Page & Pine in Puyallup, Wash., debuted last month with a soft opening, the News Tribune reported.

The all-ages, general-interest bookstore is located at 207 W. Stewart Ave. and opened on June 27. Owner Emily Foster noted that although the shop is not yet fully furnished and she and her team are still working out some kinks, the soft opening was met with a strong response. Customers and community members expressed their excitement and gratitude for the bookstore, and sales were brisk.

"We sold close to 850 books on the first day we opened--which far surpassed what we thought we would do the first couple of weeks," Foster told the News Tribune. "There was a portion of time where our romance section was cleared out--there were less than 20 books on the shelf and there were a few hundred prior. That's really exciting."

Foster, who has lived in Puyallup for nearly 20 years, plans to host a grand opening celebration later in the summer, potentially in August.

Books & Mortar Bookstore, Grand Rapids, Mich., is "expanding to the lakeshore" with the addition of a store at 447 Washington Ave. in Holland, Mich., Crain's Grand Rapids Business reported. Jenny Kinne and her partner, Josh Johnson, plan to open Antidote Books & Records by the end of August. The new store, about 30 miles from the current one, will offer books for adults and adolescents along with gifts and a selection of new and used records.

Books and Mortar

Calling Books & Mortar "the biggest passion project that I've had in my life," Kinne said, "I love the community that has come around that spot.... Books & Mortar has just been my home for such a long time." She took ownership of the bookstore in 2018 from co-founders Jonathan Shotwell and Christopher Roe, and relocated to its current, larger space at 966 Cherry St. SE in 2021.  

Kinne and Johnson moved to Holland two years ago, which led to the idea for Antidote Books & Records. "We've slowly built up this really vibrant, great life in Holland, and we're just ready to make it home and build something akin to Books & Mortar in our new backyard," Kinne said. "I obviously have a huge passion for books and wanted to see another independent bookshop in the Holland (Washington Square) neighborhood that didn't have a bookshop yet." 

Johnson, a musician, will operate Antidote, which will allow him to realize his dream of opening a record shop. Crain's Grand Rapids Business noted that Kinne has signed a three-year lease for the former restaurant space, and over the coming weeks will give it " a fresh coat of paint and new furniture."

"We want to make sure that we're honoring the history and the beauty that's already there," she said. "With it being a record shop, of course, we want to bring some of that retro spirit into it, a colorful, fun space."

She hopes that Antidote can bring a new "third space" to Holland's Washington Square neighborhood. "Everything that I've tried to do through a bookshop, and everything that my partner hopes to do through a record shop, will be bringing people together, offering sanctuary, offering healing through art, which, for me, historically, has been books, and for him, it's music," Kinne said. "We think that books and record shops are an antidote to so much of the pain that we feel in the world right now."

Valerie Pierce has been promoted to v-p, independent sales and retail marketing, at Sourcbooks and will lead the company's in-house sales team dedicated to serving independent bookstores, which launched at the beginning of the year.

Valerie Pierce

Pierce was most recently executive director, retail marketing and creative services. During her 14 years at Sourcebooks, she has led the development of marketing strategies tailored to independent retail, crafting campaigns that celebrate each bookstore's unique identity while driving measurable growth. Her work paved the way for Sourcebooks' independent retail marketing program and was a driving force behind the launch of the in-house indie sales force.

Sourcebooks publisher and CEO Dominique Raccah said, "At Sourcebooks, we know that independent bookstores are essential cultural institutions and creative partners. Valerie has long understood the value of those relationships and helped us show up with intention, care, and impact. Her promotion is a powerful reflection of where we're going: a future grounded in deeper connection with booksellers and greater opportunity for our authors."

Paula Amendolara, senior v-p of sales at Sourcebooks, said, "Valerie laid the groundwork for how Sourcebooks partners with independent bookstores. She understands the individuality of each store, builds strong relationships with owners and frontline booksellers, and turns that knowledge into meaningful action. With Valerie in this role, we're better positioned than ever to support the work of indie booksellers and the readers they serve."

