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Welcome back to Bookstore Pix, where we celebrate independent bookstores and share their booksellers’ best reads.
This week’s newsletter takes us to Cold Spring, New York, home to an indie bookstore known for literary fiction and non-fiction, small presses, local interest, and children's books.
Francesca McDonnell Capossela
The Shelf Talker
Take a trip to Split Rock Books
Photo provided by Split Rock Books
Steps from the Cold Spring train station and just over an hour outside of NYC, Split Rock Books was founded in 2018 by married couple Heidi and Michael Bender. After over 10 years working as booksellers (and, in Michael's case, as a librarian), Heidi and Michael moved up to Cold Spring to open their own bookstore. Since then, two more little booksellers have joined their family.
Split Rock carries a curated selection of new books with a focus on literary fiction and non-fiction, small presses, local interest and children's books. They host book clubs—including a cookbook club and a kids' book club––plan events like this collab with Planned Parenthood, and are running a spooky story contest in October.
Follow Split Rock Books on Instagram here.
Split Rock Books’ Bookseller Picks
The River Has Roots
by Amal El-Mohtar
“A succinct & powerful story that reads like a fairytale. The River Has Roots is about the love between two sisters and the transformations they face when one falls in love. Their world relies, quite literally, on language—the grammar and emotion that gives words meaning. This story is a ballad full of whimsy and warning. It will stay with you for a long, long while.”
The Man Without Talent
by Yoshiharu Tsuge
“A beautifully rendered portrait of a man who takes a series of increasingly odd jobs in an effort to support his family, or perhaps merely to escape the demands of modern society. It’s a pleasure watching this story unfold and the translator’s illuminating essay contextualizes the book within the author’s life and the stifling conditions of 1980s Japan.”
The Stack
Together with ThriftBooks
Three New Supernatural Swoons at Your Service
Tuesday marks the first official day of fall, which means we’re ready to fall for grim reapers, witches, werewolves, and more paranormal hotties. Best of all? You can grab these three delightful new supernatural romances from ThriftBooks and get free standard U.S. shipping on orders of $20+. Now that’s swoony.
Grim Tidings
by B.K. Borison
New from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Good Spirits! When a runaway grim reaper tries to save a life, she clashes with a skeptical Guardian, forcing them to form an unlikely partnership beyond the grave.
Big Bad Wolf
by Laurie Gilmore
The #1 bestselling author of The Pumpkin Spice Café is back with this fairy-tale-inspired romance about a lonely heroine who falls for the mysterious, brooding woodsman hiding deep in the forest.
Hexy Beast
by Avery Flynn
An impulsive witch may have accidentally found her fated mate in one very hot, very grumpy werewolf in this spicy paranormal rom-com from the USA Today bestselling author of Head Witch in Charge.
Split Rock Books’ Bookseller Picks
The Changeling
by Victor LaValle
“LaValle transposes the form and off-kilter logic of a fairy tale onto present day New York, intertwining themes of fatherhood, the occult, and generational trauma. The real horror is not the monster that may be stalking the outer boroughs but the narrator’s growing mistrust of his loved ones and himself.”
An Awfully Big Adventure
by Beryl Bainbridge
“A completely captivating novel about a theater troupe in 1950s Liverpool putting on a production of Peter Pan. The characters are all rich and fully developed, and Bainbridge is such a fantastic writer that every sentence is a joy to read. I found myself reading individual sentences over and over. Try this, it won’t be the last of her books that you read!”
A Language of Limbs
by Dylin Hardcastle
“A queer coming of age story that follows the perspectives of two girls into womanhood in Australia in the 70s and 80s. Dylin Hardcastle’s writing is poetic, lyrical, and absolutely devastating as it explores love, found family, and choices that change the course of life.”
Hotel Spotlight
Together with Inside Hotels
Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park
The Vibe: Front-row ticket to ATL
The Location: Atlanta, GA
Instaworthy Accommodations:
Across from Centennial Olympic Park and woven into Atlanta’s sports and entertainment core, Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park feels like a front-row seat to the city’s biggest moments. The hotel’s 1,000+ modern rooms offer a comfortable reset between packed days and late nights, while multiple dining spots, a 24-hour fitness center, and direct connections to major venues keep everything effortless. From pre-game drinks to post-concert nightcaps, everything is within easy reach, including Mercedes-Benz Stadium, State Farm Arena, and downtown attractions. It’s the perfect home base for workdays, game days, and unforgettable getaways.
Until next time!
Thank you to Split Rock Books for these recommendations! Check out their website for more favorites.
Happy reading!
Francesca
P.S. Found your next read? Please forward this email to anyone who you think might enjoy a little more bookish content in their inbox.
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