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Brazos Vacations: Books to Read at the Ocean

There’s a perfect book for every vacation! Prepare for your summer reads with our Brazos Vacations! This week: Books to Read at the Ocean! Check out our picks below!

The Seas By Samantha Hunt Cover Image
$15.95
ISBN: 9781947793569
Availability: NOT ON OUR SHELVES. Usually Arrives in 4-7 Business Days
Published: Tin House Books - July 16th, 2019

Second Star: and other reasons for lingering By Philippe Delerm, Jody Gladding (Translated by) Cover Image
By Philippe Delerm, Jody Gladding (Translated by)
$18.00
ISBN: 9781953861542
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Archipelago - May 16th, 2023

The Memory of Animals By Claire Fuller Cover Image
$27.95
ISBN: 9781953534873
Availability: Coming Soon - Pre-Order Now
Published: Tin House Books - June 6th, 2023

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Metazoa: Animal Life and the Birth of the Mind By Peter Godfrey-Smith Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9781250800268
Availability: NOT ON OUR SHELVES. Usually Arrives in 4-7 Business Days
Published: Picador - October 26th, 2021

The Island of Missing Trees: A Novel By Elif Shafak Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781635579796
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Bloomsbury Publishing - February 28th, 2023

The Ones We're Meant to Find By Joan He Cover Image
By Joan He
$12.99
ISBN: 9781250833143
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Square Fish - May 16th, 2023

Brazos Vacations: Books to Read at the Museum

There’s a perfect book for every vacation! Prepare for your summer reads with our Brazos Vacations! This week: Books to Read at the Museum! Check out our picks below!

Boy Parts: A Novel By Eliza Clark Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780063328921
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Harper Perennial - May 23rd, 2023

The Museum of Human History By Rebekah Bergman Cover Image
$17.95
ISBN: 9781953534910
Availability: Coming Soon - Pre-Order Now
Published: Tin House Books - August 1st, 2023

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All Things Move: Learning to Look in the Sistine Chapel By Jeannie Marshall Cover Image
$25.95
ISBN: 9781771965330
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Biblioasis - April 4th, 2023

Habilis By Alyssa Quinn Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781950539475
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Dzanc Books - September 13th, 2022

Saint Sebastian's Abyss By Mark Haber Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781566896368
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Coffee House Press - May 10th, 2022

Kids Summer Reading Guide 2023

As summertime comes into full swing we’re looking forward to some amazing new reads! Check out our Summer Reading Guide for 2023 to discover our picks for each age group and genre below–and be sure to look for the Treehouse stamp of approval noting our favorite books in each section! 


Brazos Vacations: Books for the Cabin

There's a perfect book for every vacation! Prepare for your summer reads with our Brazos Vacations! This week: Books for the Cabin! Check out our picks below!

The Lost Journals of Sacajewea By Debra Magpie Earling Cover Image
$26.00
ISBN: 9781571311450
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Milkweed Editions - May 23rd, 2023

A Motherly Best Book of 2023From the award-winning author of Perma Red comes a devastatingly beautiful novel that challenges prevailing historical narratives of Sacajewea.

Among the most memorialized women in American history, Sacajewea served as interpreter and guide for Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery. In this visionary novel, acclaimed Indigenous author Debra Magpie Earling brings this mythologized figure vividly to life, casting unsparing light on the men who brutalized her and recentering Sacajewea as the arbiter of her own history. Raised among the Lemhi Shoshone, in this telling the young Sacajewea is bright and bold, growing strong from the hard work of "learning all ways to survive" gathering berries, water, roots, and wood; butchering buffalo, antelope, and deer; catching salmon and snaring rabbits; weaving baskets and listening to the stories of her elders. When her village is raided and her beloved Appe and Bia are killed, Sacajewea is kidnapped and then gambled away to Charbonneau, a French Canadian trapper. Heavy with grief, Sacajewea learns how to survive at the edge of a strange new world teeming with fur trappers and traders. When Lewis and Clark's expedition party arrives, Sacajewea knows she must cross a vast and brutal terrain with her newborn son, the white man who owns her, and a company of men who wish to conquer and commodify the world she loves. Written in lyrical, dreamlike prose, The Lost Journals of Sacajewea is an astonishing work of art and a powerful tale of perseverance--the Indigenous woman's story that hasn't been told.


Weyward: A Novel By Emilia Hart Cover Image
$27.99
ISBN: 9781250280800
Availability: NOT ON OUR SHELVES. Usually Arrives in 4-7 Business Days
Published: St. Martin's Press - March 7th, 2023

2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.

1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.

Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.


