Georgia Bookstores

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala

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Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala
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More fun and intrigue await in Manansala’s newest mystery with our favorite Filipino baker. Lila and her godmothers are back on the scene. The Calendar Crew (April, Mar, and June) are opening up a new laundromat, but their main competition is furious about the development. And their gossiping ways have another townsman blaming them for the breakup of their marriage. So when the laundromat is vandalized, those are the two main suspects. But when April’s niece is found dead in the laundromat, things just got a little more serious. This time, Lila will have to call on all her friends to break the case.

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala, (List Price: $17, Berkley, 9780593549162, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

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The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
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The Black Flamingo is a poetic look into the coming of age and coming out stories of a young biracial teen in England. When he goes off to university, he explores who he is through the beauty of drag. This novel is a raw look at the complexity of identity with the beauty of poetry.

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta, (List Price: $15.99, Balzer + Bray, 9780062990303, April 2021)

Reviewed by Nannette Matthews, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

Our Strangers by Lydia Davis

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Our Strangers by Lydia Davis
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Picking up the same one-to-three-page story by Lydia Davis ten times gives the reader ten different experiences, like taking a plate of gourmet food from a fussy child with her right hand, passing it behind her back to the left hand and returning it to the child saying “fine, eat your magic boopie beans” to the child’s ravenous delight. And the beauty of a book full of one-to-three-page, multidimensional gems is that you’ve got a book jam-packed with multidimensional gems.

Our Strangers by Lydia Davis, (List Price: 26, Bookshop Editions, 9798987717103, October 2023)

Reviewed by Ian McCord, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

True True by Don P. Hooper

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True True by Don P. Hooper
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I loved this book. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t wait to find out how Gil’s story would unfold. I loved the way Gil used Sun Tzu’s The Art of War as a guide to help him navigate the often hostile world at his new, mostly white prep school. It kept the plot moving enticingly and kept me wondering what his next step would be. But ultimately, it was his deep connections to his family, his friends, and his community that made this book sing for me. Wonderful!

True True by Don P. Hooper, (List Price: 18.99, Nancy Paulsen Books, 9780593462102, August 2023)

Reviewed by Ruth Goldstein, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

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Starter Villain by John Scalzi
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John Scalzi, you never cease to delight! This time, Scalzi lets us into the secret world of villains. Charlie’s not doing well. It doesn’t seem to be getting much better when his estranged uncle dies and wants him to preside over his wake. But when he comes home, he discovers that’s just the beginning. Soon, he’s deep into the underground world of supervillains, sentient, computer-using cats and dolphins who want to strike. This tongue-in-cheek fish out of water scifi story will keep you laughing!

Starter Villain by John Scalzi, (List Price: $28.99, Tor Books, 9780765389220, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Parasocial by Alex de Campi

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Parasocial by Alex de Campi
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What an interesting take on modern day parasocial relationships! I loved how it referenced modern fan lingo and even Ao3 with the kidnapping and how it just kept devolving from there. The playlist was a lovely touch as well, it really added to the experience.

Parasocial by Alex de Campi, (List Price: 18.99, Image Comics, 9781534399372, October 2023)

Reviewed by Lana Repic, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters

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All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters
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An October Read This Next! Book

Erica Waters never disappoints with her dark and queer tales. I loved every bit of this dark academia story. I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t stop reading. Don’t let this one pass you by!

All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters, (List Price: $19.99, HarperTeen, 9780063115965, October 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

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Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
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This is one of my favorite books of all time. Following Simon and his friends, Rowell’s fantasy centers their fight against the Insidious Humdrum, an evil that’s sucking magic out of the world and Simon is prophesied to defeat (and they’re trying to finish their last year of magic school at Watford). Featuring a ghost story, a love story, and an epic arc, this book has everything a book should have! Inviting queer characters to the forefront of the fight, Simon Snow discovers himself and his limitations, tackles his worst fears, copes with the trauma that comes with being Chosen, and falls in love, working through the pitfalls of a relationship built in the rubble of a war. His journey is incredibly poignant for anyone who has had to face their nightmare and came away scarred, only to discover that wasn’t the end of it. A wonderful, approachable, and shockingly personal fantasy trilogy that’s completely different from what you’d expect, Carry On stole my heart from the first page, and I hope it makes your heart sing the way it makes mine.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, (List Price: $19.99, Wednesday Books, 9781250806918, July 2021)

Reviewed by Shae Jordan, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp by Anthony Del Col

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When Moon Became the Moon by Rob Hodgson
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This book shows the very ugly truth that is a reality for many people. This woman survived unimaginable conditions and lived to tell the tale. I have nothing but the utmost respect for her being able to share her truth, and feel this book really opened my eyes to the treatment of the Uyghur people of China.

