|
Since 1974 · Phone: 413-645-3256 · HOURS: Mon-Fri 10-6 · Sat 10-5 · Sun 11-4 (until Labor Day) · Contact Us That's right, we are in MASSACHUSETTS! |
|
|
Cheri
Hi! I am Cheri, aka the Enthusiastic Bookseller. It is true I am very enthusiastic about books! I am the children's book buyer, out of print detective and overall giant book fanatic. I originally hail from the Boston area, but lived in NYC for 20+ years so it's great to be back here in my home state, albeit on the far western side. My background is in TV production, advertising and corporate consulting so I am all over the map with experience and interests. My biggest dream was always to be a librarian (my first job when I was 14 all through college) so it is amazing to be working in the world of books at such a great store. I'm grateful every day! I'm an avid reader -- much more than children's stuff so take a look at all of my staff pick pages for some great hits in horror, true crime, literary fiction, mythology, mystery, magical realism and memoir. I'm also a big fan of music, film, cats, photography and great food.
Cheri's Staff Picks:
$27.00
ISBN: 9780593449950
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Random House - March 28th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: White Cat, Black Dog: Stories
Comments:
Not since Angela Carter have I so devoured a collection of reinvented fairy tales. Kelly Link has created mini universes in each of these stories that completely absorbed me, transfixed me and dazzled. It's a little like being in Alice in Wonderland or an episode of Black Mirror and even The Walking Dead. I find it hard to choose a favorite as they were all really cool, but I think Prince Hat Underground and The Lady and the Fox were the two that really slayed me. Highly recommend. This is definitely my favorite of all of Kelly Link's books thus far.
$28.99
ISBN: 9781250867872
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Flatiron Books - June 13th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Maddalena and the Dark
Comments:
Ohh, this one was dark and seductive and I loved it! Venice 1717, two teenage girls, Maddalena and Luisa, are students at the Ospedale della Pieta studying music. Luisa comes from nothing but wants desperately to be a virtuoso violinist. Maddalena comes from a once prestigious family that has been sullied by her mother's actions and so she has been sent to the school in an attempt to up her chances of a good marriage and put them back in the good graces of society. The book is a love letter to Venice in the 18th century, full of gondolas, music, masked balls, scandals and rivalries. Vivaldi even shows up as a teacher at the school. These two girls at the center are enmeshed in the expectations and limitations of their genders and they each seek out help in the form of magical wishes at mysterious water edged shrines. Things take a turn and each one is granted wishes, but the consequences are dire. Overall, it's a tense, messy story of two girls vying for success and the shape of the outcome is destroyed by obsession, betrayal and revenge.
$27.00
ISBN: 9781638930365
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Zando - March 7th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Monstrilio
Comments:
How to explain my love of this bizarre book? Almost impossible. It is grotesque, heavy, gut-wrenching and painful and I still loved it. How do you make a monster at once fierce and fragile? Cordova has succeeded. The characters each display a capacity for ferocious and often insane love while they navigate grief, hopelessness and rebirth of themselves while parting with all they have lost. There is a lot in this story to unpack around death, self acceptance, unconditional love and challenging social norms. Prepare for many uncomfortable squirmy moments while reading, but never without a purpose, and never boring!
$27.99
ISBN: 9781250280800
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: St. Martin's Press - March 7th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Weyward
Comments:
A gripping story of three unique women connected by blood over centuries of time. Each of the women have their own chapters told from their points of view and the stories unfold slowly like wings of a butterfly to reveal the beauty inside. I loved all three of the women, I loved their connections to the natural world and I loved how they managed to help each other across time. Shines a huge light on the power of women coming together - in family and friendships. A favorite for me for sure.
$16.95
ISBN: 9781644212820
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Seven Stories Press - March 7th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: The Gospel of Orla
Comments:
Very unique story that I can’t say much about without giving things away. The main character of Orla was so real in all of her anger and sadness however I laughed many times at her snarky comments and thoughts. The book was worth it just to be introduced to her.
