Barrett Bookstore and Random House invite you to join #1 New York Times bestselling author Dr. Brené Brown for a special, one-night-only event to launch Atlas of the Heart. Brené will be joined by special guest Priya Parker.

In Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience, Brené takes us on a journey through eighty-seven of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. As she maps the necessary skills and an actionable framework for meaningful connection, she gives us the language and tools to access a universe of new choices and second chances—a universe where we can share and steward the stories of our bravest and most heartbreaking moments with one another in a way that builds connection.

It seems impossible to avoid the focus on everything spooky given that Halloween falls on Sunday. However, you'll forgive me if I stretch the idea of what we categorize as a spooky read? We've got such a fabulous in-store, front-and-center display filled to the brim with mysteries and thrillers galore for all ages. Read on for some books that don't fit neatly on the mystery/thriller shelf but are nevertheless terrifying in their own special way(s).

Red Pill follows a frustrated writer who decamps to what he imagines will be a dreamy, uninterrupted isolated writing retreat in a small town outside of Berlin. As soon as he arrives, all agency he had over his own life and writing process disappears. Ghosts permeate the landscape and the villa where Nazis plotted horrid plans is visible across the lake. Instead of writing, the narrator binge watches police dramas and takes long, meandering walks. With each passing day, the narrator loses his grip on reality and the outcome of his story.

Next up, a timely pick given this morning's announcement from Mark Zuckerberg revealing his plan for Meta and its growing extension into into every facet of our lives. The Every is physically stunning book, released in a beautiful palette of vivid colors exclusively to indie booksellers. Inside is the follow up story to Dave Eggers' novel The Circle. Delaney Wells dwells at the center of the action in a world where the world's largest search engine has merged with the world's largest e-commerce site creating a universe where no decision goes unchecked, no action goes unnoticed. It's a cautionary tale that had me on edge from start to finish.

Next up, a recommendation from a customer who stopped in this week and couldn't stop raving about The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. Pitched as "Steel Magnolias meets Dracula, this '90s-set horror novel about a women's book club that must do battle with a mysterious newcomer to their small Southern town, perfect for murderinos and fans of Stephen King." Sounds like a winner to us!

The Mad Women's Ball is a slim volume of just over 200 pages and winner of numerous prizes in France including the Prix Stanislas and Prix Renaudot des Lyceens and has been made into a film. The story takes place at the Salpetiere Asylum, Paris in 1885. In the book, famed Dr. Charcot has created a space where women who have been cast out from society land are subject to his hypnotic treatments. The annual Lenten Madwomen's Ball attracts attention from throughout the city and in this year, a young 19-year-old girl is desperate to escape.

Finally, The Book of Mother, a problematic read for a bookseller because while I absolutely adored this portrait of a tragic mother/daughter relationship it's downright sad. It's a book that makes your heart ache and your head think. It's not an easy sell. But despite the pain, neglect, and madness I couldn't put it down. A beautiful, award-winning work from Violaine Huisman who ran the Brooklyn Academy of Music's literary series for many years.

Before I sign off, our honorable mentions: My Sister the Serial Killer (one of my all-time favorites), Friends Like These (Manager Libby wrote such a compelling review for our forthcoming holiday newsletter that I immediately snagged a copy from our back room for the rainy weekend ahead), and from our mystery/thriller expert Yvette, she cannot stop talking about The Good Lie. Happy reading!