The Southern Bookseller Review Newsletter for the week of May 25, 2021

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May 25, 2021sbr logo

Spend an evening with a writer.

The Reader Meet Writer Author Series has a rich and exciting June schedule. On June 8th the author duo "Christina Lauren" will be talking about their new romance novel, The Soulmate Equation. This book has been a huge hit with Southern booksellers, see some of their comments below in the "Book Buzz" feature.

Will JohnsonOn June 3rd, this coming Tuesday, is Will Johnson, whose debut novel If Or When I Call is a favorite with the Reader Meet Writer host Wiley Cash. Some of you may know Johnson as a musician who has played in several bands, including Centro-matic and Monsters of Folk. (He's also an artist who loves to paint pictures of baseball). Johnson says that If Or When I Call is "... a family story—an account of working people, struggling with their respective battles in a place (rural Missouri) that a lot of people might not ever think about."

If or When I Call with Will Johnson
Thu Jun 3rd 7:00pm - 8:00pm | REGISTER

Natalie BaszileOn Jun 10th, RMW welcomes Natalie Baszile. Readers may remember her as the author of Queen Sugar, or have seen the mini-series based on that novel. We Are Each Other's Harvest is a different animal: a collection of essays, poetry, stories, and conversations around the theme of Black farming, land reclamation and legacy, the book speaks directly to many of the communities within the reach of Southern readers. It is also a delicious "foodie" book with a fascinating on-the-ground look at some very creative, visionary, (and stubborn!) people.

Natalie Baszile, author of We Are Each Other's Harvest, for Thursday, June 10th at 7:00 PM. | REGISTER

Read This Now | Read This Next | The Bookseller Directory


Coming up on the Reader Meet Writer Author Series:

If or When I Call with Will JohnsonIf or When I Call with Will Johnson
Thu Jun 3rd 7:00pm - 8:00pm | REGISTER

Will Johnson is a musician and songwriter who has played in the bands Centro-matic, South San Gabriel, Marie/Lepanto, Overseas, New Multitudes, and Monsters of Folk. He also releases records under his own name, and makes paintings centering on the subject of baseball and its history. His work has appeared in American Short Fiction. He was born in Kennett, Missouri, and currently lives in Austin, Texas. If or When I Call is his first novel.

The Soulmate Equation with Christina LaurenThe Soulmate Equation with Christina Lauren
Tues Jun 8th 7:00pm - 8:00pm | REGISTER

Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of longtime writing partners and best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, the New York TimesUSA TODAY, and #1 internationally bestselling authors of the Beautiful and Wild Seasons series, Dating You / Hating YouAutoboyographyLove and Other WordsRoomies, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not DatingMy Favorite Half-Night Stand, and The Unhoneymooners. You can find them online at ChristinaLaurenBooks.com, @ChristinaLauren on Instagram, or @ChristinaLauren on Twitter.


Read This Now!

Recommended by Southern indies...

Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann

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Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann
Doubleday / May 2021


More Reviews from union ave books

Stacey Swann spawns a unique cast of characters that erupts on the opening page: the prodigal son returns to town after a cooling-off period, but two years has not cooled his lust for his brother’s wife nor his brother’s rage at their affair. If that weren’t enough powder-keg tension, there’s an “accidental murder” a few pages later. These events set this family adrift as they scatter, then return in unfamiliar patterns. Swann takes her impetus from the Bible, but more so from Greek mythology, as the title teases. June (Juno) is married to Peter (Zeus) and abides his philandering to the point of treating his illegitimate adult twins as her own. Part of the enjoyment of reading Olympus, Texas, is guessing which character has a match in the mythology. However, familiarity with the myths is not a necessity; the story stands by itself. Olympus, Texas is an entertaining and engaging read.

Reviewed by Jeannette Brown, union ave books in Knoxville, Tennessee

Bookseller Buzz

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Spotlight on: The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

Christina Lauren

The dynamic duo of Lauren Billings (on the left) and Christina Hobbs (not on the left) have written over twenty-five novels together, earning them legions of devoted fans among romance readers. The premise of their new novel, that DNA can be used to predict compatibility, has already put The Soulmate Equation on any number of "most anticipated books of the year" lists.

Meet them on June 8th at Reader Meet Writer:

The Soulmate Equation with Christina Lauren
Tuesday Jun 8th 7:00pm - 8:00pm | REGISTER

Soulmate Equation

What booksellers are saying about The Soulmate Equation

  • Christina Lauren books are auto-reads for me. I laugh, I swoon, and I put off any and all responsibilities to JUST. KEEP. READING. What more could you want from a romance? -- Hannah Kerbs from Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN
    Buy from Parnassus Books

  • This story is full of heart and humor and is a joy to read. -- Jennifer Jones from Bookmiser, Inc. in Marietta, GA
    Buy from Bookmiser.

