The Southern Bookseller Review 5/2/23
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The week of May 2, 2023 Honoring Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage
“Don’t deny the past. Remember everything. If you’re bitter, be bitter. Cry it out! Scream! Denial is gangrene.” — Joy Kogawa May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Read and amplify Asian and Pacific Islander voices this month, beyond this month, and always. We celebrate in May to commemorate the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, built with the labor of Chinese workers, on May 10, 1869. Indie booksellers delight in discovering great stories from under-represented writers and putting them into the hands of avid readers. The Southern Bookseller Review showcases a wide range of AAPI books that Southern indie booksellers loved: Read books by AAPI authors Read This Now | Read This Next | Book Buzz | The Bookseller Directory |
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Read This Now! Recommended by Southern indies… |
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The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren Adult Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy You’ve heard of book boyfriends, but have you heard of book best friends? Let me introduce you to Fizzy Chen – wickedly smart, unabashedly sex positive, and a bit lost in life. I absolutely adored Fizzy. She is wit and feminism and courage – all with an extra sparkle. She may not have had the best luck in relationships lately, but all that’s about to change…I think I made more noises reading this book than any other – laughing out loud, snorting from laughing so hard, squealing at the cuteness, yelling "WHAT!", and telling my husband approximately 1500 times how amazing this book is! I laughed, I cried, and I laughed while crying. The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren is the spicy, hopeful, romance that will leave you bursting with joy. Reviewed by Emily Lessig, The Violet Fox Bookshop in Virginia Beach, Virginia |
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The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer Adult Fiction, Psychological, Women Clover, our main, character is already a bit of a loner when she experiences her first death at an early age when her teacher dies suddenly while reading Peter Rabbit. She also experiences the death of her parents and is moved to a new city to live with her grandpa who raises her. Shunned by others, because of our society’s fear of death and the fact that no one ever speaks about it, Clover becomes even more of a loner. She finds that her job makes it hard for her to meet and keep friends as speaking of death makes people extremely uncomfortable. This book definitely had me thinking and reflecting on my life, made me cry, and I walked away loving the characters and rooting for Clover feeling very happy with the way the book ended. I really enjoyed the originality of our main ‘ job as a death doula it very much intrigued me and peaked my curiosity to pick this book up definitely would recommend. Reviewed by Angela Hudson, A Novel Escape in Franklin, North Carolina |
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Bookseller Buzz |
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Spotlight on: With My Little Eye by Joshilyn Jackson
I think it is my theater background. I went to school for that and I have been trained to get into other heads and trying to inhabit other spaces and to fully imagine those experiences in empathetic ways. There are all kinds of work that you do as an actor for that. Oddly enough, if I’m writing a play or an essay, those come from a very different part of my brain than a novel. The piece of my brain that heats up when I’m working on a novel is the same piece that heats up when I’m acting. ―Joshilyn Jackson, Interview, Wraparound South What booksellers are saying about With My Little Eye 
About Joshilyn Jackson Joshilyn Jackson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of ten other novels, including gods in Alabama and Never Have I Ever. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. A former actor, Jackson is also an award-winning audiobook narrator. She lives in Decatur, Georgia, with her husband and their two children. |
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Cousins by Aurora Venturini Adult Fiction, Argentina, Fiction, Psychological, Women, World Literature My kinda fare: a colorful palette of characters reminiscent of school days when you mush all the cafeteria food together on the tray then dare your neighbor to eat it. Blush-worthy moments galore, like being shot from an early-oeuvre John Waters canon, to land in a Leonora Carrington net. A gourmet gag-fest, even more chokingly delicious in hindsight. Reviewed by Ian McCord, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia |
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How to Think Like a Woman by Regan Penaluna Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Feminist, History, Individual Philosophers, Literary Criticism, Personal, Philosophers, Philosophy, Women As a woman in philosophy, not only did How to Think Like a Woman challenge me, but it gave me an overwhelming sense of being known. Regan Penaluna reclaims the conversation surrounding "the problem of women" with an honesty and self-awareness that is unmatched. Reviewed by Union Ave Books in Knoxville, Tennessee |
