Store Review Pages

Bookmiser Store Review Page

Read our latest staff reviews and recommendations featured in The Southern Bookseller Review.

Didn’t See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Didn't See That Comingby Jesse Q. Sutanto

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

A December Read This Next! Title

Second in Sutanto’s YA series, Didn’t See That Coming focuses on Kiki as she’s forced by her parents to transfer to a top school for her final year. Fortunately, her young friend Eleanor Roosevelt is there, but that seems to be the lone bright spot as she’s bullied by nearly everyone from the principal to her classmates. But Kiki is able to escape into gaming where, because of the massive amounts of abuse, she’s been playing as a male player. But she’s made a great friend in game. However, when she realizes that her friend actually goes to her new school, she must find out who he is. Didn’t See That Coming is both hilarious and heartbreaking while being a fantastic read.

Didn’t See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto, (List Price: $12.99, Delacorte Press, 9780593434048, December 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

With or Without You by Eric Smith

With or Without Youby Eric Smith

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Jordan and Cindy are at war. They’re also in love. One of these statements is false. Jordan and Cindy’s families clashed when they both opened food trucks at the same time, parking them in the same spot. They’ve been feuding ever since. Well, for the internet. The families are secretly friends and Jordan and Cindy are dating. But when they’re approached by a reality show that wants to make them into a series, things just get more complicated.

With or Without You by Eric Smith, (List Price: $19.99, Inkyard Press, 9781335458070, November 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Sleepless in Dubai by Sajni Patel

Sleepless in Dubai by Sajni Patel

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

After reading Sleepless in Dubai, you will be itching for a trip to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi! Nikki and Yash have been best friends since birth. But this last summer, their friendship blew up and they’ve been avoiding each other since. Now their families have a trip planned together to Dubai for Diwali and they’re going to have to find some way to get along.

Sleepless in Dubai by Sajni Patel, (List Price: $30, Amulet Books, 9781419766961, October 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

More fun and intrigue await in Manansala’s newest mystery with our favorite Filipino baker. Lila and her godmothers are back on the scene. The Calendar Crew (April, Mar, and June) are opening up a new laundromat, but their main competition is furious about the development. And their gossiping ways have another townsman blaming them for the breakup of their marriage. So when the laundromat is vandalized, those are the two main suspects. But when April’s niece is found dead in the laundromat, things just got a little more serious. This time, Lila will have to call on all her friends to break the case.

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala, (List Price: $17, Berkley, 9780593549162, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Buy from your local indie.

John Scalzi, you never cease to delight! This time, Scalzi lets us into the secret world of villains. Charlie’s not doing well. It doesn’t seem to be getting much better when his estranged uncle dies and wants him to preside over his wake. But when he comes home, he discovers that’s just the beginning. Soon, he’s deep into the underground world of supervillains, sentient, computer-using cats and dolphins who want to strike. This tongue-in-cheek fish out of water scifi story will keep you laughing!

Starter Villain by John Scalzi, (List Price: $28.99, Tor Books, 9780765389220, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

[ALL REVIEWS FROM BOOKMISER BOOKS]

[POWERED BY THE SOUTHERN BOOKSELLER REVIEW]

Main Street Reads Store Review Page

Read our latest staff reviews and recommendations featured in The Southern Bookseller Review.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Check & Mateby Ali Hazelwood

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

This YA debut by Ali was not only riveting it was exceptionally written. This novel almost feels like chess when you’re reading it and watching how intricately Ali has weaved these characters together. Mallory, who loved chess until an unexpected tragedy in her family, now 18 and working to help support her family, beats a world champion, Nolan. Suddenly, everything in her life gets all mixed up as she stumbles into a romance she didn’t know she wanted. This novel, like her adult novels, does an AMAZING JOB touching on the sexism and expectations of a female vs male in the chess (STEM sport) community.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood, (List Price: $14, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 9780593619919, November 2023)

Reviewed by Charlotte Beck, Main Street Reads in Summerville, South Carolina

The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie

The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Since I started this book I have been completely hooked. I am a big fan of Bon Crier’s Moon Duology but this one has taken first place as enrapturing, fantastical and captivating for me. I LOVE these characters and the way in which it spins off of fairytales. The spin on the fairytales are so unique. I absolutely love the use and importance of Red Rampion and how it ties into the fairytale retellings. I also love the plot in this book, how it tells not only a journey of a group of friends but a growth of the friends and how they have to deal with truth, loss, pain and hardship. I already CANNOT wait to find out what happens next and how they will (hopefully) break the Curse of the Grimm Forest. I could go on and on about this book but mostly I’ll just say, if you aren’t planning on reading this you are missing out on the journey of a life time and the most unique retelling of the classic fairytales I have ever heard of.

