Cozy Reads

"Linda-Marie Barrett offers a generous, intelligent, and deeply loving guide to building spaces where real people can gather for real conversation about real topics. Drawing upon her experience as a bookseller and her own story of how bringing women together into literary salons elevated her own life from anxiety and disconnection to vibrancy and joy, Barrett has written more than a simple how-to book here; she has delivered a call to reclaim the joy of presence, dialogue, and the transformative power of story." —Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

A practical and personal exploration of the transformative power of salons–in many cases, a next-level evolution of a book club—with hosting advice tailored for different goals, budgets, and personalities. 

Salons are enjoying a renaissance worldwide. More structured than a hangout or casual dinner party, and oftentimes an evolution of a successful book club, salons can spark lively discussions and help develop a joyful, intentional community. Blending focused and informed advice with heartfelt reflection, book industry professional Linda-Marie Barrett shares her experience hosting salons at her home—the lessons learned as well as the life-changing connections she discovered—and guides readers through the whats, whys, and hows of creating their own salons.
Learn how to cultivate deep conversations and authentic connection using Barrett’s clear guidelines and real-life examples, including helpful suggestions for handling even challenging scenarios. Readers will also hear directly from members of Linda-Marie’s Black Swan Salon, who share their perspectives along with advice for how to build a better salon. As a bonus, this book includes 14 salon starter kits, each on a different theme, to help readers host with confidence.

What if choosing love means breaking a family?

Tessa is struggling to run her mother's beloved bookstore and the business is failing. At least she has her friend, and accidental heartthrob, Manny to support her. As single parents they understand each other, and their friendship is too important for Tessa to give in to the chemistry brewing between them.

With the sudden success of his home renovation show, Manny is shocked to discover just how much the internet knows about him. While he navigates his new and strange life, his feelings only grow for Tessa as he helps build a new coffee bar for the bookstore.

But when Tessa's soon-to-be ex-husband returns to Ivy Falls, she must make a choice: should she follow her heart, or does she owe it to her girls to fix their family?

A UK debut by a critically acclaimed author - a novel that combines lyrical storytelling with urgent contemporary themes of gender violence, tradition and patriarchy


In the Black Mountains of Pakistan, the discovery of an unconscious, unknown man is the first snowball in an avalanche of chaos. The head of the village is beset with problems - including the injured stranger - and failing to find his way out. His daughter receives a love letter and incurs her father's wrath. A lame boy foretells disaster, but nobody is listening. Trapped in terrible danger, a wolf-dog is battling ice and death to save a soldier's life. Beaten by her addict husband for bearing him only daughters, a woman is pregnant again - but can this child save her?

As the elements turn on the village, can humanity find a way to co-exist with nature that doesn't destroy either of them?

Flower Embroidery is a delightful collection of 20 easy-to-follow embroidered projects and over 80 different floral designs featuring flowers found in the garden and beyond.

From delightful daffodils to cheerful cherry blossoms, this book introduces readers to a range of fundamental embroidery techniques and best practices through easy-to-follow instructions, clearly defined tips and step-by-step photography. 

Each page features beautifully photographed projects which vary from pillowcases, table cloths and cutlery wraps, to aprons and picnic cloths. Projects included in this book will appeal to both beginners and more experienced embroiderers.

Whether you're a seasoned needlework enthusiast or a budding embroidery artist, this book offers a bouquet of inspiration and step-by-step guidance to create stunning floral masterpieces.

Projects include: Lavender pouches, Buttercups and Daisies Cutlery Wrap, Summer Bouquet Cushion, Honeysuckle Apron, Poppy Picnic Cloth.

THE SENSATIONAL #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER THAT HAS TAKEN THE WORLD BY STORM, IN A LARGE PRINT EDITION

"Vibrant debut ... Schlesser seamlessly interweaves the art lessons with Mona's story ... Readers of Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World will love this." —Publishers Weekly

Ten-year-old Mona and her beloved grandfather have only fifty-two Wednesdays to visit fifty-two works of art and commit to memory "all that is beautiful in the world" before Mona loses her sight forever.

