The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

LGBTQ+

Book Buzz: Public Access Afterword by Jan Schoenbrun

ad

Jane Schoenbrun, photo courtesy the author“I think directing is performing and writing is performing. I find myself constantly aware that I’m not performing when I’m on the couch with my loved ones. I would even go a step further and say I’m really good at that, probably because of some trans trauma. Because when you’re a kid, you learn very young that people want you to perform a version of yourself that isn’t you. I learned how to do that really well, and I think it’s an essential part of filmmaking.”

  ― Jane Schoenbrun, On Friendship, Fiction, and Faking It, Interview Magazine

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun

What booksellers are saying about Public Access Afterworld

  • This is everything haunting about I Saw the TV Glow ramped up exponentially, and every feeling (good and bad and BAD BAD) about growing up and growing into yourself while looking at others through a screen wrapped into this glorious and disturbing thing.
      ― Frances, Blinking Owl Books, Fort Myers, Florida | BUY

  • I am still buzzing as I write this. This book is tapped so hard into my subconscious that it feels magical. Bethany Peters is a hero our times needed and is still waiting for.
      ― Zack, Novel, Memphis, Tennessee | BUY

  • Public Access Afterworld is a sprawling modern epic, perfect for internet weirdos and TV lovers. This novel is the perfect center between Schoenbrun’s other works, I Saw the TV Glow and We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. Even though it’s 600 pages, I flew through this book. I be recommending it to everyone I know.
    ― Em, Bookmiser, Marietta, Georgia | BUY

  • Public Access Afterworld sucks you in and spits you back into the world with fresh eyes for shadows, static, possibility in the mundane. This maximalist novel keeps you on your toes, like channel surfing and hitting the most intriguing parts of shows until they culminate into something bigger. Jane Schoenbrun expertly paces their debut, braiding plot lines and timelines and blending sci-fi into the real world with all the tension of a thriller. Those who are already fans of I Saw the TV Glow will get to explore familiar themes and visuals while experiencing a new dimension of Jane Schoenbrun’s universe.
    ― Julie, Hub City Bookshop, Spartanburg, South Carolina | BUY

About Jane Schoenbrun

Jane Schoenbrun is an award-winning filmmaker and writer. Their films include I Saw the TV Glow, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, and Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma starring Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder. Public Access Afterworld is their first novel.

ad

Book Buzz: Public Access Afterword by Jan Schoenbrun Read More »

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun

Public Access Afterworld is a sprawling modern epic, perfect for internet weirdos and TV lovers. This novel is the perfect center between Schoenbrun’s other works, I Saw the TV Glow and We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. Even though it’s 600 pages, I flew through this book. I’m recommending it to everyone I know.

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun, (List Price: $33, Hogarth, 9780593978382, October 2026)

Reviewed by Em, Bookmiser in Marietta, GA

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun Read More »

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun

Schoenbrun’s first novel infinitely expands the world we’ve glimpsed through their films: We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, I Saw the TV Glow, and most recently Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. Public Access Afterworld is an epic for the digital age; an absolute tome of speculative fiction with a wandering timeline (Oppenheimer makes an appearance), a cast of unreliable narrators, a trans final girl/Chosen One, and a sense of humor against all odds. Buckle up, losers! We’re going to the TV dimension.

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun, (List Price: $33, Hogarth, 9780593978382, October 2026)

Reviewed by Ryan, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, NC

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun Read More »

Darius the Great Deserves Better by Adib Khorram

In this sequel to Darius the Great is Not Okay, it looks like Darius’s life is fantastic. He’s playing varsity soccer, has friends, has a boyfriend, and he has an internship at a fantastic tea shop that he loves. But his boyfriend is pressuring him, he parents are working really long hours after they spent so much money on their trip home to Iran, his grandfather is dying, his best friend is MIA most of the time, and there’s still that bully. Frankly, Darius the Great deserves better. I loved this first book and I loved the second. Darius is completely relatable as he tries to figure out life and his own feelings.

Darius the Great Deserves Better by Adib Khorram, (List Price: $12.99, Dial Press, 9780593108253, August 2021)

Reviewed by Jennifer, Bookmiser in Marietta, GA

Darius the Great Deserves Better by Adib Khorram Read More »

Small Talk by Acie Clark

This is a beautiful, intimate collection deeply rooted in place. The poet illustrates the complicated relationship many queer people have with the South, and uses form to show how contradictions can exist alongside each other. It’s about grief and memories and love and change, and about finding language to talk about all of them.

Small Talk by Acie Clark, (List Price: $16.95, Hub City Press, 9798885740814, September 2026)

Reviewed by Becca, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC

Small Talk by Acie Clark Read More »

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters

A swoony romance with a perfect touch of self acceptance!

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters, (List Price: $19, St. Martin’s Griffin, 9781250326263, January 2026)

Reviewed by Cameron, Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, NC

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters Read More »

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters

Julian Winters writes another romance that is as funny as it is tender and sweet. I really enjoyed I Think They Love You, so I was really excited to read this, and it did not disappoint. With all of the same heart as the first book, we dive right back into this family that is, while nosy and opinionated, loving in their own way. Jordan and Jaime are a couple you will have you yelling at the pages sometimes, but only because you are rooting for them so hard. A second chance romance with more heat than the first book, this is a great read to enjoy as the weather warms up too.

