The books Southern indie booksellers are recommending to readers everywhere!

Young Adult Fiction

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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If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry

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If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry
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If Looks Could Kill has something for every reader. It is a cleverly plotted genre mashup with elements of true crime, fantasy, and historical fiction all rolled into one immersive read! And mythology, of course, as you would expect from the incredibly talented Julie Berry!

If Looks Could Kill by Julie Berry, (List Price: $21.99, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781534470811, September 2025)

Reviewed by Anderson McKean, Page & Palette in Fairhope, Alabama

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A First Time for Everything (Deluxe Edition) by K. L. Walther

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A First Time for Everything (Deluxe Edition) by K. L. Walther
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This fun and lighthearted young adult novel follows high school sports star Madeline through her journey to find love as well as a connection with her soon to be sister in law. She is thrust into the adult world with wedding planning and events, all while searching for love. Only love was there all along, just not where she expected it to be. Just like in life, Madeline had to learn to open her eyes and realize that our journey does not always lead us where we expected. We just have to be ready and accepting. This book also has some great lessons on not being assuming and seeing people for who they really are. All around a great read!

A First Time for Everything (Deluxe Edition) by K. L. Walther, (List Price: $14.99, Sourcebooks Fire, 9781728263144, June 2025)

Reviewed by Kristy Everette, Angel Wings Bookstore & Bistro in Oxford, North Carolina

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This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki

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This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki
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What a pair! Thrilled to see Mariko Tamaki and Nicole Goux team up for This Place Kills Me, bringing together their signature skills in creating wonderful misfit weird girls to this beautifully drawn, dark, theatrical mystery. Set at an all-girls boarding school in the ’80s/’90s, I couldn’t put this book down as the secrets of the Wilberton Theatrical Society spilled out in devastating and compelling ways.

This Place Kills Me by Mariko Tamaki, (List Price: $26.99, Abrams Fanfare, 9781419768460, August 2025)

Reviewed by Julie Jarema, Hub City Bookshop in Spartanburg, South Carolina

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Legendary Frybread Drive-In by Cynthia Leitich Smith

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Legendary Frybread Drive-In by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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I loved this collection of intertribal stories that center on Sandy June’s Legendary Frybread Drive-in. Sandy June’s exists where and when it is needed. Sandy June’s is a gathering place for Indians across the country to find comfort, community, hope, and acceptance. You find it in your time of need: are you lonely or grieving? Want to help a friend? Need to forgive? Or build your confidence? In love?. Sandy June’s is a comforting place to gain solace and understanding, and the perfect place to hang out with friends and family. Each story is written by a different author, but some characters and elements cross over. A very enjoyable and comforting book.

Legendary Frybread Drive-In by Cynthia Leitich Smith, (List Price: $19.99, Heartdrum, 9780063314269, August 2025)

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

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A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance

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A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance
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Witchcraft, ghosts, cults, and romance! I was stressed out at every turn, worried about this teen friend group’s safety and sanity.

A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance, (List Price: $19.99, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 9780593856338, August 2025)

Reviewed by Eden Haymon, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs, Louisiana

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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 burnt-out teen joins a local theater program in this delightful story for fans of Eliza, From Scratch. Finding solace in messaging with Peri, the bear in their production of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, Angelica works to uncover his true identity, finding community and new love along the way.

Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen, (List Price: $27.99, Random House Graphic, 9781984892676, October 2025)

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

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Fateless by Julie Kagawa

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Fateless by Julie Kagawa
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It was so awesome being back in a world created by Julie Kagawa. It’s so easy to get swept up in her world-building and storytelling. It did take a little bit to get into, but I truly think that is only because of the immense world-building needed. The only problem I have now is how long do I have to wait for book 2?!?

Fateless by Julie Kagawa, (List Price: $19.99, HarperCollins, 9781335448804, July 2025)

Reviewed by Mandy Harris, Angel Wings Bookstore & Bistro in Oxford, North Carolina

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (10th Anniversary Edition) by Sherman Alexie

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (10th Anniversary Edition) by Sherman Alexie
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Simultaneously heartbreaking and humorous. A fictionalized tale of the author’s life as a young teen, chronicling his battle with being loyal to his home and breaking away to meet who he was destined to be.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (10th Anniversary Edition) by Sherman Alexie, (List Price: $20.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316504041, September 2017)

Reviewed by Mallory Sutton, Bards Alley in Vienna, Virginia

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