“As someone who doesn't read a lot of middle-grade, I was absolutely surprised by how much I liked The Ginghams. From the first few chapters, I knew this was something special,” said Ashli Byfield of Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn, New York.
“If this novel had been written a century ago, it would be a classic today. A brilliantly written story of a claustrophobic English village in the eighteenth century, and the violence that nips at the ankles of young women when people see them as ‘other,’ ” said Marisa Spence of Ballast Book Company in Bremerton, Washington.
“This tale of conflicting households, weaving together a beautiful story of the author’s grandparents, shows us that love truly can conquer all. In a world where order depends on people staying in their place, these star-crossed lovers tell us that some things can’t just be left up to fate — fate is what you make of it,” said Erin Decker of White Rose Books & More in Kissimmee, Florida.
“In [Lonely Crowds], jealousy, obsession, love, and hate unfold together, laying out doomed lives and broken hearts. I can’t recommend this book enough,” said Nadi Hinojosa of Lark and Owl Booksellers in Georgetown, Texas.
“One of the best novels, much less debut novels, that I’ve ever read. You’ll enjoy the best cry of your life,” said Randy Schiller of Left Bank Books in St. Louis, Missouri.
“Mendell Station is both comforting and catastrophic, often at the same time. It’s about the monotonous slog forward through grief and about the unique trauma of being a frontline worker in the early days of the pandemic. Mendell Station is a revelation. Do not miss out on it,” said Katherine Nazzaro of Porter Square Books in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“I mean it when I say this book is breathing life into me. Each story is a slow burning tale set in the South, braiding history, love, family, and self-discovery together with crisp prose and honest storytelling. It’s as if Moore has stamped cut outs of life and laid them on the pages for readers to experience an exact replica of reality,” said Nadi Hinojosa of Lark and Owl Booksellers in Georgetown, Texas.
“Rosa Coelho leads a band of magical misfits on a journey to reclaim what the wealthy have taken from her friends and family. Along the way, they face monsters and plan a heist. This story invites you on a whirlwind adventure,” said Nicole Johnson of Baltimore Read Aloud in Baltimore, Maryland.
“It’s a rare accomplishment to write a shipwreck book that does something new, but Sophie Elmhirst manages just that with her enthralling debut, A Marriage at Sea. This portrait of a couple lost upon seas both literal and metaphorical will keep readers riveted till the last page,” said Stephen Sparks of Point Reyes Books in Point Reyes Station, California.
“Magical, mysterious, and queer — some of my favorite words all in one place! Arcana: The Lost Heirs, with its beautiful and fluid illustrations, is full of cryptic clues, secret histories, and found family. A delightful read,” said Heather Albinson of Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
