For a special issue November 9 focused on Indies First/Small Business Saturday (November 28), Shelf Awareness is seeking information from booksellers about plans for the day. Tell us about your related displays, events, promotions, passport programs, collaborations with other independent businesses, and more. Please send information to extra@shelf-awareness.com. Thank you!

Dearly Departed Books, a horror-focused bookstore, held a grand opening in Balcones Heights, Tex., on Halloween, KENS5 reported.

Located inside the Little Shops at Wonderland of the Americas at 1422 Fredericksburg Rd., Dearly Departed Books carries new and used horror titles, along with zines and nonfiction pertaining to Texas paranormal history and the occult. Alongside books, customers can find apparel, mugs, spooky merchandise, and a variety of ghost-hunting equipment.

Bookstore owners and brothers Fred and Stephen Garza-Guzman also run ghost tours and other paranormal-related events through their company Curious Twins. "The brothers said the store was inspired by their love of reading and collecting books," KENS5 wrote. "They also wanted to bring back the feel of classic mall bookstores, with a focus on community and helping readers find their next book."

The grand opening on Saturday included a ribbon cutting, giveaways, packs of free zines, a book fair, visits from local authors, and all-day trick-or-treating.

"Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate our grand opening. We saw so many friendly faces, and we’re grateful for every person who stopped by to share the day with us," the owners wrote on Instagram after the opening.

"To everyone who loves horror and sees meaning and impact in these stories: we see you. Our space is here for you, along with plenty of book recommendations. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Dearly Departed Books and Curious Twins. We couldn’t be happier to be part of a community surrounded by wonderful neighbors and people who are passionate about what they do. Shop small, shop local, and please keep reading!"

Open Books, a nonprofit bookstore and literacy organization in Chicago, Ill., will close its West Loop location on November 8, Block Club Chicago reported.

The nonprofit said the West Loop store, located at 651 W. Lake St., has struggled due to rising operating costs and decreasing foot traffic, exacerbated by ongoing construction. All books at the West Loop store have been half-off since October 23. After November 8, a curated selection of the remaining inventory will be displayed in the nonprofit's Pilsen location, which will be its sole remaining store.

Earlier this year, Open Books closed its Logan Square store, which had been in operation for three years and spanned two floors at 2068 N. Milwaukee Ave. At the time, Open Books executive director Jennifer Steele attributed the closure to financial hardship and business challenges. 

Founded in 2006, Open Books uses bookstore sales to help fund its literacy and writing programs. The West Loop store had been in operation since 2015.

Lakeside Book Company has acquired Bradford & Bigelow, a printer specializing in books for K-12, higher education, and trade publishing.

Bradford & Bigelow will operate as a division of Lakeside Book, and its Newburyport, Mass., and Newton, N.H., manufacturing and fulfillment facilities will continue to operate with their current teams and under the direction of Imanol Cortazar as v-p and general manager of B&B.

Lakeside Book Company is one of the largest book printing, binding, and distribution companies in North America and has roots in the R.R. Donnelley Company. A year ago, it bought Baker & Taylor Publisher Services as well as B&T's print-on-demand facilities. The purchase of Bradford & Bigelow expands production and fulfillment operations for book manufacturing and specialized fulfillment services to Lakeside Book. Through Lakeside Book's PAKSmart offering, B&B customers will also gain access to international manufacturing solutions, custom packaging, kitting, and more.

Dave McCree, CEO of Lakeside Book, said, "B&B excels at delivering exceptional printed educational materials and we intend to build upon their nearly eight decades of investment in technology, sustainability, and customer-focused workflows to serve new customers in education and other markets. We are proud to be an industry-leading platform for customers in these important markets, and adding the B&B team to our business further strengthens our ability to provide best-in-class customer service." 

John Galligan, outgoing CEO of B&B, said, "We're excited to generate more options for our customers through this combination of two great companies. Lakeside Book's demonstrated leadership and stability in the industry will give our publishers immediate access to a wider range of innovative, integrated supply chain options at every stage of their titles' lifecycle."

Barnes & Noble will open new stores tomorrow, November 4, in Fort Worth, Tex., Middletown, N.Y., Alexandria, Va., and Cupertino, Calif.

The Fort Worth store will occupy an 11,000-square-foot space at 2329 Porter Creek Dr., in the Presidio Junction shopping center. It will not include a B&N Cafe. Kayla Olson, author of the rom-com The Great Outdoors, will appear tomorrow for a ribbon cutting and signing; the costumed character Cat in the Hat will be featured as well. 

The Presidio Junction store is one of two new B&N locations set to open in Fort Worth in November. The company will open eight new stores in Texas this year, after opening six new stores in 2025 and five in 2024.

