Story on the Square

Under This Red Rock by Mindy McGinnis

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Under This Red Rock by McGinnis, Mindy
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Mindy McGinnis has a way of taking contemporary and turning it so thrilling that I forget that I’m reading contemporary and think it’s fantasy because it’s so exciting. Neely is painfully relatable with her mental health struggles. Her desire to hide her problems from those she loves and her “rules” for coping will strike anyone who’s ever struggled with mental health, even if it’s not the same as hers. The story hits the ground running and doesn’t stop. I couldn’t eat, sleep, or do anything but read this book as soon as I started it. My heart raced with adrenaline every second I was reading it.

Under This Red Rock by Mindy McGinnis, (List Price: $19.99, Katherine Tegen Books, 9780063230415, March 2024)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDounough, Georgia

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Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

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Starling Houseby Alix E. Harrow
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As someone who has always been a little too soft for the world, nothing delights me more than living vicariously through fierce and hard as nail protagonists like Opal. Opal is fighting every day to make sure her brother doesn’t go without in the town of Eden. Despite barely having time to think, Opal begins to dream of Starling House, the Secret that no one talks about, and even though she knows better, she finds herself at the front door. Arthur is going to be the last warden of the Starling House, taking its legacy of monsters and magic down with him. He’s determined to be so until Opal breaks down the walls around his heart with her knock at Starling House’s door. This is a story of two people who are less than beautiful that smile with crooked teeth and black eyes, and I didn’t want it to end.

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow, (List Price: $28.99, Tor Books, 9781250799050, October 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

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The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
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The Black Flamingo is a poetic look into the coming of age and coming out stories of a young biracial teen in England. When he goes off to university, he explores who he is through the beauty of drag. This novel is a raw look at the complexity of identity with the beauty of poetry.

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta, (List Price: $15.99, Balzer + Bray, 9780062990303, April 2021)

Reviewed by Nannette Matthews, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters

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All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters
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An October Read This Next! Book

Erica Waters never disappoints with her dark and queer tales. I loved every bit of this dark academia story. I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t stop reading. Don’t let this one pass you by!

All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters, (List Price: $19.99, HarperTeen, 9780063115965, October 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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Alanna by Tamora Pierce

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Alanna by Tamora Pierce
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I have loved Alanna since I was a middle schooler. Before I wrote this review, I literally had been pulling out my old dusty copies for my 14 year old goddaughter to read and I’m so thrilled to see that Tamora Pierce is being reprinted once again! Alanna’s story is timeless and portrays healthy relationships as well as bravery and excitement. I cannot wait to welcome a new wave of readers into Tamora Pierce’s world and hope the reprint of the Lioness Quartet is just the beginning!

Alanna by Tamora Pierce, (List Price: $12.99, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 9781665937412, September 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on The Square in McDonough, Georgia

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Behold the Monster by Jillian Lauren

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Behold the Monster by Jillian Lauren
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Beautifully written and heartfelt while stark and horrifying, Behold the Monster is an absolute triumph. Jillian Lauren is masterful with her pen and you can tell the struggle she feels internally and externally when dealing with such stark evil. Her internal conflicts are relevant without being distracting and she lends heart to the important part of Samuel Little’s story, the victims. I usually do not enjoy nonfiction, because I find it either too dry or too emotional. This is a perfect balance of both and I recommend it to anyone who feels compelled to read the stories of those who were forgotten.

Behold the Monster by Jillian Lauren, (List Price: $27.99, Sourcebooks, 9781728267753, July 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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Wolfsong by TJ Klune

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Wolfsong by TJ Klune
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This is my first foray into TJ Klune (I know, I know, I’m behind the times) and I have to say, I loved Wolfsong! I had only read YA gay love stories and it was such an interesting change up reading a book written for gay men opposed to women attempting to write gay men. I loved Ox and how he developed his pack. I also loved that he was just a "What you see is what you get" kind of guy. Not everyone in the world is a deep thinker or an overthinker. And we need a balance. The only thing I didn’t care for was Ox being attracted to Joe when he was still a few months underage. I know that there wasn’t a power imbalance in their relationship, but I’ve seen a lot of hate groups accusing LGBT people of intentionally targeting young people, so I would be afraid for someone who has not read the story in its entirety to judge wrongly from that fact alone.

Wolfsong by TJ Klune, (List Price: $29.99, Tor Books, 9781250890313, July 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story On the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers

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The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers
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This is the story of Johannes, a wild dog who lives in the park. He runs his round because he is the Eyes for the keeper of the Equilibrium. He decides one day to gain a greater purpose and free his friends the bison. Though for children, I think this story would be enjoyed by anyone who has ever run and felt faster than the sun. Johannes is absolutely endearing, arrogant, feral, and free. Above all else, he’s free and wonderful. I found myself elated with every triumph and breathless with every close call. I loved it and was in tears by the beauty of the writing at the end. I absolutely cannot wait to recommend this to everyone I know. "To be alive is to go forth. So we go forth." Don’t let Johannes slip by you! He’s faster than light, so it might be hard.

