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Whoa, what a silly, goofy time. Absolutely the definition of camp. Immediately, you can tell that this book is not to be taken seriously and is intended to be incredibly cheesy. But also, aren’t all spy films incredibly cheesy? It’s not typically my sort of genre, but the narrator did such a fabulous job that I had to keep going!

The Tuxedo Society by Paul Rudnick, (List Price: $28, Atria Books, 9781668212615, May 2026)

Reviewed by Itzy, M. Judson, Booksellers in Greenvillel, SC

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How haunting and beautiful. That epilogue hit me like a freight train. This beautiful and tragic coming of age story will stay with me for a long time. From the very beginning, you can just feel that something is waiting to happen and you hope it doesn’t happen but you don’t really know for sure until you keep reading. The suspense is clear throughout and it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I was thinking it would be one character but it ended up being a different character, which in a way, hurt more. The way Besson writes is absolutely beautiful and truly enriches not only the plot but the characters. You really feel for this unlikely group of characters and want them to feel joy in their adolescence but you also know that life never turns out that way. There’s so much emotion pouring from this complex novel and I have no doubt that readers will fall in love with Besson’s writing style.

The Summer Boy by Philippe Boy, (List Price: $26, Scribner, 9781668204047, May 2026)

Reviewed by Itzy, M. Judson, Booksellers in Greenville, SC

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Allen’s latest is a modern-day A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and a queer delight! Puck is a reality dating show producer, and they know that they aren’t exactly creating great art, but they’re good at what they do. A surprise destination wedding turns into a matchmaking and match-breaking scheme, and Puck can’t help but catch the eye of the uptight Maid of Honor, which just complicates things more.

Puck by Samantha Allen, (List Price: $18, Zando, 9781638933410, June 2026)

Reviewed by Andrea, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA

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An extraordinary achievement from Wilde’s only grandson! Collected in this expansive work is the legacy of Oscar Wilde. In some ways, more interesting than Matthew Sturgis’s masterful Oscar Wilde: A Life, After Oscar instead focuses on the effect the man has had on us rather than the man himself. Starting while Wilde is still alive and scandalized, Holland takes us on a journey of his grandfather’s posthumous reputation. Homophobia, hypocrisy, hubris abound here. The crackling, droll prose (inherited, perhaps) makes reading this book an utter joy. Even while my emotions rode a roller coaster of surprise, rage, and amusement.

After Oscar: The Legacy of a Scandal by Merlin Holland, (List Price: $34, Europa Editions, 9798889661764, April 2026)

Reviewed by Kelly, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA

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Jesmyn Ward presents us with a series of essays which give us a peek into the skeletons upon which her stunning fiction is built, the sweet and sour life and experiences and family which leads her to lament in the opening piece: “Sometimes, I wish I could write easier stories…” The language is vivid, florid, precise, and beautiful all at once, as she covers topics such as family, Katrina, Faulkner, representation, book banning, book reviews, movie reviews, justice, leaving home, and returning home again – common themes treated with absolute tenderness and honesty.

On Witness and Respair by Jesmyn Ward, (List Price: $29, Scribner, 9781668064269, May 2026)

Reviewed by Doron, Octavia Books in New Orleans, LA

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“This book is my panoramic assault on nihilism. I wrote it in an effort to be helpful, but toward the end, I felt I was writing it to save my life…the largest gesture of hope I could muster.” In a world of mounting time pressure–one in which we dutifully recite “rest is productive” so that we don’t feel guilty for taking a break–it’s become clear that a paradigm reset is in order. Saving Time is an evisceration and a balm: a thorough, necessary breakdown of our current state of affairs, and a primer for how to begin thinking differently if we hope to save ourselves from the ticking capitalist clock.

Saving Time by Jenny Odell, (List Price: $20, Random House, 9780593242728, January 2024)

Reviewed by Talia, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC

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A longer graphic novel with an incredibly poignant story about discovering who you are & using your voice. With themes of identity, being “Muslim enough,” familial expectation, alongside the realities of colonialism, genocide, and Eurocentric ideals. A family story, a coming-of-age story. This book did so much so well.

Landing in Place: A Graphic Novel by Sherine Hamdy, (List Price: $25.99, Kokila, 9780735229440, May 2026)

Reviewed by Morgan, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC

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Picture books that center around finding fun and whimsy in our real world are like catnip to me, so when I saw this and noticed Gómez was the illustrator (from Bookie & Cookie fame!), I knew this would be my spring children’s book. The importance of green spaces in our communities, and how we can come together to make these little pockets of wildlife for our pollinator neighbors, all with cheeky rhyming language and nostalgic illustrations. And of course, facts in the back for the curious, future green thumb kids!

A Pathway for Pollinators by Michelle Schaub, (List Price: $18.99, Norton Young Readers, 9781324082118, May 2026)

Reviewed by Grace, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA

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If any book should be required reading for booksellers, librarians, and educators, this is it. Abandon your preconceived notions of what children’s books should be, and let Mac Barnett remind you how magical they can be. This message comes at the perfect time and makes a lovely gift for people who want to spread the joy of reading to all ages.

Make Believe by Mac Barnett, (List Price: $20, Little, Brown and Company, 9780316601122, May 2026)

Reviewed by Becca, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC