I consider myself a non-practicing artist, which is a shame. I have recommended this book to several artsy-fartsy friends. It was interesting, lovely, and made me ache for days spent in the dark room.
Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen, (List Price: $20, Random House, 9780593449240, December 2024)
Reviewed by April, Thornwell Books in Morganton, North Carolina
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Kiese Laymon writes a powerful memoir in which he immerses the reader in the individual experience of growing up Black in the Deep South. Laymon’s coming-of-age story, placed in the 80s and 90s, is layered with observations about body image and body awareness in the context of a geography intent on subjugating those who look like him. The entire book is written in second person, directed toward his mother, which has the effect of drawing the reader close to his story. He beautifully gives access to his own flaws, his family’s wisdom, and imperfections. A must-read for anyone interested in Black stories, Black people, and U.S.-American history.
Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon, (List Price: $18, Scribner, 9781501125669, March 2019)
Reviewed by Robin, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, AR
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A heartfelt look at a difficult subject, this book explores end-of-life care in a positive and honest way. Stories of personal experiences and lists of resources are masterfully woven together to confront the reality of death in a manner that should be more common than it is. Callahan doesn’t offer strict solutions or pretend to have all the answers; instead, she provides important insight and empowers the reader to find what will work for them when the time comes. The value of this conversation is not to be overlooked, and this book is a great addition for those both new to and already familiar with death acceptance.
A Death Doula’s Guide to a Meaningful End by Jane K. Callahan, (List Price: $21.99, Chicago Review Press, 9781556528262, April 2026)
Reviewed by Oliver Ditenhafer, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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An insider’s view of the culinary world tempered through a very personal lens. Attending the Culinary Arts Institute is a grueling experience, more so for students of color, and more so if you are trying to mend a broken heart. Filled with personal and culinary ups and downs, this is both a cautionary tale and a romantic journey. Not just for foodies.
Salt, Sweat & Steam by Brigid Washington, (List Price: $30, St. Martin’s Press, 9781250333377, April 2026)
Reviewed by Jan, Main Street Books in Davidson, NC
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A powerful book that celebrates the development of the female body over 200 million years, tracing our ancestral mothers and their unique contributions to humanity. Fascinating, fun and full of facts that will leave you amazed in a multitude of ways.
Eve by Cat Bohannon, (List Price: $20, Knopf, 9780345806208, October 2023)
Reviewed by Maggie, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC
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This book really made me pause. It explores the deep connection Black people have to land, trees, and botanical knowledge, and how that connection is tied to both legacy and trauma. Nature has always been part of our survival and resilience, even when it was shaped by enslavement, displacement, and loss. When Trees Testify reminds us that trees and land have witnessed our history. Reconnecting with our botanical roots isn’t just about plants…it’s about healing, reclaiming what was taken, and working through the trauma we’re still carrying. Thoughtful, reflective, a bit heavy…but honestly necessary.
When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery, (List Price: $27.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250335166, January 2026)
Reviewed by Morgan, The Book Worm Bookstore in Powder Springs, Georgia
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I absolutely adored this book. Val is so vivid with her imagery that her recounting of childhood memories makes them feel like my own. You could really see her crime writer background come through in her painting of winter as noir, her romanticization of the darkness. I learned so much about Scottish culture, too! This book is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a short read to make you fall in love with winter.
Winter by Val McDermid, (List Price: $22, Atlantic Monthly Press, 9780802167811, January 2026)
Reviewed by Aidan, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, AL
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Such an amazing read, especially as a woman. My mom and I both read it and took away very different things, in the best way, given that we’re in different stages of life; we both felt seen. This is a project that could only be done justice by a woman, and Kat does just that: advocating for more recognition of the female sex and anatomy in the field of biology, evolution, anthropology, and medicine.
