The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Young Adult Fiction

Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton

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Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton
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I absolutely devoured this Snow White reimagining! The story was such a delightful read with a wonderfully developed romantic subplot, and as someone who can’t resist a good fake dating trope, this hit all the right notes. The dark, moody atmosphere throughout kept me hooked from start to finish. I’m already looking forward to diving into more of this author’s work!

Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton, (List Price: $20.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9781547619108, November 2025)

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

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The Speaker by Traci Chee

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The Speaker by Traci Chee
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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The Reader was 2016’s most underrated fantasy title. With vivid world-building, swashbuckling adventure, a softly built romance, and a brilliant heroine, The Reader should have been on every single “Top Books of 2016” list. With The Speaker, Traci Chee builds on her world and crafts a sequel that is enchanting and complex. Driving the story forward is Sefia and Archer’s need for revenge, a task that sends them down a dangerous road. Anger/rage, depression, anxiety, and PTSD are explored and woven into the story beautifully, and with a diverse cast of new characters, Chee’s book answers the call for diverse fantasy.

The Speaker by Traci Chee, (List Price: $10.99, Speak, 9780147518064, June 2018)

Reviewed by Shauna Sinyard, Park Road Books in Charlotte, North Carolina

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The Leaving Room by Amber McBride

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The Leaving Room by Amber McBride
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This was a sweet story about death and life and the beauty in both. The sweetness of life’s little moments and memories made more precious in loss. A reminder to treasure all the love you can find in life.

The Leaving Room by Amber McBride, (List Price: $19.99, Fiewel & Friends, 9781250908087, October 2025)

Reviewed by Victoria Thatcher-Milton, The Bottom in Knoxville, Tennessee

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Secrets of the Blue Hand Girls by Rowana Miller

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Secrets of the Blue Hand Girls (Deluxe Edition) by Rowana Miller
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This is one of the best YA books I’ve read in recent memory. It’s secretive, spooky, smart, and fun. Davison High and the secret societies were a perfect YA take on dark academia, reminiscent of a younger version of Mona Awad’s Bunny, or Maureen Johnson’s Truly Devious trilogy. Miller’s voice is snarky and fresh, and Kay is a perfect protagonist to dive into the dangerous, mysterious world that Miller creates.

Secrets of the Blue Hand Girls (Deluxe Edition) by Rowana Miller, (List Price: $12.99, Sourcebooks Fire, 9781464227202, October 2025)

Reviewed by Bennett Burns, The Book & Cover LLC in Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

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Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
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Filled with wit, culture, and a wonderful depiction of LGBTQ+ youth, Cemetery Boys was a fast-paced and heartwarming read. I would definitely recommend this to any YA reader!

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, (List Price: $12.99, Square Fish, 9781250792075, August 2025)

Reviewed by Ashton Ahart, Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina

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The Story of My Anger by Jasminne Mendez

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The Story of My Anger by Jasminne Mendez
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Jasminne Mendez teaches an important tale of standing up for what you believe in and against those who seek to bring you down. The heroine, Yuliete Lopez, holds a strong sense of justice, thanks in part to the activism efforts of her older brother. She and her friends work diligently to raise awareness about the discrimination she has faced in theater, and protest the banning of books at the school.

The Story of My Anger by Jasminne Mendez, (List Price: $19.99, Dial Books, 9780593531877, September 2025)

Reviewed by Molly Reinhardt, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina

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Hazelthorn by CG Drews

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Hazelthorn by CG Drews
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Perfect! Five stars! Hazelthorn is my all-time favorite YA and horror book, and I highly recommend it! The romance is fantastic, and the world-building and eerie gothic atmosphere are amazing! The protagonist, Evander, who tragically loses his parents and is adopted by a reclusive billionaire who imprisons him in his room like a prisoner, instantly won my heart. Following the suspicious death of the billionaire, estranged families bring in a new attorney to carry out the will, and Evander is compelled to form an alliance with Laurie, his sworn enemy. The two learn secret information about the forbidden garden, the sinister red door, and the enigmatic mansion. Evander discovers he is drawn to Laurie in unexpected ways. The conclusion will never be forgotten! By the way, I can never look at plants the same way again.

Hazelthorn by CG Drews, (List Price: $19.99, Feiwel & Friends, 9781250376299, October 2025)

Reviewed by Sandra Pinkney, The Underground Bookshop LLC in Carrollton, Georgia

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The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson

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The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson
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This book reminded me so much of a story of when a friend told me she almost joined a cult at our illustrious HBCU. I was initially intrigued because the book is inspired by a true story. The reframing of the actual event on the campus of a HBCU was clever and culturally pointed! Once it started going, I was unable to stop reading.