Pierce said, "We're at a defining moment for independent retail. Booksellers are expanding their reach, opening new stores, connecting more deeply with readers, and shaping what success looks like in our industry. I'm honored to lead this team and build on the powerful partnerships that have brought us here. I can't wait to see what we're going to accomplish together!"

Ukrainian Priority Publishing's warehouse after the attack.

The International Publishers Association has reaffirmed its solidarity with Ukraine's book sector after Russian attacks on Kyiv in mid-June destroyed the Ukrainian Priority Publishing House office and warehouse, and on July 3 reduced the warehouse of Ukrainian PEN to rubble. Since February 2022, Ukraine's creative sector infrastructure has been a target of the war.

"Our Ukrainian colleagues have been so brave for so long," IPA president Gvantsa Jobava said. "Despite the bombing and the day to day challenges they are still publishing books for Ukrainian readers. We continue to stand with our Ukrainian colleagues and remain available to support them however we can."

Kristenn Einarsson, chair of the IPA's Freedom to Publish Committee, added: "As our 2024 IPA Prix Voltaire laureates and other shortlisted publishers have demonstrated, war includes attacking the freedom to publish, silencing the voices of the victims and their means to be heard. These attacks on publishing are also attacks on culture and language. What must happen for all of this to stop and what stories will we tell when it does?"

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The number of new novels set to be published in France during the next rentrée littéraire, the period between mid-August and the end of October, will rise by 5.45%, to 484 from 459 last year, according Livres Hebdo and figures from Electre Data Services. The Bookseller reported that this reverses a trend in recent years that saw the number of new titles declining, noting that the "trade had long complained of too many arrivals, and pressure on display space."

The increase for this year's rentrée litteraire is particularly strong for French novels, which are rising 10.6%, from 311 in 2024 to 344; and for debuts (up 7.35%, from 68 to 73). The number of foreign titles in translation, however, will fall by 5.4%, from 148 to 140.

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The Bucharest Tribunal has ruled that Blor Retail, which operates the Diverta bookstore chain, fulfilled the conditions for bankruptcy. Romania Insider reported that the company had been struggling since June 2022, when it became insolvent during the pandemic, adding: "As per bankruptcy regulations, the court revoked the company's right of administration and ordered its dissolution. It also sealed Diverta's assets for the liquidator."

The majority shareholder of Blor Retail is Diverta Activ Business SRL, headed by Augustin Drăgan. Citing Termene.rom, Romania Insider noted that in August 2022, Drăgan said "he had no plans to close any more stores and instead aimed to expand the network, which consisted of 17 bookstores at the time, but only after market prices stabilized, particularly those related to rent." --Robert Gray

An integral part of New York University's Summer Publishing Institute is visiting independent bookstores in New York City. This year, four students wrote about their impressions of bookstores they visited, which they kindly have shared with Shelf Awareness. Yesterday we published Mallory Stock's report on The Ripped Bodice. Today we have Alison Keiser's report on Greenlight Bookstore. In succeeding issues, we'll run reports about two other city bookstores.

Students from the 2025 NYU Summer Publishing Institute outside Greenlight Bookstore. (photos: Alison Keiser)

Named after a well-known phrase from The Great Gatsby, Brooklyn's Greenlight Bookstore greets visitors with a colorful range of new fiction and bestsellers. Wrapping around the walls are the fiction shelves, where almost all genres cohabitate (a choice meant to encourage cross-genre reading). The one exception is romance titles, which, due to the genre's boom, have a newly implemented cozy corner in the back of the store. In the center, a long, cylindrical shelf is home to nonfiction and new hardcovers. Even with the stacks of books balanced on the front tables and shelved to the ceiling, Greenlight Books is open, light, and inviting.

