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Electric Shamans at the Festival of the Sun by Mónica Ojeda

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Electric Shamans at the Festival of the Sun by Mónica Ojeda
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Electric Shamans at the Festival of the Sun is hard to describe. Ostensibly, it follows two young women fleeing their home in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to attend a week-long experimental noise festival held at the foot of an active volcano. Their experience is strange, frightening, and revelatory. But this book is so much more than a bad trip. Ojeda’s writing forces emotion on you. It’s brutal, and beautiful, it contorts your brain into a shape you didn’t know it could fit into. As the story progresses, the lines between reader and character blur, and you become part of the noise, the fear, the feeling, the cruelty, the obliteration.

Electric Shamans at the Festival of the Sun by Mónica Ojeda, (List Price: $20, Coffee House Press, 9781566897556, May 2026)

Reviewed by Charlie, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA

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The Night Trembles by Nadia Terranova

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The Night Trembles by Nadia Terranova
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Beautifully written and haunting, with hints of magical realism. This short novel left a major impression on me and sent me down a rabbit hole trying to find out more about the 1908 earthquake.

The Night Trembles by Nadia Terranova, (List Price: $26.95, Seven Stories Press, 9781644214091, May 2025)

Reviewed by Gaelan, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC

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Mount Verity by Therese Bohman

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Mount Verity by Therese Bohman
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I loved how this book unfolded, and reading it made me realize why I love a short novel. Therese Bohman (and translator Marlaine Delargy) use their words wisely, with sharp insights on the meaning of life, art, and beauty. The plot got me sucked in, and while the book returns to the inciting event (missing child), the story is really more character-driven. I could’ve spent so much more time with Hanna, but the ending was near perfection.

Mount Verity by Therese Bohman, (List Price: $17.99, Other Press, 9781635425666, April 2026)

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

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Scandal of the Summer by Alexandra Vasti

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Scandal of the Summer by Alexandra Vasti
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This was good, but I was sort of expecting more. I love a good Regency romance, especially with a pirate, but the pacing felt a little bit off for me. At the beginning of the characters were very wary of each other, and then all of a sudden they were very loving towards each other, which, if this is a slow burn, then that shouldn’t be happening, but unfortunately it did. That being said, I did love the way Archer defended Ruby with all of his heart and wanted to make sure she was safe the whole time. Now that is a man! The absolute yearning this man had for her kept me on my toes. I absolutely love that man. Also, the way I could so relate to Ruby and how she doesn’t feel seen and feels a little bit odd, especially with social ton. Trust girl, I get it. But when she loves deeply and loves so fiercely, you can clearly tell that she means it. And I love the way she was able to defend Archer and herself as the story moves along.

Scandal of the Summer by Alexandra Vasti, (List Price: $19, St. Martin’s Griffin, 9781250414250, June 2026)

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

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Dèy by Edwidge Danticat

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Dèy by Edwidge Danticat
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Edwidge Danticat is brilliant – again. In Dèy she explores the impacts of violence on families in Miami and Haiti, the evolution and changeable meaning of home, and the grounding and healing power of family. I am stunned and moved by her ability to powerfully describe moments of beautiful stillness in the middle of swirling chaos.

Dèy by Edwidge Danticat, (List Price: $30, Knopf, 9780593803523, August 2026)

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

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Dèy by Edwidge Danticat

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Dèy by Edwidge Danticat
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Taking its title from the Haitian Kreyòl word for mourning, Dèy is a life-affirming novel about not only the fragility of existence, but also the value of love and family. After escaping unscathed from a mass shooting at her local mall, Haitian American real estate agent Magnolia chooses not to tell anyone about her traumatic experience. Instead, she reflects on her relationships with those closest to her – her daughter, her estranged partner, and her aging and increasingly unwell parents – while becoming ever more fixated on news of the shooting and its victims. Understated and quietly powerful, Dèy is a profoundly moving reminder to cherish life, family and home.

Dèy by Edwidge Danticat, (List Price: $30, Knopf, 9780593803523, August 2026)

Reviewed by Jude, Square Books in Oxford, MS

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Scandal of the Summer by Alexandra Vasti

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Scandal of the Summer by Alexandra Vasti
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This spicy slow-burn historical romance between Ruby, a brilliant and eccentric heiress, and Archer, an accomplished privateer turned con man, is hilarious, heartwarming, hope-filled, and HOT (y’all, there are TWO special interest-based love scenes, and they are *INCREDIBLE*)!! I love this book and these characters with my whole heart, and I desperately need all of you to read it, because brilliant stories are meant to be shared, and this is one of the very best books I’ve ever read!