While the doctors can find no explanation for Mona's brief episode of blindness, they agree that the threat of permanent vision loss cannot be ruled out. The girl's grandfather, Henry, may not be able to stop his granddaughter from losing her sight, but he can fill the encroaching darkness with beauty.

Every Wednesday for a year, the pair abscond together and visit a single masterpiece in one of Paris's renowned museums. From Botticelli to Basquiat, Mona learns how each artist's work shaped the world around them. In turn, the young girl's world is changed forever by the power of their art. Under the kind and careful tutelage of her grandfather, Mona learns the true meaning of generosity, melancholy, love, loss, and revolution. Her perspective will never be the same — nor will the reader's.

Mona's Eyes is a heartfelt, enlightening journey across five centuries of Western art history. With the emotional impact of The Elegance of the Hedgehog and the readability of The Little Paris Bookshop, Thomas Schlesser's sensational debut novel is at once a moving book about the beauty of life and a deeply touching story about the special bond between a girl and her grandfather.

The sinister side of celebrity fandom is inverted in this razor-sharp debut following the descent of the world’s most beloved movie star into a dark and disastrous obsession—perfect for readers of You and My Sister, the Serial Killer. 

Everyone knows Marina, the A-list movie star. But very few know Marina, the absolute monster. Years at the top have proved that whatever Marina wants, she gets. But when she meets bartender Anna, Marina discovers something that can’t be bought: Anna’s affection. As Anna remains unmoved, Marina’s advances become more desperate, and her obsession more dangerous.

The price of fame is heavy—and someone will have to pay for it …

From the celebrated author of February and Caught comes an exhilarating new novel that asks: What makes a family? How does it shape us? And can we ever really choose who we love? 

As the snowstorm of the century rages, twenty-one-year-old Xavier is beaten and stabbed in a vicious attack. His mother, Jules, must fight her way through the shuttered streets of St. John’s to reach the hospital where Xavier lies unconscious. When a video of the attack surfaces, Jules struggles to make sense of what she sees in the footage — and of what she can’t quite make out. 

While Xavier’s story unfolds, so, too, do the stories that brought him there. Here, across families and generations, are stories of mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers; of children cared for, neglected, lost, and re-found; of selfless generosity and reluctant debt. Above all, Moore, in the inimitable largesse of her art, paints a shimmering portrait of the sacrifice, pain, and wild joy of loving. 

A tour de force of storytelling and craft, This Is How We Love brings us a cast of characters so rich and true they could only have been written by Lisa Moore. 

procession: a line of people moving in the same direction; a formal ceremony or celebration, as in a wedding, a funeral, a religious parade. Bestselling novelist and Governor General’s Award–winning poet katherena vermette’s third collection presents a series of poems reaching into what it means to be (at once) a descendant and a future ancestor, exploring the connections we have with one another and ourselves, amongst friends, and within families and Nations.

In frank, heartfelt poems that move through body sovereignty and ancestral dreams, and from ’80s childhood nostalgia to welcoming one’s own babies, vermette unreels the story of a child, a parent, and soon, an elder, living in a prairie place that has always existed, though it looks much different to her now. This book is about being one small part of a large genealogy. A lineage is a line, and the procession, whether in celebration or in mourning, is ongoing.

Scorpio: A Love Letter is a love letter for your zodiacal sign. It is written to remind you of your many gifts, and to be a loving mirror so any page can wake you up to who you truly are. Open this book when you wish to remember your beauty, worth, or great potential. You will not only learn astrology, but about your soulful self and how to grow into the best version of Scorpio.

