Top picks for readers and moms who wanna be
By: Melody Wukitch & Chelsea Harrison
Moms- tell me if this sounds familiar? You have a book (or seven) in a stack on your nightstand. The stack sometimes expands onto the floor or into the drawers of your nightstand. Or maybe the only reading you get in is via audiobooks while you fold laundry or drive to work. You don’t always find time to read, but you have really great intentions! And when you do find the time, you don’t want to waste it on books you won’t enjoy. We hear you! Annapolis Moms Media is excited to introduce Add it to the Stack!, a regular column with Melody Wukitch, owner of Park Books and all-around boss bookseller.
Whenever anyone asks Melody why she opened Park Books, her answer is always the same: because no one else was doing it. Like many community members, Melody craved a local bookstore in an inclusive space with offerings for readers of all ages. Since opening in May 2021, Park Books has become a favorite space for book lovers, families, and the community. Park Books is expanding rapidly, opening a community space upstairs as well as a wine and coffee bar, called Speak Easy at Park Books (coming soon!) in the adjacent space. And did we mention their storytimes are legendary?
Be sure to add Melody’s picks to your TBR (to-be-read) list, or audiobook queue, so you can avoid wasting time on books not worth your time.
Join the Conversation:
You may have heard about this one!
#1 NYT bestselling author Jennifer Weiner brings us Breakaway, a character-driven novel full of romance, relationships, and just enough drama to keep a busy mom wondering how this one will end. Weiner loves to tackle tough topics and she certainly doesn’t hold back when forcing thirty-something-year-old Abby to tackle body issues, mother-daughter relationships, true love, and a woman’s right to choose.
Start the Conversation:
Be the one with the fun suggestion
Perfect for fall, How to Kill Men and Get Away with It by Katy Brent, is a deliciously dark and twisted paperback debut that is perfect, even if it just sits on the nightstand as a warning! This one isn’t for the faint of heart as it has been dubbed as the “female Dexter,” so don’t dive in if you don’t like gruesome murder scenes! But, if you’re looking for a tale of a woman who was wronged and then decides to get revenge, then this one’s for you!
Young Readers:
A picture book everyone can enjoy
Vlad, the Fabulous Vampire is the newest book from Gustavo the Shy Ghost author-illustrator, Flavia Z. Drago. In this beautiful picture book, Vlad, the rosy-cheeked vampire must embrace his differences and find a community that appreciates him.
Middle-Grade Readers:
Books for independent readers
The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series has captured the hearts of children and adults since its release in 2005. On September 26th, Rick Riordan brings us The Chalice of the Gods. The long-awaited reunion is here and we all will get to laugh out loud as Percy attempts to get into college while going on quests and helping Zeus…as one does.
Teens:
Picks your teens won’t want to put down
House of Marionne by J. Elle was an instant NYT bestseller and I know why. This book has it all: betrayal, darkness, magic, forbidden romance, morally gray characters, a magic school, and its dark faculty members. Teen readers will get swept up by the main character, Quell, her dark secret, and the assassin sent to kill her.
Melody Wukitch is a busy mom, business owner, educator, and all-around big idea maker who lives in Severna Park with her husband, the kids who haven’t left home yet, and her book-a-doodle, Darcy Jane. When she’s not busy growing a business and recommending books, you can find her with a glass of wine on the sofa, reminding herself that there’s more to life than [insert thing here] and trying to choose a book from the stack!
Your Health Provider Can be a Health Partner