touch on the deep strange questions one might have about identity, human-ness, relationships, and our place in the universe.

4. Do you have a strange customer story?

So many! As any bookseller will tell you, readers are a wild and wonderful bunch. One of the funniest is this guy who used to come in once or twice a week “looking for books to option for a movie”. He insisted that he was a movie producer/talent agent/international media tycoon and would come in dressed for the part hmm-ing and haw-ing over the books he wanted to license for his “next movie”. Of course he never left with a book and mostly stood around trying to flirt with the booksellers and other customers, giving out his card and offering to “represent” every pretty young femme he saw. If you hadn’t guessed already, none of his claims were true.

5. What author have you been starstruck to meet, or have you gotten to host a fun virtual event?

We have the privilege of hosting so many fascinating authors from small and large presses alike. At a recent event, I got the pleasure of meeting Melissa Lozada-Oliva (author of Dreaming of You) and Rax King (author of Tacky) in the same night. They had a really cool conversation about culture, poetry, the importance of storytelling, and a ton of relatable stuff that made us laugh. They were both really cool people too and it was a pleasure to hang out with them.

6. What are some misconceptions people have about working in a bookstore?

So many people come in and say “Oh, I wish I got paid to just sit around and read all day!” If only folks knew just how much work goes into independent bookselling: curating, organizing, and featuring books. The broad base of knowledge one needs, the careful attention to detail everything requires to create a positive and engaging space for readers to explore. Whether we’re on the floor or in the office, there’s never an idle moment. All our reading takes place at home or wherever we can squeeze it in! That said, at least here at Lost City Books, we have such a great relationship with each other that we still find times to party and be social together, which is a pretty rare experience.

7. What is your least favorite bookstore task? Favorite part about working in a bookstore?

Personally, my job requires a lot of sitting alone in the office at my desk and missing out on the activity and bustle of the floor. Another bookseller (in fact, many booksellers) might say that the least exciting task is shelving books. After a while of staring at the space and thinking about the alphabet, anyone’s brain would get a little fried. The best part really is having access to and being surrounded by books and book lovers every day. We get the first look at so many cool titles, we chat about them together, we get engrossed in really interesting conversations with the customers that come in. And of course the staff discount is a beautiful and dangerous thing 😉

8. Can you recommend an underrated readalike book for one of the store’s top titles?

One of my favorites that comes to mind is for our Young Adult readers who like The Hunger Games series: Jordan Ifueko’s Raybearer series. Looking for a fantasy adventure about banding together with a diverse group of friends to heal generational trauma and unite the world in harmony–all while challenging power structures and harmful traditions? This is the book for you! It’s all about trusting in yourself and in the people close to you, stepping into your power and challenging injustice.

Shady Rose is the Events and Publicity Manager at Lost City Books in Washington, D.C.