If you love a good thriller, this is your week at Main Street Reads.
On Tuesday, we’re doubling down on suspense with both a release-day author party and our monthly Thrill in the ’Ville Thriller Book Club — all happening under one roof.
A Thriller Party + Thriller Book Club? Yes Please.
First up, we’re celebrating the release of Blood Rivalry with author Paul Attaway on Tuesday, March 10 from 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Release day parties are always fun, but this one is especially exciting because it overlaps with our Thrill in the ’Ville Thriller Book Club, which meets the same evening, chatting about The Burning Library.
So if you’re coming for the signing, stay for the conversation — and if you’re coming for book club, arrive a little early to meet the author!
Blood Rivalry: Release Day Thriller Party
📅 Tuesday, March 10
🕠 5:30–7:00 pm
Join us as we celebrate the launch of Blood Rivalry, meet Paul Attaway, and kick off a night devoted to all things suspense.
Attaway will be on hand to sign your copy, as well as the first two in the lowcountry based thriller series!
Thrill in the ’Ville Thriller Book Club
📅 Tuesday, March 10
🕡 6:30–8:00 pm
This month’s thriller pick is The Burning Library by Gilly Macmillan. As always, the discussion is lively, the wine and appetizers are free, and the conversation is full of twists and theories.
If you’ve never joined us before, our book clubs are free and open to all readers — we love welcoming new faces!
The Rest of March Brings…
Spring is arriving in Summerville, and the bookstore calendar is full. Here’s what else is coming up this month.
Main Street Writes Monday
📅 March 9 | 6:30–8:30 pm – For the writer in all of us! Our regular Monday writers group meets virtually every week. Whether you’re drafting a novel, journaling, or working on poetry, this supportive group is a wonderful creative outlet.
Wednesday Stories on the Square
📅 March 11 | 9:30–10:00 am – Our weekly storytime adventure continues! Kids of all ages are welcome for stories, imagination, and a joyful start to the morning.
Adventures in Reading Kids Club
📅 March 16 | 5:30–6:30 pm – Our free kids book club is back! This month we’re reading Alice with a Why. The club is free and open to all, and book club selections are 10% off. PLUS, kids enjoy free pizza at all our Adventures in Reading Kids Club gatherings!
Peaceful Mornings: Quiet Reading Club
📅 March 17 | 8:00–10:00 am – Sometimes the best book club is simply reading together in companionable silence. Bring your current read, settle into a cozy chair, and enjoy a peaceful start to the day.
Kiss & Tell Romance Book Club
📅 March 17 | 6:30–8:00 pm – Romance readers unite! This month we’re discussing Wretched by Emily McIntire. Expect great conversation, delicious treats, and plenty of swoony book talk.
Books & Banter Fiction Book Club
📅 March 24 | 6:30–8:00 pm – Our general fiction book club returns with The Pohaku by Jasmin Iolani Hakes — a thoughtful new novel that’s sure to spark great discussion. As always, our book clubs are free and open to all readers.
Flowertown Festival Weekend
📅 March 27–29 – Summerville’s famous Flowertown Festival is almost here! As the town fills with azaleas, wisteria, and dogwoods, Main Street Reads will be right in the middle of the celebration. Expect a lively weekend of visitors, book discoveries, and springtime energy in downtown Summerville.
See You at the Bookstore
March is shaping up to be another wonderful month at Main Street Reads — from thrilling mysteries and thoughtful book clubs to storytime adventures and festival season. Whether you’re joining us for a signing, a book club, or just browsing the shelves, we can’t wait to see you on Main Street!
Freedom to Read
And now, something concerning…At Main Street Reads, we spend our days celebrating stories — the ones that entertain us, challenge us, comfort us, and sometimes even change us. Books are how we understand other lives, other experiences, and the larger world.
Which is why we want to make our reading community aware of a piece of legislation currently being considered in Congress: H.R. 7661, a bill that could have sweeping consequences for schools, libraries, and access to books.
A national bookselling and publishing coalition is urging readers, educators, and booksellers to speak up now. You can learn more and contact your representatives here: 👉 https://www.bookweb.org/advocacy-action-center
What the Bill Would Do
H.R. 7661 proposes changes to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, specifically restricting how federal education funds can be used.
Under the bill, schools receiving federal funds would be prohibited from using those funds to provide or promote books or materials to anyone under 18 if those materials are defined as “sexually oriented.”
That phrase might sound narrow at first glance — but the bill defines it very broadly. The proposed language includes materials that:
- depict sexual activity
- include any nudity or stripping
- reference gender dysphoria or transgender identity
Because the definition is so broad, critics say schools and school libraries could face significant uncertainty and legal risk when selecting books. In practice, that could lead to large-scale removal of books simply because schools cannot be sure what might violate the law, even among classics regularly taught.
Why This Matters to Readers
Schools and libraries are one of the most important pathways to lifelong reading. For many children, they are the first place they discover stories that spark curiosity and empathy.
Policies that create uncertainty about what books can be safely offered to students can have a chilling effect on literacy, limiting what educators and librarians feel comfortable making available. For bookstores like ours — and for readers everywhere — that matters.
Books and ideas thrive when communities trust teachers, librarians, parents, and readers to guide young people toward the right stories at the right time.
What You Can Do
If you care about libraries, reading, and access to books, you can make your voice heard. The American Booksellers Association has made it easy for readers to contact their members of Congress. Take action here: https://www.bookweb.org/adv ocacy-action-center – It takes only a minute, and elected officials do pay attention when readers speak up.
Why We’re Sharing This
At Main Street Reads, our mission has always been simple: connect people with books they love. We believe strongly in the power of reading — and in the idea that communities are stronger when people have access to many voices, many stories, and many perspectives.
Whatever your political views may be, protecting the freedom to read has long been a value shared across the literary world. So we encourage our readers to stay informed, stay engaged, and keep reading.
Because stories matter.