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What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli

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What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli
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I absolutely loved this book. Becky Albertalli is one of my favorite authors and never disappoints, and this was no different. I also am now ready to go read literally every Adam Silvera book because I’m obviously missing out! This book made me laugh, and cry, and smile nonstop. I especially love the fact that Becky always plugs in references to Atlanta because that’s where she was from, and I am also from there, so it’s super cool reading about places that I regularly go to. I also appreciated that the parts of the book are named after “Only Us” from Dear Evan Hansen, because that’s my favorite Broadway show and one of my favorite songs from it. I am so excited to start telling people about this book and for it to come out so I can talk about it with people!

What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli, (List Price: $12.99, HarperTeen, 9780062795236, May 2020)

Reviewed by Emily, Read It Again Bookstore in Suwanee, Georgia

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John of John by Douglas Stuart

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John of John by Douglas Stuart
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In the weeks since I finished John of John, I keep thinking back to the experience as if I actually traveled to the Western Isles of Scotland, stayed in a croft on the water, gossiped and cried with all the inhabitants of this island–except I didn’t do any of those things, that’s just the power of Douglas Stuart. John of John isn’t a book you read inasmuch as you live it, achingly real and vulnerable. I loved it.

John of John by Douglas Stuart, (List Price: $28, Grove Press, 9780802167194, May 2026)

Reviewed by Lindsay, Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN

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Should the Waters Take Us by Stephanie Soileau

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Should the Waters Take Us by Stephanie Soileau
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There are not many stories about the people and the place I am from, but Stephanie Soileau delivers a novel so close to home that I had to put it down multiple times to catch my breath. Should the Waters Take Us captures such a particular experience growing up in the forgotten places of rural South Louisiana. That is, until a disaster strikes–be it a devastating oil spill or a catastrophic hurricane. But in between these headlines, life moves on in these places. Families plant generational roots and are tied to the land and water for their livelihoods because it’s all they know. It’s hard to talk about this book without getting personal. Soileau has given me a book that is three o’clock coffee milk at my grandparents’ house; it’s trying to eavesdrop on their conversations but they keep slipping into French so that I can’t understand; it’s Zydeco and SwampPop on the radio in the backyard during a crawfish boil; it’s 14 on and 7 off of so many people I knew on oil rigs in the Gulf; it’s blue tarps and days of clean up after another hurricane; it’s gumbo and fishing camps and family and all the beautiful, messy bits of our culture. It is a brilliant novel!

Should the Waters Take Us by Stephanie Soileau, (List Price: $30, Doubleday, 9780385551786, July 2026)

Reviewed by Kelsey, Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, FL

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Man Overboard! by Kathleen Rooney

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Man Overboard! by Kathleen Rooney
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This is a book you can easily read in one sitting, and I did, because I needed to know what would happen to Kick and what had caused him to find himself floating in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Told as a stream of consciousness, we get to float alongside Patrick “Kick” Kilpatrick for almost twenty-four hours as he reflects on his life, takes in the world around him, and has hallucinations in which he converses with sea creatures. You end up feeling very close to this man, and I found myself hoping for a happy ending because I genuinely liked him. But I won’t tell you what happens, because that would ruin the journey for you. A feel-good book, in my opinion. An easy read that glues you to the page from the very first sentence.

Man Overboard! by Kathleen Rooney, (List Price: $27, Gallery Books, 9781668212387, July 2026)

Reviewed by Erika, Righton Books in St Simons Island, GA

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In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto

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In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto
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A super swoony and sexy romance between two rival meteorologists, plus best friend’s brother? Say less! Quincy and Sebastian have antagonized each other for years, but when Sebastian is back in town for the summer and hurricane season, sparks really fly! If you love banter and rivals to lovers, In In Stormy Weather is the perfect summer romance for you!

In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto, (List Price: $19, Atria Books, 9781668217436, July 2026)

Reviewed by Claire, River & Hill Books in Rome, GA

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Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst

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Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst
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MY HEARRRRRT!! Oh my stars, Sarah Beth Durst is a treasure, and her writing is always fresh and captivating. The Crescent Islands are a true retreat from the chaos of the world, and the world she’s made is one of my favorites of all time.

Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst, (List Price: $29.99, Bramble, 9781250400673, July 2026)

Reviewed by Liz, Columbus Bound Book Shop in Columbus, Georgia

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The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager

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The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager
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Meandering and claustrophobic, you will be lost in more ways than one along with Professor Beck and his crew. Caro’s dark past hangs over her head as horribly as it hollows her out– and yet the others on the expedition allude to some less than savory backgrounds themselves. Do we deserve retribution for our sins? Or are the divine’s motives just as sordid as our own?

The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager, (List Price: $19.99, Run For It, 9780316588010, July 2026)

Reviewed by Lana, E. Shaver, Booksellers in Savannah, Georgia

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Sea Melt Lover by Yuki Kazami

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Sea Melt Lover by Yuki Kazami
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Incredibly beautiful art. I hope the tiger man got eaten by the Good Boy eels.

