Southern Review of Books

12/22/2025

"Teixeira’s original page compositions frequently take advantage of white space to make you slow down in each scene, and the warm color palette interrupted by a black, grainy background heightens the visceral suspense with every page turn."

New review of HEAVEN, WEST VIRGINIA by Ravi Teixeira.

A review of Ravi Teixeira’s recent graphic novel, “Heaven, West Virginia.”

12/19/2025

"While the stories are set in the present day, Riggs eschews linearity in her storytelling in favor of a circular structure that loops seamlessly back and forth between past, present, and future."

New review of EXTINCTION CAPITAL OF THE WORLD by Mariah Rigg. Ecco Books

Rather than a static snapshot, these ten interconnected stories share a portrait of Hawaii as a living, evolving organism.

12/18/2025

Looking for last-minute holiday gifts? Check out this non-exhaustive list of fantastic LGBTQ+ Southern books from the last half of 2025.

(Find the first half of 2025 here! https://southernreviewofbooks.com/2025/06/13/books-to-celebrate-in-june-2025/)

A non-exhaustive list of q***r Southern books published in the second half of 2025.

12/16/2025

"Famished is a fast, heartbreaking read about the perfect storm of diet culture and purity culture and the deleterious effects of that storm on the lives of girls and women."

New review of FAMISHED by Anna Rollins.

A review of Anna Rollins’ memoir, “Famished.”

12/12/2025

"If the tropes DeMeester deploys feel like familiar staples of the feminist horror genre, I’d argue that is also their power. Because like all of the best horror, we come to understand that the true nightmare is not the monster haunting the woods. ... It’s the fact that when it comes to violent, patriarchal oppression, there truly is nothing new under the sun."

New review of DARK SISTERS by Kristi DeMeester. St. Martin's Press

A review of Kristi DeMeester’s eerie, propulsive novel, “Dark Sisters.”

12/09/2025

“While thrilling, this is more than the sensational tale of a drug smuggler in the 80s – this is the story of a daughter making meaning out of what she once considered a senseless accident which left her fatherless and changed her and her family’s lives. Through vivid scenes recreated from first-hand accounts, news articles, and government reports, Henderson alchemizes the shame and confusion she’s carried since her father’s death while introducing him to us.”

New review is NO ORDINARY BIRD by Artis Henderson.

A review of Artis Henderson’s second nonfiction book, “No Ordinary Bird.”

12/05/2025

"I love braided and mosaic novels. I think it is the truest way to tell a story, the best way to illuminate conflicting perspectives and undisclosed secrets."

Wes Blake interviews Julie Hensley on FIVE OAKS.

An interview with author Julie Hensley on her recent novel, “Five Oaks.”

12/03/2025

"I, Medusa isn’t just an adventurous tale about the origin story of a classic Greek 'monster.' It’s a commentary about the many ways women are oppressed in their lives, the varied forms in which sexual harassment and assault take place, and ultimately the resilience of a survivor’s spirit."

New review of Ayana Gray's I, MEDUSA. Random House

Ayana Gray’s “I, Medusa” is full of complicated women with rich personalities who exist in a gray area.

11/21/2025

"In an era still grappling with political polarization and the weaponization of fear, Midnight in Memphis reminds us that justice is not merely about punishment, but about truth, accountability, and the courage to confront what divides us."

New review of MIDNIGHT IN MEMPHIS by Thomas Dann. Crooked Lane Books

Thomas Dann’s debut is much more than a typical whodunit.

11/19/2025

Our holiday plans definitely include knocking out a book or two from our (excessively long) TBR — but we've also added a few from this list of new Southern books out this month.

https://southernreviewofbooks.com/2025/11/19/best-books-of-november-2025/

11/12/2025

"Hutton’s narrative moves nonlinearly, shifting between the 1940s and 1970s, as well as geographically between Washington, D.C. and North Carolina. This temporal fluidity may initially disorient readers, but it becomes integral to the story’s emotional architecture, reflecting the fragmented nature of memory and regret while tracing the characters’ dreams, unconscious desires, and recollections."

New review of IF YOU LEAVE by Margaret Hutton. Regal House Publishing

Through interwoven narratives, Hutton uncovers how leaving can be an act of love, growth, and self-discovery, especially between mothers and daughters.

11/07/2025

"Unsurprisingly, much of BEARD reads like really good gossip. I was hooked from the start, in part because I wanted to know how it all unraveled, but also because the unraveling is done in a way that is both like a confession and an intro to q***r theory."

New review of Kelly Foster Lundquist's BEARD. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

“Beard: A Memoir of a Marriage” by Kelly Foster Lundquist threads religion, sexuality, identity and acceptance.