The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Historical Fiction

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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Book Buzz: The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry

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Patti Callahan Henry, photo credit Liesa Cole PhotographyFor me, stories begin with a curiosity, a question that won’t let me go. For The Story She Left Behind, that question was: What happened to Barbara Newhall Follett and her language? I was captivated by the real-life mystery of this child prodigy who published a fantasy novel at twelve years old, invented a language, and then vanished without a trace at twenty-five. I knew I would fictionalize her so I started imagining a daughter left behind by a mother’s disappearance (the real Barbara never had a child), and a book that daughter could not decipher as it was written in her mother’s made-up language. The more I thought about it, the more I knew—this wasn’t just a story about a missing woman, it was a story about how we find ourselves in the things left behind.

― Patti Callahan Henry, Interview, Fresh Fiction

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry

What booksellers are saying about The Story She Left Behind

  • I enjoyed this poignant, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hopeful meditation on imagination, yearning, and motherhood. The literary mystery at the center of the novel kept me turning the page to see what would happen next.
      ― Christina Henderson Harner, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama | BUY

  • Clara Harrington is summoned to England to retrieve the dictionary of her mother’s lost language. The dictionary disappeared, along with her mother, many years ago. Clara’s journey is full of more questions than answers, but she refuses to leave until she uncovers the truth. This is an enchanting novel inspired by a true literary mystery.
      ― Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee | BUY

  • What an absolutely lovely world to stumble into as society collapses around! I loved this even more than Henry’s last novel, Flora Lea, which was a total delight as well. And the fact that she recommended MOTHER HUNGER in the appendix, given the incredibly complicated relationship detailed in these pages – just perfect.
      ― Alissa Redmond, South Main Book Co. in Salisbury, North Carolina | BUY

About Patti Callahan Henry

Patti Callahan Henry is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of several novels, including Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis. She is the recipient of the Christy Award, the Harper Lee Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer of the Year Award, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year. She is the cohost and cocreator of the popular weekly online live web show and podcast Friends and Fiction. She lives in Alabama and South Carolina with her family. Find out more at PattiCallahanHenry.com.

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Spotlight On: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

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Ann Liang, photo by Alyssa Liang

I wrote A Song to Drown Rivers when I was twenty-one—a time when I could feel my world changing shape around me, when my teenage years were starting to feel increasingly distant but adulthood still felt like an abstract concept I hadn’t fully grasped yet—but the seeds for this book were planted long before that. It began with the myths my mother told me when I was a child. Stories about women so beautiful they could bring kingdoms to their knees, about first and final loves so fierce they lived on even in death, and kings as cruel as they were cunning. Even then, the tale of Xishi—the girl, the concubine, the spy—stood out to me. What was it like, I found myself wondering, to have to conceal your true thoughts at every turn? To be tasked with the tremendous mission of making the man you loathe fall in love with you?
–Ann Liang, Letter from the author

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

What booksellers are saying about A Song to Drown Rivers

  • A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic historical fantasy about Xishi, one of the four beauties of Ancient China. The Wu people have recently conquered the Yue and life for the Yue is brutal. Xishi, a Yue woman so beautiful she has to wear a veil to escape attention, is approached by the military advisor of her people with a plan to overthrow the Wu by becoming a beloved concubine of their king. Suddenly her small life in her village is over and she’s being coached in court life, falling for the advisor along the way. But she’ll have to put that behind her if she’s going to succeed and save her people. This stunning but heartbreaking tale will take you right back to Ancient China right along with Xishi.
      ― Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser in Marietta, Georgia | BUY

  • This one is for the readers who want their love stories stained with tragedy. With its gorgeous prose and captivating main character, A Song to Drown Rivers will leave readers tearful and yearning.
      ― Courtney Ulrich Smith, Underbrush Books in Rogers, Arkansas | BUY

  • Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of China’s famed Four Beauties, this novel is as stunning and captivating as its muse! Liang’s poetic prose and vivid imagery beautifully explore themes of war, sacrifice, and love against all odds. What sets this novel apart is its ability to make something so ancient feel immediate and personal, as if Xishi herself stepped out of legend to tell her tale. This book made me feel every emotion, and embodies what a tragic yet profound love story should be!
      ― Janisie Rodriguez, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida | BUY

  • A lush, evocative novel of mythical proportions. Filled with atmosphere, longing and intrigue this story is about Xishi, who is handpicked for her singular beauty to win the heart of a king and destroy a kingdom. This one has Young Adult crossover appeal as well. Can’t wait to hand-sell it!
      ― Jessica Nock, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina | BUY

  • A Song to Drown Rivers retells ancient legend with phenomenal voice, bringing a truly worthwhile addition to the historical fiction genre. The romance in this book was also done so perfectly! There was so much tension and longing. I felt more emotions through one of their glances than I have through some entire romance books. I also appreciated how the love story never took away from the important messages in the book but it was also never overshadowed by them. This book is an absolute gem, a stunning, compelling, and emotionally charged journey that left me breathless.
      ― Baldwin Bookseller, Baldwin & Co. in New Orleans, Louisiana | BUY

About Ann Liang

Ann Liang is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of the critically acclaimed YA novels This Time It’s Real, If You Could See the Sun, and I Hope This Doesn’t Find You. Born in Beijing, she grew up traveling back and forth between China and Australia, but somehow ended up with an American accent. She now lives in Melbourne, where she can be found making overambitious to-do lists and having profound conversations with her pet labradoodle about who’s a good dog.

