The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Fiction

To Have and to Heist by Sara Desai

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To Have and to Heist by Sara Desai
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To Have and to Heist is a wild-ride from start to finish. Think Oceans 11 with serious screwball romantic comedy energy. The plot is complex, but Desai is no novice. A seasoned romance author whose previous works have charmed us for the last few years (The Single’s Game, The Wedding Planner & The Dating Project), Desai is known for loveable, awkward leads caught in the cross hairs of cultural expectations and hijinks. Simi, her floundering heroine with zero filter, is instantly loveable. Jack is Simi’s perfect foil; secretive and gruff but also floundering in his own way. Their chemistry is instant. While Simi and Jack’s relationship takes the lead, sizzling with sexual tension, their heist crew provides the perfect goof-ball comedic relief. Would I trust an Uber driver, a hit-man, a nerdy man-child, and an animal loving HIMBO to have my back in a heist? In these circumstances… you bet. Sara Desai brings us the experiences of many young, second generation Indian Americans- pressure to live up to familial expectations, be successful, and, of course, get married. Expertly weaving these experiences into laugh out loud romances. To Have and To Heist is the fun, heart-racing, summer romance adventure that we all deserve.

To Have and to Heist by Sara Desai, (List Price: $17, Berkley, 9780593548509, July 2023)

Reviewed by Katie Garaby, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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King of the Armadillos by Wendy Chin-Tanner

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King of the Armadillos by Wendy Chin-Tanner
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Victor’s life is turned upside down at the young age of 15. Diagnosed with Hansen’s disease (leprosy), he’s forced to leave his family and move to Carville, LA to a federal leprosarium. Scared and alone, he wants to flee. However, with the wide and varied cast of characters in his new home at Carville, he finds hope, love, and tragedy…but always hoping for the elusive cure. When Victor’s time at Carville nears the end, difficult choices must be made. You’ll find you are holding your breath at many points of this story. I could not put it down.

King of the Armadillos by Wendy Chin-Tanner, (List Price: 28.99, Flatiron Books, 9781250843005, July 2023)

Reviewed by Amy Loewy, Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana

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Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen

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Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen
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Jessica Tran returns home from LA after a bad breakup hoping to get back on her feet, but things are just as crazy at home: her parents’ nail salon is facing competition from an Instagram-worthy gentrified salon across the street. All five Tran family members — Jessica, her workaholic brother, her immigrant parents, and recently-arrived cousin — get POV chapters as they try to figure out what’s next and how to keep Sunshine Nails afloat. With a light tone, stylized characters, and page-turning short chapters that read faster than quick-dry polish can set, Sunshine Nails is a fun read, even if the ending feels a little rushed and smudged.

Sunshine Nails by Mai Nguyen, (List Price: 26.99, Atria Books, 9781668010495, July 2023)

Reviewed by Melanie, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

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The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

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The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
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An August 2023 Read This Next! Book

In Pottstown, PA in 1972 a skeleton is found at the bottom of a old well. McBride takes us back more than four decades to tell the story of a community of Black and Jewish characters in the Chicken Hill neighborhood, along with the white characters who run the town (and march in the annual KKK parades.) It’s hard to think of a more compassionate writer than McBride. This story is captivating, funny, exciting and absolutely wonderful.

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride, (List Price: $28, Riverhead Books, 9780593422946, August 2023)

Reviewed by Christine Lavigna, Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina

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Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

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Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
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An August 2023 Read This Next! Book

In a debut as profound as it is strange, Emily Habek explores what happens when a newlywed couple is split apart by a strange mutation–one of them is turning rapidly, limb by fin, into a great white shark. With imagination and heart, Habek startles the reader awake with the questions we all have living in us: can I survive loss in my life? How do I remain open when I am suffering? What does it mean to learn myself again?

