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Rabbit Heart by Kristine S. Ervin

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Rabbit Heart by Kristine S. Ervin
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I could never anticipate how satisfying the ending of this story unfolded. Reading this reminded me of The Postcard by Anne Berest; jaw-dropping simplicity and sincerity directly from a person who survived a major trauma inflicted on their family as truth is revealed that you assume would be lost to the passage of time… Books like this give me hope that beauty can truly overcome even the direst of circumstances. How proud her mother would be of her for pulling together such a triumph of a book: to honor memories of the before, to allow space to heal, and to give voice and power back to those who deserve it.

Rabbit Heart by Kristine S. Ervin, (List Price: $27, Counterpoint, 9781640096370, March 2024)

Reviewed by Alissa Redmond, South Main Book Company in Salisbury, North Carolina

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The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn

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The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn
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This is a poignant about family and all the ways those closest to you can do the most harm. Jess knows her mother for who she is, a woman who deserted her family for a con artist recently met. One so infamous he is the subject of a popular podcast. Jess has first-hand experience with her Mother’s priorities and knows her daughters are low on the list. What Jess doesn’t know is that her sister Tegan, whom she has raised, is determined to find their Mother. So much so that she has been communicating with a podcast host who wants to tell the story. By the ways Tegan has been communicating as Jess, an adult. The pressure to keep Tegan safe and not destroy their relationship is a desperate struggle for a “surrogate Mother” who is really just a sister. An obnoxious and pushy podcast host is not a benefit to Jess, nor the host’s handsome and kind assistant. This is a sweet story of finding family through love.

The Other Side of DisappearingThe Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn, (List Price: $17.95, Kensington, 9781496737311, March 2024)

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

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Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura

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Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura
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A searing debut that deftly explores the effects of an unhealthy relationship between a predatory male writer and a young woman on the cusp of adulthood – I couldn’t stop reading it! The characters in this story are all too real, and post #MeToo we see Tatum grappling to understand her story and the abuse she suffered from the toxic man she viewed as her superior for far too long.

Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura, (List Price: $28, Celadon Books, 9781250882837, March 2024)

Reviewed by Maggie Robe, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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James by Percival Everett

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James by Percival Everett
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A necessary look into the life of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn‘s Jim, or James, told with Percival Everett’s unflinching, poetic, and entertaining prose. The story gives insight into the titular character’s perspective while also serving as a damning look at the deep-seated racial injustices of slavery and the way marginalized characters are portrayed in American fiction. The pages fly by, leading to a triumphant finale that is as impactful as anything I’ve read in years.

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

Reviewed by James Harrod, Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina

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Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura

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Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura
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Like Happiness is an incisive and blistering coming of age novel that emanates a quiet and methodical rage. Through Tatum, Ursula Villarreal-Moura explores power imbalance, hero worship, and emotional exploitation in a way that keeps the pages turning, while also grappling deftly with sexuality and race. A searing portrait of a young woman trying to understand herself and the older man who irrefutably tangles her identity with his.

Like Happiness by Ursula Villarreal-Moura, (List Price: 28, Celadon Books, 9781250882837, March 2024)

Reviewed by Gaby Iori, Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Ferris by Kate DiCamillo

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Ferris by Kate DiCamillo
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Ferris Wilkey’s summer is not relaxing. Her sister wants to be an outlaw and her grandmother starts seeing a ghost. Before the summer ends, an act of kindness will bring light and joy to her entire household and found family.

Ferris by Kate DiCamillo, (List Price: $18.99, Candlewick Press, 9781536231052, March 2024)

Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

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Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby
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Samantha Irby is a writer like no other. She has the ability to draw out all the hilarious moments of everyday life with charming self-deprecation and laugh-out-loud prose. The humor in her writing often disguises her brilliance — don’t be fooled — Samantha Irby is a genius.

Quietly HostileQuietly Hostile by Samantha Irby, (List Price: $17, Vintage, 9780593315699, May 2023)

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

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The Moorings of Mackerel Sky by MZ

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The Moorings of Mackerel Sky by MZ
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Oh my. This book is luminously beautiful. The storytelling, the mood-setting, the heartbreak, and the romance—it is simply perfect. I’m wandering around in a dreamy bubble after reading it nearly in one sitting.

