The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Comics & Graphic Novels

Ghost Book by Remy Lai

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Ghost Book by Remy Lai
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Remy Lai continues to be one of the best and most thoughtful creators working in children’s literature today. In her graphic novel Ghost Book, Lai gives us the loveable characters of July Chen who can see ghosts all around her and William, a boy whose not quite dead. Filled with vibrant images, mythology, and heart – Ghost Book proves once again that no one can weave together fun and deep emotion like Remy Lai!

Ghost Book by Remy Lai, (List Price: 14.99, Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks, 9781250810434, August 2023)

Reviewed by Caleb Masters, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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One Smart Cookie by Mika Song

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One Smart Cookie by Mika Song
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Fortunately, one of the adorable squirrels was learning to read and write. Their futures were bright, and cookies were just a few words away. If only they could think their way into the fortune cookie writer’s block. Darling and silly, this graphic novel is perfect for beginning readers of all ages.

One Smart Cookie by Mika Song, (List Price: 12.99, Random House Graphic, 9780593479759, August 2023)

Reviewed by Jilleen Moore, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi

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Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen

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Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen
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Artwork was good but a bit simplistic. I enjoyed following Mia’s story as she tries to reconnect with her father and learn to balance her Hebrew and Native American heritages. Anyone dealing with divorced parents and different cultural backgrounds will enjoy this book.

Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen, (List Price: 15.99, Heartdrum, 9780062983589, August 2023)

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

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Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault

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Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault
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This graphic novel was such a delight to read. It acknowledges the importance of being able to see the many different make ups of family. Family is so much more than the people we are related to, it can be friends, community and sometimes we find it in the most unexpected places. I love how it shows that sometimes we are afraid of things we do not understand and once we take the step to look a little deeper our fear begins to diminish.

Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault, (List Price: 14.99, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 9781665903073, July 2023)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Doom Breaker Volume 1 by Blue-Deep

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The Prince & The Apocalypse by Kara McDowell
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Wow! Blown away! This has so much potential! I love the setting, concept, action, art direction, everything! I am so excited to keep up with this series!

Doom Breaker Volume 1 by Blue-Deep, (List Price: 19.99, WEBTOON Unscrolled, 9781990259883, July 2023)

Reviewed by Ethan Davis, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida

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Arca by Jesse Lonergan Van Jensen

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Arca by Jesse Lonergan Van Jensen
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The Arca is spaceship filled with the last remaining survivors of the human race as they head off in search of a habitable planet in this fun, new post apocalyptic graphic novel. The elite run the show and reap the rewards, while the young people toil as servants, hoping to one day become elite themselves. Naturally, all is not as it seems, as the mystery behind this oppressive social structure starts to unravel. I blazed through this fun, ground level sci-fi story and loved it. The perspective and the art lend a much more enjoyable indie tone to what would normally come off as a big, dumb Hollywood style space epic. Recommended!

Arca by Jesse Lonergan Van Jensen, (List Price: 16.99, IDW Publishing, 9781684059980, July 2023)

Reviewed by Seth Tucker, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky

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Frontera by Julio Anta

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Frontera by Julio Anta
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Incredibly moving and powerful. Frontera gives emotional insight into deportations, border crossing and the separation of families. Through impactful graphics and storytelling, it showcases the harsh realties of those making a perilous journey across the border in search of a better life or in Mateo’s case the life they once had.

Frontera by Julio Anta, (List Price: $18.99, HarperAlley, 9780063054943, July 2023)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Gunhild, Volume 1 by Fred Tornager

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Gunhild, Volume 1 by Fred Tornager
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A fresh, creative, and colorful reimagining of Norse mythology. This story has heart and the motivation Gunhild has to become a God is inspiring! I hope to see much more of this world and these characters!

