Main Street Books

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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Go Tell It by Quartez Harris

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Go Tell It by Quartez Harris
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Stunning, poetic, honest, and celebratory – what an incredible picture book for school-age kids and their families and classrooms. Gordon James captures Baldwin’s dynamic passion for books and words in beautiful, high-energy paintings. Quartez Harris writes about Baldwin’s life with care, lyricism, and honesty.

Go Tell It by Quartez Harris, (List Price: $18.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316483933, January 2025)

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

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Booked for Murder by P. J. Nelson

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Booked for Murder by P. J. Nelson
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Given how full the cozy mystery world is, new series need extra sparks to stand out. This one has puzzles plenty and instead of silly, quirky characters, there’s added maturity and emotional depth. This may be a small town story with a bookstore at its center, but it offers a new and enjoyable touch.

Booked for Murder by P. J. Nelson, (List Price: $28, Minotaur Books, 9781250909954, December 2024)

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

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Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson

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Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
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It’s short, it’s quirky, and absolutely a holiday treat of a read. Fewer pages doesn’t mean fewer complications or changes of missed clues. The trademark wry humor and references to classic mystery tropes still resonate and make this a playful and perfect gift to yourself or others.

Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson, (List Price: $19.99, Mariner Books, 9780063412866, October 2024)

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

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A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung

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A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung
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I loved Nichol Chung’s debut memoir, All You Can Ever Know, Know, so I couldn’t wait to read her latest, A Living Remedy. Continuing to explore themes of identity and race, A Living Remedy also delves into themes of grief, class, and our fractured healthcare system up through the days of the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to spare the reader spoilers because I was riveted by Nicole’s experience of growing up, moving across the country from her adoptive parents, and raising a family of her own. Her exquisite writing and tender vulnerability make this a stand-out memoir for me. Highly recommend!

A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung, (List Price: $19.99, Ecco, 9780063031623, April 2024)

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

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Bake Club by Christina Tosi

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Bake Club by Christina Tosi
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Another social media cookbook crossover, many of the recipes debuted online. Now gathered in a useful collection that focuses on minimal ingredients and basic techniques. The tone is all about having fun and improvising. Recipes are truly accessible, and Bloom knows how to cheerlead cooking. A great gift for new and old cooks.

Bake Club by Christina Tosi, (List Price: $35, Knopf, 9780593802397, November 2024)

Reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, Georgia

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Baking in the American South by Anne Byrn

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Baking in the American South by Anne Byrn
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A well-researched history of recipes tied to Southern towns and regions. Many of the recipes are not new. The value is in the breadth of communities represented in the biographies and histories. This is a broad and inclusive South with plenty of tempting recipes presented with clear instructions.

Baking in the American South by Anne Byrn, (List Price: $44.99, Harper Celebrate, 9780785291336, September 2024)

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

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Gather Me by Glory Edim

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Gather Me by Glory Edim
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Heartbreaking and heartwarming, this is a powerful tale of the power of the right book at the right time and of perseverance. If you love books, this is a must-read. Edim’s Well Read Black Girl clubs are a gift to the world, and her memoir makes that gift even more meaningful.

Gather Me by Glory Edim, (List Price: $28, Ballantine Books, 9780525619796, October 2024)

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

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Brown Girl, Brown Girl by Leslé Honoré

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Brown Girl, Brown Girl by Leslé Honoré
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Brown Girl, Brown Girl deserves a permanent spot on every family’s bookshelf. A powerful message with beautiful illustrations.

Brown Girl, Brown Girl by Leslé Honoré, (List Price: $18.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316314039, November 2024)

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

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At Our Table by Patrick Hulse

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At Our Table by Patrick Hulse
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At Our Table is a must-buy for your Thanksgiving displays and deserves a permanent spot on your bookshelves. A story about family, home as a safe space to be yourself, and gathering around a table that has room for everyone, all in a way that honors Indigenous Peoples and land. I can’t recommend this one enough!

At Our Table by Patrick Hulse, (List Price: $18.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316537056, October 2024)

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

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The Slow Road North by Rosie Schaap

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The Slow Road North by Rosie Schaap
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A memoir of love and grief and the winding paths that mourning takes. Candid about complicated relationships and the power of place to heal, this memoir takes its time, revisiting the past, excavating the present. Blending her story with the comfort (and conflicts) she finds in a very small town in Northern Ireland, Schaap’s ability to reflect and interweave lives and loves enchants and can break hearts as well as heal them.

The Slow Road North by Rosie Schaap, (List Price: $29.99, Mariner Books, 9780358097457, August 2024)

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

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Guide Me Home by Attica Locke

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Guide Me Home by Attica Locke
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The only thing wrong with this book is that it’s the end of a trilogy. A search for a missing college student exposes political hypocrisies and family trauma. By turns gut-wrenching, emotionally real, suspenseful, and hopeful. There may not be a next book in this series, but I’m looking forward to anything Locke writes next.

Guide Me Home by Attica Locke, (List Price: $29, Mulholland Books, 9780316494618, September 2024)

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

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A Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings

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A Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings
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A Well-Trained Wife is a horrifying portrait of a woman trapped in a marriage and religious system of abuse and misogyny. Perfect for fans of Educated and The Sound Of Gravel.

A Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings, (List Price: $30, St. Martin’s Press, 9781250288288, August 2024)

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

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Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan

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Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan
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Lexi Ryan knows how to ramp up the tension and keep you guessing. I absolutely loved being back in the Fae world from These Hollow Vows again! (Which I do recommend reading before diving into this book. Not that you have to, but it does offer insights that otherwise might get missed or feel confusing while reading this book). Beneath These Cursed Stars centers around Brie’s sister Jas (Jasalyn) and a new character, Felicity (who took me a little longer to feel invested in, but now I’m hooked). It took no time at all for me to jump right back into this world, and I was thrilled to experience it from a whole new perspective. Jasalyn’s story is heartbreaking and traumatizing; the loss of hope and representation of PTSD throughout was done well and had me either holding my breath or crying at certain parts. I will say this book really took off right at the very end. That CLIFFHANGER! My word. Lexi Ryan what are you doing to us?! But now, I obviously can’t wait to read the next book.

Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan, (List Price: $19.99, HarperTeen, 9780063311909, July 2024)

Reviewed by Brianne Wik, Main Street Books in , North Carolina

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The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley

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The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
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Guncle fans rejoice, this sequel brings back all the wry humor, human frailty, miscommunication, grief, and joy of connection. Patrick’s career is thriving even if his love life isn’t. His brother’s impending marriage reunites the family even as threatens to split them apart. It falls to Patrick to save the day in his own stumbling fashion. So much heart, such a reader’s delight.

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley, (List Price: $29, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 9780593540459, May 2024)

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

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