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The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff

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The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
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n immersive trip through Southern Gothic Early America. The narrative follows a lone girl down the Potomac River, from Jamestown and into the unknown. Nameless or many-named like a barn-cat drifter, Girl wields caution, imagination and a blade to survive the crystalline forests of Virginia and Maryland. She drafts off a peloton of memories–as the British orphan, the mistress’s servant, Bess’s friend, the glassblower’s lover—that pull her forward to eat dirt and vibe with a bear in the present. It’s all about the stories that keep us alive. Groff’s easy and percussive writing, along with her use of time, space and inner dialogue, create an immediacy that had me trying to locate Girl’s coordinates on a map so I wouldn’t lose her. Captivating. Awesome. Great.

The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff, (List Price: $28, Riverhead Books, 9780593418390, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jackie Carlson, Tombolo Books in St Petersburg, Florida

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The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff

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The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff
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A September 2023 Read This Next Book!

Full confession, I adore Lauren Groff, her writing and subject matter are exactly my cup of tea, so it is unlikely that I would not like this book. That said, I was a little skeptical, I kept turning the pages wondering when she was going to be rescued, live happily ever after with her Native husband? This is not that story. What this is, is an amazing meditation on what it means to be alive, to want to stay alive, and the big question, why do we live at all. What if everything you have learned about life in your time on earth is stripped away and you are left with a more beautiful and brutal understanding of God and the world? (I also love that she wrote a draft in iambic pentameter just for fun and to get into the rhythm of the language of the time, it makes my nerdy heart go pitter pat!). Thank you Lauren Groff for writing books for book lovers like me.

The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff, (List Price: 28, Riverhead Books, 9780593418390, September 2023)

Reviewed by Jessica Osborne from E. Shaver, bookseller in Savannah, GA

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Spotlight on: Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead

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Colson Whitehead , photo credit Chris Close/Penguin Random House

“I think, you know, I was coming of age in the late ’70s and consuming TV and movies, and that was, like, you know, plenty of time for the revolutionary fervor of Black national thought of the late ’60s, early ’70s to trickle into, you know, pop culture…So it’s through pop culture, and obviously, the history of the Black Panther Party was not being taught in my high school. I think – I assume most high schools. And now it’s, you know, I think, illegal to teach Black history in certain states and cities. So it wasn’t till college I, you know, got sort of more grounding on some of the real arguments and what different aspects of the Civil Rights Movement actually meant and what they did.” ― Colson Whitehead, Interview NPR Fresh Air

Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead

What booksellers are saying about Crook Manifesto

  • Whitehead continues his epic series started in Harlem Shuffle with Crook Manifesto exploring the hot mess that is 1970s Harlem. After being square for years, Ray Carney gets back in the game while trying to get Jackson 5 concert tickets for his daughter. This book is even more fun than the first with a cast of characters including fire-obsessed criminals, crooked politicians, dirty cops, and the cast and crew of a Blaxploitation film. Highly recommend.
      ― Rachel Watkins from Avid Bookshop in Athens, GA | Buy from Avid Bookshop

  • Take a trip to 1971, when times were turbulent. Ray Carney is in the black market with stolen furniture. That is until he turns to the straight and narrow. He will not make that mistake again he says. Well his precious daughter needs tickets to the Jackson 5 and what is a dad to do? This darkly funny tale searching for the meaning of family, is remarkable. Colton is just a phenomenal author.
      ― Suzanne Lucey from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC | Buy from Page 158 Books

  • Ray Carney, the protagonist of Harlem Shuffle, is the perfect vehicle for Colson Whitehead’s masterful storytelling, and I’m thrilled that he’s back, in Crook Manifesto’s 1970s New York City. The author has created a sharp, endearing, and morally complicated character, but the city itself, in its decaying glory, is also a star here.
      ― Anne Peck from Righton Books in St Simons Island, GA | Buy from Righton Books

About Colson Whitehead

Colson Whitehead is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of eleven works of fiction and nonfiction, and is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, for The Nickel Boys and The Underground Railroad, which also won the National Book Award. A recipient of MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships, he lives in New York City.

