Happy Summer Reading

Hello Readers!
I have the new Tana French BROKEN HARBOR in paperback at the store. I can't release it until April 30th but I have three copies waiting to be read.  If you'd like to reserve one, call at 503-325-4210.  LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS by M.L. Stedman is also now in paperback, as is THE ORCHARDIST by Amanda Coplin. I realize those of you who facebook will see this same announcement....so now I'll add something to this post to change it out a bit.

I have customers come in all the time recommending books, and for the most part, just about everyone has been spot on about the book they read.  Books for relaxing and perfect for the ol' camping trip, books to lose yourself in and get absorbed in, making it the perfect reason why you aren't the one starting the dinner on the campfire.

Most of you are voracious readers, so these titles- please excuse if you've read the book- are summer get-aways...literally.  Get a copy and have that all-is-well-I-don't-have-anything-to-do-but-read-this-book feeling.  Don't you love that feeling?

WINTER GARDEN by Kristin Hannah.  This book is a mesmerizing story about two sisters who took different paths in life.  One a mother, the other followed her dream.  Their mother is icy and enigmatic.  But on her husband's deathbed she promises to tell her daughters the fairy tale that spans over sixty years and is unfinished.  From war-torn Leningrad to modern-day Alaska, this is an intimate portrait of women poised at the crossroads of their lives.

DAMNED by Chuck Palahnuik.  A hilariously visual of hell told by a young girl who doesn't really know the reason she's there.  Maybe because she's fat?  Maybe because of the marijuana overdose?
Madison joins a motley crew of THE BREAKFAST CLUB  of the damned as they march across the unspeakable terrain of hell.  I am reading this right now and find it delightful. Once in awhile you need a book that has no redeeming factor other than it is a unique story that grabs you and takes you along on a journey you can't experience elsewhere.  How cool is that?

GENTLEMEN and PLAYERS by Joanne Harris. This story, set in an all boys school in England, is a cat and mouse thriller about Roy Straitley-an eccentric Classics teacher- and an opponent who has meticulously planned a final, deadly move.  Our customer who recommended this title thoroughly enjoyed it. He loved the twists and turns of the plot.

DANCING to the FLUTE by Manisha Jolie Amin.  Lucy's Books' customer enjoyed this book, saying it was beautiful, ethereal, and moving. The story focuses on a young boy, Kalu, who is a street kid in rural India. He has two friends, Bal who tends the buffaloes, and Malti, a gentle servant girl.
 Here is an excerpt from the book:
 "Kalu picked up the flute by his side and started to play.  The sound was deep and full as if he was translating his thoughts into music.  It stayed in the air like dust floating on the sunlight, and each note held the promise of something not quite spoken but maybe heard in the darkness of a dream."

I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU by Lucinda Rosenfeld.  Now, this book seems like it's answering my little green friend that sits on my shoulder from time to time...Wendy's best friend Daphne has everything going for her and Wendy is jealous.  Caught between being a good friend she prides herself on being, and her crippling jealousy of flighty Daphne, Wendy takes things a bit too far.  One quote from Publisher's Weekly  said "A dark, hilarious, and painfully accurate view of the less-than-pure reasons why women stay friends."

So, get some sunshine, SUNSCREEN, and sand and enjoy your summer reading!

Hello Readers!

Hello All You Wonderful Readers,

I want to clear up any misconceptions about Lucy's Books.  The bookstore is doing great...I DO NOT intend on closing it, which surprised me to hear from a customer. Look at the new sign and sandwich board I painted...I wouldn't have done that much work to close a store.  So PLEASE, PLEASE-if you hear the rumor that I am closing the store, it is Not true .  Lucy's Books is for sale, but I will continue to work diligently, keeping up stock, ordering for customers et.al., lovingly taking care of the store and waiting for just the right new owner, because Lucy's Books just can't go to anyone, right?

Books that are out that are good beach reads...

These books were customer recommended:

Bed and Breakfast by Lois Battle ($15.).  She says that this is a great beach read.  At first she was disappointed but then 'click' she really started to enjoy it.

Miss Timmon's School for Girls by Nayana Currimbhoy($14.99).  This customer said it was interesting learning about a British boarding school in India. This book is a mystery, so for all you sleuths out there, if you haven't read this one, give it a try.

Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos ($15.) This customer said this was a good book. This is a review about this book: 
Love Walked In is a wonderful book, full of beautiful cinematic moments that fill your heart. The story of the three lives — Clare, Cornelia, and Teo — connecting and growing together is wonderful to read. This is a book I’ll pick up and read again, pass along to my best friend, and sit talking about for hours afterward. I’m in love!

The Witch's Trinity by Erika Mailman ($13.95).  This book takes place in 1507 Germany where a friar arrives with a book called Mallwus Maleficarum ( The Witch's Hammer) to clean the town of evil.  The author says she had an ancestor who was twice tried for witchcraft.  How horrible would that be in times when lack of knowledge made things unexplainable so naturally, it was a witch who caused the situation.  Hummm......

You can e-mail me at patti@lucysbooks.net or call at 503-325-4210 if you wish to order any of these titles or others.

Happy reading!

Book Store

Well, here it goes...although I have enjoyed owning a bookstore, albeit only for a year and a half, I am putting it on the market. We had a wonderful Christmas season, all is going great in that aspect, there is a great customer base and support, but my heart is not in it now.   I am enjoying having my art take off in a direction that I thought wouldn't happen, and there is where my real passion lies. Also, there is a physical reason too, but compared with others who are so ill, mine seems minor, yet it can be almost crippling at times. So, I'll leave it at that. Anyone interested in buying the bookstore can contact me at patti@lucysbooks.net.