The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers, (List Price: $18.99, Knopf Books for Young Readers, 9781524764203, May 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story On the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich (A Graphic Novel) by Deya Muniz

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The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz
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Actual chills at the ending of this novel. ACTUAL. CHILLS. Cam and Brie are the absolute cutest in this story. Cam cannot inherit as a girl, so she happily becomes Count Cam and moves to where she’ll only ever be known as a boy after her father dies. But of course she falls in love with the princess herself! After much fashion and adorable hijinks, we have an exciting happy story. This is perfect for fans of The Prince and the Dressmaker, Heartstopper, and the classic Nimona. Don’t miss out on this darling tale that’s a mix of Victorian and modern age and beautiful artwork.

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich (A Graphic Novel) by Deya Muniz, (List Price: 17.99, Little, Brown Ink, 9780316538725, May 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDonough, Alabama

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This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham

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This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham
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This Delicious Death follows the story of Zoey and her three friends two years after a disease that renders half the general public "hollow" or cannibalistic monsters. Unlike zombies, however, they’re fine as long as they eat regularly and the world has created synthetic flesh for them to get their ghoul on. So going to the Desert Bloom Music Festival in the desert for one last trip before the friends go their separate ways after high school should be perfectly fine, right? Between being in love with her best friend, the glamourous Celeste and one of their friends going missing and possibly feral, this wasn’t the kind of trip Zoey was expecting. Okay, so I have to say, while i love sapphic stories, it had been hard for me to get into them for a while. This Delicious Death had me hook line and sinker from the very beginning. The world building was fascinating and the story itself was gripping. I cannot wait to sell this one in store!

This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham, (List Price: 11.99, Sourcebooks Fire, 9781728236445, April 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story On the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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Sundial by Catriona Ward

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Sundial by Catriona Ward
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An interesting read with many twist and turns. Characters and setting were very unique, and I could never guess what would happen next.(Spoilers inbound) This was a weird book, but not in a bad way. The writing was spiritic, with odd inclusions and details, but it all felt intentional. Rob was flawed and different individual, and the writing portrayed that perfectly. Cassie’s chapters felt like reading the mind of a child who sees thing she shouldn’t. All of this felt very intentional, it felt like the book was trying to pack a lot within as few pages as possible, and yet some of the twists and events of the book felt forgotten too easily. Yet, the last couple chapters of the climax had me enraptured and glued to the page. And the book as a whole had a unique premise and storyline, even if there was whole lot in it. A definite need to read for sure.

Sundial by Catriona Ward, (List Price: $19.99, Tor Nightfire, 9781250812704, March 2023)

Reviewed by Mandolin Moore, WordsWorth Books in Little Rock, Arkansas

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A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith

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A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith
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A Ruinous Fate is an explosion of a beginning of what is sure to be an amazing fantasy series. Calla, cursed with magic she’s terrified of, is now forced to take her friends with her as they try to undo her fate. This has everything a fantasy reader could ever want, authentic-feeling queer characters, found family, love triangles gone awry, charming jerks, and of course, forced proximity abounds! What else could someone need? If you love a good found family story with your fantasy, this is one you won’t want to miss!

A Ruinous Fate by Kaylie Smith, (List Price: $18.99, Disney-Hyperion, 9781368081597, January 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra

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Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra
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Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove is absolutely breathtaking! I had just been complaining to a colleague that I feel like too many books these days have lost a sense of lightness and whimsy in the canon. While this novel would be far from whimsical, there’s a lovely balance of humor and sweetness to the characters that balance out the darkness within the world and the story. Ultimately a story of deciding one’s birth isn’t what’s important, but what you choose to do, I fell in love with all the characters and had to immediately contact everyone I knew as soon as I finished to tell them to put this on their TBR. Katyani is relatable, talented, and has a sense of humor that had me smirking and laughing to myself without even realizing. Don’t miss out on this wonderful Indian inspired fantasy!

Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra, (List Price: $18.99, Wednesday Books, 9781250823687, October 2022)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

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The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu
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Every time you pick up a novel by Wendy Xu, you’re guaranteed a beautiful and wonderful story. The Infinity Particle is no different. A loving glance into the future where we have terraformed Mars and now have robotic companions, this is the story of Clementine and Kye. Clementine is running from pain and loneliness on Earth to work with her idol. When she arrives on Mars, she meets her idol’s AI robot who isn’t what he seems. Determined to help Kye despite going against her mentor, Clementine and Kye discover so much more. This was a beautiful story of love, loss, loneliness, and of course sci-fi! Put this on your radar because the art and the story aren’t one to be missed!

The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu, (List Price: 18.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780062955760, August 2023)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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Over My Dead Body by Sweeney Boo

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Over My Dead Body by Sweeney Boo
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I love dark academia. My love for it started with Harry Potter as a child and has only grown since then. I was delighted to dive into a school of witches and warlocks that’s brimming diversity opposed to the same old tired tropes. When her friend Noreen goes missing in the cursed forest, Abigail will stop at nothing to unwrap the truth and save her mentee. The art is beautiful. This is going to be the perfect recommendation for Halloween and beyond!

Over My Dead Body by Sweeney Boo, (List Price: 17.9, HarperAlley, 9780063056305, August 2022)

Reviewed by Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia

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