The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Comics & Graphic Novels

Cannon by Lee Lai

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Cannon by Lee Lai
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Cannon by Lee Lai is a blow to the nervous system with cathartic aftershocks. Through gorgeous linework, paneling, and speech bubble placement, Cannon portrays a pressure cooker of circumstances for “stoic” protagonist Cannon/Lucy, in her relationships (platonic, romantic, and familial), stressful restaurant job, and attempts to keep everything under control (even as she’s seeing birds) in the form of going on runs while listening to breathing meditation podcasts. I sweated. I felt too seen. I devoured it.

Cannon by Lee Lai, (List Price: $29.95, Drawn and Quarterly, 9781770468023, September 2025)

Reviewed by Julie Jarema, Hub City Bookshop in Spartanburg, South Carolina

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Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain by Juan E. Zambrano

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Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain by Juan E. Zambrano
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I loved this story so much! A young boy, Pacheco, is enamored by magic and the witches who have the gift for it on the mountain. But he’s a fisherman’s son, and he’s also a boy – both of which keep him from magic. This all changes when he meets Doris, a rogue witch who does things differently. At its heart, this is all a story about making space for what’s different, of questioning our traditions and way of doing things. I loved it!

Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain by Juan E. Zambrano, (List Price: $12.99, Andrews McMeel Publishing, 9781524892180, June 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki

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This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki
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What a pair! Thrilled to see Mariko Tamaki and Nicole Goux team up for This Place Kills Me, bringing together their signature skills in creating wonderful misfit weird girls to this beautifully drawn, dark, theatrical mystery. Set at an all-girls boarding school in the ’80s/’90s, I couldn’t put this book down as the secrets of the Wilberton Theatrical Society spilled out in devastating and compelling ways.

This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki, (List Price: $26.99, Abrams Fanfare, 9781419768460, August 2025)

Reviewed by Julie Jarema, Hub City Bookshop in Spartanburg, South Carolina

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Miss Camper: A Graphic Novel by Kat Fajardo

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Miss Camper: A Graphic Novel by Kat Fajardo
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It’s Sue’s first time at summer camp, and she is so excited! She knows exactly what she wants to do and can’t wait to do it all with her best friend. She soon finds that things don’t always pan out the way we plan, but sometimes that can lead to something better. Miss Camper is a fun, enjoyable read full of adorable illustrations. It is an all-around fun-filled adventure you won’t want to miss!

Miss Camper: A Graphic Novel by Kat Fajardo, (List Price: $24.99, Graphix, 9781338535600, July 2025)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen

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Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen
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A burnt-out teen joins a local theater program in this delightful story for fans of Eliza, From Scratch. Finding solace in messaging with Peri, the bear in their production of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, Angelica works to uncover his true identity, finding community and new love along the way.

Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen, (List Price: $27.99, Random House Graphic, 9781984892676, October 2025)

Reviewed by Matilda McNeely, Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, Georgia

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Talking to My Father’s Ghost by Alex Krokus

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Talking to My Father's Ghost by Alex Krokus
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This creative graphic memoir tells the story of two brothers and their mother navigating the grief process after losing their dad (and husband) to cancer. Grief isn’t linear, and the characters (and extended family) all process the death differently. The titular ghost is only visible to Alex, and their relationship is beautiful, showing that death doesn’t have to be the end.

Talking to My Father’s Ghost by Alex Krokus, (List Price: $22.95, Chronicle Books, 9781797228181, August 2025)

Reviewed by Daniel Jordan, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas

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Raging Clouds by Yudori

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Raging Clouds by Yudori
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A BRILLIANT DEBUT set in 16th-century Netherlands that will stick with you. Honestly, this one really made me rage. It’s a reminder of the injustice women have encountered in time (and to this day). What resonated the most is how the author captures the way in which women are pitted against one another. But, when we come together — like this unlikely pair — we soar. We experience a kind of freedom. Heartbreaking and hopeful.

Raging Clouds by Yudori, (List Price: $34.99, Fantagraphics, 9798875001062, July 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Arcana: The Lost Heirs by Sam Prentice-Jones

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Arcana: The Lost Heirs by Sam Prentice-Jones
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A hidden society of witches? An orphan with a strong lineage to a long-gone family? Cute queer romances and yearning? Tarot card foreshadowing? What more could one want? This is a world where witches work to keep the balance between natural and unnatural forces, and the Arcana is one of the specific societies that does this. But when four students’ lives are thrown together, they realize there is something connecting their blood, and it smells like murder, it smells like power, it smells like secrets. You won’t be able to put this one down!

