The Book Shop of Needham will host its grand opening tomorrow, February 7, at 283 Chestnut St. in Needham, Mass. The new bookstore "is bright and welcoming, with little nooks for shoppers to tuck into as they search for their next read," the Needham Observer reported. "Cozy chairs are spread among the stacks, and a seating area up front invites shoppers to sit, read and relax. It feels like an oasis for anyone wishing to escape the chaos and frenetic pace of life and delve into someone else's story."

Co-owner Haley Stokes said, "I always loved this building, so when it came up for lease this summer I was like, I have to go see it. As soon as I walked in I saw so much potential in this space.... With a bookstore you either go very dark, old-school like someone's house library, or have to be light and airy like this." 

The book selection features most genres, bestsellers, new releases, classics, staff picks, and a big romance section "because who doesn't love a good romance book?" Stokes asked. "It was really hard for me not to dabble in a little bit of everything because I love a little bit of everything." She added that her favorite spot is the children's section, designed for readers to stay a while: "My kids, we read so many children's books, so this is a big passion for me back here." 

While the store offers a selection of gift items, Stokes said, "We are exclusively a bookstore with gifts, not a gift store with books. I love going into a bookstore and even if it's a get-well gift, I'll buy them a book and tea and a mug, or a blanket. They go well together, certain gifts and books. So it's a lot of bookish gifts."

Several author visits and book signings have been scheduled, and she has plans for a book group as well as other events and community collaborations. She also hopes to organize food tastings based on items from cookbooks with her husband, Dan Stokes, a chef and the store's co-owner. 

Stokes said she knows she is living out many people's dream: "I think when you're dreaming about it, I pictured it that I'm the only one there, and when no one's there you're sitting at the counter reading a book, and then as soon as someone comes in you put your book down and you're like, 'How can I help you?' " 

The reality is a little different, but she is "excited to see her long-held vision come to life to have a place she gets to go to every day and be surrounded by books and people she loves," the Observer wrote. 

"People are so thankful and happy this is here, so I hope we're successful enough to stay here," she said. "I hope this is what people are looking for, and as we open we'll adapt and listen to what people tell us." 

Veena Patel plans to open The Love Potion Library.

The Love Potion Library, a bookstore, tea room, and wine bar, will open soon in San Francisco, Calif., Hoodline reported.

Owner Veena Patel signed a lease for a space at 284 Noe St. on November 1, and hopes to have the bookstore up and running soon. Prior to signing the lease, Patel began building a following by launching a Love Potion book club and holding events like trivia nights.

Open Books, a nonprofit bookstore and literacy organization in Chicago, Ill., will be closing its Logan Square location on March 1, Block Club Chicago reported. The Logan Square store opened at 2068 N. Milwaukee Ave. in 2023. It spanned two floors, sold new and used books, and hosted a suite of community events including book fairs, readings, and book drives. 

In a message announcing the closure, Open Books executive director Jennifer Steele attributed the decision to financial hardship and business challenges at the Logan Square store, and said the organization "can no longer operate it without risking the important work of our mission. In making these decisions, we keep the children, families, and neighborhoods we serve at the center."

Open Books was founded in 2006 and uses bookstore sales to fund its literacy and writing programs for Chicago children and families. It has stores in the city's Pilsen and West Loop neighborhoods, which will remain in business. 

Per Block Club Chicago, the closure of the Logan Square store will leave that neighborhood with City Lit as its only bookstore.

In the fourth quarter ended December 31, net sales at Amazon rose 13.6%, to $213.4 billion, and net income rose 5.9%, to $21.2 billion. For the year, net sales rose 12.4%, to $716.9 billion, and net income rose 31.1%, to $77.7 billion. The fourth quarter sales gain marked the first time Amazon quarterly sales were above $200 billion.

In the fourth quarter, North American sales rose 10%, to $127.1 billion; international sales rose 17%, to $50.7 billion (or 11%, taking into account currency fluctuations); and sales at AWS, Amazon's cloud division, rose 24%, to $35.6 billion. For the year North American sales rose 10%, to $426.3 billion; international sales rose 13%, to $161.9 billion (or 10%, taking into account currency fluctuations); and AWS sales rose 20%, to $128.7 billion.

The company estimated that in the first quarter of 2026, net sales will be between $173.5 billion and $178.5 billion, up 11%-15%, while operating income should be between $16.5 billion and $21.5 billion, compared to $18.4 billion in the first quarter of 2025.

Amazon president and CEO Andy Jassy said, "AWS growing 24% (our fastest growth in 13 quarters), advertising growing 22%, stores growing briskly across North America and international, our chips business growing triple digit percentages year-over-year--this growth is happening because we're continuing to innovate at a rapid rate, and identify and knock down customer problems. With such strong demand for our existing offerings and seminal opportunities like AI, chips, robotics, and low earth orbit satellites, we expect to invest about $200 billion in capital expenditures across Amazon in 2026, and anticipate strong long-term return on invested capital."

