A Great Good Place for Books

We love Halloween costumes inspired by books; our good friend Winnie is an elf from Shannon Messenger’s Keeper of the Lost Cities series.

Great job sweet Winnie!

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“Something I never thought I’d say, but I’m gonna say it, “I loved the voice of the slasher!” Tolly Driver and his 1989 two-night terror spree in Lamesa, Texas (that started because of a peanut allergy) was such a distinct narrative experience! The perspective shift, the central relationship and establishment of slasher of rules make for a haunting, gory, grotesque tale that is somehow also beautiful and romantic too. I don’t know how Jones does it but THIS. IS, AMAZING. Note: I don’t read a lot of horror but when I do I tend to go for epic final girl forward fare.”

GGP’S Zinna recommends I WAS A TEENAGE SLASHER by Stephen Graham Jones. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy! recommendations

“I could not put down this propulsive thrill ride of a fantasy. And let me tell you from the first line to last page, I was on the edge of my seat. Though, I did stop to consult the map a time or two. LOVED THE MAP! Mic drops and cliffhangers almost every chapter. Many a moral quandary. At times, you can’t see for all the gray morality. As the three stories surge forth you think you know where you are going. BOOM! They collide and you’re like, “WHAT?! Do I even know what I know?!?!” The end just about GUTTED me. Oh! and I have to give shout out the actual the writing. It’s quite a feat to write something so approachable that also makes you feel smarter as you read it. If you like fantasies, I can not recommend this book enough! I haven’t read EMBER IN THE ASHES Yet! At least now I have something to do while I not so patiently wait for the sequel.”

GGP’S Zinna recommends HEIR by Sabaa Tahir. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy! recommendations

“I thoroughly enjoyed this stunning debut from Marcela Fuentes and her incredible ability to weave together an intricate tale about a decades long multigenerational curse. I loved the juxtaposition of the two strong female leads navigating patriarchal and cultural oppression in two different time periods (50’s/60’s and 90’s) as well as the rich Tejano cultural details. From rodeos to Selena concerts this book was a wonderfully captivating emotional journey.”

GGP’S Zinna recommends MALAS by Marcela Fuentes. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy!

“This is a well written, fast paced unflinching story about a group of friends sucked into an elite but DANGEROUS underground world of s*x parties in Nigeria. There’s life or death choices, menacing powerful men to best or outrun, and many a repressed memory to confront. Will these friends remain whole or get chewed up and spit out in pieces?”

GGP’S Zinna recommends LITTLE ROT by Akwaeke Emezi. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy!

Out today!! .village

“Acevedo is amassing a truly REMARKABLE body of work. Just when I thought I couldn’t be more impressed (have you read, THE POET X?), Acevedo knocks my socks off with this BRILLIANT Dominican-American family saga. It reminded me of Gabriel García Márquez (a master of his craft) and one of my favorite books, HOW THE GARCIA GIRLS LOST THEIR ACCENTS by Julia Alvarez while simultaneously being its own distinct thing. I laughed! I cried. I was horrified at times and in awe at others. Acevedo, an exceptional lyricist, makes the lives of these utterly fascinating women sing!”

GGP’S Zinna recommends FAMILY LORE by Elizabeth Acevedo. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy!

“A charming historical tribute to delivery people and mid-century Tokyo. The delivery man from Old Sobaya noodle shop balances towering trays of noodles door-to-door on his bicycle delighting the people and dazzling the children with his skills before cycling home for a cozy dinner of his own. Eat your heart out DoorDash!”

GGP’S Sarah recommends NOODLES ON A BICYCLE by Kyo Maclear & Gracey Zhang. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy!

“Three mysterious strangers crash land in Mr. Li’s field. He’s not sure where they are from (perhaps Europe?) but does what any decent human would; invites them in and rallies the community to help. This is a sly story of acceptance that is DEFINITELY hilarious.”

GGP’S Sarah recommends WE ARE DEFINITELY HUMAN by X. Fang. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy!

Halloween in Montclair Village-tons of cute kiddos and 15 bags of candy later. Until next year!

“Please stop by the store and take a peek at the delightful children’s book for adult/adult book for children by beloved author, comedian and political commentator Trevor Noah. INTO THE UNCUT GRASS follows the boy and his best friend Walter the bear as they explore beyond the boundaries of the safe world of home and learn sweet lessons about how to work through disagreements.”

GGP’S Sam recommends INTO THE UNCUT GRASS by Trevor Noah. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy!

