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The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey

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The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey
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In the same way Joanna Cannon’s The Trouble with Sheep and Goats left me captivated and shaken to my core, this coming-of-age tale touched me deeply. While set around the Yorkshire murders in the late 1970s, it is a tale for our times. What two preteens find when they begin to observe carefully is a world more complex and frightening. Revealing the power of friendships and the hidden stories around us with spot-on emotional resonance, this is a book to be swept up in and to reflect on.

The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey, (List Price: $17.99, Sourcebooks Landmark, 9781464249051, December 2025)

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

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Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

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Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
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This groundbreaking young adult thriller follows Daunis Fontaine, a biracial Ojibwe girl caught between two cultures, two identities, and two different paths for her future. But when tragedy strikes too close to home, Daunis finds herself thrust into the crosshairs of a criminal investigation that threatens to tear her whole community apart. I was completely enveloped by this incredible debut, and if I could put a copy into every single customer’s hands, I absolutely would.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley, (List Price: $14.99, Square Fish, 9781250866035, April 2023)

Reviewed by Rebecca Speas, One More Page Books in Arlington, Virginia

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Queen Esther by John Irving

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Queen Esther by John Irving
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Queen Esther is the new historical novel by one of America’s most beloved authors, John Irving. The story takes the reader on a journey from New England to Europe and Jerusalem through the backdrop of World War II, the Vietnam War era, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Much of the focus of this novel is on the role that history plays in shaping lives and identities. Queen Esther is a sweeping, multigenerational and multicultural novel full if memorable characters.

Queen Esther by John Irving, (List Price: $30, Simon & Schuster, 9781501189449, November 2025)

Reviewed by Karen Dugger, Righton Books in Saint Simons Island, Georgia

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Dog Show: Poems by Billy Collins

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Dog Show: Poems by Billy Collins
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The poetry of Billy Collins never disappoints! A must read this holiday season. Even though I’m a cat person, I couldn’t put this book down. Readers will savor each and every poem along with the dog illustrations by Pamela Sztybel. A joyful read about man’s best friend.

Dog Show: Poems by Billy Collins, (List Price: $20, Random House, 9780593979419, November 2025)

Reviewed by Sheri Bancroft, novel. in Memphis, Tennessee

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The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

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The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson
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Jackson really gets better with every book! I was hooked from page one on this updated version of Carrie, and I think Stephen King would be proud to have inspired this. Maddy is biracial and outcast from her peers and miserable at home with her abusive father. Racial tensions dividing the town of Springville come to a head on prom night, and the results are…explosive. Do not miss this amazing YA thriller!

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson, (List Price: $15.95, Quill Tree Books, 9780063029156, September 2023)

Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai

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The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai
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I’m now on the last 100 pages, and I find myself slowing down because I do not want it to end and dogearing nearly every other page because the writing is so astounding. The characters, the worlds they inhabit in Vermont, New York, and India, and the cultural and family dynamics are written with such depth and humanity. Kiran Desai has created another masterpiece!

The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai, (List Price: $32, Hogarth, 9780307700155, September 2025)

Reviewed by Alsace Walentine, Tombolo Books in St Petersburg, Florida

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The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell

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The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell
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A little bit historical fiction, a little magical realism, and throw in some grief for good measure, and you’ve got The White Octopus Hotel. If you enjoyed The Ministry of Time last year, this is the book for you.

The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell, (List Price: $19, Del Rey, 9798217091799, October 2025)

Reviewed by Claire McWhorter, River & Hill Books in Rome, Georgia

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Paper Girl by Beth Macy

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Paper Girl by Beth Macy
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In Paper Girl, Beth Macy peels back the layers of her hometown to explore the forces shaping communities across the country–issues like the mental health crisis, access to education, and the rise of misinformation and conspiracy thinking. With her signature compassion, she asks how we got here and how we can begin to reconnect with the people and places that that feel so far away? This feels like her most personal book yet, full of care for both subject and reader.

