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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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JFC. If we can’t add a new subgenre JUST for Lauren Groff’s signature style — lushly grim and invigoratingly desolate — maybe I’d best acknowledge the teeny new chamber in my book lovin’ heart that Matrix, The Vaster Wilds and now Brawler have come to inhabit. I didn’t think I could handle bleak, but in her capable hands? “Under the Wave” is the best short story I’ve ever read. Within two paragraphs of beginning “The Wind” (and hence the collection), I was *there* and terrified. I haven’t even read the last two stories yet. Stay tuned.

Brawler by Lauren Groff, (List Price: $29, Riverhead Books, 9780593418420, February 2026)

Reviewed by Kat, novel. in Memphis, Tennessee

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What a fantastic fantasy debut. This book pulled out my heart and left me in a pool of my own anger, disbelief, and pure enjoyment. Rage, passion, and love are the core of this book. We follow Aicha and her loved ones and get to see how far she is willing to go for what she believes to be right. Rebel forces, family bonds, colonialism, and demons lurking in corners. Aicha will be a book that they talk about for years to come.

Aicha by Soraya Bouazzaoui, (List Price: $18.99, Orbit, 9780316582018, March 2026)

Reviewed by Mekhala, Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, FL

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British poet laureate Armitage took years to research and perfect his retelling of this millennia-old ur-poem, and it was worth the wait. Told in a driving tetrameter rhythm, his free-flowing translation may not please purists, but we are treated to both an introduction AND a translator’s note, which are as accessible and interesting as the text itself, explaining his choices and setting the work in historic context. Hypnotic heroic feats mingle with proto-bromance, featuring the earliest known account of the Great Flood, in this classic myth which is as mesmerizing today as it must have been thousands of years ago.

Gilgamesh by Simon Armitage, (List Price: $25, Liveright, 9781631496684, April 2026)

Reviewed by Doron, Octavia Books in New Orleans, LA

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Opening with the death of almost 200 horses, this collection doesn’t pull any punches. Skeets explores the beauty of living in the Navajo Nation without ignoring the grief. The tragedy is even made an active participant in the pleasures that are still found. He finds a way to reflect these things in the layout of the text and use of punctuation as well, demonstrating an impressive understanding of poetry both as a visual and oral tradition. Everything is purposeful and heartfelt. An important read for everyone, these poems are a striking meditation on the end of the world as we know it and the creation of a new one in the process.

Horses by Jake Skeets, (List Price: $18, Milkweed Editions, 9781639551521, March 2026)

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

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With this essay collection, Rachel Knox invites us to her reunion – a family reunion where our warmest childhood memories pass a beer to freshly unearthed secrets; a high school reunion where the fragile but brave new identity of an escapee seeks the glance of an old crush. These essays are by turns inquisitive, piercing, and funny – but you don’t have to be from Florida, or even want to go there, to be moved by this book. You just have to have a hometown and know what it feels like to leave it, only to discover it’ll never leave you. – Candice Anderson, Tombolo Books

Anywhere Else by Rachel Knox, (List Price: $28, University Press of Florida, 9780813081519, March 2026)

Reviewed by Candice, Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, Florida

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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

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Dystopian young adult thrillers are so back! I was immediately hooked when I started this one, and the ending was even more shocking! This village is already somewhat secluded, and you can sense that when you’re reading this, but you don’t know the full extent of what’s to come, making the revelation even more shocking – in the best way possible. Rose is someone who follows the rules because she knows what it’s like to lose someone you love. Because she’s someone who follows every strict rule imaginable, her peers grow to resent her and exclude her from things. As she grows up, she relies heavily on her family, especially her twin brother, and becomes a strong and resilient character. Yes, there’s a love interest, but it wasn’t the main focus of this novel (which I loved!!!) because it demonstrates how strong a character Rose is and has to be in order to uncover the lies and treachery that have been brewing in the community. The lore that goes into this community is absolutely unmatched. There are 45 houses that each contribute something specific to the community, whether it be leather goods, baked goods, healing practices, and so on. Members of a certain age eventually get assigned someone to marry, and one of the individuals goes into their spouse’s house to learn their practices, where they will also be expected to contribute to societal expectations regarding their family. And this information isn’t thrust upon the reader but gradually becomes available, making it seem much more realistic and easier to understand. The more you read, the more you’ll start to wonder what is real and who you can trust. I truly was on the edge of my seat the whole time because I had so many theories, but when the truth came out, I was so shocked!!! I never would’ve expected that!

The Verdant Cage by Jess, (List Price: $22.99, Entangled: Mayhem Books, 9781682816455, April 2026)

Reviewed by Itzy Morales, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

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Charmed and Dangerous is a well-paced, cute romcom with a great blend of magic and fantasy. I loved the film and culture references throughout the story and was very fond of Monroe’s journey to understanding love and all the things that come with it.

Charmed and Dangerous by Shelly Page, (List Price: $12.99, Joy Revolution, 9780593897645, March 2026)

Reviewed by Faith, Resist Booksellers in Petersburg, Virginia