Main Street Books

No Funeral for Nazia by Taha Kehar

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No Funeral for Nazia by Taha Kehar
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A powerful addition to the trope of a dying woman leaving instructions that will change lives. In this instance, Nazia is all too aware that her closest family and friends all hold very different stories about her. All the misunderstandings and lies fall apart on one fateful night, and no one will be the same again. All the varying perspectives are skillfully arranged and prove the power of stories.

No Funeral for Nazia by Taha Kehar, (List Price: $16.99, Neem Tree Press, 9781911107743, July 2024)

Reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Their Divine Fires by Wendy Chen

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Their Divine Fires by Wendy Chen
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I really enjoyed this lush, mystical story that follows a family through China’s Cultural Revolution and generations after. Fans of Pachinko and Wandering Souls will love this one.

Their Divine Fires by Wendy Chen, (List Price: $28, Algonquin Books, 9781643755151, May 2024)

Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Bride of the Sea by Eman Quotah

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Bride of the Sea by Eman Quotah
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Full of longing and regret, Bride of the Sea tells the story of Muneer and Saeedah, a newly married couple from Saudi Arabia living in Ohio. As the arrival of their first child draws near, their marriage is falling apart. Muneer returns to his homeland, and Saeedah flees with their daughter, Hanadi. What follows are decades of a father desperately searching for his child and a mother on the run. Hanadi comes of age and is caught in the middle between conflicting cultures and religions. This mesmerizing debut will be a hit for fans of A Place For Us, A Woman Is No Man, and Everything I Never Told You. Highly recommend.

Bride of the Sea by Eman Quotah, (List Price: $16.95, Tin House Books, 9781951142452, January 2021)

Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar

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The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar
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Beautifully written and gripping story that explores many themes including immigrant stories, art, gentrification and trans-identity. The narrative fluctuates between a present day look into a life of an artist and first generation Syrian American with a supernatural glimpse into the past.

The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar, (List Price: $18.99, Washington Square Press, 9781982121525, July 2021)

Reviewed by Melissa Summers, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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A Grain, a Green, a Bean by Gena Hamshaw

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A Grain, a Green, a Bean by Gena Hamshaw
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This cookbook is stunning and would look beautiful on any home cook’s shelf. Gena Hamshaw’s simple formula of grain+green+bean = mouthwatering, healthy meals that I cannot wait to try.

A Grain, a Green, a Bean by Gena Hamshaw, (List Price: $26, Ten Speed Press, 9781984863201, April 2025)

Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Riding Through Rice Fields by Michelle Sterling

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Riding Through Rice Fields by Michelle Sterling
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Lovely illustrations. The premise that the son is visiting his Dad’s homeland and seeing everything by bicycle is a nice way to share the landscape and day-in-the-life culture of the Phillipines.

Riding Through Rice Fields by Michelle Sterling, (List Price: $18.99, Viking Books for Young Readers, 9780593623077, March 2025)

Reviewed by Adah Fitzgerald, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Propaganda Girls by Lisa Rogak

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Propaganda Girls by Lisa Rogak
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Once again, another fascinating piece of women’s history details a hidden history of spycraft in World War II. This time, it is the tale of four women who were central to the OSS’s propaganda machine. Women who risked their lives and used their talents to undermine enemy countries. A bonus is seeing more of the history of disinformation. A must for WWII buffs.

Propaganda Girls by Lisa Rogak, (List Price: $29, St. Martin’s Press, 9781250275592, March 2025)

Reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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The Four Queens of Crime by Rosanne Limoncelli

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The Four Queens of Crime by Rosanne Limoncelli
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A love letter to cozy mysteries and the Golden Age writers, Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh. The four women take on a mystery to prove their mettle. The result is a good puzzle and perhaps will lead to a renewed interest in their own novels.

The Four Queens of Crime by Rosanne Limoncelli, (List Price: $29.99, Crooked Lane Books, 9798892420600, March 2025)

Reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Ripening Time by Patrice Gopo

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Ripening Time by Patrice Gopo
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Gopo weaves themes of family heritage, the joy of anticipation, and the small pain of waiting into a sweet story of purchasing plantains and watching them ripen before the family can fry them up for a delicious treat. Gopo’s poetic talent meets kids and families in a sweet spot that is not heavy-handed, but wonderfully inspiring. I can’t wait to share this with our readers.

Ripening Time by Patrice Gopo, (List Price: $18.99, WorthyKids, 9781546005391, April 2025)

Reviewed by Adah Fitzgerald, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Knucklehead: Poems by Tony Keith Jr.

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Knucklehead: Poems by Tony Keith Jr.
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A powerful and empowering collection of poetry. You can feel a sense of urgency as Tony Keith Jr beseeches the next generation to find their voice and speak up.

Knucklehead: Poems by Tony Keith Jr., (List Price: $19.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780063296053, February 2025)

Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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What to Do When You Get Dumped by Suzy Hopkins

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What to Do When You Get Dumped by Suzy Hopkins
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Written from hard experience but filled with compassion and humor, this guide to unbreaking your heart is like having a relationship doula. Both the words and the illustrations evoke real feelings and genuine permission to grieve, grow, hide, play, and move forward at whatever speed works. Don’t wait for a breakup to read this – it speaks to more than lost love.

What to Do When You Get Dumped by Suzy Hopkins, (List Price: $24.99, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781639731893, January 2025)

Reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Night Walk by Jason Cockcroft

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Night Walk by Jason Cockcroft
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Night Walk is a beautiful story about a boy and his grandfather who go on a night walk, observing nature and remembering his Grandma and her favorite spots. The artwork is gorgeous, and the story is sure to tug at heartstrings. Highly recommend!

Night Walk by Jason Cockcroft, (List Price: $18.99, Candlewick, 9781536239614, February 2025)

Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis

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Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis
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Fundamentally is the audacious, hilarious story of Dr. Nadia Amin, a lovesick academic who ends up in Iraq heading up a UN group dedicated to deradicalizing ISIS brides. I laughed out loud, I cringed at her questionable choices, and I fell in love as Nadia becomes attached to and champions the release of one of the brides. Fundamentally is about what we believe in, allowing others to determine their own belief system, and whose job it is to decide who needs saving. Highly recommend!

Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis, (List Price: $28, Tiny Reparations Books, 9780593851388, February 2025)

Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Explorers by Matthew Lockwood

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Explorers by Matthew Lockwood
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Whole worlds are contained in a few short chapters that recover the names and stories of explorers usually left out of larger histories. Indigenous peoples and non-Western men and women are given credit for their curiosity, bravery, and contributions to exploration and cultural exchanges. Engaging prose and thoughtful reflections make this a must-read.

Explorers by Matthew Lockwood, (List Price: $22, W. W. Norton & Company, 9781324073871, October 2024)

Reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Toto by Hyewon Yum

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Toto by Hyewon Yum
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Toto is a story about a little girl with a birthmark on her forehead that she has named Toto. She has mixed feelings about her appearance, but she is brave and kind. She decides to hide Toto when she starts school, and immediately meets a best friend. What happens when her new friend sees Toto? A sweet, endearing story that teaches children to celebrate what makes them unique, and also to show compassion to others who look different than us. An important message for readers of all ages!

Toto by Hyewon Yum, (List Price: $18.99, Neal Porter Books, 9780823453894, 2025-01-21)

Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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