Fiction

  • Amateurs Getting It Done

    As an avid mystery reader, one aspect of the genre I love the most is knowing that however tumultuous the situation is at the beginning, by the end of the novel the state of affairs will be set right again. Real life is never so certain. Here are three mystery novels wherein regular everyday people… Continue reading

  • Dina Rubina, Napoleon Wagon Train – Дина Рубина – «Наполеонов обоз»

    If the name Dina Rubina sounds strange to an American ear, to a Russian it’s a house-hold name. The author of over fifty books; thirteen novels, twenty-nine collections of short stories, and twelve collections of essays, not to mention eight movie scripts is Rubina’s impressive accomplishment. The Seattle Public Library has thirty-seven of Rubina’s books,… Continue reading

  • Read-alikes for the Emily St. John Mandel fan

    Want something like Emily St. John Mandel? We get this question quite a lot from fans of the author’s best-selling dystopian novel Station Eleven or her more literary mysteries starting with her debut Last Night in Montreal. Here are some read-alikes with similar qualities to St. John Mandel’s beautiful and haunting novels: Continue reading

  • Three on a Theme: Seattle Writers

    Every fall, as the rains return, we are reacquainted with the knowledge of where exactly on Earth we are. Autumn in Seattle can be gloomy and hard to survive emotionally, but it is also an experience that can be enhanced by delving into the cultural history and storytelling of the specific place we are in.… Continue reading

  • Vampires, Possession, and … Elk? It’s Horror Season!

    Darkness encroaches! This year’s horror novels bring us several takes on possession, some very creepy homes, vampires, and even a vengeful elk spirit. So make a hot beverage, grab a blanket, and settle in on the couch as you prepare to feel a frisson of fear from an outstanding recent horror novel. The Only Good… Continue reading

  • Witchy Reads for a Witchy Autumn

    We are approaching one of the most magical times of the year: when the leaves begin to turn, the days get windier, and the spiders come out to leave their shimmery artwork in the gardens for us to admire. Every autumn, it can feel amazing to lean into the spookier side of things and appreciate… Continue reading

  • The Haunted Podcasts of Autumn

    The Haunted Podcasts of Autumn

    Well, we’ve definitely turned the corner into the spookiest time of year. No, I don’t mean election season: I’m talking about the lead up to Hallowe’en. This time last year – and for the past five years – I’d be stepping out into the chill winds of Autumn to go read haunting ‘Ales from the… Continue reading

  • Three on a Theme: LGBT Comics

    While many of us tend to associate the graphic novel and comic book genre with superheroes, in a cultural market dominated by companies like Marvel and DC that produce blockbuster movies based in on graphic novels every year, there are plenty of other types of comic books out there that are available to you with… Continue reading

  • Hot New Romance by Local Authors!

    While many of us are not getting our usual fill of beaches this summer, nothing says we can’t indulge in some beach reads. Not that a good romance can’t be enjoyed year-round! Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert is set in the world of tabletop games and Conrad and Alden have been bitter rivals but must… Continue reading

  • Three on a Theme: Animal Comics

    Animals often figure prominently in comic strips and graphic novels, but the ways in which they are represented and the roles they play in telling a story vary greatly across genres and the works of different authors. Often, animals in the comics genre exist mainly for comedic relief, representing cartoon caricatures or anthropomorphisms that tell… Continue reading

  • Who You Gonna Call?

    Life can be uncertain, sometimes things get out of hand, and sometimes things are so bad that you need to call in a professional to solve it. Well, if you need help with an Ancient One, outbreak of werewolves, or just a simple disappearance, then these are the folks to call. (If it’s just ghosts,… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2020: Two Books by the Same Author

    Can’t believe this is our last Book Bingo square post! It’s definitely been an added challenge to stay focused. I’ve found with two books by the same author that you can go back to some of those authors you love. Re-read your favorite novel of theirs and grab one of theirs you haven’t read yet… Continue reading

  • 100 Years of Agatha Christie

    In October of this year, we get to celebrate Agatha Christie being brought into our lives. Her first novel The Mysterious Affair at Styles was published in the U.S. in October of 1920. The United States was first to be introduced to Hercule Poirot. He would go on to be the main character in 33… Continue reading

  • Book Series by Volume – Sleuth Edition

    Today’s Book Series by Volume adds three more cubic feet to your already stuffed bookshelves (if they aren’t over-stuffed then you need to get to work on that) with three series you should investigate. Leaphorn and Chee by Tony Hillerman – This series of 18 books fills in about one cubic foot, though the area… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2020: Set in a City of Literature

    Now that summer is truly underway, it’s time for a book bingo check-in. How’s it going? Do you need a few more suggestions for books set in Cities of Literature? We thought you might need some recommendations for books to read, so we asked our colleagues in the thirty-eight other Cities of Literature to recommend… Continue reading

  • Three on a Theme: Pandemic Philosophy

    As we progress into what seems like the umpteenth month of this pandemic, the long-term effects of what it feels like to be isolated from loved ones, constantly exposed to news reports about death and infection rates are starting to feel quite exhausting. Even though some lockdown measures are slowly thawing (have you tried curbside… Continue reading

  • Magical Tales by Women of Color

    I went on a search for stories with a magical theme to them by authors who are women of color. On my search I managed to procure these six stories for your enjoyment. They are all a little different, so hopefully you’ll find one to strike your fancy. The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig… Continue reading

  • #BookBingoNW2020: Indigenous Author

    If you’ve been wanting to decolonize your bookshelf but aren’t sure how to start, Adult Book Bingo has an indigenous author square, which is an excellent opportunity to begin including more works by Native authors in your daily reading. The Library offers plenty of fiction and nonfiction by indigenous writers from all over the world,… Continue reading