Dive Into Your PNW Summer Reading!
Handpicked Pacific Northwest titles that will make a splash
By SHANNON WALLACE SNO-ISLE LIBRARIES
Whether you’re lounging on the beach or relaxing in a hammock, these captivating books will add a wave of excitement to your summer. From gripping mysteries to feel-good romances, these books are your passport to adventure.
Grab your Sno-Isle Libraries card to start your summer reading!
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REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES
by Shelby Van Pelt
As a recent widow whose son disappeared many years ago, Tova Sullivan worries who will look after her as she ages. In her small town along the Salish coast, she works the night shift cleaning the local aquarium, where she befriends a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus, known for frequent escape attempts. Aimless young man Cameron arrives in town looking for the deadbeat father he never knew. When he gets a job at the aquarium, Cameron and Tove begin to understand we are all a bit adrift, all searching for family and connection, all capable of finding our place and purpose. From his tank, Marcellus observes all, waiting for his chance to communicate what he knows.
DEATH ON TAP, SLOAN KRAUSE MYSTERIES
by Ellie Alexander
In the quaint Bavarian town of Leavenworth, Sloan Krause recently left her cheating husband and her job at one of America’s top breweries for a new position at a microbrewery startup. When a rival brewer is found dead, floating in her tank of beer, her ex-husband becomes the prime suspect of the murder. Despite their rocky history, Sloan knows he’s not guilty, and jumps in to investigate. Filled with heart, community, and lessons on craft brewing, this book is the first in a cozy mystery series that will have you pining for Oktoberfest and seeking out the unique independent breweries of the Northwest.
DRIZZLE, DREAMS, AND LOVESTRUCK THINGS
by Maya Prasad
Life is about to change for the young adult Singh sisters, whose family-run Songbird Inn on Orcas Island gets named the most romantic hotel in America. Eldest Nidhi’s future is all mapped out, when a storm brings a tree crashing into her room, and a cute guy comes to repair the damage. Grief stricken twin Avani is planning a memorial party when she gets trapped in a barn with the boy she’s been avoiding. Youngest Sirisha is having a difficult time letting a new girl know how she feels. Hopeless romantic twin Rani is living a Bollywood dream where three guys are vying for her attention at once. Spend the four seasons with four sisters each finding their own sweet romance.
FILMLANDIA!
by David Schmader
Take a nostalgic trip through cinema history in this fun collection of movies and TV made right here in the Pacific Northwest. As film critic at Seattle newspaper The Stranger, David Schmader spotlights old favorites and the obscure, cult classics, and campy b-films, local directors, and actors with plenty of trivia to impress your friends. Reminisce on landmarks made famous on screen, like the houseboats of Lake Union (Sleepless in Seattle), the Timberline Lodge (The Shining), Snoqualmie Falls (Twin Peaks), and Elvis at the Space Needle (It Happened at the World’s Fair). Check your local film festival, second run cinema, public library, or Northwest treasure Scarecrow Video to find these titles and more.
UPLAKE
by Ana Maria Spagna
At the north end of Lake Chelan lies the tiny town of Stehekin, a perfect place to plan a remote summer getaway from busy city life. Author Ana Maria Spagna lives there full time, where she ruminates on the wanderlust that makes her want to hit the road, and the deep roots that inspire her to stay. Her essays lyrically describe the push and pull between the beauty of nature with the dangers of wildfires, the tranquility of solitude with the desire for city culture, the long days but short lives that require us to make so many choices about where we call home.
NATURE SWAGGER
by Rue Mapp
As a young, Black city-dweller, author Rue Mapp had the opportunity to retreat to a family ranch in the countryside, where she developed a lifelong love for nature and outdoor recreation. She later founded the organization Outdoor Afro to encourage other Black people to experience the outdoors and all its transformative possibilities. The collected stories in this volume will inspire anyone, but especially Black individuals, to pursue joy through adventure – whether farming, horseback riding, beekeeping, or rock climbing – and discover belonging in nature.
FEEDING 7 GENERATIONS: A SALISH COOKBOOK
by Elise Krohn and Valerie Segrest
Puget Sound is abundant with plants and animals ready to gather, grow, hunt, and harvest. Learn how to collect seaweed, turn Douglas fir fronds into tea, and prepare delicious soups and treats from this collection of traditional recipes. Alongside the recipes, Elise Krohn, native foods specialist, and Valerie Segrest, nutrition educator and Muckleshoot tribal member, tell the origin stories and native importance of local seafood, game, and weeds you might not realize are edible. Share in the wisdom of Salish Elders who stress that the choices we make about what we eat will affect the land and people for the next seven generations.
