The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Banned Books

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh

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The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh
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I can still remember reading The Wrath and The Dawn for the first time, and how much the beautiful world, and incredible romance affected me. Today I’m gushing about Renee’s new book about vampires in 19th century New Orleans! The best part of it is, she doesn’t stick strictly to vampires, at all, nor the normal glittering, sometimes scary vampires we’re used to today! Ahdieh takes the vampire mythos and shapes it into something all her own, making it beautiful and lush and terrifying. But even without the vampires, our protagonist, Celine, is a french girl with passions and whims considered inappropriate for a girl of any age, let alone a young girl trying to find a proper husband. But truthfully, Celine comes to New Orleans to flee from a dark secret in her very near past, and from herself too. Celine is an incredibly interesting and complex protagonist that demands your love even as she pushes everyone away, because you the reader are the only one that knows her thoughts and can see beyond her actions. Sebastian is a powerhouse of a love interest, and when we do get a point-of-view chapter from him, he just continues to baffle and break hearts, but in more depressing ways. These two together make for an incredibly frustrating slow burn that grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let up. I also had no idea where the story was going to go. Ahdieh managed to keep me in the dark about many things, and that was perfect because it meant I was able to dive in further and really dig for clues and such. This all made The Beautiful an incredibly enchanting read that kept me on my toes the entire time and absolutely delivered on a delicious romance set in a New Orleans ruled by the supernatural.

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh, (List Price: $5.99, Nancy Paulsen, 9781524738198, August 2021)

Reviewed by Caitlyn Vanorder, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

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Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover
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My first Colleen Hoover read! I can definitely see where all the hype is with her novels. She does pull you in and stir up all the feels. It was entertaining, I thought the female lead character did not stand up for herself enough, and love triangles are always tricky. The most interesting part was learning how the hearing-impaired male lead was able to teach himself to play and write music. Can’t wait to read more of her books!

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover, (List Price: $16.99, Atria Books, 9781476753164, March 2014)

Reviewed by Krista Roach, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

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Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli

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Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli
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A modern high school rom-com in signature Albertalli fashion. As the fall musical approaches, Kate and her best friend, Anderson, want nothing more than to finally have their time in the spotlight. However, complications arise when their communal summer crush transfers to Roswell High and auditions for the musical. A dramatic and humorous coming-of-age tale centered around first crushes and the relationships that matter most. Kate in Waiting is sure to deliver all the warm and fuzzy feelings.

Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli, (List Price: $12.99, HarperCollins, 9780062643841, July 2022)

Reviewed by Asia Harden, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

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Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
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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.

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe, (List Price: $19.99, Oni Press, 9781549304002, May 2019)

Reviewed by Emily Lessig, The Violet Fox Bookshop in Virginia Beach, Virginia

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
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This book is perfect for anyone who wants to read beautiful prose while being absolutely wrecked in the process. Two boys so different you would think they wouldn’t work, but their care for each other runs deeper than their differences. Follow Aristotle and Dante as they grow together and apart. A story about growth and learning to love all the pieces you hated about yourself. A story about healing from the past and letting those feelings be expressed.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, (List Price: $24.99, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665925419, November 2022)

Reviewed by Gabriela Warner, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
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I read this book years ago and still think about it all the time. For years, no one in the medical community cared where HeLa cells came from. I find it fascinating that one person (Skloot) being curious enough and determined enough can lead to such a powerful story being uncovered. Henrietta Lacks’s story matters.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, (List Price: $18.99, Crown, 9781400052189, March 2011)

Reviewed by Krista Roach, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
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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.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, (List Price: $11.99, Square Fish, 9781250076960, February 2018)

Reviewed by Mandolin Moore, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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The Tea Dragon Society by K.O’Neill

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The Tea Dragon Society by K.O'Neill
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This book is one of the most wholesome I’ve ever read. Reading it is like being wrapped in a blanket. Adorable art, whimsical writing, and a sweet story make for a cute & comforting read about friendship and finding your niche. I try to read this book AT LEAST once a year because of how heartwarming it is.

The Tea Dragon Society by K.O’Neill, (List Price: $9.99, Oni Press, 9781620107379, June 2020)

Reviewed by Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Parachutes by Kelly Yang

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Parachutes by Kelly Yang
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Kelly Yang’s spectacular YA debut follows the lives of Claire, a “parachute” – the teenage daughter of a wealthy Chinese family sent to the United States to attend high school – and Dani, daughter of a first-generation Filipino immigrant. Claire and Dani become reluctant roommates, setting the stage for a novel that has it all – compelling friendships, insights into wealth and power dynamics, complicated relationships with parents, and two #metoo moments that made me feel all the things and had me rooting for Dani and Claire. I didn’t want it to end. A fantastic older YA book.