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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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Weyward by Emilia Hart

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Weyward by Emilia Hart
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In this utterly captivating debut, Hart manages to weave an intricate, beautifully written novel about three women and their inextricable connection to nature. This intergenerational tale snared me from the first page and wouldn’t let go. If you enjoy complex conversations about legacy, gender and control, nature and witchy-ness, and female power, this should be next on your list.

Weyward by Emilia Hart, (List Price: $27.99, St. Martin’s Press, 9781250280800, March 2023)

Reviewed by Hannah Kerbs, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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Lone Women by Victor LaValle

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Lone Women by Victor LaValle
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Lavalle’s surprising and singular horror/western will appeal to lit fic and genre readers alike with its peculiar and anachronistic, but captivating voice, and its unique wasteland of a setting. It delivers both blood and monsters (human and inhuman) and an affecting exploration of trauma and guilt. This is one that’ll stick with you.

Lone Women by Victor LaValle, (List Price: $27, One World, 9780525512080, March 2023)

Reviewed by Carroll Gelderman, Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans, Louisiana

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Refuge by Bill Campbell

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Refuge by Bill Campbell
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A gritty and tragic tale of a group of Black Seminoles attempting to settle in the territory of Oklahoma. Some within the community see Refuge as just that–a refuge from the violence of white pursuers. Others see marketable potential in Refuge, and have ambitions to expand and put the wealth into the pockets of the oppressed, for once, and create more lasting change for their people. But when a ragtag group of Buffalo soldiers come to town, choosing sides becomes more complicated. Refuge is a bit of a counter-narrative western with a slow-burn, tension-filled story that pays off in an action-packed conclusion.

Refuge by Bill Campbell, (List Price: $19.95, Rosarium Publishing, 9780578391533, February 2023)

Reviewed by Sam Edge, Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Time’s Undoing by Cheryl A. Head

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Time's Undoing by Anne Wynter
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Inspired by true events from the author’s family, TIME’S UNDOING is the story of a Black journalist in 2019 investigating the unsolved mystery of her great-grandfather’s death in 1929 Birmingham. Told in alternating timelines, the novel explores racially-motivated crime, the lengths people will go to cover up the truth, and the powerful bonds of community, family, and love. This is a gripping story full of history, emotion, and suspense that I guarantee will be on my Best of 2023 list!

Time’s Undoing by Cheryl A. Head, (List Price: $28, Dutton, 9780593471821, February 2023)

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

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Victory City by Salman Rushdie

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Victory City by Salman Rushdie
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A woman who suffers a horrifying childhood trauma is transformed into the creator of a city, buildings and denizens alike. Who else but Salman Rushdie has the imagination required to create this woman, who has an almost endless imagination? Rushdie is a modern, male Scheherazade, spinning his fanciful tales of romance, religion, politics, and corruption, with dollops of laugh-out-loud humor and magical realism.

Victory City by Salman Rushdie, (List Price: $30, Random House, 9780593243398, February 2023)

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

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The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen

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The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen
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Fascinating setting and wonderful characters. This place – where Sweden, Finland, and Russia converge – is defined by the intensely cold climate. The church is converting indigenous Sapmi families, the government is imposing its colonizing laws, and this ensemble cast of characters is wrestling with who they are and how they fit in as change slowly sweeps through. Great writing, wonderful characters, and I learned so much about the cultures and some of the politics of this place during this era.

The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen, (List Price: $28.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250822901, January 2023)

Reviewed by Adah Fitzgerald, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell

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The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
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Lucrezia de Medici has been the least favorite child of the powerful Grand Duke of Tuscany since birth and so has been able to grow up almost in the shadows of the royal court in Florence. At thirteen, she is betrothed to the future Duke of Ferrara- in her dead sister’s place. At fifteen, she is married to him and sent away from the only home she has ever known to a troubled court with her new, and older, husband. She has no allies in this new place save one, her handmaid. Day by day, Lucrezia discovers the cruel nature of her husband; the depth of the problems he faces in his new role as Duke; an utter aloneness since she can’t trust anyone and, superseding all else, the immediate need for her to produce an heir to cement the throne of her new family. It is no surprise this is a New York Times best-seller and a Reese’s Book Club pick- it is a wonderful work of historical fiction, and O’Farrell proves once again she is a master at this genre.

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell, (List Price: $28, Knopf, 9780593320624, September 2022)

Reviewed by Jamie Anderson, Downtown Books in Manteo, North Carolina

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Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnet

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Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnet
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Fab. a. suspenseful page-turner; b. hilariously cringey; c. who doesn’t need therapy including your therapist? d. elegantly creepy; e. a novel perfect for these times but set in those times.

Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnet, (List Price: $17.95, Biblioasis, 9781771965200, November 2022)

Reviewed by Erica Eisdorfer, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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