The Snail on the Wall

Yesteryear: A GMA Book Club Pick by Caro Claire Burke

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Yesteryear: A GMA Book Club Pick by Caro Claire Burke
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Yesteryear was a wild ride! This is a really great book in that you can read it as an entertaining, page-turning thriller by the pool or you can dig into the themes and it would make for a wonderful book discussion book with a book club. Well done to the author. So much to discuss.

Yesteryear: A GMA Book Club Pick by Caro Claire Burke, (List Price: $30, Knopf, 9780593804216, April 2026)

Reviewed by Christina, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, AL

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Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise by Katherine Rundell

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Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise by Katherine Rundell
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What a wonderful and succinct reminder that reading is an essential joy! And it all began with those children’s books we loved when we were young. Books are different things to different people certainly, but they are at their heart the gateway to imagination and new perspectives. This wonderful little book is a beautiful reminder of what a gift reading is and should be.

Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise by Katherine Rundell, (List Price: $17.99, Knopf Books for Young Readers, 9798217230747, September 2026)

Reviewed by Christina, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, AL

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Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson

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Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson
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Smart. Well-written. Couldn’t put it down. Well-developed characters who are multi-dimensional. This is a fantastic take on a romance. For readers of romance, books about books, anyone who loves a look inside the publishing industry. Poses so many interesting questions about the book industry and what readers want from it, what writers want too.

Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, (List Price: $30, St. Martin’s Press, 9781250431295, October 2026)

Reviewed by Christina, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, AL

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The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon

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The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon
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What a fascinating story! Ariel Lawhon does not disappoint.

The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon, (List Price: $32, Doubleday, 9780385550345, September 2026)

Reviewed by Carrie, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, AL

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The Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Yang

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The Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Yang
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This story of a giant jellyfish wreaking havoc on the residents of a small island in Maine grabbed my attention immediately and didn’t let go. Jo Ness, a jellyfish researcher, is summoned to the island by an old friend to study it. But when Jo arrives, her friend is gone, and strange appearances begin to haunt Jo as she struggles to understand how and why the jellyfish can have such control over the residents. The story is haunting and suspenseful, but not fast-paced action. Spooky, but not scary. I found myself thinking of it all day and couldn’t wait to get back to it!

The Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Yang, (List Price: $30, Berkley, 9780593955826, June 2026)

Reviewed by Amy, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, AL

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Country People by Daniel Mason

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Country People by Daniel Mason
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Who would expect a novel with interludes from John Milton and scenes from Tolstoy to be such a good time? It’s a feat that it feels as if only Daniel Mason can pull off. I loved following the many misadventures of Miles Krzelewski, a disappointing husband, pretty good dad, and extremely distracted academic who would rather tag along with the “country people” of Vermont than sit down and finish his dissertation. This is an utterly entertaining read and also a meditation on nature, storytelling, the fine line between fact and fiction, and the human quest for paradise, which might just be deep in the forest of your own backyard.

Country People by Daniel Mason, (List Price: $30, Random House, 9798217197453, July 2026)

Reviewed by Lady, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, AL

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Partita by Barbara Kingsolver

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Partita by Barbara Kingsolver
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Barbara Kingsolver has once again claimed the status of THE VERY BEST in my reading world with this beautiful novel. She deftly writes about class, isolation and abandonment, music, and so much more. Can we overcome the traumas we experience as children? Do we forget the first love? Is obsession really love? Do we outgrow our hometowns or does time and wisdom show us the very best of our places that root us to who we are? The writing is gorgeous. The musical connections are beautiful (even though many of the references were over my head). The characters are flawed and fascinating. I’m still wrestling a bit with the ending and how it all fell into place. But I will always read a Kingsolver work and praise it.

Partita by Barbara Kingsolver, (List Price: $32, Harper, 9780063577541, October 2026)

Reviewed by Christina, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, AL

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Winter by Val McDermid

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Winter by Val McDermid
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I absolutely adored this book. Val is so vivid with her imagery that her recounting of childhood memories makes them feel like my own. You could really see her crime writer background come through in her painting of winter as noir, her romanticization of the darkness. I learned so much about Scottish culture, too! This book is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a short read to make you fall in love with winter.

Winter by Val McDermid, (List Price: $22, Atlantic Monthly Press, 9780802167811, January 2026)

Reviewed by Aidan, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, AL

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Eradication by Jonathan Miles

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Eradication by Jonathan Miles
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I very much enjoyed this quick read about Adi, who is given a bizarre and challenging task. Miles does a beautiful job of peeling back Adi’s past and personality, and how that results in a man who ultimately makes his own decisions despite the dictates he has been given. Nature, man’s impact on the environment, who’s really at fault here – so many questions to consider. A thoughtful little read with a big ending.

