"I just feel humbled working with these people, up to the current generation of ABA staffers. They roll with changes. They adapt and they pivot and nothing seems to faze them, and it's amazing to watch. I like doing my thing, but I'm also in awe at all of the other things that the other departments at ABA do.... 

"I have more years behind me at ABA than I have in front of me, but I'm going to keep an eye on ABA. I'm going to read BTW every week and I know that ABA, as long as it exists, is going to be front and center in the industry. I'm looking forward to keeping up with ABA, because I know ABA is going to survive, and move forward with everything that booksellers need, and keep up the good fight."

Kiss and Tale Romance Bookshop, which has been operating as a pop-up, will open a bricks-and-mortar location in September at 340 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue, Suite 202, in Decatur, Ga. What Now Atlanta reported that co-owners Jen Kamrath and Molly Kamrath are in the process of preparing their 1,500-square-foot space, located above Mellow Mushroom pizzeria.

The sisters both work in costumes for the film and TV industry, but during the 2023 writers' and actors' strike, they spent about 10 months out of work. That was when they began to brainstorm a concept for a bookstore, inspired by other romance bookshops like The Ripped Bodice in Los Angeles.

"We both talked about it and thought: Atlanta needs something like that here," Jen Kamrath said. "We're really looking to create a community, which we started with our pop-ups, and we're just really looking forward to being able to expand that and have a place where people really feel like they can come and look at the books they want to look at, buy the books they want to buy, have other readers that are of the same mind, meet new readers, meet new books and just have a place to share all of that," Jen said.

Noting that the space "will have a sophisticated, feminine design, with black bookcases and touches of blush and pink throughout the store," What Now Atlanta wrote that the Kamraths' vision is to feature book clubs, events, and other methods to connect readers and help them find a sense of belonging.

"We really want to integrate ourselves into the community in Decatur, and we look at [other businesses there] as something that we would like to [achieve]," Molly Kamrath said. "We want to be like that. We want to be the store that's been there for 20 years."

Stella House Books will open in spring 2026 at 31 S. Range Line Road in Carmel, Ind. Current reported that owners Miranda Armie and Sean Armie plan to break ground in late summer or early fall. The renovation and expansion will include a two-story addition of 3,700 square feet. 

"We had always dreamed about a project that we could bring to life and build together," Miranda Armie said. "This dream turned into a bookstore. A bookstore is a unique way to join our two interests, our love of literature and that love of community."

The name was chosen to represent the owners' dreams for the bookstore. "Stella is Latin for 'star,' " Sean Armie noted. "That's what I see as the anchor of the store--the star bright in the sky, leading you to think about things beyond just the everyday. We want Stella House to be a place where people can dream, imagine and think about things that really matter."

The Armies hope the space exudes a welcoming Americana feel. "When we acquired this house, we were inspired by the architecture and by the stories that we imagined would be in the home," Miranda Armie recalled. "We want to create this beautiful, cozy experience where we can invite the people of Carmel and visitors in. We're going to have this beautiful children's section with a little playhouse. As you enter upstairs, our vision is that there's more to discover and explore. We are planning some amazing themed rooms. We're going to have a cafe that will serve coffee and some bakery items. We want people to be able to stay a while."

She added that Stella House will have a small event space and host book clubs and other activities: "We're curating a timeless collection of literature, even for classic and new, for the young and the old. We want everyone to be able to find something they love at Stella House. We would like to partner with local artists, publishers, authors, because we think that's what makes Carmel special in so many ways--our commitment to being local and supporting the arts."

Last month, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Va., finished its relocation across the street to 1307 E. Cary St. with a flourish, thanks to the helpful hands of a community book brigade. The bookshop shared an Instagram video, noting: "WE MOVED!!! Thanks to so many amazing, generous, and STRONG volunteers, Fountain has moved across the street to 1307! Now we just have to make it look nice, so we'll be CLOSED TOMORROW (and possibly Wednesday)! We can't wait for y'all to see our new digs!"

Fountain had announced the move earlier this year, citing the opportunity to have an expanded space, while keeping the original location for events and classes.

In March, owner Kelly Justice told Richmond magazine that for nearly half of her tenure with Fountain Bookstore she has wanted to expand: "I've been talking to fixture people for 10 years.... We've been ready to move for years." 

