In honor of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's, this is the last issue of Shelf Awareness Pro for 2025. We hope everyone has a much-needed rest after yet another unusual year, and we wish all a bright, happy New Year. We'll see you again on Friday, January 2, 2026. (Feel free to send your holiday sales news and highlights, with pictures if possible, to news@shelf-awareness.com.)

"Happy holiday season, dear friends and bookselling colleagues. I know that wherever you are, whether the winds blow snow or rain or sea breezes and humidity through that front door of the shop, we are all answering the same phone calls, asking the same gentle questions of customers to help them find what they need, and wondering, collectively, why all the misremembered books of the season were 'BLUE, and it was RIGHT HERE.' 

"The practice of bookselling, in spite of our seasonally crowded stores and all those malapropic conversations with customers, can often be a lonely profession. There's sometimes a feeling of 'us against the world' (or us against tariffs, book banning, shipping and damage woes, product shortages, unrelenting event schedules, and the ever-present conversation about where the customer can 'get it cheaper') and it's even more pronounced when we NEED this season to work.... We see you, friends. We are here, and you are not alone.... Be well, take good care of yourselves and your teams, and may this season show you all the ways you are valued by your communities. This is hard work, but may it also bring you joy this year and always." 

Wonderful Words Bookshoppe, which "celebrates the enchanting power of words," hosted its grand opening celebration earlier this month at 210 West 26th St. in Bryan, Tex. According to its website, the bookstore "seeks to ignite a passion in children for reading.... Whether you are browsing for a child's first book or seeking your next literary escape, this charming place has something special waiting for everyone. Inside Wonderful Words something magical awaits."

Co-owner Terri Holder told KBTX that Wonderful Words Bookshoppe offers books in every genre, along with literary gifts and stocking stuffers. There are seating areas and Benchley, the bookshop dog, greets customers daily.

"We have a good selection of books in every genre. Lots of stuff for kids, and we also have lots of literary gifts," she said. "If you're looking for stocking stuffers, we tried very hard to find some really fun literary things for everybody stocking."

Holder emphasized the community benefits of local bookshops, which "help build community and they excite reading again. And so it's much better for your brain to have a physical book in your hand than be reading on a Kindle." 

After opening day, Holder posted on social media: "Thank you is not enough to express our gratitude for everyone who shared in our grand opening! We had a line waiting at the door and amazing people coming through all day. All our kids and grandkids made it in to help. So excited to be a part of this wonderful community!"

Mystery Solved, a mobile bookstore focused on mysteries and thrillers, made its debut in Utah earlier this fall, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Owner Kariné Bulut first took the bookstore, which is built from a Volkswagen Transporter T2, on the road in September. She has made pop-up appearances with it at markets, a gelato shop, and elsewhere in the Salt Lake City area. In addition to events featuring the book truck, Bulut has also set up pop-up tables and shelves at area businesses, including an eyeglass store called Optique Eyewear.

"Everything on the truck is pretty much just curated to what I enjoy," Bulut told the Salt Lake Tribune. "A lot of the books on the truck I've read and I can talk about, or some of the authors that I've met personally or made a connection [with] online. It's really easy for me to talk to people about books, and I love doing that--connecting with the community."

Prior to launching Mystery Solved, Bulut was part of a book club and ran a Bookstagram account. Its success inspired her to take the plunge in opening a store of her own, and she added shelves to the VW T2 with the help of her husband.

Per the Tribune, Mystery Solved is Utah's only mystery- and thriller-focused bookstore. Bulut hopes to one day open a bricks-and-mortar location.

Sarah Adams and Adrian Shwaiko have taken over Old Professor's Bookshop in Belfast, Maine, from previous owner Craig Olson, the Midcoast Villager reported.

The acquisition officially took place in September, with Olson staying on for a month to teach Shwaiko and Adams the ins-and-outs of running a bookstore. Olson took over the store in 2022, after the death of George Siscoe, who founded the shop in 2008.

