The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

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Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle

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Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle
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Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle is an epic saga romance between two people who have been it for each other since they were young, but things have never been right. Two people with very different approaches to love, screenwriter Molly and divorce lawyer Seth, kept me turning page after page in this steamy second-chance romance with snappy dialog. It might be my favorite read this month and for sure is to be one everyone is talking about this summer!

Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle, (List Price: $28.99, Flatiron Books, 9781250328090, June 2024)

Reviewed by Preet Singh, Eagle Eye Book Shop in Chapel Hill, Georgia

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Swift River by Essie Chambers

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Swift River by Essie Chambers
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Swift River is one of those books that will take me a while to process and digest. The characters and setting are both so complex and richly written. Reading Swift River is akin to being transported to another time and place, into another person’s perspective. Swift River is such an emotional story, effortlessly intermingling American history with one young woman’s personal history. You will fall in love with Diamond and find yourself rooting for her! You’ll also find yourself turning the pages, eager to find answers. Highly recommend Swift River!

Swift River by Essie Chambers, (List Price: $27.99, Simon & Schuster, 9781668027912, June 2024)

Reviewed by Emily Lessig, The Violet Fox Bookshop in Winston-Salem, Virginia

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A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi

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A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi
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Virginie Grimaldi’s A Good Life was just what I needed at the beginning of the year. At first glance, you might think that this book won’t rip your heart out, but I can tell you that it absolutely does! Themes of grief, mental health, sisterhood, and family converge in gorgeous prose to create a story that feels familiar. Emma and Agathe’s deep love for each other will tug at the heartstrings of any girl who grew up with a sister. It is often time the everyday intricacies and complexities of life that can move us. These two ordinary women become extraordinary through their bond. Fans of Valerie Perrin here in the States are going to LOVE this novel!

A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi, (List Price: $28, Europa Editions, 9798889660248, June 2024)

Reviewed by Kelsey Jagneaux, Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, Florida

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Fire Exit by Morgan Talty

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Fire Exit by Morgan Talty
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Morgan Talty’s debut novel Fire Exit has an unmistakable pace that leaves you as unsettled as the main character, Charles Lamosway. This story about grief and mental illness is woven around struggles to understand family, both biological and nurtured. Brilliantly written, Fire Exit bears witness to what a birthright and culture mean when you were denied what felt like home.

Fire Exit by Morgan Talty, (List Price: $28.95, Tin House Books, 9781959030553, June 2024)

Reviewed by Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

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Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall

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Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall
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This is a compelling book that will do absolutely nothing to affirm any faith in corporate America. Anna, not really best friend material, is hiding more than you can imagine. Perhaps inspired by actual events, the behind-the-scenes events are all too believable. The current AI landscape gives the plot even more relevance. Plan to be enthralled from the start at what happens when unbridled ambition and forward-looking science collide.

Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall, (List Price: $17.95, SparkPress, 9781684632527, June 2024)

Reviewed by Jackie Willey, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

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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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Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

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Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
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I didn’t think it was possible to read a book and feel both completely hopeless and hopeful at the end but leave it up to Octavia Butler to write the impossible.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler, (List Price: $16.99, Grand Central Publishing, 9781538732182, April 2019)

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

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April May June July by Alison B. Hart

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April May June July by Alison B. Hart
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I have never read a book quite like this. This close family of six is like any other family until tragedy strikes when their father disappears in the Middle East with no trace. So many times, tragedy can rip a family apart, and so this family comes apart. The CIA gets involved, and people are actively trying to find their beloved father, but time passes and he is not found. Years later one of the daughters is getting married and wants her family involved. Her mom tries to help out to no avail. Life has taken each of the four siblings on a ride, and they are caught up in their own drama. What will unravel the negativity they have for each other? Is their dad alive? How can they go on without knowing? This thriller is like no other I have ever read. You will love it.