One of the store's book buyers, Maritza Montañez, took us through the process of purchasing a book. As an example, she used the memoir Sad Tiger by Neige Sinno, an innovative and emotionally raw book that, because of the structural chances it takes, is not easily categorizable. Maritza discussed the questions book buyers consider before a purchase--Does this fit with the inventory we already sell? How many could we hypothetically sell? What are some comparative titles to consider? Will we be able to display it or is it going right to the shelf?--and how, with Sad Tiger, they didn't know the answers to a lot of these questions. After attending an event put on by her sales representative and hearing the author speak about her story, the buyers at Greenlight felt convinced that this was a book they wanted in their stores, even if its audience wasn't immediately apparent. The team had to make some decisions to ensure it would sell, such as having the book displayed in the front of the store so it wouldn't get lost among other titles.

When asked what was new in the store, Maritza mentioned Ocean Vuong's sophomore novel, The Emperor of Gladness; a Greenlight First Editions Book Club pick, Flashlight by Susan Choi; Melissa Febos's The Dry Season; and Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin. When I asked what was selling well, Maritza said that literary fiction always leads sales at Greenlght, for example, All Fours by Miranda July, recently released in paperback. BookTok also can spur sales, such as Butter by Asako Yuzuki, which quickly sold 40 copies in the store.

Much like literary fiction publishers, Greenlight buys books with high salability to cover costs so that they can take risks on lesser-known titles they are excited about. For book lovers, it can be hard to balance the business with a passion for great literature.

In an uplifting close to our conversation, Maritza said that being a bookseller is gradually becoming a more stable career. In recent years, a number of major independent bookstores have begun to unionize, paving the way for smaller stores like Greenlight to do the same. Maritza said, "Greenlight believes strongly in sustainability and equitability, so it only made sense we would move in that direction." A person's career in books often is a vocation stemming from a deep love and passion for the important work of bringing literature to others. But, as Maritza and I discussed, even if people don't go into book careers for the money, one shouldn't have to compromise by working multiple jobs to make ends meet or leave the path entirely to survive. Greenlight's baseline livable wages, with options to grow into a long career at the store, show a positive trend in the industry, one acknowledging that taking care of your workers is taking care of the book industry at large.

After shopping their wide selection of books and purchasing some exciting new titles, I stepped out to the corner of Fulton and Portland, and despite the heat hanging over New York that afternoon, I felt a renewed energy for this important work and a newfound love and hope for independent bookstores and the power of books.

Alison Keiser is a managing editor for Veliz Books and an editor for Dulcet magazine. She's a Midwest native currently residing in Portland, Ore. In her free time, she can be found bingeing multi-hour analysis videos on old TV shows.

"We had a wedding! Mike and Nancy got married," Byrd's Books in Bethel Conn., noted, adding that store owner Alice Hutchinson, a Justice of the Peace, conducted the ceremony.

The Lerner Publisher Services division of Lerner Publishing Group will be the exclusive distributor in the U.S. and Canada for Cicada Books, effective January 2026. Cicada Books titles will be available for pre-orders from Lerner beginning November 15.

Cicada Books, London, England, is a children's book publisher that specializes in high-end books for kids ages 4-11. Its list includes activity books, picture books, and nonfiction. "We love stories that make us laugh, exciting new illustration talent, nice paper stock, immaculate design, information that is engagingly presented, and independent booksellers who share our passion for gorgeous books."

Lerner Publisher Services will assume distribution of 47 backlist titles for Cicada Books, as well as six new Spring 2026 releases. Notable backlist titles include the graphic novels Alte Zachen/Old Things and The Egg Incident, as well as A Million Dots. Spring 2026 releases include four nonfiction single titles, the YA graphic novel Everything Amplified, and The Grand Hotel of Feelings Workbook, which follows on the success of The Grand Hotel of Feelings picture book.