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck, (List Price: 28, S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books, 9781668006498, August 2023)

Reviewed by Julia Paganelli Marin, Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas

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Spotlight on: The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei

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Yume Kitasei , photo credit Sylvie Rosokoff

“For me, there’s always been self-doubt inherent to growing up “in between.” There’s also a dissonance between feeling one thing and often being perceived as another. When I write, I think that introspection and uncertainty often leak into my characters, no matter the situation. And I can never help poking that tender spot where the protagonist realizes the world may not view her the way she views herself.” ― Yume Kitasei, Interview SmokeLong Quarterly

The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei

What booksellers are saying about The Deep Sky

  • On a mission to colonize a distant planet, funded by a billionaire who trained them from adolescence, a lethal explosion rocks not only their spaceship but the crew’s faith in each other. This promising debut is part space thriller, part character study of a Japanese-American girl struggling with belonging and self-worth. There are some pacing issues, but I loved the world-building across timelines and would have followed this crew indefinitely!
      ― Megan Bell from Underground Books in Carrollton, GA | Buy from Underground Books

  • A crew of 80 women on spaceship from Earth to Planet X have their skills and loyalty tested after a bomb on the ship knocks them off course. Vibes of Lord of the Flies, The Matrix, and 2001 a Space Odyssey kept me guessing throughout this sci-fi whodunit..
      ― Darinda Sharp from Pearl’s Books in Fayetteville, AR | Buy from Pearl’s Books

  • This is a sci-fi novel for everyone! It successfully mashes up the sci-fi genre with a locked-room mystery — after a disaster on board a ship carrying a crew of women to a new planet, it becomes clear that someone on board must have been responsible. I loved that the person who fits in the least with the crew, Asuka, is the person who ends up working on solving the mystery. Although most of the story takes place on board the ship, there are some flashbacks to Asuka’s time training on Earth, which brings up issues relating to climate change and international politics. An interesting, fun, and thought-provoking read.
      ― Kate Storhoff from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC | Buy from Bookmarks

About Yume Kitasei

Yume Kitasei is a writer of speculative fiction. She is half-Japanese and half-American and grew up in a space between two cultures—the same space where her stories reside. She lives in Brooklyn with two cats, Boondoggle and Filibuster. Her stories have appeared in publications including New England Review, Catapult, SmokeLong Quarterly, and Baltimore Review, and her short story was spotlighted in the 2022 Best Small Fictions anthology by Sonder Press. The Deep Sky is her first novel.

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The Only Purple House in Town by Ann Aguirre

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The Only Purple House in Town by Ann Aguirre
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This sweet found family story will hit you right in the feels! Iris has always been the misfit in her family of energy vampires (literally) with no powers to speak of, never fitting in and unsure if her place in the world. But when her great aunt passed and leaves Iris her house, she slowly begins finding her way in the world as she starts taking in boarders. But it’s not all perfect. Her nosy neighbor finds fault with everything she does and is determined to see her fail. But Iris’s found family of lovable roommates will do everything in their power to keep them all together.

The Only Purple House in Town by Ann Aguirre, (List Price: 16.99, Sourcebooks Casablanca, 9781728262499, July 2023)

Reviewed by Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia

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The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec

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The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec
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Genevieve Gornichec is ready to become the historical fantasy queen. This book was everything I wanted and more. Fantasy elements that were easy to follow and that felt so authentic to the story. Romance that made me giddy with relationships that broke my heart. A tale of sisterhood and how our fate can intertwine with others in unexpecting ways made for a fantastic read.

The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec, (List Price: 27, Ace, 9780593438244, July 2023)

Reviewed by Alsace Walentine, Tombolo Books in St Petersburg, Florida

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Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

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Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig
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Black River Orchard hit me like a combination of Stephen King and really good Magnus Archives episode, in the best of ways. For my fellow booksellers, this book is a mix of Stephen King’s IT and Faust — like if Faust was an apple farmer, and then mix up layers of horror–there’s psychological horror of domestic abuse and being trapped, of seeing people change for the worse. There’s body horror. Hooo boy, there’s body horror. And on top of all of that, I learned about apples!