$29.99
ISBN: 9781250856760
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Flatiron Books - March 7th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: The God of Endings
Comments:
Absolutely beautiful saga of an immortal woman grappling with what meaning there is in a life that doesn't end. Sweeping across time periods and continents, we follow her from her rebirth as vampire immortal up until 1984 where she faces her ultimate decision. The amount of loss she experiences across 300 years is devastating and we endure it with her as a prisoner of never-ending life. This is not a normal vampire novel with stakes in the heart and the sun as killer. Philosophical, lyrical and dazzling, Jacqueline Holland entranced me with the time periods and the depth of this woman's pain. Finishing this book, I feel as if I'm parting from a deeply contemplative headspace that I really hate to say goodbye to.
$27.00
ISBN: 9781982153083
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scribner - February 7th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Big Swiss
Comments:
This book is quite unlike anything else I've read. The main character Greta made me laugh a lot and also aggravated me on so many occasions, but I found that I rooted for her until the end. Her obsession with Flavia aka Big Swiss that develops from transcribing her very confidential therapy sessions is bonkers and that they actually meet and have this crazy affair is even more wild. All in all though, this was less about two people hooking up and more about the why behind their attraction to each other. Each of them are running from trauma and it was interesting to see how things played out. Cynical, funny and pretty darn cold at times, Big Swiss has great characters and the local flavor of Hudson, NY was a trip for me too.
$28.00
ISBN: 9780593490143
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Viking - February 21st, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: I Have Some Questions for You
Comments:
I Have Some Questions for You was very complex and not at all what I anticipated. The main character Bodie is haunted by the murder of her boarding school classmate back in 1995 as teenagers. Was the man convicted the real killer? Or has an innocent man been in prison this whole time? Bodie definitely has MANY questions and we as readers go with her on the journey. At times I was wishing it moved faster — I wanted the answers right away! But Rebecca Makkai makes you wait for it and reveals things little by little. Not a happy book, it says a lot about secrets, memories, coming of age, abuse and how the media can both be harmful and helpful depending on the situation.
$32.00
ISBN: 9780063054899
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: William Morrow - February 7th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: VenCo
Comments:
I couldn’t put this one down! Witches and their history and all kinds of diversity and traditions and funky seers and Bookers (what I would like to be) and Tenders. From Toronto to New Orleans a twenty-something girl named Lucky and her wild grandmother Stella find out there is much more to their story than they ever imagined. I LOVED this book full of badass women! At times it felt like a David Lynch movie and at others straight up sentimental like something mainstream. So enjoyable and empowering.
$19.99
ISBN: 9781250855466
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Tor Books - February 21st, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Arch-Conspirator
Comments:
I really loved this very quick novella. It was disturbing to imagine that in a future time the government may decide to extract one's essence or soul from the body to house in an archive for later reincarnation. Similar in some respects to The Handmaid's Tale as well as the movie Gattaca, this was a fast read and my only complaint is that it wasn't longer. I really took to the characters and wanted so much more.
$30.00
ISBN: 9780063258396
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Harper - February 7th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Stone Blind
Comments:
My first memory of falling in love with mythology was being a young girl watching the Clash of the Titans film from 1981. If you are familiar with this film you know that it tracks the story of Perseus (although it takes MANY liberties with the story) and is filled with creatures galore: the Kraken, Calibos, and of course, the big star of the gorgons: Medusa. As a kid, I was completely enraptured by Medusa's head of moving snakes and her eyes that turn living things to stone. It was one of those instances where I was scared but just couldn't look away. Natalie Haynes's version of Medusa is radically different from that film and is absolutely magnificent. Stunning questions are pondered such as: "Can a monster be beautiful if it is still terrifying? Perhaps it depends on how you experience fear and judge beauty." I loved that the book is written in chapters that alternate the first person perspective from character to character, including even a chapter where Elaia, an olive grove contributes its perspective acting as a Chorus of sorts. Vivid and awesome in the truest sense of the word, this book was such a joy.
$19.99
ISBN: 9781250850973
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Tordotcom - February 28th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: The Crane Husband
Comments:
A marvelous retelling of the Japanese crane folktale set in modern day. I loved the 15-year old protagonist daughter who has been forced to grow up much quicker than she should. Some of her comments made me laugh out loud, however the sad state of her home life with her mother's relationship with this nasty crane and having to care for her much younger brother made her humor even more cutting in the circumstances. Overall, it was an intense tale of neglect, delusion and generational trauma that her mother wasn't able to shake. There was a moment that made me quite vividly think of the movie Birdman, which I also loved. Lastly, the cover art is breathtaking.
