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The week of February 7, 2023 Reading Black Authors 
Next week in honor of Black History Month, SBR will publish a special issue for February highlighting new books by Black writers. But there is no reason to wait for February to read more Black writers. There are, however, a great many reasons to always include Black writers in your TBR stack, not the least of which is there are so, so many wonderful books you will be missing out on if you don’t. A list of books by Black authors can always be found online at SBR. Here, also, are some of the lists created by Southern Indie Bookstores: Celebrate Black History from The Book Worm Bookstore in Powder Springs, GA Black History is American History from Cultured Books in St. Petersburg, FL Martin Luther King, Jr. Booklist from 44th and 3rd Booksellers in Atlanta, GA Every Book Needs a Home from Cafe Noir in Memphis, TN The Boosting Black Books project from Novel. in Memphis, TN Don’t Call Yourself Woke if You Haven’t Read These Books from Baldwin & Co. in New Orleans, LA Black Art Books from Charis Books & More in Atlanta, GA Afrofuturism from Firestorm Books in Asheville, NC |
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Read This Now! Recommended by Southern indies… |
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The Applicant by Nazli Koca Adult Fiction, Literary The Applicant is the debut novel I truly think I’ve been waiting to find my whole life. We follow Leyla, a twenty-something-year-old Turkish woman living in Berlin and working at a hostel. Her days consist of cleaning Alice in Wonderland-themed bedrooms, dipping in and out of hazy, techno-heavy clubs, and trying to find a balance of love, all while also trying to retain her German citizenship. Everything is so well done in this, but the themes of immigration and modern love struggles were perfectly executed. It’s raw, it’s real, it’s brilliant. Reviewed by Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia |
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Bookseller Buzz |
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Spotlight on: Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
“But really I mean, with kids—they’re small and powerless in the world. They don’t know why things are happening. They’re told what to do, they’re not giving any explanation for why they’re doing this, and everyone is a towering monster to them, you know? And adults are capriciously violent. I think kids live in a world that is really primed for horror. But horror stories allow them to understand that sometimes you can beat the monsters, you know?” ―Stephen Graham Jones, Interview, Tor.com What booksellers are saying about Don’t Fear the Reaper 
About Stephen Graham Jones Stephen Graham Jones is the New York Times bestselling author of The Only Good Indians. He has been an NEA fellowship recipient and been recipient of several awards including: the Ray Bradbury Award from the Los Angeles Times, the Bram Stoker Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, the Jesse Jones Award for Best Work of Fiction from the Texas Institute of Letters, the Independent Publishers Award for Multicultural Fiction, and the Alex Award from American Library Association. He is the Ivena Baldwin Professor of English at the University of Colorado Boulder. |
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Exiles by Jane Harper Adult Fiction, Fiction, International Crime & Mystery, Mystery& Detective As usual Jane Harper’s new novel, Exiles, is a slow burn of a read as she so beautifully describes yet another region of Australia, south Australia’s wine region. And, once again gives us a cast of characters so well-developed that you feel like you really know them. The book is about a small town with two unsolved events which have haunted the close-knit inhabitants. One the hit-and-run death of a well-liked accountant and the other the disappearance of a new mother who supposedly left her six-week-old child unattended at the annual wine and food festival and jumped to her death at the nearby reservoir – coincidentally the same weekend and same place as the hit and run. While this is Harper’s third book featuring Aaron Falk it easily reads as a standalone and will make you want to go back and read more about Aaron. Reviewed by Nancy McFarlane, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina |
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Enchantment by Katherine May Adult Nonfiction, Body, Inspiration & Personal Growth, Mind & Spirit British author Katherine May knows exactly what I need when I need it. I read her book, Wintering, during the hardest days of the pandemic. She wrote of a time in her life, pre-pandemic, when she felt hopeless, but her words resonated with my feelings of despair during the isolation of 2020. Her newest book, Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age, is just as timely. Though very personal, she addresses the universality of our shock at the fallout from the pandemic and how we can recover some of our contentment and joy. The book is beautifully written, and there are many lines that will linger with me. Reviewed by Mamie Potter, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina |
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Wildblood by Lauren Blackwood Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Young Adult I devoured this gorgeous novel like I was one of the hungry jungle ghosts. I absolutely adore Victoria’s relationship with Mumma River and how nature speaks to her. Every moment they were in the jungle was absolutely magical. With a super unique magic system, high stakes, untrustworthy men, a lush, protective jungle, and a fierce, loyal main character, Blackwood’s Wildblood is not to be missed for YA fantasy lovers! Reviewed by Candice Conner, The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, Alabama |
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Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow Bereavement, Childrens, Death, Grief, Juvenile Fiction, Social Themes Simon has my heart! His spirit, authenticity, and humor make him one of the most compelling characters I’ve met in a long time. Simon, along with his parents, show that trauma changes us in terrible & beautiful ways that create something new. This tough but tender novel shines with hope and resilience. As Dolly Parton says, laughter through tears is my favorite emotion. Please don’t let the subject matter push you away from this wonderful, funny, and important book. It’s a perfect example of its OK to read dark things, our lives are full of dark things and fictional characters working their way towards the light helps us do the same. Simon Sorta of Says is fantastic! Reviewed by Susan Williams, M. Judson, Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina |
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The Ojja-Wojja by Magdalene Visaggio Children, Comics & Graphic Novels, Juvenile Fiction, Paranormal Ghosts, lost evil deities, and a mean girl hive mind descend upon this small town and two best friends need to team up in order to put this crisis to rest. The pop culture references are quirky and informational for a pre-teen audience not used to common tropes. Also, it offers up an interesting perspective between heroine and villain when it comes to being on the spectrum for its exciting conclusion. Reviewed by Lana Repic, E. Shaver bookseller in Savannah, Georgia |
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Read This Next! Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies… |
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All the Beauty in the World : The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Personal Memoirs An February 2023 Read This Next! Title Patrick Bringley becomes a guard at The Metropolitan Museum of Art after his brother dies and he can’t handle the day to day stress of his former job. Spending his days in the midst of some of the most beautiful art in the world, he slowly heals from his grief. This book provides a behind the scenes look at everyday life in the museum and I loved it. And there is a reference list of the art mentioned in the book which can then be viewed online. Beth Carpenter from The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina |
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Southern Bestsellers What’s popular this week with Southern Readers. |
[ See the full list ] |
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Parting Thought “I think that reading is always active. As a writer, you can only go so far; the reader meets you halfway, bringing his or her own experience to bear on everything you’ve written. What I mean is that it is not only the writer’s memory that filters experience, but the reader’s as well.” |
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Publisher:
The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance /
siba@sibaweb.com |
SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805
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