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Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee Asian American & Pacific Islander, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Multicultural & Interracial, Romance, Young Adult Fiction Dylan’s life revolves around his family — helping his aunt in their Chinese-Singaporian takeout restaurant, spending time with his cousins, remembering his mom. Then Theo comes into his life, with his private school and Ferrari and uber-wealthy family. The two are nothing alike, made even more obvious when Theo convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding and Dylan gets a look at the drama in Theo’s family. But there’s something real between them, and Dylan finds it harder and harder to ignore it. A super-cute romance with big YA Crazy Rich Asian vibes. And you’ll want to be sure to have snacks handy because the food sounds amazing, and you’ll definitely get hungry! Reviewed by Melissa Oates, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina |
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Mother of Sharks by Melissa Cristina Márquez Biographical, Children, Juvenile Fiction, Latin America Magical and imaginative, this autobiographical picture book follows a young girl’s explorations under the sea as she observes marine life and our critical need for marine conservation. I loved that Mother of Sharks features a Hispanic woman in STEM! Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina |
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Wolf Girl and Black Prince, Vol. 1 by Ayuko Hatta Comics & Graphic Novels, Manga, Romance I watched this anime several years ago, and I have to say they did an excellent job adapting the manga. I don’t know why I enjoy it so much — the love interest is incredibly toxic, and the main character is a total mess, yet I find myself rooting for them anyway. Reviewed by Amber Brown, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina |
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Read This Next! Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies… |
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The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry Adult Fiction, Historical, World War II A May 2023 Read This Next! Title What if a book, written from an imagined childhood story, could unlock mysteries of the past and reunite lost loved ones? That’s precisely what happens in The Secret Book of Flora Lea, and Henry lets it all unfold with expert storytelling. This is a beautiful tale of the powers of stories and love. I loved how this book highlights the use of stories to provide comfort in chaos and create bonds that transcend distance and time. I fell deeply in love with Whisperwood and the characters of this lovely novel. This book is one that, upon finishing it, you close it gently, hold it close to your heart, wipe your tears, and smile before you set it down. Reviewed by Jess Depew, The Snail On the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama |
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Southern Bestsellers What’s popular this week with Southern Readers. |
[ See the full list ] |
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Parting Thought “Each book was a world unto itself, and in it I took refuge.” |
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Publisher:
The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance /
siba@sibaweb.com |
SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805
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The Southern Bookseller Review 5/2/23 Read More »
“This award is particularly special to me because it comes from Southern indie booksellers and readers–the two main groups that have given me a writing career for more than twenty years now,” said Silas House. “I cannot thank them enough for everything. To me Lark Ascending is a warning about what is already happening but it’s also a meditation on the way hope survives, and how we must always fight back. For those reasons I am especially grateful for it to receive the increased visibility this recognition will provide.” House requested that his donation go to the 
Mary Laura Philpott said “Oh, wow! What could mean more to a writer than an award granted by readers and booksellers, the people who know and love books more than anyone? I couldn’t do this work if I didn’t believe that when my books leave my head, they land in the hands and hearts of such thoughtful human beings. It’s an honor to play a tiny part in the grand and ever-evolving Southern literary tradition―not to mention to be in the company of this year’s brilliant fellow nominees. Thank you so much.” Philpott chose to have her donation go to the 
“Thank you all for receiving Nigel into your hearts and homes, and may dreamers of all ages feel seen, heard, and loved," wrote Antwan Eady. "Nigel, as we know him today, would not exist without the incredible, hardworking team from Katherine Tegen Books at HarperCollins Children’s Books, the über talented Gracey Zhang, and the people who’ve championed us along the way: our agents, families and friends. We’ve given Nigel a story, but all of you have given him a life.” Eady has asked for his donation to go to 
