|
|
|
|
The week of March 26, 2025 A green and growing reading list: nature books beloved by booksellers.  Spring is a time for cleaning, but also for gardening, planting, and reading! Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue by Mike Tidwell Spring Rain by Marc Hamer Slither by Stephen S. Hall The Forest Brims Over by Maru Ayase, Haydn Trowell (trans.) Read This Now | Read This Next | Book Buzz | The Bookseller Directory |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Read This Now! Recommended by Southern indies… |
|
|
Bad Nature by Ariel Courage Adult Fiction, Dark Humor, Family Life, Fiction, Humorous, Literary, Marriage & Divorce From the start, I was sucked into this story of a woman hitting a milestone birthday and a cancer diagnosis. Faced with her mortality, she sets off across the country to tie up loose ends. Along the way, she ponders the meaning of life as well as the state of affairs in the US. There is so much to relate to in this debut novel. Reviewed by Alexandra Bender, Fonts Books in McLean, Virginia |
|
|
All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman Adult Fiction, Suspense, Thrillers This funny, page-turner of a thriller stars antihero mom, Florence, who decides to do some amateur sleuthing after the disappearance of her son’s classmate. Perfect for fans of Big Little Lies, Only Murders in the Building, Class Mom, and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Fun from start to finish, with a plot that will keep you guessing right up to the end. Reviewed by Amanda Grell, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas |
|
|
|
|
Hot Air by Marcy Dermansky Adult Fiction, Literary Marcy Dermansky is that girl!!! Hot Air is, well, a breath of fresh air. This is a comedy of errors, a mother-daughter love story, a Rashomon-style cast of unreliable narrators, and the best portrayal of the horrors of Universal Studios I’ve seen in print. I love a book that makes me learn how to read it, and Dermansky’s prose is wry, funny, and laser-sharp. I loved Hurricane Girl, her last novel, and Hot Air delivered on its weird, loving promise. Stunner! Reviewed by Rachel Knox, Tombolo Books in St Petersburg, Florida |
|
|
|
Bookseller Buzz |
 |
|
Stag Dance by Torrey Peters 
When I first conceived of these stories, around 2016, a lot of trans writing was very sure that it had to be a specific thing: In order to capture the trans experience, we have to invent a totally new narrative for this wild and different style of life that has strange punctuation and asterisks and parentheses in it! And I was very resistant to this because I was like, I actually think that trans lives are built out of the exact same things that any other life is built out of. The emotions that are operative for a trans person are the exact same emotions that are operative for anybody else. It may be arranged slightly differently or with slightly different balances, but 99 percent of them are all the same. And so, there was a way in which I was like, You know what? I’m going to just write trans stories to show that you don’t need to invent some othering form to explain a trans life. You can explain a trans life in a teen romance. Then, I just started finding them fun. ― Torrey Peters, Interview, The Cut What booksellers are saying about Stag Dance by Torrey Peters 
Torrey Peters is the bestselling author of the novel Detransition, Baby, which won the PEN/Hemingway award for debut fiction. It was also a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Awards, a finalist for the Brooklyn Public Library Award, and was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. She has an MFA from the University of Iowa and an MA in Comparative Literature from Dartmouth. Torrey rides a pink motorcycle and splits her time between Brooklyn and an off-grid cabin in Vermont. |
 |
|
|
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy Adult Fiction, Nature & Environment This was my first McConaghy title to read and it did not disappoint. The intrigue and intensity built earlier as an unknown woman washed up on shore of a remote island at the far end of the world. It becomes clear there are secrets to be unearthed and truths hidden. I found the first 1/3 a bit slow … it took more time than perhaps necessary to get to some real action, but the author does do a great job in the process of creating relationship and trust among the inhabitants of the island given how little they truly know of each other. I felt all the feelings with this read: grief from the loss of loved ones, wonder at the fierceness of nature, fear of a coming climate crisis. It will be a solid book for readers who enjoy suspense, complicated family dynamics, with a touch of climate crisis thrown in. Reviewed by Christina Tabereaux, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama |
|
|
The Fishwife Cookbook by Becca Millstein Adult Nonfiction, Cooking, Fish & Seafood, Specific Ingredients If you’ve been to a specialty grocery store in the last few years, you’ve surely seen these charming tins glittering from the canned foods aisle. Founded in 2020, Fishwife sought to glamorize the pantry staples of tuna and sardines. Now, they’re sharing how to take these versatile, shelf-stable products to the next level with indulgent, European (with a few Asian) inspired, veggie-packed recipes. Simple, delectable snacks and dips, self-care inspired meals for one, and extravagant summery salads populate this whimsical book, peppered with adorable maximalist illustrations and mouthwatering photos! So many pastas I’m dying to try! Reviewed by Julia Lewis, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How to Survive a Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans Horror, Young Adult Fiction Get ready for some major creepy, serial killer vibes with this new YA horror novel! CJ’s hometown has the nickname Slasherville for a reason. It’s been the sight of two mass killings, several years apart. The town has embraced the nickname, but CJ is less than thrilled, since their dad barely survived the first one and was killed in the second. And Moon Satter, the mysterious author who penned novelizations of both events, isn’t helping matters. But when CJ receives a new manuscript, with real names of her classmates, she’s not sure if it’s a prank or something scarier. Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia |
|
|
Riding Through Rice Fields by Michelle Sterling Children, Juvenile Fiction, Travel Lovely illustrations. The premise that the son is visiting his Dad’s homeland and seeing everything by bicycle is a nice way to share the landscape and day-in-the-life culture of the Philippines. Reviewed by Adah Fitzgerald, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina |
|
|
Les Normaux by Janine Janssen Comics & Graphic Novels, Romance I tried so hard to NOT buy this book but I couldn’t resist this queer love story in a magical monster world that is a copy of the non-magical. We follow Sebastien as he begins school at a wizarding university and finally has the chance to learn how to use his powers after growing up with parents who don’t approve of magic or his being gay. We get to see him navigate a lot of new relationships and grow in his confidence that he belongs in this new world. Also, did I mention he made out with a beautiful stranger who he discovers lives in the same building as him?! I devoured this story and can’t wait to read more. Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
|
Decide for Yourself Books that appear on PEN America’s list of challenged books. |
|
|
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo Action & Adventure, Banned Books, Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction I was so happy to get this book (mostly because of how big it was), but I was even more surprised when I sat down to read it, and I was so engaged that I lost track of time, and I couldn’t put it down. It was so amazingly well written, and the characters were astoundingly well written and hilarious. I spent three solid days reading this book, and it never felt like a chore to do so. The ending was amazing, and I can’t wait to have three solid days free so that I can read the next one. Reviewed by Mandolin Moore, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia |
Southern Bestsellers What’s popular this week with Southern Readers. |
[ See the full list ] |
Parting Thought “There are some books that reached through the noise of life to grab you by the collar and speak only of the truest things.” |
|
Publisher:
The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance /
siba@sibaweb.com |
SIBA | 51 Pleasant Ridge Drive | Asheville, NC 28805
You have received this email because you are currently subscribed to receive The Southern Bookseller Review.
Please click @@unsubscribe_url@@ if you no longer wish to receive these communications.