Enjoy these four recommendations from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’ only independently owned bookstore located in The Bakery District.
Finally Seen
by Kelly Yang
This middle grade novel was a treat to read. The main character is a young girl who finally gets to join the rest of her family in America after years of being apart. She navigates the not-so-true stories her family was writing to her in Beijing, the racism that confronts her throughout the book, trying to fit in with her sister, and the guilt of leaving behind a grandmother she loves. From mispronouncing English, to confronting a book ban, Lina is a character you can’t help but root for.
My Murder
by Katie Williams
This is a speculative fiction twist on a crime novel, and it is wild. Lou is a young mother who was murdered by serial killer Ed Early, but the government brings her and the other women he murdered back to life. The writing is sharp and clever and her insight into the commercialism of how we treat victims makes this more than your typical beach read. Grab a glass of wine as you trek through a world we may be heading into, one Chat GPT question at a time.
Friends Like These
by Meg Rosoff
This young adult novel is perfect for fans of Judy Blume’s Summer Sisters. Eighteen-year-old Beth moves to New York City in the summer of 1983 for an internship with a newspaper. She realizes quickly that everything is wrong: her hair, her clothes, and the cockroach-filled apartment she shares. She meets Edie and her life changes, but through it all, she’s able to find and love her true self. This is a fun mother/daughter read full of life lessons, complicated relationships, and tons of nostalgia.
Happy Place
by Emily Henry
The queen of summer is back with a fantastic beach read that is set in a gorgeous Maine mansion. You’ll swoon over Harriet and Winn’s origin story and cheer them on all summer long, but not everything that looks meant-to-be is what it seems. Come for the love story, stay for the immersive storytelling and delightful characters. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you might stay up all night long just to see exactly how Harriet and Winn will end their summer of “love.”