Eradication by Jonathan Miles, (List Price: $25, Doubleday, 9780385551915, February 2026)

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

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Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet

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Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet
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This is one of the most creative classic-book retellings I’ve read in a long time! It proves that these characters stand the test of time, because Jo, Beth, Meg, and Amy adapt perfectly to a contemporary setting that highlights the ups and downs of social media and sibling rivalries. A story within the story of Little Women, Beth’s death leads her sisters and the local police on a hunt for the person responsible. The case’s twists and turns kept me turning the pages and prevented me from predicting the end. But the real interest of this novel, and the topic I’m still thinking about, is the idea of storytelling, and who gets to tell a family’s story. How do the sisters maintain their agency, their identities, and their love for each other when their dad turns their private family story into a bestselling novel, one that kills off his daughter?

Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet, (List Price: $19.99, Sarah Barley Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Yo, 9781665988698, January 2026)

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

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Self Portrait by Ludwig Volbeda

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Self Portrait by Ludwig Volbeda
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Self Portrait is a sweet and introspective story that follows a teen’s gender exploration. Told from the internal monologue of Jip, Ludwig portrays teenage thoughts, potentially from a neurodivergent lens, in an endearing way. The story also does a good job of initially not placing too much emphasis on gender identity at all, which evolves as the protagonist realizes that he is trans. This novella would be a great choice for any YA readers looking for a queer coming of age.

Self Portrait by Ludwig Volbeda, (List Price: $19.99, Levine Querido, 9781646145775, November 2025)

Reviewed by Aidan Walker, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

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Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart

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Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart
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How have most of us never heard of the American Plan? Donna Everhart’s new novel delves deeply into this troubling early-20th-century government program, propounded to keep servicemen healthy but used as a way to control women and their bodies. The State Farm colony she depicts is more prison than reform school, and the things that happen to the young women kept there would be hard to believe were they not based on actual historical records. After witnessing some difficult scenes of punishment and even medical mistreatment, I was grateful to watch the young women work together secretly to fight against the superintendent and her misguided authority. I rooted for Ruthie, an independent career woman; I felt for Stella, a pregnant teen abused by her father; and I marveled at the misunderstood Frances. This novel, perfect for book clubs, will start important conversations about the ongoing topic of women’s freedom and autonomy.

Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart, (List Price: $18.95, Kensington, 9781496740724, January 2026)

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

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Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean

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Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean
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After seeing her parents’ marriage dissolve into sadness and divorce, Emma doubts that love can last. At the annual Tanabata Festival, her grandfather urges her to make a wish. Her wish is this: I wish for proof. Show me that love is real. That love can last. And then, she gets a note from the future. “To be honest, I loved you from the beginning,” and that is how it starts. Is this the proof she has hoped for? and will it change her life? I love this coming-of-age novel of life and love, and figuring it all out. Through laughter, loss, doubt and wonder- you will feel it all!

Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean, (List Price: $19.99, Sarah Barley Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665974370, February 2026)

Reviewed by Amy Dance, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

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Secret Nights and Northern Lights by Megan Oliver

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Secret Nights and Northern Lights by Megan Oliver
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Adorable romance set in Iceland. If you’ve been lucky enough to visit the country, you will appreciate the great descriptions of the enchanting landscape. Great for readers who love a good romance with a side of travel thrown in. The characters are likable and you will root for them.

Secret Nights and Northern Lights by Megan Oliver, (List Price: $19, Berkley, 9780593952405, November 2025)

Reviewed by Christina Tabereaux, The Snail On the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

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Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

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Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
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I loved the author’s previous book, so I was excited to read this new one! This dual timeline, multi-generational story explores the real Kingdom of Happy Land that was created by ex-slaves on the North Carolina / South Carolina border in the 1870s, and its lingering legacy in the present day. The citizens of Happy Land were able to build lives and eventually buy the land that gave them security and roots that had been denied them in the time of slavery. The land was stability, security, a legacy. They still struggled, but it was interesting to see how they made their way in difficult times. In the current day, the last remnants of Happy Land is under threat–can the family bond together and heal years of doubt and misunderstanding in time to save the heritage left to them? If you have a place that gives you peace and security, that you long for when you are away, you will understand this story.

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez, (List Price: $29, Berkley, 9780593337721, April 2025)

Reviewed by Amy Dance, The Snail On the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

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