Because AWS sales have risen at a slower rate than some competitors and the cost of "building new AI data centers is outpacing revenue from selling these services to customers, potentially weighing on profitability," as the Wall Street Journal put it, Amazon shares fell about 10% in after-market trading yesterday.

The boost in AI-related capital spending to $200 billion is more than analysts predicted and comes at the same time that the company has made cutbacks in other areas, with layoffs late last year and this year of about 30,000, or 10% of its executive staff; the shutting of Fresh and Go grocery stores; and the shutting down of its Amazon One palm payment system.

Scottish author Allan Massie, who wrote more than 20 novels and many works of nonfiction on a range of subjects, died February 3, the Guardian reported. In addition to his books, he was the Scotsman's chief literary critic for more than 25 years. He also wrote columns, diaries, book reviews, essays, and articles on everything from sports to the state of the nation for publications including the Spectator and the Daily Mail.

Massie's books include The Caesars (1983), A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (1984), and critical studies Muriel Spark (1979) and Colette (1986). It was his novels, however, for which "Allan preferred to be known," the Guardian noted. The first, Change and Decay in All Around I See (1978), with "a cast of drunks, gamblers and other dissolute characters... examined a bohemian Britain in the process of renouncing its claim to greatness." 

His second, The Last Peacock (1980), returned to the theme, and was followed by The Death of Men, set in Rome where, in the 1970s, Massie had taught English. The Guardian noted that with his sixth novel, A Question of Loyalties (1989), winner of the Saltire Society/Scotsman book of the year award, "Allan finally found a voice and subject true to himself. It was the first of 'a loose trilogy,' which included The Sins of the Father (1991) and Shadows of Empire (1997), set largely in occupied France during the second world war."

"Difficulty of coming to firm moral conclusions," Massie said in 1990. "Interaction of public and personal life. Relationship of the individual to social background and landscape. Also, of how much people choose their own life."

Massie wrote a series of six novels about ancient Rome, beginning with Augustus (1986) and concluding with Caligula (2003). His series of four crime novels featuring Superintendent Lannes (2010-2015) "was much praised for its evocation of Bordeaux during the second world war," the Guardian wrote, adding that although "the books were not based on direct experience, it was the kind of praise that Allan was very happy to accept." In 2013 he was appointed CBE.

Susan Lucci visited Books and Greetings in Northvale, N.J., on her tour for her memoir La Lucci (Blackstone). Owner Kenny Sarfin reported that the All My Children star's appearance was "a home run event! Three hundred people showed up, and she was fantastic, warm, gracious, and lovable."

Earlier this month, a mother went into labor while browsing at Monkey and Dog Books in Fort Worth, Tex., "setting off a chain of events that quickly captured the attention and hearts of the community," WFAA reported.

Seth Burt

"It's just so exciting for the shop," said owner Seth Burt. "We've had people propose in the shop, people celebrate birthdays here. This was a first.... This lady comes out of the bathroom and tells our bookseller, 'I am so sorry--my water broke.' "

The parents rushed from the store to a nearby birthing center, leaving behind no names or contact information. Burt said he felt determined to find out how the story ended: "The mission was to figure out who the mysterious book baby was."

After Hurt posted a video on the bookstore's Instagram page explaining what had happened, people across the community became invested in learning the outcome and helping the owners find the couple. "That's what the post tried to do--bring people together," he noted.

Within 24 hours, the family was identified, and two weeks later the mother returned to Monkey and Dog Books with her newborn son, Leo. "I didn't expect to go into labor in a bookstore," she said. "I was just excited.... It was the way it was supposed to be."

The bookstore's owners "presented Leo and his mom with a gift basket and discounted books for life: a fitting perk for the so-called 'bookstore baby,' " WFAA reported, adding: "A story that began between the shelves now serves as a reminder that sometimes, the best stories are the ones no one sees coming."

Noting that since opening in 2024, Godmothers bookstore in Summerland, Calif., has "become a beacon of community, creativity, and conversation," Fast Company magazine's "Small to Fast" series focused on owners Victoria Jackson and Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, whose "lives are intermingled with work" in "a bookstore perched on a magical slice of Santa Barbara County, outfitted with cozy nooks to read and gather, a cafe, and an events space for author events and workshops." Among the highlights of the conversation:

Walsh: "We opened the store as a bookstore and a gathering space because it's something we ourselves craved. It's a place to go to dive into the deep end of the ocean. We wanted to create a sense of community around that container; I think there needs to be more of that. People long to be there in person. Our shop is in a beautiful setting, which adds to the experience. It's a place where people can be open-hearted and open-minded."