The right space, as it turned out, was nearby. "This building came cute. You can't get any cozier than this," Justice said. "The store came out of the box that way.... One of the goals of this new space is to make browsing more comfortable and less cramped. The hope is, with more space and more inventory, that we will have more traffic, because people will be more comfortable, right? That's the whole idea." 

Justice, who purchased the store in 2008, recently told the Richmonder that while she wanted to relocate or open a second branch, she was determined to remain in Shockoe Slip. While renting basement storage in a neighboring building, she was asked if she would be interested in moving into the building.

"The transformation process quickly turned collaborative," the Richmonder wrote. "When Justice involved Richmond-based designers, including CPL Architects and LaDiff, the new location hit its stride. The designers introduced new, quirky elements to the space--including the giraffe, multi-colored bunnies and a Game of Thrones-inspired chandelier--while integrating nods to the old location--such as the faux-brick wall."

"Once I let go and started having fun... it just all came together. We're a loud and silly bookstore," Justice said, adding that she set out to create a sanctuary that provides "discovery and delight.... Some of it sort of came here by accident. I think people are just happy that their butts aren't hitting stuff all the time.... Turns out that the warmth of the store was contained in, not just the space, but in the people--the people that work here, the people that shop here. That's where the warmth is."

In a recent e-mail newsletter, Justice wrote: "Where to start? We are still putting the final touches on the new shop. We are SO excited for you to see the new space. Honestly, I thought this would never get done. I'm serious."

She added an "abbreviated list of thank-yous from me and Team Fountain ('And, I swear, if the orchestra starts playing, I'm still going to keep going.')" to some of the people who made the move possible, including Fountain's customers: "Without your patronage, encouragement, and enthusiasm, all of this would haven't even have been a dream. More than anyone, YOU are responsible for inspiring us to create a better bookstore to serve you." She also thanked her booksellers, "who have to execute the giant weird ideas and also keep the daily gears grinding, so I am free to come up with more."

The Lynx Books in Gainesville, Fla., has created a library at a local homeless shelter, the Gainesville Sun reported. 

The library, which contains 1,300 books and is located in the former mail room of the Grace Marketplace homeless shelter, was unveiled on August 12. It features a mural of local plants and wildlife painted by Lynx employee Meghan Haile. 

The Lynx created the library through its nonprofit arm, the Lynx Watch Inc., and the books were donated from a number of sources, including Penguin Random House and the Alachua County Library District Friends of the Library. A team of volunteers helped clear out the space, paint, and stock the shelves earlier this summer.

Grace Marketplace has been in operation since 2014 and offers a range of services including shelter, outreach, free meals, and more. John Thomas, interim CEO of Grace Marketplace, told the Sun: "Having this library on site gives our guests access to more resources while they're working towards being housed. We're grateful to share this opportunity with the folks we serve."

Author Lauren Groff and her husband, Clay Kallman, opened the Lynx in spring 2024 and launched the nonprofit soon after. Per the Sun, it has donated more than $50,000 worth of books as of August 1.

Joyce Hinnefeld launched The Dime Museum: A Novel in Stories (Unbridled Books) at the Bethlehem (Pa.) Public Library; The End Bookstore in Allentown sold books. Pictured: (from l.) Josh Berk, executive director, Bethlehem Area Public Library; Anna Hauser, the author's daughter, who works at Simon & Schuster; Hinnefeld; bookstore general manager Jim Hess.

"We've said it before but it bears repeating--WE LOVE LOVE!" Greedy Reads, Baltimore, Md., posted on Facebook. "That's especially true when it's two of our favorite locals, and it's the cherry on top when they include us in their story. Katie and Matt, we are so thrilled to share in your happiness. Thank you for choosing our store for these gorgeous engagement photos. @hollycroftphotography really hit it out of the park with these shots. (The cherry on top of the cherry on top is Lucy, the sweetest puppy, being included.)"

Simon & Schuster has begun handling worldwide sales and distribution for 8080 Books.

8080 Books, an imprint of Microsoft, was founded in 2024. It was inspired by "the visionary founders of the software industry" and aims to advance technology, science, and business. The first title to be distributed under the agreement is WorkLab: Five Years That Shook the Business World, and Sparked an AI-First Future by Colette Stallbaumer.

To Activate Space Portal, Lift Here by Antoinette Portis (Neal Porter Books/Holiday House).