While Old Professor's remains primarily a used and rare bookstore, Adams and Shwaiko have started selling new titles through the shop's website and doing special orders. They've also added what they call "curiosities," which are nonbook items ranging from loose leaf tea to furniture.

Prior to buying the bookstore, neither had any experience in bookselling, though they were both avid readers. They first considered buying a bookstore after hearing that there was a deal in place to buy a local bookstore that might fall through. That sale ended up closing before Shwaiko and Adams could get involved, and they started asking around about the possibility of buying a different store. Eventually, a bookseller friend told them that Olson might be interested in selling.

Adams told the Midcoast Villager that although it all felt a bit nerve-wracking at first, she and Schwaiko have started to settle in and enjoy it. "It sounds really dreamy and idyllic, and I think like we're finally getting to a point where, most days, I can be like, yeah, yeah, it is."

Kirsty Woods

In a column for the Bookseller headlined "Indies aren't just for Christmas," Kirsty Woods, children's specialist bookseller at Kibworth Books and chair of the Booksellers Association's children's bookselling group, wrote, in part: "It's the busiest and most crucial time of year for us as an independent bookshop.... Beyond this seasonal rush, however, I can't help but feel that there's a kind of invisibility sometimes to the presence and impact of bookshops, and that the very term 'bookseller' doesn't truly do justice to the work of the brilliant people who work inside them.... 

"How much more of our expertise can be utilized, our passion distilled, and our customer bases rallied?... Indie bookshops are not simply places where books are sold. They are hubs of social activism, wellsprings of empathy, trusted community spaces. And they are staffed by booksellers--the most energetic, resilient and creative people I'd argue you'll ever meet.

"This isn't all a plea to 'support indies,' but rather to make the point that this brilliantly resilient resource of the indie bookshop is one that should not be overlooked.

"The crisis in reading for pleasure and the opportunity that the National Year of Reading provides to make a difference is too big and too important for us not to work together as an industry. Collaboration is key if we want to ensure that all of our work has a legacy far beyond 2026.

"So, my question is this: as I rush to wrap up another customer's Christmas order, how many more rooms can we, as individual booksellers, be invited into in 2026 for the National Year of Reading? How much more of our expertise can be utilized, our passion distilled and our customer bases rallied? How much more can we be called upon--not out of obligation, but strategy--and as equal partners, not peripheral beneficiaries?

"The bookshop's Christmas lights may soon be packed away for another year, but the beacon of hope that indies offer will continue to shine long after. The question is: do you see us?"

--- 

Gavin Williams

In his pre-Christmas letter, Gavin Williams, BookPeople president and co-owner of Matilda Bookshop in Sterling, SA, Australia, shared "10 specific bookselling joys":

1. May your stock/sales predictions and subsequent orders be more often than not correct.
2. May these orders mostly arrive.
3. May your delivery drivers be cheery and ready to help.
4. May your point-of-sale system not freeze or glitch endlessly.
5. May you have ready access to heaving piles of the books you've read and loved throughout the year, even books published overseas!, be nearby to hand sell to the incoming hordes.
6. May not too many people ask you to take the price sticker off the book before you wrap it.
7. May your customers happily pay the Australian RRP for your lovingly curated book selection.
8. May you shower your tireless reps with gifts and gratitude.
9. May they do the same to you.
10. And, most importantly, that the communities that we all work so assiduously to serve and support through the year, in turn support us with their custom and goodwill during this holiday season.

Congratulations to Atticus Bookstore Cafe in New Haven, Conn., which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The New Haven Independent reported that founder Charles Negaro Sr. (who retired in 2019) and current owner Charles Negaro Jr. joined city and Yale University Properties officials to celebrate the coffee-and-bookshop that "was an early harbinger of new downtown urbanism."

Atticus began as a bookstore, but in 1981 Negaro Sr. decided to add a cafe, which "was so fortunate to have incredible people who came and made it," he recalled. "My original idea for the cafe--I thought we'd have cannolis."

