Holiday Book/Pie Pairing
The Crowded Bookshelf and Renee the Baker are excited to announce a delicious gift option for the 2023 holiday season! We have worked together to curate four unique pairings of pie flavors and books to make your holiday shopping easy as pie. 
Our book/pie pairings come wrapped and ready for you to give to the pie-loving readers in your life. There are several pick up dates and locations to choose from. Whether you're celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, or have an early holiday party to attend, you'll be able to give the gift of a book and a fresh pie. You can also choose to add a personal note to the gift box!
Orders can be placed online (see below!) or in person with either Renee the Baker or The Crowded Bookshelf at their in-person events.
Find descriptions of the pie flavors and books below! Pies are 6 inches in size. Perfect for one or two people (if the recipient feels like sharing).
A Cozy Evening: Apple Cinnamon Honey Pie with Big Swiss by Jen Beagin (Vibes: comfortable, warming, cozy)
About the Book:
Greta lives with her friend Sabine in an ancient Dutch farmhouse in Hudson, New York. The house is unrenovated, uninsulated, and full of bees. Greta spends her days transcribing therapy sessions for a sex coach who calls himself Om. She becomes infatuated with his newest client, a repressed married woman she affectionately refers to as Big Swiss.
One day, Greta recognizes Big Swiss’s voice in town and they quickly become enmeshed. While Big Swiss is unaware Greta has eavesdropped on her most intimate exchanges, Greta has never been more herself with anyone. Her attraction to Big Swiss overrides her guilt, and she’ll do anything to sustain the relationship…
About the Pie:
This pie is sweetened almost entirely with honey instead of cane sugar allowing the flavor of honey and the natural sweetness from locally grown apples to shine through. A healthy dose of cinnamon adds depth to the pie while the lemon juice brings everything together. This pie is best enjoyed warmed while curled up under a cozy blanket with a love story.
(Dairy-free option available)
*****
A Decadent Escape: Mexican Hot Chocolate Pie with Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco (Vibes: rich, titillating, sinful)
About the Book:
The Prince of Envy has never claimed to be a saint. But when a cryptic note arrives, signaling the beginning of a deadly game, he knows it will take more than a hint of sin to win and save his falling demon court. Riddles, hexed objects, anonymous players, nothing will stand in his way, though none of his meticulous plans prepare him for her, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin like no other…
The trouble with scoundrels and blackguards is that they haven’t a modicum of honor, a fact Miss Camilla Antonius learns after one desperate mistake allows Waverly Green’s most notorious rake to blackmail her. To avoid a ruinous scandal, Camilla is forced to enter a devil’s bargain with Envy, little expecting his game will awaken her true nature . . .
Together, Envy and Camilla must embark on a perilous journey through the Underworld—from glittering demon courts to the sultry vampire realm and beyond—while trying to avoid the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love.
About the Pie:
Chess pies are basically brownies masquerading as pie. This chocolate chess pie has the added spice of cinnamon and chili powder to give an extra kick to the rich, semi-sweet, dark chocolate flavor. This pie is best enjoyed with a dollop of whipped cream while escaping into a fantastical new world.
*****
A Sweet Surprise: Apple Cranberry Raspberry Pie with Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse (Vibes: Zesty, tart, unexpected)
About the Book:
Rhiannon is your average girl next door, settled with her boyfriend and little dog…but she’s got a killer secret.
Although her childhood was haunted by a famous crime, Rhinannon’s life is normal now that her celebrity has dwindled. By day her job as an editorial assistant is demeaning and unsatisfying. By evening she dutifully listens to her friend’s plans for marriage and babies whilst secretly making a list.
A kill list.
From the man on the Lidl checkout who always mishandles her apples, to the driver who cuts her off on her way to work, to the people who have got it coming, Rhiannon’s ready to get her revenge. Because the girl everyone overlooks might be able to get away with murder…
About the Pie:
Local apples bring natural sweetness to this pie while cranberries add a burst of tartness and raspberries an element of sour. Together under a sweet and nutty almond crumb topping, this pie is grounded with cloves and allspice that culminate in the perfect autumnal bite of delicious. This pie is best enjoyed at any temperature while reading a thrilling tale that's sure to surprise.
(Vegan option available)
*****
An Insightful Twist: Cherry Almond Pie with Critical Hits edited by Carmen Maria Machado (Vibes: refined, insightful, complimentary)
About the Book:
From the earliest computers to the smartphones in our pockets, video games have been on our screens and part of our lives for over fifty years. Critical Hits celebrates this sophisticated medium and considers its lasting impact on our culture and ourselves.
This collection of stylish, passionate, and searching essays opens with an introduction by Carmen Maria Machado, who edited the anthology alongside J. Robert Lennon. In these pages, writer-gamers find solace from illness and grief, test ideas about language, bodies, power, race, and technology, and see their experiences and identities reflected in—or complicated by—the interactive virtual worlds they inhabit.
About the Pie:
Sweet, dark cherries make up the base of this pie while almonds add a delightful crunch in the crumb topping. A hint of almond extract melds with cherry juice and sugar for a perfectly sweet filling that enhances the flavor of the cherries. This pie is best enjoyed warm with a dollop of whipped cream, a mug of mulled wine, and a thought-provoking read.
(Vegan option available)
An ingredient list is available upon request.
Customize Your Order!
Want to customize your gift? You can order any book you are hoping to gift and pair it with your chosen pie flavor! Want one book but two different pies? You can do that, too!
Choose the PIE ONLY version of your desired flavor from the options below and then use the search bar on the right side of the screen to find the book you need. Any book ordered for a pie/book pairing will be discounted 15%.
Pick up dates/times and locations (select your preferred date during checkout) Delivery in Fort Collins is available on 12/8 only:
November Pick Ups:
Sat. the 18th: The Emporium Sports Bar, 1-6pm
Sun. the 19th: Mythmaker Brewing, 2-6pm
December Pick Ups:
Sat. the 2nd: New Belgium Brewing, 11am-5pm
Fri. the 8th: Fort Collins Delivery Day Only
Sat. the 16th: FoCo Cafe, 11am-2pm
Sun. the 17th: Mythmaker Brewing, 2pm-6pm
Fri. the 22nd: TBA
***Deadline to order is 12/11 at 5pm - Final pick up date is 12/22***