Jackson: "Jennifer is a critical piece in the telling of Godmothers. We are trying to align and manifest something together. She is also a big believer and a manifester in her own right. Godmothers: how the community has, in such a short time, embraced it. How we have in all the best ways put ourselves on the map, with the trust and respect--really the big warm hug we’ve gotten from the community. I was going to be focused more on the beauty of the space, making it a cozy and welcoming physical space. She is working on the actual storytelling. She does most of the hosting and interviewing. I think we both respect each other’s opinions a lot; it’s a very easy collaboration."

"Roses are red, violets are blue. A book is cheaper than dinner for two!" That was the pre-Valentine's Day message on the sidewalk chalkboard in front of Protagonist Books & Coffee in Dryden, N.Y., which noted: "And we have so many books to choose from."

AMC Networks has renewed Dark Winds, based on the Leaphorn & Chee novels by Tony Hillerman, for a fifth season. It begins filming in Santa Fe, N.Mex., next month, and is set to debut in 2027. The announcement was made in advance of the show's upcoming Season 4 premiere on February 15, on AMC and AMC+, with new episodes airing weekly on Sundays.

"Over four seasons, Dark Winds has masterfully blended compelling character-driven stories, Navajo culture, spirituality and breathtaking cinematography," said Dan McDermott, CCO of AMC Networks and president of AMC Studios. "We are elated to continue the journey alongside showrunner John Wirth and the incomparable Zahn McClarnon. Our extraordinary producing and creative team, cast and crew have crafted a gripping crime drama that continues to be embraced by fans and widely celebrated by critics. We can't wait to share more of this incredible story with audiences across the globe."

Executive producer and star Zahn McClarnon added: "Thank you to Kristin Dolan, Dan McDermott, and all of AMC Networks for continuing to support and believe in Dark Winds. It's such a privilege to embody the character of Joe Leaphorn, and I'm excited to return to Santa Fe with this amazing cast and crew to craft another thrilling season of the show that means so much to all of us." 

Dark Winds is created by Graham Roland, with John Wirth serving as showrunner. The series is executive produced by George R.R. Martin, Roland, Wirth, McClarnon, Chris Eyre, Tina Elmo, Jim Chory, Thomas Brady, Max Hurwitz, Vince Gerardis, and Anne Hillerman.

A shortlist in three categories (illustrated, young readers, older readers) has been released for the 2026 Waterstones Children's Book Prize, chosen by Waterstones booksellers, the Bookseller reported. Category winners and the overall winner will be named at a ceremony on March 26. Check out the complete shortlist here.

Welsh cartoonist and author Huw Aaron has been shortlisted in both the Younger Readers and Illustrated Books categories, marking the first time in the award's history that an author/illustrator has been a finalist for two titles across categories.

Bea Carvalho, head of books, Waterstones, said: "For more than 20 years, the Waterstones Children's Book Prize has sought to spark and maintain a love of reading in children and teenagers through spotlighting the most exciting emerging writers and illustrators.... 

"In the National Year of Reading, this effort feels especially impactful, and our booksellers have selected a shortlist of 12 outstanding books that truly celebrate the sheer joy, escapism and wonder to be found in children's books today. This is a list that prioritizes reading for pleasure, with picture books bursting with charm that adults will adore reading to little ones on repeat, and novels that are destined to be enthusiastically passed around playgrounds and friendship groups."

Matthew F. Jones is the author of seven novels and several screenplays, including adaptations of two of his own novels. His novels A Single Shot, Deepwater, and Boot Tracks have been made into major motion pictures. Jones grew up on a horse and dairy farm in rural upstate New York, where much of his work is set, and currently lives in Charlottesville, Va. His most recent novel, A Reckoning Up Black Cat Hollow (Regal House Publishing, January 27, 2026), is a crime thriller that follows an insurance salesman who finds his life spiraling into a dark and perilous world after an act of kindness.

Handsell readers your book in 30 words or less:

A marine veteran battling internal demons struggles to save an amnesiac young woman from pursuers real and ephemeral in the dark woods of upstate New York.

On your nightstand now:

Strangers on a Train. I read most of Patricia Highsmith's novels years ago, but somehow missed the one she is maybe most known for. Erasure by Percival Everett--I picked it up after watching Jeffrey Wright (who was great in the film adaptation of my novel A Single Shot) knock it out of the park in American Fiction, the film based on it. The novel so far is even better than the film. The Worst Hard Time, a 2006 book by Timothy Egan about survivors of the Dust Bowl--I generally like to intersperse some nonfiction reading in with the fiction I'm reading. My son gave me this one to read, and it's at once tragic and revealing of the natural destruction of our world caused by humankind's shortsightedness and greed.