Negaro Jr. succeeded his father in 2019. Alexandra Daum, Yale's associate v-p for New Haven Affairs and University Properties, described Negaro Jr. as "one of the most talented restaurateurs" and someone New Haven is lucky to have.

"I promised not to make fun of my dad too much," Negaro Jr. said. "What my dad gave me was he gave a college dropout a job. And then he didn't fire me. He should have probably a dozen times.... Hopefully I get to do this for 50 more years. Thank you to New Haven and to Yale for being a great place to do business."

Mayor Justin Elicker presented Atticus with a city proclamation, highlighting Negaro Sr.'s role in founding New Haven Farms and Negaro Jr.'s founding of the CT Food Launch Pad, the Independent noted. The family also founded wholesale Chabaso Bakery in Fair Haven. "It's not just about business," he said. "It's about New Haven; it's about taking care of the community."

At Mabel's Fables

In the midst of the holiday season frenzy, it is always heartening to see indie bookstores all over the world take a moment to share pics and reels on social media of their booksellers (staff as well as owners), the amazing folks who make book magic happen every year. Here's a sampling:

Landmark Booksellers, Franklin, Tenn.: "Merry Christmas from the Landmark Booksellers team! We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"

Mabel's Fables Bookstore, Toronto, Ont., Canada: "Look who came to visit today! Our staff were so excited to meet Santa!"

Gramercy Books, Bexley, Ohio: "THANK YOU BOOK LOVERS! Yesterday, just as the snow started to fall and the store was bustling, Linda and Nikki took a moment to snap a photo and reflect on all the joy they've shared since the doors of Gramercy Books opened in 2016."

At Type Books

TYPE Books, Toronto, Ont., Canada: "ELF BOOKSELLER DECEMBER: these are just a few of the bookselling elves helping you pick out books this season. We're here 10-7 today. And we love you!!!"

Potts Point Bookshop, Potts Point, NSW, Australia: "A very Merry Christmas from all of us at the Potts Point Bookshop! Last night we had our party at the brilliant @farmhousekingscross so please be kind to us today." 

Honest Dog Books, Bayfield, Wis.: "Gang is all here today."

Stadtbibliothek, Rosenheim, Germany: "Today is #UglyChristmasSweaterDay and we've dressed up accordingly again."

Aaron's Books, Lititz, Pa.: "Amazing bookstore staff is the only gift *anyone* needs this year!"
 
Wicked Good Books, Salem, Mass.: "Dan and Rachel grinning like Cheshire cats in Santa hats! Come see us this weekend in downtown Salem."

Gwisgo Bookworm, Aberaeron, Wales: "Nadolig Llawen! Merry Christmas! We wish you all a very happy Christmas from Gwisgo Bookworm! Thank you for all the love and support throughout this year!"

The Book & Cover, Chattanooga, Tenn.: "When you never get to work together but it's the last Saturday before Christmas and miracles do happen." 

Three Stories Books, Lemont, Ill.: "This team is nothing short of a Christmas miracle. Finding the perfect 'family' for Three Stories was a journey, but it was worth the wait. To everyone who asks how I keep it all together--it's entirely thanks to this incredible crew (including Ivory, who we missed in these photos!)"

At Devaney Doak & Garrett

Devaney Doak & Garrett Booksellers, Farmington, Maine: "Our very warmest holiday wishes from your friends at DDG Booksellers. The opportunity to share the love of books with our neighbors, and partnering to sustain the intellectual life of our community, means the world to us. Thank you for your support, engagement, and friendship. We wouldn't be here without you!"

White Rose Books & Coffee Bar, Thirsk, England: "Our booksellers and baristas are here to help you this afternoon, then, we're ready to go again from 9:30 a.m. on Monday. Plus, here's a pic of Team White Rose enjoying our night out this week. It's all go, go, go..."

Bookhampton, East Hampton, N.Y.: "We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!"

Microcosm Publishing & Distribution has added three new distribution clients.