Tomorrow:
The View repeat: Kara Swisher, author of Burn Book: A Tech Love Story (Simon & Schuster, $19.99, 9781982163907).

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, August 16
3:55 p.m. Marcus Rediker, author of Freedom Ship: The Uncharted History of Escaping Slavery by Sea (Viking, $33, 9780525558347), at City of Asylum Bookstore in Pittsburgh, Pa.

4:50 p.m. Becky Aikman, author of Spitfires: The American Women Who Flew in the Face of Danger During World War II (‎Bloomsbury, $31.99, 9781635576566).

Sunday, August 17
8 a.m. Stacey Abrams, author of Coded Justice: A Thriller (Doubleday, $30, 9780385548342). (Re-airs Sunday at 8 p.m.)

9:15 a.m. Michael Grynbaum, author of Empire of the Elite: Inside Condé Nast, the Media Dynasty That Reshaped America (Simon & Schuster, $29.99, 9781668003916), at Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C. (Re-airs Sunday at 9:15 p.m.)

2 p.m. Clare Morell, author of The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones (Forum Books, $27, 9780593736296).

2:50 p.m. Bonnie Tsui, author of On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters (‎Algonquin, $29, 9781643753089), at Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C.

3:40 p.m. Sam Kean, author of Dinner with King Tut: How Rogue Archaeologists Are Re-creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations (‎Little, Brown, $32.50, 9780316496551), at Politics and Prose in Washington, D.C.

5:05 p.m. Evan Osnos, author of The Haves and Have-Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultrarich (‎Scribner, $30, 9781668204481).

6:45 p.m. Jonah Bromwich, author of Dragon on Centre Street: New York vs. Donald J. Trump (Authors Equity, $30, 9798893310382).

Winners were announced for the 2025 Aurora Awards, which recognize excellence by Canadians in the fields of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. This year's Aurora Awards, voted on by members of the Canadian Science Fiction & Fantasy Association, were presented in a livestreamed ceremony. See the complete list of category winners here.

Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, August 19:

Something to Look Forward To: Fictions by Fannie Flagg (Random House, $29, 9780593734414) contains interconnected short stories about Americans facing adversity.

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher (Tor Books, $28.99, 9781250342034) is a dark fantasy reimagining of Snow White.

The Cruel Dawn by Rachel Howzell Hall (Entangled: Red Tower Books, $32.99, 9781649379160) is book two in the Vallendor romantasy series.

The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas (Berkley, $29, 9780593641071) is a gothic thriller about a dangerous silver mine in 1765 Mexico.

Itty Bitty Betty Blob Makes a Splash by Constance Lombardo, illus. by Micah Player (Astra/Hippo Park, $18.99, 9781662640926) features the adorable blob from Itty Bitty Betty Blob entering a diving competition.

Deep Water by Maren Stoffels (Delacorte, $12.99, 9780593900550) is a YA thriller in which a young woman is tricked into a cruise that is actually a teen reeducation program.

Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $36, 9780374178710) is the first major biography of James Baldwin in three decades.

Swap: A Secret History of the New Cold War by Drew Hinshaw and Joe Parkinson (Harper, $30, 9780063458246) unravels a series of prisoner trades between the U.S. and Russia in 2024.

Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves by Johnathan Walton (Rodale Books, $28, 9780593797167) is a guide to avoiding getting scammed.

Changeover: A Young Rivalry and a New Era of Men's Tennis by Giri Nathan (Gallery Books, $28.99, 9781668076248) explores the rise of tennis players Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

Paperbacks:
Endless Anger by Sav R. Miller (Sourcebooks Casablanca, $18.99, 9781464229077).

Gelato at the Villa (Suitcase Sisters Book 2) by Robin Jones Gunn (Revell, $18.99, 9780800744830).

The Motherhood Myth: A Depth Therapist's Guide to Redefine Parenting, Reimagine Intimacy, and Reclaim the Self by Vanessa Bennett (Sounds True, $20.99, 9781649633415).

Your Favorite Scary Movie: How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror by Ashley Cullins (Plume, $22, 9780593474709).

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

Hardcover: An Indies Introduce Title
Mendell Station by J.B. Hwang (Bloomsbury, $26.99, 9781639736188). "A thoughtful meditation on friendship, grief, and new ways forward. The suicide of her closest friend shatters 33-year-old Miriam's religious faith and sends her into despair. She finds unlikely succor working for the postal service." --Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books, Davidson, N.C.