I Escaped a Chinese Internment Camp by Anthony Del Col, (List Price: $19.99, Lev Gleason, 9781988247960, September 2023)

Reviewed by Lana Repic, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

While We Were Dreaming by Clemens Meyer

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While We Were Dreaming by Clemens Meyer
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While We Were Dreaming sits well on the shelf ‘midst Trainspotting, Stand By Me (er, The Body) and Requiem for a Dream, those disturbing yet nostalgic tales of the rise and fall of childhood chums slumming down life’s yellower brick roads, but what makes this kaleidoscopic coming-of-age collection really stand (by me) out is the punch-in-the-gut pivotal point of turning 13 in East Berlin, 1989. The pre/post Wall stories run out of chronological order, so the cast of characters are at times 8-year-old Pioneer Scout cutups, any-agers getting out of prison for the Nth time, preteens caught on the wrong team’s side of a football riot or stealing their first (of many) case of beer, yet constantly bailing each other out of any messed up situation their messed up situations situate them in. The emotion varietals are all over the map, multifaceted and always well-played.

While We Were Dreaming by Clemens Meyer, (List Price: 20, Fitzcarraldo Editions, 9781804270288, September 2023)

Reviewed by Ian McCord, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

Alanna by Tamora Pierce

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Alanna by Tamora Pierce
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I have loved Alanna since I was a middle schooler. Before I wrote this review, I literally had been pulling out my old dusty copies for my 14 year old goddaughter to read and I’m so thrilled to see that Tamora Pierce is being reprinted once again! Alanna’s story is timeless and portrays healthy relationships as well as bravery and excitement. I cannot wait to welcome a new wave of readers into Tamora Pierce’s world and hope the reprint of the Lioness Quartet is just the beginning!

Alanna by Tamora Pierce, (List Price: $12.99, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 9781665937412, September 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on The Square in McDonough, Georgia

This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki

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This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki
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This poignant story paints those subtle shifts from childhood to adulthood for Rose as she spends time at a lake house with her parents, who are going through a rough patch, and her younger friend Windy, who suddenly seems immature. It’s a quiet story, full of melancholy and growing pains, but still so lovely and achingly honest.

This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki, (List Price: $18.99, First Second, 9781596437746, May 2014)

Reviewed by Julie Jarema, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

Wellness by Nathan Hill

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Wellness by Nathan Hill
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Nathan Hill has done it again! Wellness is so good, I think my heart both broke and grew at the same time, while reading it. Hill’s ability to capture both the beauty and horror of life are astounding. There is so much more I could say about this book, but I don’t want to spoil the magic of it for other readers! "Behind curtains, this, he thinks, is what lovers do-they are alchemists and architects; they invent the world around them." Indeed, this is what lovers do. Thank you for this wonderful book!

Wellness by Nathan Hill, (List Price: 30, Knopf, 9780593536117, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jessica Osborne, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

Roaming by Jillian Tamaki

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Roaming by Jillian Tamaki
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Mariko and Jillian Tamaki are back with another slam-dunk of a graphic novel, this time their adult debut. I was captivated! This story of three friends visiting New York for the first time in 2009 after their first year of college was so relatable, especially the way they captured the different pairings between the trio. Zoe and Dani are long-time best friends who are reuniting after a year apart, but Fiona is the Dani’s new friend from college. I loved seeing the way tensions rose and dissipated. And as usual, Jillian Tamaki’s art is gorgeous!

Roaming by Jillian Tamaki, (List Price: 34.95, Drawn and Quarterly, 9781770464339, September 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

While You Were Out by Meg Kissinger

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While You Were Out by Meg Kissinger
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Meg Kissinger begins with an intimate portrayal of a family silently battling mental illness and ends with an exploration of the mental health system that failed them. Her writing is both compassionate and thought provoking. She evokes sympathy for the plight of those with mental illness and anger at the failings of our mental health system.

While You Were Out by Meg Kissinger, (List Price: $30, Celadon Books, 9781250793775, September 2023)

Reviewed by Horton’s Books in Carrollton, Georgia

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