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In Kathryn Stockett’s latest, The Calamity Club, set in the early 1930s in Oxford, Mississippi, we follow the lives of several women and one young girl as they hope, dream, and work to build a better life and future for themselves from the scraps of the Depression. Birdie comes to town to borrow money from her sister, Frances, who recently married a rich boy but didn’t invite her family to the wedding. Frances is busy climbing the social ladder and doesn’t want anyone to know that her family is poor. Charlie moves to town for a job but disappears one evening, leaving her young daughter, Meg, alone. Meg is then forced into a new chapter of her life at the local orphanage, where the Chairwoman despises her and the wealthy white ladies of Oxford volunteer, including Frances. When Birdie is asked to help with the bookkeeping, she meets Meg and becomes involved in helping her get adopted. Then Charlie returns to town, looking for Meg and with a story to tell. When Frances’s new family, the Tartts, face severe financial hardship, the women join together on a money-making scheme, hoping that it will solve all their problems. But it may or may not work out the way they think. An entertaining story about the hardships and difficulties women faced as they tried to work and achieve some level of financial and personal freedom during the Depression.

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett, (List Price: $35, Spiegel & Grau, 9781954118812, May 2026)

Reviewed by Mary, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, VA

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A new novel by Kathryn Stockett? Set in the town where I live (Oxford, MS)? About a group of independent, underestimated women? Yes, please! This big-hearted, often funny novel about a group of down-on-their-luck women who come up with an audacious plan to turn their lives around absolutely swept me off my feet. Despite its heft – over 600 pages – I raced through it in a matter of days. It would be a calamity to miss out on this wonderful novel.

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett, (List Price: $35, Spiegel & Grau, 9781954118812, May 2026)

Reviewed by Jude, Square Books in Oxford, MS

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Connect with your inner wildflower in this richly textured, inspirational new novel by Terah Shelton Harris. The novel’s vivid imagery will transport you to a hidden refuge where flowers and people grow wild. Drawing on the healing power of nature, Harris explores how strength and hope can bloom even after intense tragedy. Leigh Wilde is a survivor. Running from her tragic past, she finds herself an escaped fugitive on a flower farm in rural Gee’s Bend, Alabama. On the farm, she meets others who, like her, are survivors of past trauma. As she gradually learns to trust those around her and, most importantly, herself, she realizes that to live, she must do more than merely survive. Like the Cahaba Lily that blooms fearlessly along the riverbank, Leigh too begins to flourish despite the fears that have held her back. Yet as the secrets of her past rush in to reclaim her, what will it take to stay true to herself? Freedom may be as simple as letting go. Leigh’s story will break your heart and rebuild it petal by fragrant petal. At the end, Leigh’s love reveals the most radiant flower. Like the gift of a rare lily, this is a novel you will cherish.

Where the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton Harris, (List Price: $29.99, Sourcebooks Landmark, 9781464229220, February 2026)

Reviewed by Laura, Bookmiser in Marietta, GA

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Vignettes on middle age, aging parents, motherhood, grief, and acceptance. A touching and poignant yet breezy read. So obviously crafted with immense care.

The Irish Goodbye by Beth Ann Fennelly, (List Price: $22.99, W. W. Norton & Company, 9781324117407, February 2026)

Reviewed by Hannah, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

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It is a difficult and rare thing for any of us to try to fully know our parents as the entire, whole, often complicated, sometimes messy, humans that they were. Tom Junod elegantly shows us the man who was his father with an impressive honesty and vulnerability, digging through the layers of his legacy and its impact on him and those around him — a beautiful and powerful read.

In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man by Tom Junod, (List Price: $32, Doubleday, 9780375400391, March 2026)

Reviewed by Nicole, novel. in Memphis, Tennessee

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This family memoir was insightful, sensitive, and impossible to put down. Tom Junod’s father was instantly familiar and fascinating to me, with his charm and swagger, his casually devastating secrets. I harbor a long-held affection for men of Lou’s generation, and it’s clear Tom does too. But as a writer, he also explores how his complex legacy shaped the man he is today. I loved it.

In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man by Tom Junod, (List Price: $32, Doubleday, 9780375400391, March 2026)

Reviewed by Ashley, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

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As a Savannah local who loves everything ghost-related and was absolutely obsessed with the paranormal and ghosts tours as a kid (… and now), this book was a total delight from beginning to end! I loved our perceptive, clever, and imaginative narrator, Mony, and how she honored her authentic self with a level of confidence and self-assuredness I wish I saw in more female-led middle grade. It was a joy seeing Savannah through her eyes as a newcomer, a curious mind, and a girl experiencing liminality of all sorts: life and death, grief and celebration, childhood and adolescence, loss and discovery. Jackson, as always, writes a young voice with a sure, surgical hand, both validating the experience of young people and encouraging self-reflection and growth. I also adored Mony’s ghost-hunting pals: her skeptical pseudo-brother, Robby, and the fearless (but potentially untrustworthy) Myah. The three friends played off of each other’s strengths and weaknesses so beautifully, and even weathered a fight and uncovered secrets, while remaining whole individuals. The mystery itself provided historical facts about the city that will intrigue any young history buff, and kept the pace quick and the stakes high. The last few chapters absolutely flew by as tensions rose and the reveal was imminent. On the note of history, I particularly enjoyed the focus on Black and African ancestral history that this city is quite literally built on, and it’s a section of America’s past that is often ignored even now. I’d happily recommend this to any ghost story fan, history enthusiast, mystery devotee, or tween just looking to feel seen, heard, and understood.

Ghost in the Night by Tiffany D. Jackson, (List Price: $18.99, Scholastic Press, 9798225017477, August 2026)

Reviewed by Abigail, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, GA

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I’m going to go ahead and call it right now—Phoenix will be one of my favorite books of 2026. Bradley is one of the best children’s authors writing today. She doesn’t shy away from the hard situations that kids sometimes face. She clearly has great respect for her young readers. I’m so excited to read more from this new series!

Phoenix by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, (List Price: $17.99, Dial Books, 9780593859865, March 2026

Reviewed by Amanda, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, AR

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Oh, this is brilliant. The humor is delightfully absurd, there is earth science cleverly woven into the mystery, and I’d argue that there are great ELA tie-ins (common core writing standards for grades 2 and 3, maybe others). Plus there is a drawing guide and a search-and-find at the end for added value and inspiration. I love this so much!

Squirrel Lock Holmes #1: The Pet Rock Mystery by Ashley Belote, (List Price: $10.99, Random House Graphic, 9780593897829, March 2026)

Reviewed by Adah, Main Street Books in Davidson, NC