Nine Ten Publications, a Canadian publisher specializing in art, craft, and creativity. The company's latest release is Math for Knitters by Kate Atherley. (Full frontlist and backlist representation, excluding Canada.)

Generous Press, Bellingham, Wash., which specializes in romance titles by queer, BIPOC, and disabled writers. Two of its top titles are Losing Sight by Tati M. Richardson and the anthology Someplace Generous, edited by publishers Amber Flame and Elaina Ellis. (Worldwide distribution, beginning with the spring 2026 list.)

Bobby Dazzler, an imprint of Jim Dandy Books led by Duncan MacLeod and Brenda Knight, formerly of Mango Publishing, that publishes nonfiction and self-help titles that offer support for mental well-being, illness, and discrimination. (Worldwide distribution for frontlist titles beginning in 2026.)

"Of course we offer gift wrapping for the holidays! All hands (and paws) on deck!" Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins, Colo., posted on Instagram.
 

Today:
All Things Considered considers The Talisman of Happiness: The Most Iconic Italian Cookbook Ever Written by Ada Boni (Voracious, $60, 9780316577991).

Tomorrow:
CBS Mornings: Megan Alexander, author of The True Gifts of Christmas: Unwrapping the Meaning Behind Our Most Cherished Traditions (Loyola Press, $24.99, 9780829458978).

Thursday, December 25:
Today: Martha Stewart, author of Entertaining (Clarkson Potter, $50, 9798217034871).

Drew Barrymore Show repeat: Matthew McConaughey, author of Poems & Prayers (Crown, $29, 9781984862105).

Friday, December 26:
Good Morning America: Dick Van Dyke, author of 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life (Grand Central, $29, 9781538777909).

CBS Mornings: Brandon Stanton, author of Dear New York (St. Martin's Press, $42, 9781250277589).

Today: Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, authors of Both Sides of the Glass: Paired Cocktails and Mocktails to Toast Any Taste (Plume, $35, 9780593719862).

Late Show with Stephen Colbert repeat: Andrew Ross Sorkin, author of 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History--and How It Shattered a Nation (Viking, $35, 9780593296967).

Monday, December 29:
Good Morning America: Seth Wickersham, author of American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback (Hyperion Avenue, $29.99, 9781368099189).

Drew Barrymore Show repeat: Jennifer Aniston, author of Cook with Clydeo: A Cookbook for Kids (HarperCollins, $24.99, 9780063372382).

Jimmy Kimmel Live repeat: Kamala Harris, author of 107 Days (Simon & Schuster, $30, 9781668211656).

Late Show with Stephen Colbert repeat: Alison Roman, author of Something from Nothing: A Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, $37.99, 9781984826411).

Tuesday, December 30:
Good Morning America: Dr. Ian K. Smith, author of The Last 15: Say Goodbye to those Most Stubborn Pounds (Bowland Hill Books, $17.99, 9798993965901).

Drew Barrymore Show repeat: Haley Lu Richardson, author of I'm Sad and Horny (Simon & Schuster, $28.99, 9781668210352).

Book TV airs on C-Span 2 this weekend from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday and focuses on political and historical books as well as the book industry. The following are highlights for this coming weekend. For more information, go to Book TV's website.

Sunday, December 28
8:02 a.m. Rachel Corbett, author of The Monsters We Make: Murder, Obsession, and the Rise of Criminal Profiling (W.W. Norton, $28.99, 9780393867695). (Re-airs Sunday at 8:30 p.m.)

8:47 a.m. Vanessa Williamson, author of The Price of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power of Taxation in American History (Basic Books, $32, 9781541606111). (Re-airs Sunday at 9:15 p.m.)

2:20 p.m. Mickey Huff, co-editor of Project Censored's State of the Free Press 2025 (Seven Stories Press, $19.95, 9781644214299).

3:25 p.m. Mahmood Mamdani, author of Slow Poison: Idi Amin, Yoweri Museveni, and the Making of the Ugandan State (Belknap Press, $32.50, 9780674299870).

4:50 p.m. Jonathan Freedland, author of The Traitors Circle: The True Story of a Secret Resistance Network in Nazi Germany--and the Spy Who Betrayed Them (Harper, $32, 9780063373204).

5:56 p.m. Howard W. French, author of The Second Emancipation: Nkrumah, Pan-Africanism, and Global Blackness at High Tide (‎Liveright, $39.99, 9781324092452).

Winners of the FutureBook Awards 2025 were named earlier this month, with Fleur Sinclair, owner of Sevenoaks Bookshop and president of the Booksellers Association of the U.K. & Ireland, taking Leader of the Year honors, the Bookseller reported. 

Celebrating leadership, strategy and vision, the awards were given to "pioneers and the game-changers, the outsiders and the allies, the champions of ideas that are a bit different." See the full list of winners here.

Philip Jones, editor of the Bookseller and chair of the judges, said: "Our winners show all the talents bursting through, pushing boundaries, redefining their roles, and leading this marvellous business into tomorrow. I was particularly delighted to see such strong contenders for our new sales and production awards, which, as acknowledged on the night, are often under-appreciated."

Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, December 30:

Ain't Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton by Martha Ackmann (St. Martin's Press, $30, 9781250286857) is a biography of the country music legend.

24 Hours at the Capitol: An Oral History of the January 6th Insurrection by Nora Neus (Beacon Press, $28.95, 9780807020623) gives a minute-by-minute account of January 6.

Eight Million Ways to Happiness: Wisdom for Inspiration and Healing from the Heart of Japan by Hiroko Yoda (Tiny Reparations Books, $29, 9780593474433) combines memoir and cultural study.

The Rest of Our Lives: A Novel by Ben Markovits (S&S/Summit Books, $28, 9781668231562) is a 2025 Booker Prize finalist about a middle-aged man on a road trip.

We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark (Avon, $32, 9780063436718) is romantasy about vampires in a setting inspired by Ancient Rome.

The Amazing Generation by Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price, illus. by Cynthia Yuan Cheng (Rocky Pond, $14.99, 9798217111916) is a handbook for middle graders inspired by Haidt's The Anxious Generation.

Asterwood by Jacquelyn Stolos (Delacorte, $17.99, 9780593814840) features a 10-year-old girl who follows a mysterious child down a forbidden forest trail.

Paperbacks:
Crime Rangoon: A Noodle Shop Mystery by Vivien Chien (Minotaur Books, $9.99, 9781250338808). 

The List of Suspicious Things: A Novel by Jennie Godfrey (Sourcebooks Landmark, $17.99, 9781464249051).

Live Naked AF: A Joyful Approach to Living Alcohol Free by Annie Grace (Avery, $20, 9780593853221).

To Bleed a Crystal Bloom: A Novel by Sarah A. Parker (Avon, $22, 9780063476530).

From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:

Hardcover
The Jaguar's Roar: A Novel by Micheliny Verunschk, trans. by Juliana Barbassa (Liveright, $27.99, 9781324097464). "In The Jaguar's Roar, Verunschk makes full use of heart, mind, and voice to map remote corners of the past and present, speaking out strongly for those who would otherwise be forgotten." --James Crossley, Leviathan Bookstore, St. Louis, Mo.

Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-reum, trans. by Shanna Tan (Bloomsbury, $27.99, 9781639737796). "If you're feeling burnt out with your TBR, this is a great book to stop and smell the roses (or pages). A collection of relatable short stories that help you reflect on reading, perfect for the busy times ahead." --Sarah Dimaria, Cavalier House Books, Denham Springs, La.

Paperback
The Curse of the Cole Women: A Novel by Marielle Thompson (Alcove Press, $19.99, 9798892423809). "This beautiful novel is at once an examination of the human spirit in the face of adversity and indifference as well as the sometimes tumultuous relationships between mothers and daughters." --Jamie Sommers, The End Bookstore, Allentown, Pa.

