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Songs for the Brokenhearted by Ayelet Tsabari

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Songs for the Brokenhearted by Ayelet Tsabari
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A chance discovery following her mother’s death prompts Zohara Haddad, a young Yemeni-Israeli woman, to explore her family’s history and in the process to reevaluate her own heritage in this absorbing and timely novel. Set in the mid-1990s, during the era of the Oslo peace talks and the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, it’s also a fascinating insight into a little-known (to this reader, anyway!) aspect of Israeli culture. Tsabari writes beautifully, with the pacing of a mystery and the style of true literature, and I raced through it in just a few days.

Songs for the Brokenhearted by Ayelet Tsabari, (List Price: $29, Random House, 9780812989007, September 2024)

Reviewed by Jude Burke-Lewis, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White

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Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White
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Andrew Joseph White continues to deliver sharp, compelling writing with his third novel, Compound Fracture. There hasn’t been a novel from White that I haven’t loved– his previous two releases are equally phenomenal– but Compound Fracture has earned the spot of my favorite Andrew Joseph White book. Protagonist Miles Abernathy has just come out to his parents and, in the same night, survived an attack that left him nearly dead. In the aftermath, he is visited by the ghost of his great-great-grandfather and finds himself thrust into the center of a generations-long blood feud. The lines between vengeance and justice blur and, as violence continues to spread in Miles’s small town, no one’s hands can stay clean. Miles will have to decide what it will take to end the feud and just what he is willing to do to keep his family safe. Andrew Joseph White delivers an edge-of-your-seat thriller that will keep readers hooked until the final page. At the same time, White utilizes his characters to address the lasting impacts of trauma, poverty, and economic exploitation on both individuals and communities. Compound Fracture is equal parts blood-soaked and beautiful, a testament to the resiliency and power of community organization. This is easily my favorite book of 2024!

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White, (List Price: $19.99, Peachtree Teen, 9781682636121, September 2024)

Reviewed by Charlie Williams, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord by Celeste Connally

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Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord by Celeste Connally
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Petra has lost her beloved fiancé to a terrible accident and has declared that she won’t marry. This is not an acceptable answer in Regency era London. While Petra is defending her decision, a couple of women of her acquaintance die under mysterious circumstances. Petra is determined to get to the bottom of things with help from her maid Annie and other members of the Ton. She feels she is being successful when one of her sources ends up dead….

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord by Celeste Connally, (List Price: $18, Minotaur Books, 9781250867575, September 2024)

Reviewed by Monie Henderson, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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The Sherlock Society by James Ponti

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The Sherlock Society by James Ponti
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How much trouble can four tweens and a senior citizen get into in a summer? A lot, as readers discover in The Sherlock Society! It turns out that investigating Al Capone and contemporary thieves does come with some risks…. Luckily, Alex, Zoe, Yadi, and Lina are good sleuths, and Alex and Zoe’s grandfather has a lot of connections! A fun romp through puzzles, riddles, and history. For fans of Chasing Vermeer, Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, and Hoot.

The Sherlock Society by James Ponti, (List Price: $18.99, Aladdin, 9781665932530, September 2024)

Reviewed by Monie Henderson, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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Pink Slime by Fernanda Trías

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Pink Slime by Fernanda Trías
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I’m a sucker for a good dystopian novel, and Pink Slime is up there among the best (it’s also subtler and more nuanced than the title would suggest). In an unnamed South American city, an environmental catastrophe is unfolding: the streets are alternately blanketed by an all-encompassing fog and buffeted by a red wind, the result of a deadly algae bloom that has poisoned the air, while the population is slowly dying. Caught in the past – between her former husband and her mother, between her memories and ugly reality, between the fog and the wind – the novel’s unnamed narrator is unable to move forward. The result is elegiac, beautiful and haunting.

Pink Slime by Fernanda Trías, (List Price: $24, Scribner, 9781668049778, July 2024)

Reviewed by Jude Burke-Lewis, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

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There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak
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Oh my. There Are Rivers in the Sky is just wonderful. Stretching from ancient Mesopotamia to modern day London, via the River Tigris and the River Thames, Elif Shafak has woven a beautiful, multi-layered tale, in which three seemingly disparate narratives are revealed to be intrinsically linked. Impeccably researched and gorgeously written, blending poetry and history, There Are Rivers in the Sky will stay with me for a long time.

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak, (List Price: $30, Knopf, 9780593801710, August 2024)

Reviewed by Jude Burke-Lewis, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

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The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer
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Reading The Lost Story reminded me of being a kid, and of the many hours I spent immersed in magical faraway worlds. Inspired by the classic Narnia novels, Meg Shaffer’s second novel is both a fairytale for grown-ups and a love story. As teenagers, Jeremy and Rafe vanished for six months in the forests of West Virginia. As adults, enlisted by Emilie to search for her missing sister, they return to the scene of their disappearance: a tree that opens onto Shenandoah, a fantastical realm where they are greeted as long-lost royalty, and where Rafe must grapple with the demons of his past in order to reclaim his future. Recommended reading for anyone seeking to reawaken a sense of wonder.