Arcana: The Lost Heirs by Sam Prentice-Jones, (List Price: $19.99, 8. Feiwel & Friends, 9781250290229, June 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag

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The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag
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This adorable graphic novel about a shape-shifting selkie and a teen lesbian who hasn’t fully accepted her queerness is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. This is a great book for young queer people with a diverse cast of characters and a lovely sapphic romance that you can easily devour in one sitting. Can’t wait to get this into the hands of young readers!

The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag, (List Price: $14.99, Graphix, 9781338540574, June 2021)

Reviewed by Candice Huber, Tubby & Coo’s Traveling Book Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana

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Shark Summer by Ira Marcks

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Shark Summer by Ira Marcks
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A group of friends set out to create a short film uncovering the truth about the Martha’s Vineyard phantom shark and win the youth film contest, however, they uncover some secrets that are tough to deal with. Suspenseful and heartwarming, with relatable characters, Shark Summer is a winning graphic novel!

Shark Summer by Ira Marcks, (List Price: $12.99, Little, Brown Ink, 9780316461443, May 2021)

Reviewed by Jen Minor, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Espada by Anabel Colazo

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Espada by Anabel Colazo
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There is so much push and pull in this story of a magical Princess who does not believe she alone should have the power she’s been given by her adopted mother, the queen. A beautifully illustrated graphic novel that focuses on the stories that are told.

Espada by Anabel Colazo, (List Price: $19.99, Oni Press, 9781637157596, May 2025)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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I Wanna Be Your Girl Vol. 1 by Umi Takase

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I Wanna Be Your Girl Vol. 1 by Umi Takase
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This story was delightful from start to finish. It isn’t very often that I’ve seen trans representation from the very beginning, non-passing stages. I was immediately enamored with the casualty of exploration and the support between friends. 10/10 recommendation!

I Wanna Be Your Girl Vol. 1 by Umi Takase, (List Price: $12.99, Random House Graphic, 9780593902929, July 2025)

Reviewed by Eden Haymon, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom by Jessixa Bagley

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Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom by Jessixa Bagley
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Jazzy the Witch is such a relatable character! She is really struggling with her identity as a witch, and realizes that she is different than everyone around her. This was such a fun graphic novel! I enjoyed the witchy sayings and phrases, and I loved that it has such an amazing message, which is that it’s ok to be who you are.

Jazzy the Witch in Broom Doom by Jessixa Bagley, (List Price: $14.99, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665922326, July 2025)

Reviewed by Sarah Blackwell, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Brielle and Bear: Volume 1 by Salomey Doku

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Brielle and Bear: Volume 1 by Salomey Doku
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A-d-o-r-a-b-l-e!!!!The illustration and the color palette immediately drew me in. Cheesy was done in the best way possible. Cute little love story with loads of diverse characters. Representations mentioned: dyslexia, color blindness, stutter, and vitiligo. So happy to see at the end that the story will be continuing. Will definitely be following along with this series!

Brielle and Bear: Volume 1 by Salomey Doku, (List Price: $24.99, Random House Graphic, 9780593711170, April 2025)

Reviewed by Stephanie StJohn, E. Shaver Bookseller in Savannah, Georgia

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Into the Bewilderness by Gus Gordon

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Into the Bewilderness by Gus Gordon
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This book is a treat (just look at that art!), especially for fans of Frog & Toad who are ready for a bigger adventure. Luis (the guitar playing bear) & Pablo (the grumpy mole) are an odd pair of buddies that must brave their way to The Big City to in an attempt to experience *culture* and fine dining (versus the usual catch your own meal way of the woods) and not get mugged by rough and tough city squirrels with spoons in this hilarious, pitch perfect, highbrow-lowbrow tale that will leave you singing a song and giggling all the way through.

Into the Bewilderness by Gus Gordon, (List Price: $15.99, HarperAlley, 9780063246119, July 2025)

Reviewed by Julie Jarema, Hub City Bookshop in Spartanburg, South Carolina

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