The five new books on Read This Next! for February, 2023 represent the wide range and eclectic tastes of Southern indie booksellers. From rom-com to literary ghost story, historical fiction to juvenile literature to one man's discovery of the power of art to heal grief...Read This Next! books offer an offbeat list of unusual stories that indie booksellers are really excited about, the books getting the most interesting buzz.

What does all that mean for SIBA bookstores? RTNext titles are featured in The Southern Bookseller Review, in the SIBA newsletter, and on SIBA's social media accounts, where bookseller reviews for each title are highlighted. SIBA makes a point of putting the store excitement and buzz around these books in front of their publishers, raising store visibility with the industry. SIBA also creates a resource kit for stores that includes a printable/shareable flyer for in-store promotions and a handy Edelweiss collection for help with placing restock orders.

Bookseller Resources:
Edelweiss Collection | Flyer | Flyer Front (JPG)

What SIBA Booksellers have to say:

The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
Set in the late 1940's and early 1950's, The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson is a wonderful historical fiction novel that tells the story of two young women who are working hard to achieve their dreams. This novel pulls you in from the first page and doesn't let go until the very end. Highly recommended!
– Mary Patterson from The Little Bookshop in Midlothian, VA

All the Beauty in the World : The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley
Patrick Bringley becomes a guard at The Metropolitan Museum of Art after his brother dies and he can't handle the day to day stress of his former job. Spending his days in the midst of some of the most beautiful art in the world, he slowly heals from his grief. This book provides a behind the scenes look at everyday life in the museum and I loved it. And there is a reference list of the art mentioned in the book which can then be viewed online.
–Beth Carpenter from The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, NC

When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn
This is a book that needs to be read spoiler free, but what I can tell you is that this is Gillian McDunn at her finest. The intersection of science and art is a perfect compliment to the interpersonal relationships in the book, every single detail adds a layer and acomplexity the story that makes this one to sit and think about.
–Beth Seufer Buss from Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, NC

She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
A gothic ghost story set in Vietnam. A modern family who have been torn apart by time and a house possessed by its former occupants. Haunting is the perfect word for this story. I was engrossed from the very beginning and now that I have finished it I can't stop thinking about it.
–Rayna Nielsen from Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, LA

The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
Lily is stuck in a dead-end job as an editor's assistant, the one Greene sister who hasn't managed to make a success of her life. On a whim, one day she emails the author of her favorite fantasy book -- and he unexpectedly writes back! A fun, flirty, bookish romance that will appeal to anyone who's had fantasies of hitting it off with their favorite author.
–Melissa Oates from Fiction Addiction in Greenville, SC

Current Read This Next! books and what SIBA booksellers have to say about them can always be found at The Southern Bookseller Review