Fiction

  • In the Deep Dark Woods

    Growing up with the woods at my back in Central Oregon, forests have always been closest to the sublime for me. Forests hold beauty, magic, mystery, and little bit of terror – there is nothing quite so eerie as the silence of the woods on a snowy winter’s day. Since moving to Seattle, with its… Continue reading

  • Using Horror to Expose Truths About Race: Tananarive Due at the Central Library on Nov. 1

    Using Horror to Expose Truths About Race: Tananarive Due at the Central Library on Nov. 1

    Halloween might be on Oct. 31, but the season continues at the Central Library on Wednesday, Nov. 1, when award-winning horror writer and Jordan Peele collaborator Tananarive Due appears to discuss her much-anticipated new novel “The Reformatory,” just one day after it’s released. The event, which runs from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m., is free… Continue reading

  • Haunted Houses

    When it comes to horror tropes, the haunted house is one of my favorites, and this year I’m in luck as we have a bounty of horror fiction featuring haunted houses to choose from. Given that horror is often seen as a lens on contemporary fears and anxieties, both as exploration and commentary, I wondered… Continue reading

  • Murder: What’s Age Got to Do With It?

    The beginning of autumn always makes me want to curl up with a good book and a steaming mug of tea and nothing is cozier to me than a cozy mystery. With protagonists ranging from “your average 30 something whose life has been upended and must return home” to (usually) “single women who inherit mysterious… Continue reading

  • Horror Tales for Teens

    Horror Tales for Teens

    Halloween is around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than to read these terrifying tales? In Katie Alender’s The Companion, orphaned Margot learns that she is being brought to live with a wealthy family to be a companion to their daughter Agatha, who is completely silent. After a series of strange events, it appears… Continue reading

  • 11 Not-to-Miss Author Events in October and November 2023

    Fall is a great time to sink into a riveting read. Even better: Read the book, and then see the author speak at one of these upcoming events with The Seattle Public Library. From Tananarive Due’s new horror novel set in Jim Crow-era Florida to Lauren Groff’s 17th century survival story to new books by… Continue reading

  • 1990s Vampires

    The days are getting shorter and colder, the fog is rolling in every morning. Fall has arrived, and with it, spooky season! Many may be familiar with local sparkly vampires, but for horror fans looking for a more menacing take on the creature, check out these three titles. My Soul to Keep by Tananarive Due… Continue reading

  • New Fiction Roundup, October 2023

    October brings a robust slate of fresh horror reads, plus new books from heavy hitters like John Grisham, Jesmyn Ward, Jonathan Lethem, Jhumpa Lahiri, and more! 10/3: Brooklyn Crime Novel by Jonathan Lethem Residents of one Brooklyn neighborhood experience – but remember differently – community, crime, real estate speculation and gentrification over 50 years. (general… Continue reading

  • Protecting the Freedom to Read: Five Months of Books Unbanned

    “There are very few books with ANY minority characters at the libraries in my state, so I never see people like myself represented in written media.” – Age 16, Alabama “I am a young person living in a rural-adjacent area without access to a local library.” – Age 18, Nebraska “I live in a rural… Continue reading

  • Bisexuality Visibility Day Picks

    Bisexuality Visibility Day Picks

    Bisexuality Visibility Day, celebrated annually on September 23, is a chance to bring awareness to bi people around the world. A diverse and vast community, bi authors create works to educate, entertain, and acknowledge the existence and experiences of this identity. Here are some recent titles to check out! In Robin Gow’s Ode to My First… Continue reading

  • Jewish Reads for the High Holidays

    As we move into the High Holiday season, with Rosh Hashanah starting on September 15 and Yom Kippur on September 24, why not try a new book by a Jewish author? These represent many different experiences of Judaism, with some identifying strongly with the religion, others with the culture, and there are as many ways… Continue reading

  • Author Spotlight: T. Kingfisher

    Fall is upon us, and with spooky season right around the corner, I can’t think of a better time to put T. Kingfisher on your radar. T. Kingfisher, aka Ursula Vernon (who writes children’s books under that name), is a prolific writer of humorous and often terrifying works of fantasy and horror. Some of her… Continue reading

  • New Fiction Roundup, September 2023

    September brings a bumper crop of excellent fiction, including early horror titles, deep explorations of moments in American history, and much more. 9/5: Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood Grace Adams has hit 45 years old, and she’s losing it. Stuck in traffic one day, she gets out of her car and sets off across… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2023: Workers’ Rights!

    Are you well into #hotlaborsummer and still looking for stories of solidarity to fill out your workers’ rights Bingo square? I’ve got plenty of books for the bargaining table below. On the Line: A Story of Class, Solidarity, and Two Women’s Epic Fight to Build a Union by Daisy Pitkin First up is a harrowing… Continue reading

  • Read with Isaac from Heartstopper, Season 2!

    Read with Isaac from Heartstopper, Season 2!

    Have you had a chance to watch Heartstopper, Season 2? The tender, heartwarming coming-of-age screen adaptation of Alice Oseman’s graphic novel series has captured the hearts of fans of all ages, and perhaps no character is as dear to librarians as the ever-reading Isaac. Here is a sampling of the many books Isaac is seen… Continue reading

  • Get a Kick Out of These Picks

    The FIFA Women’s World Cup is ongoing now until August 20th, and fans across the world are captivated by women’s soccer (football anywhere but here) being played in Australia and New Zealand. If your goals include reading books about women in soccer, check out these keepers and run with it! In Racquel Marie’s You Don’t… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2023 In Translation: What’s in a Language?

    I always find the consuming too much of one thing to be detrimental to my reading health, like eating a menu of only grilled cheese sandwiches would be for example. For a wider, more nourishing literary diet (and to get another square for your Book Bingo blackout), I suggest adding books translated from other languages… Continue reading

  • Three on a Theme: Haunted Media

    At our recent author event with Silvia Moreno-Garcia, an audience member requested more suggestions for haunted media. If you are also looking for such suggestions, please enjoy the following three! All feature movies in one way or another. Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Lifelong friends Monserrat and Tristán stumble into an opportunity they can’t refuse… Continue reading