The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie, (List Price: 20, Wednesday Books, 9781250873002, September 2023)

Reviewed by Charlotte Beck, Main Street Reads in Summerville, South Carolina

The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin

The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

An August 2023 Read This Next! Book

This is the most "un-put-downable" piece of non-fiction I’ve ever read. A brash and well-written account that -without being trivial- allows hope and redemption to spring from addiction, incarceration and shame, liberally sprinkled with the power of the written word to empower and invoke change. Looking forward to discussing this work as it also shines a harsh light on the injustice system and one can hope, bring more of us to seek improvement. Truly an important and unique book, much applause!

The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin, (List Price: 28.99, Simon & Schuster, 9781982197667, August 2023)

Reviewed by Shari Stauch, Main Street Reads in Summerville, South Carolina

You Truly Assumed by Leila Sabreen

You Truly Assumed by Leila Sabreen

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Filled with a neat balance of relatable humor and serious topics, You Truly Assumed is a memorable coming-of-age novel that touches on the struggles of three black, Muslim women and their fight to create a safe space and a voice to be heard for people just like them. You Truly Assumed is the perfect novel for teens or young adults who feel they don’t have a voice in the face of prejudice and fear, as it features funny, relatable characters and the raw effects of real events.

You Truly Assumed by Leila Sabreen, (List Price: $10.99, Inkyard Press, 9781335428646, February 2023)

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

Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli

Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

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

Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli, (List Price: $27.99, Graydon House, 9781525899805, September 2022)

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

[ALL REVIEWS FROM MAIN STREET READS]

[POWERED BY THE SOUTHERN BOOKSELLER REVIEW]

Fiction Addiction Store Review Page

Read our latest staff reviews and recommendations featured in the The Southern Bookseller Review.

Chaos Theory by Nic Stone

Chaos Theory by Nic Stone

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Shelbi has resisted making friends at her new school since she’s had bad experiences in the past. But when she witnesses Andy at a low point, she can’t help but reach out to let him know she knows what it’s like. And like that, despite Shelbi’s best efforts, a friendship is born. But both Shelbi and Andy have demons, Shelbi’s in the form of bipolar disorder that has impacted relationships in her past, and Andy’s in the form of alcoholism that started after his sister died. This is a moving story of two teens, both together and individually, as Shelbi learns the maybe she can rely on other people, and Andy learns to prioritize himself and his mental health.

Chaos Theory by Nic Stone, (List Price: 18.99, Crown Books for Young Readers, 9780593307700, February 2023)

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

The Caretaker by Ron Rash

The Caretaker by Ron Rash

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

In The Caretaker, set in 1950s Appalachia, acclaimed Southern author Ron Rash examines the power of love and how it can drive us to reckless actions or can transform us into stronger versions of ourselves. Rash’s title character, Blackburn Gant, will stay with you long after you’ve closed the book and I’m campaigning for a sequel.

The Caretaker by Ron Rash, (List Price: $28, Doubleday, Wednesday Books, 9780385544276, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina

Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings

Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Tilly and Oliver first meet on an international flight, and their first impression is not great on either side. So it seems like the worst luck when Oliver shows up at Tilly’s sister’s place to start work as an intern with Tilly…and they’ll be spending the summer traveling together. Working together. Staying in hotel rooms together. Tilly struggles with her ADHD, as always, but Oliver’s autism allows him to understand her in ways no one else has, and the two grow close. Readers of Eddings’s adult romances will adore this story about Tilly growing into herself, and her relationships that grow with her, and Oliver’s enthusiasm for colors and for Tilly. Eddings has obviously put a lot of herself into this book, and it’s paid off.

Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings, (List Price: $20, Wednesday Books, 9781250847065, August 2023)

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

The Third Daughter by Adrienne Tooley

The Third Daughter by Adrienne Tooley

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Elodie was going to be queen, until her youngest sister was born. The third daughter of a third daughter has been prophesied as the second coming of their deity. But there’s tension between the crown and the church, and Elodie, wanting to save her kingdom, accidentally puts her sister into an eternal sleep. The apothecary who sells her the potion, Sabine, is the only one who can help Elodie save her sister and the country, and the two set off to do just that. But while Sabine and Elodie grow closer, secrets have a way of coming out, and all is not as it seems among the clergy. An emotional adventure full of court intrigue that’s sure to appeal to fans of other YA royal reads like Three Dark Crowns and Dance of Thieves.