Favorite books when you were a child:

Stuart Little by E.B. White. I browbeat my parents into buying me a pet mouse (or maybe they caught it in one of our barns) after the first of countless times I read it. White's Charlotte's Web was another early favorite. The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford--I related to the story even more after two of my family's pet dogs when I was nine years old were gone one morning when we got up and remained missing before showing back up on our doorstep over four months later!

John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway made me fall in love with books. From them I learned the best writing says more with less, thus engaging the reader's imagination to see, hear, experience well more than what is on the page. I read a lot of Saul Bellow--The Adventures of Augie March left an indelible imprint on me. Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men, Carson McCullers's The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.

Your top five authors:

Just five? That's tough. First ones off the top of my head whom I've gone back to read more than a couple times--Graham Greene, John Steinbeck, Flannery O'Connor, E.L. Doctorow, Elmore Leonard, for his dialogue.

Book you've faked reading:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, for an hour or so. I did it hoping to impress a high school girlfriend who loved the book. When she started asking me what I thought about certain portions of it, I knew the jig was up and came clean with her. She ended up complimenting me on my honesty, so it ended well.

Books you're an evangelist for:

Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. It was more revealing to me of the 1930s Depression era than any of the history books I've read of the time. Fat City-- compact, heartbreaking, perfect, and the only novel Leonard Gardner ever wrote.

Book you've bought for the cover:

I'm too tight with money to buy a book just for its cover. But I can still picture the great Garth Williams cover for Stuart Little, with Stuart paddling a canoe. So, I'd probably buy that one even if I hadn't loved the book.

Book you hid from your parents:

I didn't have the kind of parents I had to hide what I was reading from. Some of their recommendations to me, other kids might have had to hide from their parents.

Books that changed your life:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee--it made me think I wanted to be a small-town lawyer in my hometown. Later, I was one for a while and found out I was wrong and Thomas Wolfe was right--you can't go home again, at least not as a lawyer for your old running mates. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck was one of a few books that made realize what I really wanted to be.

Favorite line from a book:

"We wear the chains we forge in life." --Nobody's Fool, Richard Russo

Five books you'll never part with:

Aside from my own (every writer should feel that way about the books they've written!), I'll go with The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor, Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow, Fat City, and All the King's Men.

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

Stuart Little. Only I want to read it at the age I was when I read it the first time. Second choice, The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway.

Anyone you want to thank:

The authors of all the books I've read--and will read--for all the places they've taken me and people they've introduced me to.

As the subtitle suggests, What Ever Happened to Eddy Crane? traverses genres and is equally gripping as an account of a woman's maturing through loss and grief as it is as a murder investigation. Author Kate Crane's father disappeared one night when she was 12 years old, after calling to say he was on his way home from work. His beloved Mercedes was found abandoned at the airport and, weeks later, the family dog who'd been with him, Sherlock, was found unharmed. But nothing was heard from Eddy Crane again. Without a body to bury or a culprit to hold to account, the family was left suspended in a permanent state of mourning, their lives fractured by the agonizing uncertainty of what had happened to their father and husband.

Crane eventually threw herself into the search for answers, following years of waiting for the authorities to unearth some new information, as well as seeing her story used as fodder for television crimes series such as Homicide: Life on the Street and The Wire. Driven by her curiosity and need for closure, she began an exhaustive DIY inquiry, knocking on the doors of aging witnesses and meeting with anyone who'd been involved in the initial investigation. Her quest for truth was far from risk free. As Crane peeled back the layers of a decades-old conspiracy involving local corruption and betrayal, she realized that the people who wanted Eddie gone were still very much alive --and they hadn't forgotten the secrets they killed to protect.

The brilliance of What Ever Happened to Eddy Crane? lies in the way it fluidly blends genres, recounting Crane's personal experience of the 1980s while maintaining a propulsive, thriller-like pace. She navigates the ethics of memoir writing with startling honesty, never shying away from her own mistakes or the toll her investigation took on her mental health--or her relationships with her family. The narrative focus goes beyond the who and how of the crime, to Crane's pervasive need to know the why, despite the risks and costs. It is a rare work that manages to be both a rigorous piece of journalism and a tender, heartbreaking meditation on the lasting bond between a father and a daughter.

What Ever Happened to Eddy Crane? will resonate with readers who appreciate the intersection of literary memoir and gritty investigative procedurals like the obsessive, atmospheric hunt of Michelle McNamara's I'll Be Gone in the Dark, while also including a more intimate, first-person proximity to the victim. There's no neat cinematic Hollywood ending, but instead this memoir concludes with a raw and candid look at the limits of justice and the limitlessness of love. --Elizabeth DeNoma, executive editor, DeNoma Literary Services, Seattle, Wash.

Shelf Talker: Kate Crane brilliantly traverses genres to offer an intimate but propulsive tribute to her missing father, while uncovering the criminal landscape of 1980s Baltimore.