Happy Holiday Shopping Guide!
Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester, the “bigger on the inside” bookstore at 65 James Street, is happy to present our 2016 recommendations for gifts this year.
Here at Annie’s we pride ourselves on being a safe space for LGBTQIA/Queer identifying people. With Rainbow Readers, our monthly queer adult book group, and our LGBTQ section and a host of LGBTQ Young Adult, Middle Grade and picture books, there might be the perfect gift for someone in your life looking for something closer to their heart.
It is especially important to have Young Adult LGBTQ books in a bookstore because teens and tweens are the most at risk and need to be able to find themselves in books. If you see yourself in a book, it can help validate who you are. We have a large variety of LGBTQIA literature in the store, and Sarah Slocum, who runs Rainbow Readers, has hand-picked a few to showcase.
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz is a coming age story of two friends in the late 80s. It is very much a love story and discovering who you are. It is perfect mix of sweet and comfort perfect for reading next to a roaring fire with a nice cup of tea. Aristotle and Dante are two very different teens. Aristotle is angry; Dante is articulate and self-assured. Two loners who meet at the swimming pool but start to bond over the summer, they learn some very important truths along the way as they form a very special bond.
The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by KJ Charles is a beautifully written historical paranormal romance. Taking place in England around the turn of the twentieth century, before the Great War, it follows journalist Robert Caldwell as he tries to seek the truth of peculiar incidents, leading him to accompany renowned ghost hunter Simon Feximal. Filled with the foul mouth of Feximal, Victorian ghost hunter, and the ever-too-curious-for-his-own-good Robert, the story is bittersweet but beautiful.
We have many great titles in the store and besides the two highlighted above. I recommend for teens Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, The Raven Cycle starting with Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater, and The Abyss Surrounds Us by Emily Skurtskie
For our adult section, I also recommend The Dates Historical Anthology, Murder and Mayhem by Rhys Ford, and Billy’s Bones by Jamie Fessenden.
Have a very gay holiday season!
Annie's Book Stop of Worcester 