Hardcover
The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw (Tor Nightfire, $29.99, 9781250877819). "Visceral, violent, and disturbing, The Library at Hellebore is an ode to anyone who's ever felt different. The students are calamities made flesh, the teachers ominous and hungry. A fever dream full of emotion." --Paley Goldberg, Merritt Bookstore, Millbrook, N.Y.

Paperback
Love Is a War Song by Danica Nava (Berkley, $19, 9780593642627). "A pop star rehabilitates her reputation while connecting with her Native American roots on her grandmother's horse farm. She spends time with one of the ranch hands, who teaches her more about her culture. A forbidden, steamy love." --Juliana Reyes, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Ages 3-7
Forts by Katie Venit, illus. by Kenard Pak (Viking Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9780593466155). "This cozy book is full of the sensory feelings in the magical world of nature, mixed with the comforts of a secret place in your home where you can be alone. Brought back so many memories of my own childhood." --Sarah Jane Abbott, Books Are Magic, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Ages 8-12
Another by Paul Tremblay (Quill Tree Books, $19.99, 9780063396357). "Paul Tremblay's middle grade horror book is awesome. Anyone that loved Goosebumps or Are You Afraid of the Dark? growing up will love this book. Reminds me of a Scary Stories tale!" --Derrick Brunner, The Well-Read Moose, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Ages 14+
A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid (HarperCollins, $19.99, 9780063421677). "Dive deeper into the world of A Study in Drowning, into the dreams of Preston Heloury and the lore of the Sleepers, as Ava Reid's Welsh folklore-infused dark academia fantasy continues! With the lush literary romance of Divine Rivals and the incisive magical dark academia of Babel, this series is a must-read." --Megan Bell, Underground Books, Carrollton, Ga.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

Charlatans by Moisés Naím and Quico Toro is about the public figures with "a knack for manipulating groups of people into trusting them." The title might conjure up thoughts of 16th-century grifters who promised to turn the ordinary into gold through alchemy, or snake oil salesmen promising a panacea to the desperate. However, as global affairs experts Naím and Toro explore in their fascinating and informative work, these public figures are still very active today, sometimes in the highest reaches of government, and modern technology has only helped them to proliferate.

Naím (The End of Power) and Toro emphasize that the people running these scams are so successful not because they're able to convince people to do something or buy into something, but because they trade on the beliefs and dreams that people already hold. As a result, the authors emphasize, and despite some scams seeming completely obvious, everyone is susceptible to charlatans in different ways, regardless of amount of education or power. And so, the authors argue, it is essential to be more aware of how these schemes work, rather than blaming or judging the victims. Instead of metal into gold, modern charlatans trade in cryptocurrency and are able to access vulnerable people through the parts of their lives they put online voluntarily, using their very dreams to turn more people into victims. Naím and Toro delve into Ponzi schemes, so-called health gurus, megachurches, online phenomena such as QAnon, and more. They show how all of these different scams use similar methods and principles, which, at the core, amount to what the authors call "hacking HumanOS."

This exploration of charlatanism is expansive and focuses on the perpetrators of these schemes, but Naím and Toro also point out factors that might make people susceptible to falling for them. It is not just a matter of gambits that promise dreams realized, but that those who might be more socially isolated are possibly more prone to becoming victimized by these smooth operators. In essence, by showing these public figures at their worst, and the levels of society and politics that they have infiltrated, Naím and Toro guide readers to understand that this is a threat not of the past, but one that is becoming compounded by technology, so that all aspects of life are under threat from it. Their straightforward approach draws links across a variety of high-profile manipulators and public trials. Making intriguing connections among white-collar crimes across industries, Naím and Toro demonstrate how community might, in the end, be the best defense against being taken in by charlatans. --Michelle Anya Anjirbag, freelance reviewer

Shelf Talker: Moisés Naím and Quico Toro explain why and how society still falls for the tricks of charlatans and swindlers, and how people might better recognize their games.

The idea came from my experience as a bookseller at the bookshop Shakespeare and Company in Paris. I first started there thinking about the people I was working with for so many years who were like me, aspiring writers, aspiring actors or musicians and we were all working at night shifts there... and even when we started to actually pay our rents by doing other stuff, we kept coming to the bookshop to work because we felt this like very weird and touching common feeling of being misplaced. We felt that we didn't fit. We felt that we didn't recognize ourselves in the world we were living in and this bookshop offered us a refuge somehow, so that that's the starting point of the film. 

