As you may have heard, I worked for a major book retailer off-and-on for many years. That doesn’t mean I haven’t fallen madly in love with independent bookstores. Sadly, some of my longtime favorites did not survive the pandemic. This list would have been much longer in 2019. <Sigh.>

Let’s keep our local favorites thriving. Here are my two favorite independent bookshops.

Magic City Books in Tulsa’s Arts District is one of my favorite bookstores in the world. An independent bookstore owned by the nonprofit Tulsa Literary Coalition, it was the scene of some of my favorite moments when I lived in Oklahoma.

Reparations Club in Los Angeles is where I find books to gift my students when they win awards. It is a Black-owned, woman-owned concept bookshop and creative space curated by Blackness. The most responsive online customer service will help you find anything you’re looking for.

What are your favorites? Comment below or email me. Even better, let’s work together to set up a Holland, My Heart book talk and signing at your local favorite.

Want to shop online while supporting local bookstores? Bookshop.org has Holland, My Heart available now.