Brilliant Books has a brand new bookseller: Mikayla!  We're so glad to have her on the team, and get her perspectives on classics, poetry, and contemporary literature.  Stop by to say hello — or get to know her here.

Tell us about yourself:

I’m a recent graduate from the University of Michigan, where I was so indecisive about what I wanted to do with my life that I ended up having 3 majors: International Studies, Spanish, and Art History.  None of these have proven to be particularly lucrative, and I will soon be pursuing a law degree for another one of my passions: immigration and asylum advocacy.  When not reading, I can be found playing the piano or guitar, ignoring my Duolingo notifications (learning French is probably a lost cause) and going on outdoor adventures via hiking, biking, or kayaking.  I love meeting new people and giving (or receiving) book recommendations, so stop in and say hello!

If you could host a dinner party for five people, real or fictional, living or dead, who would you invite?

Jeannette Winterson, Virginia Woolf, Regina Spektor, Tracy Chapman, and Kierkegaard (which sounds pretentious, but really I just have questions).

What’s the first thing you notice about a book?

The cover. And font. I won’t purchase a book if I think it’s ugly, which is a problematic take, but true nonetheless. We should have left faceless digital art as an Instagram moment.

What’s on your dream bookshelf?

Not just books, actually. I like to have plants on my bookshelf, and maybe some pretty/meaningful trinkets. My bookshelves are basically an extension of myself, so I take it as an opportunity to display all of my favorite things alongside my favorite books.

A book that changed your life

Probably Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. I read it at a time in my life where I didn’t think I would ever become a voracious reader again, like I had been as a child, but this book pulled me in completely and left me a different person. I finished it in a few hours, and I haven’t stopped reading books since!

What makes for a good bookstore, in your opinion?

Having something for everyone. It’s actually why I started working for Brilliant Books - there was a collection of Patricia Highsmith diaries that was I was so surprised and excited to see that I decided to apply. I love when people are able to come in with obscure interests and leave with something they’re happy with!