Bookstore Reviews – SouthWest Writers

Bookstore Review: Books on the Bosque

Posted on April 5, 2025 by

First, take the KEY out of Bosque and don’t pronounce it as /’boskē/. Practice from these samples:

• Cambridge Dictionary /’boske/
• Spanishdict.com (bohs-keh)

I wonder how the 700 Books on the Bosque (BOTB) members roll the Spanish word off their tongue.

Since this was my first visit to the popular establishment, I offer a refresher and a source of new information. BOTB has a new reward system. Spend $150 and $5 is placed on the patron’s BOTB account. A birthday is celebrated with a discount and a FREE pastry. Sign up in store.

BOTB is staffed by a team of former librarians, teachers, and those passionate about books, each with years of experience in the book industry, which means they can suggest personalized book recommendations within the store or through their staff blog.

Their selection includes new releases, bestsellers, works by local authors, and titles that celebrate New Mexico and its unique culture. They also carry a variety of carefully curated merchandise, such as gifts crafted by local artisans, reading accessories, educational games, journals, puzzles, and more.

Located in a nearly 4,000 square-foot space off Coors Blvd, BOTB serves as a family-oriented hub on Albuquerque’s westside, which provides a safe space. Participants of all ages enjoy the many free activities. Story Explorers is tailored for kids 7 to 11. Non-readers can enjoy the bright, open space and participate in the Crochet club. Shut Up and Write offers a time to write.

Owner Deborah Condit, with 20 years of experience in government relations and a graduate of University of New Mexico with a degree in journalism, has created BOTB to serve the public.

A service by BOTB is the Beyond the Bosque Donation, where high schools across the state in need of books receive support. Through this initiative, patrons can “round up” their total at checkout. These funds, along with additional donations, are used to purchase books for school libraries in districts with limited resources. Students are also gifted books upon graduation, and schools with underserved communities receive much-needed reading resources.

To access most of BOTB details, allow details to scroll across their main page. There are not hot buttons or tabs to click on or a search tool as these are not available. The Libro.fm is an audio books link on the front page. Also on the homepage is a link to Bookshop.org, the online marketplace which helps independent bookstores by connecting small, local shops reach larger audience. Stores don’t have to stock books as Bookshop partners with the wholesaler. Orders of $50 or more ship free, see policy. Gift cards are available.

Book enthusiasts can follow current programs on Instagram or view images of a cute craft project, book club get-togethers, author signings and writing events. The BOTB newsletter is a way to stay connected and keep in the know about the latest free and fun programs that happen each month as the “next literary adventure awaits!”

Books on the Bosque is located at 6261 Riverside Plaza Lane NW, Suite A-2, Albuquerque, NM 87120. Call (505) 525-9114 or visit the BOTB website.

Author and award-winning photographer Rosa Armijo-Pemble has been a member of SouthWest Writers for over twenty-five years. Her writing appears in Holes in Our Hearts: An Anthology of New Mexican Military Related Stories and Poetry, and her reviews of independent bookstores can be found in the Sage News and on the SWW website. Visit ImagesByRosa to discover her photography and learn more about her professional photography services.

Casa Camino Real Bookstore: “Leer es Vivir/To Read Is to Live”

Posted on November 8, 2024 by

Two steps into the old adobe home my eyes spun in every direction while my head wanted to explode with delight by the number of shelves and tables adorned by libros. Walls held art that invited the senses to escape into cultural realms. A bit of floor space allowed passage through towers of books and boxes filled for purchase, donation, or the next Great Casa Extravaganza. Doorways led to collections not offered by other independent bookstores. A cozy room held influential items by literary masters tucked behind glass doors of antique armoires and cabinets.

Señora Denise Chávez (Chicana author of award winners such as Face of an Angel, The King and Queen of Comezón, and her current novel Street of Too Many Stories) instructed me to put down my bag and take a seat, she’d give me a tour later. Mia, the historic home’s resident cat, rested on a colorful, Mexican blanket that protected a notable author’s collection of books gathered for a future event.

Foliage christened Tomás the tornillo tree and Vas, a huge desert willow, surrounds the bookstore. Opened in 2012, Casa Camino Real was part of the Doña Ana Bend Colony Grant. Rooms are named for someone special to Señora Chávez. The turquoise-old-world-bright-blue kitchen is named for her mom Delfina. A pot of Café de Olla’s aromas heightened the charm of the little cocina.

There are places to eat and other businesses throughout the nearby historic Mesquite Street district, though I didn’t have time to visit as I stayed emersed in conversation. When some friends arrived with pan dulce, that pot of coffee was poured, and I didn’t decline when the amazing bookstore owner said to sit and learn. First lesson, “Este es el templo y los libros son sagrados, this is the temple and the books are sacred.”

To experience the part art gallery, part museum, part history class, drop in to 314 Tornillo Street, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Thursday through Saturday, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call (575) 649-9173 to schedule an appointment, signing, or to showcase your own publication. The focus is Chicano(a), Latino(a), Southwestern, Regional, Borderland, Latin American, Feminist and Children’s and in many languages, though there’s just about every topic your heart desires. Visit the bookstore’s Facebook page. Casa Camino Real Bookstore has no dedicated website as publications are sold online through Abebooks.com.