|
|
|
|
The week of April 22, 2025 Celebrate Indie Spirit on Independent Bookstore Day (and Week) 
This coming Saturday, April 26th, is Independent Bookstore Day — a day for readers to celebrate the importance of their favorite local bookshops in their own lives, and to their communities. What began twelve years ago as a kind of nation-wide indie bookstore party has turned into a week-long playful celebration of "indie spirit" as bookstores and their customers have fun celebrating "Silly Sock Monday," "Plaid Tuesday," "On Wednesdays We Wear Bookstore Shirts," "Book Character Dress-Up Thursday," "YOUR Store’s Spirit Friday." Seach #PlaidTuesday on Instagram and laugh along with everyone who loves their independent bookstores. There are over 1600 participating bookstores this year. (See the map.) In somes places bookstores have banded together to create "Bookstore Crawls" (also listed on the map) which are mini self-guided tours of all the local bookshops in the area. There are at least five bookstore crawls in Virginia, and crawls listed in Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Louisiana, and Kentucky Many stores have special events scheduled, and exclusive gifts created especially for the day: everything from special editions of books, to totebags, t-shirts, and baseball caps, to seed packets and Blackwing pencils. Most importantly, Independent Bookstore Day is a celebration of indie bookstore spirit and the special place bookstores hold in our communities. If book buying is on your to do list this week, take a trip to your local indie bookstore and celebrate with them. Read This Now | Read This Next | Book Buzz | The Bookseller Directory |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Read This Now! Recommended by Southern indies… |
|
|
Poetry Is Not a Luxury by Anonymous Adult Nonfiction, Anthologies (multiple authors), Poetry This is the kind of poetry collection you keep tucked in your pocket for when you need it–a poem a day keeps the dread about societal collapse away! Curated by the Instagram account of the same name (an Audre Lorde quote), Poetry is Not a Luxury is a lovely, intentional anthology of poems divided by season, diverse in form and theme, featuring pretty much every poet I’ve ever studied and/or admired. These compact, comforting poems are accessible but substantial. I can see myself revisiting this book many times, when in need of a little inspiration! Reviewed by Julia Lewis, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia |
|
|
|
|
The Poet’s Game by Paul Vidich Adult Fiction, Espionage, Thrillers Paul Vidich’s The Poet’s Game masterfully captures the essence of a classic spy novel. Vidich weaves a compelling narrative filled with intrigue, suspense, and carefully crafted characters. Alex Matthews is a retired CIA station chief, now capitalizing on the new Russian economy. He learns the hard way that the Russians have a long memory, and he will need to risk everything to keep himself and his business alive. Vidich’s attention to detail and his deep understanding of the espionage genre make this book a must-read for fans of spy fiction. Reviewed by Brent Bunnell, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina |
|
|
|
|
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune Adult Fiction, Romance A 32-year-old with a disappointing job, a newly absent “life” partner, and a lake house filled with memories…and neighbours who have grown up a lot since they were 17: “I think the older we get, the scarier shit becomes…” One Golden Summer is a simple, yet affecting story of one Canadian summer by the lake where frustrated photographer, Alice, looking after her grandmother, finds the cock-sure tease with a heart of gold handyman, Charlie, and learns to start thinking more about herself for once. Sweet, wry, an astute meditation on second chances, this is a summer breeze of a book with a twist straight out of Graham Greene’s The End of the Affair. Reviewed by Doron Klemer, Octavia Books in New Orleans, Louisiana |
|
|
|
Bookseller Buzz |
 |
|
Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones 
It’s easy to root for people who make the same choices you do. I think the metaphor I use in the book is it’s harder to be the person standing on the shore when you thought you were going to be the person on the boat or on the plane. I thought I was going to be the leaver, and instead I had to be the one who threw the goodbye parties. And I’m grateful for that. It taught me some really important lessons about being happy for people, even when the choices they make are different from your own. And you really have to be content in your contentedness in order to root for and support the people who leave. And I do think it’s important that you do that, because the conclusion I have reached in my almost 40 years is we all will do both. We are not all going to stay all the time and we’re not all going to leave all the time. It’s both. And so, I currently sit in a seat of staying, but I also have left beloved institutions. I have left relationships. And so, that’s the other side is, I hope I’m learning lessons from my friends who have left. They have something to teach me too. ― Annie B. Jones, Interview, Emily Freeman | The Next Right Thing Podcast What booksellers are saying about Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones 
Annie B. Jones is a writer, podcaster, and the owner of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia. Jones hosts From the Front Porch, a weekly podcast about books, small business, and life in the South, and her work has been featured in Southern Living magazine. A native of Tallahassee, Florida, she lives in Thomasville with her husband, Jordan, and their dog, Sam Malone. |
 |
|
|
Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto Adult Fiction, Mystery& Detective, Women Sleuths 