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig, (List Price: $29.99, Del Rey, 9780593158746, September 2023)

Reviewed by Alex Mcleod, The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, Alabama

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The Wren, the Wren by Anne Enright

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The Wren, the Wren by Anne Enright
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Anne Enright is known for her poetic passages, but The Wren, The Wren also is full of actual poems, ostensibly written by the patriarch of the McDaragh family. Enright explores three generations of this Irish clan, and pain, abuse, neglect echo through the years… but this book also shows breathaking beauty and hints of hope. Although the author has explored this territory before, this book is fresh and stunning, and may be her best yet.

The Wren, the Wren by Anne Enright, (List Price: 27.95, W. W. Norton & Company, 9781324005681, September 2023)

Reviewed by Anne Peck, Righton Books in St Simons Island, Georgia

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Forget Me Not by Julie Soto

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Forget Me Not by Julie Soto
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A July 2023 Read This Next! Book

I adored this book! Ama and Elliott have my whole heart. I loved Ama’s tenacity and dedication to her career as a wedding planner; she is one of my favorite romance characters I’ve met this year. Elliott, the quietly ambitious florist who believes in happily ever afters, is the perfect balance to Ama. This will be one of the big romances of the summer! I can’t wait to talk about it with everyone!

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto, (List Price: $16.99, Forever, 9781538740880, July 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter

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Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter
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A July 2023 Read This Next! Book

A miserable, beautifully written swan song to the happy life- to freedom, to creativity. Our heroine descends into black hole darkness while trying to navigate her increasingly insane amount of responsibilities at her Silicone Valley startup. Be careful, this will refresh your feelings on whether or not you’re prepared to stay at your 9 – 5…

Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter, (List Price: $25, Scribner, 9781668011638, July 2023)

Reviewed by Aimee Keeble, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Do Tell by Lindsay Lynch

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Do Tell by Lindsay Lynch
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A July 2023 Read This Next! Book

I absolutely loved this book! Set in the Golden Age of Hollywood we follow Edie O’Dare, studio informant turned gossip columnist, as she sniffs out scandal and witnesses Hollywood close ranks around a repugnant but money-making star. The glittering glamour of late ’30s Hollywood is completely immersive, every character is fully formed and complex, and the writing is truly excellent. I cannot wait to shove this into the hands of customers this summer!

Do Tell by Lindsay Lynch, (List Price: $28, Doubleday, 9780385549370, July 2023)

Reviewed by Chelsea Bauer, Union Avenue Books in Knoxville, Tennessee

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First Position by Melanie Hamrick

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First Position by Melanie Hamrick
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The trope of the lovable anti-hero is beaten out only by that of the detestable anti-hero. Sylvie Carter is inherently unlikable, the hapless victim of every event of the story, including her own poor decisions, the least of which is becoming sexually involved with yet another member of her ballet company, even after the first affair launched her fall from grace. Possibly the most frustrating character since Scarlet O’Hara, her narration is filled with shocking scandal and incredibly loving description of a professional dancer’s lifestyle – and I adored every page.

First Position by Melanie Hamrick, (List Price: 17, Berkley, 9780593638149, June 2023)

Reviewed by Elizabeth Graben, M. Judson Booksellers in Greenville, South Carolina

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Wolfsong by TJ Klune

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Wolfsong by TJ Klune
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This is my first foray into TJ Klune (I know, I know, I’m behind the times) and I have to say, I loved Wolfsong! I had only read YA gay love stories and it was such an interesting change up reading a book written for gay men opposed to women attempting to write gay men. I loved Ox and how he developed his pack. I also loved that he was just a "What you see is what you get" kind of guy. Not everyone in the world is a deep thinker or an overthinker. And we need a balance. The only thing I didn’t care for was Ox being attracted to Joe when he was still a few months underage. I know that there wasn’t a power imbalance in their relationship, but I’ve seen a lot of hate groups accusing LGBT people of intentionally targeting young people, so I would be afraid for someone who has not read the story in its entirety to judge wrongly from that fact alone.

Wolfsong by TJ Klune, (List Price: $29.99, Tor Books, 9781250890313, July 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story On the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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