Wrap up and relax with this cozy collection of word searches and coloring.
Solving word searches is the perfect activity to help you switch off and get that important quiet time. Get comfy and embrace cozy culture as you solve over 100 wintry word searches and slow down as you fill in the calming coloring pages.
Keep your mind active and step away from screens as you solve the puzzles. The benefits of word searches are proven to boost your mood and reduce stress and anxiety, as well as improve your overall brain power. In an easy-to-solve and compact format, this is the perfect book to take some time for yourself and embrace the cozy life.

A definitive collection of Henry David Thoreau’s major essays, annotated and introduced by Lewis Hyde.

Diverging from the long-standing custom of separating Thoreau’s politics from his interest in nature, renowned author Lewis Hyde brings together essays that highlight the ways in which these two strands of thought were intertwined. Here, natural history begins not with fish and birds, but with a dismissal of the political world, and condemnation of slavery concludes with a meditation on the water lilies blooming on the Concord River.

This definitive edition includes Thoreau’s most famous essays, “Civil Disobedience” and “Walking,” along with lesser-known masterpieces such as “Wild Apples,” “The Last Days of John Brown,” and an account of Thoreau’s 1846 journey into the Maine wilderness to climb Mount Katahdin—an essay that ends on a unique note of sublimity and terror in the face of raw nature. While Thoreau’s ideal reader was expected to be politically engaged in current affairs and well versed in Greek, Latin, poetry, and travel narrative, Hyde’s inviting annotations clarify many of Thoreau’s references and recreate the contemporary context of the day, when the nation’s westward expansion was bringing to a head the racial tensions that would result in the Civil War.

Hyde deems Thoreau’s writing prophetic because “the prophet speaks of things that will be true in the future because they are true in all time.” Thoreau’s revelatory writing coupled with the luminous insights from Hyde—“one of our country’s greatest public thinkers” (Lawrence Weschler)—make The Essays of Henry David Thoreau essential reading at a moment in our nation’s history when his subversiveness, foresight, and lyricism are badly needed.

“A truly fascinating and heartwarming travelogue that beautifully points us in bold directions.”—Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of World of Wonders

One woman’s cross-country journey to explore the hold family history has on our lives, and the power of new stories to shape what lies ahead.

In her mid-thirties and happily single, Karen Babine hitches up her tiny Scamp camper and sets out with her two unenthusiastic cats, Galway and Maeve, on a journey from her home in Minnesota to Nova Scotia to explore the place where her French-Acadian ancestors settled in North America some four centuries ago.

As the miles roll by, she wonders: “Why do we carry this need to belong to an established history? What happens when that can’t—or shouldn’t—happen?” The road reveals more questions than answers about her history, identity, and belonging, about the responsibilities of stories and silence, about her life choices as a solo woman, and what it means to be driven by both a strong sense of kinship to a very close-knit family on one hand and a deep desire for independence on the other.

Capturing the joy, freedom, and powerful pull of the open road, The Allure of Elsewhere is about the stories we’re told, the stories we tell, and the way those stories make us who we are, often in surprising ways. Intimate, curious, and candid, written with wry wit and warmth, this is a courageous and inspiring memoir.

“Raw, visionary, lucid, and mystical, Cacophony of Bone speaks of the connection between all things, and the magic that can be found in everyday life.”—Katherine May, bestselling author of Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age

Two days after the winter solstice, Kerri ní Dochartaigh and her partner moved to a remote cottage in the heart of Ireland. They were looking for a home, somewhere to settle into a stable life. Then the pandemic arrived, and their secluded abode became a place of enforced isolation. What was meant to be the beginning of an enriching new chapter was instead marked by uncertainty and fear. The seasons still passed, the swallows returned, the rhythms of the natural world went on, but in many ways, everything was forever changed. Mapping the circle of a year—a journey from one place to another, field notes of a life—Kerri tells the story of a changed life in a changed world. And for Kerri there would be one more change: a baby, longed for but utterly, beautifully unexpected.