Ziggy Hanaor, founder and publisher of Cicada Books, said that Lerner and Cicada, "independent publishers with big ambitions," have "a lot in common--especially our shared belief in the power of children's books to inspire imagination and bring meaning to an increasingly complex world. It's an honor to join a list that includes brilliant publishers like Andersen and Gecko. I can't wait for what's next."

David Wexler, executive v-p of sales for Lerner Publishing Group, said, "Cicada's visually striking, high-end catalog of children's books is an excellent addition to the Lerner Publisher Services platform. We are pleased to expand the reach of Cicada Books' distinctive list through our broad and established sales and distribution channels."

Shannon Droge has been promoted to v-p, publishing, creative, and digital operations at HarperCollins Christian Publishing. She began her publishing career at Zondervan in 1998 and has held a variety of roles at HarperCollins Christian Publishing, starting in sales with ministry accounts, then publishing operations. She was named senior director of publishing operations in 2022, when she began overseeing content design.

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At the Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group:

Olivia Peitsch is joining the marketing team as assistant director of marketing, effective July 14. She has 12 years of experience in Christian publishing and was formerly marketing manager at Baker Publishing Group.

Emily Loper has joined the creative services department as marketing designer, effective July 14. Loper was most recently at Lifeway Christian Resources, where she developed a wide variety of marketing materials in support of Lifeway and B&H Books. Previously, Loper worked at Colorado Christian University as a graphic designer.

I Know I Should Exercise, But...: 44 Reasons We Don't Move and How to Get Over Them by Diana Hill and Katy Bowman (Uphill Books).

Tomorrow:
Good Morning America: Alex Aster, author of Summer in the City: A Novel (Morrow, $28, 9780063411661).

Tamron Hall repeat: Krysten Ritter, author of Retreat: A Novel (Harper, $28.99, 9780063334601).

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.

Saturday, July 12
1 p.m. Matthew Restall, author of The Nine Lives of Christopher Columbus (W.W. Norton, $35, 9781324086932). (Re-airs Saturday at 1 a.m.)

Sunday, July 13
8 a.m. Joseph Torigian, author of The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping (Stanford University Press, $50, 9781503634756). (Re-airs Sunday at 8 p.m.)

4:35 p.m. Chile Eboe-Osuji, author of End of Immunity: Holding World Leaders Accountable for Aggression, Genocide, War Crimes, and Crimes against Humanity (‎Prometheus, $34.95, 9781633889903). 

5:35 p.m. Paul Rice, author of Every Purchase Matters: How Fair Trade Farmers, Companies, and Consumers Are Changing the World (PublicAffairs, $30, 9781541704039).

6:45 p.m. Patrick McGee, author of Apple in China: The Capture of the World's Greatest Company (Scribner, $32, 9781668053379).

Miriam Toews, author of nine novels and a memoir this fall, was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in a recent announcement by Governor General Mary Simon. The Order of Canada recognizes people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to the country, Quill & Quire noted.

Toews was recognized as "a pre-eminent writer whose novels explore human tragedy and comedy in one fell swoop. Her unique ability to portray very human stories of overcoming adversity and finding meaning is a gift to her readers, and a source of inspiration to her adoring students and fans."

Among those named a Member of the Order of Canada were children's book authors and illustrators Élise Gravel, who "has published some 50 picture books internationally that have been translated into over a dozen languages," and Marianne Dubuc, who "has published internationally and seen her works translated into over 30 languages." 

Also honored as a Member was former Parliamentary Poet Laureate Louise Bernice Halfe, also known by her Cree name, Sky Dancer, who "advocates language learning and preservation, and her thought-provoking work articulates, in both Cree and English, the history and experiences of Indigenous peoples."

Among the other members of the order named were social documentary photographer Vincenzo Pietropaolo, whose work has been collected in several books; cartoonist Michel Rabagliati, best known for his books based on the character Paul; Lorraine Greaves, director general of the B.C. Centre of Excellence for Women's Health and author of books on women's health; and museologist and editor Robert R. Janes, author of books on museology.

Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, July 14:

The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy by James Patterson and Vicky Ward (Little, Brown, $32.50, 9780316572859) investigates the murder of four college students in 2022. (July 14.)

Coded Justice by Stacey Abrams (Doubleday, $30, 9780385548342) is the third thriller with former Supreme Court clerk Avery Keene.

An Inside Job: A Novel by Daniel Silva (Harper, $32, 9780063384217) is the 25th thriller with art restorer and spy Gabriel Allon.

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Del Rey, $29, 9780593874325) is a multigenerational horror story about women encountering witchcraft.

Mrs. Plansky Goes Rogue by Spencer Quinn (Forge Books, $28.99, 9781250331830) is the second mystery with widow/amateur sleuth Loretta Plansky.

Joan in the Cone by Billy Sharff, illus. by Hala Tahboub (Dial, $18.99, 9780593533147) features one very happy dog forced to bear the cone of shame.

We Match! by Chris Barton, illus. by Sharon Glick (Astra, $18.99, 9781662621062) is a picture book graphic novel about a boisterous bunch of dogs.

Empire of the Elite: Inside Condé Nast, the Media Dynasty That Reshaped America by Michael M. Grynbaum (Simon & Schuster, $29.99, 9781668003916) is a history of the Condé Nast magazine empire.

A Flower Traveled in My Blood: The Incredible True Story of the Grandmothers Who Fought to Find a Stolen Generation of Children by Haley Cohen Gilliland (Avid Reader Press, $30, 9781668017142) explores the theft of children during Argentina's military junta.

The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Marriage that Made an American Icon by Laurie Gwen Shapiro (Viking, $35, 9780593295908) looks at a partnership that made history.

Strata: Stories from Deep Time by Laura Poppick (W.W. Norton, $29.99, 9781324021605) delves into four eras of Earth's geological history.

Boustany: A Celebration of Vegetables from My Palestine by Sami Tamimi (Ten Speed Press, $37.99, 9781984863188) shares 100 vegetarian recipes from Palestine.

Paperbacks:
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna (Berkley, $19, 9780593439371).

In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy (Little, Brown, $19.99, 9780316587600).

Killer on the Road/The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones (S&S/Saga Press, $19.99, 9781982167677).

Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter (Berkley, $19, 9780593638033).

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

Hardcover
Bug Hollow: A Novel by Michelle Huneven (Penguin Press, $29, 9780593834879). "Bug Hollow is just wonderful. Characters thrown together after being torn apart are Huneven's specialty. As always, the characters in this California novel are given all the grace and mercy they need. Perfect for book clubs." --Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books & Cafe, Wichita, Kan.

Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross (Hanover Square Press, $28.99, 9781335015129). "Told from multiple characters' perspectives, this is a downright titillating story about family and community, choices and growth. Readers will root for Hazel and her entire family from beginning to end in this page-turning drama." --Liz Whitelam, Whitelam Books, Reading, Mass.

Paperback
I Gave You Eyes and You Looked Toward Darkness: A Novel by Irene Solà, trans. by Mara Faye Lethem (Graywolf Press, $17, 9781644453438). "I insist that you'll be obsessed with this magnificent, slim book. Curious, disgusting, beautiful and resoundingly feminist--this is a book to captivate your hungering Madeline Miller readers, your Oyeyemi fans." --Dustin Kurtz, Literary Arts, Portland, Ore.

Ages 4-8
What If We... by Vivienne Chang and Eugenia Yoh (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9780316377201). "A brother sets off to find new adventures, wondering, 'What if I…?' When his little sister's had enough, she finally shouts: 'What if WE?' A joyous picture book about finding things to do together, filled with gorgeous illustrations on every page." --Aerie Brown, Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, Tex.

Ages 9-12: An Indies Introduce Title
Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain: A Graphic Novel by Juan E. Zambrano (Andrews McMeel, $21.99, 9781524892227). "This graphic novel deals with inclusivity, animal abuse/mistreatment, and activism, all while we follow a young boy's dreams of learning and practicing magic--even though nearly everyone tells him magic is only for girls." --Keeley Malone, Ink Drinkers Anonymous, Muncie, Ind.