Events for November

Lucy's Books Presents native Astorian Christopher Lord reading from his new Cozy Mystery book

The Christmas Carol Murders on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at Lucy's Books. Complimentary refreshments served.

There is something afoot in Dickens Junction, Oregon. Local bookstore owner Simon Alastair is getting ready for the community's annual celebration of Charles Dickens's well known story. But a stranger shows up and is murdered. Simon and Zach, a dashing magazine reporter, begin to investigate. Then another murder follows. Is Dickens Junction safe? Is the murderer from the community? Or is there a shadowy organization behind this?

Then...

Lucy's Books presents Robert Michael Pyle reading from his new book of essays The Tangled Bank: Writings from Orion on Thursday, November 15, at KALA, 1017 Marine Drive, Astoria. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.  There is a $6.00 cover charge. Complimentary refreshments will be served.

Robert's essays convey an exuberant sense of what it feels like to encounter the greater-than-human world with senses alert and mind engaged. Robert Michael Pyle is curious and knowledgeable about all manner of living things from butterflies to bats, from bio-luminescent plankton to the yeast in beer.

October and November

The sky is gray and the rain is falling.  How appropriate for October in Astoria.  We've needed the rain, although the stretch of sunshine we had was nice, especially for those who need sunshine in their days to stave off depression.  But the rain is here.  The days are getting darker earlier and it is time to cozy up to a good book or two or more!

What has been selling like hotcakes... and I'm sure you will not believe this (tongue in cheek here):

Fiction:
The Fifty Shades Series:  Fifty Shades of Gray, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed.

Then there's

The Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, now that it has been made into a movie, is a hot item. It is a great story, though.

The Shopkeeper by James D. Best- a western...

Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon.  This is his latest book.

Now in paperback, Sacre Bleu by Christopher Moore.  A murder tale with Henri Toulouse- Lautrec and Lucien Lessard trying to solve van Gogh's untimely death. Baing an artist, this book strikes a particular interest.

Fantasy/Sci-fi

The Game of Thrones series. Always a seller.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.  Several customers loved this one.
What Lies Beneath The Clocktower by Margaret Killjoy.  This book reminds me of Steampunk.

 Non-Fiction

The Tangled Bank: Writings by Orion by regional author Robert Pyle. These are essays on nature and this is his latest book.
Days of Revolt by Chris Hedges
Feathers by Thor Hanson
An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski.  This is a true biography/autobiography about a sales executive and an eleven year old panhandlers relationship.
No Easy Day by Mark Owen.  This is the Navy Seal's account of the Bin Laden assassination.

Young Readers and Children's Books

Larry Gets Lost in Portland by Michael Mullin and John Skewes.  A funny tale and recognizable locations in Portland.
The next in the Wildwood Series: Under Wildwood by Colin Meloy.
I Want My Hat Back author Jon Klassen's book This Is Not My Hat a great tale that addresses stealing.

So many more books I haven't mentioned but time is a factor here.

Calendar of Events for November:

Saturday November 3, 1:00 p.m. Christopher Lord, a native Astorian living in Portland, has written The Christmas Carol Murders. The story starts in Dickens Junction, Oregon. Simon Alastair is the local bookstore owner getting ready for the community's annual Charles Dickens reading. But suddenly there is a murder in the town. Simon and Zach, a young magazine reporter, try to solve the mystery. This book is the first of a series with the atmosphere of Agatha Christie puzzles, a touch of Charlotte MacLeod, a hint of Oscar Wilde humor, and the spirit of Charles Dickens. This event will take place at Lucy's Books.

Thursday November 15, 7:00 p.m. local writer Robert Pyle will read from his new book The Tangled Banks: Writings from Orion.
The location of the reading TBA later, as I am working on this. Robert brings in a crowd. More later.

Here's what's happening when shopping at Lucy's Books after Thanksgiving...
Beginning Nov. 23rd through Dec. 21, we will be open til 7 p.m. on Fridays, and here's the deal offered: 
20% off the lowest priced book when you buy three, includes special orders.
 
 

A Treat of an Evening for All

Lucy's Presents an evening of Trick and Treat with Portland native author Lisamarie Jelderks.

The treat: The Willamette Saloon Haunting is her new book introducing Tuesday Brousseau who runs away from her past and hopes Hurricane Katrina will cover her tracks. She revisits her past in Portland and the old Willamette Saloon. Does trouble await her here?

 Come and find out on

 Tuesday, October 9th

 7:00 p.m. at Lucy's Books. 

Oh, and the trick? Remember to bring a flashlight and $3.00 (proceeds will go to the Assistance League) for a field trip that is sure to be an experience to remember.We will be going underground...

AND a special thanks to Dulcye and her store, Old Town Framing Company, for collaborating with Lucy's Books on this event.

Reading in Tokeland, Washington

Hello Readers,

Lucy's Books, or at least the new owner, is trying something different for the next reading...

We will be supplying the books for a reading by Garth Stein, author of
The Art of Racing in the Rain,

who will be in TOKELAND, WASHINGTON (about an hour and a half from Astoria area) on

September 21, at 4 p.m. at the Shoalwater Bay Tribal Community Library.  If you have a hankering for a little fall drive, come to the event.  I'll be there along with hubby Mark and Helga, our mini dachshund (her little nose would be bent out of shape if she didn't get to go). The event promises to be exciting, I'm sure.