Paper Girl by Beth Macy, (List Price: $3200, Penguin Press, 9780593656730, October 2025)

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

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Final Cut by Olivia Worley

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Final Cut by Olivia Worley
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I LOVE Louisiana-set stories when the author knows things about Louisiana, and I especially love them when the author is from Louisiana. This YA thriller is wonderfully done from setting to plot. Oliva does a wonderful job at the misdirection, and I truly had no clue who the murderer was until it was revealed. This is a top-tier YA thriller that anyone should pick up!

Final Cut by Olivia Worley, (List Price: $21, Wednesday Books, 9781250392985, October 2025)

Reviewed by sarah dimaria, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Fake Skating by Lynn Painter

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Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
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If you love a good “fake dating” story, you’ll be completely swept away by this charming new romance. Dani and Alec were inseparable as kids, but when Dani returns to her Minnesota hometown, she finds the nerdy boy she remembers has been replaced by the town’s hockey star. When they are forced to pretend to be a couple, their complicated charade leads to some truly swoon-worthy moments. This book perfectly captures the awkwardness and excitement of first love, proving that even in a town where hockey is king, a little romance can still take center ice.

Fake Skating by Lynn Painter, (List Price: $21.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665921268, September 2025)

Reviewed by Kimberly Todd, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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House of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk

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House of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk
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House of Day, House of Night is a reversal of a common narrative structure; here, the setting, the rural Polish town of Nowa Ruda, is the main character, and the townsfolk are the setting within which the town’s legacy is formed. Each story fragment contributes to the never-ending cycle of life and death, of dreams and waking — from an old lady next door with elusive platitudes, to a gender-dysphoric monk on a journey to canonize a saint, to a knifemaking cult that worships the process of decay. Tokarczuk’s brilliant prose highlights the struggles of returning to a post-World War Poland, of feeling like a stranger in your own home, of sensing the ceaseless draw of entropy. Universal and bittersweet, this novel is a work of anthropology: a future classic in my book!

House of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk, (List Price: $28, Riverhead Books, 9780593716380, December 2025)

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

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The Book of Luke by Lovell Holder

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The Book of Luke by Lovell Holder
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Not only has Lovell Holder crafted the most delightful redemption stories, he also managed to intrigue me with the inner workings of reality competition shows. Luke is an emotionally (and physically, sort of) broken soul on the verge of losing everything after learning his politician husband, Barnes, is the cheater of the century. That’s when fate comes calling him back to “Endeavor”, the competition series that was the catalyst of their relationship. So many secrets come out, and so many lives are changed. Read this book!

The Book of Luke by Lovell Holder, (List Price: $30, Grand Central Publishing, 9781538770153, December 2025)

Reviewed by Thomas Wallace, Reading Rock Books in Dickson, Tennessee

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Sparks Fly by Zakiya N. Jamal

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Sparks Fly by Zakiya N. Jamal
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A late bloomer romance where 1) they meet at a sex club, 2) the plot critiques the use of genAi in entertainment & news, 3) the friendships get plenty of attention outside of the romance plot. I ate this debut adult romance right up.

Sparks Fly by Zakiya N. Jamal, (List Price: $19, Berkley, 9780593953839, December 2025)

Reviewed by Alex Reinhart, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton

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Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton
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Another funny and unputdownable murder mystery/killing spree from the author of Don’t Swipe Right!. Bridget Jones meets I Know What You Did Last Summer in this page-turner about a small British town with a dark past, and the four deadbeat flatmates that get caught up in it when an online sleuth shows up at their door. The hilarious narration from protagonist Kirby is just as entertaining as the mystery itself, which unfolds in a fast-paced dual-timeline format. It’s like Chilton can’t help but write fabulous and unfortunate characters you’re bound to fall in love with!

Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. Chilton, (List Price: $19, Gallery/Scout Press, 9781668094174, December 2025)

Reviewed by Julia Lewis, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Every Day I Read by Hwang Bo-reum

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Every Day I Read by Hwang Bo-reum
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This book is an absolute love letter to reading. It’s a perfect collection for anyone who has ever found comfort in a story, whether you’re a lifelong bibliophile or just looking to reconnect with the joy of reading. The author beautifully reminds us why the written word is so essential and opens your eyes to the universal power of books. I can’t wait to share this one with all my book-loving friends.

Every Day I Read by Hwang Bo-reum, (List Price: $27.99, Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781639737796, December 2025)

Reviewed by Kimberly Todd, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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