Third Thursday: Glowing Crazy for the Holidays!
2022-12-15 17:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York)
It’s shop ’til ya drop days and no better time than Third Thursday, when the shops stay open late and the downtown square is transformed into a glowing winter wonderland… we’ll have plenty of treats to cool you off or warm you up depending on the weather that evening, and plenty of store specials to gift your loved ones.
After all, a book is the gift you can open again and again…
On the third Thursday of each month Historic Downtown Summerville transforms into a special marketplace featuring local entertainment, craft vendors and artisans, to complement the extended hours of our eclectic shops, boutiques and restaurants.

Book Signing: The Irreverent Reverend Rides Again by Joe Baroody
2022-12-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Join us for a special Saturday afternoon signing with Joe Baroody and grab signed copies for all your favorite gift recipients this season!
Just released, Second Chronicles: The Irreverent Reverend Rides Again (Joggling Board Press, $14.95) is a tonic! Raise your eyebrows and brace yourself, because Joe Baroody, the Irreverent Reverend, is back! In this second volume of collected stories, Baroody is your driver as he swerves and skids his way through life, dustups that will variably make you cringe and laugh at his very human knack for embracing the power of vulnerability. Readers will feel all the feels in the 22 pea-sized stories that make up this collection. Read them in order or a random bite at a time but, by all means, hang on for a great ride!
Joe Baroody, an ordained Baptist minister and a pastoral counselor, is an award-winning author with insights that defy gravity, flout convention and touch the humanity in us all. His first book, also published by Joggling Board Press, is Chronicles of an Irreverent Reverend: What Goes Wrong Can Make You Better, winner of the coveted IPPY award for humor by Independent Publishers Book Awards.

December Living Large Bookclub: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
2022-12-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
The remarkable, incomparable Barbara Kingsolver is back – with her new novel, Demon Copperhead, and we can’t wait to talk about it! We’ll provide the treats, you bring the conversation – and the book is at 10% off for book club price!
“Kingsolver is a writer who can help us understand and navigate the chaos of these times.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune
From the New York Times bestselling author of Unsheltered and Flight Behavior, a brilliant novel which enthralls, compels, and captures the heart as it evokes a young hero’s unforgettable journey to maturity.
“Anyone will tell you the born of this world are marked from the get-out, win or lose.”
Demon Copperhead is set in the mountains of southern Appalachia. It’s the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. In a plot that never pauses for breath, relayed in his own unsparing voice, he braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.
Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens’ anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can’t imagine leaving behind.

Thrill in the 'Ville: Thriller Book Club Reading The Resemblance
2023-01-10 18:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Our first thriller book club choice of 2023 is The Resemblance by Lauren Nossett. As always, treats will be served – come join the fun!
Lauren Nossett’s artfully written debut, The Resemblance is an exhilarating, atmospheric campus thriller reminiscent of The Secret History and The Likeness.
Never betray the brotherhood… On a chilly November morning at the University of Georgia, a fraternity brother steps off a busy crosswalk and is struck dead by an oncoming car. More than a dozen witnesses all agree on two things: the driver looked identical to the victim, and he was smiling.
Detective Marlitt Kaplan is first on the scene. An Athens native and the daughter of a UGA professor, she knows all its shameful histories, from the skull discovered under the foundations of Baldwin Hall to the hushed-up murder-suicide in Waddel. But in the course of investigating this hit-and-run, she will uncover more chilling secrets as she explores the sprawling, interconnected Greek system that entertains and delights the university’s most elite and connected students.
The lines between Marlitt’s police work and her own past increasingly blur as Marlitt seeks to bring to justice an institution that took something precious from her many years ago. When threats against her escalate, and some long-buried secrets threaten to come to the surface, she can’t help questioning whether the corruption in Athens has run off campus and into the force and how far these brotherhoods will go to protect their own.

Wednesday Stories on the Square
2023-01-11 09:30 - 10:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Join us every WEDNESDAY morning at 9:30 a.m. for “Stories on the Square, our outdoor storytime adventure – kids of all ages welcome! Treats served and student discounts to ALL attendees!
Storytime at Main Street Reads has become one of our featured events, held outside to ensure proper social distancing. We have lots of chairs for younger listeners, hoola-hoops for distancing and plenty of juice boxes and fruit snacks to munch while they listen.
In case of inclement weather, storytime moves inside – we move the furniture and place the hoops and chairs on the floor – we do ask that strollers park outside!