The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson, (List Price: $19.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780063271272, October 2025)

Reviewed by Alexis Morris, Resist Booksellers in St. Petersburg, Virginia

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Witchkiller by Ashlee Latimer

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Witchkiller by Ashlee Latimer
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Ashlee Latimer’s Witchkiller takes the story of Hansel & Gretel and completely flips it on its head with siblings who are increasingly at odds, witches who aren’t what they seem, and romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Gretel’s journey into learning who she is and who she wants to be is one that will resonate with young readers everywhere. Plus, it’s the perfect spooky season read!

Witchkiller by Ashlee Latimer, (List Price: $19.99, Scholastic Press, 9781546137689, October 2025)

Reviewed by Tori Finklea, Union Avenue Books in Knoxville, Tennessee

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Make Me a Monster by Kalynn Bayron

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Make Me a Monster by Kalynn Bayron
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Growing up in a family of morticians, Meka isn’t exactly squeamish about death, but when her world is turned upside down by tragedy, life after death takes on a very different meaning. A Frankenstein reimagining with bittersweet romance and a menacing cult, this is well worth a read.

Make Me a Monster by Kalynn Bayron, (List Price: $19.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9781547615865, September 2025)

Reviewed by Matilda McNeely, Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, Georgia

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Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen

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Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen
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A graphic novel that this former overachiever wished they had in high school. A gentle reminder that we all grieve in different ways, that burnout does not define us, and that we can build ourselves back up after burnout with community, friends, and compassion. When Angelica (or to her close friends and family, Jelly!) begins messaging local theatre mascot Per the Bear and then takes an internship with the theatre for their winter production featuring Per, she doesn’t know what to expect. But what she ends up with is kindness, and maybe a little bit of magic. A completely precious re-telling of “East of the Sun and West of the Moon” that is sure to leave you feeling warm and cozy.

Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen, (List Price: $24.99, Random House Graphic, 9780593125472, October 2025)

Reviewed by Mikey LaFave, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia

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The Dead of Summer (Book 1) by Ryan La Sala

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The Dead of Summer (Book 1) by Ryan La Sala
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A quaint ocean-side town run by drag queens? It’s the best summer everrrr! Except for whatever came on land from the depths of the Atlantic. Or the old chemical spill. The Dead of Summer (Book 1) is another Ryan La Sala winner. I have a low threshold for horror. I can’t do graphic gore but I adore creepy and La Sala provides this in spades. He also gives us some truly multi-dimensional characters so that you are on the edge of your seat to see if they’ll survive the night. I love how Ollie had his musical ear and how that plays into the storyline. And his friendship with the Suds is the stuff of friendship legends. We all wish we were Suds. The various formats (transcripts/ narration/ journal entries) used to tell the story really increase the tension and allow for some plot twists I did not see coming.

The Dead of Summer (Book 1) by Ryan La Sala, (List Price: $19.99, PUSH, 9781546125877, September 2025)

Reviewed by Candice Conner, The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, Alabama

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Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley

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Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley
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Absolutely fantastic – and nothing less than we’ve come to expect from Angeline Boulley. This one takes place in the time between Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl, Unearthed – and while Daunis isn’t the main character, the story does answer some big questions we’ve all been harboring about what her character has been doing in the intervening years! Bonus! But the real story centers on Lucy, the sister of Daunis’ beloved friend Lily from Firekeeper’s Daughter. Each of Boulley’s stories manages to weave together compelling mysteries with fascinating and important details about aspects of Indigenous culture. This one introduces us to the world of ICWA – the Indian Child Welfare Act – and the ramifications of foster care placements for native children. The story moves quickly – bouncing between timelines which reveal Lucy’s painful history and also paint a picture of an ongoing mystery that threatens to derail her future. Couldn’t put it down!

Sisters in the Wind by Angeline Boulley, (List Price: $19.99, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 9781250328533, September 2025)

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

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Battle of the Bands by Lauren Gibaldi

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Battle of the Bands by Lauren Gibaldi
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15 writers of YA fiction join in to create a messily interconnected high school web of relationships, all centered on a Battle of the Bands competition at a New Jersey school. The stories vary pretty wildly from self-discovery to friends-to-lovers moments to breakups to meet-cutes to family reconciliations, but they all transport you right to the intense rush of emotions that marks the best of high school fiction. It’s a lot of fun to see how various stories connect to others, and each story is in its own way, also a writer’s love letter to music and the way it shaped their adolescence. Battle of the Bands is a really fun, sweet read and has something for just about everybody!

Battle of the Bands by Lauren Gibaldi, (List Price: $18.99, Candlewick, 9781536214338, September 2021)

Reviewed by Akil Guruparan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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