New Year, New Reading List

Curling up with a good book at the end of a long day is one of life’s finest pleasures. Whether you want to escape reality or build better habits, good books can take you wherever you want to go in life, in dreams, in imagination … anywhere.

To help you find your next great read, Tallahassee Magazine asked the teams at two local booksellers to recommend titles, both fiction and nonfiction, they feel readers should dive into this New Year. So, sit down, relax, and get ready to add to your TBR pile.  

The Quickening by Elizabeth Rush

We’re fans of nonfiction that reads like fiction, and this immersive journey is the perfect start. Opening with a letter from her mother about the day she was born, Elizabeth grapples with her desire to have children amid a quickly thawing landscape. Read this for an expedition, a reflection on science and the earth around us, and a love letter to the family we create. (Book description provided by Sally Bradshaw, owner)

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

Let’s be honest; New Year’s resolutions are terrifying. Margo can relate. This is a laugh-out-loud novel about one young woman’s attempt to “adult” in a world that seems like it’s against her. If you’re looking for an almost-too-relatable New Year’s book, then this is for you. (Book description provided by Kristin Kehl, manager)

The Life Impossible by Matt Haig

From the author of The Midnight Library comes this beautiful, affirming, and fantastical novel. When retired math teacher Grace Winters is left a run-down house on a Mediterranean island by a long-lost friend, curiosity gets the better of her. Read this for a hopeful start to the New Year. (Book description provided by Julia Robbie, barista)

Midtown Reader

Locally owned and operated by Sally Bradshaw, Midtown Reader offers a little something for everyone—romance lovers, history buffs, creative writers, and more. With a “piebrary” full of treats, a jam-packed events calendar, and a friendly, knowledgeable staff, Midtown Reader invites Tallahasseeans to drop in and “read, think, and share.”  

1123 Thomasville Road  ||  midtownreader.com

T is For Tallahassee
from the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra

Another great book for kids and grown-ups alike. Each letter of the alphabet tells the story of a local musician, venue, or musical genre, with rich illustrations by 26 Tallahassee artists, including beloved Fat Cat Books supporter Diane Dyal, whose original, delightful paintings and notebooks can be found at Fat Cat Books. (Book descriptions provided by Gloria Alvarez)

Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer

Finally, VanderMeer’s award-winning Southern Reach series is expanding with a fourth novel: Absolution. VanderMeer’s immersive fiction series transports the reader to Area X, where nature is central to the post-apocalyptic mystery. The author’s passion for nature and the weirdness of life result in a story that converts the reader to a stowaway traveler. (Book descriptions provided by Gloria Alvarez)

Adventures In Fosterland
by Hannah Shaw, aka Kitten Lady

Each book in this four-book series tells a fictional story from an animal’s perspective of finding a forever home. Fat Cat Books’ personal favorite, Adventures in Fosterland: Baby Badger, contains adorable illustrations by Bev Johnson and is available from KittenLady.org, where you can also learn about Shaw’s animal welfare advocacy. (Book descriptions provided by Gloria Alvarez)

A Good Cause

Fat Cat Books is a proud member of Hannah Shaw’s Orphan Kitten Club, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting neonatal kittens via “kitten programs,” medical grants, ethical research, and much more. Visit orphankittenclub.org for more information.  

Fat Cat Books

Fat Cat Books is a nonprofit used bookstore and cat adoption center in the Railroad Square Art District. In addition to its shelves of used books, Fat Cat Books is inhabited by adoptable adult cats, all from the Feline Advocates of Leon County (FALC). Because the store’s books are donated by the community, we can’t guarantee or really even predict what treasures await. The recommendations here reflect Fat Cat Books’ mutual support and admiration for animal rescue, local artists, and great stories. —Gloria Alvarez, FALC Board of Directors  

615 Railroad Square, Unit 5  ||  facebook.com/falccatstlh

Did You Know?

The New York Times bestselling author Jeff VanderMeer has lived in Tallahassee since 1992. A passionate environmentalist, he regularly shares photos of his rewilded yard on social media. Find him on Instagram @jeff_vandermeer123.