Meet the Author: Kim Poovey - Shadows of the Moss
2023-01-14 11:00 - 13:00
We’re delighted to welcome Shadows of the Moss author Kim Poovey for a special Meet the Author event at Main Street Reads!
Kim is a storyteller and author of historical fiction and hauntings. She has traveled the Southeast for more than 20 years performing in period attire on 19th century fashion, mourning practices, and other Victorian era topics. In 2011 she portrayed Mrs. Stanton, wife of Secretary of War Stanton (Kevin Kline), in the Robert Redford film, The Conspirator. Her published works include Truer Words, Through Button Eyes; Memoirs of an Edwardian Teddy Bear (out of print), Dickens’ Mice, The Tails Behind the Tale, The Haunting of Monroe Manse, and Shadows of the Moss. Kim lives in a haunted 1890s Victorian cottage in the SC Lowcountry with her husband, Darryl, and their furry children.
Shadows of the Moss:
“This captivating saga instantly draws readers into Irish immigrant Maggie McFarland’s quest to find her own self-worth in a new land where men claim others as property. As Maggie’s journey takes her from mid-19th century Ireland to Pennsylvania and south to the Carolina Lowcountry, she learns that her own trials and gifts offer her a unique perspective on the value of freedom and just what constitutes a real family. Thought-provoking and inspiring!” — Susan Diamond Riley, award-winning author of The Sea Island’s Secret and The Sea Turtle’s Curse
The Haunting of Monroe Manse: “Loved this book . It was a page turner that I could not put down. Great character development and descriptions of surroundings. Can’t wait for the next book. I highly recommend purchasing The Haunting of Monroe Manse, was thrilled to be able to download onto my Kindle. 5 stars.” JMC
Truer Words: “I really enjoyed this book. I felt like I knew the characters and how they were feeling. I have found that tree, and go to it often to look out over the water and think. Ms. Poovey takes you back in time to a time of turmoil and great love of family, country, and life.” IB
Connect with Kim at Facebook and Instagram via @kimpooveyauthor. Kim’s website is at kimpoovey.com.

January Living Large Bookclub: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
2023-01-17 18:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Due to the horrible weather timing of last month’s club – this is now JANUARY’S pick – because we all can’t wait to talk about it! As always, treats will be served – please come on out and join in the fun!
The remarkable, incomparable Barbara Kingsolver is back – with her new novel, Demon Copperhead, and we can’t wait to talk about it! We’ll provide the treats, you bring the conversation – and the book is at 10% off for book club price!
“Kingsolver is a writer who can help us understand and navigate the chaos of these times.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune
From the New York Times bestselling author of Unsheltered and Flight Behavior, a brilliant novel which enthralls, compels, and captures the heart as it evokes a young hero’s unforgettable journey to maturity.
“Anyone will tell you the born of this world are marked from the get-out, win or lose.”
Demon Copperhead is set in the mountains of southern Appalachia. It’s the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. In a plot that never pauses for breath, relayed in his own unsparing voice, he braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.
Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens’ anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can’t imagine leaving behind.

Third Thursday: Game Night on the Square
2023-01-19 17:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
On the third Thursday of each month Historic Downtown Summerville transforms into a special marketplace featuring local entertainment, craft vendors and artisans, to complement the extended hours of our eclectic shops, boutiques and restaurants.
This month, there’ll be quick games of fun and chance around the square – we may (hint) even have a game or two to win at Main Street Reads…

Meet the Author: Kasen Wysong’s New Release: The Paths of Time
2023-01-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Meet Kasen Wysong and grab a signed copy of his new release, The Paths of Time, the second his Mayhem series (the first, The Colors of the Mayhem, was a Main Street Reads fantasy hit!

The Staff of the Paths of Time has been triggered.
Ancient magic takes a handful of Wielders four hundred years into the past, to a yet unbroken Alasdair. Despite the vast land, glistening architecture, and sophisticated cultures–signs of turmoil show the Path to the Mayhem is shortening.
Empires ten times the size of the Unnamed Island are a breath away from war. Fervent groups like the Temple of Pure threaten Florica Wielders with their magic. The Nightfall Order grows bolder as they emerge from hiding. And there lurks an even greater threat in the shadows; the Tarantula spins her webs of chaos, entangling the world in her scheme.
The Travelers of the Paths of Time must learn how to navigate this new time period. Their survival depends on it–humanity depends on it. They are the prophets of doom, harkening the Mayhem, but desperate to stop it. Unlikely alliances form, old flames for vengeance rekindle, and new heroes arise. Amid it all, three friends from Floric Academy explore the depths of their own souls–fearing what they might find.
Kasen Wysong devoured fantasy novels and these unlocked new worlds for him. He completed his first book in middle school and fell in love with the process. Almost a decade later, Kasen discovered that book on a flash drive and decided to publish it. He dove into the story, reworking it, adding new portions, and eventually splitting it into two books. The first is the Colors of the Mayhem, and this second addition to the Mayhem Series is The Paths of Time. In many ways, the title is reflective of Kasen’s own journey to publishing it, as the story is deeply connected to his past. A lot of Kasen’s inspiration comes from his unique upbringing in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Thrill in the 'Ville: February Thriller Book Club - All the Dangerous Things
2023-02-14 18:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Join us on Valentine’s Day for some cheer, treats and discussion of Stacy Willingham’s new hit, All The Dangerous Things – we’re super excited to chat about the book (and meet with Stacy and Grady Hendrix on February 25th too!)
We’ll see you on Main Street…
Following up her instant New York Times bestseller, A Flicker in the Dark, Stacy Willingham delivers a totally gripping thriller about a desperate mother with a troubled past in All the Dangerous Things.
One year ago, Isabelle Drake’s life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her–literally.
Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year.
Isabelle’s entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster–but his interest in Isabelle’s past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust… including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.

Keep It Sweet -February Third Thursday!
2023-02-16 17:30 - 20:30 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Love is in the air all month long… we’ll have our “kissing booth” up so come get a selfie and a Hershey’s kiss while you enjoy all our amazing downtown has to offer each Third Thursday! Watch for specials and sweet treats all week long, including on romance titles…

Living Large Book Club: February's Pick - The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani
2023-02-21 18:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
This was a sell-out phenom at the recent Pulpwood Queens international book club conference in Florida and our readers are raving, so we’re super excited to chat about Adriana’s amazing work! As always, the book is 10% off for book club pricing and we’ll have wine and treats the night of our chat… see you there!
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“[An] immersive saga. . . . A celebration of family and a paean to the power of storytelling.”—People, “Book of the Week”
“Trigiani conveys the beauty of Italy, the hardships of war, the taste of family recipes, and the enduring love of family.”—Library Journal (starred)
“The beauty of any book by Adriana Trigiani is her ability to interweave life and fiction. . . . Don’t miss your chance to take this unforgettable journey with the Cabrelli women!” –Lisa Wingate, Book of the Month
From “a master of visual and palpable detail” (The Washington Post), comes a lush, immersive novel about three generations of Tuscan artisans with one remarkable secret. Epic in scope and resplendent with the glorious themes of identity and belonging, The Good Left Undone unfolds in breathtaking turns.
Matelda, the Cabrelli family’s matriarch, has always been brusque and opinionated. Now, as she faces the end of her life, she is determined to share a long-held secret with her family about her own mother’s great love story: with her childhood friend, Silvio, and with dashing Scottish sea captain John Lawrie McVicars, the father Matelda never knew. .
In the halcyon past, Domenica Cabrelli thrives in the coastal town of Viareggio until her beloved home becomes unsafe when Italy teeters on the brink of World War II. Her journey takes her from the rocky shores of Marseille to the mystical beauty of Scotland to the dangers of wartime Liverpool–where Italian Scots are imprisoned without cause–as Domenica experiences love, loss, and grief while she longs for home. A hundred years later, her daughter, Matelda, and her granddaughter, Anina, face the same big questions about life and their family’s legacy, while Matelda contemplates what is worth fighting for. But Matelda is running out of time, and the two timelines intersect and weave together in unexpected and heartbreaking ways that lead the family to shocking revelations and, ultimately, redemption.

Thrills & Chills with Grady Hendrix and Stacy Willingham: LIVE Theater Event!
2023-02-25 14:00 - 17:30 | James Dean Theatre, 133 S Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Team Thrill or Team Chill?
Tickets are now on sale for February’s Thrills & Chills! When you register, don’t forget to pick Team Thrill or Team Chill (you’ll see why on the day of the event).
REGISTER HERE!
This incredible author mashup at the James F. Dean theatre happens February 25th, 2023 and will feature two of our favorite authors, Stacy Willingham of A Flicker in the Dark fame and Grady Hendrix of The Southern Bookclub’s Guide to Slaying Vampires and The Final Girl Support Group, all of which have been book club picks (and have movie/TV deals!)
Both authors have new books releasing in January – your ticket includes one each of BOTH books that you can pick up when they release in January, and have ’em to get personally signed when the authors join us for a rollicking afternoon of fun, food and fabulous conversation. The event will benefit both the Flowertown Players and the Timrod Library again, as we all do our part to support the art of storytelling in our incredible community!
REGISTER HERE!
Meet the Books
New York Times bestselling author Grady Hendrix takes on the haunted house in a thrilling new novel that explores the way your past–and your family–can haunt you like nothing else.
When Louise finds out her parents have died, she dreads going home. She doesn’t want to leave her daughter with her ex and fly to Charleston. She doesn’t want to deal with her family home, stuffed to the rafters with the remnants of her father’s academic career and her mother’s lifelong obsession with puppets and dolls. She doesn’t want to learn how to live without the two people who knew and loved her best in the world.
Most of all, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. Unfortunately, she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market.
But some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them…
Like his novels The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires and The Final Girl Support Group, How to Sell a Haunted House is classic Hendrix: equal parts heartfelt and terrifying–a gripping new read from “the horror master” (USA Today).
REGISTER HERE!
Following up her instant New York Times bestseller, A Flicker in the Dark, Stacy Willingham delivers a totally gripping thriller about a desperate mother with a troubled past in All the Dangerous Things.
One year ago, Isabelle Drake’s life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her–literally.
Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year.
Isabelle’s entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster–but his interest in Isabelle’s past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust… including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.
Meet the Authors!
Grady Hendrix is an award-winning novelist and screenwriter living in New York City. He is the author of Horrorstör, My Best Friend’s Exorcism (which is being adapted into a feature film by Amazon Studios), We Sold Our Souls, and the New York Times bestseller The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires (currently being adapted into a TV series). Grady also authored the Bram Stoker Award-winning nonfiction book Paperbacks from Hell, a history of the horror paperback boom of the seventies and eighties, and his latest non-fiction book is These Fists Break Bricks How Kung Fu Movies Swept America and Changed the World.
Stacy Willingham is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark. Before turning to fiction, she was a copywriter and brand strategist for various marketing agencies and earned her BA in magazine journalism from the University of Georgia and MFA in writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her work has been translated in over 30 countries. She currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, Britt, and Labradoodle, Mako.
This event takes place at the James F. Dean (Flowertown Players) Theatre up the street from Main Street Reads. The doors will open at 1:30 p.m. with the performance (talk) beginning at 2 p.m.
Following the event at 4 p.m. readers can get their books personally signed by Stacy and Grady at Main Street Reads where we’ll host a private reception with wine and treats. Their other titles will be on sale as well.
We look so forward to you sharing this special afternoon with us! Hint: BOTH books will be upcoming book club picks as well!

