North Carolina Bookstores

The Summer of Jordi Perez (And the Best Burger in Los Angelese) by Amy Spalding

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To Have and to Heist by Sara Desai
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The Summer of Jordi Perez is a pitch-perfect summery contemporary romance. I adored the plus-size lesbian blogger main character as she navigates new friendships, anxiety, new relationships, and an internship. With a romance that anyone can get behind, straight or otherwise, this book is perfect for anyone wanting a light, fun read.

The Summer of Jordi Perez (And the Best Burger in Los Angelese) by Amy Spalding, (List Price: $16.99, Sky Pony, 9781510727663, April 2018)

Reviewed by Shauna Sinyard, Park Road Books in Charlotte, North Carolina

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Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan

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Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan
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Super cute picture book for the holidays that is laugh-out-loud funny for kids and their grown-ups. Written in the style of a graphic novel, younger kids will gravitate towards this format that makes them feel like they’re reading a big kid book. Behind all the humor, this book has a great message of appearances aren’t everything.

Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan, (List Price: 18.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665921794, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jamie Southern, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Strip Tees by Kate Flannery

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Strip Tees by Kate Flannery
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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

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The Quickening by Elizabeth Rush

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The Quickening by Elizabeth Rush
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A beautifully written, immediately engaging book about exploring a new area of the Antarctic, experiencing climate change on a vast yet immediate scale, and still deciding to bring a child into the world. The author pulls from her experiences as an observer on an exploration vessel to chart a path into the future. Excerpts from her interviews with others aboard the ship – scientists, but also the crew and even the ship’s cooks – bring multiple perspectives into her musings on everything from the breaking ice to birth stories. While the themes of the book are urgent, the messages are hopeful: while there is work for everyone, together, we can accomplish more; and when we mess up, which we all do, own the error and don’t make the same mistake again.

The Quickening by Elizabeth Rush, (List Price: 30, Milkweed Editions, 9781571313966, August 2023)

Reviewed by Ginger Kautz, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina

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How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue

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How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue
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What a good book! Beautifully written and so forcefully told this is a story of the power of corporations over people and governments. And the setting! So alien from what we’re used too but at the same time recognizable from our own small town battles with corporate malfeasance. A very thought provoking book that will be great for book clubs and one that reminded me of how I reacted to Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar.

How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue, (List Price: $28, Random House, 9780593132425, March 2021)

Reviewed by Pete Mock, McIntyre’s Books in Pittsboro, North Carolina

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Ghost Book by Remy Lai

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Ghost Book by Remy Lai
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Remy Lai continues to be one of the best and most thoughtful creators working in children’s literature today. In her graphic novel Ghost Book, Lai gives us the loveable characters of July Chen who can see ghosts all around her and William, a boy whose not quite dead. Filled with vibrant images, mythology, and heart – Ghost Book proves once again that no one can weave together fun and deep emotion like Remy Lai!

Ghost Book by Remy Lai, (List Price: 14.99, Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks, 9781250810434, August 2023)

Reviewed by Caleb Masters, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Beloved by Toni Morrison

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Beloved by Toni Morrison
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In 1992, Toni Morrison said “In this country, American means white. Everybody else has to hyphenate.” This statement stands true to this day, as demonstrated when Disney executives and Adam Sandler’s Waterboy joined forces to make the film adaption of Beloved a box office bomb. Regardless of how the American public feels about the movie, the novel is a gorgeous, vital, and absolutely timeless work. Beloved is one of the best ghost stories ever written (inspired by reports of a slave mother who killed her child rather than return her to slavery) partly because the Atlantic Slave Trade is teeming with boundless horrors to work with. The guts of American history distend with crimes committed against Black bodies, and Morrison tears them out for all to see. Intergenerational trauma, systemic torture, and fractured families occupy these fearsome pages, and I dare you to look away.

Beloved by Toni Morrison, (List Price: 28.99, Vintage, 9781400033416, June 2004)

Reviewed by Terrance Hudson, Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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You Stole My Name by Dennis Mcgregor

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You Stole My Name by Dennis Mcgregor
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Absolutely astoundingly gorgeous illustrations in this charming picture book that celebrates the natural world. A Kangaroo Rat meets a Kangaroo, a Spider Monkey greets a monkey; each of these mini poems and paintings celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of life on our planet and is a perfect gift for kids obsessed with animals.

You Stole My Name by Dennis Mcgregor, (List Price: 18.99, Blue Star Press, 9781941325988, August 2023)

Reviewed by Caleb Masters, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

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The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
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An August 2023 Read This Next! Book

In Pottstown, PA in 1972 a skeleton is found at the bottom of a old well. McBride takes us back more than four decades to tell the story of a community of Black and Jewish characters in the Chicken Hill neighborhood, along with the white characters who run the town (and march in the annual KKK parades.) It’s hard to think of a more compassionate writer than McBride. This story is captivating, funny, exciting and absolutely wonderful.

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride, (List Price: $28, Riverhead Books, 9780593422946, August 2023)

Reviewed by Christine Lavigna, Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina

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Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault

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Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault
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This graphic novel was such a delight to read. It acknowledges the importance of being able to see the many different make ups of family. Family is so much more than the people we are related to, it can be friends, community and sometimes we find it in the most unexpected places. I love how it shows that sometimes we are afraid of things we do not understand and once we take the step to look a little deeper our fear begins to diminish.

Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault, (List Price: 14.99, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 9781665903073, July 2023)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

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Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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In the end, and in the beginning, all we really have are our stories. In Ghost Boys, Jerome’s story, Sarah’s story, Grandma’s and Kim’s and Emmett’s stories are all one: The story that only the living can make the world better. This story, their story will haunt the reader long long long past the final page. Sure to be a winner this award season, Ghost Boys is an absolute must-read.

Ghost Boys by Jewel Parker Rhodes, (List Price: 7.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316262262, September 2019)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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All Alone with You by Amelia Diane Coombs

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All Alone with You by Amelia Diane Coombs
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This book was amazing and such a fun and relatable read. I love the character development and growth of Eloise throughout the book. Austin’s sunshine personality perfectly fits with Eloise’s anxious and sad character, giving us the best of both worlds. Overall, it was a fantastic book that I will definitely be rereading.

All Alone with You by Amelia Diane Coombs, (List Price: 19.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781534493575, July 2023)

Reviewed by Meredith Church, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress

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Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress
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Everything about Sirens & Muses is unapologetically alluring, designed to catch your eye. Four different voices give us a glimpse into a prestigious New England art school. Along with many spiraling ideas about art, class, attraction, and desire, I found it had so much to say about what truly drives people forward, and about coming home. A moody, wonderful read.

Sirens & Muses by Antonia Angress, (List Price: 18, Ballantine Books, 9780593496459, July 2023)

Reviewed by Emma Holland, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Good Fortune by C.K. Chau

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Good Fortune by C.K. Chau
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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

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Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

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Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
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A heartwarming rom-com full of hope! I fell in love wit Katherine Center’s writing with The Bodyguard. This book just cemented that. She has an amazing way of showing real life problems but filling the story with hope as well.

What would you do if you couldn’t see faces? Our sole way of recognizing people is by their face. Imagine losing that ability. This happens to Sadie after having what the doctor called a small surgery. Only problem is she wakes up unable to see faces. This effects her everyday life but her lively hood. Not being able to see faces for a portrait artist is not good at all. Sadie tries to work through life dealing with face blindness and her haunting past and her future. Is love truly blind? Sadie will soon find out just how important seeing other faces is.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center, (List Price: 29, St Martin’s, 9781250283788, July 2023)

Reviewed by Mandy Harris, Angel Wings Bookstore in Stem, North Carolina

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