My Stupid Intentions By Bernardo Zannoni, Alex Andriesse (Translated by) Cover Image
By Bernardo Zannoni, Alex Andriesse (Translated by)
$17.95
ISBN: 9781681377285
Availability: Coming Soon - Pre-Order Now
Published: New York Review Books - June 13th, 2023

A stunning, ambitious novel that follows an unusual protagonist—a beech marten, a kind of weasel, who learns to read and write, discovers God and time, and develops a keen sense of self that makes him seem almost human.

My Stupid Intentions is the autobiography of a beech marten named Archy. Born into poverty, maimed by an accident, he is sold into servitude by his mother and taught to read and write by Solomon—a pawnbroking fox whose knowledge derives from a Bible that fell on his head while he was busy feeding on a hanged man.

Even as Archy’s life is transformed by his discovery of the written word and his grappling with the entity called God, he longs for an existence guided by instinct. He longs to be “a real animal.” But there is no way of unlearning what he has learned. Caught between his natural urges and his acquired knowledge, he seeks the meaning of his story by writing it.

This debut novel by the young Italian author Bernardo Zannoni is set in a primordial landscape where animals talk and tend their hearths but are never free from the struggle for survival. A picaresque fable, it has drawn comparisons to Pinocchio and Watership DownThe Wind in the Willows and The Stranger.


Glaciers By Alexis M. Smith, Maris Kriezman (Foreword by) Cover Image
By Alexis M. Smith, Maris Kriezman (Foreword by)
$15.95
ISBN: 9781953534903
Availability: Coming Soon - Pre-Order Now
Published: Tin House Books - July 25th, 2023

“Her story could be told in other people’s things. The postcards and the photographs. A garnet ring and a needlepoint of the homestead. The aprons hanging from her kitchen door. Her soft, faded, dog-eared copy of Little House in the Big Woods. A closet full of dresses sewn before she was born. All these things tell a story, but is it hers?”

Isabel is a single twenty-something in Portland, Oregon, who repairs damaged books in the basement of the local library, dreaming of a life she can’t quite reach. She is filled with longing—for a life in Amsterdam even though she’s never visited, for the unrequited love of a coworker, for a simpler time from her childhood in Alaska among the threatened glaciers she loves, and for the perfect vintage dress to wear to a party that just might change everything.

Unfolding over the course of a single day, Alexis M. Smith’s shimmering debut finds Isabel looking into her past—remembering her parents’ separation, a meeting with an astrologer, and a life-changing encounter with a glacier—and shows us how fleeting, everyday moments can reveal an entire life. In classic movies, in old photographs and unsent postcards, rare books, and thrifted gems, Glaciers tells the story of a young woman’s love of the past and a hope to make something new and all her own.


At the Edge of the Woods By Kathryn Bromwich Cover Image
$26.00
ISBN: 9781953387318
Availability: Coming Soon - Pre-Order Now
Published: Two Dollar Radio - June 6th, 2023

Haunting, gorgeously descriptive, and spellbinding, At the Edge of the Woods is a magnificent and assured debut novel that delivers all the resonance and significance of an instant classic.

Laura lives alone in a cabin deep within the Italian Alps, making her living translating medical documents and tutoring the children of affluent locals. She spends her days climbing the mountains outside her door and exploring the woods, and when she must venture into the small, conservative town for supplies, she's met with curious stares and wariness. Laura begins seeing a bartender, who alerts her to the villagers' uncertainties. Then late one night there is a knock on the door, and on the other side stands someone from her past who has finally found her. In beguiling, lyrical prose, the mystery surrounding why Laura has absconded to this remote corner of the Alps comes into focus, while the villagers grow leery of the woman in the cabin and of her increasingly odd behavior. A few decide to take matters into their own hands, to free themselves from the malevolent forces of the strega who lives amongst them.

With its dexterity and appreciation for the natural world, its slow-burn tension and thematic considerations of illness, femininity and alienation, At the Edge of the Woods calls to mind the work of Richard Powers, Claire-Louise Bennett and Shirley Jackson, while revealing Kathryn Bromwich as a spectacular and singular talent.


Brazos Bookstore Summer of Highsmith

Brazos Bookstore is thrilled to announce our Summer of Highsmith! From June through August we'll be reading and discussing the works of the acclaimed Texan author. Known for her psychological thrillers, Highsmith wrote for over 50 years (from 1942 to 1995), completing 22 novels and numerous short stories.


 

Preorder Katherine Center's HELLO STRANGER

We're so excited for the latest novel from Katherine Center, HELLO STRANGER! Preorder your copy below to ensure you receive a signed copy!

