The Southern Bookseller Review 5/6/25
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The week of May 6, 2025 In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 
“When you learn something from people, or from a culture, you accept it as a gift, and it is your lifelong commitment to preserve it and build on it.”― Yo-Yo Ma To honor Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the lead review in each SBR newsletter for the month of May will feature an Asian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander author. Some bookseller favorites by Asian Pacific authors: The Stone Home by Crystal Hana Kim (Literary Fiction) Their Divine Fires by Wendy Cheni (Literary Fiction) No Funeral for Nazia by Taha Kehar (Mystery & Detective) Loud by Drew Afualo (Memoir, Self Esteem) A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang (Fairy Tales) The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang (Historical Fiction) When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao (YA, Romance) Saving Five by Amanda Nguyen (Memoir) Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay (Young Adult) Asian and Pacific Islander books at SBR Read This Now | Read This Next | Book Buzz | The Bookseller Directory |
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Read This Now! Recommended by Southern indies… |
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Ocean’s Godori by Elaine U. Cho Adult Fiction, Science Fiction, Space Opera This book was a perfect change of pace for me! Ocean’s Godori is a space opera set in future post-unification Korea. To me, the world-building was both totally unique and also super inviting. Each character perspective starts independent from the others and then eventually entwines as the plot thickens. I’m excited for more after this excellent debut from Elaine U. Cho! Reviewed by Johanna Albrecht, McIntyre’s Books in Pittsboro, North Carolina |
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Knife by Salman Rushdie Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Discrimination, Memoirs, Survival This tight memoir tells the incredible story of Rushdie’s survival and recovery from an attempted murder by stabbing at a reading in 2022. Told with the beautiful prose for which he is known, Rushdie’s reflection on life and making art is a worthy read for any fan of the power of literature. Reviewed by Nicole Tortoriello, Old Town Books in Alexandria, Virginia |
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Silver Elite by Dani Francis Adult Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction I’m not usually a fan of dystopian books, but I really enjoyed this one! I think in part because this world doesn’t feel overtly dystopian. The dystopian elements felt subtle but clearly defined. The writing is very good and was done in a way that allowed the plot to shine. The characters felt consistent in their behaviour, which I really appreciated. I read it in one day, and the cliffhanger left me intrigued and wanting to know what happens next. Reviewed by Savannah Laughlin, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina |
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Bookseller Buzz |
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Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata 
I have had relationships with humans, but I’ve also loved a lot of people in stories. I’ve been told by my doctor not to talk about this too much, but ever since I was a child, I’ve had 30 or 40 imaginary friends who live on a different star or planet with whom I have shared love and sexual experiences. ……Some say that the worlds I write about are dystopian, but a lot of people think that actually reality is worse… I’ve often felt love, obsession, desire, friendship, a kind of faith, or almost a prayer-like relationship with these men – and they’ve always been men, so it’s a heterosexual relationship – who live inside stories. With Vanishing World I was trying to create a place where it might be easier for people who find it difficult to live in this world. ― Sayaka Murata, Interview, Guardian What booksellers are saying about Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata 
Sayata Murata is the author of many books, including Convenience Store Woman, winner of the Akutagawa Prize, Earthlings, and Life Ceremony. Murata has been named a Freeman’s “Future of New Writing” author and a Vogue Japan Woman of the Year. Ginny Tapley Takemori has translated works by more than a dozen Japanese writers, including Ryu Murakami. She lives at the foot of a mountain in Eastern Japan. |
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Fight AIDS! by Michael G. Long 20th Century, Activism & Social Justice, Civil & Human Rights, History, LGBTQ+, United States, Young Adult Nonfiction Long provides a clear timeline of the AIDS epidemic, showing how art has been an effective form of nonviolent protest with the power to communicate loss and grief, anger and frustration, hope and resistance. Long examines the discrimination and hatred people with AIDS faced from society and how they fought at every level to access healthcare that would save them. Over a decade of silence from those with power to help end the AIDS epidemic resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives. As the fight to find a cure continues, so does the need for people to read the history contained in this book. Reviewed by Lera Shawver, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
