Books: Our Book Bestie's Mid-Year Reality Check

Here’s a literary hot take: are you reading that book or just carrying it around from tote bag to tote bag? Right.

Seattle Readers, it’s time for a midyear reading round up, and we’re gonna find out what books this city of readers are actually devouring (so far). Elliott Bay Book Company’s Sofia Brekkan joins us for some literary hot takes, staff pick hacks, and a round of ‘would you rather’ that reveals Sofia’s controversial reading habits.

Check out some of the books mentioned in this episode:

• I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
• Sunrise on the Reaping (A Hunger Games Novel) by Suzanne Collins
• Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
• Big Kiss, Bye-Bye by Claire-Louise Bennett
• Self Help by Lorrie Moore
• The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels 
• Feeding Ghosts by Tessa Hulls
• Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe
• Heaven by Emerson Whitney
• Moderation by Elaine Castillo
• Horror for Weenies by Emily C Hughes 

Check out all of staff picks from Elliott Bay Book Company here.

Other book-ish and artsy recommendations from this week’s episode: 

• KUOW July Book Club: Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu in conversation with Katie Campbell- July 30th, 2025 
• CID Reading Block Party - August 3rd, 2025
• Teo's Durumi, Author Elaine U. Cho at Elliott Bay - August 5th, 2025
• Extinction Capital of the World, Author Mariah Rigg at Elliott Bay on August 21st, 2025
• Urban Craft Uprising at Magnuson Park Hangar 30 on Saturday & Sunday, July 26th & 27th, 2025
• Jazz Night in Pioneer Square - Tuesday, July 29th, 2025

Did we miss a must read for 2025? Got a literary hot take Seattle readers MUST know? Hey, send us an email at [e-mail]. 

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