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The week of June 10, 2025 Read These Next! in June 
The Second Chance Convenience Store by Kim Ho-Yeon, Janet Hong (trans.) We Might Just Make It After All: My Best Friendship with Kate Spade by Elyce Arons King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram 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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Disco Witches of Fire Island by Blair Fell Fiction, Gay, LGBTQ+ A magical, moving, and wildly fun novel, The Disco Witches of Fire Island blends queer history, grief, self-discovery, and disco-fueled witchcraft into an unforgettable story. Set in Fire Island Pines during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Blair Fell masterfully balances heavy themes with humor, heart, and a vibrant cast of characters. Drawing from some of his real-life experiences and relationships, Fell’s book will break your heart while lifting your spirit, and maybe even make you want to dance. Reviewed by Bianca Eckhoff, Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
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Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology, Romance, Romantic Comedy Mulan was a badass woman warrior in history, and Jesse Sutanto portrays that beautifully in this contemporary retelling. I have always loved the story of Mulan. That was then amplified when Disney made a movie about her. Sutanto does an amazing job of twisting the tale into a contemporary storyline without losing the original meaning and lessons from the original. In my opinion, you could not have found a better author to take on Mulan’s story and blow it out of the park. Reviewed by Mandy Harris, Angel Wings Bookstore in Stem, North Carolina |
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We Might Just Make It After All by Elyce Arons Adult Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Fashion 
A June Read This Next! Title I found myself smiling as I read We Might Just Make It After All by Elyce Arons. It was fun to get an inside look at her beautiful friendship with Kate Spade and the story of how they teamed up to build such a successful company. It’ll make you want to do two things: hug your best friend and go buy a really great Kate Spade handbag. Reviewed by Barb Rascon, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina |
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Bookseller Buzz |
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The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig
― Rachel Gillig, Interview, Harper’s Bazaar What booksellers are saying about The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig 
Rachel Gillig was born and raised on the California coast. She is a writer and a teacher, with a B.A. in Literary Theory and Criticism from UC Davis. If she is not ensconced in blankets dreaming up her next novel, Rachel is in her garden or walking with her husband, son, and their poodle, Wally. |
I like my stories to be immersive. I am a visual person when writing and reading. So to me, it’s all part of the characterization: the way that they wear clothes, what the clothes look like, what they look like. I also want it to be a lived-in world. So let’s talk about getting dirty. Let’s talk about taking baths. Let’s think about chapped lips. When I watch particularly fantasy content, I almost look for these things because it is a layer of grittiness that I like, a texture in a story, that I feel is real. The Knight and the Moth was really fun, like gossamer versus armor. You can look into themes of these things too and apply them to the story, or you can decide to read them very literally. |
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Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin Adult Fiction, Literary
A June Read This Next! Title This is sure to be a breakout hit this summer and the most talked about. Rob Franklin takes on so many big issues, and the way they land in this complicated world that we live in. Well worth your time (and your book clubs!) Reviewed by Laura Taylor, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida |
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Murderland by Caroline Fraser Adult Nonfiction, History, State & Local, United States In this freewheeling braided memoir/true crime/environmental expose Pulitzer Prize winner Fraser builds a damning case, harsh detail by harsh detail, that the 70’s & 80’s serial killer zenith (think Ted Bundy, Green River Killer, Night Stalker) was, in part, caused by environmental pollution which poisoned millions but warped some young men into infamy. Not for the faint of heart, this book scares and infuriates in equal measure. Reviewed by Sam Miller, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky |
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Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Fiction Albertalli’s newest, about chaos bisexuals and para-social relationships, hits ALL the right notes! Amelia’s a wee bit obsessed with YouTuber Walter, whose bisexual coming out made her feel seen in a way she hadn’t before. Now he’s doing a meet and greet just a car ride away and she just needs to get her friends on board so she can go meet him. Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia |
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Blue by Suzanne Kaufman Children, Imagination & Play, Juvenile Fiction A fantastical bedtime story of a young boy and a blue heron. It is simple, whimsical and comforting as we get to see this pair travel, separate, but remain connected. Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
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Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner Children, Comics & Graphic Novels, Humorous, Juvenile Fiction Margot is determined to become a real songwriter. If she does, her dad may come home. When she finds an abandoned synthesizer, she’s sure her songs will sound better with it than her ukulele. But the instrument may be haunted by a pop star from the 1980s! Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee |
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Decide for Yourself Books that appear on PEN America’s list of challenged books. |
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Wishtree by Katherine Applegate Banned Books, Children, Juvenile Fiction, Prejudice & Racism, Social Themes A beautiful book that made my heart ache in the best ways. Another masterpiece from Applegate that teaches us a little about ourselves while weaving a tree and the community where it lives. Reviewed by Rayna Nielsen, Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, Louisiana |
Southern Bestsellers What’s popular this week with Southern Readers. |
[ See the full list ] |
Parting Thought “The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think but to give you questions to think upon.” |
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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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