$27.99
ISBN: 9781250841414
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Tor Nightfire - February 7th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: The Spite House
Comments:
W O W!!! This is not your average haunted house story. Eric and his two daughters are on the run from something mysterious and not disclosed to the reader. Is he a criminal? Why is his wife not with them? A rich old woman in Texas hires him to be a caretaker in her extremely famous haunted spite house that she has inherited but won't set foot in. Her only request? To write down his observations to prove there is paranormal activity present. So, it seems pretty straightforward, right? WRONG. This book keeps you guessing, makes you keep turning the page and has some truly horrifying reveals. So creepy, so suspenseful and such great characters. Be prepared to be thinking about these folks long after you finish.
$17.00
ISBN: 9780063280021
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Harper Perennial - January 17th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Pandora
Comments:
Ahhhh this book! I did not want to put it down and I did not want it to end. Georgian time period in London. Dora is orphaned at a young age when her parents die tragically at a dig site for antiquities. Her shady and not nice uncle takes her in. She dreams of designing jewelry and is turned away by the local jeweler because she’s a woman. Edward comes from nothing and has a mysterious troubled past. He works at a book bindery however his passion is in antiquities and he longs to be accepted into the Society of Antiquities and continuously is turned down. His wealthy best friend Cornelius supports and encourages him but perhaps he feels more for Edward than just friendship? A mysterious Greek pithos is unearthed and Dora’s uncle has underhanded plans. Workers grow ill once they have touched it. Dora’s uncle even develops an infected sore in his leg. What is this pithos really??? Does it carry supernatural powers? And what really happened to Dora’s parents long ago? Can she trust Edward or is he using her for acceptance at the Society? This book is a big combination of historical fiction, mythology, suspense, romance, and the possibility of something beyond time. Dora also has a magpie sidekick named Hermes that adds to her charm. I absolutely loved it and could go on and on about it’s greatness.
$28.99
ISBN: 9781250280015
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: St. Martin's Press - January 3rd, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: The Villa
Comments:
Can you trust your oldest friend? This is the question at the heart of this story that sucked me in from the first page. Easy to read with great momentum going forward and back from the 1970s rock band drama to the two old friends staying at the villa today. I preferred the rock band storyline the best - it felt very Fleetwood Mac complete with scandalous rock 'n roll relationships and a murder mystery. SUPER FUN. The modern friendship story wasn't as compelling but the mystery at the center kept me reading.
$32.00
ISBN: 9780063020894
Availability: NOT ON HAND, but usually Ships in 2-7 Days
Published: Mariner Books - April 4th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Homecoming
Comments:
An intricate and spellbinding novel rich with detail and suspense. You can’t help but become heavily invested in the characters and want to get to the bottom of the tragedy that took place in 1959. The imagery of the Australian flora and fauna that Kate Morton brings to life was equally as compelling as the mystery. A book that demands your attention, this one is excellent for those that love a historical fiction mystery mixed with true crime.
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316312264
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - January 17th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Beneath
Comments:
Absolutely love this. Made my heart so full. The slow removal of the blanket and then transference to his granddad is priceless.
$17.99
ISBN: 9781536215137
Availability: NOT ON HAND, but usually Ships in 2-7 Days
Published: Candlewick - March 14th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Twenty Questions
Comments:
Amazing. I love that it allows for the imagination of the reader to come up with answers. The artwork is top notch with Christian Robinson, one of my most favorites.
$14.99
ISBN: 9781536229769
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Templar - March 7th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Be Happy: A Little Book of Mindfulness
Comments:
Breathe. Be kind. Believe in yourself. The adorable Hucky and Buzz help to remind us of these simple, yet very important things to keep us from being complacent. It helped put a smile on my face today!
$17.99
ISBN: 9781665934633
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Atheneum Books for Young Readers - October 17th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: The Nighthouse Keeper
Comments:
What a thrill to return to Blight Harbor and embark on another adventure with Evie and Bird! After many of the town's house ghosts have started to go missing (including Evie's ghost friend Florence), Evie is compelled to get to the bottom of it. She finds herself back in the Dark Sun Side and meets an eerie entity named Portia who is after the souls that light the Nighthouse located in a deep sea of shadow called the Radix. Evie partners with a trapped ghost named Lark to get to the Nighthouse and release all of the ghosts' souls. This is full of adventure with skeleton mobs, a never-ending train and battles with shadow creatures. A big mystery is unveiled that is personal to Evie and promises for more adventures to come. I love this tale of courage, friendship and very good problem solving! I can't wait to see what is next in store for Evie.