Eve by Cat Bohannon, (List Price: $20, Knopf, 9780345806208, October 2023)
Reviewed by Meghan, The Lynx in Gainesville, Florida
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This fascinating, accessible, and often witty book takes a fresh look at human evolution by tracing it from the female perspective. Starting with our earliest mammalian ancestors, author and researcher Bohannon outlines how women’s bodies developed to be both human and uniquely female, and how much of humanity’s evolution was itself spurred by our female ancestors. Despite clocking in at over 400 pages, Evewas a surprisingly quick read – or at least it would have been had I not stopped regularly to read passages out loud, each time proclaiming “I never knew that!”
Eve by Cat Bohannon, (List Price: $20, Knopf, 9780345806208, October 2023)
Reviewed by Jude, Square Books in Oxford, MS
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Tired of the picture-perfect portrayals of motherhood? The Motherload is the raw, unflinching memoir you’ve been waiting for. Sarah Hoover bravely tackles the difficult truths of pregnancy and postpartum life, including anxiety, trauma, and postpartum depression—topics often left out of the conversation. She shatters the myth of the “perfect mother” and the idea of immediate, blissful connection with your child, replacing it with a candid account of her own struggles. This book is a must-read for anyone who has ever felt like an imposter in their own life and is a powerful and necessary addition to the world of women’s literature.
The Motherload by Sarah Hoover, (List Price: $20, S&S/Simon Element, 9781668010143, April 2026)
Reviewed by Kimberly, Square Books in Oxford, MS
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A very personal and at the same time universal poetry collection tied together by insights from Burstyn’s life. Short introductions and afterthoughts provide context and glimpses into Burstyn’s life. This will be a great book for reluctant poetry readers and old hands open to finding new meanings.
Poetry Says It Better by Ellen Burstyn, (List Price: $26.99, HarperOne, 9780063387683, April 2026)
Reviewed by Jan, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina
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Trees transform our exhalations into parts of themselves, embodying the breath of those who live and work near them. Montgomery’s stories and observations, organized around eight species, show us what trees can teach us about ourselves, our histories, and our society.
When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery, (List Price: $27.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250335166, January 2026)
Reviewed by Chris, Shelf Life Books in Richmond, Virginia
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Can a book be cozy, loving, encouraging, compassionate, AND a threat to the brutal and cutthroat consumer capitalism of our era? I present to you Robin Wall Kimmerer’s first book since her surprise mega-bestselling sleeper hit Braiding Sweetgrass. The serviceberry is a bushy, underappreciated fruit tree native to Eastern North America that Kimmerer uses as inspiration to muse broadly on “abundance and reciprocity in the natural world.” The tree embodies the values of gratitude, interconnectedness, and mutual aid. Strikingly, the serviceberry’s broad and generous distribution of its wealth ensures its own flourishing! Let’s all read this small, beautiful, and powerful little book and talk about how we can reimagine modern economic life to be a little more sane and humane!
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer, (List Price: $20, Scribner, 9781668072240, November 2024)
Reviewed by Josh, Underground Books in Carrollton, Georgia
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At a time when species loss is many orders of magnitude greater than the natural background rate, this is an uplifting tale of how a wide range of people — ornithologists, hunters, birders, naturalists, scientists, and capitalists came together in an unlikely alliance to save wading birds and songbirds from the brink of extinction, transforming the American conservation movement in the process.
The Feather Wars by James H. McCommons, (List Price: $33, St. Martin’s Press, 9781250286895, March 2026)
Reviewed by Jim, Righton Books in St Simons Island, Georgia
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An important new collection of poetry by Edward Salem, highlighting the Palestinian experience from unique angles and styles. While understandably covering loss, violence, and love of country, land, and people, the poems are at times also funny, strange, and satirical. Salem offers a strong voice (combining tenderness and rage) and authority on a place and identity outside of my lived experience, and I feel more informed and engaged having taken my time with this collection.
Intifadas by Edward Salem, (List Price: $17.95, Sarabande Books, 9781956046694, April 2026)
Reviewed by Sarah, Old Town Books in Alexandria, Virginia
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