Ages 14+
Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli (HarperCollins, $19.99, 9780063045927). "I admired Amelia so much--she put herself out there, was funny and quick-witted. Her friend group was just as charming and their road trip to meet Amelia's favorite YouTuber had me hooked. This was such a fun read that stayed with me for days. A genuine delight!" --Alyssa Leibow, Beach Books, Seaside, Ore.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

In Children of the Book, American-born Israeli writer, editor, and translator Ilana Kurshan combines a charming memoir focused on the joys and challenges of parenthood with a thoughtful exploration of the power of books and reading to shape young lives. Kurshan's candid yet warmhearted story is enriched by her skill in relating her family's experiences to ancient sources of Jewish wisdom in which their lives are rooted.

Kurshan, winner of the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature for her memoir, If All the Seas Were Ink, was educated at Harvard and Cambridge, and lives in Jerusalem with her husband, Daniel, a university literature professor. Their five children range in age from almost three to 10 during the period she describes in the book. She's a voracious reader, revealing that she comforted herself between contractions as her eldest child was being born with Shirley Jackson's family memoir Life Among the Savages, and confessing somewhat sheepishly that when she accompanies her children to the playground she often has one eye on them and the other on a book.

In five sections corresponding to the books of the Torah--the Five Books of Moses, or Chumash in Hebrew--Kurshan gently recounts a journey of shared reading with her children, from the earliest board books, through their introduction to chapter books, and finally to the bittersweet moment when her oldest children achieved the status of independent readers. In doing so, Kurshan, a dedicated student of Hebrew texts, invokes the practice of midrash--rabbinic commentary on the Torah found in sources like the Talmud--to relate her family's experiences to Judaism's timeless wisdom.

Examples of Kurshan's skill at this task are numerous. They include, for example, an analogy she draws between the day-by-day structure of the biblical creation story and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, one of the earliest books she introduced to her children, and the marvelous way she connects the miraculous salvation of Wilbur the pig in Charlotte's Web to the tale of Moses and the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. The story of the 40 years of wandering in the desert recounted in the book of Numbers provides a useful metaphor for Kurshan's family's experience during the Covid-19 pandemic and the "reading that gave shape to our days" through the long months of lockdown.

Children of the Book is filled with moments like these that make it a singularly wise and thought-provoking reading experience. Kurshan helpfully provides an extensive list of reading recommendations to encourage others to follow her practice. Many parents will recall the closeness that shared reading with their children engendered. Kurshan's book is guaranteed to stir those happy memories and perhaps inspire anyone able to do so to create new ones. --Harvey Freedenberg, freelance reviewer

Shelf Talker: In this heartfelt account of reading to her children, Ilana Kurshan connects that experience to the timeless wisdom of the Torah.

Every day is a 'prime' time to shop your local indie bookstore. Come in and get a thoughtful recommendation from people who love books as much as you do!

--The Bookies Bookstore, Denver, Colo.

At Thank You Books, Birmingham, Ala.

Like so many things regarding Amazon, Prime Day is not what the online retailer claims it is. This year the once-tagged "Black Friday in July" has been extended to four days, one more than in 2024. Fast Company considered the possibility that Amazon added a day due to concerns about "tariff-related price worries and possibly some consumer boredom with an event marking its 11th year."

Satirists have been out in force, their pens already sharpened by a certain $50 million Venetian nuptial spectacle, already dubbed Jeff Bezo's Big Fat Geek Wedding.

Andy Borowitz cracked: "Less than two weeks since he tied the knot with Lauren Sánchez, Jeff Bezos has been finding it 'nearly impossible' to return wedding gifts to Amazon.... Bezos has experienced an unacceptable level of difficulty navigating the Amazon returns system and has failed 'repeatedly' to get a customer service representative to speak to him."

