‹‹ Colorado Matters

Looking for a holiday gift or just a good book to read? Here are some ideas.

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11min 32sec
Courtesy of Deidre Appelhans
Deidre Appelhans, co-owner of the Read Queeen in Lafayette, at her bookstore.

Each year around this time, we go to the experts -- people who sell books -- and ask them for their recent favorites. We focus on books with Colorado or Western ties that capture the magic of reading.

This holiday season, we return to two booksellers we spoke to this summer: Deidre Appelhans, who's co-owner of The Read Queen Bookstore and Cafe in Lafayette, and Jeanne Costello, who is the general manager and bookbuyer at Maria's Bookshop in Durango. Their suggestions below offer a range of books with options for readers of all ages.

Recommendations from Deidre Applehans:

Fiction:" "Little Souls" by Sandra Dallas

Fiction: "Denver Noir", a collection of short stories, edited by Cynthia Swanson.

Non-fiction: "Cheap Land Colorado: Off Gridders at America's Edge" by Ted Conover

Fiction for middle-graders: "Alone" by Megan E. Freeman

Recommendations from Jeanne Costello:

Fiction: "Upgrade" by Blake Crouch

Fiction: "White Horse" by Erica Wurth

Non-fiction: "Desert Chrome" by Kate Wilder

Picture book for kids ages 4-7: "Forever Cousins" by Laurel Goodluck and illustrated by Jonathan Nelson