Reading is Fundamental

  “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”— Dr. Seuss I work in the Kid's Department of a major bookstore. It has its ups and downs, but almost all the ups have to do with the amazing kids I get to meet everyday. There is nothing more satisfying in a day's work than watching a kid bury their nose in a new book before they even make it out to the car.  

[penguinteen]

Get Into the Halloween Spirit With These #WickedReads

Can you survive these wicked reads? From ghosts to monsters, eerie settings to exorcisms, there’s a plethora of books to read to get you in the Halloween spirit. *wink* Read on to find out which one is perfect for you, whether you’re a scaredy cat or a horror expert! And don’t forget to enter for your chance to win ALL of these books at penguinteen.com! 

There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

We’ll say it now: this is the scariest book you’ll read this fall. Students at Osborne High are being murdered one by one, and as the terror grows closer and the hunt intensifies for the killer, the dark secrets among them must finally be confronted. You probably shouldn’t read this one while you’re alone…

Fear factor: off the charts 

A Line in the Dark by Malinda Lo

Since it hits shelves on October 17th, you’ll have plenty of time to devour this new psychological thriller before Halloween. However, with all of the thrills, friendship, and page-turning excitement, you’ll probably finish well before then. That’s okay though, you’ll want to re-read this entry into the twisted human mind as soon as you’re done.

Fear factor: high

Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi

Taj is the most talented of the aki, young sin-eaters indentured by the mages to slay the sin-beasts. But Taj’s livelihood comes at a terrible cost. When he kills a sin-beast, a tattoo of the beast appears on his skin while the guilt of committing the sin appears on his mind. A deep, dark, and twisty Nigerian fantasy, Beasts Made of Night is unlike anything you’ve ever read.

Fear factor: medium

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

Julie Dao’s debut is an East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen legend about one peasant girl’s quest to become Empress. Undoubtedly the darkest fairytale retelling you’ve ever read…

Fear factor: low

Click here for even more #WickedReads and a chance to win them all!

[icallitafryhole]

“Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul.”

[worldsbetweenthelines]

I had the opportunity to recommend this book to a customer the other day and it was my favorite encounter of the entire shift. She was looking for a good book for her nine-year-old niece who enjoyed spooky books, but she wanted to get something that her brother-in-law, who is a preacher, would approve of.

I grabbed this book off the shelf and started describing how Serafina would creep around the Biltmore at night, catching rats, and how she stumbled across the terrifying figure with a black cloak that swallowed up a young child. My customer was hooked and said that she was going to have to read the book herself before she handed it off to her niece. She ended up buying two copies because she knew her niece’s older sister would want one - even though the sister wasn’t a reader!

All in all it was a hugely gratifying experience. I love when I get to really share my enthusiasm with a book, and it almost always leads to a sale. This is why working in a bookstore is the best kind of a retail.

[worldsbetweenthelines]

http://www.krrobar.com/comic/booksellers-junior/

Absolutely no other way to kick off this blog than with this chillingly accurate depiction of what I sometimes look like at the end of the day. I love my job, but kids are a destructive force like no other.

Credit to Mike:Bookseller for the hilarious comic. I encourage anyone who works in a bookstore of any flavor to check out his website (linked above.) Be prepared to spend a couple hours there.