--Laura Piani, writer and director of Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, in an interview with The Contending podcast

While Bookstore Romance Day garnered most of the book trade headlines and social media attention last weekend, Book Lovers Day was also sharing the stage. Although it's celebrated internationally, BLD seems to attract considerably less attention. Even Wikipedia offers only cold comfort, deeming it an "unofficial holiday... widely recognized on global scale yet its origin and creator remain unknown to date."

Still, many indie booksellers did give BLD its due on Saturday. Catherine Lawrence, co-owner of Midtown Scholar Bookstore, Harrisburg, Pa., told WITF: "We love books every day, but National Book Lovers Day is a special moment--and when it falls on Romance Day, it's twice as fun."

Arts & Letters Bookstore, Hood County, Tex., posted on social media: "Happy National Book Lovers Day! Today, we celebrate the joy of getting lost in a good story, the thrill of discovering new ideas, and the comfort of a favorite book. Whether you're curled up with a classic, exploring a new release, or browsing the shelves for your next great read, today is for you."

And Bookstore at Fitger's, Duluth, Minn., wished patrons a "Happy National Book Lovers Day! Today is a day for all those who love to read. It's a day to encourage you to find your favorite reading place, a good book (whether it be fiction or nonfiction) and read the day away. Other ways to celebrate today, you could record a video of you reading a story for a child in your life, or randomly give a book to someone."

Some indie booksellers took to their social media accounts to mark both "days," including:

At Godmothers Books

Godmothers Books, Summerland, Calif.: "A big day for book lovers. We're celebrating the only way we know how: lost in the pages of a great romance. Happy Bookstore Romance Day and Happy Book Lovers Day! What story has stolen your heart lately?"

Afterwords Books, Edwardsville, Ill.: "It's Bookstore Romance Day! It's also Book Lovers Day! What better way to celebrate than with a trip to your little local indie bookstore?!"

Whitelam Books, Reading, Mass.: "Bookstore Romance Day, Book Lovers Day, AND day 1 of MA sales tax weekend?! It's a trifecta of perfect reasons to visit Whitelam Books today."

White Rose Books & More, Kissimmee, Fla.: "We are ready for book lover's day and bookstore romance day! We have a table of blind dates and 20% off all signed books today! Stop by and add to your TBR."

Fables Books, Goshen, Ind.: "Happy #BookLoversDay and #BookstoreRomanceDay! Today's the perfect day to indulge in a trip to your favorite Indie bookstore."

The Pile Bookstore, Berwyn, Ill.: "Happy #bookstoreromanceday and #bookloversday! Stop by all day for special cold brew, design-a-tote, free audiobooks from Libro.fm, special new merch, and a photo op on our pink couch!"

How did I celebrate Book Lovers Day/Bookstore Romance Day? Well, as it turned out I found myself falling in bookish love with one of the best films I've seen this year: Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, directed by Laura Piani and starring Camille Rutherford, Pablo Pauly, and Charlie Anson. 

Logline, the short version: A young woman works in a Paris bookshop, dreaming of becoming a successful writer and of having a Jane Austen-level love experience, but finding herself blocked on both counts. After receiving a surprise and not particularly desired invitation to attend a Jane Austen Writers' Residency in England, she reluctantly goes and... well, just take a leap of faith and watch the film. You might even fall in love with it. 

In a q&a with the National Board of Review, Piani spoke again, with love, about the inspiration she drew from her time as a bookseller at Shakespeare and Company: "Literature was our refuge, but it could also trap us. That tension--between inspiration and entrapment--was the seed of this story. Later, I told our producer how much I missed art-house romantic comedies like the ones Richard Curtis made in the '90s. I wanted to bring that spirit back, but with a personal lens. I was grieving when I started writing, and I wanted to make a comedy that could still hold that emotional weight....

"Shakespeare and Company was the first piece of the puzzle. I'd dreamed of filming there before I even had a script, and they said yes, which was rare--they don't usually allow shoots anymore. We filmed at night when the shop was closed, which made it feel magical."

And what more could a book lover ask from just one weekend than a little magic?