Amanda's Staff Picks

Bookseller Amanda is a lover of all things romance and all things spooky. If you need a recommendation for books with smooching, fantastical worlds, or malevolent spirits, she's got you covered. Amanda reviews and covers romance for Smart Bitches Trashy Books, Book Riot, Kirkus, and a million other places. She also runs Porter Square Books romance book club. No, she does not sleep.

The Ten Thousand Doors of January By Alix E. Harrow Cover Image
$29.00
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9780316421997
Published: Redhook - September 10th, 2019

This is easily one of the most beautiful books I've read. Harrow's imagination and stuunning prose weave a surprisingly tender tale of good versus evil, magical portals, and what it means to belong. 


Love Lettering: A Witty and Heartfelt Love Story By Kate Clayborn Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781496725172
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Kensington - December 31st, 2019

The title is pretty spot on as this is truly a love letter to the human experience: surrounding yourself with supportive friends, finding your own passions, exploring love and romantic connections. Charming is the word that immediately comes to mind and the book's cheekiness when playing with letters and language are a large part of the fun.


The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook: A Fresh Guide to Eating Well With 700 Foolproof Recipes (The Complete ATK Cookbook Series) By America's Test Kitchen (Editor) Cover Image
$34.99
ISBN: 9781936493968
Availability: Temporarily Out of Stock
Published: America's Test Kitchen - March 1st, 2015

Is it weird to review a cookbook? Maybe, but I unabashedly love this cookbook and have gifted it to many people, many of whom aren't really vegetarians. The meals are verseatile, easy, and really freakin' delicious. The recipe that made me a convert: Eggplant Involtini - fried eggplant, rich tomato sauce, and so much yummy, gooey cheese.


The Blacksmith Queen (The Scarred Earth Saga #1) By G.A. Aiken Cover Image
$15.95
ISBN: 9781496721204
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Kensington - August 27th, 2019

A bloody, feminist romp that will try the bonds of sisterhood. The twists will surprise you. I promise. 


From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death By Caitlin Doughty, Landis Blair (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Caitlin Doughty, Landis Blair (Illustrator)
$15.95
ISBN: 9780393356281
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: W. W. Norton & Company - October 9th, 2018

A frank and informative look at death rituals from around the world, from pyre funerals in Colorado to the merging of tech and burials in Japan. Author Caitlin Doughty runs a fantastic YouTube channel called Ask a Mortician and aims to make death just a little less scary. 


When a Scot Ties the Knot: Castles Ever After By Tessa Dare Cover Image
$8.99
ISBN: 9780062349026
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Avon - August 25th, 2015

Read this if you want to be completely and utterly charmed! A young woman dodges an arranged marriage by creating a fictious lover who's gone off to war. She's gobsmacked when her imaginary betrothed turns out to be very real, appearing on her doorstep and seeking shelter. There is science nerdery, a grumpy man in a kilt, and a pair of troublemsome lobsters. Everything you never knew you wanted in a book.


The Grace Year: A Novel By Kim Liggett Cover Image
$20.00
ISBN: 9781250145444
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Wednesday Books - October 8th, 2019

A feminist gut-punch of a book. Layered with twists and turns, Liggett keeps readers guessing until the very end. Expect to ugly cry and grit your teeth in frustration. If you prefer aduiobooks, this one should definitely be in your listening library.


The Bride Test By Helen Hoang Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780451490827
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Berkley - May 7th, 2019

Helen Hoang has a fan for life with her follow up book to The Kiss Quotient. A complex Cinderella story under the guise of an arranged marriage rom-com, The Bride Test is a prime example of what romance novels can accomplish. Oh, and don't skip the author's note. It's a perfect way top off Esme and Khai's love story.


Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life By Ali Wong Cover Image
$27.00
Currently Unavailable
ISBN: 9780525508830
Published: Random House - October 15th, 2019

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Heartfelt and hilarious essays from the Emmy and Golden Globe Award–winning actress, star of the Netflix original series Beef, and two-time member of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year list
 


The Bone Houses By Emily Lloyd-Jones Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316418416
Availability: Available from Warehouse
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - September 24th, 2019

Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Sky in the Deep in this bewitching historical horror novel, perfect for fans of Holly Black and V.E. Schwab!   Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits.