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Sara's Reviews

Sara moved to Santa Cruz in 2013 when she became a member of the Bookshop family. Three years later she had the privilege of taking over the sidelines department as the head Gift Buyer. You can find her tinkering in the Toys section, fussing in the fun gifts section, or gazing longingly at books throughout the store.

 

"Reading is not a subject. Reading is a foundation of life, an activity that people who are engaged with the world do all the time."

--Rafe Esquith

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Stella is a brilliant, beautiful econometrician. While most people don’t know she has Asperger’s, her past sexual encounters have been less than exceptional, and Stella decides she needs professional help so that she can snag a mate. Michael, a charming Vietnamese escort, takes her under his wing, but both learn more than they bargained for. This novel is smart, tender, and sexy, an exploration of self-discovery and a fabulously fun read. - Sara

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The Kiss Quotient By Helen Hoang Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9780451490803
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Berkley - June 5th, 2018

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

Hal is still reeling from her mother’s death and her own new reality of debt and desperation when a letter arrives informing her that she may have an inheritance from her long-lost grandmother. Hal finds that she has embedded herself into a family full of bitterness and secrets that impact her more than she knows. Using her skills as a tarot reader, Hal must read the members of the Westaway family to find out the truth—before danger finds her. - Sara

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The Death of Mrs. Westaway By Ruth Ware Cover Image
$26.99
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9781501156212
Published: Gallery/Scout Press - May 29th, 2018

Other People's Houses by Abbi Waxman

Waxman returns with a delightful, witty story of people simply trying to make it through another chaotic day of family life. Frances walks in on her neighbor Anne in the midst of a deceitful act, and the entire neighborhood is thrown for a loop as Anne’s family comes unraveled. Allegiances are formed, gossip abounds, and Frances begins to learn that not everything is black and white. A fun, rollicking read threaded with drama (and some familiar characters), Other People’s Houses is full of charm, laughs and insight. - Sara

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Other People's Houses By Abbi Waxman Cover Image
$17.00
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9780399587924
Published: Berkley - April 3rd, 2018

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley

Myfanwy Thomas wakes up with no memories, but with her pockets full of letters explaining that she is an agent of the Checquy, a Supernatural Secret Service. Someone in the Checquy is trying to kill her and dismantle the agency, and Myfanwy must discover the traitor before time runs out. An exciting, often laugh-out-loud book full of monsters, mayhem, and slime! - Sara

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The Rook: A Novel (The Rook Files #1) By Daniel O'Malley Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780316098809
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Back Bay Books - October 16th, 2012

The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld

Naomi doesn't remember why she was running when a group of migrants found her as a lost child outside a field, but she devotes her adult life to answering that question for other lost girls. A private investigator, Naomi is skilled at tracking down lost children. But when a new case draws her back into the broken memories of her past, Naomi is scared of what she might find. A beautiful, chilling tale of loss and redemption. - Sara

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The Child Finder: A Novel By Rene Denfeld Cover Image
$25.99
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9780062659057
Published: Harper - September 5th, 2017

The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

This charming, funny story tells of a widow and her struggle to continue life with her two young daughters. Lilian, an illustrator, is tasked with drawing vegetables for an upcoming book, and so enrolls in a gardening class. There she meets a group of very different​ strangers, all of whom touch her life. This quirky novel is full of humor, joy and hope. - Sara

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The Garden of Small Beginnings By Abbi Waxman Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780399583582
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Berkley - May 2nd, 2017

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

This post-apocalyptic endeavor is a beautifully written, terrifying journey into a future that feels real. We follow a caravan of musicians and actors who call themselves the Traveling Symphony, performing for forlorn survivors as they traverse the desolate landscape of what was once the Great Lakes. A fantastic look into human nature and the will to survive. - Sara

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Station Eleven: A Novel (National Book Award Finalist) By Emily St. John Mandel Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780804172448
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Vintage - June 2nd, 2015

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

Ignore the gimmicky title - Ruth Ware's writing is only getting better. The Lying Game has the fun, suspenseful feel of The Woman in Cabin 10 and the true-to-life characters of Into the Woods, but with richer character development. Four best friends meet at Salten, a boarding school near the Reach, a tidal estuary - a perfect setting for sneaking out to drink and smoke, swimming under the stars, and perhaps even...murder. My heart was racing through to the end. - Sara

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The Lying Game: A Novel By Ruth Ware Cover Image
$26.99
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9781501156007
Published: Gallery/Scout Press - July 25th, 2017

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Lo, a journalist for a travel magazine, gets a lucky break when she receives an assignment on a luxury cruise. Her ideal job turns into a nightmare when she believes she witnesses a body being thrown overboard in the night. However, all passengers are accounted for, and Lo finds herself an unlikely detective as she refuses to believe she imagined the murder. She is pushed to overcome her personal insecurities in order to solve a mystery that apparently does not exist. - Sara

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The Woman in Cabin 10 By Ruth Ware Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781501132957
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Gallery/Scout Press - April 11th, 2017

The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee

The Expatriates interweaves the lives of three very different women who come to Hong Kong for various reasons but who are all bound together by each other’s choices. Mercy, a young woman struggling to find her place, makes a mistake that she discovers will define her. Margaret has trouble coping with a family tragedy. Hilary, a lonely housewife, cannot navigate the cultural differences. But together these women find strength, hope, and ultimately home, in this beautifully written novel.  —Sara

 

                                             

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The Expatriates: A Novel By Janice Y. K. Lee Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780143108429
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Penguin Books - October 11th, 2016

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