International Bat Night has been going on for 30 years, highlighting the importance of bats in the ecosystem and educating people about them. We have a lot of bats around here at night and when I lived in the midwest U.S., people sometimes put up bat houses to attract the creatures as a way of keeping mosquito populations down.

While not nearly as popular in arts like TV and literature as cats, there are a few:

The Silverwing series Stellaluna the fruit bat Bartok from the animated film Anastasia

Are there any bat characters from literature that you know of? Are there any you really like?

You are browsing at a bookstore and see a cover that catches your attention. You know nothing about the author or the story so you flip a third of the way into the book. You read two sentences and slam the book shut. Shelve it and walk away. What did you read?

Hey everyone! I’ve been on a bit of a Connecticut indie bookstore kick lately and would love to hear about your favorites—anywhere, not just CT!

Here’s some of my favorites I’ve been to:

• The Golden Owl in New London – Honorable mention since I didn't buy anything, but the owners were super nice and they have some really creative events and quirks for regulars—like designated mugs for each regular at their cafe. Made me wish I lived in New London! 😅 • Some Books in Ridgefield – Super tiny, highly curated used bookstore that opened last October if I remember. I went in with no expectations and walked out with TWO five-star reads. It’s proof that newer small shops can have killer selections. • Possible Futures in New Haven – Awesome spot with a great community vibe—couches, tons to browse, and lots of events if you're local. I grabbed a short story anthology based on a bookseller's rec and absolutely loved it. Staff who actually know their stuff. • Book Barn in Niantic – Took a drive out west for this one (it's where I sell my old books if I don't want to keep them). It's so sprawling, huge selection, always fun to browse. The decorations are so fun and book themed and you can find some great things for cheap! • Black Rock Books in Mystic – This one really stood out. Such a cool store! They had a free little queer library for ARCs and donations, plus a free blind date with a book setup (again with ARCs). Their selection was impressively wide—I ended up buying a translated book for myself, a board book for my cousin’s kid, and snagged 3 free queer ARCs for books that came out earlier this year (one was already on my radar, so there was some major excitement there).

Everything but the Book Barn was on the Connecticut Indie Bookstore Passport, which is how I found them!

So tell me: What are your favorite indie bookstores? Any spots with awesome staff recs, free ARC tables, or quirky setups? I would love to expand my road trip list lol!