$26.95
ISBN: 9781613163771
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scarlet - April 25th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Death of a Bookseller
Comments:
Firstly, anyone that has ever been a bookseller should read this book just to laugh out loud at the inside jokes for doing the job, and fully relate to very realistic bookstore insanity. Secondly, I began reading thinking the protagonist was my doppelgänger (bookseller, loves true crime, references so many of my fave things) and then I realized this character was the dark potentially murderous one and it made me think, wow, am I relating to the messed up one?! Lastly, this is a very creepy story of total obsession, manipulation, lies and extreme invasions of privacy. It questions where the line is drawn between nosy interest in co-workers personal lives and inserting oneself into another person's story. I mean, who has the right to tell another person's story? And when does curiosity/admiration turn into stalking? Suspenseful and cringy all the way through.
$30.00
ISBN: 9780063239746
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: HarperVia - April 25th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Ghost Girl, Banana
Comments:
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Lily and her mother Sook-Yin are unforgettably vivid and real. The snapshot of Kowloon in the past and in modern day is fascinating and informs the family history and dynamics in a beautiful way. The mystery at the heart of the book is teased out until the end and has such satisfying twists that I exclaimed aloud WHOA more than once. Even more amazing is that this is a debut novel for Wiz Wharton — I will definitely keep an eye out for more in future.
$26.95
ISBN: 9781953534866
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Tin House Books - May 2nd, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: The Night Flowers
Comments:
This was a rare treat. Literary thriller-mystery-true crime-suspense all in one. Character-driven and dark but also has peaceful touching moments as well. A different type of suspense that features a character with breast cancer and details tough pieces of her very real journey. This was a super engaging and thought-provoking story that went far beyond the typical detective thriller.
$28.00
ISBN: 9781250284396
Availability: NOT ON HAND, but usually Ships in 2-7 Days
Published: St. Martin's Press - May 9th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: The Collected Regrets of Clover
Comments:
Heartwarming, uplifting and inspiring this is a story that upon completion made me sigh with contentment and hug the book to my chest. Not something I expected from a book about a death doula, but it’s romantic at its core and filled to the brim with hope and insight. No regrets about picking this one up!
$18.99
ISBN: 9781536222814
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Candlewick - April 11th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Elf Dog and Owl Head
Comments:
Sweet story full of fantastical adventures and love of family, friends and a super special dog. The owl head people were really weird and interesting!
$18.99
ISBN: 9781683649823
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Sounds True - April 18th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Today I Am a River
Comments:
BEAUTIFUL!! The artwork, the poetry, the messages.... sigh. This is just perfect.
$14.99
ISBN: 9780316438919
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - March 7th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Song of the Sea: The Graphic Novel
Comments:
This is one of my favorite animated movies of all time! I am thrilled that a graphic novel adaptation has been made. This is a selkie story filled with Irish folklore, but mostly it's a story about family and sticking together even when times are tough. I love it and hope you do too.
$16.99
ISBN: 9781951836542
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Cameron Kids - March 7th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Bark Ship Bonnie
Comments:
Perfect for boat enthusiasts or those interested in learning about boating, this tale is chock full of boating jargon and facts. The rhyming of their adventure is lovely and made me smile. The glossary in back explains all the parts of a bark ship as well as ship slang for newbies like me! Super fun to read aloud and based on the author's daughter and dog.
$27.00
ISBN: 9780593543764
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Riverhead Books - June 6th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: My Murder
Comments:
What a thrill ride! An absorbing, unique storyline that touches on new motherhood, serial murder, marriage, friendship, and identity. Imagine a world where we can clone victims of murder and bring them back to their families — would they be the same? And how would it be to confront your murderer after you’ve died?! I loved this book. An unforgettable page turner that threw me for a loop.
