Blogs

Is it too early to call these blazing afternoons the "dog days" of summer? The stars may say no, but we're going to go ahead and do it anyway. Fortunately, we know the very best way to beat the heat: Stay inside with a great new book, like one of the recent releases we're featuring below. Only one is actually about a dog. But there's another one about bones, which we think should count for something. And all of them are perfect summer reads. Enjoy!

There's nothing quite like that special bookshop smell. (Just ask Rory Gilmore.) Lately, our shelves have been positively perfumed by the sweet scent of summer reading. There have been so many wonderful new releases hitting our shelves that are just perfect for road trips, the beach, or just a lazy summer afternoon with a glass of iced tea and a comfortable chair. Below, we've rounded up a few of our newest favorites, for readers of all ages. There's romance, friendship, adventure, history, and magic to be found below. Breathe deep, and dig in.

Step into our shop these days, and it will take you about two seconds to find the perfect book for summer reading — three of the new releases we're featuring below have waterfront covers, for goodness' sake. So grab your bingo card (or print one out at home) and join us for a summer full of great books for readers of all ages. We've got YA, romance, literary fiction, and lots more to share with you this week — including a few great picks to help you usher in Pride Month in style. Make some space on your bookshelf and come see us. We've got cool air, a smile, and some opinionated recommendations to share with you all.

Have you heard that books make the best gifts? It's true... and we know that many of you have called or stopped in recently looking for gifts for a couple of specific late-spring occasions: High school and college graduations, and Father's Day. Here, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite in-stock recommendations for each occasion. So if you’re seeking words of wisdom, inspiration, or helpful college cooking tips, check out our grad section below. Scroll past those picks, and you’ll find an assortment of dad-approved titles from picture books to nonfiction. Stop in or give us a call, and we'll even take care of the gift-wrapping — leaving you more time to celebrate the dads and grads in your life. Hooray!

If you’ve seen me at the bookshop or seen my profile on the Blue Willow staff page, you know that I’m an enthusiastic supporter of kids' books and romance novels (just watch me handsell anything by Jasmine Guillory or Alexis Hall, and you’ll see the hand flails in action!).

In case the upper-90s heat we’re staring down hasn’t tipped you off, we have it on good authority that summer is just around the corner. Just take a look at our shelves, which are packed with new releases that perfectly fit the “summer reading” mold. Just in time, too — we’ve dusted off our annual summer reading challenge, which kicks off on June 1. So peruse the list of stories below, including tales of sleepaway camp, cats in space, time travel, historical fiction, and more, and make some room on your TBR pile. We’ve even included a cookbook to help you plan your summer get-togethers. Dig in!

Friends, we can’t wait to share the new book for teens (and up!) from National Book Award finalist Eliot Schrefer with you all. It’s called Queer Ducks, and it delves into the fascinating world of animal sexuality with humor, wit, and smarts. It’s an absolute treat to read — take it from Blue Willow Events Coordinator and Children’s Specialist Cathy Berner, who says, “The engaging format that combines scientific research, comics, and memoir made me feel like I was sitting next to Eliot in science class, passing notes and comics back and forth — and then going for coffee afterwards!”

Cathy caught up with Eliot before the book’s launch to talk about Queer Ducks, Eliot’s recent Stonewall honor, and more. Check out their conversation below, then save the date for Eliot’s virtual launch event on May 24. He’ll appear in conversation with Newbery medalist Kelly Barnhill, and it’s sure to be a conversation you won’t want to miss!

Is there any better feeling than walking into a bookshop? We do it all the time, and it still gives us a little thrill. There's something about the feeling of possibility, the sense of discovery as you wander down a shelf knowing that the perfect book is waiting for you in plain sight. Of course, we're more than happy to help steer you in the right direction, which is exactly what we've done in choosing our latest staff picks. No matter whether you're looking for a picture book, graphic novel, mystery, poetry, fantasy, romance, or capital-L Literature, there's something for you below. Read on!

We'll just cut to the chase here: There have been an incredible number of great books publishing this spring, and more than one of them probably deserves a spot on your shelf. Here, we're highlighting a few of our most recent favorites, covering all kinds of ages and interests. Picutre books? Of course. Middle grade from an award-winning Texan author? Don't mind if we do. Literary fiction? Romance? Memoir? Please and thank you. It's a veritable feast, y'all. Which means there's only one thing left to say: Bon appétit!

Calling all book lovers: Independent Bookstore Day is Saturday, April 30!

This annual national holiday celebrates independent bookstores and the awesome folks who support them. We'll be in the shop all day, ready to talk books with you, share recommendations, and — yes — hand flail over stories we love.