“A beautifully written book. Khaled, a scholarship student from Libya, is studying in Edinburgh when a choice he makes changes the course of his life. Exiled from his home, he creates a life in London. This story is specific to the experience of being exiled from one’s homeland, but explores universal feelings of longing for one’s family, friends, and past, all while making a life that is uniquely one’s own.”

GGP’S Amy recommends MY FRIENDS by Hisham Matar. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy!

“TJ Alexander always delivers a wonderful unique love story (at least in the 3 books I’ve read so far) spot lighting the kinds of Qu**rs we rarely get to see represented with love and nuance. This book is no exception. Meet Mel, a jaded bartender, who is still heart broken from her divorce (with her high school sweetheart). And Bebe, a successful lawyer whose flirt game is unmatched. They start a casual dalliance that proves to be much more meaningful than either could have ever imagined EXCEPT that Bebe is married. It’s an open marriage but Mel has absolutely no experience with polyamory. Just as Mel begins to open her heart to Bebe, she begins to see/feel a connection with Bebe’s hard-to-read nonbinary spouse. Can these three find love in a world that tells us that real love is only meant for two?”

GGP’S Zinna recommends TRIPLE SEC by TJ Alexander. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy!

“I’m not usually one for historical fiction but I absolutely LOVED this beautifully written novel (I read it 3 times) that was an action/adventure tale, an epic second chance/ forbidden love story and a spooky thriller all-in-one. I loved that the world was mostly grounded in a historical reality and that the main characters were feminist (and maybe ahead of their time) and that the question you’ll be asking at the end is: were the Vampires the real monsters?”

GGP’S Zinna recommends VAMPIRES OF EL NORTE by Isabel Cañas. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy!

“But you also remember the first time you saw your final girl in her true light, and how your vision tunneled down, your mind pulsing her, her, her.” Stephen Graham Jones, I WAS A TEENAGE SLASHER

“A fresh perspective on the workplace romance from Native author, Danica Nava, who infuses this book with culture, social commentary, humor and heart. I love a loveable but flawed female protagonist who is incredibly relatable and can make you feel all the feels. I felt her rage, her insecurities, the panic that often to led to understandable but ultimately poor choices! Ember is impossible not root for while she navigates some tricky work place situations. OH! AND the male lead was the ultimate stoic, tall, dark and handsome with a heart of gold. STEAMY!! If you enjoy Emily Henry or Ali Hazelwood, this book is for you.”

GGP’S Zinna recommends THE TRUTH ACCORDING TO EMBER by Danica Nava. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy!

“A FEAST! I had a great time reading about these Q***r hotties eating, drinking and bedding locals across French, Spanish and Italian country sides. Filled with delicious detailed descriptions of once-in-lifetime meals and awe-inspiring sights (such as La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona) . In fact, each chapters starts with a mouth-watering pairing. FUN! For those who love dual POVs, forced proximity and second chance romance. I especially enjoyed how the nonbinary protagonist made for really interesting steamy scenes! YUM YUM YUM!”

GGP’S Zinna recommends THE PAIRING by Casey McQuiston. Please come by the store, see the Facebook comments, our Instagram profile, or our website to to get your copy!

COMING Dec 24, 2024 is GGP bestselling author Xiran Jay Zhao’s new action-packed fantasy HEAVENLY TYRANT. Preorder your copy today!

Zetian must balance dangerous politics with a new quest for vengeance in the sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Iron Widow.

Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers.

After suffering devastating loss and making drastic decisions, Zetian finds herself on the seat of power in Huaxia, but she has also learned that her world is not as it seems. Revelations about an enemy who dangles one of her loved ones as a hostage force Zetian to share power with a dangerous man she cannot simply depose. Despite their mutual dislike and distrust, the two must work together to take down their common enemy and stoke a revolution against the systems of exploitation that plague their world.

However, power is not so easy to wield once seized, and a revolution is not so easy to control once unleashed. As Huaxia’s former elites strike back and the common people’s fervor for justice turns bloody and paranoid, can Zetian remain a fair and just ruler? Or will she be forced to rely on fear and violence and succumb to her darker instincts in her quest for vengeance and liberation?

GGP’S Great Good Book Club November meeting be held Wednesday Nov 13th at 7pm and we will be discussing THEY’RE GOING TO LOVE YOU by Meg Howrey. There’s still time to buy and read the book! See you there!

PUZZLES! PUZZLES! PUZZLES!

Now that puzzle season is here GGP has upped our selection.

Come on down and get your puzzle on!

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Who loves Klutz kits?

GGP loves Klutz kits!

We have a great selection in time for the holidays—get yours today!

.village @ ShopOakland