$17.99
ISBN: 9781623543037
Availability: NOT ON HAND, but usually Ships in 2-7 Days
Published: Charlesbridge - May 9th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Not a Monster
Comments:
How adorable are axolotls?? I say VERY! This is a great book that shows the lifespan of one in the Xochimilco canal in Mexico City which is the only natural habitat for these special creatures. Super adorable art and great learning about these unique salamanders that are definitely NOT monsters :)
$18.99
ISBN: 9781922610560
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Berbay Publishing - June 6th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: How to Make Friends: A Bear's Guide
Comments:
Adorableness factor: 10
Sense of humor: 10
Precious message:10How to Make Friends completely melted my heart at first glance. The photography is stellar and the handmade animals are so cute I was prompted to squee obnoxiously loud! The message to be yourself is an important one and is appropriate for all ages. This one will be on our staff pick shelf forever :)
$27.00
ISBN: 9780593595299
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Random House - June 13th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: The Puzzle Master
Comments:
Super suspenseful, twisty and entertaining. Prepare for creepy porcelain dolls, intriguing puzzles, Jewish mysticism, some steamy romance and characters whose motives are consistently questionable.
$28.00
ISBN: 9781982166595
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Scribner - June 13th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: To Name the Bigger Lie: A Memoir in Two Stories
Comments:
This is no ordinary memoir. This is a philosophical discussion that uses two significant moments in Sarah's life to inspire an investigation into the nature of truth and reality. She draws on Socrates, Plato, Virginia Woolf, Hannah Arendt, Schopenhauer, Kant, Sartre, her own high school experience, as well as the atrocious lie of sexual misconduct made against her wife to dive deep into sorting out what it all means. Engrossing, thought-provoking, astonishing, enlightening, courageous these are the words I would use to describe this utterly unique book. And that cover! Perfect two-headed snake or perhaps the shadow side reflection of the one?
$17.95
ISBN: 9781684631902
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Sparkpress - June 6th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: The Byways
Comments:
CeeCee is a frustrated, misunderstood, angry teenager that is so sick of all that is happening in her life. Her teachers don't get her, she's bullied, she's an outsider and even her best friend is fighting with her. Everyone seems to think she's worth nothing, so maybe she is? In her worst moment of self-loathing she's suddenly lost in an alley that leads to The Byways - a world outside of our own filled with strange freaky creatures, forgotten people and very real danger. Much like Alice in Wonderland, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, The Wizard of Oz, and even a bit of Jim Henson's Labyrinth, this tale was so exciting and also full of fantastic life lessons. CeeCee discovers what she's really made of when she befriends Jesse, a cute boy (and also a cat!) and they stir up the status quo while racing to find her way home. But, now that she has found Jesse, does she really want to go back? The world of The Byways was so creatively rendered with some very creepy creeps. I highly recommend to anyone that enjoys this type of fantasy.
$26.99
ISBN: 9781250835673
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Tor Nightfire - June 20th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Night's Edge
Comments:
The world has been invaded by a virus that turns people into vampires. Those that have been turned are living secretly in order to avoid being captured by the police and sent to "treatment" centers. Mia had the unfortunate luck to watch her mother get turned by a nasty vamp when she was 10. From that point onward, she has been taking care of her mother, hiding in their house and drawing her own blood into a cup nightly to feed her. The story moves back and forth from the past to the present where Mia is now 23 and craving a life of her own but still feels obligated to her mother. The creep that turned her mother returns and a lot of things start to change for Mia -- not only in how she looks at her mother, but also in how she looks at herself and if she can have a life of her own. The book is a slow build flipping back and forth in time to establish the history of Mia and her mother and by the time the real action occurs it's the end of the book. I am SO thankful that there is a second book coming out because this one is really just the beginning! I love the character of Mia and can't wait to see what happens next.
$29.99
ISBN: 9781250878359
Availability: Coming Soon - Available for Pre-Order Now
Published: Flatiron Books - June 6th, 2023
Bookseller: Cheri
Title: Pageboy: A Memoir
Comments:
Wow, this memoir blew me away on so many levels. A heartbreaking look at a trans journey for a person that had to experience all of it with a very public coming out. I felt for Elliot with every page and I am so very happy he has found himself and has had the support of amazing people along the way. I won't say more because it's best to read it without spoilers, but this is one heck of a brave journey. Every person deserves to live authentically and I hope this book helps to spread hope to others that need it.