In Episode 203, Gayle Weiswasser, co-founder of Wonderland Books, an independent bookstore in Bethesda, Maryland, returns to the podcast with Sarah for a one-year check-in on the shop’s journey. From holiday-season chaos to surprising customer favorites, Gayle shares what worked, what didn’t, and why she still handpicks every title on the shelves — plus the biggest lessons (and mistakes) from year one. Plus, Gayle shares some great book recommendations.

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CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.

Highlights

Gayle shares what it was like to open the bookstore right before the holiday season.
How the store’s first year compared to their original projections and expectations.
The now-dispelled fears Gayle had before opening.
Why she’s glad they curated every book in their inventory themselves, and why they still do all the book buying in-house.
The course correction Wonderland had to make in their romance section.
The biggest mistake they made before opening their doors.
Which genres and titles have become customer favorites and which don’t seem to sell well.
How they plan and host book events — and why those events are such a key part of the store’s community success.
The books that taught them exactly how (and how not) to decide how many copies to order.
The surprising punch poetry has packed with customers.
Whether Gayle’s own reading life has bounced back after the pre-opening stress and time crunch.

Gayle’s Book Recommendations [39:12]

Two OLD Books She Loves

One’s Company by Ashley Hutson (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:25]
Sam by Allegra Goodman (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:46]
Other Books Mentioned
- The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe (2020) [44:40]
- The Girls from Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe (2014) [44:42]

Two NEW Books She Loves

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:01]
What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:18]
Other Books Mentioned
- The Wedding People by Alison Espach (2024) [46:56]
- Pretty Things by Janelle Brown (2020) [49:06]

One Book She DIDN’T Love

Back After This by Linda Holmes (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:55]
Other Books Mentioned
- Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes (2019) [51:14]
- Flying Solo by Linda Holmes (2022) [53:34]

One NEW RELEASE She’s Excited About

Wreck by Catherine Newman (October 28, 2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:57]
Other Books Mentioned
- Sandwich by Catherine Newman (2024) [54:03]

Last 5-Star Book Gayle Read

The Names by Florence Knapp (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [55:34]

Books from the Discussion

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2025) [16:30]
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (2025) [25:41]
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (2025) [26:39]
The Wedding People by Alison Espach (2024) [26:40]
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (2023) [26:42]
James by Percival Everett (2024) [30:09]
Heartwood by Amity Gaige (2025) [31:28]
Mark Twain by Ron Chernow (2025) [31:38]
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green (2025) [31:55]
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (2025) [32:00]
Cher: Part One: The Memoir by Cher (2024) [32:25]
Gwyneth: The Biography by Amy Odell (2025) [32:35]
Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old by Brooke Shields and Rachel Bertsche (2025) [33:07]
Yoko Ono: A Biography by David Sheff (2025) [33:10]
My Friends by Fredrik Backman (2025) [38:29]