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Whether you’re unwinding in the lodge after a day of schussing at one of our state’s ski resorts or killing time in DIA while you await your flight, it’s always a good idea to have a book handy during the holiday season. So to help you find your next five-star read, we asked the pros at Tattered Cover Book Store to tell us what’s on their winter TBR.
From a magical second-chance romance to a Colorado adventure full of mystery and grit, here are nine new releases—all penned by Colorado authors—perfect for getting lost in while the snow (hopefully) piles up.
Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz
Denver author Emily Krempholtz delivers a perfect holiday escape with her cozy fantasy romance Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore. In this charming debut, Violet—once branded a villian—has been given a rare second chance to change her life and use her magic for good. When she arrives in the quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, she’s determined to live quietly and keep her past behind her. But when the town is threatened by a mysterious plague, Violet must pair up with her curmudgeonly (and handsome) landlord Nathaniel, and her intentions are put to the test. Will she truly leave her villainous ways behind? With whimsical writing and a story that feels like a warm blanket on a cold night, this story is an absolute delight to read. —Kathy Baum, Tattered Cover buyer
Crown by Evanthia Bromiley
In her striking debut, Evanthia Bromiley crafts a poetic portrait of a family facing eviction. The narration alternates between the intertwined perspectives of Jude, a young pregnant mother, and her twins Evan and Virginia. Bromiley’s prose is sparse yet visceral, offering sharp descriptions of life on the edge of poverty. The characters cling to dreams even as the world meets them with both unflinching harshness and unexpected kindness. Crown is a profound look at struggle, resilience, and the fragile hope that binds a family together. —Kathy Baum
Roam: Wild Animals and the Race to Repair Our Fractured World by Hillary Rosner
With a blend of clarity, compassion, and journalistic rigor, Roam is a powerful read for people who care deeply about our environment and the fragile connection between humans and animals. Reported and written by award-winning Colorado-based journalist Hillary Rosner, Roam highlights environmental issues across the globe, including close-to-home chapters on water scarcity that feature stark imagery of the Front Range. —Kathy Baum
The Poetry of Andrea Gibson
The late Andrea Gibson, Colorado’s former poet laureate who died of cancer in July, is the first poet who ever made me cry. Political and radiant, Gibson’s poetry honors queer grief, celebrates queer joy, and validates queer rage. Whether you dive into their most recent poetry collection, You Better Be Lightning, or you opt for their pocket-size paperback, Take Me With You, you’re bound to resonate with the raw emotion inside. Reading anything they’ve ever written leaves me feeling as though I have found a place I can safely sit with my most secret self. —Raphael F., Tattered Cover Aspen Grove bookseller
Searches: Selfhood In the Digital Age by Vauhini Vara
In this incisive memoir, Vauhini Vara traces her own coming-of-age alongside the rise of modern technology, examining not just how digital tools shape our identities, but what their influence looks like in the rhythms of everyday life. Vara investigates, interrogates, and interacts with technology, like artificial intelligence, that is increasingly becoming commonplace. Originally published in spring, Searches remains an essential read, especially in a digital age that pushes us to continually embrace the next new thing. —Jennifer Martin, Tattered Cover buyer
The Martians: The True Story Of An Alien Craze That Captured Turn-Of-The-Century America by David Baron
David Baron’s latest work is a fascinating look at the collision of science, speculation, and public imagination. In this captivating narrative history, Baron deftly illuminates a rapidly changing turn-of-the-century America—an era defined by extraordinary scientific advances as well as hyperbolic mass assumptions that blurred the line between discovery and myth. The Martians unpacks the strange and wondrous period when many people truly believed that life on Mars was not only possible but proven. Once upon a time, Martians were in fact, a fact. —Jennifer Martin
A Complete Fiction by R.L. Maizes
Colorado-based R.L. Maizes delivers a razor-sharp, thought-provoking novel that feels pulled straight from today’s internet battleground. The story follows an aspiring female author who takes to social media to accuse an older, male editor of stealing her work. The allegation sparks a charged exploration of rightful attribution, cancel culture, and the thorny question of who gets to truly tell a story. —Jennifer Martin
When You Love a Book by Kaz Windness
This heartwarming picture book from Colorado writer Kaz Windness is a tender celebration of the magic of reading. Filled with subtle nods to beloved children’s classics, When You Love a Book is a tribute to the stories that shape us and encourages bookworms to spread the joy of reading to a new generation.—Traci Sanders, Tattered Cover Kids Stanley Marketplace bookseller
Away by Megan E. Freeman
Megan E. Freeman returns to the world of her award–winning novel Alone with Away, a gripping companion story told in her signature novel-in-verse style. This time, four kids find themselves in a relocation camp during an emergency evacuation—only to realize that officials’ explanations aren’t quite adding up. As the cracks in the authorities’ story widen, the kids try to shed light on the conspiracy. The fast-paced tale is set against a distinctly Colorado backdrop and is sure to captivate young, adventurous readers. —John Michael, store manager