Timrod Author Series: James M. Scott's Black Snow
2023-02-26 14:00 - 17:00 | Timrod Library, 217 Central Avenue, Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
We’ll be on hand with the books for the Timrod Library’s annual author series, beginning with this amazing book from author James M. Scott, Black Snow.
The 24th Annual Timrod Author Series includes two big events featuring local authors. Pulitzer finalist James M. Scott, author of Black Snow will be the speaker on Feb. 26. Travel writers and authors of multiple books, Lynn and Cele Seldon will be the speakers on March 5. Lynn will discuss his newest book, Carolina’s Ring, and he and Cele will talk about their travel writing experiences.
Each event begins at 2 p.m. at the fellowship hall of Bethany United Methodist Church, followed by an elegant reception at the Timrod Library that will include book sales and signing.
Historian and author James M. Scott was named a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Target Tokyo. He is the author of several deeply researched and compelling books, which have earned starred reviews in Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, and Library Journal. His latest book, Black Snow, is about the bombing of Tokyo during World War II. Drawing on first-person interviews with American servicemen and Japanese survivors, archives, and oral histories not previously published in English, Scott delivers a harrowing account in his most important work to date. James and his family live in Mount Pleasant.
Lynn and Cele Seldon have spent more than thirty years as travel writers, bringing their passion for travel to life through words and pictures. They are coauthors of multiple travel books, including 100 Things to Do in Charleston Before You Die and have also written hundreds of travel articles for regional and national publications.
Lynn’s latest novel, Carolina’s Ring, is a modern coming-of-age story about three childhood friends. The narrative follows the trio from the foothills of South Carolina to the campuses of the Virginia Military Institute and The Citadel, then to the Global War on Terrorism and beyond. The Seldons live in Beaufort.
Tickets are $20 for one event and $30 for both events for members. ($25 and $40 for non-members.) Choose from the options below.
Also if you prefer, you may also purchase tickets using cash, check, or card in person at the Library, 217 Central Avenue in Summerville, or by phone at 843-871-4600 using a credit card.

Beads and Reads: Help Us Celebrate Our 4th Birthday Mardis Gras Style!
2023-03-04 15:00 - 17:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Our official 4th birthday is March 1st…. Once again, beginning Fat Tuesday aka Mardis Gras (February 21st), and on through our 4th Birthday Bash on March 4th, you can grab a strand of beads with every item purchased in the store.
At our birthday party, we’ll award those with the most beads in our Beads and Reads Challenge with prizes – RSVP here to guarantee yourself a free Mardis Gras mask, free treats and special March 4th discounts, too!
RSVP to Saturday’s Birthday Bash – IT’S FREE!

Lynn and Cele Seldon Featured in Author Series at Timrod Library: Carolina's Ring
2023-03-05 14:00 - 16:00 | Timrod Library, 217 Central Avenue, Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
We’ll be on hand with the books for the Timrod Library’s annual author series – next up – Lynn and Cele Seldon on March 5th and we can’t WAIT!
The event begins at 2 p.m. at the fellowship hall of Bethany United Methodist Church, followed by an elegant reception at the Timrod Library that will include book sales and signing.
Lynn and Cele Seldon have spent more than thirty years as travel writers, bringing their passion for travel to life through words and pictures. They are the co-authors of multiple travel books, including 100 Things to Do in Charleston Before You Die, and have also written hundreds of travel articles for regional and national publications.
Lynn’s latest novel, Carolina’s Ring, is a modern coming-of-age story about three childhood friends. The narrative follows the trio from the foothills of South Carolina to the campuses of the Virginia Military Institute and The Citadel, then to the Global War on Terrorism and beyond. The Seldons live in Beaufort.
Tickets are $20 for members. ($25 for non-members.)