Parachutes by Kelly Yang, (List Price: $15.99, HarperCollins, 9780062941091, July 2021)

Reviewed by Elese Stutts, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon

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Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon
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I’m a hoofer. Tap has always been my dance love, and one of Vicki’s Tap Pups’ neatest dances was a compilation of dances of the 50s and 60s. Needless to say, ballroom dancing is not my strength, although a simple jitterbug has given hubs and me a surprising amount of wedding attention. Thing is, it’s not the jitterbug, it’s the connection. I’m proud to say we’ve been married for 20 years. In Instructions for Dancing, Evie receives a dubious superpower that she sees the love lives of couples — how they met, how they grew together, and, prophetically, the tragic breakups that haven’t happened yet but will. That, coupled with her parents’ ugly divorce (and not being allowed to tell her younger sister that her dad had an affair), makes her hesitant to engage in a relationship. But she accepts a challenge that “not everybody can dance good, but everybody can dance”, and ends up paired with X, who lives by a “just say yes” philosophy, and things change in ways she never expected.

Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon, (List Price: $12.99, Ember, 9781524718992, May 2022)

Reviewed by Lisa Yee Swope, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner

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In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner
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This book is classic Zentner. With lovely prose, it make you laugh, cry, and appreciate the family you have—both by birth and by choice.

In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner, (List Price: $13.99, Ember, 9781524720278, August 2022)

Reviewed by Amanda Gawthorpe, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Iron Widow (Book 1) by Xiran Jay Zhao

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Iron Widow (Book 1) by Xiran Jay Zhao
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In a world where the remains of civilization are menaced by enormous, spirit-powered monsters, boys with large spirit-force can become the pilots of the Chrysalises, giant machines that provide humanity’s only defense and the hope to retake the lost provinces. Girls with strong spirit-force can become concubine pilots: the second pilot necessary to power up the Chrysalises, but destined to be used up and die in battle. Wu Zetian’s older sister was sent to be a concubine pilot but when she died outside of battle no pay-out was given to the family. Now the family is sending Wu Zetian, but she’s not planning to go out by herself: she’s going to kill the pilot responsible for her sister’s death first. As Wu Zetian maneuvers through the machinations behind the scenes in both the military and the civilian media, she questions all the country’s received knowledge about the strength and value of women relative to men – and aims herself at a bigger opponent than one single pilot.

Iron Widow (Book 1) by Xiran Jay Zhao, (List Price: $11.99, Tundra Books, 9780735269958, February 2023)

Reviewed by Ginger Kautz, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, North Carolina

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The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

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The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
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The Poet X is a piece of Acevedo’s heart that we cradle in our hands, an intimate portrayal of someone who isn’t quiet and easy and is all the more beautiful for her sharp edges. Every stanza, Acevedo seemingly challenges herself to improve on what was written before, creating a brutally bittersweet story of what it means to find your voice, both on and off the page. From my first read five years ago to my last, Xiomara continuously inspires me to occupy the spaces I’m told I cannot with my pen, and more importantly, my voice.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, (List Price: $15.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780062662811, April 2020)

Reviewed by Sydney Mason, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

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Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy
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I hardly know where to start…I loved everything about this book! Ramona is spectacular in her extraordinary ordinariness ( and I mean that in the very BEST way). She is every girl – sure of herself until she isn’t – and struggling to find her way back while remaining true to herself. Her cast of supporting characters are the kids we encounter every day. They are gay, straight, black, white, struggling, privileged, confident and questioning and they are NOT “issues.” They are just regular kids, and their stories are spectacular. This is the perfect addition to the #WNDB [We Need Diverse Books] canon and exactly what bookstore shelves should be filled with!

Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy, (List Price: $11.99, Balzer + Bray, 9780062418364, May 2018)

Reviewed by Laura Donohoe, Spellbound Children’s Bookshop in Asheville, North Carolina

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I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

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I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
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McCurdy’s story is bold and heartbreaking and beautiful. Her journey is deeply distressing in the way that only true stories can be, and told in a voice that is raw, wry, and incredibly honest. Through this memoir, McCurdy tells us that we can find our way through the darkness, even if we stumble and fall and think we never ever can find a place of peace and wellness – and I am so thankful to her for it.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, (List Price: $18.99, Simon & Schuster, 9781668022849, August 2022)

Reviewed by Lucile Perkins-Wagel, Blinking Owl Books in Fort Myers, Florida

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