The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Time Travel

Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean

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Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean
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After seeing her parents’ marriage dissolve into sadness and divorce, Emma doubts that love can last. At the annual Tanabata Festival, her grandfather urges her to make a wish. Her wish is this: I wish for proof. Show me that love is real. That love can last. And then, she gets a note from the future. “To be honest, I loved you from the beginning,” and that is how it starts. Is this the proof she has hoped for? and will it change her life? I love this coming-of-age novel of life and love, and figuring it all out. Through laughter, loss, doubt and wonder- you will feel it all!

Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean, (List Price: $19.99, Sarah Barley Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781665974370, February 2026)

Reviewed by Amy Dance, The Snail on the Wall in Huntsville, Alabama

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The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell

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The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell
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A little bit historical fiction, a little magical realism, and throw in some grief for good measure, and you’ve got The White Octopus Hotel. If you enjoyed The Ministry of Time last year, this is the book for you.

The White Octopus Hotel by Alexandra Bell, (List Price: $19, Del Rey, 9798217091799, October 2025)

Reviewed by Claire McWhorter, River & Hill Books in Rome, Georgia

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Blue Window by Adina Rishe Gerwirtz

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Blue Window by Adina Rishe Gerwirtz
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I Am a Candlewick Frequent Blurber! On the shortest day of the year, Max, Susan, Nell, Jean, and Kate tumbled through Mrs Grady’s cobalt blue window. On the other side, things were the same (there were animals, people, and chicken for dinner) but at the same time very very very different. In this mesmerizing new portal fantasy from the author of Zebra Forest, five children learn who they are, discern how they fit into an ancient prophecy, and learn just what they can do when they set their minds to it.

Blue Window by Adina Rishe Gerwirtz, (List Price: $18.99, Candlewick, 9780763660369, April 2018)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg

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Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg
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Perfect for preteens and teens who want to read Outlander but probably shouldn’t. When Klara accidentally hits a mysterious Scotsman with her car, she has no idea the true intensity of the situation. Callum has stepped out of the 1500s to protect Klara, the last Pillar of Time, at all costs. An evil force is murdering the Pillars, greedy for the powers of the gods, and Klara and Callum are the only thing in his way. This was an amazing story that sucked me in. Alsberg uses imagery that truly puts the beauty of Scotland in your mind. She also writes character development extremely well. She does a great job building Callum’s acclimation to the modern world at the right pace, without making it cringey or a joke. Klara also has great development through the story, and you can see her heal and strengthen bonds she left unattended because of her mother’s death. Klara, despite having a man fated to protect her, is also allowed to be strong and fiercely independent. Throughout her relationship with Callum, she grows stronger, not weaker and submissive, like some YA main characters in a protected/protector situation.

Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg, (List Price: $19.99, Inkyard Books, 9781335284891, June 2022)

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

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Your Life Has Been Delayed by Michelle I. Mason

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Your Life Has Been Delayed
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One minute Jenny is on a flight in 1995, the next she’s disembarking a plane in the year 2020 to find that everybody she knew is now 25 years older. In a world dominated by technology and social media, Jenny becomes the focus of unwanted attention from FBI investigators, the media, and a growing number of conspiracy theorists. Your Life Has Been Delayed is a thought-provoking examination of how time affects us all and the things that stay constant in life.

Your Life Has Been Delayed by Michelle I. Mason, (List Price: 17.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9781547604081, September 2021)

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

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