You can purchase tickets using cash, check, or card in person at the Library, 217 Central Avenue in Summerville, or by phone at 843-871-4600 using a credit card OR visit HERE for ordering and more info!

Thrill in the 'Ville: Thriller Book Club Features The House in the Pines
2023-03-14 18:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Our March Thriller Book Club will feature The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes – already making waves as a Reese Witherspoon book club pick! Grab the book in-store at our 10% off book club price or get it on our online bookshop HERE.
As always, treats will be served! Want a headstart on the book club questions? Visit this handy guide HERE!
An instant New York Times bestseller!
“This is an absolute, can’t-put-it-down thriller…It’s truly a wild ride that had me flying through chapter after chapter–which I think is the perfect way to kick off your year of reading.” –Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club Jan ’23 Pick)
Armed with only hazy memories, a woman who long ago witnessed her friend’s sudden, mysterious death, and has since spent her life trying to forget, sets out to track down answers. What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed….
Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they’d been spending time with all summer.
Seven years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memories, and the lost time that she can’t account for. But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank. Plunged into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer–the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey.
At her mother’s house, she excavates fragments of her past and notices hidden messages in her deceased Guatemalan father’s book that didn’t stand out to her earlier. To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank’s cabin….
Utterly unique and captivating, The House in the Pines keeps you guessing about whether we can ever fully confront the past and return home.

Third Thursday: Let's Go GREEN!
2023-03-16 17:30 - 20:30 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
It’ll be a “green wave” in Summerville this Third Thursday, the day before St. Patrick’s Day! This also means any cover with green on it throughout the store is 10% off.
On the third Thursday of each month Historic Downtown Summerville transforms into a special marketplace featuring local entertainment, craft vendors and artisans, to complement the extended hours of eclectic shops, boutiques and restaurants.

March Living Large Book Club Discussing Beasts of the Earth by James Wade
2023-03-21 18:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
March’s Living Large (bestsellers) Book Club will feature an engaging discussion about James Wade’s newest book club hit – Beasts of the Earth!
As always, the book is available from our online bookshop OR in-store at 10% off!
James Wade, whose first two novels were praised as “rhapsodic” and “haunting,” delivers his most powerful work to date–a chilling parable about the impossible demands of hate and love, trauma and goodness, vividly set in the landscapes of Texas and Louisiana.
Beasts of the Earth tells the story of Harlen LeBlanc, a dependable if quiet employee of the Carter Hills High School’s grounds department, whose carefully maintained routine is overthrown by an act of violence. As the town searches for answers, LeBlanc strikes out on his own to exonerate a friend, while drawing the eyes of the law to himself and fending off unwelcome voices that call for a sterner form of justice.
Twenty years earlier, young Michael Fischer dreads the return of his father from prison. He spends his days stealing from trap lines in the Louisiana bayou to feed his fanatically religious mother and his cherished younger sister, Doreen. When his father eventually returns, an evil arrives in Michael’s life that sends him running from everything he has ever known. He is rescued by a dying poet and his lover, who extract from him a promise: to be a good man, whatever that may require.
Beasts of the Earth deftly intertwines these stories, exploring themes of time, fate, and free will, to produce a revelatory conclusion that is both beautiful and heartbreaking.

Downtown S'ville Spring Sidewalk Sale!
2023-03-25 10:00 - 18:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Visit us and other merchants in downtown S’ville all day long for great spring sidewalk sale deals.
Here at Main Street Reads we’ll have hundreds of books at 75% off, and more at 50% off, and some free blind dates with a book, too! Don’t miss this chance to stock up and save!

Summerville Flowertown Festival 2023 Celebrates 50 Years!
2023-03-31 09:00 - 2023-04-02 17:00
The Summerville Family YMCA Flowertown Festival 2023
Join us as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Flowertown Festival!
The Flowertown Festival is the Y’s premiere fundraiser founded in 1973 to support health and wellness programs at the Y. Every spring, thousands of people visit Summerville to see nature’s bounty awash in color, from the hot pink azaleas, to the purple wisteria, to the delicate white dogwood. On this three-day weekend, festival-goers transcend this gracious Southern town to take in the flowers and hospitality and attend one of the largest arts and crafts festivals in the Southeast: The Summerville Family YMCA Flowertown Festival.

