Something personal: Cara's Reading List This March

I'm always reading something—usually a mix of wine stuff, sci-fi weirdness, and books that make me think critically about our world. One of my 2026 intentions is to read 50 books for pleasure, plus important pieces of wine news and developments. Here's what's currently stacked on my nightstand or queued in my Libby app:

Non-Fiction:

• One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad -  What does it mean to live in the heart of an Empire that doesn't consider you fully human? El Akkad chronicles the deep fracture happening for Black, brown, and indigenous Americans watching western ideals crumble in real-time. This book examines how the so-called "rules-based order" is shifting, how the west can no longer be trusted to police itself, and what it means to break up with institutions that never truly loved you back. It's a breakup letter with the west, written for anyone who wants something better than what's being served up. Sounds perfectly timely. 

Fiction:

• The Murderbot Diaries, series by Martha Wells - I was intrigued to get into this series of novellas after watching the first season of Murderbot on Apple+, which has somehow become the best portal for great Sci-Fi based on awesome books. I quickly finished the first two entries of the series ("All Systems Red" and "Artificial Condition") while on an 8-hour road trip during my Australian adventure, and blew through four more since I've returned. I have the next two on deck, including "Network Effect", "System Collapse", and more. So far, I love the world building, the ethical quandaries of mega-corporations running AI and robotics, humanity as observed by an incredulous non-human, and even more than that, I love imagining the titular Murderbot as Alexander Skarsgård. (Spoilies: If the show follows the books, each season will be a new adventure for this curmudgeonly security bot.)  
• The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin - I love Jemisin's storytelling and world-building—I thoroughly enjoyed her Broken Earth series, starting with The Fifth Season. She has this incredible ability to use sci-fi and fantasy to break down how tribalism, discrimination, and oppression form across societies, exploring the universal theme of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic words, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice". This is the first novel of the "Inheritance Trilogy," and I'm ready for Jemisin to take me into a world where power is literally divine—gods enslaved by mortals, a mixed-race outsider thrust into palace politics, and the kind of vicious power struggle where the throne isn't just symbolic, it's cosmic. Political intrigue meets mythology, and I'm here for it.
• Among Friends by Hal Ebbott - I picked this one up because one of my favorite comedians, Anthony Jeselnik, mentioned it as one of his favorite books of 2025. The synopsis: "An unforeseen curdling of envy and resentment will erupt into an unspeakable act, the ramifications of which are enormous. Accusations, denials, and shattered illusions follow, driving wedges between friends, spouses, children and parents, and exposing the treacherous fault lines on which these families have dwelt." Apparently it's a pretty polarizing book, and I'm pretty sure it's going to be an uncomfortable read, but sometimes I'm good with sitting in discomfort.

Have any suggestions for my reading list, or want to join me on Goodreads? Hit me up! Also, we always have space at the shop to host your book club! 

Winter Hours (January-March)

Mon & Wed: 2:00 PM-8:00 PM
Tue: CLOSED (By Appointment Only)
Thu - Sat: 12:00 PM–8:00 PM
Sun: 12:00 PM–7:00 PM
Last call at closing time

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TAROT with Brianna Darcy
Third Wednesdays, 5:00-8:00PM
(Beginning in February)

SOUL SATURDAY: Open Mic with Brandon Tagle
Third Saturdays, 6-8:30 PM