Sloth Goes Places - Washington

 

Sloth Goes Places is a feature where I share books I have tracked from previous Literary Escapes reading challenge hosted by Escape With Dollycas Into a Good Book.

Today we are looking at books set in ....

Washington

My favorite book last week, Recipe for a Charmed Life, was set in Washington state. The setting was magical, and I could really see myself enjoying a visit there. Alas, I have yet to make my way to the pacific northwest, nor has Sloth, but we have read many books set there. Below are some favorites from the past few years. 

---

We Are Inevitable by Gayle Forman
Published by Penguin Teen on June 1, 2021
Age/Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

'I got this whole-body feeling... it was like a message from future me to present me, telling me that in some way we weren’t just bound to happen, that we had, in some sense, already happened. It felt... inevitable.'

So far, the inevitable hasn’t worked out so well for Aaron Stein.

While his friends have gone to college and moved on with their lives, Aaron’s been left behind in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State, running a failing bookshop with his dad, Ira. What he needs is a lucky break, the good kind of inevitable.

And then he meets Hannah. Incredible Hannah – magical, musical, brave and clever. Could she be the answer? And could they – their relationship, their meeting – possibly be the inevitable Aaron’s been waiting for?

THIS BOOK! This book made me feel so much. Forman crafted a touching story about a family trying to pick up the pieces after suffering a great loss. This was a story of grief and loss, but it was also about connection, kindness, healing, and love. The supporting characters, the book references, and the community spirit were elements that captured my heart, and writing this has me feeling the feels again.

---

The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs
Published by William Morrow on August 13, 2019
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

She’s come home.

Home to a place she thought she’d left forever, home of her heart and memories, but not her future. Ten years ago, Caroline launched a career in the glamorous fashion world of Manhattan. But her success in New York imploded on a wave of scandal and tragedy, forcing her to flee to the only safe place she knows.

And in the backseat of Caroline’s car are two children who were orphaned in a single chilling moment—five-year-old Addie and six-year-old Flick. She’s now their legal guardian—a role she’s not sure she’s ready for.

But the Oysterville she left behind has changed. Her siblings have their own complicated lives and her aging parents are hoping to pass on their thriving seafood restaurant to the next generation. And there’s Will Jensen, a decorated Navy SEAL who’s also returned home after being wounded overseas. Will and Caroline were forever friends as children, with the promise of something more . . . until he fell in love with Sierra, Caroline’s best friend and the most beautiful girl in town. With her modeling jobs drying up, Sierra, too, is on the cusp of reinventing herself.

Caroline returns to her favorite the sewing shop owned by Mrs. Lindy Bloom, the woman who inspired her and taught her to sew. There she discovers that even in an idyllic beach town, there are women living with the deepest of secrets. Thus begins the Oysterville Sewing Circle—where women can join forces to support each other through the troubles they keep hidden.

Yet just as Caroline regains her creativity and fighting spirit, and the children begin to heal from their loss, an unexpected challenge tests her courage and her heart. This time, though, Caroline is not going to run away. She’s going to stand and fight for everything—and everyone—she loves.

This was solid from the start, but wow! I really didn't expect Wiggs to weave those threads together and take the story in the direction it went. I kind of really enjoyed that part. This was the part of the story packed with the heavier stuff - addiction and domestic violence. Overall, this was a delightful story that made me giddy (at times) and warmed my heart.

---

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Published by Ecco on May 3, 2022
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus.

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

I utterly adored getting to know each and every member of the Sowell Bay community. Tova, Marcellus, Terry, Ethan, and the Knit-Wits were a great, quirky bunch of character who each found a place in my heart. There was also a visitor to the Bay, Cameron, and I loved the way his and all the other residents’ lives became entangled. Though presented with mystery elements, at its heart, this was a story of friendship, love, loss, and connection. All I have to say is, Marcellus was a magnificent beast! That octopus made me cry both happy and sad tears. This was just such a wonderful and heartwarming story.

Have you read any books set in Washington?
Let us know in the comments!