Upcoming Show Dates:

March 31: 9-6pm
April 1: 9-6pm
April 2: 9-4pm

Over 200 jury-selected artists from throughout the country who display their work for sale.
Delicious foods from restaurants and commercial food vendors
Fun activities and rides for children at the Children’s Jubilee/Kids Fest
Farmer’s Market- Powered by Summerville Dream
Free Admission
Free Parking
Food Trucks

EVENT DATES:

March 31: 9- 6
April 1: 9-6
April 2: 9-4

Thrill in the ‘Ville: April Thriller Book Club Features The London Seance Society
2023-04-11 18:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Our APRIL Thriller Book Club will feature The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner, author of one of our favorite tales, The Lost Apothecary. Grab either book in-store at our 10% off book club price or grab ’em from on our online bookshop HERE.
As always, treats will be served! Want a headstart on the book club questions? Visit this handy guide HERE!
“An atmospheric and evocative whodunnit steeped in suspense, mystery, and illusion.” –Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestseller of The Maid
From the author of the sensational bestseller The Lost Apothecary comes a spellbinding tale about two daring women who hunt for truth and justice in the perilous art of conjuring the dead.
1873. At an abandoned château on the outskirts of Paris, a dark séance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.
Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Séance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…
“An explosive, immersive, time-bomb of a novel. Vengeance is never sweeter than in Sarah Penner’s hands.” –Laurie Lico Albanese, award-winning author of Hester

April Living Large Book Club Discussing Picture in the Sand by Peter Blauner
2023-04-18 18:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
April’s Living Large (bestsellers) Book Club will feature an engaging discussion about Peter Blauner’s new book club hit – Picture in the Sand:
As always, the book is available from our online bookshop OR in-store at 10% off! All are welcome to book club night and we’ll provide plenty of treats and a fun chat!
“On rare occasions I read a book that reminds me of why I fell in love with storytelling in the first place. This is such a book.” -Stephen King
Peter Blauner’s epic Picture in the Sand is a sweeping intergenerational saga told through a grandfather’s passionate letters to his grandson, passing on the story of his political rebellion in 1950s Egypt in order to save his grandson’s life in a post-9/11 world.
When Alex Hassan gets accepted to an Ivy League university, his middle-class Egyptian-American family is filled with pride and excitement. But that joy turns to shock when they discover that he’s run off to the Middle East to join a holy war instead. When he refuses to communicate with everyone else, his loving grandfather Ali emails him one last plea. If Alex will stay in touch, his grandfather will share with Alex – and only Alex – a manuscript containing the secret story of his own life that he’s kept hidden from his family, until now.
It’s the tale of his romantic and heartbreaking past rooted in Hollywood and the post-revolutionary Egypt of the 1950s, when young Ali was a movie fanatic who attained a dream job working for the legendary director Cecil B. DeMille on the set of his epic film, The Ten Commandments. But Ali’s vision of a golden future as an American movie mogul gets upended when he is unwittingly caught up in a web of politics, espionage, and real-life events that change the course of history.
It’s a narrative he’s told no one for more than a half-century. But now he’s forced to unearth the past to save a young man who’s about to make the same tragic mistakes he made so long ago.

April's Third Thursday: Spring is in the Air!
2023-04-20 17:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
On the third Thursday of each month Historic Downtown Summerville transforms into a special marketplace featuring local entertainment, craft vendors and artisans, to complement the extended hours of eclectic shops, boutiques and restaurants.

Indie Bookstore Day 2023: Fair on the Square
2023-04-29 09:00 - 16:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Get ready to celebrate Indie Bookstore Day 2023 in style at Main Street Reads! This year marks the 10th anniversary of the national event, celebrated by fine bookstores from coast to coast, and we’re pulling out all the stops with our annual Book Fair on the Square.
Join us for a day of fun, books, and community as we celebrate the love of independent bookstores. Our Book Fair on the Square will feature sales on favorite books, as well as exclusive merchandise available ONLY on Indie Bookstore day, gifts for kids attending, and raffle items all day long.
But that’s not all! We’ll also be hosting author talks throughout the day, so you can meet and chat with some of your favorite writers. From bestselling novelists to up-and-coming indie authors, we’ve got a great lineup of speakers and panelists who will be sharing their insights and experiences with us. Our kid-focused books will be featured before noon, and adult titles in the afternoon. Grab some goodies at the farmers market and head on over to join us!
And of course, what would a Book Fair on the Square be without some great music? We’ve got Mike Kaltofen (fresh off his performance for Public Works during Flowertown Festival) lined up to provide the perfect soundtrack to your day of book browsing and community celebration.
So mark your calendars for Indie Bookstore Day 2023 at Main Street Reads! We can’t wait to celebrate with you and share our love of books and community. See you there!

Patti Callahan Henry Coming to Summerville!
2023-05-07 14:00 - 17:00 | Timrod Library, 217 Central Avenue, Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Patti Callahan Henry Coming to Summerville!