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer, (List Price: $29, Ballantine Books, 9780593598870, July 2024)

Reviewed by Jude Burke-Lewis, Square Books in , Mississippi

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They Call Me No Sam! by Drew Daywalt

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They Call Me No Sam! by Drew Daywalt
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This middle-grade debut from the author of The Day The Crayons Quit will captivate and delight readers. Sam is an adorable pug who takes protecting his new family very seriously. Things take a hilarious turn when Sam mistakes the neighbor for Medusa and the garbage men for pirates! Ultimately, Sam’s heart leads him in the right direction in this laugh-out-loud tale that gives readers a dog’s eye view of the world. For fans of The Eyes and the Impossible and Dog Squad.

They Call Me No Sam! by Drew Daywalt, (List Price: $15.99, Clarion Books, 9780358612902, June 2024)

Reviewed by Monie Henderson, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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James by Percival Everett

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James by Percival Everett
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This reimagining of Mark Twain’s classic tale takes you on a journey unlike any other. Forced into a life of slavery, Jim makes a daring escape, navigating a treacherous path down the Mississippi River. Along the way, he forms an unlikely bond with Huck Finn, a young boy grappling with his own ideas of right and wrong. Together, they encounter a cast of colorful characters, some helpful, some not so much. But Jim’s unwavering determination to reunite with his wife and children fuels his every step. Prepare to be enthralled by twists and turns. This powerful story explores themes of friendship, courage, and the enduring power of the human spirit in the fight for freedom

James by Percival Everett, (List Price: $28, Doubleday, 9780385550369, March 2024)

Reviewed by Kimberly Todd, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

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The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
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Bureaucracy meets time travel in Kaliane Bradley’s brilliantly imagined and hugely entertaining debut novel. A civil servant working for the British government is recruited to work as a bridge, tasked with helping one of the ‘expats’ extracted from history – in this case, a commander from an ill-fated Arctic expedition in 1847 – to acclimatize to life in 21st century London. What starts out being quite lighthearted fun – as the expats grapple with such modern concepts as Spotify, germ theory, online dating and feminism – gains depth to become a commentary on colonialism and power. I absolutely loved it.

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, (List Price: $28.99, Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, 9781668045145, May 2024)

Reviewed by Jude Burke-Lewis, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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Be That Way by Hope Larson

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Be That Way by Hope Larson
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Hope Larson’s Be That Way is a charming coming-of-age story told in mixed formats of journal entries, illustrations, and comic strips. High school junior Christine is determined that 1996 will be the year she shines. From friendship fallouts to heartbreak and betrayal to first jobs, Christine tumbles through adolescence with snark, wit, and–ultimately– optimism as she finds herself through her art and the support of the people who matter most. Be That Way is the perfect read for when you need a reminder that the awkward teenage moments aren’t forever and that being your true self is the best thing you can be.

Be That Way by Hope Larson, (List Price: $22.99, Margaret Ferguson Books, 9780823447619, October 2023)

Reviewed by Charlie Williams, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans

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The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans
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Born with the power to see monsters and ghosts that no one else can, River Rydell’s life has been haunted by the Otherwoods, a supernatural force determined to take River for its own purposes. River has no interest in being a hero and just wants to survive middle school with the fewest monster-related incidents as possible. But when their closest friend is snatched by the Otherwoods, River must gear up to save the day– with their faithful cat, Mr. Fluffy Pancakes, by their side of course. The Otherwoods is equal parts spooky and hilarious with a protagonist readers will find easy to sympathize with and root for. It’s perfect for fans of Thirteens by Kate Alice Marshall and Small Spaces by Katherine Arden.

The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans, (List Price: 17.99, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 9781547612543, September 2023)

Reviewed by Charlie Williams, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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There’s No Way I’d Die First by Lisa Springer

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There's No Way I'd Die First by Lisa Springer
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Horror movie buff and aspiring film critic Noelle Layne is certain that she would be the Final Girl in any slasher scenario but she never expected that her skills would be put to the test when the "pretend" killer clown at a Halloween party turns out to be the real deal. Now, it will take all of Noelle’s know-how to survive the night and hopefully keep her friends alive with her. Lisa Springer delivers a pulse-pounding thriller that readers will not be able to put down– but be warned, you should read this one in the daylight.

There’s No Way I’d Die First by Lisa Springer, (List Price: 18.99, Delacorte Press, 9780593643174, September 2023)

Reviewed by Charlie Williams, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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My Name Is Iris by Brando Skyhorse

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My Name Is Iris by Brando Skyhorse
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Iris Prince, a second-generation Mexican American, has spent her life being the model minority, but when a law is passed requiring everyone to wear ‘The Band’ – a piece of wearable tech – she quickly becomes a second-class citizen: she can’t get one as her parents weren’t born in the US. My Name is Iris is a frighteningly real work of dystopian fiction that explores issues of identity, immigration and belonging, as well as showing how quickly fear can escalate and life can unravel.

My Name Is Iris by Brando Skyhorse, (List Price: $28, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster, 9781982177850, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jude Burke-Lewis, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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When Moon Became the Moon by Rob Hodgson

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When Moon Became the Moon by Rob Hodgson
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The moon, as a "work in progress". Love this. A sweet and simple way to teach any young astronomer about the lunar body’s history, relationship to the sun, the earth, and us too. (All ages)

When Moon Became the Moon by Rob Hodgson, (List Price: 18.99, Rise x Penguin Workshop, 9780593523629, August 2023)

Reviewed by Jilleen Moore, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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