Bookshop.org got in on the fun with its anti-Prime Day promotion, in the form of a mock wedding invitation ("You are cordially invited to our Anti-Prime Sale, where every purchase will financially support bookstores, NOT billionaires."). TechCrunch had earlier noted that whoever designed a portion of the Bezos/Sánchez wedding invitation "could not even shell out for a Canva subscription. The image made the rounds across social media, with users speculating whether its lo-fi, childish design could have come from Microsoft Word clip art."

Alibi Bookshop, Vallejo, Calif., shared Bookshop.org.'s invitation on Instagram, noting that while "that A-word" is sometimes convenient, "what I also hear are complaints about downtown Vallejo, how there's nothing here, everything that's wrong with it, so on and so on. There are many things that can be done, and one of those things is buying locally and thoughtfully. If you want your city to thrive, and have places to go to, shopping on A***n definitely isn't going to make that happen."

Also having an Anti-Prime Day blast was Irish bookseller Red Books in Wexford, which shared a "Prime Day? More like Slime Day" video, noting: "While some online giants might have their one day sale last for four days, everyday is Prime Literature Day at Red Books. We have 250,000 books waiting for you to meet, many long forgotten by the algorithm. Visit a real world bookshop today. It's prime therapy."

And Talking Animals Books, Grapevine, Tex., offered up a cautionary video: "Shop indie July 8th-11th! Or else... (Note to viewers: don't be alarmed. No staff members were harmed in the making of this video. Maybe.)."

At Kings Co-op Bookstore

Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul, Minn., gave a shoutout to Libro.fm, which is running a Love Your Indie Sale all month: "This week seems like a great week to learn more about @librofm and all the great audio books available for listening! Plus there's an awesome sale happening right now! A small business run by booksellers that helps out indie bookstores?? It's a partnership made in book heaven!"

Other indie booksellers checking in with Anti-Prime Day thoughts: 

Kings Co-op Bookstore, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada: "This week during prime day sales take a moment and think about what you need, how quickly you really need it, and where you might be able to get it in your community! It's surprisingly easy to boycott the crummiest company on earth and there's no shortage of great reasons to start trying. Thanks to our new friend @chris_rouleau for the amazing boxes that we've now got up in the shop, come on in and take a photo with one to show how much you think amazon sucks!"

Blue Marble Books, Fort Thomas, Ky.: "We highly recommend avoiding prime this week and going out instead to your closest indie location. Our recommendations come from real readers and never an algorithm. You get the books then and there from us, and your personal information isn't out there for those cookies to track when you shop locally. Instead you get kind booksellers looking for the perfect read on your journey now, not tracking your search history ever.... You're a reader, not a customer profile, and we remember you here."

Bayside Books, Panama City, Fla.: "While we may not be able to compete with the prices when Amazon undercuts themselves (and everyone else), we can offer homemade baked goods, a coffee bar, personalized book recommendations, special editions that Amazon will never be able to carry, a safe space for your children to play while you shop, and knowledgeable people ready to help with whatever you need."

Huxley and Hiro Bookstore, Wilmington, Del.: "Communities over corporations every day, but especially today! July 8-11 is Anti-Pr*me Week! Shop local, support indie, and fight the power."

The Bookworm, Omaha, Neb.: "It's prime time to shop local and independent! Ditch the algorithms and let actual book lovers help you find your next read at The Bookworm.... Indie bookstores like us believe your reading habits are yours, and that joyfully stumbling upon the perfect book is better than being sold something by a soulless computer. These Prime Days, shop local, support small."

The Snail on the Wall, Huntsville, Ala.: "We never try to compete with those Pr*me Days happening this week. That's all about discounts and algorithms, while bookstores are all about COMMUNITY. Our Snail community is a beautiful, magical thing that we're grateful for every day. Thank you for supporting us, for shopping with us, and for believing in community."