  • Nobody makes chemistry leap off a page like Christina Lauren! The Soulmate Equation is full of heart and heat - loved every page of it! --Jessica Nock from Main Street Books in Davidson, NC
    Buy from Main Street Books

  • I can't even begin to describe what an absolute delight this book was! Within the first few chapters I knew this book was unlike any romance I had read or seen before.. -- Caitlyn Vanorder  from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC
    Buy from Bookmarks

About Christina Lauren

Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of longtime writing partners and best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, the New York Times, USA TODAY, and #1 internationally bestselling authors of the Beautiful and Wild Seasons series, Dating You / Hating You, Autoboyography, Love and Other Words, Roomies, Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, My Favorite Half-Night Stand, and The Unhoneymooners. You can find them online at ChristinaLaurenBooks.com, @ChristinaLauren on Instagram, or @ChristinaLauren on Twitter.

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Love in Color by Bolu Babalola

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Love in Color by Bolu Babalola
William Morrow / April 2021


More Reviews from Copperfish Books

Bolu Babalola’s prose had me enraptured from the very first page! The artful way that she rewove and spun myths from around the world was absolutely masterful, and I enjoyed reading fresh takes on stories that I knew, while also having the opportunity to encounter stories that I wasn’t familiar with at all. Love in Color is for anyone who is constantly in awe of the power of love, and also for anyone who may need to be reminded of it.

Reviewed by Lucy Perkins-Wagel, Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda, Florida

The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts

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The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts
Ballantine Books / June 2021


More Reviews from The Country Bookshop

One Friday in early November 1954, sixth three year-Old Annie Wilkins left Minot, Maine in with her little dachshund mix Depeche Toi, her Morgan horse Tarzan, a few dollars, and not much more than the clothes on her back. But what Annie had that no one could see was pluck. Pluck and determination and a plan, to walk with Depeche Toi and Tarzan all the way to California to fulfill the dream her mother never got to see realized. This absolutely delightful story of Annie’s journey will no doubt make readers laugh, shake their heads in disbelief, cringe with worry, and stir up a bit of both horse love and wanderlust. This is THE Feel-good book of the summer, and i can’t wait to put it in the hands of my customers.

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

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Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide
Feiwel & Friends / June 2021


More Reviews from Oxford Exchange

At the start of senior year, Devon and Chiamaka are two high-achieving students–prefects, in fact–with promising futures. But soon, mass text messages start going around the school telling their darkest secrets, and start to drive their friendships and all of the hard work they’ve done over the past four years apart. Are Chiamaka and Devon only coincidentally victims of Aces? Or does the anonymous bully targeting the only two Black students at Niveus Academy have a deeper, more disturbing motive? Àbíké-Íyímídé’s thriller brings the psychological subterfuge and toxic relationships of high school social life to light, as two seniors attempt to figure out whether or not their downfall is their own, or a result of a sinister conspiracy.

Reviewed by Cat Chapman, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida

Small Knight and the Anxiety Monster by Manka Kasha

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Small Knight and the Anxiety Monster by Manka Kasha
Feiwel & Friends / June 2021


More Reviews from Bookmarks

Small Knight’s parents want her to be a princess, but that is the opposite of what she wants, which is to be a knight who goes on adventures. Small Knight worries about telling her parents the truth, and finds that the worry she keeps inside has grown into a dark monster who follows her everywhere. During a quest to find the truth about the monster, Small Knight realizes she has to look inside herself to fight the monster, and although it may never fully go away, she is in control of her destiny and dreams. Small Knight and the Anxiety Monster is an honest and important book for children.

Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Read This Next!

Books on the horizon: Forthcoming favorites from Southern indies...

Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter

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Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers / May 2021


More Reviews from Read with Me

A Spring 2021 Read This Next! Title

Better Than the Movies is such a joy of a book! You’ve got enemies to lovers with a main character who has the energy of Jack Black’s character in The Holiday–goofy and sweet, full of love and loss, and of course, a deep, nerdy love for movie soundtracks. Better than the Movies will have you squealing and swooning.

– Brittany Bunzey from Read With Me, A Children’s Book & Art Shop in Raleigh, NC

Southern Bestsellers

What's popular this week with Southern Readers.

While Justice Sleeps Caste The House in the Cerulean Sea
The Bird Way Peace Train

[ See the full list ]

lady banks bookshelf

Parting Thought

"Beware of the person of one book." – Thomas Aquinas

Publisher: The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance / siba@sibaweb.com
Editor: Nicki Leone / nicki@sibaweb.com
Advertising: Linda-Marie Barrett / lindamarie@sibaweb.com
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