New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan Henry is coming to the Timrod Library on May 7 with her newest novel, The Secret Book of Flora Lea, releasing May 2. Patti’s presentation begins at 2 p.m. at the fellowship hall of Bethany United Methodist Church, followed by a classic reception and book signing at the Timrod Library.
Tickets are $40 ($30 for members) and include the author’s presentation and reception, plus a hardcover copy ofThe Secret Book of Flora Lea. Tickets are available at the Library and payable by cash or card. Credit card purchases are also available by phone at (843) 871-4600 or online at the Event page on thetimrodlibrary.org.
In The Secret Book of Flora Lea, a young woman named Hazel discovers a rare book that may reveal long-held secrets about her sister, Flora, who went missing as a child during World War II. The evacuation of British children to the safety of the countryside during the war provides the historical backdrop for this imaginative tale about the bond between sisters, the complications of love, and the enduring magic of storytelling.
Patti Callahan Henry is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of several novels, including Becoming Mrs. Lewis and Once Upon a Wardrobe. She is the recipient of the Christy Award, the Harper Lee Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer of the Year Award, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year. She is the cohost and co-creator of the popular weekly online live web show and podcast Friends and Fiction. A full-time author and mother of three, she lives in Alabama and South Carolina with her family.
Main Street Reads will provide the books for this special event and we’ll have other popular titles by Patti available for purchase and signing as well.
All proceeds benefit the Timrod Literary and Library Society. Don’t miss this special event! CLICK HERE to grab your tix now – we’re expecting a full house

Celebrating Moms This Mother's Day...
2023-05-14 10:00 - 16:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
Bring your mom to Main Street Reads on Sunday, May 12th for 10% off storewide and special treats just for moms, too!

May Thriller Book Club: Death of a Bookseller
2023-05-16 18:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
This month’s thriller club will meet on the 3RD TUESDAY since it’s a five-week month, giving everyone more time to read the new selection Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater.
The book is in stock at Main Street Reads, available at the book club 10% off discount.
As always, this event is free and open to all; you bring yourselves and we’ll bring the treats!
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Roach would rather be listening to the latest episode of her favorite true crime podcast than assisting the boring and predictable customers at her local branch of the bookstore Spines, where she’s worked her entire adult life. A serious true crime junkie, Roach looks down her nose at the pumpkin-spice-latte-drinking casual fans who only became interested in the genre once it got trendy. But when Laura, a pretty and charismatic children’s bookseller, arrives to help rejuvenate the struggling bookstore branch, Roach recognizes in her an unexpected kindred spirit.
Despite their common interest in true crime, Laura keeps her distance from Roach, resisting the other woman’s overtures of friendship. Undeterred, Roach learns everything she can about her new colleague, eventually uncovering Laura’s traumatic family history. When Roach realizes that she may have come across her very own true crime story, interest swiftly blooms into a dangerous obsession.
A darkly funny suspense novel, Death of a Bookseller raises ethical questions about the fervor for true crime and how we handle stories that don’t belong to us.

May's Living Large Book Club: The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry!
2023-05-23 18:30 - 20:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
This month’s best-sellers book club will meet on the 4th TUESDAY since it’s a five-week month, giving everyone more time to read the new selection The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry!
As always, book clubs are free and open to all; you bring you, we’ll bring the treats! BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS BELOW…

“Two sisters, dual time periods, a magical secret place, an abiding mystery–The Secret Book of Flora Lea is an enchanting story of survival against all odds. With her trademark warmth and a feather-light touch, Patti Callahan Henry weaves together events both real and imagined. Transporting, heartfelt, and atmospheric.” –Christina Baker Kline, New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train and The Exiles
“In this gorgeous ode to books and storytellers, Patti Callahan Henry shows that literature lives inside us, and can unite us despite the odds. Through war, young love, a sister’s remorse, and a mysterious land called Whisperwood, I was torn between savoring each word and tearing through the pages to learn what happened next. Pure magic!” –Janet Skeslien Charles, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library
“At the heart of this novel is a shattering loss that irrevocably changes the lives of a cast of complex, delightful characters. Henry is a born storyteller, keeping the reader on tenterhooks as she expertly unveils the truths and lies that drive this gripping, magical tale.” –Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnolia Palace
“Patti Callahan Henry is a master of the elusive fairy tale, and nowhere is her talent on better display than in the pages of The Secret Book of Flora Lea, a bittersweet tale of loss, destiny, and the strings of deep love that bind us together across the years. The terror and heartbreak of the World War II children’s evacuation of London collide with the dangling threads of an unsolved mystery that picks up nearly two decades later, at the dawn of the swinging Sixties. This heartrending, captivating tale of family, first love, and fate will sweep you away.” –Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars and The Book of Lost Names
“A spellbinding tale of hope and perseverance, The Secret Book of Flora Lea is as enchanting and whimsical as the Whisperwood fairytale hidden within its pages. It reminds us that a happily-ever-after isn’t out of reach–so long as we heed the tiny voice within, whispering that the real magic of the story may be closer than we think.” –Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary and The London Seance Society
“A fantastical tale of the power of stories and the bond between sisters…I absolutely loved this book.”–Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy
“Deft, lyrical and supremely satisfying, The Secret Book of Flora Lea isn’t so much a departure for Patti Callahan Henry as it is a culmination of her gifts as a novelist. This is a book about difficult history and unsinkable hope, ordinary magic in the form of love, and about how our stories can save and sustain us in the most trying moments of our lives. Callahan’s plot will keep you guessing even as her characters steal your heart. I loved it.” –Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife and When the Stars Go Dark
“A world war and a fairy tale collide in the British countryside in 1940–and Patti Callahan Henry is the perfect novelist to explore how the living are forever changed. The Secret Book of Flora Lea is a treasure: moving, surprising, and deeply evocative of an England that everyday walked the tightrope between heartbreak and hope. –Chris Bohjalian, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lioness and The Flight Attendant
“[A]ffecting…Henry’s offering shines most in its exploration of the ways relationships grow and adapt to time and trauma, making for a poignant meditation on the bonds of sisterhood. This captivates.” —Publishers Weekly

