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The week of December 5, 2023 Holiday romance, love and adventure
The Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan In Every Life by Marla Frazee In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri, Daniel Miyares (Illus.) Midnight Is the Darkest Hour by Ashley Winstead So Long as It’s Wild : Standing Strong After My Famous Walk Across America by Barbara Jenkins  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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Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura Adult Fiction, Romance, Romantic Comedy  A December Read This Next! Title This is the romance I’ve been yearning for, one that fills all my needs for a romance novel version of Romancing the Stone, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and Indiana Jones. The story features a whip-smart and capable female archaeologist Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejia who ends up on a dig that could be the find of a lifetime and ends up being forced to finally deal with the one man she hates the most- Dr. Ford Matthews. What could’ve been haunts her, and him too. Unrequited lust/love definitely builds the tension between them to dizzying heights, and makes when they finally give in to their feelings so satisfying. I was surprised by and enjoyed the suspense subplot. Made for a very unexpected and surprising plot twists. The ending itself was ambiguous, but the epilogue more than made up for it! Jo Segura’s debut novel is exciting and a wonderful new addition. I am eager to see what she writes next! Reviewed by Prent Singh, Eagle Eye Book Shop in Decatur, Georgia |
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Bookseller Buzz |
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Spotlight on: So Long As It’s Wild by Barbara Jenkins 
I remembered my granny who traveled to Arkansas as a child in a covered wagon, and then spent her whole life scratching a living out of the rocky hills of the Ozarks. She didn’t have more than a cotton dress and a tattered apron, but I never heard her whine about being poor, cooking on a hot wood stove or making 100 biscuits each morning for her large family. Between my new husband insisting I shape up and memories of her endurance, I walked on and kept my mouth shut. What booksellers are saying about So Long As It’s Wild 
Barbara Jenkins grew up in the wild beauty of the Ozarks with no running water and homemade clothes. The first in her family to go beyond an 8th grade education, she received her Master’s from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She shot to fame in 1976 with her then-husband for their ambitious walk across America. That journey became the inspiration for their New York Times bestseller The Walk West, selling over 12 million copies. She has since published a number of other books, including The Road Unseen, a Gold Medallion Book Award winner. Her writing and entrepreneurship has been featured on Good Morning America, Reader’s Digest and more. Jenkins now travels the country, speaking at universities, conventions, and other events about her story. When she is not writing, speaking, or traveling, Jenkins loves spending time with her granddaughters, Josephine and Lyla. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee. |
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Didn’t See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto Asia, Family, Multigenerational, People & Places, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Young Adult Fiction 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. Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia |
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We Are Too Many by Hannah Pittard Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Divorce & Separation, Marriage & Long-Term Relationship, Personal Memoirs, Southern Book Prize Finalist 
2024 Southern Book Prize Finalist 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. Unflinchingly 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. Reviewed by Deva, The Snail On the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama |
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The Black Queen by Jumata Emill Mysteries & Detective Stories, Prejudice & Racism, Thrillers & Suspense, Young Adult Fiction This is an absolutely promising and thought-provoking thriller debut that questions numerous sensitive issues, including racism, underage sex, teenage pregnancy, corruption, white privilege, and child abuse. Reviewed by Michelle Weiler, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina |
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The Little Tiger by Nicola Killen Birthdays, Children, Holidays & Celebrations, Juvenile Fiction Gorgeous illustrations, visible occasionally through clever cutouts – what a sweet birthday tale! Reviewed by Alissa Redmond, South Main Book Company in Salisbury, North Carolina |
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The Little Red Wolf by Amélie Fléchais Comics & Graphic Novels, Fairy Tales, Folklore, Juvenile Fiction, Legends & Mythology To me, Little Red Riding Hood has always been the forbearer of modern children’s stories. The warnings of: listen to your adults, not to stray from the path dictated, and not talk to strangers emanate from every version of this story. In this tale, these messages are still here, but are challenged. In the end, our hero is rescued and the evil defeated, themes of misunderstanding being our main take-away. Reviewed by Jamie Kovacs, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
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Decide for Yourself Books that appear on PEN America’s list of challenged books. |
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On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong Adult Fiction, Asian American, Banned Books, LGBTQ+, Literary Fiction This bestseller sat on my shelf for two years before I had the courage to read it. I knew it would wreck me, and wreck me it did. Through a son’s letter to his mother, we learn the story of Little Dog and the meaning of love, loss, family, and belonging. Ocean Vuong creates a surreal experience of the senses, redefining the meaning of narrative — each page more breathtaking than the last. As someone who rarely keeps fiction past the first read, this one has a permanent place on my bookshelf. Reviewed by RC Collman, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
Southern Bestsellers What’s popular this week with Southern Readers. |
[ See the full list ] |
Parting Thought “Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you. ” |
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Publisher:
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