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The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen

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The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen
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Fascinating setting and wonderful characters. This place – where Sweden, Finland, and Russia converge – is defined by the intensely cold climate. The church is converting indigenous Sapmi families, the government is imposing its colonizing laws, and this ensemble cast of characters is wrestling with who they are and how they fit in as change slowly sweeps through. Great writing, wonderful characters, and I learned so much about the cultures and some of the politics of this place during this era.

The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen, (List Price: $28.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250822901, January 2023)

Reviewed by Adah Fitzgerald, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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World Made of Glass by Ami Polonsky

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World Made of Glass by Ami Polonsky
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World Made of Glass has the exact range of emotions tweens need and crave – sorrow, love, laughter, tears, regret – in deep swings. And more importantly, this historical fiction novel tells a story that few really know – I didn’t – about the prejudice, misinformation, and rampant fear surrounding AIDS in 1987 – told through the eyes of twelve-year-old Iris. She’s a character who experiences life-shattering circumstances beyond her control – yet with the help of her family and friends, she rises to the occasion. Our youth should read this book because it will build empathy and acceptance of marginalized groups of people, educate a new generation about the AIDS epidemic and LGBTQIA History – an area sorely under-represented in literature and inspire people of all ages to use their voices to fight for justice in their communities. As a bookseller in an indie bookstore who sees firsthand so many young adults purposefully seeking out books that provide a safe place to explore a range of emotions and tackle challenging, complex subjects, I cannot wait for this novel to do just that and find so many readers. Ami Polonsky will inspire the upcoming generation to use their voices for good!

World Made of Glass by Ami Polonsky, (List Price: $16.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316462044, January 2023)

Reviewed by Michelle Uhlfelder, Sundog Books in Seaside, Florida

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The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

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The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
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The Creative Act: A Way of Being is a thoughtful exploration of life, how we live, how we think, how we are influence and obviously, how we create. Organized in very readable small chunks- this book is something to appeal to people wanting to shop in the religious section, personal growth as well as arts and music. Profound insights into how we exist are revealed throughout the book wordsmith into attractively consumable bites. By the end of the book, the reader will be inspired and possibly changed forever. This is a book for all ages but also is a book that will be the absolute best graduation gift of 2023.

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, (List Price: $32, Penguin Press, 9780593652886, January 2023)

Reviewed by Kimberly Daniels, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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Out of Character by Jenna Miller

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Out of Character by Jenna Miller
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What a delightful YA debut! Out of Character is pitched as Julie Murphy meets Ashley Poston — a high bar to meet, but this book reaches and even surpasses that bar! I adored Cass Williams, who is nerdy, fat, and queer, and completely comfortable with all but the first point. Her parents are getting divorced, she has her first girlfriend, and she’s not doing well in school, but her online role-playing community is what keeps her going — except no one in her real life knows about her online friends. I loved seeing Cass’s two lives come together and watching her grow. I can’t wait to see what Jenna Miller writes next!

Out of Character by Jenna Miller, (List Price: $17.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780063243323, February 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Alterations by Ray Xu

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Alterations by Ray Xu
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Ray Xu delights in this graphic memoir about immigration, family, and fitting in in middle school. The art and the story are both top-notch and it’s so easy to identify with the characters as they navigate the ins and outs of their new-to-them country. This will bring joy to readers of all ages.

Alterations by Ray Xu, (List Price: $14.99, Union Square Kids, 9781454945857, January 2024)

Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell

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The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
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Lucrezia de Medici has been the least favorite child of the powerful Grand Duke of Tuscany since birth and so has been able to grow up almost in the shadows of the royal court in Florence. At thirteen, she is betrothed to the future Duke of Ferrara- in her dead sister’s place. At fifteen, she is married to him and sent away from the only home she has ever known to a troubled court with her new, and older, husband. She has no allies in this new place save one, her handmaid. Day by day, Lucrezia discovers the cruel nature of her husband; the depth of the problems he faces in his new role as Duke; an utter aloneness since she can’t trust anyone and, superseding all else, the immediate need for her to produce an heir to cement the throne of her new family. It is no surprise this is a New York Times best-seller and a Reese’s Book Club pick- it is a wonderful work of historical fiction, and O’Farrell proves once again she is a master at this genre.

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell, (List Price: $28, Knopf, 9780593320624, September 2022)

Reviewed by Jamie Anderson, Downtown Books in Manteo, North Carolina

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Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera

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Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera
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I always like to see more middle grade science fiction coming out on bookshelves! This one felt like it was slow to start out with and really ramped up when Leandro started uncovering all the secrets the Pocatelan leaders have been hiding. Then it was like hold on to your drone beaks. With an unputdownable blend of heart, bravery, Old-World fusion technology, and Mexican folklore, these Cascabeles will slither in and have you wringing out every drop of hope in this harsh landscape. Want to point out that this is upper middle grade for 10 Undoubtably for a certain scene that I was for sure not expecting, and don’t want to spoil. But definitely caused me to eek.

Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera, (List Price: $18.99, Levine Querido, 9781646142637, October 2023)

Reviewed by Candice Conner, The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, Alabama

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Bring It On by Kase Wickman

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Bring It On by Kase Wickman
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What a fun revisit to a new cinema classic! Wickman covers everything from the creation to the release of this early-aughts star-studded film. I love the behind-the-scenes stories of hijinks on set and how each character came to be. Big nostalgic feels here and I am loving it.

Bring It On by Kase Wickman, (List Price: $29.99, Chicago Review Press, 9781641607087, December 2022)

Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith

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A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith
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A Ruinous Fate is an explosion of a beginning of what is sure to be an amazing fantasy series. Calla, cursed with magic she’s terrified of, is now forced to take her friends with her as they try to undo her fate. This has everything a fantasy reader could ever want, authentic-feeling queer characters, found family, love triangles gone awry, charming jerks, and of course, forced proximity abounds! What else could someone need? If you love a good found family story with your fantasy, this is one you won’t want to miss!

A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith, (List Price: $18.99, Disney-Hyperion, 9781368081597, January 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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Very Good Hats by Emma Straub

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Very Good Hats by Emma Straub
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My mom always wears a hat, and has passed that love on to me. Where Very Good Hats goes farther is the creativity of children to make other things hats for objects of the right scale (they missed Bugles for the fingertips, though, sticking to acorn caps). My favorite image by illustrator Bianca Gomez is the accidental soup hat — make sure your hat is empty before you put it on!

Very Good Hats by Emma Straub, (List Price: $18.99, Rocky Pond Books, 9780593529430, January 2023)

Reviewed by Lisa Yee Swope, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The Fox Maidens by Robin Ha

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The Fox Maidens by Robin Ha
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This gorgeous and captivating graphic novel is a new take on the Korean legend of the nine-tailed fox. It’s also a story of what it meant to be a woman during the time of the Joseon dynasty, but with plenty of relevance for today’s readers. Robin Ha has created something truly special in this book.

The Fox Maidens by Robin Ha, (List Price: $18.99, Balzer + Bray, 9780062685124, February 2024)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The Witcher: Ronin (Manga) by Rafal Jaki

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The Witcher: Ronin (Manga) by Rafal Jaki
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I had been anticipating The Witcher Ronin for months and pre-ordered it. I was super excited to see Geralt as a ronin and the book didn’t disappoint in that regard. I loved the new Japanese yokai we got to explore in this Manga but with the familiar storyline we all know and love. I was expecting a little more for the book, so that made me a bit sad, but I overall enjoyed what we did get to see in this first installment.

The Witcher: Ronin (Manga) by Rafal Jaki, (List Price: $19.99, Dark Horse Manga, 9781506733500, December 2022)

Reviewed by Cass W, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera

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The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera
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It’s a great debut, spooky, atmospheric, with family drama, and full of small town secrets. Gotta love a strong female main character, who is unafraid of danger. There are twists and turns in every moment…the suspense is palpable. This book is impossible to put down.

The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera, (List Price: $27, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 9780593540213, January 2023)

Reviewed by Amy Loewy, Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana

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Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire

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Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire
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The powerful combination of otherworldly magic with this world’s grit gets me every time, in every Wayward Children novella. This one’s for anyone who’s ever experienced loss as a kid, been a lost kid, or lost their innocence—for all of us in one way or another. For Antsy, it’s the loss of her father and all the loss that occurs in its wake, and then Antsy finds the Shop Where the Lost Things Go and a vast series of doors to incredible and unusual places—but it’s easy to lose track of yourself when you’re busy finding new things, new people, and new worlds…

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire, (List Price: $21.99, Tordotcom, 9781250213631, January 2023)

Reviewed by Megan Bell, Underground Books in Carrollton, Georgia

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Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant by Curtis Chin

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I loved Curtis Chin’s memoir, Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant. Chin grew up in 1980s Detroit with the center of his world being his family’s restaurant, Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine. One of six children and the son of immigrants, Chin’s tight-knit family and community weathered social injustice, racism, and violence by providing a welcoming environment, delicious food, and open arms. Chin shares his struggles to figure out his sexuality, his feelings of being lost in a large family, and wanted to please his elders in touching and funny stories that show his earnest and kind heart. Highly recommend and also great as an audiobook from Libro.fm as the author narrates.

Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant by Curtis Chin, (List Price: 30, Little, Brown and Company, 9780316507653, 2023-10-17)

Reviewed by Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

Buy Link: https://avidbookshop.com/book/

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