Intensely lyrical and deeply moving, Cacophony of Bone is an ode to a year, a place, the natural world, and most of all to a love that transformed a life. Guided by a voice that is utterly singular, this book is “raw, visionary, lucid, and mystical” (Katherine May), a meditation on home, the deepening of family, and the connections that sustain us.

Zen is the ideal path for those who have left institutional religion behind.

In this liminal moment, when the grip of our old religions has loosened, a prominent Zen practitioner asks: What is religion? What is spirituality? And what is it all about? 

Ford begins by invoking the ideas of Aldous Huxley, welcoming what he calls a “naturalistic perennialism.” Ford believes there are currents of religion that are rooted in our biology. And as something natural, it is something that people can find within all religions, in fact, the heart birthing of all religions. 

Then, true to the book’s title, Ford asks and answers, “Why then, Zen?” and demonstrates how pure Zen is as simple as noticing and waking: an expression of an intimate way of life. 

Four noble truths, ox herding pictures, samadhi, koan, lovingkindness, and many other Zen essentials are here, in succinct and conversational prose that offers a lifeboat to anyone who feels something missing in the absence of religious life.

Master the art of growing nutritious, versatile, and flavorful root vegetables with Jean-Martin Fortier's biointensive farming methods.

Root Vegetables: A Grower's Guide uncovers the secrets to cultivating a wide range of root crops, from familiar favorites like potatoes and carrots to lesser-known gems like oca and salsify. Jean-Martin Fortier's biointensive approach maximizes yield while nurturing soil health, making this guide invaluable to home gardeners and market farmers alike.

This richly illustrated, full-color guide includes:

• A step-by-step introduction to "The Fortier Method" for sustainable, high-yield microfarming
• Botanical insights into root vegetables, from ancient wild varieties to modern cultivars
• Detailed profiles of 20 nutritious and versatile crops, with practical advice on growing each
• Techniques for soil preparation, sowing, transplanting, fertilizing, and irrigation
• Organic practices for managing pests, diseases, and crop rotations
• Tips for optimizing harvest and storage to preserve flavor and nutrition.

Root Vegetables is part of the Grower's Guides from the Market Gardener series. It's designed to provide novice to expert growers with practical knowledge to succeed using the principles of biointensive, regenerative agriculture on a human scale.

The must-read companion to country singer-songwriter Caylee Hammack’s new album, coauthored by Hammack and New York Times–bestselling author Carolyn Brown.

On the run after her heart’s broken, Sam starts to wonder if she should have listened to her daddy’s advice: don’t get a vintage car until you know how to fix one. Now she’s stranded—along with her dog, Nibbler—in a middle-of-nowhere town no bigger than a matchbox until she can get her 1965 Mustang repaired.

Jack, owner of the one and only mechanic shop in remote Homestead, Texas, is a tall drink of water. And Sam quickly recognizes she’s his type from the glint in his pretty green eyes. So she’s pleasantly surprised when he offers up the refuge of his grandmother’s B&B, the Rose Garden, while he fixes what’s under the hood.

Still, Sam intends to be on her way in a few days—but then Ms. Kathleen offers her free room and board in exchange for helping out at her flower shop. Distracted by the blooms that surround her charming new home, Sam starts to feel settled for the first time in forever. But when local bookstore owner Noah catches her eye, she’s forced to confront her heartache head-on. Will she be able to let down her guard and trust again? Or will she follow her instincts and run for the hills?

With chapters inspired by Caylee Hammack’s album of the same name, Bed of Roses takes readers on a journey from heartbreak to healing. Shaped by the stories that molded her into the artist she is today, this novel is a rare opportunity to become fully immersed in her authentic sound and heartfelt storytelling—and a reminder to hopeless romantics everywhere that we need not wait for someone to bring us roses; we can grow them all on our own.

