Virginia Bookstores

The Garden Witch by Kyle Beaudette

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The Garden Witch by Kyle Beaudette
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Seemingly silly yet surprisingly emotional, this book follows the story of a witch with a magical garden. But not all that’s magical is welcome for this witch. She has rats that won’t leave her house whose favorite pastime is bullying her and threatening to eat her. And, as if matters couldn’t get worse, nobody wants to buy the witch’s potions at market. She finds unexpected help when her garden produces a dancing turnip who helps her cook and clean. A delightful read about how the love you give finds its way back to you in unexpected ways.

The Garden Witch by Kyle Beaudette, (List Price: 17.95, Eye of Newt Books, 9781777791841, September 2023)

Reviewed by Daniel Tyler, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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The Haunting by Natasha Preston

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The Haunting by Natasha Preston
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Just in time for Spooky Season. Preston’s latest pays homage to the Scream franchise in this deliciously thrilling tale. Penny and her friends are still recovering from the serial murders that hit their town last Halloween, and when a copycat killer seems to get going on the anniversary of last year’s tragedies they are determined to stop them. Penny’s ex Nash is the son of the man in jail and she’s not going to stop until she proves Nash’s innocence in the copycat spree. The twists abound until the final haunting night of their search for justice.

The Haunting by Natasha Preston, (List Price: 12.99, Delacorte Press, 9780593481516, September 2023)

Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Those Pink Mountain Nights by Jen Ferguson

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Those Pink Mountain Nights by Jen Ferguson
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My favorite YA book of the year! I went into this thinking it would be a bit like Empire Records with a twist of mystery, but this book is so much more. Three teens are struggling with the disappearance of their friend Kiki, who has now joined a long line of missing Indigenous girls and women. One night at the pizza shop they all work at, Berlin thinks she catches a glimpse of Kiki, and so begins the story of trying to save a girl, a community, and a pizza shop. This book is raw and real and unforgettable, the author lending an #OwnVoices perspective that needs to be heard.

Those Pink Mountain Nights by Jen Ferguson, (List Price: 19.99, Heartdrum, 9780063086210, September 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Towery, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

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    How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair
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    This is the best book I’ve read this year, certainly one of the best books I’ve ever read. Sinclair is a poet’s writer who also delivers a thriller, a fascinating history of her religion and country and a call to social justice all at the same time. Vivid imagery, elegance and brilliance are on every page. Please don’t miss this!

    How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair, (List Price: 28.99, Simon & Schuster, 9781982132330, October 2023)

    Lisa Uotinen from Book No Further in Roanoke, Virginia

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10 Dogs by Emily Gravett

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10 Dogs by Emily Gravett
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Words almost aren’t needed in this hilarious and wonderfully illustrated book about ten dogs who have their eyes on ten sausages on a table. Will they be able to resist? Of course not! And that is how all the crazy fun starts.

10 Dogs by Emily Gravett, (List Price: $16.99, Boxer Books, 9781914912597, September 2023)

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

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Against Technoableism by Ashley Shew

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Against Technoableism by Ashley Shew
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If this is what we can expect from the very extensive planned series "Norton Shorts", sign me up for life! Ashley Shew is a professor of science, technology, and society at Virginia Tech and specializes in ethics in tech and disability studies. This intro to disability studies is aggressively frank, passionate, and a real wake up call for those who do not live with a disability…yet. The author’s own personal story of being a self-described "hard-of-hearing, chemo-brained amputee" challenges the medical model of physical and neurodiversity disabilities and argues for a social model based on the fact that the disabled don’t need to be "improved" to make the abled feel better. With life-expectancies lengthening, post-COVID illnesses for many, and climate related health problems, most of us can count on being part of the largest minority in the world for some portion of our lives. Essential reading!

Against Technoableism by Ashley Shew, (List Price: 22, W. W. Norton & Company, 9781324036661, September 2023)

Reviewed by Kelly Justice, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore

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Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore
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It’s impossible to say enough about this book! This is definitely being added to my top reads of 2020. There’s magic, art heists, ghosts in the house, space pirates, talking dogs, and so, so much more! It’s part Clue, part Sliding Doors, part Knives Out (before Knives Out existed though), and pure genius on Cashore’s part! It has a Choose Your Own Adventure feel to it, with lots of quirk and heart and just overall fabulousness!.

Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore, (List Price: 18.99, Little, Kathy Dawson Books, 9780803741492, September 2017)

Reviewed by Kate Towery, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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My Shadow Is Yours by Edoardo Nesi

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My Shadow Is Yours by Edoardo Nesi
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It is rare that I burst into tears reading the last sentence of a novel. I can count the number of times it has happened on one hand. Bawdy, ballsy, and brainy, My Shadow Is Yours is also tender and wise. A recent college graduate is hired to accompany a reclusive middle-aged novelist on a road trip to Milan. There he is scheduled to speak to an audience for the first time in 25 years when his one and only cultural landmark of a novel was published. As they travel across Italy, they bond over women, wine, and have violent, intensely personal arguments about life. Crushing and raw, caustic and funny. For me, it was perfection!

My Shadow Is Yours by Edoardo Nesi, (List Price: 16.99, Other Press, 9781635420685, September 2023)

Reviewed by Kelly Justice, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Raw Dog by Jamie Loftus

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Raw Dog by Jamie Loftus
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America’s guiltiest pleasure: the hot dog. Following a road trip Loftus and her then-partner took in the summer of 2021, this is so much more than just a history book with a suggestive title. Stories of meth motels, the hunt for the best hotdog in the country, and brilliant musings on organized labor and the food industry in the United States, all wrapped into one, clever, laugh-out-loud book. Loftus’ humor transfers onto the page so well, it makes for a history book like no other.

Raw Dog by Jamie Loftus, (List Price: 26.99, Forge Books, 9781250847744, May 2023)

Reviewed by Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones

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Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones
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I will forever love Leslie Jones and this book just solidified that for me. It’s equal parts hilarious and touching and there are so many laugh-out-loud moments I could not keep it together. Jones has always been true to herself and who she is and I love the example that she sets in standing up for herself and her coworkers. This book is a true gem by a true gem.

Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones, (List Price: $30, Grand Central Publishing, 9781538706497, September 2023)

Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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The Best Bad Day Ever by Marianna Coppo

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The Best Bad Day Ever by Marianna Coppo
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The Best Bad Day Ever is a precious children’s book about how even on the worst days, things can turn around for the better. For Wolfie, everything is going wrong today: his cookies are short on chocolate chips, his toothpaste tingles his tongue too much, the sky is "full" of clouds, and even his sidekick Pepito is grumpy. No one understands Wolfie, except for a new friend named Penguin who may just turn the day around. Between the tender message and the adorable yet hysterical illustrations, this is truly the definition of a warm and fuzzy read.

The Best Bad Day Ever by Marianna Coppo, (List Price: $18.99, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 9780711283343, July 2023)

Reviewed by Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game (Graphic Novel Memoir) by Colin Kaepernick

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Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game (Graphic Novel Memoir) by Colin Kaepernick
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Change the Game follows a young Colin Kaepernick as he navigates late high school, and his lack of offers to play college football. He confronts the societal obstacles in his way head on and continues to fight for and believe in himself. Great for young athletes who are looking for an inspiring story of overcoming challenges, both in the outside world and in their own heads.

Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game (Graphic Novel Memoir) by Colin Kaepernick, (List Price: 24.99, Graphix, 9781338789669, May 2023)

Reviewed by Alex Einhorn, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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The Wounds That Bind Us by Kelley Shinn

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The Wounds That Bind Us by Kelley Shinn
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I did not want this book to end. Shinn is a true adventurer who is willing to take risks to find insight, inner peace, help others and have a good time along the way. She has suffered more than a few wounds that could have wrecked any normal person, but Shinn wrestles her way through each blow with incredible courage, sharing what she’s learned along the way. She is funny, extremely wise and super brave. Read this.

The Wounds That Bind Us by Kelley Shinn, (List Price: 21.99, West Virginia University Press, 9781952271861, June 2023)

Reviewed by Lisa Uotinen, Book No Further in Roanoke, Virginia

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A Very Gay Book by Jenson Titus

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A Very Gay Book by Jenson Titus
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The cover on this book is so deceptive – it’s hilarious from page one! You’ll laugh out loud on every page of the satirical gay history primer! Along with quirky art, this book touches on cultural moments and throughout time, and measures how gay they are (spoiler – they’re all very gay). Silly and delightful!

A Very Gay Book by Jenson Titus, (List Price: 30, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 9781524876449, May 2023)

Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron

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You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron
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A June 2023 Read This Next! Title

I automatically love a creepy-camp scenario and Bayron’s first horror novel knocks it out of the park! Charity and her friends run the immersive horror game at Camp Mirror Lake, the site where a slasher movie was filmed years ago. The scares become all too real as her team starts to disappear without a trace and odd strangers show up at the camp. The disinterested owner is no help so Charity and her gang are left to find out what is going on – and to try to escape with their lives. Can this Final Girl save the day? This tense, scary book keeps you riveted until the last page!

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron, (List Price: 19.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9781547611546, June 2023)

Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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