“With heart and humor, James Robinson shares his story of learning to live with a vision disability. In this illustrated memoir, he invites readers to visualize his point of view with honest anecdotes and interesting, interactive images that truly make his words sing,” said Claire Margetts of Weller Book Works in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“Austen’s debut novel is a stunning portrait of community and hope, following the inhabitants of one apartment building in the nightmarish early days of the second World War. Each character is trying to do their best and hope for better, all while trying to make sense of a world that seems to have lost all rationality,” said Austin Carter of Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
“I was gripping the pages while reading this book. You can feel the tension coming off the page. You know something is going to happen, you’re just not sure what. An interesting look at masculinity and male friendships,” said Kim Brock of Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“Younis’ debut novel slices through the hypocrisies, corruption, and ineffectiveness of both academia and governmental organizations with wickedly dark humor and razor-sharp dialogue. Readers will hate to love and love to hate Dr. Nadia Amin as she works through her own savior narrative, first as farce and then as tragedy,” said Austin Carter of Pocket Books Shop in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
“Deep Cuts is the ultimate love letter to music. Percy is an unforgettable protagonist — messy in the best way — and I couldn’t get enough of her will-they-won’t-they with Joe. A must-read for anyone who knows the definition of ‘Indie Sleaze,’ ” said Sophie Chen of Belmont Books in Belmont, Massachusetts.
“Where was this book when I was young? I loved Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys and later Agatha Christie. Montgomery Bonbon has it all. Quirky, smart, characters and laugh out-loud-funny schemes,” said Suzanne Lucey of Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
“At its core, Blob is about falling back in love with the parts of yourself that you thought you lost forever,” said Mikey LaFave of Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia.
“Don't let the duppy get you…Honeysuckle and Bone transports you to the canicular heat of Jamaica as the secrets heat up with each turning page. From the secrets to the lies, you’ll feel like our main character, Carina, eavesdropping behind every wall,” said Morgan Haywood-Joy of Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn, New York.
“This atmospheric mystery was brimming with red herrings and conspiracies, all shrouded in a sinister fae mist; perfect for fans of Holly Black and Melissa Albert,” said Jessica Hahl of Books Inc. in San Leandro, California.
“Kaya of the Ocean is an absolutely gorgeous story, shining a light on the very real struggles of growing up and feeling like you are different. With incredibly heartfelt writing and a vivid setting, Kaya’s story can help young people that struggle with anxiety feel seen and heard,” said Jonathan Pope of Prologue Bookshop in Columbus, Ohio.