The Third Daughter by Adrienne Tooley, (List Price: 18.99, Christy Ottaviano Books, 9780316465694, July 2023)

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

The Woods are Waiting by Katherine Greene

The Woods are Waiting by Katherine Greene

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

I really enjoy books about secluded mountain towns and the people who live there. The traditions are so rich, the community and family connections so strong. Like any town, especially one somewhat isolated from the outside your fate and reputation might be established before you are born. Cheyenne was an Ashby and the Ashby’s held a relationship with the forest. Rituals were established to keep children safe from the forest, silver in your pockets and dirt in your shoes. The rituals became more extreme when more children continued to disappear. Cheyenne cannot take the constant stress and leaves home. Called back five years later to care for her Mother by the only man she trusts after another child goes missing. She arrives to a Mother she barely recognizes and the animosity of Natalie and Jackson, her two best friends she left behind. Old friendships are tested and many secrets are uncovered. Sometimes you learn you really can’t rely on those you have trusted forever.

The Woods are Waiting by Katherine Greene, (List Price: $28.99, Crooked Lane Books, 9781639103805, July 2023)

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

[ALL REVIEWS FROM FICTION ADDICTION]

[POWERED BY THE SOUTHERN BOOKSELLER REVIEW]

The Snail on the Wall Review Page

Read our latest staff reviews and recommendations featured in the The Southern Bookseller Review.

We Are Too Many by Hannah Pittard

We Are Too Many by Hannah Pittard

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

We Are Too Many is a memoir of the end (and beginning) of a marriage. Told hilariously over three parts, Hannah Pittard invites readers to follow her through ten years of time-jumped remembered conversations. Her story is written with a refreshing amount of honesty as she leads the reader through her discovery that her husband and best friend have had sex, along with what came before and after. Unfinchingly honest and hilarious, Pittard seamlessly blends fact with fiction to make an unforgettable memoir. I finished this in one afternoon. I could not put it down — nor did I want to. A gem for anyone who loves memoir, language play, a book that reads like a documentary, or a delightful and entertaining read.

We Are Too Many by Hannah Pittard, (List Price: 26.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250869043, May 2023)

Reviewed by Deva, The Snail On the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen

Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Jessica Tran returns home from LA after a bad breakup hoping to get back on her feet, but things are just as crazy at home: her parents’ nail salon is facing competition from an Instagram-worthy gentrified salon across the street. All five Tran family members — Jessica, her workaholic brother, her immigrant parents, and recently-arrived cousin — get POV chapters as they try to figure out what’s next and how to keep Sunshine Nails afloat. With a light tone, stylized characters, and page-turning short chapters that read faster than quick-dry polish can set, Sunshine Nails is a fun read, even if the ending feels a little rushed and smudged.

Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen, (List Price: 26.99, Atria Books, 9781668010495, July 2023)

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

The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong

The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

The Double Life of Benson Yu is a clever novel about art, childhood trauma, and survival. Comic book artist Benson Yu found commercial success with his Iggy Samurai series, but a letter from someone from his past prompts him to start a new project. This project, an autobiographical graphic novel about growing up in 1980s Chinatown, forces him to revisit his pre-teen self (and vice versa). Different versions of characters from his past seem to coexist as Benson writes and rewrites his past to try to deal with traumatic experiences. For fans of complex stories (with a little time travel).

The Double Life of Benson Yu by Kevin Chong, (List Price: 27, Atria Books, 9781668005491, April 2023)

Reviewed by Elizabeth Hardin, The Snail On the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg

You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

This is a sweet story about a modern neighborhood and how the reality of 2023 settles in across generations and races. While the writing is sometimes bland, the characters are interesting and accessible, and you’ll find yourself a little more invested in a mall closing than you thought possible.

You Are Here by Karin Lin-Greenberg, (List Price: , Counterpoint, 9781640095434, May 2023)

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

Confidence by Rafael Frumkin

Confidence by Rafael Frumkin

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Born con-artist Ezra Green meets Orson Ortman as a teenager, which kicks off a string of schemes and phony businesses. They hit the big time when they dream up NuLife, a process to increase bliss, and target the rich, powerful, and gullible. Ezra’s a scam artist, and would do anything it takes to protect Orson and their business. And even though his morals are undoubtedly questionable, I found myself rooting for him as he slowly loses his vision and remains as desperately in love with Orson as he was when they first met.