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters, (List Price: $19, St. Martin’s Griffin, 9781250326263, January 20267)

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

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters Read More »

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters

Once again, Julian Winters gets right to the heart of learning to love and be loved exactly as you are. I also love seeing such beautiful demisexual representation on page in a romance novel and appreciate the care with which Julian wrote Jordan’s journey with his sexuality. This story was an absolute delight and I can’t wait to recommend it to everyone that I can!

Last First Kiss by Julian, (List Price: $19, St. Martin’s Griffin, 9781250326263, January 2026)

Reviewed by Jonlyn Scrogham, A Novel Romance in Louisville, KY

Last First Kiss by Julian Winters Read More »

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun

I am still buzzing as I write this. This book is tapped so hard into my subconscious that it feels magical. Bethany Peters is a hero our times need and are still waiting for.

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun, (List Price: $33, Hogarth, 9780593978382, October 2026)

Reviewed by Zack, novel. in Memphis, Tennessee

Public Access Afterworld by Jane Schoenbrun Read More »

John of John by Douglas Stuart

In the weeks since I finished John of John, I keep thinking back to the experience as if I actually traveled to the Western Isles of Scotland, stayed in a croft on the water, gossiped and cried with all the inhabitants of this island–except I didn’t do any of those things, that’s just the power of Douglas Stuart. John of John isn’t a book you read inasmuch as you live it, achingly real and vulnerable. I loved it.

John of John by Douglas Stuart, (List Price: $28, Grove Press, 9780802167194, May 2026)

Reviewed by Lindsay, Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN

John of John by Douglas Stuart Read More »

Father Material by Alexis Hall

Hall’s hilarious dialogue is front and center in his newest addition to the London Calling series and you won’t be able to put this one down! Luc and Oliver have been through it in Boyfriend Material and the Husband Material. But you know, “first comes love, then comes marriage” so you know what’s next! That’s right, an adorable rescue dog that looks like a big potato! And maybe if they can get dog parenting down, they might be ready for more?

Father Material by Alexis Hall, (List Price: $18.99, Sourcebooks Casablanca, 9781728264295, June 2026)

Reviewed by Jennifer, Bookmiser in Marietta, GA

Father Material by Alexis Hall Read More »

Take Me With You by Steven Rowley

Take a deep, slow breath and prepare for Rowley’s unique combination of tenderness, longing, sorrow, and humor. The biggest mystery isn’t how a man disappears into a beam of light; it’s the human vulnerability of moving on, facing mistakes, and naming losses. Every character has hidden stories. Getting a ringside seat to their journeys is the best gift any reader could want.

Take Me with You by Steven Rowley, (List Price: $30, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 9780593851494, May 2026)

Reviewed by Jan, Main Street Books in Davidson, NC

Take Me With You by Steven Rowley Read More »

Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales

Darcy tries to keep her head down and stay under the radar in her high school. No one can ever know that she’s the person behind Locker 89, the place her schoolmates write for anonymous relationship advice. Handsome and popular Alexander Brougham catches her collecting letters one afternoon and turns to blackmail – he will keep her secret if she helps him win back the girl that broke his heart. Desperate to keep her past less-than-great advice to her BFF (with whom she’s secretly in love) under wraps, she goes along with the scheme – with surprising results. This is a sweet, funny book about queer love and facing up to mistakes to try and be a better person. It’s the perfect snuggly read for cold winter months when you’re too stressed to read anything too heavy.

Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales, (List Price: $13, Wednesday Books, 9781250830081, December 2022)

Reviewed by Andrea, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, VA

Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales Read More »

The Body Riddle by Sam K. MacKinnon

The Body Riddle is a coming-of-age story that happens later in life. It captures the uncertainty of stepping into a new body and the panic of wondering if a decision can be right even after years of thinking it through. Lex’s experience is shaped by constant change and stagnant repose, learning how to navigate their worldview as they uncover new truths about themselves. At the center of the story is the importance of gay community. Even when Lex is unsure, withdrawn, or lashes out, the people around them continue to show up. As a transmasc autistic character, Lex is deeply unsure of their own importance, shaped by years of not being out or fully honest about who they are. This self-doubt makes them an unreliable narrator at times. The Body Riddle is less about having answers and more about allowing yourself the time and care to keep asking questions, even when you think you should already know who you are.

The Body Riddle by Sam K. MacKinnon, (List Price: $21.99, House of Anansi Press, 9781487013912, May 2026)

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

The Body Riddle by Sam K. MacKinnon Read More »

The Tuxedo Society by Paul Rudnick

Whoa, what a silly, goofy time. Absolutely the definition of camp. Immediately, you can tell that this book is not to be taken seriously and is intended to be incredibly cheesy. But also, aren’t all spy films incredibly cheesy? It’s not typically my sort of genre, but the narrator did such a fabulous job that I had to keep going!

The Tuxedo Society by Paul Rudnick, (List Price: $28, Atria Books, 9781668212615, May 2026)

Reviewed by Itzy, M. Judson, Booksellers in Greenvillel, SC

The Tuxedo Society by Paul Rudnick Read More »

Scroll to Top