Publishing on July 11, 2023


 

Hello Stranger: A Novel By Katherine Center Cover Image
$29.00
ISBN: 9781250283788
Availability: Coming Soon - Pre-Order Now
Published: St. Martin's Press - July 11th, 2023

Love isn’t blind, it’s just a little blurry.

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls in love—not with one man but two. The timing couldn’t be worse.

Making judgment calls on anything right now is a nightmare. If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to have it all.


BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of over half a dozen books, including How to Walk AwayThings You Save in a Fire, and What You Wish For. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” Her books have made countless Best-Of lists, including RealSimple’s Best Books of 2020, Amazon’s Top 100 Books of 2019, Goodreads’ Best Books of the Year, and many more. Bestselling author Emily Henry calls her summer 2022 book, The Bodyguard, “a shot of pure joy.” The movie adaptation of Katherine’s novel The Lost Husband (starring Josh Duhamel) hit #1 on Netflix, and her novel Happiness for Beginners is in production now as a Netflix original starring Ellie Kemper. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.


An Interview with Charlene Thomas, author of SETON GIRLS

Seton Girls is fascinating—a timely look at class, race, and the patriarchy featuring an addictive group of female friends, a privileged academy, and the damning secrets that tie them together. I was so thrilled to be able to interview Charlene Thomas about her incredible debut.

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Seton Girls By Charlene Thomas Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780593529348
Availability: NOT ON OUR SHELVES. Usually Arrives in 4-7 Business Days
Published: Dutton Books for Young Readers - August 30th, 2022

Preorder WITCHLINGS 2: THE GOLDEN FROG GAMES

We couldn't be more excited for the sequel to WitchlingsThe Golden Frog Games! Preorders from Brazos Bookstore will receive a signed bookplate, enamel pin, and coven cards!


The much-anticipated sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller and #1 Indie bestseller!

Every four years, the Twelve Towns gather for a legendary magical tournament--the Golden Frog Games.

The Golden Frog Games (Witchlings 2) By Claribel A. Ortega Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781338745795
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scholastic Press - May 2nd, 2023


PS: Need to catch up on the series? Purchase your copy of Witchlings below!*

*You MUST preorder a copy of The Golden Frog Games to receive preorder swag


Witchlings By Claribel A. Ortega Cover Image
$8.99
ISBN: 9781338745535
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scholastic Inc. - March 7th, 2023

Preorder Donation Drive for RILEY WEAVER NEEDS A DATE TO THE GAYBUTANTE BALL

As many of you know, books written by and about queer folks are coming under increasing attack. They’re being challenged or pulled from schools and public libraries, and the teachers and librarians who make sure queer teens have access to books with people like them in their pages are often threatened for having LGBTQ+ collections.

Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball By Jason June Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780063260030
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: HarperTeen - May 23rd, 2023

The next LGBTQ+ young adult rom-com from New York Times bestselling author Jason June (author of Jay’s Gay Agenda and Out of the Blue). 

Femme, gay teen podcaster Riley Weaver has made it to junior year, which means he can finally apply for membership into the Gaybutante Society, the LGBTQ+ organization that has launched dozens of queer teens' careers in pop culture, arts, and activism. The process to get into the society is a marathon of charity events, parties, and general gay chaos, culminating in the annual Gaybutante Ball. The one requirement for the ball? A date.

Then Riley overhears superstar athlete, Skylar, say that gay guys just aren't interested in femme guys or else they wouldn't be gay. Riley confronts Skylar and makes a bet to prove him wrong: Riley must find a masc date by the time of the Ball, or he'll drop out of the Society entirely. Riley decides to document the trials and tribulations of dating while femme in a brand-new podcast. Can Riley find a fella to fall for in time? Or will this be one massive—and publicly broadcast—femme failure?

This new novel from Jason June explores how labels can limit and liberate us and shows just what can happen when you bet on yourself. 


Jason June has planned to be a merperson ever since he first saw The Little Mermaid and strongly identified with King Triton’s daughters. While he waits for his fin to appear, Jason June is a New York Times bestselling author who writes young adult works full of queer joy and love and lust and magic. He is the author of Jay’s Gay Agenda, and can be found on social media @heyjasonjune, and on his website at heyjasonjune.com.


Kid's Summer Bookmark Contest 2023

We give out a LOT of bookmarks here at Brazos, and we are always looking for new ideas for their design. This spring we’re asking kids to lend their artistic expertise to our annual Bookmark Contest! The deadline for submissions HAS PASSED. Thank you for your beautiful entries. We’ll announce the winners at our Summer Reading Kick Off Party!

 

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