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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 Winnipeg, Manitoba, home to an independent bookstore that's a horror lover's dream.
Francesca McDonnell Capossela
The Shelf Talker
The Horror Bookshop
Photo provided by Raven’s End Books
Nestled in the middle of Winnipeg, Manitoba, amongst a landscape so flat it feels like the sky will consume you without a second thought, sits an independently owned horror bookshop called Raven’s End Books.
Run by owner Chelsea, Raven's End houses a vast array of horror titles from popular authors to indie-published stories, from the paranormal to the excessively gory. Since opening in 2024, the store's objective has been to provide a hub for the outcasts, misfits, and marginalized, both on the shelves and in the customer base. They have expanded their collection to include exclusive board games, clothing, and other bits and bobs for the horror-lover, including this “Horrify the homophobes” t-shirt that I’ll be ordering ASAP.
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Raven’s End Bookseller Picks
Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove
Recommended by Lauren
“Demeter is the pilot AI of a passenger ship who just wants to do her job: safely shuttle her passengers across the vast reaches of space. Unfortunately for her, they keep dying in grisly ways, and she begins to suspect equipment failure is not actually at fault. Of Monsters and Mainframes is pulp horror at its best, and the loveable cast of characters make this a memorable read.”
Carrion Crow by Heather Parry
Recommended by Chelsea
“Amidst a tragic fall from grace, a woman is determined to prepare her daughter properly for her upcoming marriage. Marguerite is locked in an attic, forced to read classic literature, housekeeping guides, and contort herself to become the perfect Victorian wife. A slow unraveling of sanity in which you question what you truly know.”
Hotel Spotlight
Together with Inside Hotels
Provincetown Inn
The Vibe: Classic Cape escape
The Location: Provincetown, MA
Instaworthy Accommodations:
Provincetown Harbor is your backdrop at Provincetown Inn, a classic Cape Cod stay welcoming guests since 1925. Its 102 guestrooms range from king and double-bedded rooms to suites, with a private beach for unhurried walks by the water. Start with the hot breakfast buffet, watch for birds around the nearby salt marshes, or explore the Provincetown Breakwater. Afternoons call for a dip in town’s largest outdoor pool and a bite at Pilgrim Pool Bar & Grille. Plus, Commercial Street’s shops are less than a mile away and the West End Lounge keeps your evening plans close to home.
Raven’s End Bookseller Picks
The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle
Recommended by Lauren
“Pepper doesn't belong in a mental institution... but isn't that what everyone says? Sent to New Hyde Hospital on a technicality, Pepper finds himself thrown into a battle with the devil himself for not only his sanity, but his life. LaValle is such a skilled wordsmith that readers will be sucked right into the world of New Hyde.”
The Midnight Muse by Jo Kaplan
Recommended by Zoe
“The lead singer of a heavy metal band goes missing, and the rest of the band heads to the isolated cabin where she was last seen to decide whether to break up or replace her and keep going. If being isolated in the woods with a strange presence while relationships fracture and with just a dash of queer longing sounds interesting, this might be a good one for you!”
The Scald Crow by Grace Daly
Recommended by Zoe
“After being estranged from her abusive mother for years, Brigid must head to her childhood home to wrap up affairs when her mother goes missing.
With a dose of dark humor sprinkled throughout, Scald Crow explores fraught family relationships, Irish folklore, and finding your own voice after trying to be silent for far too long.”
Hotel Spotlight
Together with Inside Hotels
Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa
The Vibe: A golfer’s wildest dream
The Location: Frisco, TX
Instaworthy Accommodations:
Steps from PGA of America headquarters, this Frisco resort is set to host the 2027 PGA Championship. All 500+ decadent rooms and villas have their own flair of Texan culture. Warm tartan patterns paired with bright, modern amenities create a warm southern welcome. Whether you’re an avid golfer or are just traveling with one, everyone can appreciate the tranquility of lush fairways that go on for acres. When you’re not indulging in two 18-hole championship courses, a two-acre putting green, and a lighted par-3 course, treat yourself to a self-care session at Omni PGA Frisco’s award-winning spa and salon!
Until next time!
Thank you to Raven’s End for these picks! Follow Raven’s End on Instagram, and check out their website, which organizes recommendations into categories like “religious terror,” “queer fear,” and “human horrors.”
What’s the best spooky book you’ve read recently? Reply to this email, and we’ll feature your recommendation in an upcoming newsletter.
Happy book browsing!
Francesca
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