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Recommended by Southern indies…

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The Applicant by Nazli Koca
Grove Press / February 2023

Adult Fiction, Literary
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

The Applicant is the debut novel I truly think I’ve been waiting to find my whole life. We follow Leyla, a twenty-something-year-old Turkish woman living in Berlin and working at a hostel. Her days consist of cleaning Alice in Wonderland-themed bedrooms, dipping in and out of hazy, techno-heavy clubs, and trying to find a balance of love, all while also trying to retain her German citizenship. Everything is so well done in this, but the themes of immigration and modern love struggles were perfectly executed. It’s raw, it’s real, it’s brilliant.

Reviewed by Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones

“But really I mean, with kids—they’re small and powerless in the world. They don’t know why things are happening. They’re told what to do, they’re not giving any explanation for why they’re doing this, and everyone is a towering monster to them, you know? And adults are capriciously violent. I think kids live in a world that is really primed for horror. But horror stories allow them to understand that sometimes you can beat the monsters, you know?” ―Stephen Graham Jones, Interview, Tor.com

What booksellers are saying about Don’t Fear the Reaper

• My Heart Is a Chainsaw was one of my favorite books of 2021; it’s knowing, self-referential tone mixed with its wonderful heroine, Jade Daniels, reminded me of my favorite slasher films of times past. I had high hopes for Don’t Fear the Reaper. As a sequel, it should be bloodier, wilder, and more audacious than its predecessor, with both a new antagonist and a few throwbacks to past dangers. Stephen Graham Jones knew this, and boy, do things go off the rails immediately. While “My Heart Is A Chainsaw had a slow burn to its violence, Don’t Fear the Reaper revels in danger and fear right off the bat. At the center of the chaos is the reluctant Final Girl, Jade, who’d rather just be a supporting player getting her life back together after fighting legal troubles for the last few years. Unfortunately, Jade has to use her wits and horror movie knowledge to get her and her friends out of death-by-hook range, and of course, the horror is happening during the worst blizzard that Proofrock’s ever seen. While buckets of blood drench each page, Jones never forgets to center the violence around the lovable beating heart of the book’s protagonist.
    ―Whitney Sheppard from The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, AL | Buy from The Snail on the Wall
  
  
• The second book in the Indian Lake Trilogy is even better than the first. Jade and Letha are back in Proofrock along with some other familiar faces, and some new ones as well. During the storm of the century, a convoy carrying the serial killer, Dark Mill South crashes. There is a fraction of a sliver of chance that he survived the crash and is heading toward the nearest town, Proofrock. You all know what a fraction of a sliver of chance means in Proofrock, so our favorite final girls have to swing into action. This book starts out really fast and doesn’t stop until the final bloody end.
    ―Kathy Clemmons from Sundog Books in Santa Rosa Beach, FL | Buy from Sundog Books
  
  
• The long-awaited follow up to My Heart is a Chainsaw does not disappoint! SGJ takes us back to Proofrock, Idaho right after Jade Daniels – now Jennifer – is released from prison for the first book’s events. Brutal, larger-than-life killer Dark Mill South is on the loose in town at the same time as a debilitating snowstorm hits. In keeping with the vibe of the trilogy, grisliness abounds from the first pages and the slasher film trivia doesn’t stop. I can’t wait for the third and final installment in this series!
    ―Andrea Richardson from Fountain Books in Richmond, VA | Buy from Fountain Bookstore
  

About Stephen Graham Jones

Stephen Graham Jones is the New York Times bestselling author of The Only Good Indians. He has been an NEA fellowship recipient and been recipient of several awards including: the Ray Bradbury Award from the Los Angeles Times, the Bram Stoker Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, the Jesse Jones Award for Best Work of Fiction from the Texas Institute of Letters, the Independent Publishers Award for Multicultural Fiction, and the Alex Award from American Library Association. He is the Ivena Baldwin Professor of English at the University of Colorado Boulder.

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Exiles by Jane Harper
 Flatiron Books / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Fiction, International Crime & Mystery, Mystery& Detective
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

As usual Jane Harper’s new novel, Exiles, is a slow burn of a read as she so beautifully describes yet another region of Australia, south Australia’s wine region. And, once again gives us a cast of characters so well-developed that you feel like you really know them. The book is about a small town with two unsolved events which have haunted the close-knit inhabitants. One the hit-and-run death of a well-liked accountant and the other the disappearance of a new mother who supposedly left her six-week-old child unattended at the annual wine and food festival and jumped to her death at the nearby reservoir – coincidentally the same weekend and same place as the hit and run. While this is Harper’s third book featuring Aaron Falk it easily reads as a standalone and will make you want to go back and read more about Aaron.

Reviewed by Nancy McFarlane, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

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Enchantment by Katherine May
Riverhead Books / February 2023

Adult Nonfiction, Body, Inspiration & Personal Growth, Mind & Spirit
More Reviews from Quail Ridge Books

British author Katherine May knows exactly what I need when I need it. I read her book, Wintering, during the hardest days of the pandemic. She wrote of a time in her life, pre-pandemic, when she felt hopeless, but her words resonated with my feelings of despair during the isolation of 2020. Her newest book, Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age, is just as timely. Though very personal, she addresses the universality of our shock at the fallout from the pandemic and how we can recover some of our contentment and joy. The book is beautifully written, and there are many lines that will linger with me.

Reviewed by Mamie Potter, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina

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Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood
Wednesday Books / February 2023

Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Young Adult
More Reviews from The Haunted Book Shop

I devoured this gorgeous novel like I was one of the hungry jungle ghosts. I absolutely adore Victoria’s relationship with Mumma River and how nature speaks to her. Every moment they were in the jungle was absolutely magical. With a super unique magic system, high stakes, untrustworthy men, a lush, protective jungle, and a fierce, loyal main character, Blackwood’s Wildblood is not to be missed for YA fantasy lovers!

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

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Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow
Disney-Hyperion / January 2023

Bereavement, Childrens, Death, Grief, Juvenile Fiction, Social Themes
More Reviews from M. Judson, Booksellers

Simon has my heart! His spirit, authenticity, and humor make him one of the most compelling characters I’ve met in a long time. Simon, along with his parents, show that trauma changes us in terrible & beautiful ways that create something new. This tough but tender novel shines with hope and resilience. As Dolly Parton says, laughter through tears is my favorite emotion. Please don’t let the subject matter push you away from this wonderful, funny, and important book. It’s a perfect example of its OK to read dark things, our lives are full of dark things and fictional characters working their way towards the light helps us do the same. Simon Sorta of Says is fantastic!

Reviewed by Susan Williams, M. Judson, Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

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The Ojja-Wojja by Magdalene Visaggio
Balzer + Bray / March 2023

Children, Comics & Graphic Novels, Juvenile Fiction, Paranormal
More Reviews from E. Shaver, bookseller

Ghosts, lost evil deities, and a mean girl hive mind descend upon this small town and two best friends need to team up in order to put this crisis to rest. The pop culture references are quirky and informational for a pre-teen audience not used to common tropes. Also, it offers up an interesting perspective between heroine and villain when it comes to being on the spectrum for its exciting conclusion.

Reviewed by Lana Repic, E. Shaver bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

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Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

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All the Beauty in the World : The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley
 Simon & Schuster / February 2023

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Personal Memoirs
More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

An February 2023 Read This Next! Title

Patrick Bringley becomes a guard at The Metropolitan Museum of Art after his brother dies and he can’t handle the day to day stress of his former job. Spending his days in the midst of some of the most beautiful art in the world, he slowly heals from his grief. This book provides a behind the scenes look at everyday life in the museum and I loved it. And there is a reference list of the art mentioned in the book which can then be viewed online.

Beth Carpenter from The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“I think that reading is always active. As a writer, you can only go so far; the reader meets you halfway, bringing his or her own experience to bear on everything you’ve written. What I mean is that it is not only the writer’s memory that filters experience, but the reader’s as well.”
– Ruth Reichl

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Southern Book Prize Finalist!

What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery
MCD / September 2022

Adult Fiction, African American & Black, Literary, Short Stories (single author), Southern Book Prize Finalist
More Reviews from Avid Bookshop

Jonathan Escoffery’s debut If I Survive You chronicles an American immigration story full of hope, heartbreak, promises broken, and most importantly the constant struggle. Told in interconnected stories, If I Survive You addresses class, race, and economic disparity but is also funny. Mark my words, Escoffery is a rising literary star.

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Reviewed by Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

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The Problem with Prophecies by Scott Reintgen
Aladdin / May 2022

Children, Juvenile Fiction, Occult & Supernatural, Paranormal, Southern Book Prize Finalist
More Reviews from Little Shop of Stories

When Celia Cleary “comes of age” in her magical family, she inherits a gift for prophecy–and all the problems that come with it. While The Problem with Prophecies raises questions about fate, free will, and magic, it is at its core a sweet story about family, friendship, and first crushes. Scott Reintgen writes insightfully about the liminal space between childhood and adolescence.

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Reviewed by Heather Jeziorowski from Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, Georgia

Read This Now!

Recommended by Southern indies…

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More Than Meets the Eye by Iris Johansen
Grand Central Publishing / February 2023

Adult Fiction, Magical Realism
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

Iris and Roy Johansen are prolific authors whose works remain fresh and engaging. Kendra Michaels is a very unique character. Blind until she was twenty and had a novel operation to restore her sight, she really wants to focus on her music therapy practice. However, her finely tuned senses make her incredibly useful to the FBI. Her morals and care for others make it hard for her to refuse when asked to consult on cases. This one is particularly heinous, a serial killer has agreed to reveal the location of one his victims. As the grave is excavated and a large crew looks on an explosive device is activated. Kendra can’t say no when asked to help untangle this twisted rope of evil.

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

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

“I’d never done manual labor before, and I remember my hands aching in the middle of the night. I was also useless without sugar, caffeine, and nicotine. I needed all three, all the time. The women I worked with ate apples for breakfast. Apples. It was baffling. They were always offering me fruit, and I was like, Get away from me with your disgusting bananas. They drank tea and didn’t smoke. They swept mindfully. They appreciated the meditative aspects of cleaning. They could clean three houses and still go to the gym and out to dinner. I showed up with donuts, and then ate all the donuts.” ―Jen Beagin, Interview, Bloom

What booksellers are saying about Big Swiss

• Big Swiss is the sort of strange and beautiful novel that you have to read to believe. It’s utterly shocking, absolutely hysterical, and beautifully cynical. Honestly, it was unlike anything else I’ve ever read. I laughed out loud on every other page, rolled my eyes at the pervasive hipster things Big Swiss pokes fun at, and thoroughly enjoyed the quirky atmosphere. However funny and entertaining, though, know that Big Swiss is also an intimate and often disturbing portrait of mental illness, infidelity, and trauma. It’s a close encounter with human damage and nothing is off limits.
    ―Emily Lessig from The Violet Fox Bookshop in Virginia Beach, VA | Buy from The Violet Fox
  
  
• I knew this book was going to be for me when the blurb said it was for fans of Killing Eve and it really didn’t disappoint! The feeling of slowly watching a train wreck happen was prevalent as Greta made the absolute worst decisions she could, but that’s what made this enjoyable. Greta is super flawed and unreliable but that’s what it makes her feel so human.
    ―Ndobe Foletia from Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, NC | Buy from Epilogue Books
  
  
• Brilliant, acerbic, and vulnerable in its hilarity, this bonkers narrative is unlike anything I’ve ever read. Greta is obsessed with Big Swiss, Big Swiss is obsessed with Greta. They probably hate each other, they probably hate parts of themselves that the other adores. It’s all so ridiculous and sexy. There’s immense violence and sadness, but so many off kilter details that make you feel like all of its real and nothing is real at the same time. Which makes it the perfect book. It’s like a reality built on fantasy but the foundations are wearing thin so you can see all the swirling and neon madness underneath.
    ―Jessica Nock from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC | Buy from Main Street Books
  
  
• One might call her an eavesdropper, but that wouldn’t entirely be accurate as Greta is actually being paid to transcribe the sex therapy sessions she is listening to. After devouring this clever, darkly hilarious romp, you’ll feel a bit of a voyeur yourself, but boy, will you be glad you peeked between the covers of this gem.
    ―Angie Tally from The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, NC | Buy from The Country Bookshop
  
  

About Jen Beagin

Jen Beagin holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of California, Irvine, and is a recipient of a Whiting Award in fiction. Her first novel Pretend I’m Dead was shortlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and Vacuum in the Dark was shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for comic fiction. She is also the author of Big Swiss. She lives in Hudson, New York.

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Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Del Rey / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology, Romance
More Reviews from Eagle Eye Book Shop

This book is such an unexpected delight! It’s told in an epistolary style- journal entries, with you, the reader, being an outside observer to events that have already happened. However, Heather Fawcett’s style of writing is such that it seamlessly blends with the narrative and you forget entirely that you’re reading a journal! It’s cozy, heart-warming, absolutely page-turning, and will leave you both satisfied and wanting more. It’s unique, enchanting, and one of my favorite reads of this year, perfect for anyone who loves fantasy and especially the fae!

Reviewed by Preet Singh, Eagle Eye Book Shop in Decatur, Georgia

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Rough Sleepers by Tracy Kidder
Random House / January 2023

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Medical (incl. Patients), Poverty & Homelessness, Social Classes & Economic Disparity
More Reviews from McIntyre’s Books

I’ve read almost everything Tracy Kidder has written and was inspired, again, by Rough Sleepers. For five years, Kidder followed Dr. O’Connell, who’s been providing compassionate, respectful healthcare to the homeless in Boston for decades. Rough Sleepers brings tough statistics to vivid life and shines light on a complex and often overwhelming subject.

