CHRISTINE

Christine moved to Bend at the urging of her husband, who knew Bend would be the perfect place to finish raising their kids after living in Europe for seven years. Nine years later, she definitely agrees, and so do the kids, who have both headed off to college now. Bend is perfect for skiing, hiking, kayaking, and just sitting on the back deck reading and watching the wildlife wander through her backyard.

When Christine retired from Microsoft after more than twenty years, she decided there would be nothing better in retirement than to work with books all day - thank goodness for Roundabout Bookshop. When she's not helping customers with book recommendations or making lattes, she's reading or training for triathlons - swim, bike, run repeat. She also loves traveling with her family, crocheting and baking goodies in the kitchen.   

Here are some of her favorite books of all time:

 

This Time Tomorrow: A Novel By Emma Straub Cover Image
$28.00
Email or call for price.
ISBN: 9780525539001
Published: Riverhead Books - May 17th, 2022

What if you could travel back in time to when you were 16? What would you want to change in your life? I loved how this book brought Alice, an ordinary woman on the cusp of turning 40 and her relationship with her father into deeper focus, by having her go back in time. What and how you would change that life if you had the opportunity to do so? A sweet, funny and thought-provoking look at the choices we make in life and how much we value our most important relationships.


Hamnet By Maggie O'Farrell Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9781984898876
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Vintage - May 18th, 2021

A beautiful reimagining of Shakespeare's life and family as The Black Death travels through England, and infects his children, and ultimately upends his life.


A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana By Haven Kimmel Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780767915052
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Crown - September 3rd, 2002

What a fun, delightful story of growing up in a small town. I enjoyed this immensely, and whenever I need something to life my spirits, I pick it back up again.


The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America By Erik Larson Cover Image
$19.00
ISBN: 9780375725609
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Vintage - February 10th, 2004

Erik Larson knows how to tell a story. This book recounts the creation of the Chicago World's Fair, interwoven with the story of a serial killer loose in the city at the same time. Both stories are fascinating. I read this more than 15 years ago, but the page-turning storytelling and the revelations made throughout have stuck with me every since.   


A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel By Amor Towles Cover Image
$18.00
ISBN: 9780143110439
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Penguin Books - March 26th, 2019

Amor Towles is the most amazing writer. His languge, his stories, his characters, his plots. This book drew me to him, and every subsequent book keeps me reading. This novel, in particular, has an ingenious plot, with a witty and creative main character, Count Alexander Rostov, is sentenced to house arrest in an attic room of the Metropol, a grand hotel near the Kremlin, by the Bolshevik regime in 1922. For the next 30+ years, he lives in this hotel. The book jacket description: "...humor, intrigue and beautifully rendered scenes" captures this book's essence perfectly.     


Count the Ways: A Novel By Joyce Maynard Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780062398284
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: William Morrow Paperbacks - July 5th, 2022

This book touched me deeply. As a mother, I felt Eleanor's every emotion as she wrestles with her own family trauma, and how to keep her family intact through that trauma. 


Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind By Yuval Noah Harari Cover Image
$24.99
ISBN: 9780062316110
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Harper Perennial - May 15th, 2018

I couldn't stop telling my husband about all the fascinating things I learned while reading this book. Who knew that the history of humankind, could be incredibly engaging, fun and oh, so thought-provoking.     


The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference By Malcolm Gladwell Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316346627
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Back Bay Books - January 7th, 2002

When I read a Malcolm Gladwell book, I forget that I'm reading about complex theories, I become so captivated by the storytelling. He find the most intriguing examples to illustrate his points. This is a great malcolm Gladwell book to start with, then read all the rest! 


Hello Beautiful (Oprah's Book Club): A Novel By Ann Napolitano Cover Image
$28.00
ISBN: 9780593243732
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: The Dial Press - March 14th, 2023

A beautifully written and captivating story about four sisters. I couldn't put it down. My favorite of 2023!


The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue By V. E. Schwab Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780765387578
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Tor Books - April 11th, 2023

I can't tell you anything about this one. It's best to start reading it without any pre-knowledge. It blew my mind. 


Swamp Story: A Novel By Dave Barry Cover Image
$27.99
ISBN: 9781982191337
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Simon & Schuster - May 2nd, 2023

When you need a laugh, look no further. Ridiculous, hilarious and great fun.  


A History of Burning By Janika Oza Cover Image
$29.00
ISBN: 9781538724248
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Grand Central Publishing - May 2nd, 2023

An epic family journey from India to Kenya to Uganda to Canada and beyond over four generations. What does home really mean?