Pearl’s Books

Tell It to Me Singing by Tita Ramirez

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Tell It to Me Singing by Tita Ramirez
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A family drama that centers on a mother’s secret, this novel is honeyed with warmth, truth, and the secrets that–once revealed–eventually bring us closer together. Author Tita Ramirez weaves back and forth between a mother’s and daughter’s voices, illustrating each of the characters’ deep hunger for a meaningful life. This book flew by for me, my heart racing along with Monica’s as she figured out what it meant to choose herself, even if it made the people around her uncomfortable or unhappy. A beautiful book about finding happiness, no matter our paths.

Tell It to Me Singing by Tita Ramirez, (List Price: $28.99, S&S / Marysue Rucci Books, 9781982157319, July 2024)

Reviewed by Julia Paganelli Marin, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas

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I’ve Tried Being Nice: Essay by Ann Leary

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I've Tried Being Nice: Essay by Ann Leary
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Breezy and funny but thought-provoking too. An essay collection may not seem like the most obvious beach read, but this delightful little book is the perfect thing for the beach, or the plane, or the car this summer. Anne Leary brings her unique humor to topics we will all find familiar. She opens herself and her family up just enough to remind us that we are all facing the same daily joys and absurdities and challenges. She’s like a friend over coffee or a college roommate on the phone decades later—you’re never sure where the conversation will go next, but you’re glad to be along for the ride.

I’ve Tried Being Nice: Essay by Ann Leary, (List Price: $28.99, Marysue Rucci Books, 9781982120344, June 2024)

Reviewed by Amanda Grell, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas

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Above Ground by Clint Smith

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Above Ground by Clint Smith
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Clint Smith’s latest collection of poems is so good. I love how he intersperses poems about his first child with poems about the state of America as a whole. His voice is soft and sharp at the same time, and works so well in both settings.

Above Ground by Clint Smith, (List Price: 27, Little, Brown and Company, 9780316543033, March 2023)

Reviewed by Daniel Jordan, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas

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Rouge by Mona Awad

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Rouge by Mona Awad
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A September 2023 Read This Next Book!

Reading this book felt a lot like moving through a dream. The surreal horror and red-soaked imagery stuck with me long after finishing the book. Mona Awad does an excellent job making commentary on beauty standards and the beauty industry in a very unique way. Plus, Tom Cruise!

Rouge by Mona Awad, (List Price: 28, S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books, 9781982169695, September 2023)

Reviewed by Hallee Israel, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas

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Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

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Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
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An August 2023 Read This Next! Book

In a debut as profound as it is strange, Emily Habek explores what happens when a newlywed couple is split apart by a strange mutation–one of them is turning rapidly, limb by fin, into a great white shark. With imagination and heart, Habek startles the reader awake with the questions we all have living in us: can I survive loss in my life? How do I remain open when I am suffering? What does it mean to learn myself again?

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck, (List Price: 28, S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books, 9781668006498, August 2023)

Reviewed by Julia Paganelli Marin, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas

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How to Say Goodbye by Wendy MacNaughton

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How to Say Goodbye by Wendy MacNaughton
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This is a beautiful little book. It is partly a helpful guide for folks going through losing a loved one, partly a meditation on how to live. Her drawings are simultaneously simple, emotional, and direct. Words are used sparingly, which lends them more value and meaning. I will keep this book, and buy multiple copies to give away to friends and family. The resource guide in the back is also extremely helpful!

How to Say Goodbye by Wendy MacNaughton, (List Price: 28, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781639730858, July 2023)

Reviewed by Daniel Jordan, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas

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