Gunhild, Volume 1 by Fred Tornager, (List Price: 13.99, Rockport Publishers, 9780760381915, July 2023)

Reviewed by Lana Repic, E. Shaver, booksellers in Savannah, Georgia

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Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game (Graphic Novel Memoir) by Colin Kaepernick

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Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game (Graphic Novel Memoir) by Colin Kaepernick
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Change the Game follows a young Colin Kaepernick as he navigates late high school, and his lack of offers to play college football. He confronts the societal obstacles in his way head on and continues to fight for and believe in himself. Great for young athletes who are looking for an inspiring story of overcoming challenges, both in the outside world and in their own heads.

Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game (Graphic Novel Memoir) by Colin Kaepernick, (List Price: 24.99, Graphix, 9781338789669, May 2023)

Reviewed by Alex Einhorn, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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The Mighty Bite by Nathan Hale

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The Mighty Bite by Nathan Hale
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A trilobite has a dream to become famous and it gets silly from there; what’s not to love? Nathan Hale has crafted a delightfully wacky, hilarious, and clever graphic novel filled with ape gods, extinct animals, Amber the walking whale, a video-making contest, and a floating talking cat head. Pure fun!

The Mighty Bite by Nathan Hale, (List Price: 14.99, Harry N. Abrams, 9781419765537, April 2023)

Reviewed by Caleb Masters, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Night of the Ghoul by Scott Snyder

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Night of the Ghoul by Scott Snyder
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Wow! This was awesome! The illustrations with the limited color palette really helped tell the story and made for fantastic page compositions. The story was also great and really felt like it paid homage to all the classic horror movies and their monsters – I can absolutely see The Ghoul fitting right in next to them. I also very much enjoyed the split story telling between what was happening ‘in real time’ vs. showing parts of the film. Good stuff.

Night of the Ghoul by Scott Snyder, (List Price: 19.99, Dark Horse Books, 9781506728353, June 2023)

Reviewed by Olivia Stacey, E. Shaver, Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

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My Special One, Vol. 2 by Momoko Koda

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My Special One, Vol. 2 by Momoko Koda
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How heartwarming!! I love how this manga doesn’t use melodrama and shallow angst to delay the characters from finally dating. These two are people with their own quirks and problems that slowly come to understand what they want and how they feel for one another, and it is so so cute.

My Special One, Vol. 2 by Momoko Koda, (List Price: 9.99, VIZ Media LLC, 9781974736911, May 2023)

Reviewed by Lana Repic, E. Shaver, bookseller in Savanna, Georgia

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Hailstone by Rafael Scavone

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Hailstone by Rafael Scavone
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I thought I had it all figured out in the start. There are countless stories out there that start out in a similar way. However, this novel really does it’s own thing. I thought it was going to be a werewolf or wendigo type creature. Boy was I wrong. Never expected the climax that actually came!

Hailstone by Rafael Scavone, (List Price: 22.99, Dark Horse Books, 9781506730943, June 2023)

Reviewed by Ethan Davis, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida

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Lost in Taiwan (A Graphic Novel) by Mark Crilley

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Lost in Taiwan (A Graphic Novel) by Mark Crilley
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Imagine being in a country you know nothing about without your phone to guide you. You might be amazed at what you find, discover about an unknown place or even about yourself. This book takes you on journey through Taiwan and immerses you in the culture. I really loved the adventure of it all and the amazing graphics.

Lost in Taiwan (A Graphic Novel) by Mark Crilley, (List Price: 24.99, Little, Brown Ink, 9781368040884, May 2023)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree, Vol. 1 by Nikiichi Tobita

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Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree, Vol. 1 by Nikiichi Tobita
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I knew that someone was writing a comedy manga around the world of Elden Ring, but I didn’t know it was going to hit this level of scale! Following the journey that everyone who played the game also had, except this tale takes the world and twists the situations into joking situations. Very clever idea. I hope this is able to be continued until the conclusion.

Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree, Vol. 1 by Nikiichi Tobita, (List Price: 13, Yen Press, 9781975364892, May 2023)

Reviewed by Ethan Davis, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida

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