Something Old Meets Something New

10 must-reads that revisit the American Dream, explore feelings

of love, loss, and everything in between.

Story by Tess Catlett

Between Two Skies

by Joanne O'Sullivan

Although nearly 12 years have passed since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, Joanne O’Sullivan’s debut novel picks up in Bayou Perdu, Louisiana, shortly before the storm hits. The small fishing town is home to 16-year-old Evangeline Riley, a two-time fishing rodeo champion with fire in her heart.

But when Katrina comes, Evangeline’s past, present, and future are ripped away with no salvation in sight. As Evangeline struggles to regain what she’s lost, O’Sullivan presents an insightful look at Katrina’s impact on family, friendship, and sense of self. Between Two Skies was released on April 25.

Grief Cottage

by Gail Godwin

When his mother passes, 11-year-old Marcus is sent to live with his reclusive Aunt Charlotte along the South Carolina coast. After a quick town tour, she unwittingly sets him on a path of exploration not unlike her own 30 years prior. At the epicenter? Grief Cottage, named as such after a young boy and his parents disappeared from it over a century ago.

Seeking solace, Marcus begins spending his days at the Cottage. It isn’t long before he realizes he isn’t alone — but is his otherworldly visitor friend or foe? Godwin’s latest blurs the lines between fantasy and reality to tackle age-old feelings of loss and remorse. Find out what comes next for Marcus when Grief Cottage hits shelves June 6.

No One Is Coming to Save Us

by Stephanie Powell Watts

Pegged as one of the most anticipated books of 2017, No One Is Coming to Save Us follows JJ Ferguson home to Pinewood, North Carolina. Years have passed since he left, and he wants nothing more than to build his dream home, reconnect with an old flame, and settle down. Much to his dismay, he finds that the town he left behind — and the people he once knew — have changed just as much as he has.

His high school sweetheart is married, her brother has gone MIA, and the factories are in decline, putting everyone out of work. Join Watts as she explores the tenuous relationship between the haves and the have-nots. Her stunning debut was released on April 4.

Just Fly Away

by Andrew McCarthy

In Just Fly Away, 15-year-old Lucy Willows discovers that her father had an affair. And although the fling was brief, it left her with an 8-year-old brother that she’s never met who lives across town. Aghast at her father’s indiscretion — and her mother’s forgiveness — Lucy doesn’t know what to do. His secret has become her own, and it isn’t one that she wants to keep. So she does what any stressed out kid would do — she runs.

Emotions fly high in McCarthy’s YA debut, but its truths are universal. Just Fly Away was released on March 28.

Monsters in Appalachia: Stories

by Sheryl Monks

Fifteen stories span 180 pages, each offering a breathtaking look into the unknown.

For some, this comes as salvation, a fresh start after an abuser’s timely end; for others, a self-destructive jaunt down to the devil’s door.

Set in Appalachia, these stories exist at the mercy of their landscape. The region is home to intricacies unlike any other, though some qualms do extend beyond the Eastern edge.

Monsters real and contrived fill the pages of Monks’s impassioned debut, but there’s more than sorrow to be had within these binds.

All the Little Liars

by Charlaine Harris

More than a decade has passed since Charlaine Harris last visited the world of Aurora Teagarden, a small-town Southern librarian. In her latest chapter — the ninth in the mystery series — Aurora’s 15-year-old brother vanishes from his school’s soccer field one afternoon.

She soon learns that two of his friends, as well as an 11-year-old girl, have also disappeared. And to make matters worse, a dead body was found at the kids’ last known location.

As to be expected, Aurora and her true crime writer husband, Robin Crusoe, begin their own investigation. It’s a race against time as Aurora tries to bring her brother home… and find out whether he’s to blame for taking the other children.

The Forgetting

by Sharon Cameron

The first in Sharon Cameron’s series of the same name, The Forgetting is set in the fantastical city of Canaan. Within the city’s white stone walls, what’s written is the only thing that matters. That’s because every 12 years, all who reside in Canaan have their memories wiped. Gone are your loved ones, your indiscretions, and your dreams, unless, of course, you’ve written them down.

Except for Nadia. For some reason to be discovered, her memories have remained throughout the years. In her quest to understand Canaan, she exposes an unforeseen threat to the city — one only she can stop.

The Things We Wish Were True

by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

A white picket fence is a sign of two things: suburban dreams and the lies its takes to maintain them. At least, that’s what it means in Sycamore Glen, North Carolina.

For years, secrets have stayed within each property line until an accident at the community pool calls everything into question.

After hearing the news, a former member of the community makes an unexpected return after a self-imposed exile. And then it all begins to unravel. Uncover secret after secret as Whalen delivers on a page-turning summer read.

Field of Graves

by J. T. Ellison

Although Field of Graves is the eighth installment in J.T. Ellison’s Taylor Jackson series, it’s actually the first Jackson novel that she ever wrote. After going unpublished for years, the book has finally seen the light of day, allowing fans a detailed look into Lieutenant Taylor’s backstory. Right there with her?

Paramour and FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin and medical examiner Dr. Samantha Owens.

This origin story is set against a Nashville backdrop, with a faith-motivated serial killer abducting young women left and right. Without this case, Taylor and Baldwin would never have met. A solid introduction to the Jackson series, Field of Graves will have fans new and old on the edge of their seats.

The Eyes Have It: A Lowcountry Home Novel

by Julie Allan

For Lizzie Long, South Carolina is her saving grace. Between her uncle’s passing and her husband’s abrupt departure, she finds herself lost and alone, so she heads home to the Lowcountry in The Eyes Have It. Welcomed back with open arms, Lizzie begins to put the pieces of her life back together with the help of her childhood friends. As she makes peace with her past, her future appears on the horizon. But will she take a leap of faith or will she let her fear hold her back? Find out in Allan’s delightful series.