In Middletown, N.Y., the new B&N will open in the Galleria at Crystal Run shopping mall, in the same space that once housed a Borders Books & Music. It will span 20,000 square feet and feature a B&N Cafe. Author Mary Beth Keane will cut the ribbon and sign copies of her novel Whale Harbor; the Cat in the Hat will also make an appearance. 

The 13,000-square-foot Alexandria store will reside at 4515 Duke St. in the Shoppes at Foxchase shopping center. The grand opening tomorrow will include a ribbon cutting and signing with Bsrat Mezghebe, author of I Hope You Find What You're Looking For, along with an appearance from the costumed character Arthur. It will be the second B&N in Alexandria, and a third Virginia store will open in Dulles in December.

The Cupertino store will occupy an 18,000-square-foot space at 20740 Stevens Creek Blvd. in the Cupertino Crossroads shopping center and include a B&N Cafe. Parini Shroff, author of Some People, will cut the ribbon before signing copies of her book. The Cat in the Hat will also join the celebration.

B&N plans to open 60 new stores by the end of 2026.

Shelf Awareness's partnership program manager Kristianne Huntsberger with Robert Martin, executive director of the Independent Booksellers Consortium, at the Heartland Fall Forum.

While attending five regional trade shows this fall, Shelf Awareness partnership program manager Kristianne Huntsberger asked booksellers to nominate titles for their very own awards.

The informal poll asked booksellers to select one title they read this year and make up an award title for it. Participants nominated 127 titles across the five regional shows: New Voices New Rooms in Baltimore, Md.; the California Independent Booksellers Alliance Fall Fest in San Diego, Calif.; the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Fall Tradeshow in Portland, Ore.; the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Fall Con in Denver, Colo.; and the Heartland Fall Forum in Minneapolis, Minn.

No single title rose above this year, though five nominations each were recorded for Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke, and the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman.

Yesteryear made the most frequent appearance on the NVNR list, earning nominations for "Most Unlikeable Character" and "Longest Bookclub" awards.

Besides the popularity of Bad Words at the PNBA Tradeshow, John of John by Douglas Stuart also got attention and the "Most Likely to Break Your Heart" award.

At CALIBA, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves was nominated for the "How to Cry in Public" award, and The Wind Beneath by Kelly Anderson was named for an award called "WTF New York Times?"

At the MPIBA Fall Con, Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawton was a popular pick and received both "Must Read" and "All Staff Holiday Pick" awards.

Heartland bookseller nominations included Etna by Paul Yoon for the "Great Dog POV" award, and Riverwork by Lisa Robertson for the "Why I became a bookseller" award.

Douglas Stuart discussed his Booker Prize-shortlisted novel John of John (Grove Press) with Karen Joy Fowler at a sold-out event hosted by Kepler's Books, Menlo Park, Calif.

Camille Montalbano, owner of Yellow Warbler Books in Rochester, N.Y., shared "8 things I've learned since opening a bookstore," noting: "Reflecting on Yellow Warbler Books' journey these past 6 months I wouldn't change it for the world!"  

"A day without books is... just kidding. We have no idea." That was the sidewalk chalkboard message in front of Novel Bay Booksellers in Sturgeon Bay, Wis.

Desire Feeds the Feast: A Memoir by Tarajia Morrell (Zibby Publishing).

Today:
Here & Now: Gabe Bullard, author of Against Convenience: Embracing Friction in an Age of Endless Ease (Hanover Square Press, $32, 9781335000699).

Tomorrow:
Good Morning America: Tini Younger, author of Today We Are Cooking: Recipes That Teach You to Think Like a Chef (Clarkson Potter, $36, 9798217035410).

Drew Barrymore Show: Rebecca Gayheart discusses My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments by her late husband, Eric Dane (The Open Field, $32, 9780593995662).

A trailer has been released for A Long Winter, based on Colm Tóibín's novella. The Film Stage reported that the movie, which recently played at New York Film Festival, will be coming to U.S. theaters on January 22, 2027, with select screenings in New York starting December 4.

Directed by Andrew Haigh, A Long Winter stars Fred Hechinger, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Caitríona Balfe, Kit Connor, and D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai. 

The synopsis: "In 1951, high in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, Mike's (Hechinger) world is thrown into uncertainty when his mother vanishes into the wilderness. Alongside his complicated father, and with their small mountain community rallying together against the unforgiving winter, Mike embarks on a search that leads him toward an unexpected journey of self-discovery, belonging, and the quiet strength required to carry on."