Confidence by Rafael Frumkin, (List Price: , Simon & Schuster, 9781982189730, March 2023)

Reviewed by Elizabeth Hardin, Snail on the Wall in Huntington, Alabama

[ALL REVIEWS FROM THE SNAIL ON THE WALL]

Powered by The Southern Bookseller Review

Avid Bookshop Store Review Page

Read our latest staff reviews and recommendations featured in the The Southern Bookseller Review.

Cross-Stitch by Jazmina Barrera

Cross-Stitch by Jazmina Barrera

Buy from your local indie.

A delicate coming-of-age story that is both elegiac and an ode to craftwork, womanhood, and friendship. Much like the characters in Cross-Stitch, Barrera and translator MacSweeny have yet again come together to craft another gift to treasure. One of my favorite reads of the year.

Cross-Stitch by Jazmina Barrera, (List Price: $24, Two Lines Press, 9781949641530, November 2023)

Reviewed by Luis Correa, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

The Berry Pickers is the debut novel from indigenous author Amanda Peters. When four-year-old Ruthie goes missing, the youngest of five in a Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia, her older brother Joe is despondent and the loss of Ruthie haunts the family for fifty years. Meanwhile, a white family in Maine is raising a child named Norma with overbearing and almost suffocating familial love. Norma’s faint memories and dreams of her missing life are confusing until they almost vanish. The Berry Pickers considers lost lives, second chances, and the power of forgiveness.

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, (List Price: $27.99, Catapult, 9781646221950, October 2023)

Reviewed by Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

The North Wind and the Sun by Philip C. Stead

The North Wind and the Sun by Philip C. Stead

Buy from your local indie.

This beautifully retold fable is a celebration of endurance and compassion and a reminder that gentleness and love (and patience) are more powerful than cruelty and hate (and haste). Stead’s innovative style of illustration evokes a classic with bold lines and quiet colors, and his thoughtful tale-telling is unparalleled. A story both timeless and perfect for these times.

The North Wind and the Sun by Philip C. Stead, (List Price: $18.99, Neal Porter Books, 9780823455836, October 2023)

Reviewed by Hannah DeCamp, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

Good Books for Bad Children by Beth Kephart

Good Books for Bad Children by Beth Kephart

Buy from your local indie.

Most of our beloved classic children’s authors (think Maurice Sendak, Margaret Wise Brown, Shel Silverstein, E. B. White, John Steptoe, and so many more!) have books in the world thanks to efforts of one formidable woman—Ursula Nordstrom. This brilliant biography displays her awesomely unorthodox approach to children’s literature and her wily sense of humor, all while celebrating the unique books she ushered into the world.

Good Books for Bad Children by Beth Kephart, (List Price: $18.99, Anne Schwartz Books, 9780593379578, September 2023)

Reviewed by Hannah DeCamp, Bookseller, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

The story of two black teenage siblings, one wrongfully over-sentenced to indefinite time in the titular Reformatory (based on the infamous Dozier School for Boys), the other working from the outside (if you could call Jim Crow-era Florida “outside”) to get her brother out. With a father MIA, having narrowly escaped a lynch mob for trying to unionize, and a mother recently deceased (but not 100% out of the picture), every choice and action made by the teens give the book a one-step-forward-one-landslide-back momentum right up to the last page. Due brilliantly plates an equal parts jailbreak and ghost story, both playing by history’s rulebook, pulling no punches along the way, with neither element hindering the other, which is a feat on its own, but to make it edge-of-seat-worthy with an epic showdown-at-high-noon finish is just extra icing on the icing.

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due, (List Price: $28.99, Saga Press, 9781982188344, October 2023)

Reviewed by Ian McCord, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

[ALL REVIEWS FROM AVID BOOKSHOP]

Powered by The Southern Bookseller Review

E. Shaver Reviews

Read our latest staff reviews and recommendations featured in the The Southern Bookseller Review.

Betting on You by Lynn Painter

Betting on You by Lynn Painter

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

A December Read This Next! Title

Lynn Painter fans rejoice! Betting on You, Painter’s newest YA romcom, is just as swoony and romantic and hilarious as it’s predecessors! Painter masterfully crafts the perfect slow-burn full of page defying chemistry, witty banter, crazy hijinks, and a whole lot of heart! Bailey and Charlie will wiggle their way in readers hearts just as they did each other’s! On top of a stellar romance, Painter also does an excellent job of exploring themes of anxiety, change, and friendship. It’s When Harry Met Sally for a new generation! Plus, all the Taylor Swifts references are definitely a bonus!

