The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Coming of Age

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
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This is my second time reading this book, and even though it’s been over 15 years since I read it the first time, it still is as honest and poignant as ever. I adore Charlie, and his bluntness and naivety. This book perfectly captures being 15 and experiencing life for the first time. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking and is a must-read.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, (List Price: $15.99, MTV Books, 9781665982412, September 2025)

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

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Freakslaw by Jane Flett

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Freakslaw by Jane Flett
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A roiling and intense debut featuring an untamable traveling freak show and the small, narrow-minded Scottish town it invades. What follows are unpredictable celebrations of freakishness, intoxicating forays into carnivals unknown, and the flickering flames of brutality. A furious mob is looming. Which side will you be on?

Freakslaw by Jane Flett, (List Price: $28, Zando, 9781638932666, April 2025)

Reviewed by Joshua Lambie, Underground Books in Carrollton, Georgia

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Notes on Infinity by Austin Taylor

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Notes on Infinity by Austin Taylor
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Notes on Infinity brings together the intensity of two college students coming into their adult selves as they navigate the unknown scientific world. A shared love of science and discovery between Zoe and Jack parallels a less definitive personal relationship. Zoe focuses on the practical while keeping Jack, a true devotee to science, on track physically and emotionally as they grow their literally life-changing project into a full-blown business. The day-to-day of student life will appeal to even those who have long left those days behind, when the future was wide open and limited only by the energy you put into it.

Notes on Infinity by Austin Taylor, (List Price: $29.99, Celadon Books, 9781250376107, June 2025)

Reviewed by Doloris Vest, Book No Further in Roanoke, Virginia

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Nahia by Emily Jones

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Nahia by Emily Jones
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Solidly enjoyable YA historical fiction. As an avid reader of Clan of the Cave Bear as a child, this one immediately jumped out at me (LOVE the cover). It’s fun to have a “next generation” of this type of story to introduce to teen readers. I loved the historical context provided at the end and appreciate the research and care that went into accurately representing the world.

Nahia by Emily Jones, (List Price: $18.99, Holiday House, 9780823458356, April 2025)

Reviewed by Kate Snyder, Plaid Elephant Books in Danville, Kentucky

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Bride of the Sea by Eman Quotah

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Bride of the Sea by Eman Quotah
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Full of longing and regret, Bride of the Sea tells the story of Muneer and Saeedah, a newly married couple from Saudi Arabia living in Ohio. As the arrival of their first child draws near, their marriage is falling apart. Muneer returns to his homeland, and Saeedah flees with their daughter, Hanadi. What follows are decades of a father desperately searching for his child and a mother on the run. Hanadi comes of age and is caught in the middle between conflicting cultures and religions. This mesmerizing debut will be a hit for fans of A Place For Us, A Woman Is No Man, and Everything I Never Told You. Highly recommend.

Bride of the Sea by Eman Quotah, (List Price: $16.95, Tin House Books, 9781951142452, January 2021)

Reviewed by Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj

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Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj
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Behind You Is the Seais a powerful debut that tells the stories of three Palestinian American families living in Baltimore. Reading like intertwined short stories, each chapter is told from a different family member’s point of view–taking readers through the highs and lows of relationships both within and outside the family. Perfect for book clubs and readers who enjoyed A Woman Is No Man and Against the Loveless World.

Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj, (List Price: $16.99, HarperVia, 9780063324244, January 2025)

Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar

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The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar
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Beautifully written and gripping story that explores many themes including immigrant stories, art, gentrification and trans-identity. The narrative fluctuates between a present day look into a life of an artist and first generation Syrian American with a supernatural glimpse into the past.

The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar, (List Price: $18.99, Washington Square Press, 9781982121525, July 2021)

Reviewed by Melissa Summers, Main Street Books in Davidson, 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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Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia

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Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia
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The Shop Around the Corner vibes around in Ali Brady’s newest novel about rival bookstore owners! Josie manages a literary bookstore just two doors down from the romance bookstore that Ryan manages. But now, the owner of both stores is planning to combine them, but there’s only room for one manager. The one who has the best sales during the next three months wins. They clash instantly after they first meet. But neither realizes that this isn’t the first time they’ve met. They’re actually really good friends on a booksellers’ forum online.

Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia, (List Price: $19.99, Zando Young Readers, 9781638931492, January 2025)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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The Kiss Bet Volume One by Ingrid Ochoa

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The Kiss Bet Volume One by Ingrid Ochoa
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Nothing is more awkward than a first kiss, and Ingrid Ochoa captures that so well and makes it interesting when senior student Sara Lin gets bet by her friend to kiss a stranger. What ensues is secret disguises, new crushes, and so many twists and turns. Will Sara get her kiss? Will she pass Calculus!? Can’t wait to see where this story goes!

The Kiss Bet Volume One by Ingrid Ochoa, (List Price: $18.99, WEBTOON Unscrolled, 9781998341146, February 2025)

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

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The Kiss Bet Volume One by Ingrid Ochoa

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The Kiss Bet Volume One by Ingrid Ochoa
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Just how far are you willing to go for a bet? Would you kiss a cute stranger on the subway? I have followed this comic for so so long and I’m elated to see it in print! Team subway boy all the way!

The Kiss Bet Volume One by Ingrid Ochoa, (List Price: $18.99, WEBTOON Unscrolled, 9781998341146, February 2025)

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

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Ditching Saskia by John Moore

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Ditching Saskia by John Moore
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What we all wouldn’t give to resurrect a lost one, even to spend just a few days with them? In Damian’s world you can, but one small hiccup is he ends up bringing back not his mom but a young dead girl. This story is all about the unexpected ways life gives us the answers we need. Themes of belonging, loss, guilt and abandonment and yet so much hope in the messiness. Perfect for fall and Studio Ghibli fans!

Ditching Saskia by John Moore, (List Price: $19.99, Flying Eye Books, 9781838741556, October 2024)

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

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With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

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With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
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You don’t see teen mothers in YA much, and I am so grateful Acevedo has introduced us to Emoni, a seventeen-year-old who is a loving mother, a devoted granddaughter, and an amazing cook. Readers will warm immediately to her story of juggling school, family, romance, and her culinary passion. Sprinkled with magical realism and brimming with heart, With the Fire on High is a dish everyone should dig into!

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo, (List Price: $15.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780062662842, March 2021)

Reviewed by Hannah DeCamp, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

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Leap by Simina Popescu

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Leap by Simina Popescu
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I loved everything about this story! This touched on typical dancer struggles, like eating disorders, cruel instructors, and envy among the students but it was done in a way that I feel lots of people who aren’t in dance can relate to. But much more than just a story about dancers, we are following Ana, who is struggling with her identity, her relationships, being queer, and her struggle to figure herself out. I also really appreciated the color pallet that was chosen for this story and the times when the artist utilized other brighter colors as part of the storytelling.

Leap by Simina Popescu, (List Price: $17.99, Roaring Brook Press, 9781250838308, November 2024)

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

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The Sapling Cage by Margaret Killjoy

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The Sapling Cage by Margaret Killjoy
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The Sapling Cage ushers in a strong transfeminine voice to the witch fantasy subgenre! As the reader follows the journey of Lorel, a trans girl who swaps places with her childhood best friend to join a witch coven, they are introduced to a rich fantasy world full of antagonistic knights, vicious monsters, and sinister magical rituals. The author, Killjoy, does a great job at balancing the immense conflict between the witches and their surroundings with Lorel’s personal conflict with her body and identity. This book is a rewarding read due to its captivating cast of characters, introspection on queerness, and exploration of themes such as the hoarding of wealth and power.

The Sapling Cage by Margaret Killjoy, (List Price: $17.95, The Feminist Press at CUNY, 9781558613317, September 2024)

Reviewed by Catherine Pabalate, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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