Waterstones has selected a shortlist for its 2026 Book of the Year:

The Heirs by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Lázár by Nelio Biedermann, translated by Jamie Bulloch
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
Stations by Louise Kennedy
Said the Dead by Doireann Ní Ghríofa 
Land by Maggie O'Farrell
May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry 
Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi, translated by Lin King
The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout 
John of John by Douglas Stuart
Sleeping Beauties by David Byrne 
Pick Your Bottles by Dan Keeling 
London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe
Redwood by Ben Macintyre
Solace House by Will Maclean 
Ottolenghi Simple Too by Yotam Ottolenghi and Verena Lochmuller 
The Adventures of Portly the Otter by M.G. Leonard, illustrated by Polly Dunbar
The Book of Birds by Robert Macfarlane, illustrated by Jackie Morris
Is This a Plum? by Dan Ojari & Finn Ojari 
The Neverland Thieves by Katie Tsang & Kevin Tsang

--- 

Foyles has also released its Book of the year finalists: 

Lázár by Nelio Biedermann, translated by Jamie Bulloch
Doom Painting by A.K. Blakemore 
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke 
Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash 
The Disappearers by Marlon James 
Transcription by Ben Lerner 
Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zi, translated by Lin King
Sleeping Beauties by David Byrne 
How to Kill a Language by Sophia Smith Galer
London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe 
The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore
Said the Dead by Doireann Ní Ghríofa 
Gruffalo Granny by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler 
Is This a Plum? by Dan Ojari & Finn Ojari 
Cinnamon Crumb by Harry Woodgate 

Kiyoko Murata, winner of virtually every major literary prize in her native Japan, writes plainly and powerfully about the final inhabitants of remote Yojojima, part of what was once called "Horaijima. Isles of Bliss." More than a thousand years ago, these islands were the "westernmost point in Japan.... The end of the known world." The death of Yojojima's oldest resident at 97 leaves just Ajisaka Io, 92, and Kanaya Someko, 88; the pair have been lifelong companions, working together as ama divers, gathering the sea's bounty. In the island dialect, "io" means "fish"; Io was once the most skilled among the island's 20 ama. Once upon a time, Yojojima had schools, a hospital, a public bath, and rice, liquor, and hardware stores, but death--and relocation--has taken almost all the residents.

Umiko, Io's 65-year-old daughter, returns home for the funeral, hoping she might convince her mother to move to mainland Kyushu, where she runs a restaurant. But Io and Someko will never leave. After countless generations, they're the last keepers of the ancestors' graves; they must perform the traditional bird dances to protect their islands, and they continue to wait for husbands and other relatives, whom they believe flew away to new lives after transforming into birds. Their apparent independence, however, comes at a steep price: a supply boat from the largest nearby island, Hataejima, which services the smaller islands, costs 20 million yen (approximately $125,000) per year--"the old folks travel expenses"--officials claim.

Umiko won't leave the woman alone with a typhoon on the way. She strikes up a friendship of sorts with young Shigi from Hataejima's Office of Public Relations, who also patrols for "suspicious characters" illegally seeking refuge on the dozens of uninhabited islands in this border area. For as long as Io and Someko live, Yojojima at least isn't a deserted threat. As Shigi visits islands, checks on residents, and takes pictures for tourism posters, Umiko becomes his regular companion through these "boundless realms."

Murata presents a pastoral existence in peril, the last residents on the brink of disappearing. She writes with an open simplicity about "the two old women [who] had childlike hearts" inextricably dedicated to their home. With affecting clarity, translator Juliet Winters Carpenter again deftly captures Murata's prose after A Woman of Pleasure (2024). Carpenter's death in May 2026--making this one of the last (if not the last) of her remarkable translations--adds further poignancy to Murata's haunting narrative about aging and impending loss. --Terry Hong

Shelf Talker: Kiyoko Murata's Island of the Bird-Folk insightfully explores the lives of two women who are the last inhabitants of a remote Japanese island.

The bestselling Libro.fm audiobooks at independent bookstores during October:

Fiction
1. Partita by Barbara Kingsolver (Harper)
2. The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon (Penguin Random House Audio)
3. The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett (Spiegel & Grau by Spotify Audiobooks)
4. Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth (Macmillan Audio)
5. Hollywood, Ending by John Green (Penguin Random House Audio)
6. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (Penguin Random House Audio)
7. East of Eden by John Steinbeck (Penguin Random House Audio)
8. American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee (Hachette Audio)
9. Red Rising by Pierce Brown (Recorded Books)
10. Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson (Macmillan Audio)

Nonfiction
1. In the Shadow of Eight by Collin Gosselin (Hachette Audio)
2. Dolly Parton, Songteller by Dolly Parton (Recorded Books)
3. End Times Fascism by Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor (Macmillan Audio)
4. Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green (Penguin Random House Audio)
5. Actually, Nevermind by Taylor Tomlinson (Simon & Schuster Audio)
6. Blockers by Michael Lewis (Pushkin Industries)
7. The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI by Cory Doctorow (Macmillan Audio)
8. London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe (Penguin Random House Audio)
9. The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein (Recorded Books)
10. Vibe by Adam Grant (Penguin Random House Audio)