Betting on You by Lynn Painter, (List Price: $19.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665921237, December 2023)

Reviewed by Emma Tara, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Yaa Gyasi reinvents the notion of historical fiction in this haunting, sweeping tale of enslavement, colonialism, power, greed, despair, determination, and hope. I was captivated from page one! She brings to life the human cost of surviving the larger, often brutal, forces driving history through the gripping, visceral story of one extended family. Three hundred years of history come to life: from Ghana to Harlem and more as we follow their fates across continents and through time. A very moving book.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, (List Price: $16.95, Vintage, 9781101971062, May 2017)

Reviewed by Liz Feeney, E. Shaver, bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

15 Minutes Before We Really Date, Vol. 1 by Perico

15 Minutes Before We Really Date, Vol. 1by Perico

Buy from your local indie.

So Cute! A cute, easy-to-read story about two childhood best friends deciding to date each other and the awkwardness of learning to see each other as more than friends. Animation is super adorable. I will definitely be reading all the next ones that come out and will be crossing my fingers that this gets picked up for an anime series because I will 100% watch it.

15 Minutes Before We Really Date, Vol. 1 by Perico, (List Price: $15, Yen Press, 9781975368951, November 2023)

Reviewed by Stephanie St. John, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

True True by Don P. Hooper

True True by Don P. Hooper

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

I loved this book. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t wait to find out how Gil’s story would unfold. I loved the way Gil used Sun Tzu’s The Art of War as a guide to help him navigate the often hostile world at his new, mostly white prep school. It kept the plot moving enticingly and kept me wondering what his next step would be. But ultimately, it was his deep connections to his family, his friends, and his community that made this book sing for me. Wonderful!

True True by Don P. Hooper, (List Price: 18.99, Nancy Paulsen Books, 9780593462102, August 2023)

Reviewed by Ruth Goldstein, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

Parasocial by Alex de Campi

Parasocial by Alex de Campi

Buy from your local indie.

What an interesting take on modern day parasocial relationships! I loved how it referenced modern fan lingo and even Ao3 with the kidnapping and how it just kept devolving from there. The playlist was a lovely touch as well, it really added to the experience.

Parasocial by Alex de Campi, (List Price: 18.99, Image Comics, 9781534399372, October 2023)

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

[ALL REVIEWS FROM E. SHAVER]

Powered by The Southern Bookseller Review

Copperfish Books Store Reviews

Read the latest reviews and recommendations from Copperfish Books featured in the The Southern Bookseller Review

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Mark and Louise hate each other, but when their parents flee their home in the middle of the night and die in a car crash the siblings are forced to re-unite. What happens when you walk into your family home and see the attic door bolted up? Or your mom’s massive puppet collection whose eyes seem to follow you wherever you go? Well, I’m afraid you may have some trouble selling the house. Filled with family secrets, twists, and an uneasy tone that had me on the edge of my seat, this book was WILD and FUN. It had me second guessing everything around me. Did I turn on the TV? Okay, that milk was not there 5 minutes ago.Is someone messing with me?I loved this. It was creepy. It was weird. It was emotional. It was absolutely bonkers in the best way possible!

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix, (List Price: 28, Berkley, 9780593201268, January 2023)

Reviewed by Janisie Rodriguez, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida

Zero Days by Ruth Ware

Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Gabe and Jacinta are professional "hackers" hired by companies to investigate security weaknesses. After one such investigation, Jacinta returns home to find Gabe murdered. When Jacinta realizes she’s the prime suspect, she runs, trying to survive long enough to discover who murdered Gabe and why. You will be racing with her, pursuing the culprit in an effort to prevent his escape and stop Zero Day and disaster. You may recognize this story as a 21st century version of the movie, The Fugitive, with similar action and suspense. Zero Days…another exciting thriller by Ruth Ware!

