Second Chances Used Books

06/01/2026

If you stop by the store when Jeff is working you may meet Penny, his new dog. She is a sweet chihuahua mix with lovely subtle markings on her back. She is eager to greet customers! Description of images in Captions.

05/01/2026

Well, darn it! I thought, with A Court of Thorns and Roses, we finally had the Holy Grail of series--Book One. Sadly, we still do not.

A Court of Thorn and Roses is Book One in a different series by the same name, both by the popular Sarah J. Maas. Assassin's Blade is a prequel in that series. The other books pictured started with Throne of Glass.

A few years the term "romantasy" was coined by some clever marketers, for books that were romance novels but set in a fantasy setting. Sarah J. Maas is one of the go-to names for the genre. If you're curious about romantasy, the Maas books are shelved in Teen Fiction.

And our quest for Book One, A Throne of Glass, will continue!

04/28/2026

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a second-hand bookstore in possession of most books in a series, must be in want of Book One.

(Image: Several books in the Sarah Maas series THRONE OF GLASS. L to R: Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows, Empire of Storms.)

04/26/2026

Yesterday, independent bookstores celebrated National Independent Bookstore Day! The welcome table shared a basket of goodies for visitors. (And some great books!)

04/25/2026

The Press Democrat celebrates independent bookstores on National Independent Bookstore Day! Brandy is quoted several times, and there's a lovely description of the store. The journalist goes beyond Sebastopol, and profiles several well-loved indie bookstores.

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/04/24/sonoma-countys-indie-bookstores-promote-literacy-sharing-of-ideas/?utm_email=F47DD4B1C502B4C9248FE46E8E&g2i_eui=47066e5ef0191101cb59304e94ab27eb6575aa15a4c223886cf2e832eb6a9aae&g2i_source=newsletter&lctg=F47DD4B1C502B4C9248FE46E8E&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.pressdemocrat.com%2f2026%2f04%2f24%2fsonoma-countys-indie-bookstores-promote-literacy-sharing-of-ideas%2f&utm_campaign=sonoma-press_democrat-daybreak-nl&utm_content=curated

04/22/2026

Marion snatched up the Bitters Book moments after this photo was taken, but Brandy will find another intriguing book to take its place!

(Image: Welcome table. From top, L to R: Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power, Bitters by Brad Thomas Parsons; Chasing Evil, John Edweard and Robert Hilland; Istanbul & Beyond: Exploring the Diverse Cuisine of Turkey; Leaving Home by Mark Haddon; Stories from a Stranger: Every Person has a Story. The Hedgehog and the two owls observe from the center of the table.)

04/22/2026

Saturday is not only National Independent Bookstore Day, it's the start of Sebastopol's Apple Blossom Festival, which kicks off with a wonderful parade Saturday morning. After you've seen the floats, the bands, the dogs, and the dancers, stop in and say hello!

Sponsored by the Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center265 So. Main Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472P: (707) 823-3032 . E: [email protected]

04/21/2026

The store has some new shelves! They're at counter height, perfect for showing off oversized books. The bottom shelf, barelyshown in the image, holds jigsaw puzzles.

(Image: From counter and window. In forefront, new shelves. Along the left are taller books including some cookbooks (Baking from Yesteryear is one.) Bottom right holds the jigsaw puzzle boxes. The counter dragon figurine oversees the shelves.)

04/14/2026

Saturday, April 25 is National Independent Bookstore Day. Three Rooms Press describes the day here:

"Each year on the last Saturday of April, the American Booksellers Association organizes a nation-wide celebration of indie booksellers, stores, and authors. Over 1,600 indie bookstores across the country participate by hosting community events, organizing book crawls, and throwing parties for their local communities. This day is a chance to support and raise awareness for local bookstores, which serve as vital spaces for their communities."

(A link to their page is in the comments.)

Stop in, say hello, and browse our shelves. Don't forget to visit Copperfields and Many Rivers, the town's other two independent bookstores!

(Image: The Independent Bookstore Day logo, Let's Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day, Saturday, April 25, 2026. One Day. Fifty States. 1600+ Bookstores.)

04/08/2026

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro published Hotel Transylvania, the first of her vampire novels, featuring the Count of St. Germain, in 1978. Hers was one of the first works to feature a vampire hero. (Yarbro said once that the marketing folks didn't know how to deal with that concept in 1978, so the books' strapline read, "A Novel of Forbidden Love." ) This is the second book in the series, set in San Francisco.

Overshadowed by Anne Rice and later Stephanie Meyer, Yarbro deserves more credit for her influence on a powerful and popular trope--the vampire.

(Image: the Cover of the Hardback edition of The Palace. Against a regency-era building, a man who looks a little bit like Mr. Spock--maybe it's just the hair--holds a swooning woman in pink nightgown. The title shows below them, in a swirly font.)