Reviewed by Sarah Goddin, McIntyre’s Books in Pittsboro, North Carolina

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Planning Perfect by Haley Neil
Bloomsbury YA / February 2023

Dating & Sex, Social Themes, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Bookmiser

This sweet romcom about a girl on the asexual spectrum who tries to plan her mom’s location wedding in Vermont without spiraling out will be just what you’re looking for as a wonderful summer read. Felicity has had a rough time of it. After the incident last year, she’s trying to get back on track with a prime position at her favorite school club. But when her mom gets engaged, she throws all her energy into planning the perfect wedding. And maybe she can connect more with a friend from the summer that she may or may not have a crush on!

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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The Kindest Red by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Bloomsbury YA / February 2023

Children, Family, Friendship, Juvenile Fiction, Muslim, Religious, School Education, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Siblings
More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

So often, when people are asked what they would wish for, they reply “World Peace.” In The Kindest Red, Faizah wishes for “World Kindness,” and isn’t that really the first step to world peace? This simple picture book with a big message is just perfect for families or classrooms looking to celebrate diversity and personal responsibility.

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

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The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
 Simon & Schuster / February 2023

Adult Fiction, Historical
More Reviews from The Little Bookshop

An February 2023 Read This Next! Title

Set in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson is a wonderful historical fiction novel that tells the story of two young women who are working hard to achieve their dreams. 15 year old Ruby lives in Philadelphia. She wants to be a doctor but is struggling to make ends meet while living with her aunt. A secret love affair forces an impossible choice upon her. Eleanor is a student at Howard University in D.C. and struggling to pay her tuition when she meets a handsome young man who brings her into an elite world of wealth and privilege. What will she do to fit in and stay in? This novel pulls you in from the first page and doesn’t let go until the very end. Highly recommended!

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“Books are everywhere; and always the same sense of adventure fills us. Second-hand books are wild books, homeless books; they have come together in vast flocks of variegated feather, and have a charm which the domesticated volumes of the library lack.”
– Virginia Woolf, Street Haunting

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Southern Book Prize Finalist!

What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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Beyond Innocence : The Life Sentence of Darryl Hunt by Phoebe Zerwick
Atlantic Monthly Press / March 2022

Adult Nonfiction, African American & Black, Discrimination, Law Enforcement, Political Science, Social Science, Southern Book Prize Finalist
More Reviews from Malaprops

Once upon a time, a man was unjustly imprisoned. DNA and dogged work freed him after 19 years. He lived happily ever after. Sorry, that last part didn’t happen. Even with DNA evidence, he almost didn’t get exonerated. Beyond Innocence: The Life Sentence of Darryl Hunt details Hunt’s journey from teen to convicted killer, innocent freed man, and activist with many twists. But the saddest part is what happened to him after freedom, and how it illustrates the plight of most of the exonerated.

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Reviewed by Rosemary Pugliese from Malaprop’s in Asheville, NC

Read This Now!

Recommended by Southern indies…

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The Boy with a Bird in His Chest by Emme Lund
Atria Books / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Magical Realism
More Reviews from Copperfish Books

Owen has an exposed space in his chest where Gail, a wise and chatty java sparrow, has lived since he was a newborn. His mother has hidden him from those who would hurt him because of his difference, but he’s a teenager now and must figure out who to trust and how to be — or even if he CAN be. I really enjoyed this sensitive and heartbreaking coming-of-age story about a queer boy, his bird, and their friends. Though not usually drawn to magical realism, I found myself almost believing in the possibility of Gail, and that was a real joy.

Reviewed by Serena Wyckoff, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

“I have to be honest—I had a friend fic! It was a notebook I shared with two close friends during my first year of high school. We would write these stories to each other and pass the book back and forth. In Georgie, All Along, she and her best friend do the same, although their version of it is a little more focused than mine was—young Georgie and her best friend are very focused on imagining the perfect versions of their lives once they get to the new high school they’ll be attending. My friends and I, I’m embarrassed to say, were far more focused on our celebrity crushes! But I was really inspired by that hopeful, imaginative experience of my teenaged self—I wanted to think about what that notebook represented about the experience of growing up.” ―Kate Clayborn, Interview, Above the Treeline

What booksellers are saying about Georgie, All Along

• Clayborn, All Along! She never disappoints. With supportive, but odd-duck parents, Georgie has always had a "soft" place to land and as a result is "expansive", so much so that she has a hard time focusing in on what she wants in her life and her future. Levi had no such parents, with no support network from his family when he needed them most, and as a result has made himself tight and small in his life and his wants/needs. When they meet, they learn to let go of their past and with her as his "soft place to land" and he allows himself to expand into himself and she learns to trust her own self and what she truly wants.
    ―Angela Trigg from The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, AL | Buy from The Haunted Book Shop
  
  
• Kate Clayborn’s books come with high expectations of an excellent story. She always delivers, and Georgie, All Along is no different. The writing is engrossing and diverting and it’s impossible not to relate to or love Georgie as she finds herself and her way. January is rich with romance, and this is an excellent winter read to curl up with.
    ―Preet Singh from Eagle Eye Book Shop in Decatur, GA | Buy from Eagle Eye Book Shop
  
  
• Kate Clayborn hits a home run with Georgie, All Along. I loved this relatable story about a woman coming home to find herself and reconnect with the dreams she had in high school. She’s a quirky mess who puts everyone’s needs before her own and she meets Levi, the brooding older brother of her high school crush, who also has a past he’s working through. I enjoyed the small town setting, the cast of characters and the nostalgia of revisiting high school escapades.
    ―Jessica Nock from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC | Buy from Main Street Books
  
  
• A charming and witty story about how our pasts can shape us. Unexpectedly, Georgie, a personal assistant that has just lost her job and Levi, onetime town troublemaker, find themselves as roommates. They are both trying to reinvent themselves and use Georgie’s high school diary as a blueprint for their transformation. Georgie did not write in her diary about what was happening then, but her dreams and wishes for the future. Georgie and Levi have great chemistry and of course there is a great dog, Hank.
    ―Pam Crawford from Bookmiser, Inc. in Marietta, GA | Buy from Bookmiser
  
  

About Kate Clayborn

Kate Clayborn is the critically acclaimed author of contemporary romance novels. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Bookpage, and more. By day she works in education, and by night (and sometimes, by very early morning) she writes contemporary romances about smart, strong, modern heroines who face the world alongside true friends and complicated families. She resides in Virginia with her husband and their dog.

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Everything Calls for Salvation by Daniele Mencarelli
Europa Editions / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Coming of Age, Fiction, Friendship, Italy, Literary Fiction, Psychological, World Literature
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

Over seven days in a psychiatric ward in 1994 in Italy, the main character Daniele Mencarelli (who shares the author’s name and some life experiences) documents his involuntary committal. We spend most of our time on the ward itself with occasional flashbacks of the six patients’ and staff’s pasts. Mencarelli (author and character) is also a poet, and the language is beautiful and delicately translated by Wendy Weathly. While not dismissing the need for the truly suffering or dangerous to be treated, the author presents much to be considered about the way society categorizes those who are simply different or passing through a difficult phase of life.

Reviewed by Kelly Justice, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli
Graydon House / November 2022

Adult Fiction, African American & Black, Women
More Reviews from Main Street Reads

This is such a beautifully written story. The characters are so wonderfully honest and real. You are truly immersed in Eve’s world, you feel her pain and confusion. This is the story of one woman’s journey through grief and guilt after her husband takes his own life. Written like a memoir, straight from Eve’s thoughts and feelings, we follow her through every up and down, her highs and her lows. This is a beautiful reminder about the struggles of mental illness and the hidden pain of those around us. This is a must read!

Reviewed by Makayla Summers, Main Street Reads in Summerville, South Carolina

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One Last Shot: Based on a True Story of Wartime Heroism by Kip Wilson
Versify / January 2023

Novels in Verse, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Parnassus

Kip Wilson’s novel in verse about photojournalist Gerda Tardo captures her passion for revealing truth through photography. It sweeps the reader from Gerda’s school days in Germany to the front lines in the Spanish Civil War. A compelling read.

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

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Cinderella–with Dogs! by Linda Bailey
Nancy Paulsen Books / February 2023

Adaptations, Children, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Juvenile Fiction
More Reviews from Bookmarks

Everything is better with dogs, and the tale of Cinderella is no exception. Not only does Cinderella get a fairy dogmother instead of a fairy godmother, but she also gets some nice updates to her story, including a chance to suggest she gets to know the prince first instead of marrying him right away. I loved all the dogs in this book, but there are plenty of cute cats to see on each page, too!

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

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Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles (Manga): Volume 1 by Shibamura Yuri
J-Novel Club / February 2023

Action & Adventure, Comics & Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Manga, Media Tie-In
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

Rio is a young orphan living in the slums of the kingdom of Beltrum. When he is stricken with a high fever, he dreams of a different world where he is called Haruto. When Rio wakes up from his fever, he realizes he is two people in one, both Rio of the slums and Haruto, from the other world. When Rio is forced to rescue a kidnapped princess, his troubles get even worst. When the nobles find the young princess with Rio, they accuse him of kidnapping, but after the princess awakens, she tells of how Rio saved her. As a reward, he is granted acceptance into the Royal Academy of Beltrum. An act that upsets the kingdoms noble people, who feel he does not deserve this prestigious reward. Whether he succeeds or not, is all up to him and his new professor, Celia. Perfect manga for fans of The Irregular at Magic High School, Magic Knight Rayearth, or Snow White with Red Hair.

Reviewed by Gretchen Shuler, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

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Begin Again by Emma Lord
 Wednesday Books / January 2023

Coming of Age, Emotions & Feelings, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Bookmiser

An January 2023 Read This Next! Title

Emma Lord brings the feels in her new novel, Begin Again. Andie didn’t get into her first choice college with her boyfriend, but she has a plan. She works really hard and ends up getting in as a transfer student after her first semester at community college. The problem is that she planned her transfer as a surprise for her boyfriend….who did the same thing, transferring to the school Andie WAS at.

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people – people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.”
– E.B. White

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
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Southern Book Prize Finalist!

What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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This Boy We Made by Taylor Harris
Catapult / January 2022

Adult Nonfiction, African American & Black, Biography & Autobiography, Cultural, Ethnic & Regional, Southern Book Prize Finalist
More Reviews from Blue Cypress Books

This Boy We Made is heart-wrenching. I couldn’t put it down. As a mother I was absolutely enveloped in the author’s journey through this incredibly difficult time in her life. At every turn I was in awe of her grace in dealing with what life continued to throw at her.

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This Boy We Made by Taylor Harris, (List Price: $26.00, Catapult, 9781948226844, Hardcover, January 2022, Paperback, January 2023)

Read This Now!

Recommended by Southern indies…

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Fieldwork: A Forager’s Memoir by Iliana Regan
Agate Midway / December 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Cooking, Culinary, Essays & Narratives, Individual Chefs & Restaurants, LGBTQ+, Personal Memoirs
More Reviews from Novel

Fieldwork is an exploration into the author’s passion for the natural world and her chosen place in it. She delves into the beginning of her love for food and foraging as a child growing up on a homestead and she expands upon it in the unsteady present as a chef/restaurant owner during a global pandemic. In doing so, she views topics such as her addictions, sexuality, and personal growth through the lens of how her family history and the forests are beautifully intertwined. This memoir is heartfelt, honest, and perfectly written.

Reviewed by Stuart McCommon, Novel in Memphis, Tennessee

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Drinking Games by Sarah Levy

“You know, I think that my lies were always designed to make everyone think that I was okay, and to make it seem like I had it all figured out, and that everything was perfect. The meat of the book — the story that I really set out to tell — was the truth. It was that I wasn’t okay, I was not perfect, and that I was struggling. I think that my friends and family, even now, if I say, “I’m fine. Everything is good,” that’s usually when I’m not telling the truth, because I’m a human being, and there’s usually something going on.” ―Sarah Levy, Interview, Shondaland

What booksellers are saying about Drinking Games

• Drinking Games is an unflinchingly honest look at how alcohol influenced almost every part of Sarah Levy’s life as a twenty-something living big in New York City. Levy shares her experiences like sharing with a friend, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, always with insight and grace. A must read for anyone who’s questioned not only choices about alcohol but about anything that makes their life feel out of control.
    ―Beth Seufer Buss from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC | Buy from Bookmarks
  
  
• I loved Sarah’s very frank and honest recount of her relationship with alcohol. Her self aware and candid writing will be a much needed voice for many who are re-considering the way we look at drinking as a culture. It is also a fantastic memoir about making hard changes for a better life.
    ―Laura Taylor from Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL | Buy from Oxford Exchange
  
  
• Sarah Levy brings you on her journey of why she got sober, how she found help, and celebrating her new sober life. It felt like chatting with a close friend as she shared her fears about dating while sober and how is she going to celebrate life milestones without a glass of champagne. It was relatable and honest! I would recommend this memoir to anyone that was sober curious and wanted to discuss drinking culture in your 20s.
    ―Juliana Reyes from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC | Buy from Bookmarks
  
  

About Sarah Levy

Sarah Levy is a writer based in Los Angeles by way of New York. Her work examines the intersection of sobriety, relationships, and identity and has been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine/The Cut, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Vogue, Elle, and other publications. She holds a B.A. in Literary Arts from Brown University and pursued a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from The New School. Drinking Games is her first book.

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Unraveling by Peggy Orenstein
Harper / January 2023

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Personal Memoirs
More Reviews from Bookmiser

While reading Unraveling, not only did I find out about sheering sheep and spinning and dyeing wool, I learned much more about climate sustainability and fire dangers and go bags in California. I also lived some of the pandemic through Peggy Orenstein’s eyes and felt her sadness over the loss of her parents and her daughter Daisy going off to school and all of our eventual aging. This book covered much of the history of women and women’s rights and making clothing from fairy tales to knitting today’s pussy hats. I also learned that we discard 80 pounds of clothes a year per person with most of it ending up in landfills. This book has made me determined to buy less and think about my purchases and our climate emergencies. Rarely have I read a book that has affected me so deeply as I also felt I had made a new friend by reading the author’s story. I look forward to reading this over with friends and my book club.

Reviewed by Nancy Pierce, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Weightless by Evette Dionne
Ecco / December 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Personal Memoirs
More Reviews from Bookmarks

Thank you, Evette Dionne, for being honest, funny, and straight-up real about what it’s like to be not ‘thin’ in today’s world! From doctor visits to being obsessed with reality TV about weight loss, I felt relief knowing I wasn’t alone. Her memoir takes you through her journey with agoraphobia, motherhood, online dating, and living her life to her fullest after being diagnosed with heart failure in her late twenties. I can’t wait for more people to read it!

Reviewed by Juliana Reyes, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Ducks by Kate Beaton
Drawn and Quarterly / September 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, Comics & Graphic Novels, Personal Memoirs
More Reviews from One More Page

As an avid fan of Kate Beaton since her days slinging snarky, hilarious comics in Hark, A Vagrant!, I have been waiting for her graphic memoir for years!! Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands is a stunningly beautiful story of Kate’s time working in the male-dominated Alberta oil industry to pay off her student loans, full of gorgeous, melancholy art and powerful emotions just under the surface. It’s an exceptional book about loneliness, labor, survival in a male-dominated world, and finding your way home.

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

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Once Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire
W. W. Norton & Company / March 2023

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Personal Memoirs
More Reviews from Oxford Exchange

I believe that Oliver Darkshire could turn any non-reader into a bibliophile. Darkshire writes a wonderfully hilarious and witty banter about the unique and rather unknown process of selling rare books. I was traveling to London in the spring anyways, but now Sotherean’s is first on the stop all thanks to Oliver. 

Reviewed by Lena Malpeli, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida

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B.F.F. by Christie Tate
Avid Reader Press / February 2023

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Personal Memoirs
More Reviews from Snail on the Wall

As kids, we focus so much of our time and energy on friendships, and then as we become adults, everything changes. It’s hard to make new friends, and it’s often harder to keep old ones. In B.F.F. Christie Tate bares her soul about female friendship in the same way she did about her therapy sessions in Group. It’s refreshing and reassuring to find out that other women feel isolated, alienated, and hurt by the people they claim as friends. And, though Tate doesn’t have any easy answers, she does let us accompany her on the journey to heal old wounds and become a better friend.

Reviewed by Lady Smith, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

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Zig-Zag Boy by Tanya Frank
 W. W. Norton & Company / February 2023

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Personal Memoirs
More Reviews from Main Street Books

A harrowing memoir about a mother doing all she can to help her son as he navigates a psychiatric diagnosis. I could feel author Tanya Frank’s desperation and determination to help her child, and I was left feeling her frustration over our flawed mental healthcare system.

Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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God’s Ex-Girlfriend by Gloria Beth Amodeo
 Ig Publishing / February 2023

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Personal Memoirs, Religious
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

I’m always interested in a good memoir about religious experience. God’s Ex-Girlfriend did not disappoint. Amodeo’s time with Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) was full of revelations about how the movement can trap young people at their most vulnerable time: college and the days beyond. Amodeo seriously adopted the evangelical ideas, but found it wasn’t the support she needed to find her true self. A real eye-opener!

Reviewed by Linda Hodges, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

Parting Thought

“The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It’s the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.”
– Lois Lowry

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Southern Book Prize Finalist!

What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow
Tordotcom / June 2022

Action & Adventure, Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Southern Book Prize Finalist
More Reviews from Quail Ridge Books

I was enthralled with the impeccable voice of Zinnia in the follow-up to A Spindle Splintered. Harrow’s incredible knowledge of fairy tales really shines through in this installment, without removing the reader from the narrative. I’m happy to put my hands on anything Harrow writes — she is a new favorite!

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Reviewed by Amber Brown, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina

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Recommended by Southern indies…

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The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen
Henry Holt and Co. / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Cultural Heritage, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary
More Reviews from Main Street Books

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.

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

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

“I have never met someone who reads only from one shelf. I don’t think young people read that way and I am always wary of what people may deem “too much” for younger readers because I think they actually have a pretty good barometer of what they can handle and will happily set a book aside when it starts to go places they don’t want to go…I suppose when I’m writing adult, I feel a little freer to take my time with the world and the lore, and to dig more deeply into the grotesque. I also swear more.” ―Leigh Bardugo, Interview, The New York Times

What booksellers are saying about Hell Bent

• Welcome back to the hidden darkness of Yale’s campus, and the magic that soaks its architecture and history. Though society leaders have declared Darlington dead and gone, Alex and Dawes know better – and they will go to any end to save him. Hell Bent is magical, resplendent with fierce characters, a devious and twisting plot, and at its core a deep interrogation of the cost of power and the lengths at which the privileged will go to maintain it.
    ―Jordan April from Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC | Buy from Flyleaf Books
  
  
• I don’t think I’ve eagerly anticipated a book as much as I have Hell Bent, and let me just say that the wait was worth every. Damn. Minute. Diving back into the world of Galaxy Stern and Lethe felt like being wrapped up in my favorite childhood blanket while also sitting just a bit too close to the fire. Leigh Bardugo somehow managed to create a story that is both intensely dark and strangely comforting and I look forward to devouring every last book in this series.
    ―Kassie Weeks from Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL | Buy from Oxford Exchange
  
  
• Imagine if you will, me opening a window and screaming "DARLINGTON" at the top of my lungs. No that’s not my review, I just needed to make my feelings known. Hell Bent is a bloody, brilliant continuation that forces found family on the most ill fitting of individuals that somehow just work. It’s an exploration of grief, growth, and is somehow sexy despite it all. Rife with tension and lore desperate to be discovered, I can’t help but hope that book three won’t be the end. Now, if you don’t mind, I must get back to screaming out of my window about Darlington.
    ―Caitlyn Vanorder from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC | Buy from Bookmarks
  
  

About Leigh Bardugo

Leigh Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, The Language of Thorns, and King of Scars—with more to come. Her other works include Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Ninth House (Goodreads Choice Winner for Best Fantasy 2019), which is being developed for television by Amazon Studios. She lives in Los Angeles and is an Associate Fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University.

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The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
Knopf / Septembe2 2023

Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Renaissance, Women
More Reviews from Downtown Books

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.

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

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The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
Penguin Press / January 2023

Adult Nonfiction, Creativity, Self-Help
More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

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.

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

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Out of Character by Jenna Miller
Disney-Hyperion / February 2023

Romance, Romantic Comedy, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Bookmarks

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!

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

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World Made of Glass by Ami Polonsky
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers / January 2023

Children, Diseases, Health & Daily Living, Illnesses & Injuries, Juvenile Fiction
More Reviews from Sundog Books

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! 

Reviewed by Michelle Uhlfelder, Sundog Books in Seaside, Florida

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Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

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How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
 Berkley / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Horror, Suspense, Thrillers
More Reviews from Epilogue Books

An January 2023 Read This Next! Title

Absolutely fucking terrifying. Hendrix does it again in this hilarious yet terrifying novel that combines generational trauma and denial with a not-your-average haunted house. Honestly, I’m unsure if my sibling and I could survive the level of haunting that plagues Louise and Mark; the characters themselves have you questioning whether they will make it to the very end! I had to read this in broad daylight to get through it all. Unique and horrifying, every detail will send goosebumps up your arms and chills down your neck. Not to mention you’ll never look at puppets or squirrels the same way.

Reviewed by Laney Sheehan, Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“And read… read all the time… read as a matter of principle, as a matter of self-respect. Read as a nourishing staple of life.”
– David McCullough Jr

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Southern Book Prize Finalist!

What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White
Peachtree Teen / June 2023

Dystopian, LGBTQ+, Monsters, Southern Book Prize Finalist, Young Adult
More Reviews from Square Books

Hell Followed With Us is a book that sinks its teeth into you from the first page. Andrew Joseph White crafts a horrifying apocalyptic world that feels at once utterly fresh yet familiar as the narrative grapples with climate change, illness, religious extremism, and LGBTQ issues. It’s a furious novel– but not without hope as protagonist Benji, a young queer trans boy with a monster inside him, falls in with a found-family of other queer teens and embraces the opportunity to fight back against his oppressors who would otherwise use him as a bioweapon for their own violent ends. Hell Followed With Us is an original, unique YA horror debut guaranteed to stay with readers long after the last page.

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Reviewed by Charlie Williams, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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Recommended by Southern indies…

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Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire
Tordotcom / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Dark Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Fiction, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology
More Reviews from Underground Books

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…

Reviewed by Megan Bell, Underground Books in Carrollton, Georgia

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: City Under One Roof by Iris Yamashita

“The real isolated town of Whittier, Alaska was something that has been in the back of my mind for over 20 years. I had watched a documentary back when the city could only be reached by train or boat and the tunnel had not yet been open to car traffic. When I started thinking of setting a murder mystery there, I watched a video driving through the two-and-a-half-mile one-way tunnel and it made me think of falling through a rabbit hole where I was going to end up in a strange Wonderland with some odd characters, and then the pieces started to come together.” ―Iris Yamashita, Interview, The Nerd Daily

What booksellers are saying about City Under One Roof

• The setting for City Under One Roof was so intriguing that I immediately looked up whether such a place existed – and it does! Couldn’t help feeling claustrophobic with the closed in atmosphere of the bldg and being cut off from the outside world. Sinister goings-on because almost everyone there is hiding from something, but you don’t know what. Or who to trust. Loved it!
    ―Eileen McGervey from One More Page Books in Arlington, VA | Buy from One More Page Books
  
  
• If Twin Peaks and Fargo had a baby, it might look like this book. Based on the real town of Whittier, Alaska, a crime is committed in this a snowbound burg where everyone lives in the same high-rise and everyone, literally, knows everyone. 205 residents and no one is talking about the severed hand and foot that have washed ashore on Point Mettier. Anchorage detective Cara Kennedy has reasons to investigate the discovery beyond her job. Accessible only by tunnel, the storm traps her in the town with its secrets, a murderer, and a memorable moose.
    ―Kelly Justice from Fountain Books in Richmond, VA | Buy from Fountain Bookstore
  
  
• The setting for City Under One Roof (literally a 205 unit high rise with infirmary, police department, etc. all under one roof) in an isolated area of Alaska that has been cut off from the outside world due to an avalanche in the tunnel which is the only road in or out is only part of what makes this debut novel such a page turner. The mystery, which involves a hand and foot washing up on a beach, and a head found buried in a barn definitely gets your attention. But, best of all are the cast of quirky characters all with background and baggage. Perfect for fans of City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong.
    ―Nancy McFarlane from Fiction Addiction in Greenville, SC | Buy from Fiction Addiction
  
  

About Iris Yamashita

Iris Yamashita is an Academy Award–nominated screenwriter for the movie Letters from Iwo Jima. She has been working in Hollywood for fifteen years developing material for both film and streaming, has taught screenwriting at UCLA, and is an advocate of women and diversity in the entertainment industry. She has also been a judge and mentor for various film and writing programs, and lives in California.

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The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera
G.P. Putnam’s Sons / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Psychological, Suspense, Thrillers, Women Sleuths
More Reviews from Garden District Book Shop

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.

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

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Bring It On by Kase Wickman
Chicago Review Press / December 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Film, History & Criticism, Performing Arts
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

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 hi-jinks on set and how each character came to be. Big nostalgic feels here and I am loving it.

Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith
Disney-Hyperion / January 2023

Asia, Family, Multigenerational, Occult & Supernatural, Paranormal, People & Places, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Story on the Square

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!

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

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Very Good Hats by Emma Straub
Rocky Pond Books / January 2023

Children, Clothing & Dress, Humorous Stories, Imagination & Play, Juvenile Fiction
More Reviews from Bookmarks

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! 

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

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The Witcher: Ronin (Manga) by Rafal Jaki
Dark Horse Manga / December 2022

Comics & Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Manga
More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

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.

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

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Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

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Moonrise Over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks
 Algonquin Books / January 2023

Adult Fiction, African American & Black, Fiction, Historical, Literary, Women
More Reviews from Quail Ridge Books

An January 202 3Read This Next! Title

Romantic love, familial love, and the love of place play out against the background of late 1950s – early 1960s civil rights era. After the loss of her last family member, Alice flees her former home and the overt racial and sexualized violence by the landowner. She disembarks by chance in an entirely Black town – and what is meant to be a brief stop on her way north becomes a new home. New Jessup rose back up from the swamp and from the ashes of a white race riot, and the town carefully maintains a very public anti-integration stance to protect itself from attention from the white side of town. When Alice falls for the son of a town founder, she slowly learns that her Raymond been involved in the civil rights actions in Montgomery – and his affiliation with a group that works towards desegregation elsewhere creates tensions within their love story. A beautifully written exploration of just some of the variety of opinions within the civil rights era Black community on freedom, equality, and safety.

Reviewed by Ginger Kautz, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“What better occupation, really, than to spend the evening at the fireside with a book, with the wind beating on the windows and the lamp burning bright.”
– Gustave Flaubert

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Southern Book Prize Finalist!

What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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The Hurting Kind by Ada Limón
Milkweed Editions / May 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Poetry, Southern Book Prize Finalist, Women Authors
More Reviews from Blue Cypress Books

Reading this collection made me feel like I was standing outside with my bare feet in the grass, scrunching my toes in the soil, feeling the breeze on my face, and pondering the oneness of everything.

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Reviewed by LeeAnna Callon, Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, Louisiana

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Recommended by Southern indies…

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The Night Travelers by Armando Lucas Correa
Atria Books / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Historical, World War II
More Reviews from Book No Further

If you love family epics told across sweeping history, The Night Travelers will engage you from page one. It tells a particular piece of the Holocaust story not often heard, of the small group of Jews who managed to find safety after leaving Germany in the ill-fated St. Louis. Four generation of women struggle to understand both their origins and the loving sacrifice made to ensure their survival. Each woman struggles with decisions they should not be asked to make. The story has just the right number of twists to keep you reading.

Reviewed by Doloris Vest, Book No Further in Roanoke, Virginia

Bookseller Buzz

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

“I went through a divorce at a young age myself, and it was quite isolating — most of my peer group wasn’t even married yet, so I didn’t have anyone around me who could relate to what I was going through, and I became desperate to read or watch something about the experience. While there’s no paucity of divorce art in the world, I couldn’t find anything that summed up how specifically ridiculous going through it all at 28 in the late 2010s felt. I also wanted something that didn’t take the whole thing too seriously — a lot of heartbreak art is quite heavy, when it really is one of life’s funnier circumstances. I also knew that I didn’t want to write a memoir — partly because every divorce is two stories, and it didn’t feel fair to commit only mine to print, and mostly because I didn’t think I could be funny about my real-life situation. So I invented Maggie and Jon, and tore up their life plans instead.” ―Monica Heisey, Interview, Entertainment Weekly

What booksellers are saying about Really Good, Actually

• This book feels like it was written exactly to my sense of humor, age group, pop culture knowledge, etc., so I, of course, loved it! Maggie didn’t expect to be getting a divorce at the age of twenty-nine–now she’s left feeling alone and adrift when she expected to have at least one aspect of her life set forever. This book chronicles the lonely, messy, embarrassing year that follows Maggie’s decision to split with her husband as well as the difficult journey to self-improvement in a self-obsessed, social media, millennial ennui-focused era.
    ―Julia Lewis from Fountain Books in Richmond, VA | Buy from Fountain Bookstore
  
  
• Funny and cringingly relatable, Monica Heisey is the Canadian answer to Dolly Alderton and Stephanie Danler. "Messy" is the only word for the 29-year-old protagonist reeling from the end of her marriage, but you can’t help but root for her to make it through her difficult first year post-separation
    ―Kate Storhoff from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC | Buy from Bookmarks
  
  
• This gritty original take on The Breakup Novel is a combination of the age-old human pastime of watching a train wreck happen in front of your eyes (you just can’t stop watching/reading!), and a Jane Austen-level take on relationships and the need for women to have value and identity outside of their romantic relationships. The friendships are hardcore. The slowly emerging self knowledge of the main character is empowering. The stream-of-consciousness style of writing means you’ll want to read it all in one long gulp. Loved it.
    ―Elisa Forshey from Givens Books Little Dickens in Lynchburg, VA | Buy from Givens Books Little Dickens
  
  
• Agreed, Really Good, Actually is perfect for fans of Schitt’s Creek ( author Monica Heisey wrote for the show!) and the recent novels, Ghosts by Dolly Alderton and How to Fall Out of Love Madly by Jana Casale. Funny, tender and so very relatable
    ―Jessica Nock from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC | Buy from Main Street Books
  
  

About Monica Heisey

Monica Heisey is a writer and comedian from Toronto. She has been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Vogue, Elle, The Guardian, Glamour, New York magazine, and VICE, among others. She has written for television shows like Schitt’s Creek, Workin’ Moms, Baroness von Sketch Show, and more. She currently lives in London. This is her first novel.

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The Survivalists by Kashana Cauley
Soft Skull / January 2023

Adult Fiction, African American & Black, Women
More Reviews from Oxford Exchange

Cauley cleverly constructs a story about how disenfranchisement cultivates a daunting landscape. Anyone who has been forced to make a decision with limited choices will instantly connect with and root for the main character Aretha. Even if it’s a bit stressful to witness.

Reviewed by Eden Hakimzadeh, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida

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I Saw Death Coming by Kidada E. Williams
 Bloomsbury Publishing / January 2023

Adult Nonfiction, Experiments & Projects, History, Physics, Science
More Reviews from Bookmarks

In school, we learned that the period of Reconstruction was a failure. In her book, Williams provides the reasons for that failure. With brutal personal testimonies from the Klan hearings of the 1870s and interviews documented by the Works Progress Administration, Williams illustrates the terror of nighttime raids and the trauma that resulted. Following the experiences of several Black families across the South, Williams reveals the extent of the injustices they endured, being robbed of land, family members, livelihoods, community, and their mental and physical health. Williams’ first-person accounts of Post-Civil War America provide a necessary component of our nation’s history, a history every citizen should know.

Reviewed by Lera Shawver, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
Joy Revolution / January 2023

Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Parnassus Books

Pleased to report that Hibbert’s signature, beloved wit and undeniable charm carries over into her YA debut. Both of these characters are incredibly well-fleshed out. Complex and unique without falling into dreadful cliches, I loved learning more about Brad and Celine as they navigated the turbulent teenage waters of will-they-won’t-they. Spicy, sassy Celine who just wanted the world to be fair and right. Brad, the darling soccer player (excuse me – footballer) who copes with his OCD by needing things to be just so. I loved them both. Their banter was off the charts in a way only Hibbert can achieve. This was one of those books where I blinked and suddenly I was 87% of the way through it. I just couldn’t stop reading about this duo!

Reviewed by Hannah Kerbs, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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What’s Sweeter by June Tate
Katherine Tegen Books / December 2022

Children, Emotions & Feelings, Juvenile Fiction, Social Themes
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

One of my favorite picture books of the last couple years, this debut from June Tate is like a warm hug in a book. A playful book about appreciating the smaller things and slowing down, it’s quirky and cute yet modern. The illustrations are my favorite, there’s a nostalgic feeling to the drawing style that just makes this book even better and reminds me of what I grew up with. Lots of love for this tiny treat of a book.

Reviewed by Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Captain America: The Ghost Army (Original Graphic Novel) by Alan Gratz
Graphix / January 2023

Children, Juvenile Fiction, Mysteries & Detective Stories
More Reviews from Page 158 Books

Alan Gratz brings his ability to make young kids want to read to graphic novels, and it’s great! Merging an exciting story with historically accurate information on WII, any fan of history, Marvel, or ghost stories will love this book.

Reviewed by Kelley Barnes, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
 Riverhead Books / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Crime, Family, Literary Fiction
More Reviews from Flyleaf Books

A January 2023 Read This Next! Title

This novel will rob you of hours from your life, it will rob you of the need for food or company or sleep. Time the reading of the first pages wisely; you’ll have a sudden need to find a comfy spot where you can commune with these characters and their lush stories of pleasure and pain. A mashup of American Psycho, Scarface and The Great Gatsby but set in contemporary India, it’s all but impossible to look away from this dazzling train wreck orchestrated by Deepti Kapoor. I was consumed by this novel.

Reviewed by Jamie Fiocco, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“A good library will never be too neat, or too dusty, because somebody will always be in it, taking books off the shelves and staying up late reading them.”
– Lemony Snicket, Horseradish

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
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The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Lark Ascending by Silas House
Algonquin Books / September 2022

Adult Fiction, Dystopian, LGBTQ+, Nature The Environment, Southern Book Prize Finalist
More Reviews from Copperfish Books

The urgency of the opening chapters is breathtaking, and then the source of it is laid bare: this is the imagined not-so-distant future resulting from the chaos and painful transformational change similar to what we’re going through right now in our world. The young man, the dog and the older woman at the center of the story are trying to survive in a world on fire, one burning to the ground with fire and hatred. Each choice they make – big and small – may cost them their lives, or someone else’s. A haunting story, one that makes you really think about the trajectory of our collective lives. I couldn’t put it down!

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Reviewed by Cathy Graham, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida

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Recommended by Southern indies…

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Bad Cree by Jessica Johns
Doubleday / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Folk Tales, Horror, Indigenous, Legends & Mythology
More Reviews from Novel

Bad Cree is the perfect mix of mystery, horror, and suspense. Johns uses the importance of dreams in Cree culture to cover several issues involving corporate greed, trauma, and familial grief. Also, her use of symbolism throughout the book makes for an ethereal experience for the reader and she highlights the strength that can come from the female bonds of sisterhood/motherhood throughout the plot. This is an incredibly enjoyable debut that is as creative as it is moving.

Reviewed by Stuart McCommon, Novel. in Memphis, Tennessee

Bookseller Buzz

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

“Studying journalism helped me realize that everyone has a story to tell, and it’s usually not the one we expect. Learning how to interview is a skill I still use, even though I don’t interview people anymore. Understanding how to get past surface-level answers taught me how to find the real meat of a story, which now influences the way I create my characters.” ―Stacy Willingham, Interview, UGA Today

What booksellers are saying about All the Dangerous Things

• A mesmerizing, jaw-dropping thriller with unforeseeable twists and turns! At first, the story seems to be a mystery about finding Isabelle’s missing son Drake, who was taken from his crib in the middle of the night. However, through Willingham’s exceptional storytelling, we are taken on an unforgettable journey of lies and deception where "we are nothing but what we chose to believe."
    ―Sharon Davis from Book Bound Bookstore in Blairsville, GA | Buy from Book Bound Bookstore
  
  
• Chilling and mind-bending, All the Dangerous Things is a thriller read that will leave you shocked to your core. Isabella Drake’s son went missing a year ago and since then, she has been unable to truly sleep. As memories of her troubled past are dredged up and secrets are being uncovered, Izzy begins to wonder if something more sinister is amiss or if she has finally lost her mind. This novel is a psychological journey with its originality and intrigue, as the plot starts to unfurl and you begin to wonder if you can even trust your own mind.
    ―Makayla Summers from Main Street Reads in Summerville, SC | Buy from Main Street Reads
  
  
• This book ripped me apart over and over. Stacy Willingham has a way of twisting a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end! Isabelle Drake’s toddler son goes missing from his bed in the middle of the night while she and her husband are sleeping. A whole year has gone by and Mason is still missing, Isabelle’s husband has left her, she has not slept a full night since Mason’s disappearance, there has not been a break in the case, and Isabelle’s ex has started a new relationship and seems to have moved on from her and Mason all together. Isabelle doesn’t give up, though. Even when everyone suspects her, blames her, shames her, and pities her. Everyone should read this to find out what happens to Isabelle and Mason, but also read this because Isabelle is a strong mamma jamma who deserves some respect! Thank you for this advance reader copy, I truly enjoyed this novel!
    ―Kait Layton from The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, AL | Buy from The Haunted Book Shop
  
  
• WOW!! Jaw dropped!! This book had me HOOKED from start to finish. I finished it in one sitting. I had to know what happened next. This story follows a mom trying to piece together parts of her past as well as figure out what happened to her son, who disappeared from his room in the middle of the night. It jumps between past and present and every chapter is a new twist. I LOVED A Flicker in the Dark by this author and was worried how this would hold up and this tops it. Incredibly gripping story that had my jaw dropping by the final reveal and all the turns and twists in between. Bonus points for the Savannah, GA setting and incredible detail making you feel as if you are in the streets of downtown as you read. Highly recommend.
    ―Samantha Culliton from E. Shaver, bookseller in Savannah, GA | Buy from E. Shaver, bookseller
  
  

About Stacy Willingham

Stacy Willingham is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark. Before turning to fiction, she was a copywriter and brand strategist for various marketing agencies. She earned her BA in magazine journalism from the University of Georgia and MFA in writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her work has been translated in over 30 countries. She currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, Britt, and Labradoodle, Mako, where she is always working on her next book.

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We Know You Remember by Tove Alsterdal
Harper Paperbacks / December 2022

Adult Fiction, Crime, Thrillers
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

If you like Scandinavian crime novels, you will love We Know You Remember. Eira has come back to her small hometown to join the local police force after a number of years in Stockholm. A new murder brings back old memories and nightmares about the rape and murder of a young girl just a few years older than Eira when it occurred 20 years earlier. A crime that the small town has never forgotten. The story of the long-ago crime is skillfully woven with the current murder and Eira’s is forced to question a lot of things that she was told that may not have been true. It is not surprising that We Know You Remember won the best Swedish Crime Novel of the year award.

Reviewed by Nancy McFarlane, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

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The Matter of Everything by Suzie Sheehy
 Knopf / January 2023

Adult Nonfiction, Experiments & Projects, History, Physics, Science
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

Look no further for a detailed overview of the carnival that is the history of natural philosophy, physics! Suzie Sheehy does a great job sending readers into the world of personality and interpersonal relationships behind some of science’s most important discoveries. As a casual reader, I found at its center a variety of tales of endurance, innovation, and resourcefulness. In The Matter of Everything you will find that revelations can start with just a piece of glass and an unquenchable curiosity. This is a must-read for anyone looking to dip their toes into one of the most complex topics of human history: the search for understanding the deep mechanics of our own world.

Reviewed by Amanda Depperschmidt, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson
Katherine Tegen Books / December 2022

Mysteries & Detective Stories, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Bookmiser

Stevie’s back to solve a new mystery, this time at a country manor in England! Johnson delves right back into Stevie’s world as she navigates her way through a 27-year-old murder and a current disappearance. Stevie’s at loose ends as she’s almost halfway through her senior year. She doesn’t know what she wants to do after high school, and she misses her boyfriend. But when David invites Stevie and her friends to spend a week in England, they immediately develop a plan to get the headmaster to let them go as an educational experience. Once they get there, the mystery finds Stevie, and she’s off.

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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What Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire Swinarski
Quill Tree Books / January 2023

Children, Juvenile Fiction, Mysteries & Detective Stories
More Reviews from The Flyleaf Books

Reading this book made me step back, rethink my middle school days, and want to wrap my younger self in a hug. Such a tough story, told in such a way where even though the reader and the main character don’t know the full story, you know more than the main character. You are seeing their final report, not just her findings, as she is investigating.

Reviewed by Jamie Kovacs, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw
 Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers / December 2022

Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Main Street Books

A December 2022 Read This Next! Title

This is an absolute gem of a book! Part science-fiction, part romance, Shea Ernshaw delivers another YA novel that is a delight to read. For lovers of stars and post apocalyptic literature!

Reviewed by Hallie Smith, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“Isn’t it odd how much fatter a book gets when you’ve read it several times?” Mo had said…”As if something were left between the pages every time you read it. Feelings, thoughts, sounds, smells…and then, when you look at the book again many years later, you find yourself there, too, a slightly younger self, slightly different, as if the book had preserved you like a pressed flower…both strange and familiar. -”
– Cornelia Funke, Inkspell

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
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The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
Wednesday Books / June 2022

Fantasy, Romance, Southern Book Prize Finalist, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Haunted Book Shop

I thoroughly enjoyed how Alessa came into her own as a Finestra too powerful for a single Fonte. The question posed in the book and in this [and our] society: what it means to be selfish and selfless. Is a hero the selfish Ghiotte, or the selfless Finestra, and is the balance necessary to be able to give your best? Can’t wait to see how the next book addresses this! Dante (and Alessa and his banter!) is just the best and I’m anxious to see what happens to him in #2

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

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Recommended by Southern indies…

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Dinosaurs by Lydia Millet
W. W. Norton & Company / October 2022

Adult Fiction, Literary
More Reviews from Novel

After reading (and loving) A Children’s Bible, I was not expecting Dinosaurs to be so gentle, so earnest, so attuned to its characters’ flaws and traumas while being even more attuned to the ways their pain has strengthened them with empathy and circumspection. This is a brief and generous novel that begins with our hero’s 2,500-mile journey on foot from NYC to Phoenix and ends with him getting cactus barbs torn out of his back with pliers, with so much good stuff sandwiched in the middle there.

Reviewed by Kat Leache, Novel. in Memphis, Tennessee

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun

“When I first started writing queer books, I was terrified that readers would think they weren’t “queer enough” or queer in the right kind of way. I hadn’t been out long, and in many ways, I was this baby queer in a thirty-three-year-old body. I felt like people would read my book and revoke my gay card. With Kiss Her Once for Me, I was able to mostly move past my queer imposter syndrome—queer people aren’t a monolith, and all I can do is write from my own experiences. That said, it’s important to me to write stories that deal with queerness (or at least what queerness means to me), not simply stories that feature a queer romantic pairing. I like writing about characters who are questioning their sexuality, characters who are fluid and defining things for themselves, characters who are in search of queer community, because these are all things that were critical to my own journey.” ―Alison Cochrun, Interview, Musing, Parnassus Books

What booksellers are saying about Kiss Her Once for Me

• Alison Cochrun’s new novel is a wintry delight! Ellie’s struggles with real issues – anxiety, fear of failure, parental boundaries, and sexual identity. At the same time, Kiss Her Once for Me is a beautiful, steamy romance with witty banter, a fake marriage, and a love trapezoid. I loved it.
    ―Monica Swofford from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC | Buy from Bookmarks
  
  
• If you’re sitting around this holiday season and you’re thinking, "What I REALLY would like is a sapphic holiday love story with fake dating, forced proximity, baking, crazy grandmas, and lots of snow" then look no further!
    ―Jennifer Jones from Bookmiser, Inc. in Marietta, GA | Buy from Bookmiser
  
  
• If this doesn’t become a Netflix movie I’ll eat all the hats. Funny, thoughtful, relevant, this is a Christmas read with a big brain and a bigger heart. Cochrun has repackaged the rom com troupe of fake coupling and hidden desires, within the setting of Classic Holiday Mansion. For Christina Lauren and Casey McQuiston fans.
    ―Aimee Keeble from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC | Buy from Main Street Books
  
  
• If seeing Bill Pullman lean against a wall and look directly into Sandra Bullock’s eyes in the 1995 rom-com "While You Were Sleeping" fundamentally changed your brain chemistry (i.e., made you a butch lesbian), this is the exact book for you. This novel is a lovely exploration of second chances and accepting failure, even when it feels like failing isn’t an option. I was very charmed by Jack’s weird and wacky family and Ellie’s fake dating scheme! For an optimal experience, read with tea in hand and Christmas music on in the background.
    ―Gaby Iori from Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, NC | Buy from Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews
  
  
• Pansexual demisexual protagonist? Count me in! If you’ve been looking for more queer holiday romance rep with a Hallmark-y feel this is a great choice!
    ―Lana Repic from E. Shaver, bookseller in Savannah, GA | Buy from E. Shaver, bookseller
  
  

About Alison Cochrun

Alison Cochrun is a former high school English teacher and a current writer of queer love stories, including her debut novel, The Charm Offensive. She lives outside of Portland, Oregon with her giant dog and a vast collection of brightly colored books. You can find her online at AlisonCochrun.com or on Instagram and Twitter at @AlisonCochrun.

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The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
Ballantine Books / January 2023

Adult Fiction, Family Life, Literary, Women
More Reviews from Sundog Books

It is an accomplishment when a novel can take on heartbreaking situations and also contain so much humor as well. Geeta’s husband left without a trace five years ago. All the villagers think she has murdered him. So when her women’s business loan group members start having problems with their drinking, abusive husbands, they naturally go to her to enlist her help in murdering them. A fun story about the ability of women friends to stick together and the joys of motherhood (not really). I will highly recommend this one.

Reviewed by Kathy Clemmons, Sundog Books in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

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A Giant Win by Tom Coughlin
 Grand Central Publishing / December 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Coaching, Football, Sports & Recreation
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

I am a football fan who happens to adore the New York Giants and the Manning QBs. I have always appreciated Tom Coughlin as a coach and as a person. How can you not admire a man who got frostbite coaching a game and had no idea? Clearly, the book was a must-read for me, and it did not disappoint. The dissection of his first Giants Super Bowl win I believe is a diary any football fan will relish. The little things that every coach will emphasize are explained in meticulous detail. His path to coaching and his stops along the way are well documented, his emotions are poured out onto the page, and he does not spare himself. What shines through on every page is his love for his family, his faith, and the players he coached. They may not have been friends, but they were his football family. The book is a quick read, you feel like you are sitting in the room with a friend talking about their life and career. One of the most engaging football biographies I have read.

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

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Heartbreak Boys by Simon James Green
Clarion Books, / December 2022

LGBTQ, Romance, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Bookmiser

This crazy, madcap YA novel is just the thing you’re looking for! Nate and Jack used to be the best of friends. But after Jack came out, they drifted apart. Now they’re at prom and they’ve just discovered that their boyfriends are cheating on them…with each other. So they decide to team up and make the most fabulous, jealousy-inducing social media account of the summer to make their exes jealous. But that turns out to be a little tougher than they thought.

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Snow Horses by Patricia MacLachlan
Margaret K. McElderry Books / November 2022

Animals, Children, Horses, Juvenile Fiction
More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

In the morning, the trumpets will play and the sun will rise and the new year will dawn. Tonight, however, the rhythmic crunch of the horse hooves on falling snow makes the world a magical place. Absolutely stunning illustrations and a sweet story will surely make this one a new holiday favorite for many families.

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion, Vol. 2 by Whale (Original story by Milcha)
Yen Press / November 2022

Animals, Children, Horses, Juvenile Fiction
More Reviews from E. Shaver, bookseller

While I’m always here for a slow burn, I can’t help but adore how sweet and tender Noah is towards Raeliana. We often see male romance protagonists in this sub-genre come across as cold, stubborn, and belligerent, which has its own charm, but this is a swoon-worthy change of pace. True to form for this sub-genre, Raeliana is a strong-willed and capable leading lady that never fails to entertain! I can’t wait for volume three!

Reviewed by Lana Repic, E. Shaver bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

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How Far the Light Reaches by Sabrina Imbler
 Little, Brown and Company / December 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Essays, LGBTQ+, Life Sciences, Marine Biology, Science
More Reviews from Parnassus Books

A December 2022 Read This Next! Title

Wholly original, astonishingly informative, and powerfully written. Imbler describes marine life with reverence and compelling detail, and deftly intertwines the lives of the sea creatures with stories of their own experiences with gender, queerness, and identity.

Reviewed by Sarah Arnold, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“Only a generation of readers will spawn a generation of writers”
– Steven Spielberg

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Southern Book Prize Finalist!

What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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Child by Judy Goldman
University of South Carolina Press / May 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, History, Personal Memoirs, Race & Ethnic Relations, Southern Book Prize Finalist, United States
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

In her lovely memoir, Judy Goldman reflects on what it was like to be a young Jewish girl raised by a Black nanny in the 1940s and 50s south. Mattie Culp became a part of the Kurtz family: sleeping in young Judy’s bedroom, using the family bathroom, celebrating holidays with them—things unheard of in the Jim Crow south. Now in her 80s, Goldman reflects on what Mattie had to give up—including her own child—in order to make the Kurtz family’s life so much easier.

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Reviewed by Linda Hodges of Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

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Recommended by Southern indies…

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Animal Life by Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Grove Press, Black Cat / December 2022

Adult Fiction, Europe, Holidays, Literary, World Literature
More Reviews from Bookmiser

Olafdottir takes us to Iceland a few days before Christmas where a midwife, Domhildur, has just delivered her 1,922nd baby. She comes from a long line of midwives on her mother’s side and her father’s family work as undertakers. Her family deals with beginnings and endings, life and death, and sunlight and darkness. “I have come to the conclusion that the one who calls himself the master of all creatures is in fact the most vulnerable of all animals…the most fragile of the fragile on the planet.” These words, written by Domhildur’s great-aunt, are discovered in some manuscripts left in a closet after her death. Domhildur reads her great-aunt’s reflections on humans, life, and loves, while a storm is moving into Reykjavik. Will the prediction in these pages come to be reality? Will mankind be “the most short-lived species on earth”?

Reviewed by Nancy Pierce, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Cursed Bunny: Stories by Bora Chung

“I think urban legends, myths and folktales constantly tell us that what you know is not all, and you shouldn’t be arrogant enough to think that what your five senses can sense is all there is to feel and perceive and think.” ―Bora Chung, Interview, The Korea Herald

What booksellers are saying about Cursed Bunny: Stories

• Cursed Bunny is a fantastically weird and thought-provoking collection of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy stories that had me ruminating long after I had finished them. Bora Chung takes the bases of human nature (and a lot of the worst ones) and puts them on display like an open wound for the reader. Along with covering individual issues like greed, despair, or love… the stories also tackle societal issues regarding feminism and poverty as well. This book is perfect for horror fans that also enjoy literary fiction.
    ―Stuart McCommon from Novel in Memphis, TN | Buy from Novel.
  
  
• A fantastic, Korean story collection that includes nightmarish tales you won’t be able to put down. Bora Chung is bringing a new depth of not only gore and terror to traditional horror but also something more provocative as well. Tales that range from heads emerging from toilets, body horror that you’ll remember for days, and even some more sci-fi elements as well, this story collection is not for the faint of heart. An unforgettable book that’ll keep you thinking for days.
    ―Grace Sullivan from Fountain Books in Richmond, VA | Buy from Fountain Bookstore
  
  
• Delightfully gruesome, disarmingly weird, and incredibly sharp; Bora Chung’s debut collection Cursed Bunny is an incredibly memorable trip into the mind of an amazing new voice. From a head growing out of a toilet wanting to be free, a snared fox that bleeds gold, or the titular cursed bunny; each of Chung’s amazing stories reads like a dark fable that would give the Grimm brothers a run for their money. With themes of gender, greed, and technology, Cursed Bunny is a must read for those who take their humor black and their ideas big. So very good!
    ―Caleb Masters from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC | Buy from Bookmarks
  
  

About Bora Chung

Bora Chung has written three novels and three collections of short stories. She has an MA in Russian and East European area studies from Yale University and a PhD in Slavic literature from Indiana University. She has taught Russian language and literature and science fiction studies at Yonsei University and translates modern literary works from Russian and Polish into Korean.

Anton Hur was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He won a PEN Translates award for Kang Kyeong-ae’s The Underground Village and his translation of Sang Young Park’s Love in the Big City was longlisted for the Booker International Prize in 2022. He lives in Seoul.

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The Rewind by Allison Winn Scotch
Berkley / November 2022

Adult Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy
More Reviews from E, Shaver, bookseller

Meet Frankie and Ezra. They’re about to ‘Party Like It’s 1999,’ if they can remember what happened during the last 24 hours. Find out what happens when you mix exes at a wedding, throw in a little college shenanigans, and stir up a decade-old hatred. Filled with ’90s nostalgia (including dial-up, pay phones, the start of Google, and, yes, online dating), you won’t put this down simply because you’ll want to know what exactly Frankie and Ezra did that night. If you’re looking for a light romance to bring in 2023, here it is! (Only thing missing: A curated list of songs mentioned in the book.)

Reviewed by Jenny Gilroy, E. Shaver bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

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Whorephobia by Lizzie Borden
 Seven Stories Press / December 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Art, Essays, Individual Artists, Social Science, Women’s Studies
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

A gorgeously done collection of all things stripping and sex work told by those who know it best. With stories told by 20-some contributors to this essay collection, the lessons and experiences recounted in this span decades. Focused first on the strip clubs that populated New York City in the late 80s and 90s, the switch to more modern accounts is refreshing and makes this a current and fantastically well-done anthology on pro-sex work.

Reviewed by Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow
HarperTeen / November 2022

LGBTQ, Romance, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews

This is the book I, a Jewish lesbian nerd with bushy hair and a love of corgis, needed as a teen. How to Excavate a Heart has all of the tropes us hopeless romantics love- a meet-cute, enemies-to-lovers, and kissing in the snow. It also has really great advice that teenage me would’ve benefited from: your partner should add to your life, but they shouldn’t be your whole life. There’s so much beauty in the world, and part of that can be your kind of mean, hot Jewish girlfriend, but she doesn’t need to be all of it! Besides the invaluable lessons in the book, the love story is compelling and well-paced, and sweet. Shani and May are learning about themselves and love and how to deal with parents and fish fossils together, which is what love is really about. Fill yourself with holiday cheer and read this book!

Julia Hirschfield from Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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How We Say I Love You by Nicole Chen
Knopf Books for Young Readers / December 2022

Asian American & Pacific Islander, Children, Family, Holidays & Celebrations, Juvenile Fiction, Multigenerational, People & Places, United States, Valentine’s Day
More Reviews from Bookmarks

How We Say I Love You reminds readers there are many ways to show love in your family. The story follows an Asian American girl through a day with her family, who show their love through actions like packing a homemade lunch or doing their best at school. This book is a beautiful way to talk about love and families with even the youngest of readers.

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

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Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

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My Darkest Prayer by S. A. Cosby
 Flatiron Books / December 2022

Adult Fiction, Crime, Fiction, Small Town & Rural, Thrillers
More Reviews from Union Ave. Books

A December 2022 Read This Next! Title

In this novel, readers are introduced to a story where religion, region, karma, and race intersect. Nathan, (former marine and ex-cop) has experienced loss of his own, and he’s dealt his own hand of karma to others. So, when the local sheriff’s office doubles down on corruption, he takes the case of a local minister’s death into his own hands in an attempt to bring peace to the congregation. This novel is full of twists and turns that will leave your jaw on the floor. This novel dissects the weight of loss on a person’s moral compass. In this small Virginia community is where the darkest secrets are revealed–where the darkest prayers are heard. S.A. Cosby is a force to be reckoned with.

Reviewed by Leo Coffey, Union Ave. Books in Knoxville, Tennessee

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“It is not true that we have only one life to live; if we can read, we can live as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish.”
– S.I. Hayakawa

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Southern Book Prize Finalist!

What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
Ecco / November 2022

Adult Fiction, Coming of Age, Southern Book Prize Finalist
More Reviews from M. Judson

Now is Not The Time to Panic covers that wry space between childhood and adulthood – how we want to be seen and how others see us. Frankie and Zeke ask the questions about the nature of art both to the maker and the viewer, what does obsession really look like, and how do things spin out of control so smoothly. All against an early 90s world that may as well be a thousand years ago. The questions of consequences, family and what lies in front of us through a 90s era time warp. The writing is amazing. Sentences that stop you in your tracks. I loved everything about the novel!

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Reviewed by Susan Williams, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

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Nigel and the Moon by Antwan Eady
Katherine Tegen Books / February 2022

Business, Careers, Children, Juvenile Fiction, Occupations, Southern Book Prize Finalist
More Reviews from Bookmarks

Nigel and the Moon will make your heart swell in the best way! Sure to be a beloved book, Nigel’s story resonates deeply with those who are scared to share their dreams. When Nigel looks up at the moon, anything is possible; but in school he’s hesitant to share. Career week in school is tricky when you want to be an astronaut, dancer, and a superhero! I loved Nigel and his story, and applaud Antwan Eady on this superb debut!

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Reviewed by Lauren Kean from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Read This Now!

Recommended by Southern indies…

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The Midwife’s Secret by Emily Gunnis
Headline / December 2022

Adult Fiction, Historical, Women
More Reviews from Litchfield Books

A wonderfully written book with an original idea. Weaving together 3 main storylines, you get into the intricacies of what an impact made long ago can do to a family, and what it can do to generations of a small town. The mirroring of the disappearances almost 60 years apart really sold me on the story. A great page-turner for those that love small-town hidden secrets set in the UK.

Reviewed by Olivia Meletes-Morris, Litchfield Books in Pawleys Island , South Carolina

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

“I think that re-wilding is an extraordinary thing, desirable perhaps, to see nature reclaiming itself. Southern Florida was and would like to be a swamp, you know? And yet we’ve dredged it and drained it and built on top of that. And so much of city management in a place like Miami is trying to keep that boundary between what the landscape wants to do and what the city wants the land to do – bridge it. And so to me, the idea of softening that boundary and trying to be a little harmonious is a good thing.” ―Lily Brooks-Dalton, Interview, Texas Public Radio

What booksellers are saying about The Light Pirate

• Wanda is born in the middle of a devastating hurricane that claims two of her family members and frays the edges of a fragile environment. Set in Florida, we see Wanda grow into a young adult while the only place she has ever known as home becomes a victim of climate change. Brooks-Dalton shows us the crumbling of civilization and the strength of one person’s determination to find beauty in the loss. Wanda’s story asks us to see both magic and hope in an uncertain future.
    ―Mary Jane Michels from Fiction Addiction in Greenville, SC | Buy from Fiction Addiction
  
  
• Ethereal and haunting, The Light Pirate tells the story of Wanda, who is born on the day that the hurricane that she was named after rips through Florida, leaving devastation in its wake. A meditation of what’s to become of our landscape and livelihood, and how we survive when everything is stripped away. I can’t wait to recommend The Light Pirate to fans of Emily St John Mandel, Lydia Millet, and Climate Fiction readers.
    ―Jessica Nock from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC | Buy from Main Street Books
  
  
• An essential read, especially for those of us making our home in Florida. Tragic but hopeful and completely enthralling. highly recommends.
    ―Emily Berg from Books & Books in Coral Gables, FL | Buy from Books and Books
  
  
• In a novel that mirrors the latest news about the urgency of our environment, Lily Brooks-Dalton takes the reader to a terrible end place. Kirby Lowe and his heavily pregnant wife and two sons are about to be hit by another hurricane in their small town in Florida. Wanda is born into this weather crisis, and we watch her whole life as weather patterns and rising sea levels take away the life we all have known. Bioluminescence plays a part as large as Phyllis—the survivalist who finds she was right all along. This novel will leave the reader breathless, turning pages while hoping life and love will survive.
    ―Nancy Pierce from Bookmiser, Inc. in Marietta, GA | Buy from Bookmiser
  
  

About Lily Brooks-Dalton

Lily Brooks-Dalton’s novel, Good Morning, Midnight (Random House, 2016), has been translated into 17 languages and is the inspiration for the film adaptation, The Midnight Sky. Her memoir, Motorcycles I’ve Loved (Riverhead, 2014), was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

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Hemlock Hollow by Culley Holderfield
Regal House Publishing / December 2022

Adult Fiction, Historical, Mystery & Detective, Southern
More Reviews from Bookmiser

Culley Holderfield writes poetically about the magical mountain hollow where we meet Caroline McAllister as she mourns her father and her marriage. A college professor, Caroline has just discovered that her deceased father has bequeathed her the family cabin—the cabin which has always haunted her. While restoring the old cabin she finds a century-old journal written by Carson Quinn and the mystery it reveals about the death of his brother haunts her too. This novel has so many facets: Leprechauns and Emerson and Darwin and Socrates and religion and love and death are all found in its pages. The main character is an archaeoastronomy professor and is studying the Grand Octal! This is the most fascinating novel I have read all year and is perfect for a bookclub discussion. I can’t recommend it highly enough as a page-turner that will stay with and haunt the reader.

Reviewed by Nancy Pierce, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Grocery Shopping with My Mother by Kevin Powell
Soft Skull / December 2022

Adult Nonfiction, African American & Black, American, Biography & Autobiography, Cultural, Ethnic & Regional, Family, Poetry
More Reviews from Main Street Books

This will inspire sobbing and a phone call to your mama. Deeply accessible, beautiful work.

Reviewed by Aimee Keeble, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Seoulmates by Susan Lee
Inkyard Press / September 2022

Romance, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Blue Cypress Books

Seoulmates is a fun young adult romance sprinkled with k-pop and k-drama references. Susan Lee gave me a glimpse into a Korean American home through this tender love story between two childhood friends who have grown up. A friends to enemies to lovers story, I couldn’t put it down.

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

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A Pinch of Love by Barry Timms
Frances Lincoln Children’s Books / December 2022

Children, Cooking & Food, Friendship, Juvenile Fiction, Love & Romance
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

A Pinch of Love is an adorable picture book about spreading love and overcoming hard times through baking. With diverse characters, an emphasis on community, and a colorful quirky art style that is incredibly appealing, this tender book will be perfect to share with little loved ones with a love of baking (or baked goods)!

Reviewed by Julia Lewis, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

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The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton
 Grand Central Publishing / December 2022

Action & Adventure, Adult Fiction, Fiction, Literary, Nature & Environment
More Reviews from Sunrise Books

A December 2022 Read This Next! Title

What happens when nature isn’t natural? When in the end, Climate Change is unstoppable? Lily Brooks-Dalton renders a shockingly real depiction of this possibility in the harrowing and beautiful novel The Light Pirate. Florida’s struggle with the aftermath of violent weather has always been a reality, but in this story, the rapidly changing landscape overwhelms the will and stamina of most human beings. Wanda, who was born during, and named after, a particularly vicious hurricane, frequently navigates a new, storm-carved home as the Florida coast shifts and neighborhoods are swallowed by wind, water, and human dereliction. Wanda adapts as nature does, to a strange new world–one dependent not on human infrastructure–but on that which matters most in the end: humility, kindness and bravery. This story is important. This story could happen. This story is happening. A must-read.

Reviewed by Laura Simcox, Sunrise Books in High Point, North Carolina

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“Picture books are for everybody at any age, not books to be left behind as we grow older. The best ones leave a tantalizing gap between the pictures and the words, a gap that is filled by the reader’s imagination, adding so much to the excitement of reading a book.”
– Anthony Browne

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Southern Book Prize Finalist!

What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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Beatrice Likes the Dark by April Genevieve Tucholke
Algonquin Young Readers / September 2022

Children, Emotions & Feelings, Halloween, Holidays & Celebrations, Juvenile Fiction, Siblings, Social Themes, Southern Book Prize Finalist
More Reviews from Books and Books

Far and away one of my favorite picture books of the year! Beatrice Likes the Dark is a beautifully illustrated, sweet story of sisterhood. Each page is full of heart and whimsical detail. Your inner baby goth or any year-round Halloween lovers in your life will need to own this one!

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Reviewed by Cristina Russell, Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida

Read This Now!

Recommended by Southern indies…

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The Cloisters by Katy Hays
Atria Books / November 2022

Adult Fiction, Psychological, Thrillers
More Reviews from The Violet Fox Bookshop

The Cloisters by Katy Hays is what I imagine Mary Shelley might write if she lived in the 21st century. There are elements of horror, a little romance, an eerie setting, characters that will keep you guessing, and an ending you won’t see coming. But more than that, The Cloisters seems to play with a lot of the same themes that Mary Shelley did – ambition and fallibility, romanticism in nature, dangerous knowledge, secrecy, and isolation. But where Shelley writes about what makes us human (or not), Hays writes about what agency we have as humans. Do we have free will? Is anything predestined? Or is everything just fate?

Come tiptoe through the hushed hallways of The Cloisters, teeming with dark academia that whispers ancient secrets from the shadows. Mysteries smolder at the edges. What begins as a slow burn will have you holding your breath as you race to the end. The Cloisters is chock full of art history, architectural delights, and occult vibes.

This was one of those books that took over my world while I was reading it – casting a thin veil of darkness and tension over everything until I was so immersed in the characters and story that I was thinking about them and what would happen next throughout the day. Even almost a week later, I’m still pondering… the secrets we all hold, the dreams we have for ourselves and how far we’re willing to go to reach them. And whether any of that is our choice… or just fate.

Reviewed by Emily Lessig, The Violet Fox Bookshop in Virginia Beach, Virginia

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Seven Empty Houses by Samanta Schweblin

“I started this book in Argentina many years ago, knowing I would move to Europe soon, and finished it during my first couple of years living in Berlin. So for me it works as a bridge between two very different worlds and lives. I couldn’t see that during the writing process, but these stories are full of moving boxes, abandoned clothes, lost objects, people feeling nostalgic and lost or out of place, even when the plots have little to do with that. How tricky fiction can be…I thought I had hidden my private life behind these stories, but it doesn’t matter what I am writing about, I’m always working with material taken from my own life and experience.” ―Samanta Schweblin, Interview, Words Without Borders, National Book Awards

What booksellers are saying about Seven Empty Houses

• At the root of a “good” nightmare is prime comedy and just like the dash of cinnamon to chili enhances the spicy without tasting like a seasonal cookie, a pinch of humor enriches the story’s scary without reading like a seasonal cookie. Each entry for this year’s Samanta Schweblin Chili Cookoff is wonderfully all over the flavor map, which makes for a enjoyably quick read. Always leave ‘em wanting more!
    ―Ian McCord from Avid Bookshop in Athens, GA | Buy from Avid Bookshop
  
  
• Seven Empty Houses finds Samanta Schweblin in top form. Each story is imbued with a striking precision, as the author is funny, ominous, heartfelt, and brutal often in quick succession. Many of the scenes in this collection feature characters that aren’t often the focal point of any given story, Schweblin gives us a glimpse into their worlds and the results are stunning.
    ―James Harrod from Malaprop’s in Asheville, NC | Buy from Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe
  
  
• Short Stories are always an odd thing to get into because they tend to drop you in a story quite in the middle of them and unceremoniously eject you before the story is truly complete. They are more snapshot than feature film. Schweblin’s snapshot stories are unsettling and comforting all at once. They speak to the tender strangeness of family and the simultaneous fear/desire for death. I want to give this book to someone as a book hangover cure for Sue Rainsford’s Follow Me to Ground.
    ―Annie Childress from E. Shaver, bookseller in Savannah, GA | Buy from E. Shaver, bookseller
  
  

About Samanta Schweblin

Samanta Schweblin is the author of the novel Fever Dream, a finalist for the International Booker Prize, and the novel Little Eyes and story collection A Mouthful of Birds, longlisted for the same prize. Chosen by Granta as one of the twenty-two best writers in Spanish under the age of thirty-five, she has won numerous prestigious awards around the world. Her books have been translated into twenty-five languages, and her work has appeared in English in The New Yorker and Harper’s Magazine. Originally from Buenos Aires, Schweblin lives in Berlin.

Megan McDowell has translated books by many contemporary South American and Spanish authors; her translations have been published in The New Yorker, Harper’s, The Paris Review, McSweeney’s, Words Without Borders, and Vice, among other publications.

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The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy
Knopf / October 2022

Adult Fiction, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Psychological, Sagas
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

I have never really felt like the target reader for Cormac McCarthy, but this one really spoke to me. Alternating perspectives between two siblings in the past and present, The Passenger is the story of Bobby Western, a deep sea diver overcome with grief by the death of his sister whom he carried romantic feelings for. Many chapters flesh out in a very dialogue-heavy interview style with an eccentric cast of characters, some more likable than others. Experts in quantum mechanics such as Dirac, Einstein, and Oppenheimer (who worked alongside Western’s father) take on roles as symbols, legacies, and even characters unto themselves. All the while, Western gets wrapped up in a conspiracy he doesn’t know the questions to let alone the answers. McCarthy writes beautifully of the alchemic fires of devotion and the beyond, and I suspect this is a novel I will be returning to throughout my life.

Reviewed by Amanda Depperschmidt, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Waxing On by Ralph Macchio
Dutton / October 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Entertainment & Performing Arts
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

Whether you are a fan of the original 1984 Karate Kid or the 2018 Cobra Kai on Netflix, you will be well versed in this pop culture classic. Ralph Macchio takes you behind the scenes of both the original film and the new series in this new book. You will discover the magic of filmography, and dedication of the actors and directors that created some of the most iconic scenes in cinematic history. But the phenomena that is Karate Kid did not stop with the film, Ralph goes on the describe how his experience of the film and the fans that he interacts with have shaped and changed his life over the years, and helped create Cobra Kai. Waxing On is a nostalgic journey into a pop culture phenomenon that is so relevant to the human condition that it has thrived and adapted to the test of time in ways that makes it as relevant today as it did in 1984.

Reviewed by Gretchen Shuler, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

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A Consuming Fire by Laura E. Weymouth
Margaret K. McElderry Books / November 2022

Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Main Street Books

I will automatically consume anything Laura Weymouth writes after this book, because WOW. Romance, adventure, intrigue, suspense, and a very cute dog: all that and more are found in A Consuming Fire, which showcases Weymouth’s ability to leave you hanging on the edge of your seat for 400 pages.

Reviewed by Hallie Smith, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Ice! Poems About Polar Life by Douglas Florian
Holiday House / December 2022

Children, Juvenile Nonfiction, People & Places, Poetry, Polar Regions
More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

Brrrrfect poetry for the winter months. The poems contained in Ice! will warm the hearts of young readers with funny frozen antics of penguins, caribou, narwhals and more cold climate critters.

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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Hooky Volume 2 by Míriam Bonastre Tur
Clarion Books / September 2022

Children, Comics & Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction
More Reviews from E. Shaver, bookseller

Love love love this series! I still can’t wait to own all the volumes for my collection. Volume two expands the world even further and keeps up with its solid character development in such an engaging way!

Reviewed by Lana Repic, E. Shaver bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

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Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

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We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds
 Roaring Brook Press / November 2022

Mysteries & Detective Stories, Young Adult
More Reviews from Bookmarks

An November 2022 Read This Next! Title

Poignant, moving, and utterly captivating from the first page to the last, We Deserve Monuments is in a league of its own. Both a riveting exploration of the South’s intrinsic and rampant racism and a love story that revels in the beauty of queer Black girls, Jas Hammonds’ debut should be required reading. A beautifully rendered love story both to the family we’re born into and the family we choose, I know I will be neither the first nor the last to say that this book, and all those who see themselves reflected in its pages, deserves monuments.

Reviewed by Mary Louise Callaghan, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“I think books are like people, in the sense that they’ll turn up in your life when you most need them.”
– Emma Thompson

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Southern Book Prize Finalist!

What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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Spine Poems by Annette Dauphin Simon
Harper Design / September 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Language Arts & Disciplines, Poetry, Southern Book Prize Finalist, Writing
More Reviews from McIntyre’s Books

I love that the concept of this book seems so simple, but author and creator Annette Dauphin Simon turned it into something complex and spectacular. What fun it is to have these facts and quotes accompany the poems, especially with the beautifully composed photos. Spine Poems is funny, delightful, informative, and even touching at times. I can’t wait to put this book into the hands of every book lover I know!

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Reviewed by Johanna Albrecht, McIntyre’s Books in Pittsboro, North Carolina

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Recommended by Southern indies…

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Ocean’s Echo by Evelina Maxwell
Tor Books / November 2022

Action & Adventure, Adult Fiction, Science Fiction, Space Opera
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

Antenna is a neuromodified ‘reader’ who can read emotions and minds. He’s also a spoiled, rich playboy who’s now been conscripted into the military, forced to sync with neuromodified architect Surit who can control others. But when Surit finds out that Tennal is not there of his own free will, he refuses to execute the illegal sync, and the two determine to fake it until Tennal can manage an escape. Through action-packed missions involving possible traitors, political intrigue, and family secrets uncovered by them both, Tennal and Surit forge a bond that brings them closer to each other than either has been to anyone else — but can it transcend Surit’s principles and Tennal’s desire for freedom? I loved watching both Tennal and Surit’s character growth within Maxwell’s wonderful world building, and the slow burn romance was amazing..

Reviewed by Melissa Oates, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Book Lovers by Emily Henry

“I set out secretly thinking of this book as my own homage to You’ve Got Mail, and specifically a bit of a hat tip to Parker Posey’s character. But looking back, I’m really amazed how much more of my love of that movie seeped into the book. The publishing industry, the quaint bookstores, the love for New York, the enemies-to-lovers, and the flirting over email.” ―Emily Henry, Interview, She Reads

What booksellers are saying about Book Lovers

• This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. I love the way Emily Henry writes a story. She makes her characters well rounded and adds elements to their story outside of romance. But she writes the romance so well you can’t help but swoon. She makes me laugh, she makes me emotional, and she makes me never want to put her book down.
    ―Emily Bowers from Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, FL | Buy from Tombolo Books
  
  
• Anything that Emily Henry writes is an automatic buy for me and I know will be popular! Book Lovers was no different. The writing flows, the dialogue is funny, witty, and loaded with emotion. The relationship between the characters is everything you want in a romantic comedy. You’ll find yourself rooting for everyone, including the supporting characters. Absolutely adored Book Lovers!
    ―Emily Lessig from The Violet Fox Bookshop in Virginia Beach, VA | Buy from The Violet Fox
  
  
• Everything I love about the bookstore I own – and the life I get to led – in small town North Carolina is described somewhere in these pages. Most people will laugh out loud while reading. I got teary at the end as I didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters. This book reminded me of Susan Wiggs’ The Lost and Found Bookshop, just sheer delightfulness wrapped between covers consisting of pure love for indie bookstores.
  ―Alissa Redmond from South Main Book Co in Salisbury, NC | Buy from South Main Book Co.
  
  
• Emily Henry has done it again and stolen my heart completely with her two main leads. In this one, a literary agent and a book editor end up stuck together in his tiny hometown, which happens to be the whimsical setting in the bestselling book she agents for– one he gave a scathing rejection to upon their very first meeting. It’s a "we think we’re enemies" but are actually idiots-to-lovers who perfectly fit each other kind of story. Henry is the unquestioned queen of banter, but this is probably her wittiest, most laugh-out-loud funny book to date. I had so much fun reading Book Lovers.
    ―Cristina Russell from Books & Books in Coral Gables, FL | Buy from Books and Books
  
  

About Emily Henry

Emily Henry is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of People We Meet on Vacation and Beach Read. She studied creative writing at Hope College, and now spends most of her time in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the part of Kentucky just beneath it. Find her on Instagram @emilyhenrywrites.

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White Horse by Erika T. Wurth
Flat Iron Books / November 2022

Adult Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Indigenous, Supernatural, Thrillers
More Reviews from Parnassus Books

Indigenous woman Kari James loves heavy metal, Stephan King novels, and her local bar. When her cousin unearths a bracelet that belonged to Kari’s mother, Kari is suddenly haunted by both her mother and a horrible entity. In order to rid herself of both spirits, Kari will have to face her past and unearth secrets about her family. This engrossing debut blends horror with mystery with a deft hand, and I look forward to what Wurth does next.

Reviewed by Chelsea Stringfield, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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Offended Sensibilities by Ganieva Alisa
Deep Vellum Publishing / November 2022

21st Century, Adult Fiction, Literary Fiction, Political, Russia, World Literature
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

A novel that takes place in a Russian town where officials are dropping dead after a recent law that stifled forms of expression has been passed, following the real-life events of a Pussy Riot church protest. The neo-noir feel that envelopes this political yet humorous novel fits perfectly and makes this a fantastic and original read. Though this deals with conversations on nationalism, religion, and sexuality among others, the light humor and prose kept this novel more digestible and entertaining.

Reviewed by Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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House of Yesterday by Deeba Zargarpur
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) / November 2022

Asia, Family, Multigenerational, Occult & Supernatural, Paranormal, People & Places, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from E. Shaver, bookseller

This debut is a compelling family drama about generational trauma and secrets in a large family of Afghan-Uzbeki immigrants. As Sara deals with the impending divorce of her parents and the slow painful loss of her grandmother to dementia, she begins to see ghostly apparitions in a home her family’s construction company is renovating. Sara gets pulled into a web of family secrets and realizes that even though her family has a strong storytelling tradition, the stories she’s been told her whole life aren’t the whole story. At times creepy, but ultimately redemptive, this story is all about confronting literal and figurative ghosts.

Reviewed by Melissa Taylor, E. Shaver bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

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Garvey in the Dark by Nikki Grimes
Wordsong / October 2022

Children, Diseases, Health & Daily Living, Illnesses & Injuries, Juvenile Fiction, Music, Performing Arts, Stories in Verse
More Reviews from Blue Cypress Books

A sad and touching story in verse set during the first half of 2020. This book is both painful and necessary, I can’t stop thinking about what the kids have lived through and knowing they need books exactly like this to help them process. Thank you Ms. Grimes. 

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

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The Tryout by Christina Soontornvat
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers / November 2022

Cheerleading, Children, Comics & Graphic Novels, Friendship, Juvenile Nonfiction, Prejudice & Racism, Social Topics, Sports & Recreation
More Reviews from Flyleaf Books

Christina Soontornvat’s graphic memoir depicts the challenges & joys of middle school life as a Thai-American in Texas centering around her dream of making the school’s cheer squad. For fans of Victoria Jamieson’s Roller Girl, Jerry Craft’s New Kid or any of Raina Telgemeier’s many graphic novels.

Reviewed by Elese Stutts, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

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Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse
 Saga Press / November 2022

Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Historical
More Reviews from The Little Bookshop

An November 2022 Read This Next! Title

Rebecca Roanhorse is a fantastic world-builder and her skills are razor-sharp in her newest fantasy set in an Old West mining town where angels had battled demons in an ancient war. Main character Celeste attempts to clear her sister from a murder charge but is impeded and manipulated by the Divines — the ruling class who are descendants of angels and dispense justice while wearing white robes and masks. As she searches for clues to free her sister, she stumbles into a bigger mystery that threatens her life and the future of the Fallen, who are the descendants of the demons and are the laborers and miners in the town. A gritty but good read!

Reviewed by Mary Patterson, The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.”
– Vera Nazarian

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Southern Book Prize Finalist!

What’s the best Southern book of the year?

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The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
Anchor / February 2022

Adult Fiction, African American & Black, Crime, Mystery& Detective, Southern Book Prize Finalist, Thrillers
More Reviews from The Little Bookshop

There are so many captivating things about this novel…the insight the reader gets as to what it takes to be a classical musician, the background on the history of violins (and one violin in particular) and how they’re made, the main character’s determination in the face of struggle, family dynamics and expectations, racial issues that rear their ugly heads, and a mysterious theft of a priceless instrument…I could go on and on. Put all this together, and you get a beautiful story about a boy who loved his grandmother more than anyone in the world…one who persevered to become a classical violinist and prove to everyone that he could do it. Brendan Slocumb effortlessly keeps his story flowing, leaving the reader rooting for Ray McMillian while trying to put the pieces of the theft together. Such a great read!

VOTE FOR THE SOUTHERN BOOK PRIZE

Reviewed by Mary Patterson from The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, Virginia

Read This Now!

Recommended by Southern indies…

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They’re Going to Love You by Meg Howrey
Doubleday / November 2022

Adult Fiction, Women
More Reviews from Parnassus Books

I adored They’re Going to Love You so much that a part of me is convinced that Meg Howrey wrote it for me, specifically. This is such a gorgeous novel about being an artist in the modern world, the sacrifices we make and the people we hurt. When I hit the last page, I didn’t want to let these characters go—I adored every word.

Reviewed by Lindsay Lynch, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Better Than Fiction by Alexa Martin

“I know this is so cliché, but honestly, just write. When I sat down to start writing, I had no idea what I was doing. It took me forever. Just actually starting to write and then reaching out and finding a community. I actually found my first writing partner in a mom group. Neither of us had any idea what we were doing. We were just like, ‘You’re so good. You’re so good too.’ That’s all it was — finding support because it can be really lonely. Sitting down and finding one person that you can trust not to just stomp on you is really important.” ―Alexa Martin, Interview, Medium

What booksellers are saying about Better Than Fiction

• Drew isn’t a reader. But she did LOVE her grandma. So when Grandma died and left Drew her bookshop, Drew put aside all her dreams and ran the bookshop. Now, she hasn’t had much luck with men, including her human garbage can of a father, so she’s just put dating out of her mind. But then in walks Jasper Williams: popular romance author and sheer perfection of a human being. She doesn’t stand a chance.
    ― Jennifer Jones from Bookmiser, Inc. in Marietta, GA | Buy from Bookmiser
  
  
• A rom-com that centers around Drew, a woman whose grandmother has just passed and in turn has left her the old bookstore she ran for years. One issue: Drew is not a book lover, and she can’t especially stand romance. And then comes Jasper Williams, the dreamiest romance author, whose mission becomes for Drew to fall in love with reading. It’s fun, steamy, and has a fantastic cast of characters, especially the residential book club The Dirty Birds. I also loved how this portrays grieving, and that adds something so special to this book. Sure to make your heart warm up with just utter joy, this is the cutest!
    ―Grace Sullivan from Fountain Books in Richmond, VA | Buy from Fountain Bookstore
  
  
• An utterly delightful read — how can anyone resist a romance set in an indie bookstore? I loved that Drew Young, new owner of her late grandmother’s beloved Book Nook, is NOT a reader. It was such a fun set-up for Drew’s romance with a romance novelist. It’s catnip for bookstore lovers. I adored that Alexa Martin wrote in so many lovely day trips out of Denver; I felt like an armchair tourist reading this book, and I made a list for the next time I’m in Colorado!!
    ―Kate Storhoff from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC | Buy from Bookmarks
  
  

About Alexa Martin

Alexa Martin is a writer and stay at home mom. A Nashville transplant, she’s intent on instilling a deep love and respect for the great Dolly Parton in her four children and husband. The Playbook Series was inspired by the eight years she spent as a NFL wife and her deep love of all things pop culture, sparkles, leggings, and wine. When she’s not repeating herself to her kids, you can find her catching up on whatever Real Housewives franchise is currently airing or filling up her Etsy cart with items she doesn’t need.

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The Sorcerer of Pyongyang by Marcel Theroux
Atria Books / November 2022

Adult Fiction, Literary
More Reviews from Flyleaf Books

Jun-su, a young boy living through the brutality of the North Korean Famine, comes across a copy of the Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Master’s Guide and falls deeply in love with the worlds he can now create, enormously different from the life he’s used to under Kim Jong-il. The strange book’s cover and themes land him in a brutal prison camp where he has to fight to stay alive and try to hold on to himself in the face of totalitarianism. A well-researched, well-written and beautifully told portrait of a kid growing up different in 1990s North Korea trying to do more than survive.

Reviewed by Colin Sneed, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Deadly Triangle by Susan Goldenberg
Dundurn Press / November 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions, True Crime
More Reviews from M. Judson

An in-depth look at a true crime story I’d never heard before. Each chapter is a isolated chunk of the narrative- the players histories, the actual crime, the after. While this isolated nature can lead to repeating facts, it makes this book perfect book for people who want to pick up and read a single chapter at a time.

Reviewed by Lauren Kohnle, M Judson booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

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Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton
Quill Tree Books / November 2022

Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

This adorable YA romance told in short stories from six of the best authors out there is just as good as you hope it will be. Where the previous compilation from these folks took place over the same day in the same city in slightly-related stories, Whiteout is linked together in a more up-front way. A group of friends and partners in Atlanta are working to help a couple reconcile during a city-wide snowstorm that has them trapped in cars, airports, trains, and buildings around town. Inclusive, sweet, and funny, this has it all.

Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Chirri & Chirra, In the Night by Kaya Doi
Enchanted Lion Books / November 2022

Animals, Cats, Children, Cooking & Food, Friendship, Imagination & Play, Juvenile Fiction
More Reviews from Avid Bookshop

I don’t know how Kaya Doi does it, but even though this is EIGHTH book in the Chirri & Chirra series, it’s still just as magical and enjoyable to read as the first. The formula, rather than being tiresome, is soothing and reassuring—you know from the first "dring-dring!" that you are setting off on a charming adventure with tasty treats and friendly animals. This one, with a full moon festival in the forest, works particularly well for bedtime reading. 

Reviewed by Hannah DeCamp, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

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Coven by Jennifer Dugan
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers / November 2022

Comics & Graphic Novels, Paranormal, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from E. Shaver, bookseller

I haven’t read very many Graphic Novels, but I highly enjoyed coven! The story was intriguing and I loved the characters and the representation. I also really enjoyed the illustration style. It was eye-catching and detailed. Coven is a perfect witchy, fall read.

Emma Tara, E. Shaver bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

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Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
 Avon / November 2022

Adult Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy
More Reviews Fiction Addiction

An November 2022 Read This Next! Title

Your favorite Gods of the Gates stars are back, this time with Peter and Maria’s story front and center! The two co-stars have a rocky beginning, with Maria leaving Peter after a one-night stand, only to run into each other the next day at the casting call. Then they spend six years together filming on a remote Irish island, forming their own little family with the crew — but not in a romantic relationship. They both have baggage, and they both have to face themselves and each other after filming wraps, but as Olivia Dade’s books always are, readers will willingly go along for the ride. Dade’s characters are so much fun and amazingly 3-dimensional in a way that makes you root for them wholeheartedly. And this book in particular carries a lot of emotion that I think will resonate with readers with their own emotional baggage.

Reviewed by Melissa Oates, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“Good books don’t give up all their secrets at once.”
– Stephen King

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805

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Read This Now!

Recommended by Southern indies…

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We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman
Harper / November 2022

Adult Fiction, Women
More Reviews from Avid Bookshop

Oh my goodness. I never thought any book would have me weeping more than A Little Life, but Catherine Newman’s We All Want Impossible Things broke that record along the floodgates. This is not to say the novel is a depressing one: in fact, its depictions of life-affirming, forever-friendships veritably burst with love and wit. Newman perfectly captures the confusing contradictions that accompany end-of-life care: the emergencies among the mundanity, the darkly hilarious moments that punctuate the slow-motion, eviscerating heartbreak. Some readers who’ve said goodbye to terminally ill beloveds may find that their wounds are too raw for this novel. I, on the other hand, read it a few months after cancer took a very close friend of mine and I found it to be incredibly cathartic. Many moments were eerily—no, magically!—similar to moments I shared with Becky toward the end. I underlined like mad and scribbled in the margins; more than once I started to make a mental note to share certain excerpts with Becky, knowing she’d recognize herself and our friendship in the words, then remembering she’s not anywhere I can reach her. Five stars. Pairs well with Kathryn Schulz’s Lost & Found and/or Janine Kwoh’s Welcome to the Grief Club.

Reviewed by Janet Geddis, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

“Legendborn digs into what it means to be the only in a room. In the United States, we’re still in situations where Black students find themselves in a room and being the only Black person. The book that I wrote is about engaging with, deeply understanding, analyzing, holding on to, [and] reshaping your own Blackness in spaces where it’s being challenged or dismissed by other people.

The other theme that I wanted to really engage with is like the types of stories and the type of people that become legendary. Growing up in North Carolina [and] going to [the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill], [the Confederate monument] Silent Sam was up the entire time I was a student there and was the specter of a certain type of racism. How do these things become memorialized and legendary, and Black American people, whose ancestors were enslaved, get put in a position of absence of knowledge? ” ―Tracy Deonn, Interview, Shondaland

What booksellers are saying about Bloodmarked

• I’ve thought for days about the review I would give this stunning sequel, but accurate words do not come to mind. I was blown away by the rawness and realness of Bloodmarked. Indeed, Tracy Deonn did not shy away from the rampant institutionalized racism built into the foundation of many influential organizations, like the Legendborn Order. Not to mention the Legendborn’s reaction to the revelation of Bree’s true lineage. Their approach to dealing with the ugly truth? Deny, deny, deny. It’s shameful and disgusting and Bree has to shoulder it along with the rising war between her world and the demons set to destroy it. Bree’s growth as a root user, ether user, and as King is stunning to witness. I truly believe this series should be required reading for young readers, not just because of the extraordinary Arthurian fantasy retelling, but because of the way the characters confront their trauma. It’s amazing, everyone needs to get a copy. I cannot stress this enough- READ THIS BOOK!
    ―Laney Sheehan from Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, NC | Buy from Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews
  
  
• Can my review just be me… screaming incoherently? No? Well. Bloodmarked broke me into a million little pieces and left me a changed person in the end who wanted to chunk my arc at the wall but as I also loved it too much to hurt it, I did not do that. I merely shook it very violently and shrieked. Bree and the crew returned for an even more dangerous, action packed adventure with the truth unraveling around them faster than they can even keep up. I’m obsessed with this story, with the characters, and if I could live in it… I would not because I would not survive. Tracy Deonn has crafted an absolutely perfect story and has left me weeping on the floor, waiting for the next installment
    ―Caitlyn Vanorder from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC | Buy from Bookmarks
  
  
• This book absolutely blew me away. Simultaneously a fast-paced fantasy novel and an expertly crafted meditation on Blackness, Bloodmarked had me hooked from page one. I loved the world building outside of UNC, and I cannot wait for the next book- I hope this series goes on forever!
    ―Mary Louise Callaghan from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC | Buy from Bookmarks
  
  

About Tracy Deonn

Tracy Deonn is the New York Times bestselling and Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe Award–winning author of Legendborn, and a second-generation fangirl. She grew up in central North Carolina, where she devoured fantasy books and Southern food in equal measure. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication and performance studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tracy worked in live theater, video game production, and K–12 education. When she’s not writing, Tracy speaks on panels at science fiction and fantasy conventions, reads fanfic, arranges puppy playdates, and keeps an eye out for ginger-flavored everything. She can be found on Twitter at @TracyDeonn and at TracyDeonn.com.

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The Boy and the Dog by Seishu Hase
Viking / November 2022

Adult Fiction, Animal, Friendship, Japan, World Literature
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

A pastoral fall pick for dog and animal lovers: this quick read throws you into the 5-year journey of Tamon, a German Shepherd, as he wanders in and out of the lives of his many different grief-stricken, down-and-out owners. This is the first translated works of Seishu Hase, a veteran of the Yakuza crime genre, whose teeth are bared in simple but sweet prose with moments of striking intensity. Struggle, plight, and grief are mirrored between human and animal as each character contends for their own survival and place in the world. Bittersweet, but ultimately a story of returning home in both place and spirit.

Reviewed by Amanda Depperschmidt, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Con/Artist by Tony Tetro
Hachette Books / November 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions, True Crime
More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

"To really make a forgery, you have to make something new that never existed and give it a reason for being born." The behind the scenes details of a front page story come to life as Tony Tetro, wild world traveler and accomplished art forger, combines with journalist and documentary film maker Giampiero Ambrosi to create a window into the man behind far reaching art crimes.

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

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The Do-Over by Lynn Painter
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers / November 2022

Romance, Romantic Comedy, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Main Street Books

Newsflash: Lynn Painter is The Queen of the YA rom-com! She has grabbed a hold of this reader’s heart and will not let go. The Do-Over brings us Emilie Hornby, an over-achieving people pleasure who is ready for The Perfect Valentines Day. She has her checklist ready to seize her perfectly planned agenda. Things get off to a rocky start when she wrecks her car on the way to school and has to bum a ride with broody Nick Stark, her chemistry partner. Her day goes off the rails when she spots her perfect-on-paper boyfriend kissing another girl. The nerve! The only thing that could make this day worse is to have to re-live it….and the next morning she wakes up to another Valentine’s Day and so it goes. I enjoyed Lynn’s signature witty banter and sweet love story. The Do-Over will be perfect for any YA Rom Com reader and fans of closed-door romances.

Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett
Orchard Books / November 2022

Adaptations, Children, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Juvenile Fiction
More Reviews from Page 158 Books

A modern-day retelling of one of my favorite books as a kid. They don’t change the story, which I liked, they just add some modern takes. So much fun and beautiful. You will want this in your collection!

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

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Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels by Serena Blasco
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers / November 2022

Children, Comics & Graphic Novels, Juvenile Fiction, Mystery& Detective
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

Enola Holmes is BACK! The high-spirited independent sister of the World Famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, is back for more adventure and mystery. Enola Holmes has been able to avoid her brothers Mycroft and Sherlock Holmes so far. At the same time she has solved mysteries, and saved lives. Now she is back for more adventures! Can she continue to evade her brothers, or will she finally have to turn to them for help? Where is her mother? Can she actually be found and reunited with her daughter, or has she truly abandoned her family? The beautiful artwork will draw you in, and the storyline will keep you reading. As with all Enola Holmes stories, at the end of each story are fascinating historical notes, such as the language of fans, cyphers, or how to create invisible ink. The Enola Holmes graphic novels are a perfect read for your younger mystery lovers or your young readers who love graphic novels.

Reviewed by Gretchen Shuler, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

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Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
 Ecco / November 2022

Adult Fiction, Coming of Age
More Reviews M. Judson

An November 2022 Read This Next! Title

Now is Not The Time to Panic covers that wry space between childhood and adulthood – how we want to be seen and how others see us. Frankie and Zeke ask the questions about the nature of art both to the maker and the viewer, what does obsession really look like, and how do things spin out of control so smoothly. All against an early 90s world that may as well be a thousand years ago. The questions of consequences, family and what lies in front of us through a 90s era time warp. The writing is amazing. Sentences that stop you in your tracks. I loved everything about the novel!

Reviewed by Susan Williams, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“It wasn’t until I started reading and found books they wouldn’t let us read in school that I discovered you could be insane and happy and have a good life without being like everybody else.”
– John Waters

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
The Southern Bookseller Review is a project of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, in support of independent bookstores in the South | SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805