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A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

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A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James
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Honey, the land!” No spoilers, but Simone St. James has really outdone herself with this twisty supernatural mystery/thriller. Every overturned stone along the plot’s path is captivating, and I never wanted to put it down. I love the sibling dynamics as they return to their haunted childhood home in search of answers regarding their little brother, who went missing at just 6 years old. The Broken Girls may still be my favorite, but this is a very close second.

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James, (List Price: $30, Berkley, 9780593200414, January 2026)

Reviewed by Jenny Ford, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The Old Fire by Elisa Shua Dusapin

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The Old Fire by Elisa Shua Dusapin
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Dusapin’s novel depicts the heavy silence that has fallen between two sisters who love and understand each other but who can no longer connect. The characters struggle to find peace with their life choices and roles in one another’s lives. The Old Fire questions how an individual is defined by place, family, loss, and abandonment and how those definitions can impede growth and happiness. A quiet novel whose impact on the reader is anything but quiet.

The Old Fire by Elisa Shua Dusapin, (List Price: $27, S&S/Summit Books, 9781668212219, January 2026)

Reviewed by Lera Shawver, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett

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Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett
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I so enjoyed this retelling by Mac Barnett of a story I often forget is rather complex. But here he adds his particular wit which pairs so well with Ellis’ illustrations that transport you into another world.

Rumpelstiltskin by Mac Barnett, (List Price: $19.99, Orchard Books, 9781338673852, February 2026)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Paper Girl by Beth Macy

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Paper Girl by Beth Macy
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In Paper Girl, Beth Macy peels back the layers of her hometown to explore the forces shaping communities across the country–issues like the mental health crisis, access to education, and the rise of misinformation and conspiracy thinking. With her signature compassion, she asks how we got here and how we can begin to reconnect with the people and places that that feel so far away? This feels like her most personal book yet, full of care for both subject and reader.

Paper Girl by Beth Macy, (List Price: $3200, Penguin Press, 9780593656730, October 2025)

Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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All These Ghosts by Silas House

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All These Ghosts by Silas House
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House’s collection of poetry is full of beauty, of perfect lines that punch one in the gut and evoke profound feelings. His imagery immerses readers in the South, capturing every day life experiences, yet his poems are also memories of family love and sacrifice, of loss and grief. This collection inspires reflection on how we relate to the past, on how we grieve the loss of people and place, on how nature soothes us in troubled times, on how deeply we love. All These Ghosts is a remarkable gift to the world.

All These Ghosts by Silas House, (List Price: $22.95, Blair, 9781958888698, September 2025)

Reviewed by Lera Shawver, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Moon Cat by Casi Cole

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Moon Cat by Casi Cole
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A unique bedtime story for the space explorer and the feline-lover. This is a story about a little girl being told a story about the Moon Cat. She gets to join Moon Cat as it moves through the night and space, sharing so much of the quiet glittering world with her. The illustrations took my breath away. This is not one I’ll be forgetting soon.

Moon Cat by Casi Cole, (List Price: $19.99, Paw Prints Publishing, 9781223189239, November 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton

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Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton
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I absolutely devoured this Snow White reimagining! The story was such a delightful read with a wonderfully developed romantic subplot, and as someone who can’t resist a good fake dating trope, this hit all the right notes. The dark, moody atmosphere throughout kept me hooked from start to finish. I’m already looking forward to diving into more of this author’s work!

Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton, (List Price: $20.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9781547619108, November 2025)

Reviewed by Sarah Blackwell, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The Devil’s Done Come Back by Ed Southern

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The Devil's Done Come Back by Ed Southern
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A collection of North Carolina folklore, freshly told by some of the state’s best writers. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and while some myths were familiar, many were brand new to me. Readers will appreciate the creativity of form and voice that make each retelling unique.

The Devil’s Done Come Back by Ed Southern, (List Price: $18.95, Blair, 9781958888650, September 2025)

Reviewed by Becca Naylor, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Boom Town by Nic Stone

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Boom Town by Nic Stone
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This book delivers on all the things I want from a mystery thriller. It’s sexy, intriguing, and keeps you guessing until the end. The vibe of this story feels so real and edgy; it pulls you into a web of secrets and shocking twists, and I enjoyed reading every minute of it.