Scandal of the Summer by Alexandra Vasti, (List Price: $19, St. Martin’s Griffin, 9781250414250, June 2026)

Reviewed by Lucy, Blinking Owl Books in Fort Myers, FL

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Under the Falls by Richard Russo

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Under the Falls by Richard Russo
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A coming home story with both tragic and redeeming qualities. Tyler Sinclair, rock star, is scheduled to return to his hometown of Stone Mountain for a charity concert. Tyler left 18 years earlier without a word to anyone, not even his best friend Curt. When the concert does not go as planned, we find that his apprehension in returning is warranted, but he cannot begin to comprehend how much devastation he has left in his wake.

Under the Falls by Richard Russo, (List Price: $30, Knopf, 9780593805107, August 2026)

Reviewed by Kathy, Sundog Books in Santa Rosa Beach, FL

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How We Disappear by Thomas S. Mullaney

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How We Disappear by Thomas S. Mullaney
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While reading How We Disappear, I saw a post that said, “You don’t need to wash your water bottle or your bed sheets or anything. Everything will eventually become clean because of a great big fire.” In a weird and funny way, it connects to one of the book’s main ideas: everything we make, use, and value will eventually disappear. The book blends technology, history, biology, photography, and archival science with personal reflections about the author’s late father. By “archiving” his father’s life through the objects left in his bedroom, the author explores how memories are preserved and how they are fragile pieces of (mis)information. It encouraged me to think about what people leave behind and whether our attempts to preserve ourselves actually work.

How We Disappear by Thomas S. Mullaney, (List Price: $26.99, W. W. Norton & Company, 9781324020783, June 2026)

Reviewed by Chloe, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Ghost in the Night by Tiffany D. Jackson

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Ghost in the Night by Tiffany D. Jackson
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Harmony is sure ghosts are real. When she travels with her musician dad, she always goes on ghost tours in each town. When they settle in Savannah for the summer, she’s sure she sees a ghost. Soon her new friends are helping her solve a mystery of the potential ghost, an unsolved murder, and a missing person. This is a great action-packed mystery.

Ghost in the Night by Tiffany D. Jackson, (List Price: $18.99, Scholastic Press, 9798225017477, August 2026)

Reviewed by Rae Ann, Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN

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To Drown a Witch by Lindsey Olsson

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To Drown a Witch by Lindsey Olsson
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I LOVED this!! There were so many twists and turns that I absolutely wasn’t expecting. It was the perfect combination of These Violent Delights, Heartless Hunter, and Red Queen. I literally finished this book like five minutes ago, so I don’t have the words to describe exactly how I’m feeling, but just know there were multiple audible reactions from me while reading the last 30ish pages, and I need more people to read this immediately so I have someone to talk to about it.

To Drown a Witch by Lindsey Olsson, (List Price: $20.99, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 9798217004799, July 2026)

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

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The Half Life by Rachel Beanland

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The Half Life by Rachel Beanland
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A fascinating look at the American Navy officers and their spouses stationed in La Maddalena, Italy in the early 1970s. Eileen navigates her new life in Italy as a newlywed and a Navy wife, while also immersing herself in the Italian town with the locals. And when she finds herself attracted to local journalist Teo, her life gets pulled in different directions. An engrossing story that was extremely well-researched. Definitely looking forward to recommending this to customers this summer!

The Half Life by Rachel Beanland, (List Price: $30, Simon & Schuster, 9781668069134, July 2026)

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

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Story Rug by Sophie Blackall

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Story Rug by Sophie Blackall
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This book celebrates big ideas: community, school, team projects. But it also celebrates the unique qualities of the individual. Love it! And of course the illustrations are beautiful.

Story Rug by Sophie Blackall, (List Price: $18.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316535380, July 2026)

Reviewed by Wilson, novel. in Memphis, Tennessee

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Air by Christian Kracht

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Air by Christian Kracht
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There are two things that drive my will to exist: studying spaces and having dreams that introduce me to new places. “Air” managed to fulfill both of these needs through a void of color in both its plotline and its world building (and I mean that with high praise believe it or not). While I don’t believe this book is for everyone, it was certainly for me.

Air by Christian Kracht, (List Price: $24.99, Liveright, 9781324094586, July 2026)

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

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Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson

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Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson
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This was such a fun read with great characters and unexpected suspense along the way! Highly recommend to anyone who appreciates Pride and Prejudice, but is looking for a creative take on a modern love story.

Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson, (List Price: $18.99, Sourcebooks Landmark, 9781464264764, July 2026)

Reviewed by Kelly, WordsWorth Books in Little Rock, Arkansas

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