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Spitfires by Becky Aikman Adult Nonfiction, History, Wars & Conflicts, World War II A welcome reminder of women’s roles in WWII and aviation. The impressive depth of research is matched with a keen ability to bring diverse personalities alive. I’ll be encouraging fans of Kate Quinn and Pam Jenoff to read this one. Reviewed by Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina |
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Nahia by Emily Jones Coming of Age, Historical, Occult & Supernatural, Paranormal, Prehistory, Young Adult Fiction Solidly enjoyable YA historical fiction. As an avid reader of Clan of the Cave Bear as a child, this one immediately jumped out at me (LOVE the cover). It’s fun to have a "next generation" of this type of story to introduce to teen readers. I loved the historical context provided at the end and appreciate the research and care that went into accurately representing the world. Reviewed by Kate Snyder, Plaid Elephant Books in Danville, Kentucky |
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Where Are You, Brontë? by Tomie dePaola Bereavement, Children, Death, Grief, Juvenile Fiction, Social Themes Who doesn’t love Tomie dePaola? Sad that this is his last book, but it is so fitting that he demonstrates how sad he was over his loving pet, Bronte. This master storyteller hits all the right notes in describing why and how he felt this way. Brilliant! Would be a great healing book for young and old. Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina |
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Spent by Alison Bechdel Comics & Graphic Novels, Literary 
A May Read This Next! Title Don’t know if it’s the dire days of 2025 or what, but I had to laugh (so as not to cry?) while reading Spent, which felt bleakly, hysterically absurdist, a parody/satire but not without care and all too true in the way it represents the daily buzzing over-saturated mania of the hyper-current time we live in. Poking fun at cliches of those aligned on far and opposite ends of the political spectrum, Bechdel, with humor, tugs at the impossible and insane moral quandaries of trying to make meaning, make art, make anything–focus! while everyone is drowning in "content" and grabbing at shredded attention spans and money while the world burns/floods/landslides (terrifyingly apocalyptic to realize that we’re in this dystopia NOW) and ethical consumption (and maybe ethical anything) is impossible. And yet…I enjoyed reading Spent, couldn’t look away from the train wreck we’re in. It doesn’t land hopelessly either, but instead lets go of grandiosity and the large scale, landing on the fact that we are still here and we’ve got to take care of each other in the day-to-day. Reviewed by Julie Jarema, Hub City Bookshop in Spartanburg, South Carolina |
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Decide for Yourself Books that appear on PEN America’s list of challenged books. |
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Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover Adult Fiction, Banned Books, Romance My first Colleen Hoover read! I can definitely see where all the hype is with her novels. She does pull you in and stir up all the feels. It was entertaining, I thought the female lead character did not stand up for herself enough, and love triangles are always tricky. The most interesting part was learning how the hearing-impaired male lead was able to teach himself to play and write music. Can’t wait to read more of her books! Reviewed by Krista Roach, E. Shaver bookseller in Savannah, Georgia |
Southern Bestsellers What’s popular this week with Southern Readers. |
[ See the full list ] |
Parting Thought “The story is truly finished–and meaning is made–not when the author adds the last period, but when the reader enters.” |
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Publisher:
The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance /
siba@sibaweb.com |
SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805
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The Southern Bookseller Review 5/6/25 Read More »
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“I think we may have an unusual level of interest in storytelling through display," says Lisa Uhrik. "In our connected media and content, our front windows, and our displays (which means in every shelf in the bookshop) we are trying to practice the art of good writing."
Our shelves are like sentences, our cases are like paragraphs and our special displays pull from something genuine and real — an honest statement from one of our book staff designed to speak to one person. It’s about the way the books are arranged with book adjacent things. For some, it may be a different way of thinking about how we help our shelves talk and be true curated extensions of our hearts and minds."
“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” — Wilma Rudolph, Olympic track and field athlete
Since the ballot first opened on November 1, 2024 The Southern Bookseller Review has been encouraging readers to place their votes for "the best Southern books of the year" for 