Boom Town by Nic Stone, (List Price: $28, Simon & Schuster, 9781668056271, October 2025)

Reviewed by Jess Bryant, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The Monsters We Make by Rachel Corbett

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The Monsters We Make by Rachel Corbett
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Drawing a line from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to the “Intelligence-Led Policing” scandal in Pasco County, Florida, Corbett lays out a compelling case against the use of criminal profiling. Her argument: In an attempt to understand what makes someone capable of violent crime, we’ve all too often created criminals instead. This book is great for general true crime readers, but goes a step further by prodding readers to consider what the true causes of crime might be, and how that can inform crime prevention initiatives of the future.

The Monsters We Make by Rachel Corbett, (List Price: $28.99, W. W. Norton & Company, 9780393867695, October 2025)

Reviewed by Becca Naylor, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Seven Ways Through the Woods by Jenn Reese

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Seven Ways Through the Woods by Jenn Reese
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This one is all the things I love in a kid’s story — adventure, magic, daring, and wonder. Seven Ways Through the Woods offers the reader just that, seven ways to get through the woods…but perhaps that’s not the point…to get through the woods. Maybe the point is to linger, explore, and marvel.

Seven Ways Through the Woods by Jenn Reese, (List Price: $19.99, Greenwillow Books, 9780063356269, September 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Girl Warrior by Joy Harjo

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Girl Warrior by Joy Harjo
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In Girl Warrior, Joy Harjo shares advice, wisdom from her life experiences, and a belief in our spiritual connection to our ancestors, to our world, and to one another. Her words uplift and encourage, offer empathy and understanding, provide perspective and healing. This is a book you keep close. Read these words when you need a friendly reminder that you can move forward, that you can take step after step into the future you desire, that you can always ask for help, that you deserve and can find happiness. Give this book to those you love and treasure.

Girl Warrior by Joy Harjo, (List Price: $21.99, W. W. Norton & Company, 9781324094173, October 2025)

Reviewed by Lera Shawver, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate

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Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate
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As a kid who felt deeply that all my stuffed animals had distinct personalities and interests, this book really brought that to life. This is a story about the Second Chance Home and how it helps lost and abandoned stuffed animals find another home. We have our bold leader, the small but mighty Pocket Bear, and his friend and ally Zephyrina — a feline friend! But when a new stuffed animal finds its way into the home, Pocket Bear faces a difficult choice of what to do to help Second Chance and protect this new addition. Perfect for fans of Toy Story meets Puppets of Spellhorst!

Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate, (List Price: $17.99, Feiwel & Friends, 9781250904362, September 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang by Stan Yan

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The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang by Stan Yan
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This story had me hooked! I loved following Eugenia Wang after a bonk to the head gives her dreams/visions of impending doom leading up to her birthday, which is on the 4th (a bad omen in Chinese culture). Not to mention, she loves drawing and wants to go to an art camp that her mother deeply disapproves of. And she has a pesky younger brother who seems set on getting her in trouble. In short, this one hits on it all things: secret crushes, brilliant best friends, comics, and also important themes of the immigrant experience and how our family’s attempts to protect us might also hurt us. Oh, and Peanut the pug is pretty cute.

The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang by Stan Yan, (List Price: $14.99, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 9781665943321, September 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Scarlet Morning, Book 1: Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson

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Scarlet Morning, Book 1: Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson
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This story is beautiful and worth reading for many reasons. What I love most is it feels like a fulfilled promise to our younger selves, quite literally being a story ND Stevenson began writing at the age of 12 years old. They would set it down, forget about it, but eventually come back to it. And you can feel that sense of being young, a bit fearless, a bit brave, and hopeful. I had so much fun with these characters, with this epic adventure of a story, of found family, and mystery, of pirates, and so much more.

Scarlet Morning, Book 1: Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson, (List Price: $19.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780063210349, September 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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