The Moorings of Mackerel Sky by MZ, (List Price: $24.99, Disney Publishing Group, 9781368097260, February 2024)

Reviewed by Elisa Forshey, Givens Books & Little Dickens in Lynchburg, Virginia

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Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz

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Max in the House of Spies by Gidwitz, Adam
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Gidwitz has done it again, creating a tale – and a hero – full of humor and heart. You’ll laugh, cry, and cheer for Max as he takes on bullies, both big and small, from the schoolyard in London right back to where he started in Nazi Germany. But this time, he’s trained as a British spy…

Max in the House of Spies by Gidwitz, Adam, (List Price: $18.99, Dutton Books for Young Readers, 9780593112083, February 2024)

Reviewed by Maggie Robe, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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JoyFull by Radhi Devlukia-Shetty

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JoyFull by Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
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Notable for its emphasis on relatable, whole, plant-based foods, JoyFull steers clear of imitation replacements found in many vegan cookbooks. Complete with recommendations for wellness practices and daily habits, as well as thoughtful insights, JoyFull exudes sincere, earnest energy. It stands out in the cookbook landscape, offering more than just a collection of recipes–it also extends an invitation to approach cooking and meal prep with mindfulness, caring for our bodies in a loving and intentional manner. Highly recommended for readers of all diets, not just those favoring plant-based or vegan foods.

JoyFull by Radhi Devlukia-Shetty, (List Price: $35, S&S/Simon Element, 9781982199722, February 2024)

Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman

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The Magic All Around by Moorman, Jennifer
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This book is a delight for both intellect and emotion. The characters are sensitive and believable. Family relationships resemble those in Practical Magic, but are more focused on understanding one’s place in life. Each individual has a specific purpose and intent… life happens the way it was intended (eventually). Highly recommend!

The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman, (List Price: $17.99, Harper Muse, 9781400240487, January 2024)

Reviewed by Liz Perkins, Blinking Owl Books in Fort Myers, Florida

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This is How You Fall in Love by Anika Hussain

This is How You Fall in Love by Anika Hussain
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Zara and Adnan have always been the best of friends. But everyone from their parents to their classmates ships them relentlessly. But when Adnan posts an ill-advised, but vague photo on social media with his new girlfriend, Zara suddenly finds herself on a fake relationship with her best friend. Everyone is THRILLED….except for Zara.

This is How You Fall in LoveThis is How You Fall in Love by Anika Hussain, (List Price: $19.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9781547614509, February 2024)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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After Annie by Anna Quindlen

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After Annie by Quindlen, Anna
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Anna Quindlen doesn’t shy away from writing about difficult emotional topics, and After Annie is no exception. After Annie dies suddenly, her husband, daughter, and lifelong best friend struggle to figure out how to manage without her. Heartfelt, beautiful, and moving, Quindlen has created a beautiful story of loss and connection.

After Annie by Quindlen, Anna, (List Price: $30, Random House, 9780593229804, February 2024)

Reviewed by Lynne Phillips, Wordsworth Books in Little Rock, Arkansas

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I Love You So Much It’s Killing Us Both by Mariah Stovall

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I Love You So Much It's Killing Us Both by Mariah Stovall
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A beautiful punch in the gut like one from the mosh pit on a Saturday night. Mariah Stovall’s full-length debut sweeps her readers into the tender yet vicious embrace of teenage friendship and meditates on putting on your own life jacket before trying to help others. Stovall reveals connections and personal history slowly, moving between past, present, and future, all woven through with the heroes of post-hardcore, punk, and emo. This novel bears a re-read to untangle the ways that music and fiction intertwine.

I Love You So Much It’s Killing Us Both by Mariah Stovall, (List Price: $28, Soft Skull, 9781593767600, 2024-02-13)

Reviewed by Mikey LaFave, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

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Medea by Eilish Quin

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Medea by Eilish Quin
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There have been a lot of Greek mythology retellings in the past few years. But this one is something different, humanizing a character who’s often seen as a villain. Born to an abusive father, Medea grows up the black sheep of the family and teaches herself witchcraft in secret. When Jason and the Argonauts arrive in her homeland for the Golden Fleece, they only do so through her help. She joins them when they leave in order to escape her toxic father but gets no happy ending. Exciting, raw, and told by a powerful antiheroine.

Medea by Eilish Quin, (List Price: $27.99, Atria Books, 9781668020760, February 2024)

Reviewed by Daniel Tyler, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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