“A songbook for the heart!” —Jill Shalvis, New York Times–bestselling author of the Lucky Harbor series

“An absolutely charming story about starting over, rich with friendship, heartbreak, true bonds, and new love.” —Lori Foster, New York Times–bestselling author of the Indiana Summers series

“Filled with smalltown charm, Bed of Roses will warm your heart and put a smile on your face.” —Rachel Gibson, New York Times–bestselling author of the Lovett, Texas, series

“A heartwarming smalltown gem that had me cheering on our heroine Sam from the very first page. . . . Her tenacity and tenderness shine through as she navigates the drama and gossip of a quirky little town. The characters are as colorful as they come—a few good, a few bad, and few you will never forget. And then there’s Noah, who owns the bookstore. Cue swooning. . . . Bed of Roses is a must-read. It’s Steel Magnolias meets your favorite country song. You’ll laugh, cry, and maybe even find yourself humming a tune by the end.” —Nancy Naigle, USA Today–bestselling author of the Adams Grove series

Understanding, loving and protecting butterflies—in all their enchantments.

Butterflies have enchanted and intrigued us for centuries. From the eighteenth-century 'aurelians', through the Victorian 'golden age' of collecting to the twentieth-century focus on conservation, humans have chased glimpses of these beautiful but elusive creatures. Winding through literature, art, music, and dreams, The Butterfly: Flights of Enchantment uncovers why butterflies continue to inhabit such a profound place in our imagination. Today, the art of butterfly-watching can be a mindfulness practice for many; a Romantic escape from our industrialized existences.

A first of its kind in combining the history of human interest in butterflies with a guide to practical observation, this pocket guide encourages us to nurture our curiosity and head out into our local environment, focusing on edgeland habitats that are home to many species.

It is perhaps because butterflies are so fragile and fleeting that we are so beguiled by them. But now, as numbers dwindle, they have never been more difficult to spot.

The Butterfly paves the way toward uncovering the history of our fascination with butterflies and learning how to spot and identify them.

For the 27th book in his highly successful patchwork and quilt series, Kaffe Fassett has chosen London’s bustling, colorful, and funky Camden Lock as the inspiration for his new collection of quilts. Based around three locks on the Regent’s Canal, Camden Lock is home to Camden Lock Market, one of London’s top markets specializing in arts, crafts, and handmade items. The charming shops and market stalls at Camden Lock Market selling everything from vintage fashion, handmade jewelry, souvenirs, to beautiful homewares sourced from around the globe. Visitors and locals alike flock to Camden Lock to enjoy the views of Regent’s Canal and explore the creative graffiti and street art that serves as the background for Kaffe’s equally colorful quilts. The gallery section of the book showcases the 21 new quilt designs plus two new cushion designs, all brilliantly photographed on location at London’s Camden Lock by Debbie Patterson. The deep jewel tones of Kaffe’s Bright Bordered Diamonds and Cool Bordered Diamonds quilts are enhanced by the bold graffiti art found around the neighborhood. Kaffe’s Rich Dark Medallion quilt, featured on the cover, juxtaposes bright pops of floral against geometric dark shapes, brilliantly set against the backdrop of shiny tiles and a watchful tiger. The stunning Hot Economy quilt feels perfectly at home draped over rustic pallets overlooking a corner of the marketspace, while his geometric Stripes and Triangles cushions beckon the reader to get cozy on a bench and do some people watching on a sunny afternoon in London.

The culinary landscape of Poland is significantly changing, reshaped by a new generation of food producers, chefs, and media personalities. The Pierogi Problem examines people's networks, places, material culture, and media to explain how Polish tastemakers embrace context-specific strategies to localize discourses, practices, and values amid an increasingly globalized foodie culture. The decades following the end of Poland's socialist regime were marked by a rising interest in foreign cuisines and Western forms of consumption. Today, however, ingredients, cooking techniques, and dishes that were once considered ordinary or part of the country's uncomfortable past are being refashioned to reflect transformations in cultural hierarchies. The Pierogi Problem chronicles how and why local, traditional, and artisanal foods are reemerging for changing cosmopolitan appetites.