April May June July by Alison B. Hart, (List Price: $28.99, Graydon House, 9781525804274, May 2024)

Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron

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Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron
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Kalynn Bayron has done it again. Full disclosure, I love her work and have read everything she has published, and it feels really good to be able to continue to recommend her books to readers again and again. Sleep Like Death is another creative and fun twist on a classic story. I couldn’t wait to turn each page and longed to dive back into the world Kalynn had built after I finished the last one

Sleep Like Death by Kalynn Bayron, (List Price: $19.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9781547609765, June 2024)

Reviewed by Rayna Nielsen, Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, Louisiana

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The New Girl by Cassandra Calin

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The New Girl by Cassandra Calin
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The New Girl is a delightfully funny story about change, perseverance, and embracing those who are different than us. I absolutely fell in love with the adorable pictures and loveable characters. This was so much fun to read, and I highly recommend diving into it!

The New Girl by Cassandra Calin, (List Price: $12.99, Graphix, 9781338762457, June 2024)

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

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The Manicurist’s Daughter by Susan Lieu

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The Manicurist's Daughter by Susan Lieu
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Lieu raises the bar, taking a complex immigrant story from interesting, past compelling to unput-downable gut-level honesty. Her journey to come to terms with her mother’s death is complicated by cultural patterns, emotional barriers, generational trauma, and her own mental health. She is unstinting in her portrayals of family and herself. Prepare to rethink what you know about families and trauma.

The Manicurist’s Daughter by Susan Lieu, (List Price: $30, Celadon Books, 9781250835048, March 2024)

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

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Bright and Tender Dark by Joanna Pearson

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Bright and Tender Dark by Joanna Pearson
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Karlie was a beautiful and well-liked college student, so who would want to kill her? The book is set in two time frames, 1999, when the crime occurred, and 2019 when the case is reinvestigated by Karlie’s ex-roommate, Joy. Bright and Tender Dark leads the reader into the world of true crime and its ability to both explore and exploit cases for the benefit of its followers. Although a man has been convicted of the crime, Joy doggedly exhumes information that leads her in another direction and nearly upends her life. This is a multifaceted mystery with an array of compelling secondary characters, a college town setting, an evangelical student group, and the ghost of the victim. In other words, a thoroughly absorbing read that will both engage and intrigue you.

Bright and Tender Dark by Joanna Pearson, (List Price: $28.99, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781639732890, June 2024)

Reviewed by Mary Jane Michels, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

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James by Percival Everett

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James by Percival Everett
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This reimagining of Mark Twain’s classic tale takes you on a journey unlike any other. Forced into a life of slavery, Jim makes a daring escape, navigating a treacherous path down the Mississippi River. Along the way, he forms an unlikely bond with Huck Finn, a young boy grappling with his own ideas of right and wrong. Together, they encounter a cast of colorful characters, some helpful, some not so much. But Jim’s unwavering determination to reunite with his wife and children fuels his every step. Prepare to be enthralled by twists and turns. This powerful story explores themes of friendship, courage, and the enduring power of the human spirit in the fight for freedom

James by Percival Everett, (List Price: $28, Doubleday, 9780385550369, March 2024)

Reviewed by Kimberly Todd, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall

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A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall
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Somehow comforting and aching all at once, this book feels like a hug from a long-distance best friend. Cozy love stories and gentle friendships twine between the mystery of a past tragedy and the thrum of impending adventure to come. Though the pacing and epistolary style may not be for everybody, the lush, fantastical underwater world this book introduces is worth every minute spent reading. If you’re an audiobook listener, tune in to this one for an excellent full cast that all fully embody the voice and personality of their characters.

A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall, (List Price: $18.99, Orbit, 9780316565530, April 2024)

Reviewed by Izzy Bell, Birch Tree Bookstore in Leesburg, Virginia

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Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi

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Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi
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Little Shrew is a quiet and sweet story of life and friends told in three chapters. Its quietness makes it a great bedtime story or a lovely moment to sit and ponder.

Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi, (List Price: $19.99, Kids Can Press, 9781525313035, June 2024)

Reviewed by Judith Lafitte, Octavia Books in New Orleans, Louisiana

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