The Secret Book of Flora Lea is a beguiling blend of hope, mystery, and true familial love. It exposes the deep wounds of a family tragically separated because of war. Told in an utterly fresh way with dual timelines and a host of unforgettable characters, this is a story that is both necessary and satisfying through the last page. Powerful and spellbinding!” –Sadeqa Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve
BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS

1.Hazel and Flora Lea’s childhood experience was inspired by Operation Pied Piper—a real life event in British WWII history in which over three million children were evacuated from their homes to live with volunteer families throughout the English countryside. Were you familiar with this piece of history prior to reading the novel?
2. Hazel takes great care of the rare books while employed at Hogan’s Bookshop, wearing white gloves and logging items meticulously. In passing, the owner, Edwin, has mentioned the enormous value original illustrations can add to a book. What is revealed about Hazel’s character in the decision to take the copy of Whisperwood and the River of Stars along with the illustrations? What about when her initial denial of taking them is factored in?
3. When Hazel makes the phone call to Peggy Andrews seeking information about the book, she gets an unexpected answer about the origin of Whisperwood and the River of Stars. What does this broadly say about the creation of storytelling and mythmaking? Can someone ever own a story?
4. Bridie Aberdeen, as a character, is presented as extremely warm and nurturing yet with some eccentricities. The town gossips about her practices and the “mysterious” disappearance of Henry’s father. What was your first impression of Bridie? Did that change at any point during the book?
5. Hazel and Flora’s mother had several opportunities to take her daughters back to London but ultimately made the decision that they were safer and better served in Binsey with Bridie and Henry. Do you have a positive or negative opinion of their mother? Would you have made a different choice?
6. Only through an honest conversation years after the fact do Hazel and Henry discover their shared guilt over what happened to Flora. Would that silence have lasted as long if Hazel and Henry were older when Flora first disappeared?
7. Barnaby is supportive of Hazel’s desire to reach out to Peggy Andrews and even encourages her to get in touch with Dorothy Bellamy, thinking a reporter may be able to help, yet he eventually struggles with Hazel’s never-ending quest and its effect on their relationship. Does Barnaby’s ultimatum change your view of the character? Did Hazel take her quest too far?
8. How did you feel about the reveal of Dorothy Bellamy’s past? Did Dorothy’s Aunt Imogene have justification in her decision to remove the child the way she did?
9. How do the specific time periods—World War II and 1960—affect the way in which the case of Flora’s disappearance was handled? Would the outcome have been different if set in present day?
10. At the end of the story, Dorothy (Dot) is coming to terms with two versions of herself. What are the broader implications of childhood memory? Why do we so clearly remember some things and not others, regardless of importance? Can you think of your earliest childhood memory?
11. Hazel’s character displays many different emotions in the decision making throughout her life—hope, fear, guilt, love. Which one do you think is the dominant driver? Would it be the same if you were in her shoes?
12. The Secret Book of Flora Lea weaves an ode to stories and, ultimately, how we carry them with us throughout our lives. Is storytelling a universal way for humans to connect? How has storytelling affected your life?

Memorial Day: Remember and Honor Our Heroes
2023-05-27 10:00 - 2023-05-29 16:00 | Main Street Reads, 115 S. Main St., Summerville, SC, 29483, United States
We hope you’re all enjoying a safe and satisfying Memorial Day weekend as we pause to honor and remember the heroes in our lives.
All weekend long, enjoy 10% off history/historical fiction/memoir and biographies, plus hundreds of half off titles throughout the store.
