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LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS ONE. An absolutely stunning study on the lives we almost have. The decisions we make, who we make them with (and for), and how relationships change and sustain us. Truly one of the best love stories I’ve ever read, queer literature is in good hands lately.

Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, (List Price: $29, S&S/Summit Books, 9781668204276, March 2026)

Reviewed by Sarah, E. Shaver, Booksellers in Savannah, Georgia

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This is truly what novels written in verse should be. Beautiful and devastating in equal measure, Moskovich reminds us that writing can be at its best when experimented with. Told over the span of one night, and arguably one sentence, this book is a blend of both styles and cultures. Following the Ukrainian Jewish narrator as she rests by her Russian lover in the dark, there are no words exchanged. Instead, what lies in the space between is history, both their own and that of their cultures. There is no clean plot, no clean anything left in their world. There is a series of vignettes: lesbian sex, folk tales, institutional antisemitism, Soviet jokes, the invasion of Ukraine. Through all of it though, is a love that, while it cannot fix their problems, shines beyond reason and uncertainty.

Nadezhda in the Dark by Yelena Moskovitch, (List Price: $17.95, Dzanc Books, 9781938603518, January 2026)

Reviewed by Oliver, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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In a time where influencers are more prominent now than ever, you will love this novel that goes behind the scenes of a tradwife named Natalie who finds herself thrust from her Instagramable life into an alternate timeline (pun intended) where she does not fully recognize her family or any aspect of her farmlife. Her carefully curated life is uprooted very suddenly, and you will #lol at Natalie’s plight. This debut novel has a lot of heart, humor, and social commentary, and I expect it to be big. Don’t miss out!

Yesteryear by Caro, (List Price: $30, Knopf, 9780593804216, April 2026)

Reviewed by Annastasia Williams, The Bottom in Knoxville, TN

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At a time when species loss is many orders of magnitude greater than the natural background rate, this is an uplifting tale of how a wide range of people — ornithologists, hunters, birders, naturalists, scientists, and capitalists came together in an unlikely alliance to save wading birds and songbirds from the brink of extinction, transforming the American conservation movement in the process.

The Feather Wars by James H. McCommons, (List Price: $33, St. Martin’s Press, 9781250286895, March 2026)

Reviewed by Jim, Righton Books in St Simons Island, Georgia

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An important new collection of poetry by Edward Salem, highlighting the Palestinian experience from unique angles and styles. While understandably covering loss, violence, and love of country, land, and people, the poems are at times also funny, strange, and satirical. Salem offers a strong voice (combining tenderness and rage) and authority on a place and identity outside of my lived experience, and I feel more informed and engaged having taken my time with this collection.

Intifadas by Edward Salem, (List Price: $17.95, Sarabande Books, 9781956046694, April 2026)

Reviewed by Sarah, Old Town Books in Alexandria, Virginia

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To call this an essential text when it comes to explaining and educating people on the present Palestine conflict would be an understatement. Isabella Hammad’s impeccably done Recognizing the Stranger takes the issue head-on but in a much more nuanced, and possibly more effective way than most. The first half of the book is the commencement speech Hammad gave at Columbia a week before the October 7th attacks, with the last 20 pages being an afterword titled On Gaza. Hammad’s crisp, concise, and accessible writing gives any reader a better understanding of tragedy as a whole. I will be thinking about this afterword and Hammad’s voice for many, many years to come, absolutely breathtaking and essential for our time.

Recognizing the Stranger by Isabella Hammad, (List Price: $18, Grove Press, Black Cat, 9780802163929, September 2024)

Reviewed by Grace, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA

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Serafina does NOT like water. She doesn’t like running faucets, bathtubs, or the sea. When the powers that be decide she must take swimming lessons, she refuses to enter the pool. But when a friend is in danger, she leaps into action and, to her shock, finds she actually loves the water. This is a sweet book about looking beyond yourself and helping others.

Serafina Makes Waves by Matthew Burgess, (List Price: $18.99, Dial Books, 9780593699638, March 2026)

Reviewed by Rae Ann, Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN

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A love letter to a people and place we see far too little of in books and media. It is time for more books like Hannah’s to teach us about Palestinians and their beautiful culture. I fell in love with the family in this book and the stories they share, and I know the littles in your world will too. This book is not just a teaching tool; it is an entertaining and heartwarming story.

Homeland by Hannah Moushabeck, (List Price: $18.99, Chronicle Books, 9781797202051, March 2023)

Reviewed by Rayna, Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, LA

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Where I Grew is a love letter and celebration of the immigrant story, and how we come to the places we call home for generations. Poetry-esque writing dances across the pages, coupled with illustrations of the sunsets, seas, and plains you may cross to find yourself at your new home. Deeply tender and gentle, and absolutely essential for our current time and for years to come.

Where I Grew by Jashar Awan, (List Price: $18.99, Norton Young Readers, 9781324016618, March 2026)

Reviewed by Grace, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA