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Recommended by Southern indies…

In Every Mirror She’s Black by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström
Sourcebooks Landmark / June 2022

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

Åkerström invites the reader into the complex and dynamic interior worlds of three Black women, with varying levels of privilege and proximity to whiteness, as they navigate the novel’s locations of America and Sweden. By following each of their unique and dynamic journeys, we learn about how our their intimate relationships reflect back the love and care they have learned to believe they deserve through social cues and cultural reminders. A story that paints landscapes of love and loss invites all readers to consider: if home is a feeling, how will you know you’ve found it? An extraordinary and fast-paced novel that I can not wait to recommend both solo and book club readers!

Reviewed by Eden Hakimzadeh, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

“I meant to write just like a fluffy romance that didn’t have any heavier themes. Unfortunately, once I started writing Feyi all this darkness just kept unfolding…It shows all the facets of Feyi as a person—you have the version of her that’s doing rooftop parties and hooking up with people in the bathroom. And she’s still the same person who is an artist that’s working through her grief. I think it’s so important to show a Black woman who is all these things, and that you can be profane and promiscuous and that doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve a happily ever after.” –Akwaeke Emezi, interview, Vogue

What booksellers are saying about You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

• This book is chock-full of lines that will pack a punch. Several times I would put the book down and just say, “wow”, out loud to myself. The tension was so masterfully built and whew! The payoff was very very good. Loved this and love that this genre is new territory for Emezi, but they are certainly not showing any novice tendencies. Such a fantastic read! ―Nyawira Nyota from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC
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• I absolutely loved this book. A sumptuous, sexy, fierce, and fresh romance that makes you feel like bursting out of your front door to take on life and all it has to offer. Emezi never ceases to amaze!   ―Carroll Gelderman from Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans, LA
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• After reading Emezi’s collection of poems, Content Warning: Everything, I knew I had to join this romantic journey of what love after loss could really look like. This book turned out to be one of my favorite reads of all time. Emezi introduces us to Feyi Adekola so that we can explore how desire and grief just might inform one another. I can’t recommend this novel enough and am excited to continue reading Emezi’s diverse and expansive collection.   ―Eden Hakimzadeh from Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL
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• This book is brutal. It is also stunning and heart wrenching and guttural and oh so tender. The story itself is flecked with gold- the prose is strung tightly across each page, unyielding and effortless, and the relationships forged on each page are both subtle and earth shattering. At once a story of grief, love, and a tribute to life and the time we have on this earth, You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty is guaranteed to make you think, cry, laugh, and then want to do it all over again.   ―Mary Louise Callaghan from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC
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About Akwaeke Emezi

Akwaeke Emezi (they/them) is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Death of Vivek Oji, which was a finalist for the Dylan Thomas Prize, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the PEN/Jean Stein Award; Pet, a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, a Walter Honor Book, and a Stonewall Honor Book; Freshwater, which was named a New York Times Notable Book and shortlisted for the PEN/Hemingway Award, the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award, the Lambda Literary Award, and the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize; and most recently, Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir, which won the 2022 ALA Stonewall Prize for Best Nonfiction Book. Selected as a 5 Under 35 honoree by the National Book Foundation, they are based in liminal spaces.

Jobs for Girls with Artistic Flair by June Gervais
Pamela Dorman Books / June 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Cooking, Korean, Regional & Ethnic
More Reviews from Friendly City Books

This book felt like it was written just for me. As a queer female artist with some basic tattoo experience, I immediately identified with Gina – her initial timidity, her frustration with being talked over and manipulated by men who should have guided and protected her, and especially her love of the weird. The description of her wild flash and her love for drawing gave me goosebumps. The book’s pacing and tension-building are excellent – the stakes kept getting higher and higher for Gina, until I was ready to leap into the pages and go to war for her. That steady turn of the screw kept the story feeling fresh and dynamic, and the characters kept me invested. Gina is relatable, likeable, and has some great emotional growth. Her brother Dominic is endearing and frustrating. Her mom is a heartbreaking mix of maddening and manipulative but still sympathetic. Every character has their own charm and their own faults. They feel real. You want things to work out for them and you ache when they struggle. Everything about their interactions felt natural and believable. I also have to give major props to the author for all the accurate tattooing details – she knows her stuff! Using autoclaves, calibrating machines, fixing errors (yikes!), practicing on pig feet and oranges, the hazing, the environment, the amount of energy and dedication it takes to make tattooing a career – she nailed it all. Dominic’s shop came to life because it was written by someone who KNOWS. That makes me happier than I can say. Basically, read this book. If you’re into stories of young women fighting for their place in the world, you’ll like it. If you want bisexual representation, here you go. If you’re interested in art and/or tattoos, you’ll love it. If you’re anything like me, you’ll feel seen.

Reviewed by Rachel Derise, Friendly City Books in Columbus, Mississippi

Also a Poet by June Gervais
 Grove Press Books / June 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Literary Figures, Personal Memoirs
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

Calhoun had a complicated relationship with her famous art critic father Peter Schjeldahl. This book started as an attempt to write a biography of poet Frank O’Hara that her father never finished. Having inherited his obsession with the poet, the author wrestles with creating a narrative with answers when obstacles (time, fire, other people) keep them hidden. I felt the frustration of her and her subjects as it infected me with its incessant whispers of almosts and near misses. Ultimately, the author gifts us with wise lessons of kindness and acceptance. An extraordinary, raw read!

Reviewed by Kelly Justice, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg
Inkyard Books / June 2022

Europe, Fantasy, Historical Places, Romance, Time Travel, Young Adult
More Reviews from Snail on the Wall

Perfect for preteens and teens who want to read Outlander but probably shouldn’t. When Klara accidentally hits a mysterious Scotsman with her car, she has no idea the true intensity of the situation. Callum has stepped out of the 1500s to protect Klara, the last Pillar of Time, at all costs. An evil force is murdering the Pillars, greedy for the powers of the gods, and Klara and Callum are the only thing in his way. This was an amazing story that sucked me in. Alsberg uses imagery that truly puts the beauty of Scotland in your mind. She also writes character development extremely well. She does a great job building Callum’s acclimation to the modern world at the right pace, without making it cringey or a joke. Klara also has great development through the story, and you can see her heal and strengthen bonds she left unattended because of her mother’s death. Klara, despite having a man fated to protect her, is also allowed to be strong and fiercely independent. Throughout her relationship with Callum, she grows stronger, not weaker and submissive, like some YA main characters in a protected/protector situation.

Reviewed by Scarlett, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

Rosie and the Pre-Loved Dress by Leanne Hatch
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers / June 2022

Children, Juvenile Fiction, Recycling & Green Living
More Reviews from Books and Books

I love the concept behind this adorable story. We’re big fans of recycling, reusing and giving new life to old things in our household, and I think anyone open to the idea would enjoy having this book in their at-home story time rotation.

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

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
G.P. Putnam’s Sons / June 2022

Adult Fiction, Romance, Women
More Reviews from Main Street Books

A June 2022 Read This Next! Selection

Five starry-eyed stars for Nora Goes Off Script! Screenwriter Nora makes a living writing Hallmark style romance movies that stick to the formula that all rom com fans know and love. When she goes off script and writes a movie that deals with the harshness of real life, and based on her own heartbreak, she lands a box office movie deal. Next thing she knows, her movie is being filmed on her own property, starring sultry hot throb, Leo. As a recently divorced mother of two, Norah knows she needs to stay focused on her daily life of raising two children alone. This becomes much more difficult when Leo, who needs a mental break from the glare of fame, asks to pay rent to extend his stay after filming ends. My favorite part of Nora Goes Off Script is that I honestly didn’t know how it would end. Pins and needles! I loved the small town setting, Norah’s chance to start over after a bad marriage, and Norah’s children and best friends. Highly recommend!

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

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
– Audre Lorde

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…

Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov
Liveright / May 2022

Adult Fiction, Visionary & Metaphysical
More Reviews from Avid Bookshop

Nostalgia, memory loss and the European Union walk into a bar… Every section of this book feeds into the next like those nights where you wake up six times and experience the same dream, mutated sixfold. And just like the day after the dream, this book hasn’t ended for me, since I think fondly of it long after completion, sewing the remembered bits together as best I can into my own narrative (it’s minty mental mouthwash and lord knows I need it).

Reviewed by Ian McCord, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Forging Silver Into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer

“There are a lot of layers to realistic romance. For me, I always start with an initial attraction. Physical attributes are obvious, and they do play a small role, but what I really mean is something that catches the other person’s attention in a surprising way. Is it an unexpected skill? Their tone of voice? The way they treat animals? All of the above? And then there are the opposites: challenges to overcome. Is someone stubborn? Angsty? Aloof? Are these challenges worth looking past? Just like people are multi-faceted, characters should be, too.” –Brigid Kemmerer, interview, Beyond the Read

What booksellers are saying about Forging Silver Into Stars

• I loved the Cursebreaker trilogy and was so excited to return to the world! It was so much fun getting to know some of the side characters better from the original trilogy, and as always, the world-building was absolutely scrumptious! I stayed up wayyy past my bedtime to finish this and it was so worth it. ―Catherine Edmondson from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC
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• Forging Silver From Stars is Brigid Kemmerer at her best. Addictive, full of intrigue, twists, and tension. Fans of the Cursebreaker series will find this latest installment to the world to be a more than a worthy addition. To reuse a comment I’ve made about Brigid’s earlier books, which applies well to this one, too: think Game of Thrones for the younger set, infused with 100% more feminism.   ―Cristina Russell from Books & Books in Coral Gables, FL
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• I hate to sound like a broken record but Brigid Kemmerer has done it again. Forging Silver into Stars is the perfect mix of characters we know and love from her Cursebreakers series and new characters we get to fall in love with for the first time. Brigid’s characters are ones I want to be friends with even on their bad days because she takes the time to let us get to know them in a flawed, honest, and hopeful way. I regretted every time life forced me to put it down. I couldn’t have enjoyed it more.   ―Rayna Nielsen from Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, LA
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About Brigid Kemmerer

Brigid Kemmerer is the author of the New York Times bestseller Defy the Night, the New York Times bestselling Cursebreaker series, which includes A Curse So Dark and Lonely, A Heart So Fierce and Broken, and A Vow So Bold and Deadly, and Forging Silver into Stars. She has also written the contemporary young adult romances Call It What You Want, More Than We Can Tell, and Letters to the Lost, as well as paranormal young adult stories, including the Elemental series and Thicker Than Water. A full-time writer, Brigid lives in the Baltimore area with her family. http://www.brigidkemmerer.com @BrigidKemmere

Learning Korean by Peter Serpico
W. W. Norton & Company / May 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Cooking, Korean, Regional & Ethnic
More Reviews from Righton Books

Born in South Korean, Peter Serpico was adopted by an American family when he was two, and only started to discover the cooking of his native country as an adult. Full of practical home cooking for American families, this cookbook is a great introduction to one of the world’s most wonderful cuisines.

Reviewed by Anne Peck, Righton Books in St Simons Island, Georgia

Sunday Pancakes by Maya Tatsukawa
 Dial Books / May 2022

Childrens, Cooking & Food, Friendship
More Reviews from Bookmarks

The thing I love about a great picture book is the way anything can become magical. (Please note: this is not a book about literal magic pancakes. It’s a book about the magic of friendship while making pancakes together!) Cat, Rabbit, and Moonbear spend the day together making pancakes, eating pancakes, and taking a post-pancakes nap. The simplicity of their shared day reminds me of the power of sharing a special tradition with friends, even one as simple as Sunday pancakes.

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

The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker
Harper / May 2022

Adult Fiction, Literary Fiction
More Reviews from Bookmiser

Do you believe in ghosts? The Cherry Robbers is about so much more than the haunting that frightens on every page. In 1950 Iris Chapel has five sisters and lives in a Victorian mansion isolated from much of the world. Tragedy after tragedy befalls every sister after they find love as their mother has predicted. But this story is about so much more than the apparitions that live with this family. Through Iris Chapel/Sylvia Wren, the reader will experience sadness and loss surely but find art and love and sexuality as an essential part of this haunting story. My prediction is that the reader will never truly leave the world of the Chapel sisters.

Reviewed by Nancy Pierce, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Melt With You by Jennifer Dugan
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers / May 2022

Young Adult, Humorous Stories
More Reviews from Parnassus Books

Fallon would rather forget about her hookup with her BFF Chloe right before Chloe left for college, but her mom’s ice cream truck business has other plans. Fallon is a protagonist who is easy to cheer for, and I was so invested in the rivals-to-lovers, will-they-won’t-they romance. This is a delightful, perfect novel for summer, made even better by the ice cream puns.

Reviewed by Chelsea Stringfield from Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
One World / June 2022

Adult Fiction,  Hispanic & Latino, Historical Fiction,  Literary Fiction
More Reviews from Square Books

A June 2022 Read This Next! Selection

I haven’t been so taken with a debut novel in some time. The story, the characters, the writing all combine to immerse the reader in a world so vivid that one can experience the smells, colors, and sounds which abound within. It’s a multi-generational tale of an Indigenous Chicano family, artfully told and ultimately centering around young Luz Lopez who lives a hard but full life in Denver in the 1930s while attempting to grasp her gifts as a seer of visions and simultaneously bearing witness to the atrocities that have been brought down upon her people for hundreds of years. Unforgettable, at times heartbreaking yet shot through with love and resilience this is definitely a book not to be missed.

Reviewed by Cody Morrison from Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“I’m a firm believer that language and how we use language determines how we act, and how we act then determines our lives and other people’s lives.”
– Ntozake Shange

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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Recommended by Southern indies…

By Her Own Design by Piper Huguley
William Morrow Paperbacks / June 2022

Adult Fiction, African American & Black, Fiction, Women
More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

Ann Cole Lowe was a dress designer to Olivia de Haviland, Jacqueline Bouvier and other high society women. But she was born a black woman in Alabama whose mother and grandmother sewed for high society and learned her trade from them. Finding a white benefactress in Tampa, Ann begins her own design career that eventually takes her to NY. What a great novel of a talented black woman who succeeds through hard work.

Reviewed by Beth Carpenter, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Horse by Geraldine Brooks

“This book was like a gift…it came to me right when I was getting absolutely no work done because my midlife crisis turned out to be not a red mustang but a little black pony. I became a horse-crazy girl in my middle age.” –Geraldine Brooks, interview

What booksellers are saying about Horse

• Wow! Brooks knows how to tell a story and this one weaves many characters that all have one thing in common: The horse called Lexington, a great racehorse but also the greatest sire of the late 19th Century. Lexington was a real horse, and this novel contains true facets of his life and real people around him, but also fictional characters that cared for him both during his life and after his death. We have a big equestrian community in our county and they will love this, as will book clubs. ―Beth Carpenter from The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, NC
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• Horse by Geraldine Brooks Brooks has woven an extraordinary adventure about Lexington, a Kentucky thoroughbred. His accomplishments were extraordinary. He won all but one of his races but more significantly his legacy as the most successful leading sire in America during the last half of the nineteenth century makes him unparalleled in horse history. Other figures play into this story: Jarrett, the slave boy groom who loved him, Thomas Scott, the painter who captured Lexington on canvas and others whose contributions were significant. A fascinating story! Brooks is a masterful storyteller! I loved it!   ―Stephanie Crowe from Page & Palette in Fairhope, AL
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• A compelling and beautifully-crafted story with a mystery at its giant, horse-sized heart. This is a book about the fragility of life, love, and liberty for people of color in this country, in the past and in the present day.   ―Maggie Robe from Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC
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About Geraldine Brooks

Geraldine Brooks is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel March and the international bestsellers The Secret Chord, Caleb’s Crossing, People of the Book, and Year of Wonders. She has also written the acclaimed nonfiction works Nine Parts of Desire and Foreign Correspondence. Born and raised in Australia, Brooks lives in Massachusetts.

The Evening Hero by Marie Myung-Ok Lee
William Morrow Paperbacks / June 2022

Adult Fiction, Literary Fiction
More Reviews from Snail on the Wall

Dr. Yungman Kwak, a small-town OBGYN, is one of the most endearing characters I’ve come across in a long time, and I was so invested in the future he faces–when modernity and capitalism sweep in to disrupt his entire existence. Partially a story following Dr. Kwak’s new role as a boutique medicine provider under the tutelage of his ambitious son, and partially a story following Yungman’s Korean upbringing, this book was beautiful and heart-wrenching. Marie Myung-Ok Lee will wrap you around her finger with these characters and take you on a journey through time, family, and the future of American healthcare.

Reviewed by Sarah Catherine Richardson, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

Who Is Wellness For? by Fariha Roisin
 Harper Wave / June 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Body, Healing, Mind & Spirit
More Reviews from Oxford Exchange

Who is Wellness For? is part-memoir, part well-researched collection of works that earnest endeavor in answering the title’s query. Roisin maps constellations of historical context, spiritual meaning, and community care. A map that is truly a gift for anyone who considers that self-healing work is never really meant to be done alone. Each dot on this map reminds us of the many people and communities before this moment that teach us the dire necessity of prioritizing communal care. This book is a total offering to its readers, both as a starting place or a gentle reminder, meeting them wherever they may be on their healing journey. I look forward to re-reading this book and have added all of her intentional citations to be TBR lists.

Reviewed by Eden Hakimzadeh, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida

Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert
Flatiron Books / June 2022

Contemporary, Fantasy, Young Adult
More Reviews from Underground Books

This book had me in its CLUTCHES. I read the last half at break neck speed, bewitched. This deliciously creepy and darkly magical story follows a daughter (now, in the suburbs) and her mother around the same age (the 1990s, in the city) as each encounters an ability that may prove as sinister as it is supernatural. Powerful witchcraft, a (literally) haunting past, and wicked twists will keep your own crooked heart beating as fast as you can flip the final pages.

Reviewed by Megan Bell, Underground Books in Carrollton, Georgia

Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind by Monica Silvie
Kids Can Press / June 2022

Children, Humorous Stories
More Reviews from Bookmarks

Calling all bird lovers — you need this picture book! I adored the little chickadee who narrates this story. I could easily imagine my own little backyard chickadees thinking of themselves as criminal masterminds as they steal my blueberries! This picture book will offer plenty of fun for readers of all ages.

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

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

The Problem with Prophecies by Scott Reintgen
Aladdin / May 2022

Children, Juvenile Fiction, Occult & Supernatural, Paranormal
More Reviews from Little Shop of Stories

A May 2022 Read This Next! Selection

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.

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

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you.”
– Louis L’Amour

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…

Scary Monsters by Michelle De Kretser
Catapult / April 2022

Adult Fiction, Australia, Fiction, Multiple Timelines, Southeast Asia, World Literature
More Reviews from Bookmarks

A brilliant, expertly-written novel that is at once horrifyingly real and also hilariously overstated. The two stories are surprising and suspenseful as each South Asian immigrant deals with the multi-layered pieces of their lives in the 80s and in the near future. As an Asian immigrant to Australia, the author captures these characters so thoroughly it is a shock to the system to step back out of their stories. Wonderful study on racism and how immigrants are received and perceived around the world.

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

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Hide by Kiersten White

“Anxiety is actually why I write. It’s why I started telling stories to myself as a child, because I found if I could feed my anxiety a story then it wouldn’t rip me apart, and so I always had a story going on in the back of my head to tell myself instead of going through worst case scenarios of my own life. Part of what makes a lot of people with high anxiety good storytellers is your brain is constantly coming up with the worst case scenarios and playing through things and replaying them and replaying them and replaying them, and that lends itself well to writing and storytelling. ” —Kiersten White, interview, BookPeople

What booksellers are saying about Hide

• Hide is an absolute funhouse of a book about a not-so-harmless game of hide and seek in an eerily abandoned amusement park with an unexpected (but very much appreciated) dash of Greek mythology. White’s adult debut is sure to amuse and haunt. ―Kassie Weeks from Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL
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• Get ready for one horrifying game of hide-and-seek… White’s vivid, razor-sharp, and terrifying story will sink its claws into you, and hold on tight. This book is shocking, heart wrenching, and beautiful, and I am now utterly obsessed with it!   ―Lucile Perkins-Wagel from Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, FL
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• Hide is a rollercoaster ride (pun intended) of a story that brings a few delightfully dark twists to the usual aspects of a horror novel. Mack, a young heroine with a terrifying past, is put in the position of fulfilling her destiny in a game of hide-and-seek where the stakes are life & death. White presents a diverse cast of characters and several are irredeemable… but there a few "rough-around-the-edges" outcasts that had me cheering for them the entire time. This is a great October-ish read that’s perfect for any season of the year.   ―Stuart McCommon from Novel in Memphis, TN
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• Kiersten White is incredible, capable of capturing the fantasy of the contemporary world, and how you can build mythology into anything. Including a hide and seek competition at an abandoned theme park in the middle of nowhere. This entire book is the creeping feeling that you’re being watched, and you know who is watching you, and you know they’re going to stab you in the back, the question is just when and where. Hide has the perfect eerie, horrific atmosphere with a good helping of social commentary that fans of Until Dawn and Us will absolutely love.   ―Caitlyn Vanorder from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC
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About Holly Black

Kiersten White is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning, and critically acclaimed author of many books, including the And I Darken trilogy, the Sinister Summer series, the Camelot Rising trilogy, and her adult debut, Hide. Her books have been published in over twenty territories, and her novel The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is currently in development with Sony Pictures Television. Kiersten lives with her family in San Diego, where she can regularly be found pressing her hands against the glass of her back door, furtively whispering I love you to her deeply ambivalent tortoise, Kimberly.

Middlemarch and the Imperfect Life: Bookmarked by Pamela Erens
Ig Publishing / April 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Books & Reading, Literary Criticism
More Reviews from Malaprop’s

A modern-day writer’s engaging appreciation of George Eliot’s Middlemarch and what she’s gained both as a writer and a woman from reading the iconic 19th-century novel over the years. Pamela Erens argues that Eliot’s sophisticated insights into human nature, her boundless compassion for her characters’ frailties, and her acceptance of their inevitable contradictions make her an especially wise guide to the struggles we face today. Erens is most thoughtful in discussing Eliot’s belief in the central role of community in society and of the responsibilities required of its members, and persuades us of its practicality today.

Reviewed by Clara Boza, Malaprop’s in Asheville, North Carolina

Kings of B’more by R. Eric Thomas
 Kokilas / May 2022

African American & Black, People & Places, United States, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Parnassus Books

This is truly a novel for both teens and adults. I’m Gen X and saw Ferris Bueller’s Day Off in the theater back in the day and absolutely loved this plot! R. Eric captures the essence of teen friendship – how it really is your whole world once you start getting ready to fly the nest. His characters all have really interesting relationships with both peers and parents – no one is having the same experience yet they are all listening to and supporting one another. R. Eric is the funniest man on earth, and I knew I’d love this book.

Reviewed by Sissy Gardner, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

Mustique Island by Sarah McCoy
William Morrow / April 2022

Adult Fiction, Women
More Reviews from Book Bound Bookstore

Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night meets Fantasy Island in this beautifully written story about family, love, and loss. Set on a private island in the Caribbean during the 1970’s, Willy May Michaels, a wealthy divorcee, moves to the luxurious playground for the rich, engaging in numerous soirées with the likes of Princess Margaret, Colin Tennant, and Mick Jagger. She is later joined by her troubled daughter Hilly, a fashion model whose actions summon Willy May’s oldest daughter, Joanne. Their relationship to date, has been strained, but as the daughters begin to understand their mother and each other, the seemingly glamorous life on Mustique begins to unravel as they face the most difficult storm any of them have ever faced.

This character-driven novel explores many facets of mother-daughter and sibling relationships revealing that it’s never too late to deal with pain of the past. The discoveries that Willy May, Hilly, and Joanne make are precious, and their bond is strengthened through tragedy

Reviewed by Sharon Davis, Book Bound Bookstore in Blairsville, Georgia

Osmo Unknown and the Eightpenny Woods by Catherynne M. Valente
Margaret K. McElderry Books / April 2022

Action & Adventure, Children, Juvenile Fiction
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

Osmo has always dreamed of Somewhere Else, somewhere that he can be himself and fee like he belongs, but his town has rules (very good rules, for very good reasons…probably) that keep everyone where they’re supposed to be and out of the magical woods where the supposedly fearsome Quidnunx live. But then Osmo’s mom kills a Quidnunk, and Osmo has to journey to the land of the dead to make amends. He makes new friends (a rude skadgebat and a lonely pangirlin) and has new experiences, but ultimately his quest is to understand. This book will speak to your feelings and live in your heart like all the best stories do. Fans of Kelly Barnhill will love this, and readers of Valente’s Fairyland books won’t be disappointed.

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

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
Atria Books / May 2022

Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
More Reviews from Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews

A May 2022 Read This Next! Selection

Y’all, oh my GOD. Akwaeke Emezi has done it again and I love it so much. It is hot and messy and hot-messy and addicting. I thrive on drama and this novel delivers! Forget love triangles, this is a love star, five different points criss-crossing into something bright and beautiful and a little bit hard to look at. As fun and exciting as it is, it also touches on trauma and recovery, self-growth, and love. Utterly heart-wrenching and belly-laughter-inducing.

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

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“My library is an archive of longings.”
– Susan Sontag, As Consciousness is Harnessed to Flesh: Journals and Notebooks, 1964-1980

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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Recommended by Southern indies…

Such Big Dreams by Reema Patel
Ballantine Books / April 2022

Adult Fiction, Coming of Age, Fiction, Friendship, Women
More Reviews from Novel

This book was beautiful. Rakhi was such a carefully crafted character with such a distinct voice. The novel has a sense of place and identity that is wholly it’s own and immensely compelling. The book speaks to poverty and voluntourism and privilege and hypocrisy while maintaining a focus on character and story. It paints upon a setting that unblinkingly presents both the beauty and the injustice of Bombay, and it presents Rakhi as she is—fiery and smart and insightful and honest. This is a perspective that needs to be heard and is so dignifying to its subject. I can’t recommend this book highly enough—I love a book that speaks honestly to the injustices of the world while completely holding its own as a literary work.

Reviewed by Becca Sloan, Novel in Memphis, Tennessee

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: The Book of Night by Holly Black

“You actually almost grew up in one of your novels, in an old Victorian house that you say was haunted?

Well, I do not say it was haunted but my mom told me that she used to play in the attic with a ghost named Robbie. It was very traumatizing and I believe that if you want to make your kids into writers you just have to scare them continuously through their childhood ” –Holly Black, interview

What booksellers are saying about The Book of Night

• The phrase “scared of your own shadow” gains a whole new meaning in this gripping mystery-fantasy from the amazing Holly Black. With a dash of the macabre, a twinge of dark humor, and coffee, lots and lots of coffee, you wont be able to put this one down. ―Angie Tally from The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, NC
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• So satisfying! Secrets, murder, shadow magic, con artists, and a surprising amount of romance. I feel like Stefon: This. Book. Has. Everything. Seriously though, a very fun and fast read. I haven’t read Black’s YA fae books, but I’m definitely going to now.   ―Michelle Cavalier from Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, LA
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• Book of Night is Holly Black at her best. It’s got a detailed, brilliantly crafted magic system in a modern day urban setting with the most disagreeable thief and her shadowless boyfriend at its heart. I truly don’t think you can read this one and not end up obsessed. I know I am.   ―Cristina Russell from Books & Books in Coral Gables, FL
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• I think that readers who grew up with Holly Black’s will enjoy the fact that Book Of Night most strongly comes across as a book for adults is because it’s about adults. And Charlie is the perfect example of this. I’ve been devouring Holly Black’s books for the last nineteen years, and this one is NO exception. I expect my copy of this will be just as worn and well loved as my collection of Spiderwick Chronicles books from 2003-2004.   ―Elizabeth Hall from M Judson, Booksellers in Greenville, SC
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About Holly Black

Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of speculative and fantasy novels, short stories, and comics. She has sold over 26 million books worldwide and her work has been translated into over 30 languages and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library. Book of Night is her adult fiction debut.

My America by Kwame Onwuachi
Knopf / May 2022

Adult Nonfiction, African American & Black, Cooking, Individual Chefs & Restaurants
More Reviews from Bookmarks

Kwame Onwuachi went from Top Chef Kwame to Author Kwame for me with Notes from a Young Black Chef, one of my favorite books of 2019. My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef blends chef and author to create a rich exploration of the food that influenced Onwuachi and he has been inspired to create. Featuring not just recipes but family history, travel stories, and anecdotal tales, My America is a celebration that deserves in place in everyone’s cookbook collection.

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

Acts of Service by Lillian Fishman
 Hanover Square Press / May 2022

Adult Fiction, Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Women
More Reviews from Oxford Exchange

I feel so strongly about this book, I truly think this is the best book I have read this year. A piece of art. The author managed to capture so perfectly the thoughts of sexuality, gender norms, and expressionism in a woman in her 20s. I admired her pushing the boundaries to talk about topics that are considered taboo, such as polyamory, infidelity, and manipulation. The writing was so beautiful, the characters were all so addictive, yet so horrible, and I just couldn’t put it down. Majority of the text is thoughts that the main character has, rather than action, so if you don’t like that, this is not the book for you. I feel like I could recommend this to any girl my age that is vocal about sex, feminism, and love. Truly a book I think everyone should read. I never like to re-read books, but this is a book I can definitely see myself re-reading. I am dying for a sequel, or at the very least, another novel by Lillian Fishman.

Reviewed by Yarah Elshaer, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida

These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall
Viking Books for Young Readers / August 2022

Animals, Children, Environment, Family & Siblings, Fantasy & Magic, Juvenile Fiction, Railroads & Trains, Science & Nature
More Reviews from Novel

I absolutely adore beautifully written horror. There’s something amazing about taking something that should be absolutely terrifying and finding a way to write it so beautifully that it could be poetry. Yet despite the beautiful prose, I was still chilled to my bones. These Fleeting Shadows was dripping with beautiful pain and chills. This is the perfect release to snuggle up with on a dark and foggy night, but only if you’re sure your house is safe from everything that might go bump in the shadows. Helen and her family are well written as well as intriguing.

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

Ways to Grow Love by Renée Watson
Dutton / April 2022

African American & Black, Children, Family
More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

Ryan Hart is headed to sleepaway camp where she faces some friendship challenges, but even that may be easier than going home to the new baby that’s on its way. Ramona Quimby for a new generation, Ryan Hart is a young, optimistic black girl navigating a changing world with style. This series really has staying power.

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

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

The Hurting Kind by Ada Limón
Milkweed Editions / May 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Poetry, Women Authors
More Reviews from Main Street Books

A May 2022 Read This Next! Selection

A eulogy of sorts to things we are always going to lose, and to the things that are taken from us, this is a beautiful body of work that trembles with hurt, but asks also for its due attention- a wounded thing not yet surrendering. Poems of movement, of worry, of a recognized grief and the subsequent small joys that can bloom out of dirt like small flower heads…Limón never, ever disappoints when it comes to understanding the great and terrible spectrum of emotions that is our cross to bear. It’s as if this newest collection is a honed and finely tuned string of metal hewn from her previous work, singing its own loud and new sound, ever reminding us that she belongs alongside Sontag, Lorde, James Welch, Oliver- the heralds of the Word that have come before and whose worlds will remain long after.

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

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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Honoring the mothers…

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

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, History, Personal Memoirs, Race & Ethnic Relations, United States

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.

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

About the Author:
Judy Goldman is the award-winning author of seven books including Together: A Memoir of a Marriage and a Medical Mishap, named one of the best books of 2019 by Real Simple. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Essential Labor by Angela Garbes
Harper Wave / May 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Social Science, Women’s Studies

Essential Labor is incredibly timely, but it opens up a timeless approach to mothering as catalyst for change. Speaking from both her experience as a daughter of Filipino immigrants and as a mother, Garbes explores the small, gentle ways we can nudge the dominant narrative, opening a wider world to our children. The Covid-19 pandemic brought down capitalism’s illusory curtain separating labor and the home, yet little changed in societal terms. Garbes argues that the invisible labor that women, mostly BIPOC women, do in the home is the most essential work there is—and that if we embrace a more communal, interdependent, caring way of living, we can make this work not just pleasurable but revolutionary. This is an essential book—it’s challenging, it’s bold, it’s a call to action.

Reviewed by Hannah DeCamp of Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

About the Author:
Angela Garbes is a Seattle-based writer and the author of Like a Mother, which was an NPR Best Book of the Year and a finalist for the Washington State Book Award in Nonfiction. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, New York Magazine, The Cut, and Bon Appétit, and has been featured on NPR’s Fresh Air. She also cohosts The Double Shift, an acclaimed podcast challenging the status quo of motherhood in America.

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: The Year of the Horses by Courtney Maum

“It’s no longer the time for women to be selfless. Whether you’re a woman who has children, or has aging parents to care for, whatever your situation is, we need to put ourselves first. It’s more than self care….We deserve to let people know, and show them what it looks like when we are cracking. To me, it was like an act of sisterhood, this memoir. The best thing I could possibly hope for is that this encourages people—women, men, people of all genders—to start admitting to people around them, “I’m not okay. Actually, I could use some help. I could use some support.” —Courtney Maum, interview, Electric Lit

What booksellers are saying about The Year of the Horses

• A lovely memoir touching on mental health, motherhood, marriage, and more, all contextualized through Courtney Maum’s lifelong love of horses. I so appreciated Maum’s candor. She is aware of the privileges she’s enjoyed throughout her life, but she is honest about the struggles she and her family have faced. ―Kate Storhoff from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC
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• If there’s an empty space in your heart where joy is not present, go out and find that thing- that thing for just you that makes your heart sing. For Courtney Maum, it was horses. This story of family, fortitude and fur will be at the top of all the book club lists for 2022.   ―Angie Tally from The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, NC
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• Add Courtney Maum to the talented voices speaking to the power of the natural world to heal trauma. In the vein of Silvia Vasquez-Lavedo’s In the Shadow of the Mountain, this moving memoir details the darkness of depression and a slow struggle not only to face fears but also to find and embrace joy. Evocative, funny, deeply moving, every chapter a lesson worth learning.   ―Jan Blodgett from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC
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• Maum finds herself at 37 disinterested in life, sleepless, and lost. She is loved by her husband, blessed with a healthy child, but still feels adrift. She knows she is depressed, but feels unable to justify it given her success and good fortune. Having not been near a horse in decades, she feels compelled to renew that connection. I rode and trained in my younger years and I have also felt the deep desire to be with horses again. The author explores her emotions with the animals and the people who love them and finds her way back to herself. You do not need to be a horse lover to love this book. Anyone who has felt lost can get something from it. This book is just flawless.   ―Kelly Justice from Fountain Books in Richmond, VA
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About Courtney Maum

Courtney Maum is the author of the novels Costalegre; Touch; and I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You; and a guide for writers, Before and After the Book Deal. Her writing and essays have been widely published in such outlets as The New York Times; O, the Oprah Magazine; Interview Magazine; and Modern Loss. She lives in Litchfield County, Connecticut, where she founded the learning collaborative The Cabins.

Ma and Me by Putsata Reang
MCD / May 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Asian & Asian American, Biography & Autobiography, Cultural, Ethnic & Regional

Filled with incredible nuance, beautiful writing, and deep sympathy; Putsata Reang’s stunning memoir Ma and Me  is sure to be one of the best books I’ll read this year. Tracing her mother’s story – escaping the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia and surviving an abusive marriage – to her own experience; growing up as a gay Khmer-American pulled between two cultures – Reang’s deeply personal book and explores the depth of a mother/daughter relationship and the weight of expectation placed upon future generations. Both full of light and sadness, Ma and Me is a wonder, holding life’s beauty and heartbreak in tandem. I cannot recommend this memoir highly enough.

Reviewed by Caleb Masters, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

About the Author:
Putsata Reang is an author and a journalist whose writings have appeared in the New York Times, Politico, the Guardian, Ms, and the Seattle Times, among other publications. Born in Cambodia and raised in rural Oregon, Reang has lived and worked in more than a dozen countries, including Cambodia, Afghanistan, and Thailand. She is an alum of residencies at Hedgebrook, Kimmel Harding Nelson, and Mineral School, and she has received fellowships from the Alicia Patterson Foundation and Jack Straw Writers Program. She teaches memoir writing at the University of Washington’s School of Professional & Continuing Education.

Someone Other Than a Mother by Erin S. Lane
TarcherPerigee / April 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Alternative Family, Calling & Vocation, Christian Living, Family & Relationships, Feminism & Feminist Theory, Religion, Social Science

In a society that puts mothers on a pedestal (no greater love than that of a mother!), even if they’re quick to mommy shame them (she lets those kids have too much screen time!), it can be tough and disheartening to navigate the world as a child-free woman. Erin Lane breaks down the Mother Scripts, tackling the origins of what it means to be a mother from biblical times, to the rise of modern motherhood (thanks, Teddy Roosevelt). She interviews women from all backgrounds- women who don’t want kids, can’t have kids, became step-parents, or are raising kids through the foster system. It’s a fascinating insight into the way society perceives women and an important discussion of moving beyond the boundaries of those expectations.

Reviewed by Kate Towery, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

About the Author:
Erin S. Lane is a writer, theologian, and someone other than a mother. She is most recently the author of Lessons in Belonging from a Church-Going Commitment Phobe. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College and a master’s degree from Duke Divinity School, both with a focus on gender studies. Mentored by Parker J. Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal, she works as a vocational retreat facilitator, helping people discern their wildest questions of purpose. She resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her improbable kin.

Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel
Tor Nightfire / May 2022

Adult Fiction, Domestic Fiction,  Horror, Thrillers, Women

OMG this book a WILD ride! It is practically a guarantee that I will thoroughly enjoy just about any book that involves cults… but a cult centered out reproduction and motherhood? Holy moly count me in. What really stood out to me about Just Like Mother (and what I believe sets it apart from other reproductive-themed thrillers) was how it features a child-free protagonist and explores the many layers of being a woman who decides to not have children. To a cult of women who deify motherhood as the pinnacle of being, who is a woman that rejects motherhood? A radical, a traitor, and a threat to their entire identity and ethos. The sense of dread and tension that permeates and persists throughout the entire story really is fantastic. Every moment that I was listening to the audiobook, my stomach was turning with the feeling that some horrible, terrible, ever-worsening doom was just around the corner. I definitely recommend this one to fans of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Joanne Ramos’s The Farm, and to anyone who has been searching for a child-free perspective in the reproductive thriller genre!

Reviewed by Caroline Barbee, Friendly City Books in Columbus, Mississippi

About the Author:
Anne Heltzel is a New York-based novelist and book editor. In addition to writing horror, she has penned several milder titles for children and young adults. Just Like Mother is her adult debut. Find out more at anneheltzel.com.

Parting Thought

"To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow."
― Maya Angelou

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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Recommended by Southern indies…

Bitter Orange Tree by Jokha Alharthi
Catapult / May 2022

Adult Fiction, Arabian Peninsula, Feminist, Fiction, Middle East, Muslim, World Literature
More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

When Man Booker Prize winner Jokha Alharthi writes, a river of emotions pours from her in the most beautiful way possible. Her latest translated novel features a young Omani student in London attempting to come to terms with the grief and regrets of losing her devoted grandmother by not attending to her when she needed her most. The tale drifts back and forth through time, giving the reader a view into the two strikingly different lives of these women; where both bear the weight of unfulfilled desires. This was an exquisite and haunting read.

Reviewed by Damita Nocton, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

“So it was really interesting to write these kind of trapped storylines, whether it’s the octopus or Tova in the town or some of the other characters who are really just trapped by their own misconceptions of themselves, during a time when, you know, we spent a lot of time just looking out the front window, thinking, wow, where do we go from here?” –Shelby Van Pelt, interview, NPR

What booksellers are saying about Remarkably Bright Creatures

• A heartwarming story about loneliness and grief, community and connection, and a family mystery that must be solved – and soon. With charming but imperfect characters and a very satisfying warm hug of an ending, this novel hits all the right notes. ―Serena Wyckoff from Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, FL
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• This narrative has so much heart, and such a gentle voice. I loved the multiple narratives, weaving their ways towards each other like drawing heart strings together to heal a great hurt. A wonderful, thoughtful novel.   ―Aimee Keeble from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC
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• You’ll fall in love with all the creatures who live in Sowell Bay. Easy to read yet rich with themes of loss & grief, this charming book offers hope for all those feeling trapped & lonely in their lives.   ―Maggie Robe from Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC
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• A lovely story filled with characters who will warm your heart. Tova is a little bit of Frederik Backman’s Britt Marie and Ove rolled into one unforgettable lady. And Marcellus! Where do I begin…who knew an octopus could be so deviously charming?!?   ―Anderson McKean from Page & Palette in Fairhope, AL
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About Shelby Van Pelt

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Shelby Van Pelt lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her family. This is her first novel.

Tokyo Dreaming by Emiko Jean
Flatiron Books / May 2022

Asia, Asian American, Family, Japan, Parents, People & Places, Romance, Royalty, United States, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

Tokyo Dreaming is a breathtaking story that is so vividly written you will feel like you are walking next to Izumi as she navigates imperial life. Izumi has overcome so many challenges since discovering that her father is the Crown Prince Makotonomiya Toshihito of Japan. The transition from normal small town girl to Imperial princess has been difficult. Now Izumi’s mom has joined her in Japan, and they are living the happy family life that Izumi always dreamed of with her father. When Izumi’s father proposes to her mom, everyone is thrilled for the life that is to come. Everyone, except the Imperial council who has their doubts about the match. Izumi decides she will do whatever it takes to make sure her mom and dad have their happily ever after. But what will it cost her? Her future happiest, her friends, or even the true love of her life. Tokyo Dreaming continues the story that began with Tokyo Ever After. Perfect for fans of Sarah Kuhn’s I love you so Mochi, Katherine McGee’s American Royal, or Meg Cabot’s Princess Diaries.

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

Magic Season by Wade Rouse
 Hanover Square Press / May 2022

Bereavement, Biography & Autobiography, Death, Family & Relationships, Grief, LGBTQ+, Parent & Adult Child, Parenting, Personal Memoirs
More Reviews from Page 158 Books

They say truth is better than fiction and with Magic Season I completely agree. Wade and his rigid engineer father had a contentious relationship for quite awhile. When Ted learns he is dying Wade returns home for one final season of the one thing the men share a passion for-The St Louis Cardinals. This is inspiring and heartwarming and told with Wade’s poignant sense of humor. It gives hope to any one suffering from a desire to have a close relationship with a parent. There is always a chance for your team in baseball and a relationship with your parent.

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

The Golden Swift by Lev Grossman
Little Brown and Company / May 2022

Animals, Children, Environment, Family & Siblings, Fantasy & Magic, Juvenile Fiction, Railroads & Trains, Science & Nature
More Reviews from Novel

A middle grade fantasy novel with magical trains, a magical submarine, an apartment in the sky, a missing uncle, talking animals, endangered species and rewilding? Yes, please! This series is proof that kids can learn about current day issues in novels. Not that any of us in the industry need convincing of this, but this series does it effortlessly. Brilliant! Can’t wait for more!

Reviewed by Jill Naylor, Novel in Memphis, Tennessee

The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani
Dutton / April 2022

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

Adriana Trigiani’s The Good Left Undone transports you through both time and place, moving effortlessly through four generations of the Cabrelli family and from country to country during one of Europe’s most trying times. It not only impresses the importance of family and the love we share with those we choose, but the importance of the stories and heirlooms that are passed down from one generation to the next.

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

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Berkley / May 2022

Adult Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy
More Reviews from Books and Books

A May 2022 Read This Next! Selection

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.

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

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary about ordinary people, and saying with ordinary words something extraordinary.”
– Boris Pasternak

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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Recommended by Southern indies…

In a Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power
Del Rey / May 2022

Action & Adventure, Adult Fiction, Epic, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology
More Reviews from Underground Books

In this Greek-inspired fantasy, the adult debut of Wilder Girls author Rory Power, families rule with the power of saints or gods, and siblings find themselves on opposing sides of a brewing war. The world building was very unique and interesting to me, and I would recommend for fans of court politics in their fantasy.

Reviewed by Megan Bell from Underground Books in Carrollton, Georgia

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel

“Even while writing for People magazine, I gravitated toward the weightier “Heroes Among Us” stories, which were the stories of everyday people doing incredible things.” –Kristin Harmel, interview, Fort Myers News Press

What booksellers are saying about The Forest of Vanishing Stars

• Kristin’s new novel is magical! The isolated, survivalist upbringing of the main character, Yona, provides a rich and intriguing springboard for this story to evolve, an extraordinary story of Jews surviving Nazi terror deep in the forest. Awesome storytelling, terrific writing – our readers will love it! ―Cathy Graham from Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, FL
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• Another mesmerizing story from Kristin Harmel. Yona is stolen by an old woman at birth from a German couple in the Berlin and raised in the forest. Her kidnapper prepares her for her destiny, which is to help escape Jews survive the perils of the forest while evading the Nazi soldiers. Yona’s struggle to come to terms with God’s will and her own origins threads through the book. Loved it and cannot wait for wait KH brings us next!   ―Laura Taylor from Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL
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• I love the character of Yona whose knowledge of the forest was essential. Courage, determination and resilience enabled many to hide from the Germans until the end of the war. This is historical fiction at its best and survivors and descendants have contributed to the significant research that went into the making of this book. A powerful story that I couldn’t put down.   ―Stephanie Crowe from Page & Palette in Fairhope, AL
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Kristin Harmel

Kristin Harmel is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen novels including The Forest of Vanishing Stars, The Book of Lost Names, The Room on Rue Amélie, and The Sweetness of Forgetting. She is published in thirty languages and is the cofounder and cohost of the popular web series, Friends and Fiction. She lives in Orlando, Florida.

Paradais by Fernanda Melchor
New Directions / April 2022

Adult Fiction, Fiction, Mexico, World Literature
More Reviews from Avid Bookshop

A feral parable on the violence of racism, misandry, and class from a preeminent, new voice of contemporary Mexican literature. Melchor’s style in Paradais is writhing and slippery, capturing not only a portrait of desperation but the ugliness of the toxic thread that runs through the underside of our collective psyche.

Reviewed by Luis Correa from Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

Wired for Love by Stephanie Cacioppo
 Flatiron Books / April 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Cognitive Neuroscience & Cognitive Neuropsychology, Cognitive Science, Family & Relationships, Love & Romance, Personal Memoirs, Psychology, Science
More Reviews from Novel

Wired For Love is part neuroscience and part memoir… but it is ultimately a love story between the world’s foremost authority on the brain’s response to love/loss and the world’s foremost authority on loneliness. Cacioppo includes a lot of scientific information and hard data pulled from years of her research, but she also guides the reader through her own personal story of falling in love and eventually her grief surrounding her husband’s death. She has a way of getting the reader to thoughtfully reevaluate the “common beliefs” surrounding incredibly complex (but purely human) emotions. This book is fantastic.

Reviewed by Stuart McCommon from Novel in Memphis, Tennessee

Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers / May 2022

Asian American, Crime, Muslim, People & Places, Prejudice & Racism, Religious, Social Themes, Thrillers & Suspense, United States, Young Adult
More Reviews from Quail Ridge Books

Ahmed masterfully weaves together so many difficult topics that it’s hard to say what this book is about in any concise way. It’s painful, it’s beautiful, it’s haunting. It shines a light on horrific topics with sensitivity and grace and does so through the lens of two characters that are some of the most realistic I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Safiya didn’t really know Jawad, and she still felt the pain of his loss deeply. Upon finishing this book, I too feel his loss as if I knew him. I cannot remember ever reading a book so impactful, so relevant, and so emotionally gripping. If I had my way, everyone would read this book.

Reviewed by tee arnold, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina

The National Menagerie of Art by Thaïs Vanderheyden
Prestel Junior / May 2022

Animals, Art, Children, Humorous Stories, Juvenile
More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

Art museums are wonderful places of discovery and this collection of 20 famous pieces is a great way to bring all the world’s great art museums into one spot. This little gem is the perfect introduction to art for novices of a tender age.

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…

The Book Woman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson
Sourcebooks Landmark / May 2022

Adult Fiction, Small Town & Rural, Women
More Reviews from The Little Bookshop

A May 2022 Read This Next! Selection

Kim Michele Richardson has given us another wonderful story about the packhorse librarians of Kentucky. In this book, we move forward sixteen years to the early 1950’s and are introduced to Honey Lovett, daughter of Cussy Mary, who must pick up her mother’s library route when her parents are jailed due to the laws prohibiting their mixed-race marriage. Through Honey’s story, we meet new characters and revisit old friends that help her as she delivers books in and out of the hollers, fights for her independence as a young working woman, and struggles to bring attention to the plight of her parents. Kim Michele Richardson writes beautifully about a landscape and a people that has deep and personal meaning to her and that is one of the reasons she is so successful and so loved by her readers. This book is highly recommended!

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

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“But behind all your stories is your mother’s story, for hers is where yours begins.”
– Mitch Albom

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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Recommended by Southern indies…

Pit Lullabies by Jessica Traynor
Bloodaxe Books / June 2022

English, European, Irish, Poetry, Scottish, Welsh
More Reviews from Foggy Pine Books

Utterly phenomenal. These lullabies are a sordid whirlwind of passion and fury, palpable through every little syllable. Pit Lullabies is brimming with lyrics to keep you up at night, delivered by an oracular voice sure to propel this collection straight into a classic.

Reviewed by Phoenix Tefel, Foggy Pine Books in Boone, North Carolina

Love, Hate & Clickbait by Liz Bowery
MIRA / April 2022

Adult Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Romantic Comedy
More Reviews from Wordsworth Books

After their boss makes a homophobic gaffe and a compromising photo of them goes viral, cutthroat political consultant Thom Morgan and down-on-his-luck data analyst Clay Parker pretend to be in a relationship to salvage this presidential campaign that’s barely gotten off the ground. This fun and heartfelt romcom is great for political wonks who want a fast-paced romp and political cynics who have seen the messy underbelly of campaigns. Thom and Clay’s “will they, won’t they” kept me guessing until the wedding bells rang.

Reviewed by Karen Fletcher, Wordsworth Books in Little Rock, Arkansas

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Cover Story by Susan Rigetti

Rigetti refuses to let her past define her when she has so many other stories to tell and versions of herself to be. She doesn’t buy into the idea that each life has a single narrative or meaning. “The place where it’s interesting is what it takes to get from one stage of your life to another,” she says. “The trick is finding a way to prove to the world that you are capable of doing something new.” —Interview in Time

What booksellers are saying about Cover Story

• This book was unputdownable. I raced through it, desperate to discover what Cat was up to and how Lora played a part, and goodness, was I in for a surprise! I thoroughly love the format of diary entries, emails, texts, and memos, which contributes to the compulsive readability of this book. And the cover art, ahhh, it’s perfection! Well done! ―Jill Naylor from Novel in Memphis, TN
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• After a difficult semester, Lori was thrilled to land the internship of her dreams at ELLE magazine; when a celebrity editor befriends her and asks her to ghostwrite her book, it seems too good to be true…and that’s where the long con begins. I loved that Susan Rigetti wove this web of lies together from journal entries, FBI reports, and email, giving the reader a backstage pass to watch the drama unfold! .   ―Beth Seufer Buss from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC
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• Susan Rigetti spins an intriguing tale of suspense and deceit with a surprising and masterful ending..   ―Aubrey from Wordsworth Books in Little Rock, AR
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Susan Rigetti

Susan Rigetti is an author, screenwriter, and the former technology op-ed editor at the New York Times. She has been named a “Person of the Year” by TIME, The Financial Times, and the Webby Awards, and has appeared on Fortune’s “40 Under 40” list, Vanity Fair’s New Establishment List, Marie Claire’s New Guard list, the Bloomberg 50, the Upstart 50, the Recode 100, and more. She is the author of a book on computer programming that has been implemented by companies across Silicon Valley, and the critically acclaimed memoir, Whistleblower.

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
Flatiron Books / April 2022

Adult Fiction, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology
More Reviews from Haunted Book Shop

A wonderfully bent fairy tale from T. Kingfisher, the princess is not out to marry the prince, instead she’s out to kill him for his sins. This is a darker-than-usual Kingfisher title–the wit and sharp writing is there, but usual laughs she provides aren’t nor should they be. This is not a story where laughter would be right. It’s a story about endurance and necessity in a situation where there’s precious little to laugh about. Highly recommended dark fantasy for the genre-savvy who want their fairy tale with blood and bite to it.

Reviewed by Alex Mcleod, The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, Alabama

Linea Nigra by Jazmina Barrera
 Two Lines Press / May 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Women
More Reviews from Avid Bookshop

This slim volume navigates Barrera’s pregnancy, birth, and those first shattering days of early motherhood. In snippets reminiscent of the short breaks in between wakings and feedings, Barrera interweaves her reading life and lived life, creating a poignant primer that will be a kindred comfort and stalwart courage to any reader. Linea Nigra is a rich record of a life steeped in feminist art, revealing intersections in the body and the world; the individual and the collective.

Reviewed by Hannah DeCamp, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R. M. Romero
Peachtree Teen / May 2022

Jewish, Novels in Verse, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
More Reviews from Books & Books

Lovers of history, poetry, and myth will find themselves in awe of R.M. Romero’s young adult debut. The story of Ilana Lopez, a Jewish Latina from Miami sent to stay with her aunt in Prague, is inspired by the author’s very real time spent restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe, and rings true because of this even through its layers of story magic. The Ghosts of Rose Hill is by turns glittering, dark, enchanting and haunting.

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

The Prince of Nowhere by Rochelle Hassan
HarperCollins / May 2022

Children, Fantasy & Magic
More Reviews from Story on the Square

I finished this book in three days, and it did NOT feel like it took me that amount of time. It felt like time stood still as I read through the whole book, which I guess in kind of ironic, considering the book’s themes. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were well written and captivating. The world was both mysterious and filled to the brim with lore. And the themes hit hard and were still realistic; I truly believed in every characters motivation and cause. I would happily read a sequel or prequel to this book, or even something entirely unrelated, if it was from this author. The way the world was described and the author’s writing style was both unique and perfectly fitting for this book. A wonderful read, and I would gladly spend my time reading this book again!

Reviewed by Mandolin Moore, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

A Duet For Home by Karina Yan Glaser
Clarion Books / April 2022

Children, Homelessness & Poverty, Social Themes
More Reviews from Flyleaf Books

An April 2022 Read This Next! Title

This thoughtful & fast-paced book will open children’s eyes to the plight of homeless families. It also demystifies the appeal of learning to play a musical instrument. Overall, it’s a well-crafted celebration of friendship and how kindness & determination can enact real change.

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

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“To feel most beautifully alive means to be reading something beautiful, ready always to apprehend in the flow of language the sudden flash of poetry.”
– Gaston Bachelard

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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Recommended by Southern indies…

Dear God. Dear Bones. Dear Yellow. by Noor Hindi
Haymarket Books / May 2022

Adult Nonfiction, American, Poetry
More Reviews from Bookmarks

This little book of poems is going to haunt me until the end of my days. I don’t know how to describe how important every word in this book is, every beat, every heart wrenching sentence. Dear God is meant to be delivered directly to your face, the speaker’s voice barely a hiss. A question that can’t be answered- just heard.

Reviewed by Caitlyn Vanorder from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC

Sister Stardust by Jane Green
Hanover Square Press / April 2022

Adult Fiction, Biographical Fiction,  Friendship, Historical Fiction, Women
More Reviews from Page 158 Books

I inhaled this book in a day! If you loved Daisy Jones and the Six you will adore this book based on Talitha Getty and her husband as they lived the sex, drugs and abundantly hippie lifestyle. Told through the naive eyes of a girl who happened on the scene after being thrown out of her home by her evil step-mother, this takes you behind the scenes to what it was really like. “Close” friendships and love affairs are not what they seem and the lifestyle can only burn out. The ride you are on with this book is incredible. Fun introspective read.

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

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett

"In general, the way that I cope with the world is to try to find the humor in things that are uncomfortable and painful. That’s how I was raised. We tell each other jokes in order to get through the hard thing, or insert something silly into an otherwise painful situation. But I’m not the clown in my family, I’m the quietly funny one. " ― Annie Hartnett, interview in Dead Darlings

What booksellers are saying about Unlikely Animals

• Unlikely Animals was such a joy to read! The combination of plot and characters sounds kooky and dark, but it’s this combination of darkness and absurdity that makes the book special. ―Johanna Albrecht from McIntyre’s Books in Pittsboro, NC
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• This book is as much brilliant fun you can have with unraveling family and a cemetery full of well-intended if prone-to-wisecracks narrators. No summary can do the plot justice – just know all the plot twists, all the lost souls, and all the animals come together in a wonderful read. Don’t miss it.   ―Jan Blodgett from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC
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• I love everything about this book. I love the Maple Street Cemetery residents. I love Moses and Rasputin. I love the messy Starling family and Clive’s pal, Harold. I love the hand-drawn map of Everton and the historical photographs. I love the frankness and the snark and the wisdom of the characters that come from being imperfect humans. Unlikely Animals is utterly original and touching in the most captivating way possible, and I could not love it more.   ― Jill Naylor from Novel in Memphis, TN
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• In Unlikely Animals, Hartnett has done what she does best: create a brilliant cast of messy human beings that you don’t want to leave. With a hand-drawn map, a menagerie of animals (a fox, a dog, a goat), and beautiful prose, this book is perfect.   ― Rachel Watkins from Avid Bookshop in Athens, GA
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Annie Hartnett

Annie Hartnett is the author of Rabbit Cake, which was listed as one of Kirkus Reviews’s Best Books of 2017 and a finalist for the New England Book Award. She has received fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and the Associates of the Boston Public Library. She studied philosophy at Hamilton College, has an MA from Middlebury College, and an MFA from the University of Alabama. When she began writing Unlikely Animals, she was living in the groundskeeper’s house in a cemetery. She now lives in a small town in Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and darling border collie, Mr. Willie Nelson.

Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang
Flatiron Books / April 2022

Adult Fiction, Asian America, Literary Fiction
More Reviews from Parnassus Books

Bold and breathtaking, Four Treasures of the Sky redefines the American Western novel. Jenny Tinghui Zhang’s debut spans from China to Idaho, following the journey of Daiyu, a young Chinese girl kidnapped from her home and sent overseas to America. In Daiyu, Zhang has given us one of the most memorable narrators I’ve ever come across–even as Daiyu endures the racism and brutality of the American West, she speaks with resilience and grace. Daiyu’s story might be set in the nineteenth century, but it resonates so strongly with today’s world. This is the kind of historical fiction that prompts us to reevaluate what we know of this country’s history and leaves us better for having done so. I can’t wait to see what Jenny Tinghui Zhang does next.

Reviewed by Lindsay Lynch from Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

Unmasked by Paul Holes
 Celadon Books / April 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Murder, Serial Killers, True Crime
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

I don’t read a lot of “true crime,” and I honestly struggled with this one until I realized that it had completely captured my attention and I was unable to put it down. Paul Holes has lived a life unimaginable to most of us; facing the depths of depravity and the lengths of evil that exist in this world over the course of his lifetime. Clearly it has affected him…he paints himself as a rather unlikable character, single-mindedly focused on his work at the expense of his relationships, his marriage and his family. Imagine obsessing over one single thing (in his case capturing the Golden State Killer) every day of your life for over two decades. It is no wonder his personal life suffered as a result, but so deep was his obsession with this particular cold case, even his professional life was negatively impacted. I almost wonder if he isn’t affected by Autism or some other syndrome that drove his compulsion to pursue this predator for most of his career. This is a fascinating read not just in the steps it takes to catch a killer, but in how it can affect the lives of so many different people in so many different ways. It is disturbing, but compelling and even if it isn’t something you would normally pick up, it was an amazing read.

Reviewed by Brent Bunnell from Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers / April 2022

Fantasy, Romance, Thrillers & Suspense, Young Adult
More Reviews from Bookmiser

Alex and Molly have grown up in two very different worlds, but they have one big thing in common: neither has any friends. But they’re both starting at the same college and both are determined to change, though for very different reasons. Alex’s girlfriend says Alex is afraid to let anyone in and won’t confess her true feelings. Molly has always been a big ball of anxiety, but has had a four year crush on a girl from her high school who just so happens to be going to the same college. Molly and Alex dislike each other, but they need the other to reach their goals. Overall, this was a very fun, sweet story that simultaneously deals with some heavy issues. I loved it!

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Wild Ride by Keith Calabrese
Scholastic Press / April 2022

Action & Adventure, Children
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

My absolute favorite thing about this book is that it pulls no punches towards its antagonist, a thinly-veiled caricature of the star of a certain Bo Burnham song, and it is oh so satisfying to see him get the kind of comeuppance we can only dream about on this side of the page. Besides that, this middle-grade adventure through Chicagoland has an endearing set of characters who all learn something about the world being a little bigger and more complicated than they think it is, but not so big and complicated that they can’t handle. I also loved how much fun all the locations throughout the Chicago area were!

Reviewed by Akil Guruparan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa
Avon / April 2022

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

An April 2022 Read This Next! Title

I loved this follow up to Mia Sosa’s wedding-themed contemporary romance series. An overheard conversation just before a couple’s wedding makes Solange unable to hold her peace. Instead, she blurts out to the bride not to go through with it just as the couple is saying their “I do’s”. This leads to a chain of events that neither she, nor the stuffy groom Dean, could have thought possible. For one thing, Solange spells danger to Dean. She is unpredictable, feisty, and doesn’t have her life mapped out every single step of the way like he does…and that terrifies him. But, she could prove to be just what he needs to shake things up and finally find love.

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

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“To feel most beautifully alive means to be reading something beautiful, ready always to apprehend in the flow of language the sudden flash of poetry.”
– Gaston Bachelard

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

View online. | Unsubscribe | SBR Archive | SUBSCRIBE TO SBR

Read This Now!

Recommended by Southern indies…

The Hurting Kind by Ada Limón
Milkweed Editions / May 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Poetry, 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.

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

Like a Sister by Kellye Garrett
Mulholland Books / March 2022

Adult Fiction, Amateur Sleuth, Fiction, Mystery& Detective
More Reviews from Fiction Addiction

Like a Sister is as much a story about today’s social media culture and societal issues especially those of race and class as it is a masterfully written twisty mystery. The story is narrated by the very relatable Lena Scott, half- sister of realty star Desiree Pierce who is found dead of a presumed overdose. Lena uses sarcasm and wit to hide her emotions because as a young Black woman in today’s world Lena believes what her mother has always told her – that she must always show her super-woman side to the world. While Desiree was a known alcoholic and coke user, one of the main reasons the sisters had not spoken in two years, Lena is convinced that Desiree didn’t die from an accidental overdose of heroin. She wouldn’t have been surprised if it were coke but never heroin, as Desiree hated needles and was too vain to ever leave track marks. Lena believes the last favor she can do for her sister is find out the truth behind her death even, as it turns out, at the risk to her own life.

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

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Bomb Shelter by Mary Laura Philpott

"My hope was to do what many other books have done for me, which is to tell one person’s story in a way that makes other people look at their own lives differently or perhaps understand something about themselves better. "–Mary Laura Philpott, interview in Hippocampus

What booksellers are saying about Bomb Shelter

• Mary Laura does what no one else can – muse about mortality and make you laugh. Reading her essays is like sitting down on the porch with her and having a glass of wine. Her worries are OUR worries, only we rarely discuss them aloud (and none of us are as funny as Mary Laura). ―Sissy Gardner from Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN
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• A memoir in essays, Bomb Shelter tackles some pretty monumental moments in Philpott’s life, starting with a medical emergency for her son to taking care of her family during the pandemic. Although the specifics will be different by readers, most of us have faced pivotal moments in our lives, and we certainly share those same questions – from “how did I get here?” to “should I have known?” Philpott’s candor in writing is refreshing; just as in I Miss You When I Blink, I found myself laughing and crying at the commonality of how we approach life, aging, and the world.   ―Beth Seufer Buss from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC
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• Mary Laura Philpott’s Bomb Shelter reads like a long coffee date with a dear friend. This memoir covers a lot of the emotional nuances of parenting and Philpott is a kindred spirit. Give this book to any parent who needs a virtual hug and assurance that they are indeed doing a good job.   ―Rachel Watkins from Avid Bookshop in Athens, GA
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Mary Laura Philpott

Mary Laura Philpott, author of the national bestseller I Miss You When I Blink, writes essays that examine the overlap of the absurd and the profound in everyday life. Her writing has been featured frequently by The New York Times and appears in such outlets as The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Real Simple, and more. A former bookseller, she also hosted an interview program on Nashville Public Television for several years. Mary Laura lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her family.

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough
St. Martin’s Press / April 2022

Adult Fiction, Psychological, Thrillers
More Reviews from The Haunted Book Shop

I watched the Netflix Series Behind Her Eyes and loved the suspense and supernatural themes. So, when I saw that Sarah Pinborough wrote Insomnia I knew that I had to read it! The story itself reminded me of Behind Her Eyes and the movie Hereditary. You have a mother as the main character who is doing everything she can to find out about her estranged mother’s life as she tries to uncover family secrets to protect her family. But, is she protecting her family from the impending danger, or is she the danger her family needs protecting from? The whole story you are in just as much disbelief as the main character…she doesn’t know if she is awake or asleep, if she is sane or going mad like her mother, and as things twist and turn deeper into the story a mind-bending and time-bending twist is added!

Reviewed by Kait Layton, The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, Alabama

The Unwritten Book by Samantha Hunt
 Farrar, Straus and Giroux / April 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Essays, Literary Collections
More Reviews from Avid Bookshop

With a heavy heart and a recently missing cat (wringing out the old year, hearing the ringing of the new through my poorly insulated walls), I started a book that followed me home from work. For years, Samantha Hunt novels, on glancing and flipping, have always looked to be in the “Alley (up my)” or “Wheelhouse (in my)” genres, but this is my first and, by golly, I can’t stop rambling, deleting, rambling, deleting this review. She lets grief, family, empathy, childhood, alcohol, a boy band, authority, loss, parenthood, faith (and much much more) drop, all at once, into the top of the Plinko board, amazingly not jamming the derned thing up. What settles at the bottom is a nice, orderly, call for all to relish the unknown, hold tight to loss, and madlib the half-assed answers to life’s half-asked questions. I, for one, am retooling “rut” and giving a new shine to “stuck in a.” However, as newly-formed fanboy insecurities blossom, the Samantha Hunt in my mind says “well, YOU sure missed the point on the head.” But surely the fact that I got what I wanted out of [the book, which I forgot to mention is a work of nonfiction] was surely the point of it exactly. Or at least that’s what I got out of it. Surely.

Reviewed by Ian McCord, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
Razorbill / April 2022

Fantasy, Romance, Thrillers & Suspense, Young Adult
More Reviews from M. Judson booksellers and storytellers

Dreamy, dark, and mysterious. Danger, desire, and enigmatic. Filled with characters you want to know more of and places you want to be. Hotel Magnifique is oh so delicious!

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

I Color Myself Different by Colin Kaepernick,
Scholastic, Inc. / April 2022

Children, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Social Topics
More Reviews from Page 158 Books

What a great way to share with a young child why they are different and why they matter. Colin learns he was chosen and was adopted into a family of loving people. Great colorful illustrations and a wonderful message. For kids and adults

Reviewed by Gina Norris, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

Bomb Shelter by Mary Laura Philpott
Atria Books / April 2022

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

An April 2022 Read This Next! Title

It’s more tempting than ever to want to build a bomb shelter and retreat from the upheavals of life. But with this memoir, Mary Laura Philpott convinces us that, like Frank the turtle, we have to poke our heads out from time to time, confront the challenges, and keep going. Thank you, MLP, for making all of us worriers feel seen, and for helping us put into words the emotions (so very many emotions) that go along with being not just a parent but a person.

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

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society.”
– Angela Davis

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…

Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head by Warsan Shire
Random House Trade Paperbacks / March 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Poetry, Women Authors
More Reviews from Fountain Bookstore

I cant put into words how much this poetry collection affected me, and how I am completely infatuated with every word on every page. Shire truly left me speechless with her prose and poems centering around being a refugee, maternal relationships, and what it means to be a woman. It’s poetry that’s so full of emotion you feel every word she says, and it’s impeccable.

Reviewed by Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

Song for the Missing by Pierre Jarawan
World Editions / March 2022

Adult Fiction, Fiction, Middle East, World Literature
More Reviews from Avid Bookshop

I’m still on a globetrotty search for coming-of-age stories set in the 1990s (specifically 92-96) to hold up my bland high school soft-serve experience-machine. This one here is a perfectly paced and passionate ode to Lebanon, family drama and young friendship, served up like a mystery.

Reviewed by Ian McCord, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow

"With poetry, your entire message, the duende of the poem, the catharsis of the readers all needs to fit in the space of a few lines. I spent years—years—trying to master this and will spend many, many more.

With prose, I felt the freedom of the entire page, of entire chapters to speak my truth. I was no longer confined to the space of a stanza. I found it incredibly liberating and refreshing. But also incredibly daunting. "–Tara M. Stringfellow, interview in Book Pipeline

What booksellers are saying about Memphis

• Tara M. Stringfellow’s Memphis raises the bar for family sagas. Based on her own family’s history, this debut novel explores multiple generations within a Southern Black family. The city itself becomes an identity within this powerful story; Stringfellow traces not only the impact of each generation’s choices and traditions but also the impact of the iconic city’s history on the family. I love nothing more as a reader than a powerful family saga, and Memphis has stayed with me long after finishing it–undoubtedly this will be at the top of my Best of 2022 list! ―Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC
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• Memphis opens with a beautiful poem dedicating the book to Gianna Floyd, saying, “I wrote you a Black fairy tale.” Centering Black joy above all, Stringfellow’s life-affirming debut follows three generations of unforgettable women in a gifted but tested family in the author’s and my hometown. Readers will cry, laugh, and sing along to this book, which focuses on the Black female experience that has always given Memphis its soul. I hope we’ll be reading Stringfellow for a long, long time.   ―Katie Williamson, Square Books in Oxford, MC
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• A gorgeous take on Memphis over the years. A celebration of Douglass. An ode to black womanhood, to community, to identity, sisterhood, strength.The writing is savory and entrancing, and the characters are true, my highest praise for fictional people. A fantastic debut   ―Becca Sloan, Novel. in Memphis, TN
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Tara M. Stringfellow

Poet, former attorney, Northwestern University MFA graduate, and semifinalist for the Fulbright Fellowship, Tara M. Stringfellow has written for Collective Unrest, Minerva Rising, Jet Fuel Review, Women Arts Quarterly Journal, and Apogee Journal, among other publications. After having lived in Okinawa, Ghana, Chicago, Cuba, Spain, Italy, and Washington, D.C., she moved back home to Memphis, where she sits on her porch swing every evening with her hound, Huckleberry, listening to records and chatting with neighbors.

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth
St. Martin’s Press / April 2022

Adult Fiction, Domestic, Thrillers, Women
More Reviews from M Judson booksellers and storytellers

The twists, the turns, the traumas! A family tale of suspense that hooks the reader from page one. Hepworth creates a world of privilege and ease where nothing is what it seems including your own perceptions.

Reviewed by Susan Williams, M Judson Booksellers and Storytellers in Greenville, South Carolinaa

The Modern Proper by Holly Erickson
 S&S/Simon Element / April 2022

Adult Nonfiction, Cooking, Quick & Easy
More Reviews from Righton Books

A chapter devoted to dips, spreads, and dressings… and a chapter on meatballs? We were instantly smitten! And we continued to return to this collection of unfussy, from-scratch recipes designed for family meals or entertaining (but definitely scalable down: I’m talking about you, Saucy Grilled Cheese with Asparagus.) The Modern Proper will bring fun, imaginative food into your world.

Reviewed by Anne Peck, Righton Books in St Simons Island, Georgia

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
Razorbill / March 2022

Adult Fiction, Family Life, Siblings
More Reviews from Main Street Books

Once you are captured into this story, you cannot help but ache for these characters. This is a beautiful story about two teens who are trying to balance the weight of the world on their shoulders, and Sabaa Tahir delivers their stories with poignance and grace once again. At this point, there is nothing she could write that I would not read. Seemingly able to traverse from fantasy into fiction, Tahir delivers a novel that is at times a stunningly accurate description of teenagers and their grief, while at others touching on relationships and the sway they hold over us. Bravo to her for being able to write such a gorgeous story.

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

Hundred Years of Happiness by Thanhhà Lai,
HarperCollins / March 2022

Children, Family, Multigenerational
More Reviews from Bookmarks

Hundred Years of Happiness is a remarkable picture book. Teeming with stunning illustrations and storytelling, this book tugs at the heartstrings. I adored the mixture of family, culture, and food at the center of this story. The inclusion of the recipe at the end of the book was such a fun surprise!

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

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
Tor Books / March 2022

Adult Fiction, African American & Black, Literary, Literary Fiction
More Reviews from Wordsworth Books

An April 2022 Read This Next! Title

Memphis is a wonderful, intriguing book about a family of black women in Memphis. Primarily centering on two sisters, both with much tragedy but amazing resilience, and one of their daughters. They carry on the strong tradition of their mother. Skipping around between different years and various characters, it weaves what undoubtedly is the story of so many black women in Memphis. Beautifully written.

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

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“Poetry is a political act because it involves telling the truth.”
– June Jordan

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

View online. | Unsubscribe | SBR Archive | SUBSCRIBE TO SBR

Read This Now!

Recommended by Southern indies…

Scattered All Over the Earth by Yoko Tawada
New Directions / March 2022

Adult Fiction, Fiction, Japan, World Literature
More Reviews from Avid Bookshop

Scattered All Over the Earth is undeniably a classic. A pilgrimage novel with a growing cast of memorable characters embodying a beautiful kaleidoscope of language, loss, identity, and home. Tawada’s vision is, as always, wonderfully unique, often funny and particularly here, where she’s at her most poignant. Thankfully, this is only the promising beginning of what is set to be a masterpiece trilogy of books.

Reviewed by Luis Correa, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

Bookseller Buzz

Spotlight on: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

"With Elizabeth Zott, I wanted to create a character who speaks for anyone who’s been held back, disbelieved, maligned, or underestimated. But I also wanted to create a character who refuses to put up with it. Elizabeth Zott has a disregard for societal limits. She rejects religion, stereotypes, racism, sexism, elitism, and food that comes in cans. "–Bonnie Garmus

What booksellers are saying about Lessons in Chemistry

• Lessons In Chemistry is the kind of book that makes me love reading. While there were moments of sorrow and frustration, the story left me with an overall feeling of joy. I didn’t want it to end – now I’m suffering with a book hangover wondering what to read next after such a fun and refreshing story. ― Melissa Summers from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC
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• What an absolutely charming book! Elizabeth Zott is not your typical woman living in the 1960s. She is a chemist determined to prove that she is as good as any man in her field, which is not so easy to do with so many of the preconceived ideas of what a woman should and should not do at this time. I love her hilarious and straight to the point comebacks to many of the men who try to tell her she can not do something because it isn’t seemly for a woman to do. You will be infuriated by how she is treated and be thankful that women are not still treated that way (most of the time). You will love her delightful child Mad, and Six-thirty who is the best dog anyone could ever own, and you may also learn a little chemistry along the way. ―Nancy McFarlane from Fiction Addiction in Greenville, SC
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• This debut was a delight from start to finish. Elizabeth Zott was born just a decade too soon to forge the career in science she was destined for, so when she stumbled into a job as the host of a 1960s TV cooking show, she could not help but bring chemistry into her recipes. This book is filled with fabulous characters and is alternately touching and laugh out loud funny.   ―Karen Hayes from Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN
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• I want to introduce Elizabeth Zott to everyone I know. Unapologetic, smart and full of zest. Chemist, Elizabeth Zott, breaks boundaries and inspires other women to do the same in this heartbreaking yet uplifting story   ―Lillian Kay from Novel in Memphis, TN
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Bonnie Garmus

Bonnie Garmus is a copywriter and creative director who has worked widely in the fields of technology, medicine, and education. She’s an open-water swimmer, a rower, and mother to two pretty amazing daughters. Born in California and most recently from Seattle, she currently lives in London with her husband and her dog, 99.

This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke
Knopf Books for Young Readers / April 2022

Europe, Historical Fiction, Jewish, LGBTQ+, Young Adult
More Reviews from M Judson booksellers and storytellers

A beautiful and strange novel full of magic, friendships, and hard truths. The search for voice & freedom, the drive to be heard, a reconciliation with past trauma and a future filled with hope weave a story I couldn’t let go of. The city of Budapest and the Danube are integral characters as Csilla discovers her worth. Along with a student revolutionary leader and a kind hearted angel of death, Csilla transforms the world around her into one filled with color.

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

The Sex Lives of African Women by Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah
 Astra House / March 2022

Adult Nonfiction, African Studies, LGBTQ+, Social Science, Women’s Studies
More Reviews from Oxford Exchange

One of the most substantial and honest collections of essays about sex and pleasure I’ve ever read. Each author bares it all in order to give the reader permission to tell the truth about their relationship with sex. By centering voices and experiences that typically get left out of anthologies like this, we get to witness a multidimensional sexuality meditation through the lens of discovery, exploration, and joy. What a gift!

Reviewed by Eden Hakimzadeh, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida

The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Gallery Books / March 2022

Adult Fiction, Family Life, Siblings
More Reviews from E. Shaver, bookseller

This book had me hooked from page 1. Every bookseller has their faults and mine is a certain snobbishness when it comes to “women’s fiction.” Perhaps it is a leftover reaction from male-dominated classrooms or simply a dislike of the marketing surrounding such novels. Either way, I find myself avoiding and dismissing women’s fiction as best I am able. When I was asked to read this novel and review it, I thought “why not? It’ll be a nice fluffy read over Christmas.” I was wrong. This multi-generational saga, written with compelling prose and an arresting tenderness for the female story, grabbed my heart from about the second chapter in. The female struggle of being defined by your usefulness but longing to be your own definition, soaks through every page of this novel and you leave the book asking yourself some very important questions. This one is going in my staff picks when it comes out! I cannot wait to share it with my favorite customers (and my grandmother!!) A resounding thank you to the author for taking me down a few pegs when it comes to my opinion on women’s fiction. I hope this book blows up the market.

Reviewed by Annie Childress, E Shaver, bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

Eggs from Red Hen Farm by Monica Wellington
Holiday House / March 2022

Agriculture, Children, Juvenile Nonfiction, Technology
More Reviews from Bookmarks

A practical picture book that explains where eggs come from AND teaches young readers how to read a basic map — what fun! I loved maps when I was a kid and this book is a great introduction to the concept of getting on the road to move from one place to the next.

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

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies…

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
Tor Books / March 2022

Action & Adventure, Adult Fiction, Alien Contact, Science Fiction
More Reviews from The Haunted Book Shop

A March 2022 Read This Next! Title

This book was exactly what it needed to be. It’s fun, it takes familiar ideas about kaiju and puts a fresh spin on them, and adds in entertaining characters who care about what they do. It’s so very much an antidote and relief from things taking themselves too seriously, but landed the narrative beats when it needed them. Here, Scalzi show the artistry of solid craftsmanship, and I want more.

Reviewed by Alex Mcleod from The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, AL

Southern Bestsellers

What’s popular this week with Southern Readers.

Parting Thought

“Happiness. That’s what books smells like. Happiness. That’s why I always wanted to have a book shop. What better life than to trade in happiness? ”
– Saran MacLean

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