|
|
|
|
|
|
The week of July 19, 2022 SBR goes graphic. Since its launch a year and a half ago, The Southern Bookseller Review has has followed a regular pattern in the reviews published in each issue: six book reviews and one "book buzz" feature per newsletter. This month, it has increased its reviews to seven: two fiction titles, one nonfiction, young adult, and children’s book, and one spotlight on a "Read This Next!" book (newly published books with exceptionally enthusiastic bookseller support). To that list has been added a new genre: one review of a graphic novel. Graphic novels are one of the fastest-growing and most innovative literary genres, and publish some of the most creative and well-written storytelling for readers of any age. More to the point from the perspective of SBR, booksellers love them. Reviews of books tagged "Comics & Graphic Novels" have become the fastest rising genre at SBR in 2022. The week’s graphic novel review is for Crumbs by Danie Stirling (an interior illustration can be seen above), of which Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC says "What could be better than first loves, witchy powers, and magical bakeries?" Read more reviews of Graphic Novels at SBR Read This Now | Read This Next | The Bookseller Directory |
|
|
|
Read This Now! Recommended by Southern indies… |
BUY THIS BOOK! |
|
Calling for a Blanket Dance by Oscar Hokeah Coming of Age, Family Life, Indigenous A compelling book about how our family shapes how we are seen and who we become. Touching on themes of generational trauma, poverty, a feeling of belonging and family conflict, this story focuses on the life of Ever, told through generations of his Cherokee, Kiowa and Mexican family members. Honest and powerful, great storytelling. Reviewed by Jennifer Privitera, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina |
|
|
|
Bookseller Buzz |
 |
|
Spotlight on: Fellowship Point by Alice Elliott Dark
“I love to read in the tub, but I easily fall asleep and end up with a soggy bloated creature rather than a legible book. This works out well for the authors, as I always go buy another copy.” –Alice Elliott Dark, interview, New York Times What booksellers are saying about Fellowship Point 
About Alice Elliott Dark Alice Elliott Dark is the author Think of England and two collections of short stories, In the Gloaming and Naked to the Waist. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, The New York Times, Best American Short Stories,and O. Henry: Prize Stories, among others. Her award-winning story “In the Gloaming” was made into two films. Dark is a past recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. She is an Associate Professor at Rutgers-Newark in the MFA program. |
 |
BUY THIS BOOK! |
|
Do the Work! by W. Kamau Bell Adult Nonfiction, Race & Ethnic Relations, Social Science I’ve been a W. Kamau Bell fan for a while, so seeing that this book was coming was really exciting! It delivers exactly the combination of smart racial commentary and screwball energy that he brings to his comedy, packaged in endearing cartoons, graphics, and even activities like Mad Libs and crosswords. The informational parts of the book are well-cited with great further reading recommendations and benefit greatly from the conversational form between Bell and co-author Kate Schatz, both of whom are very good at maintaining levity while getting their points across crystal clear. This would be an excellent gift! Reviewed by Akil Guruparan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia |
|
|
BUY THIS BOOK! |
|
Flash Fire by TJ Klune Contemporary, Fantasy, Young Adult Nick has gone from writing about an Extraordinary boyfriend to actually having one, and is the best thing ever. Except now more Extraordinaries are showing up in Nova City, and of course it’s up to Nick and his friends (old and new; just wait until you meet Miss Conduct!) to figure out what’s going on and who are good guys and who are bad guys. Not to mention all the family secrets that Nick is uncovering. I love Nick so much, in all his awkward glory, and this book just cements that. If you haven’t read The Extraordinaries yet, do that, then run right out and get Flash Fire, because it is just as good. Reviewed by Melissa Oates, Fiction Addiction in Greenville, South Carolina |
BUY THIS BOOK! |
|
Hawk Mountain by Conner Habib Epic, Fantasy, Young Adult Hawk Mountain is a meditation on how toxic masculinity can lead to trauma and how that trauma can manifest itself into violence & horror. Additionally, Habib points to the manner in which consequences of our actions can cycle through generations as well and he does so with propulsive prose that continually ratchets up the tension with every page. This novel is pure psychological horror and it takes gaslighting to a whole new level of craziness that is tough to witness, but impossible to look away from. Reviewed by Stuart McCommon, Novel. in Memphis, Tennessee |
BUY THIS BOOK! |
|
Life Ceremony by Say aka Murat Animals, Children, Frogs & Toads One determined witch, several unflappable frogs, and a jar of emergency pickles – who knew this was the recipe for pure picture book brilliance? Reviewed by Elese Stutts, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
BUY THIS BOOK! |
|
Crumbs by Danie Stirling Comics & Graphic Novels, Romance, Young Adult This graphic novel is absolutely adorable! What could be better than first loves, witchy powers, and magical bakeries? Ray is such a sweet and relatable protagonist, and I found myself rooting for her wholeheartedly throughout the book. At its core, Crumbs is a novel about self empowerment and the importance of personal choice– I loved it! Reviewed by Jessica Baker, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
|
Read This Next! Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies… |
BUY THIS BOOK! |
|
Berry Song by Michaela Goade Children, Fables, Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, Juvenile Fiction, Legends, Myths A July 2022 Read This Next! Selection This beautiful ode to family and land and the indelible connection between them is a delight to read. Rhythmic text and soft, bright illustrations bring the foraging Tlingit family’s love for each other and the land they inhabit to vivid life. Berry Song is full of love, gratitude, and reciprocity, and is an essential book for all ages. Reviewed by Hannah DeCamp from Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia |
|
Southern Bestsellers What’s popular this week with Southern Readers. |
[ See the full list ] |
|
Parting Thought “Maybe this is why we read, and why in moments of darkness we return to books: to find words for what we already know.” |
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.