Category: Catcall Reads

Take a Peek Inside the World of Trope Bookshop: a Romance Reader’s Dream

By Sophia-Joelle McDowell

What’s cooler than smutty books on wheels? Trope Bookshop stands out as a romance focused mobile bookstore operating in Charlotte, NC. 

Founder Katie wasn’t always a romance book-slinging bus driver. She grew up in Arkansas and moved to Charlotte after graduating from the University of Arkansas. Katie worked some corporate jobs before getting COVID and experiencing burnout. This weight encouraged her to kick the corporate scene to the curb and find her way to the world of bookstore ownership. 

Katie’s been enjoying the ride, and she recently announced her plans to put down roots with a brick and mortar location—Trope HQ opening March 1. The green gal on wheels will still continue to bop around Charlotte once the new location opens. We spoke with Katie about her journey so far and the love she carries for the genre. Maybe we can convince her to take a road trip to Kansas City? 

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Catcall's 2025 Books to Look For

Must-Add Books for Your 2025 Reading Wishlist

By Sophia-Joelle McDowell
Art by Maddy Best

As we take on the next four years, many will turn to books for distraction and connection. This is the perfect time to pick up more titles with diverse voices or an LGBTQ+ focus. 

January has already brought new releases like The Three Lives of Cate Kay, How to Sleep at Night, Black in Blues, Holy Ground, Give Her Credit, Single Player, and Onyx Storm. We Do Not Part was first published in 2021, but was recently translated from Korean to English and published in January too. There are so many other titles left to get excited about.

If you’re looking for new reads to stack onto your TBR, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you lean towards romance, smut, true crime, or sci-fi, there’s something for you. These new releases will be hitting bookstore and library shelves near you in 2025! 

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Marcia Biederman’s Newest True Crime Book Shows Why Outlawing Abortion Doesn’t Work

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By Sophia-Joelle McDowell
Art by Maddy Best

Former journalist Marcia Biederman, has a knack for finding stories that need to be told. As a former journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the New York Daily News, Crain’s New York Business, and New York magazine, Biederman has three mystery novels under her belt and a story in the anthology Sisters in Crime 3. 

Marcia considers herself a reformed fiction writer, but in recentrecent years, she’s returned to her journalism roots and written four non-fiction, woman-centric books about people whose stories should be better known. Her new book The Disquieting Death of Emma Gill: Abortion, Death, and Concealment in Victorian New England is no exception.

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K.R. Quill’s New Solarpunk Action Book The Century Soldier is One You Won’t Want to Miss

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By Sophia-Joelle McDowell
Art by Maddy Best

K.R. Quill (they/them) has been a writer for over a decade, but only recently started self-publishing their books. As a queer person with ADHD and autism, writing and advocacy work are two of their biggest passions, and they do everything they can to advocate for their queer and neurodivergent communities. 

Throughout their childhood a love for reading blossomed, one memorable read being The Tale of Despereaux which they received in second grade. While reading has always been a passion of theirs, they didn’t discover a desire to be a writer until around twelve years old. 

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You’ll want to hop under the covers after visiting KC’s first romance bookshop

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By Nicole Mitchell
Photos by Whitney Young

Do you dart to the romance section at every bookstore you enter? Are you someone who chooses books based on romantic interests? Will you be reading Ao3 fanfiction for the rest of your life? Maybe you found all your fave book recs from Catcall Editor Kelcie McKenney’s Smutty Book Guide. If any (or all) of the above fits your reading style, then, wow, do we have news for you.

Carley Morton recently opened Kansas City’s first all-romance bookshop, Under the Cover, to serve all your rom-com, YA romance, paranormal romance, regency romance, and/or erotica needs. A fellow cliterature stan, Carley has been a romance fiend since 2011. 

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