An April Read This Next! Title Hey, peeps, stop giving out your personal information and password question answers! When Vera Wong (not Wang the designer, Wong the tea house owner and sometimes detective) gets snookered into giving the “police” her SSN and emailing them a copy of her ID, it snowballs quickly into a trip to the police station in person and Vera starting another adoption cycle of people of interest. How can you not be charmed by Vera “gathering a bunch of new people who are obviously slightly terrified and brazenly accusing them of murder”? And feeding them, of course. I am really needing some homemade Chinese food right about now. Reviewed by Lisa Yee Swope, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
|
|
The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman by Niko Stratis Adult Nonfiction, Essays, Music Niko Stratis’ essay collection The Dad Rock That Made Me a Woman begins in the realm of typical dad rock, describing the music heard in her own dad’s headphones throughout her childhood (accessing the same emotions I have when I hear the opening guitar riff of “Money for Nothing” or the first chords of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”). By the end of this transformative collection, however, Stratis has redefined dad rock by bringing you along through her own story. It helps, of course, that Stratis and I share the same dad rock playlist, from the now-traditional realms of The National (the in my mind quintessential “Sad Dads”) and Radiohead, to the slightly off-kilter choices of Neko Case or Julien Baker. Never did I think I would be read so thoroughly by an essay collection featuring all of the sad man music I hold so dear to my heart, or by the simple description of saying a person looks like they’re very into Pavement. This collection is tenderhearted and open, written in straightforward yet staggering prose and as someone who came into themselves listening to several of these same acts, I can’t help but adore this collection and rush to put it in the hands of everyone I know. Reviewed by Mikey LaFave, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Floating World by Axie Oh Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult Fiction Ren lives in hiding with her adopted family in the mountains, performing as an acrobat in their traveling caravan. When danger strikes, she releases her magical power of light. Sunho lives in the Under World, his memories erased. He is one of many sent to find Ren and capture her. When they meet, he doesn’t realize she is the girl he’s looking for as they begin their journey together.. This immersive fantasy world is very cinematic with an intriguing story. Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee |
|
|
Sato the Rabbit, Morning Light by Yuki Ainoya Childrens, Imagination & Play, Juvenile Fiction The Sato the Rabbit books are pure dreamy playful magic. Through gorgeous vivid spreads, this book makes me want to wake up early, live in a lighthouse, drink sparkles, and let my imagination dance. Reviewed by Julie Jarema, Hub City Bookshop in Spartanburg, South Carolina |
|
|
A Game of Noctis by Deva Fagan Childrens, Fantasy & Magic, Juvenile Fiction An exceptional book for middle grade readers who enjoy games, puzzles, and tournaments! A Game of Noctis follows twelve-year-old Pia Paro through a society where your worth is determined by your player score. As Pia hunts for a way to bring her grandfather back from the Pawn Isles, she gains a greater insight into the ethical dilemmas of her nation’s class-based structure. Fagan does an incredible job at discussing pertinent social issues such as classism, law enforcement, and unionization in a manner that is easily digestible for younger readers. The lucid prose, complex world-building, and well-developed characters make A Game of Noctis a great choice for fans of The Hunger Games who want a recommendation for a similarly passionate reading experience. Reviewed by Catherine Pabalate, Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
|
|
Ginseng Roots: A Memoir by Craig Thompson Biography & Memoir, Comics & Graphic Novels, History, Memoirs, Nonfiction Craig Thompson bursts back onto the Comix scene with this exquisitely crafted hybrid memoir/socio-cultural essay that explores his youthful experience working Wisconsin’s Ginseng farms and the fascinating history of this prized root as a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures. A book as rich in information as it is beautifully adorned. Reviewed by Jonathan Hawpe, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky |
|
Decide for Yourself Books that appear on PEN America’s list of challenged books. |
|
|
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe Banned Books, Biography & Memoir, Comics & Graphic Novels, Nonfiction Gender Queer is Maia Kobabe’s autobiography about eir journey to identifying as nonbinary and asexual, and coming out to eir family and society. I devoured this book in one sitting. Usually, I struggle with graphic novels because my brain has a hard time processing images and words at the same time, but this was so seamless and gorgeously put together that I flew through it with no trouble at all! I laughed, I teared up, and most of all, I learned. As a heterosexual, cis-gender person, I can never fully understand what it’s like to identify as anyone else. But Kobabe’s memoir is so honest and vulnerable that I feel I’ve come that much closer to understanding. Gender Queer deals with so many issues that every young person goes through in life, no matter how they identify. Things like dealing with body hair that shows up during puberty, figuring out who you are and what you want in your friendships and relationships, how to say no in uncomfortable situations, self-acceptance, and how to express yourself. But it also deals with topics that we need to talk about more – like gender dysphoria, coming out, and using proper pronouns. It’s an essential read for everyone – whether you’re looking for beautiful representation or a path to learn more about our nonbinary and asexual friends. Gender Queer is an award-winning book for a reason! I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Reviewed by Emily Lessig, The Violet Fox Bookshop in Virginia Beach, Virginia |
Southern Bestsellers What’s popular this week with Southern Readers. |
[ See the full list ] |
Parting Thought “Reading – even browsing – an old book can yield sustenance denied by a database search.” |
|
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.