Sea Melt Lover by Yuki Kazami, (List Price: $15.99, Seven Seas, 9798897651412, June 2026)

Reviewed by Meagan, Righton Books in St Simons Island, GA

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Cloudthief by Nathaniel Rich

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Cloudthief by Nathaniel Rich
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Rebecca Solnit argues that the climate crisis is, in part, a “storytelling crisis,” with a lack of compelling fiction to present paths for action in the face of the looming crisis. Rich, author of one of the best nonfiction books on the history of climate change and the political reaction to it (Losing Earth), has delivered the fictional follow-up we need – subtle yet moving, bizarre yet brilliant. Set in the near future, a rudderless journalist discovers Virginia, an off-grid idealist living in a storage facility. This meeting is the launchpad for an odd-couple heist that presents the evils of Big Data folded into a truly bizarre caper, which gets darker and darker as the tale unfolds.

Cloudthief by Nathaniel Rich, (List Price: $28, MCD, 9780374619794, July 2026)

Reviewed by Doron, Octavia Books in New Orleans, LA

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The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie

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The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie
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I’ll tell you a secret: some of the best slasher films and stories are whodunits. Think Scream, The Prowler, Psycho , etc. Craig Dilouie understands it and works it from a new angle. “What,” he asks, “if the slasher story was told from the perspective of the skeptical cop who arrives too late to save the day?” And that’s how we get The Summer Fun Massacre. This is a fun one, a guaranteed darker beach read. I read it all in one sitting, and you’re sure to do it, too.

The Summer Fun Massacre by Craig DiLouie, (List Price: $19.99, Run For It, 9780316578240, June 2026)

Reviewed by Rowan Rodriguez, Books & Books in Coral Gables, FL

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The Lost Voices of Pompeii by Dr. Jess Venner

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The Lost Voices of Pompeii by Dr. Jess Venner
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The Lost Voices of Pompeii is time travel at its finest. Expertly researched and artfully written, Dr. Venner places you directly inside a living, breathing Pompeii. It’s intimately human yet wholeheartedly driven by fact. Honestly, the way I’ve been describing this book to my friends (none of whom were spared) isn’t nearly as eloquent…. “It’s like you’re an invisible hitchhiker, piggy-back riding around Pompeii in 79 CE.” Still, I stand by this evaluation. Knowing Dr. Venner’s particular expertise in ancient gardening, I expected her to include vibrantly detailed descriptions of the gardens and the city layout. However, I was not expecting the mouth-watering culinary moments. (I had to put this book down at one point, because I was stuck on a plane and growing far too hungry). In all seriousness, I am so thrilled to have picked up The Lost Voices of Pompeii. It is fun, informative, and an incredibly special read.

The Lost Voices of Pompeii by Dr. Jess Venner, (List Price: $30, William Morrow, 9780063460614, May 2026)

Reviewed by Caroline, Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana

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Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero by Erin Entrada Kelly

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Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero by Erin Entrada Kelly
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A little bit Holes, a little bit Hunger Games, a little bit Minecraft. Sofia’s parents send her to a dystopian camp straight out of her favorite video game, Sandbox. At first, this seems like a great thing, especially the 1 million in-game credits that she has the chance to win at the end of camp! But things quickly turn dark as mechanical vultures begin snatching up campers and a terrifying game master pits the campers against one another. Sofia is a complex character, and things are not at all what they seem. This series opener will definitely leave you wondering what the next volume of the series has in store!

Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero by Erin Entrada Kelly, (List Price: $14.99, Stonefruit Studio, 9781464241048, July 2026)

Reviewed by Amanda, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, AR

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Coming Out Perfect #1: A Graphic Novel by Richard Mercado

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Coming Out Perfect #1: A Graphic Novel by Richard Mercado
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I absolutely adored reading this book. The art style is cartoony and so expressive that it fits the story’s tone perfectly. There are so many relatable moments in this story as an LGBTQ person that touched my heart and made me feel seen, even as an adult. This book will help so many people feel understood in so many different ways. I cannot wait for the second book to come out as this story has captured my heart with these characters and themes of family, friends, acceptance, and Philippine culture.

Coming Out Perfect #1: A Graphic Novel by Richard Mercado, (List Price: $16.99, Graphix, 9781339001593, July 2026)

Reviewed by Chloe, E. Shaver, Booksellers in Savannah, Georgia

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At the Edge of the Woods by Kathryn Bromwich

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At the Edge of the Woods by Kathryn Bromwich
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I found this book to be fascinating. It’s told in three parts, and in all of them, our main character is a vastly different person. We get to see the world and everyone else through her eyes, and wow, do they change an alter, even on a minute-to-minute basis. She stays consistent in her love of nature, but that’s about it. Thrilling, chilling, confusing? And so so fun. I loved this book.

At the Edge of the Woods by Kathryn Bromwich, (List Price: $17.95, Two Dollar Radio, 9781953387615, June 2026)

Reviewed by Creed, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

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All That’s Unseen by Emilee Hackney

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All That's Unseen by Emilee Hackney
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I absolutely loved this memoir. Hackney digs into the real grit of her upbringing with a loving thoughtfulness no outsider could ever hope to capture. As someone with a similar background, I think this kind of honest reckoning is necessary for us to ever move forward.

All That’s Unseen by Emilee Hackney, (List Price: $32, Penguin Press, 9780593831403, July 2026)

Reviewed by Brooke, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, NC

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