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Vernice and Annie, best friends and loyal companions since infancy, leave their hometown of Honeysuckle, Louisiana, on very different life trajectories. Jones vividly describes their journeys, allowing the reader to feel deeply each of the bumps along the road as Vernice attends Spelman College in Atlanta and Annie desperately seeks to establish a relationship with her birth mother in Memphis. The powerful bond these friends maintain across the miles and the years reminds us that we don’t have to be biologically related in order to be “kin.”

Kin by Tayari Jones, (List Price: $32, Knopf, 9780525659181, February 2026)

Reviewed by Burch Barger, Righton Books in St Simons Island, Georgia

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What a fantastic novel! I finished this book last week, and I am STILL thinking about it. This is such an important story about daughters without mothers. Tayari’s writing pulls you in the moment you begin the story. My heart and soul went out to Vernice and Annie. Seeing them attempt to conquer life and find love while searching for a mother’s love captures you from beginning to end. A story about the complexities of female relationships, especially among Black women. I cannot wait to put this book into as many hands as possible.

Kin by Tayari Jones, (List Price: $32, Knopf, 9780525659181, February 2026)

Reviewed by Kala Saxon, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

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This book is about overcoming generational trauma, but also is a romance story. The protagonist in the story is a strong woman determined to survive and make a new life for herself. If you liked Black Cake, which I did, you will love this book!

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

Reviewed by Cheryl Lee, 44th & 3rd Bookseller in Peachtree Corners, Georgia

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Maria Popova once again illuminates how science and poetry have reckoned with “the bewilderment of being alive” while reconnoitering truths of the body, soul, spirit, and space, all through the intertwining loves, lives, and labors of visionaries like Mary Shelley, Walt Whitman, Frederick Douglass, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, Ruth Benedict, and others. Popova writes brilliant, fluid, lively nonfiction—like floating down a river of science, poetry, history, and stars.

Traversal by Maria Popova, (List Price: $36, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 9780374616410, February 2026)

Reviewed by Megan Bell, The Underground Bookshop in Carrollton, Georgia

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I read this one in two sittings. While a lot more Eurocentric than I was expecting, this little book was simple to follow and SUPER informative. I would recommend to all of “my fellow Americans”.

On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder, (List Price: $22, Crown, 9798217087952, May 2025)

Reviewed by LJ Johnson, Shelf Life Books in Richmond, Virginia

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An introspective and entertaining story of an unusual bond between a woman and a hare – and you learn a lot about hares! I enjoyed the author’s sens of wonder and curiosity and how her thoughts about nature and life changed through this experience. Quietly transformative, a joy to read!

Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton, (List Price: $27, Pantheon, 9780593701843, March 2025)

Reviewed by Cathy, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida

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A Year of Kites is an informative book about the role kites play in traditions around the world. Replete with beautiful illustrations, it would be a nice addition to elementary classrooms, allowing teachers to combine multiple subjects in their lesson planning: the history of kites, following the directions to use artistic skill to create individual kites, and assessing proper wind conditions needed for kite flying. Sounds like a fun afternoon to me as the kids also will get a few steps in as they let ’em soar!

A Year of Kites by Monisha Bajaj, (List Price: $18.99, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 9781547612246, February 2026)

Reviewed by Barb Rascon, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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The Great Gatsby was my favorite assigned book in school. I am always up for reading a retelling. This was such a unique retelling of the beloved classic. I loved the incorporation of the Tulsa Race Massacre into the story. I am also a huge fan of books taking place in Harlem, especially during the Harlem Renaissance. The diversity and representation are seen throughout the novel. This would be a great book for reluctant readers who are familiar with the original story. I

The Great Disillusionment of Nick and Jay by Ryan Douglass, (List Price: $19.99, HarperCollins, 9780063312487, January 2026)

Reviewed by Kala Saxon, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

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This is one of those books that will not only make you smile but might even make you believe in a little magic. Yulu’s Linen is a fun and beautiful story about a father whose dream of being an artist was unable to be fulfilled, so he makes that dream a reality for his daughter. When they go to purchase a canvas, they face a hilarious and frustrating problem: they can’t figure out if it’s the canvas or the art that just won’t cooperate! The vibrant illustrations and colors of this illustrator bring the story to life. The father teaches his daughter to never give up, and in the end, everything works out. This book is a true testament to the idea that perseverance and creativity always succeed. It’s a perfect read for any child with a big dream.

Yulu’s Linen by Cao Wenxuan, (List Price: $19.99, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 9781665931199, February 2026)

Reviewed by Kimberly, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi