Main Street Books

Still We Rise by Erika Council

, , ,
Still We Rise by Erika Council
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

A good cookbook needs inviting recipes and clear instructions. A great cookbook goes beyond to provide context, history, and a singular voice. Still We Rise is a great cookbook that elevates the humble biscuit while paying homage to African-American chefs and home cooks and expanding American foodways history. Council writes with sass, reassurance, and authority. Her introductory section on ingredients and tools made me both laugh and believe I could bake these gems. Great recipes (for fillings and butters as well as biscuits), beautiful and functional photographs, and historical notes make this a kitchen shelf essential.

Still We Rise by Erika Council, (List Price: 26, Clarkson Potter, 9780593236093, August 2023)

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

Still We Rise by Erika Council Read More »

Strip Tees by Kate Flannery

, , , ,
Strip Tees by Kate Flannery
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

This was a nostalgic punch to the gut for me as a former American Apparel gal, reminding me of when I wore Lycra and bodysuits to work, had my picture taken every day, then finally snapped, saying I was not a model and quitting, taking the last vestiges of my dignity along with me. I feel seen. More seen than when I was wearing spandex and lamé. This was a validating read for me, but will also be interesting to those who came of age in the 2000s, for every Millennial who cut their teeth on celebrity culture and came away wanting more.

Strip Tees by Kate Flannery, (List Price: 27.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250827289, July 2023)

Reviewed by Aimee Keeble, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

Strip Tees by Kate Flannery Read More »

Good Fortune by C.K. Chau

, ,
Good Fortune by C.K. Chau
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

A fresh adaptation of Pride and Prejudice set in Chinatown, NYC in the 90s. Elizabeth Chen is the heroine we know and love—unyielding in her beliefs and self-reliant. This book both nails the retelling and holds its own with themes exploring class, identity, family dynamics, and community.

Good Fortune by C.K. Chau, (List Price: 29.99, HarperVia, 9780063293762, July 2020)

Reviewed by Andrea Jasmin, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

Good Fortune by C.K. Chau Read More »

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

, ,
Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

A July 2023 Read This Next! Book

A miserable, beautifully written swan song to the happy life- to freedom, to creativity. Our heroine descends into black hole darkness while trying to navigate her increasingly insane amount of responsibilities at her Silicone Valley startup. Be careful, this will refresh your feelings on whether or not you’re prepared to stay at your 9 – 5…

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter, (List Price: $25, Scribner, 9781668011638, July 2023)

Reviewed by Aimee Keeble, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter Read More »

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

, ,
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Beautiful coming of age story that follows a teenager in Harlem as she copes with questions around family, religion and relationships through finding herself in poetry.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, (List Price: 15.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780062662811, March 2020)

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

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo Read More »

Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati

, ,
Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

What an elegant, joyful, and open reflection on living fully. Who opens a bookstore in a tiny (180 people) remote village? A wise and adventurous women, ready to return to her family roots while casting out a wide net for new friendships. Her daily entries are thoughtful lessons in seeing beauty, cultivating connections, facing loss, and celebrating the writers and stories that shape our worlds. A gift of a book to book lovers.

Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati, (List Price: 17.99, Scribner, 9781668015568, June 2023)

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

Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati Read More »

Reproduction by Louisa Hall

,
Reproduction by Louisa Hall
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

A quiet yet fierce meditation on birth and creation. Hall pulls us into her own private darkness- the losses of children and fear of death, the loss of the self, the unknowable countries upon which women set off for once they become mothers. All compared artfully to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; another story of God-power and chaos, love and despair. Freedom and choice.

Reproduction by Louisa Hall, (List Price: 30, Ecco, 9780063283626, June 2023)

Reviewed by Aimee Keeble, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

Reproduction by Louisa Hall Read More »

Brave the Wild River by Melissa L. Sevigny

, ,
Brave the Wild River by Melissa L. Sevigny
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

What kind of scientist risks the little known rapids of a raging river to document plant life? The first scientists to boat down the Grand Canyon were no daredevils but two intrepid and determined women. Still their tale is full enough of drama and a motley crew of characters to make a great read. More than just a quirky bit of environmental history, their work still resonates today. Sevigny brilliantly captures their experiences as well as the political and social history of the Colorado River. A great read for anyone interested in women in science, natural history, or the American West

Brave the Wild River by Melissa L. Sevigny, (List Price: $30.00, W. W. Norton & Company, 9780393868234, May 2023)

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

Brave the Wild River by Melissa L. Sevigny Read More »

Summer on Sag Harbor by Sunny Hostin

, , ,
Summer on Sag Harbor by Sunny Hostin
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

I’ve been impatiently waiting for the second book in Sunny Hostin’s Oak Bluff series! Summer on the Bluffs left me wanting more of the drama, secrets, and jealousy from the three goddaughters of the iconic Ama and Omar. This is Olivia’s story, set once again in an exclusive Black beach community in the North East, this time it’s The Hamptons. I’m sure it won’t disappoint!

Summer on Sag Harbor by Sunny Hostin, (List Price: $30, William Morrow, 9780062994219, May 2023)

Reviewed by Andrea Jasmin, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

Summer on Sag Harbor by Sunny Hostin Read More »

Mother of Sharks by Melissa Cristina Márquez

, , , ,
Mother of Sharks by Melissa Cristina Márquez
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.

Magical and imaginative, this autobiographical picture book follows a young girl’s explorations under the sea as she observes marine life and our critical need for marine conservation. I loved that Mother of Sharks features a Hispanic woman in STEM!

Mother of Sharks by Melissa Cristina Márquez, (List Price: 19.99, Penguin Workshop, 9780593523582, May 2023)

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

Mother of Sharks by Melissa Cristina Márquez Read More »

A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung

, ,
A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

I loved Nichol Chung’s debut memoir, All You Can Ever Know, so I couldn’t wait to read her latest, A Living Remedy. Continuing to explore themes of identify 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 makes this a stand-out memoir for me. Highly recommend!

A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung, (List Price: 29.99, Ecco, 9780063031616, April 2023)

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

A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung Read More »

Happily by Sabrina Orah Mark

, ,
Happily by Sabrina Orah Mark
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Subtitled "A Person History –with Fairy Tales," this collection of essays refracts Mark’s fears, losses, family, and more through the prism of fairy tales. There are plenty of jagged edges and tales torn into for new meanings and few happily ever afters. Incisive, probing, Mark gives herself to the stories and leave readers a wealth of questions.

Happily by Sabrina Orah Mark, (List Price: $27, Random House, 9780593242476, March 2023)

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

Happily by Sabrina Orah Mark Read More »

The Faraway World by Patricia Engel

,
The Faraway World by Patricia Engel
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Arrow-sharp and unsentimental renderings of some deeply emotional experiences, all centering unique experiences across the Latin American diaspora, but certainly focusing on individuals who have moved to the US. Engel is a brilliant writer. Her stories snap tight with tension, but she’s also deft at stirring up soft spots and infusing her plots with fairy tale-like twists.

The Faraway World by Patricia Engel, (List Price: $26, Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, 9781982159528, January 2023)

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

The Faraway World by Patricia Engel Read More »

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

, , , , ,
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

A March 2023 Read This Next! Title

Hello Beautiful is perfect for readers who enjoy emotionally tender stories about complicated families. Quiet and solitary William Waters is an only child raised by emotionally unavailable parents who finds solace in basketball. He meets bright, headstrong Julia Padavano in college where she decides he is the man to help put her on the path towards her diligently planned life. Along with Julia are her three sisters, with whom she is incredibly close. Tragedy strikes, creating a rift that reverberates within the Padavano family for generations. With themes of grief, mental illness, forgiveness, and loyalty, Hello Beautiful is about the cost of being true to oneself regardless of the consequences, and the gift of those who love us for who we truly are. If you enjoyed Ask Again Yes, you will love this one. I cannot wait to recommend this to my customers.

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, (List Price: $28, The Dial Press, 9780593243732, March 2023)

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

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano Read More »

What Remains of Elsie Jane by Chelsea Wakelyn

, , , ,
What Remains of Elsie Jane by Chelsea Wakelyn
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

I don’t usually like sad books, and yet this one became a fast favorite! It’s the writing. It’s just so good. Like being a fly on the wall of her mind. Elsey Jane is a widow grieving the loss of her partner who died of drug poisoning. Her actions and thoughts—often bizarre, delusional, and reckless—are sometimes incongruous with the expectations of someone grieving. At other times the agony and suffering and consumption she experiences are completely spot on of what we’d expect. This book is so absurd at times, I laughed, cringed, and tearing up all within minutes. It’s a beautifully written, complicated, intimate story that’s as weird as it is honest—just as grief often is. I highly recommend!

What Remains of Elsie Jane by Chelsea Wakelyn, (List Price: 19.99, Rare Machines, 9781459750845, February 2023)

Reviewed by Andrea Jasmin, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

What Remains of Elsie Jane by Chelsea Wakelyn Read More »

Scroll to Top