Ages 4-8
The Old Sleigh by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey (Norton Young Readers, $18.99, 9781324054122). "The Old Sleigh is a tale of family, a celebration of movement, a story of changing and staying the same. Beautiful illustrations highlight a delightfully cozy tale." --Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books, Nashville, Tenn.

Ages 6-9
Night Chef: An Epic Tale of Friendship with a Side of Deliciousness! by Mika Song (Random House Graphic, $20.99, 9780593303153). "Fans of Ratatouille and Wild Robot, step right up! Night Chef is your next beloved read. Following one misfit raccoon who has big dreams of being a chef who embarks on a journey to get a baby crow back to its family, this story is one of perseverance, community, whimsy, and of course, food." --Allie Cesmat, Changing Hands, Tempe, Ariz.

Ages 15+
Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton (Bloomsbury YA, $24.99, 9781547616596). "Amber Hamilton has created a captivating dark academia romance where magic is not a gift but a deadly curse. The enemies-to-lovers relationship between Viola and Roze isn't based on misunderstanding or power struggles, but is driven by survival--a much stronger motivation than usual." --Natasha Birham, 192 Books, New York, N.Y.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

Ani Katz's Haven is a chilling story about an apparent utopia that is anything but. As Caroline boards a ferry with husband Adam and infant son Gabriel for an exclusive getaway on a lovely island enclave, she is, first of all, relieved. After a trying period of his unemployment, Adam's job with corporate giant Corridor gives him the means to join an elite group of friends and coworkers in a spaceship (Caroline's description) of a house on the outskirts of Haven, a longtime home of the rich.

Caroline has never quite understood what it is that Corridor does--something with "infrastructure"--but she's grateful that Adam is employed and seemingly less depressed. Now she hopes to relax, get to know Adam's friends a little better, perhaps strengthen her bond with Gabriel, maybe even get some artistic inspiration back. Ever since becoming a mother, her photography has suffered. She attempted a project about motherhood, but "was getting bored with her baby as a subject." Even on the island, seeking subjects, she worries: "What if she never made an interesting photograph again?" But in Katz's tautly plotted psychological thriller, it turns out that photography may be the least of Caroline's concerns.

Caroline's roommates for the summer, Adam's Corridor colleagues, indulge in eating and drinking to excess and unfamiliar, unnamed drugs, but they also coo over Gabriel and give Caroline the occasional break for a proper shower. She is trying to lean into the novel, luxury experience. The island's wider inhabitants, however, strike her as being just a little off. Tinkly laughter, choreographed dance, and uncanny children degrade into shadowy threats: angry islanders, old rituals and sacrifice, and corporate surveillance. Then comes the nightmarish morning when Caroline wakes up and Gabriel is gone. As she searches for her son and the truth of what happens in Haven, she will come to question even the rules, and the people, she thinks she knows best.

If Haven ever begins to feel like it might trend toward the formulaic, be assured that Katz (A Good Man) is about to twist her tricky narrative again, always catching Caroline, and readers, unawares. This masterpiece of tension turns absolutely terrifying by its finish. Technology, hubris, deception, and mistrust combine in an unsettling corporate dystopia that asks what ends would justify which means. Riveting, thought-provoking, and ever surprising, Haven is not for the easily unnerved. --Julia Kastner, blogger at pagesofjulia

Shelf Talker: In a masterpiece of tension, set within a lavish island community for the corporate select, a disappeared infant calls into question everything one mother thought she knew.

The bestselling self-published books last week as compiled by IndieReader.com:

1. Delivering the Wow by Richard Fain
2. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid
3. Mom, I Want to Hear Your Story by Jeffrey Mason
4. Where You Belong by Kristen Proby
5. Captain's Dinner by Adam Cohen
6. How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen
7. The Long Game by Rachel Reid
8. Truth and Tinsel by Maya Alden
9. In a Heartbeat by Laura Pavlov
10. The Christmas Trap by L. Steele

[Many thanks to IndieReader.com!]