Zero Days by Ruth Ware, (List Price: 29.99, Gallery/Scout Press, 9781982155292, June 2023)

Reviewed by Karen Solar, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida

Wings Once Cursed & Bound by Piper J. Drake

Wings Once Cursed & Bound by Piper J. Drake

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

This book is A TON of fun! There’s a Thai bird princess (with animal companions!), vampires, werewolves, witches, fae, and a host of other supernatural creatures! Not to mention the adorable (and age-appropriate!) romance between said Thai bird princess and one of the vampires!!! The dialogue is quick and witty, the characters are quirky and delightful, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Wings Once Cursed & Bound by Piper J. Drake, (List Price: 16.99, Sourcebooks Casablanca, 9781492683865, April 2023)

Reviewed by Lucy Perkins-Wagel, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida

Vladimir by Julia May Jonas

Vladimir by Julia May Jonas

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

This book exceeded my expectations! The theme surrounds academia and obsession with several interesting pieces about women’s roles in society, power dynamics, and cancel culture. Both thought-provoking and intoxicating, Julia May Jonas captivated me with her vivid and fresh writing style.

Vladimir by Julia May Jonas, (List Price: 17.99, Avid Reader Press, 9781982187644, January 2023)

Reviewed by Janisie Rodriguez, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida

The Boy with a Bird in His Chest by Emme Lund

The Boy with a Bird in His Chest by Emme Lund

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

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

The Boy with a Bird in His Chest by Emme Lund, (List Price: $17, Atria Books, 9781982171940, January 2023)

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

[ALL REVIEWS FROM COPPERFISH BOOKS]

Powered by The Southern Bookseller Review

Bookmiser Store Reviews

Read the latest reviews and recommendations from our staff featured in the The Southern Bookseller Review.

Didn’t See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Didn't See That Comingby Jesse Q. Sutanto

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

A December Read This Next! Title

Second in Sutanto’s YA series, Didn’t See That Coming focuses on Kiki as she’s forced by her parents to transfer to a top school for her final year. Fortunately, her young friend Eleanor Roosevelt is there, but that seems to be the lone bright spot as she’s bullied by nearly everyone from the principal to her classmates. But Kiki is able to escape into gaming where, because of the massive amounts of abuse, she’s been playing as a male player. But she’s made a great friend in game. However, when she realizes that her friend actually goes to her new school, she must find out who he is. Didn’t See That Coming is both hilarious and heartbreaking while being a fantastic read.

Didn’t See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto, (List Price: $12.99, Delacorte Press, 9780593434048, December 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

With or Without You by Eric Smith

With or Without Youby Eric Smith

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Jordan and Cindy are at war. They’re also in love. One of these statements is false. Jordan and Cindy’s families clashed when they both opened food trucks at the same time, parking them in the same spot. They’ve been feuding ever since. Well, for the internet. The families are secretly friends and Jordan and Cindy are dating. But when they’re approached by a reality show that wants to make them into a series, things just get more complicated.

With or Without You by Eric Smith, (List Price: $19.99, Inkyard Press, 9781335458070, November 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Sleepless in Dubai by Sajni Patel

Sleepless in Dubai by Sajni Patel

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

After reading Sleepless in Dubai, you will be itching for a trip to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi! Nikki and Yash have been best friends since birth. But this last summer, their friendship blew up and they’ve been avoiding each other since. Now their families have a trip planned together to Dubai for Diwali and they’re going to have to find some way to get along.

Sleepless in Dubai by Sajni Patel, (List Price: $30, Amulet Books, 9781419766961, October 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

More fun and intrigue await in Manansala’s newest mystery with our favorite Filipino baker. Lila and her godmothers are back on the scene. The Calendar Crew (April, Mar, and June) are opening up a new laundromat, but their main competition is furious about the development. And their gossiping ways have another townsman blaming them for the breakup of their marriage. So when the laundromat is vandalized, those are the two main suspects. But when April’s niece is found dead in the laundromat, things just got a little more serious. This time, Lila will have to call on all her friends to break the case.

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala, (List Price: $17, Berkley, 9780593549162, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Buy from your local indie.

John Scalzi, you never cease to delight! This time, Scalzi lets us into the secret world of villains. Charlie’s not doing well. It doesn’t seem to be getting much better when his estranged uncle dies and wants him to preside over his wake. But when he comes home, he discovers that’s just the beginning. Soon, he’s deep into the underground world of supervillains, sentient, computer-using cats and dolphins who want to strike. This tongue-in-cheek fish out of water scifi story will keep you laughing!

Starter Villain by John Scalzi, (List Price: $28.99, Tor Books, 9780765389220, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

[ALL BOOKMISER REVIEWS]

Powered by The Southern Bookseller Review