Read Local SoCal — June 2026: Before You Can Fly by Jase Peeples

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This Month’s Read Local SoCal Pick

This June, Read Local SoCal flies into 1980s California with Jase Peeples’ Before You Can Fly. It’s a tender, sharply observed coming-of-age story about a queer kid finding his footing in a world not yet ready for him — small-town summers, first crushes, hard-won friendships, and the kind of growing up that takes courage before it takes wings. A Southern California author writing the queer California adolescence so many of us lived (or wished we had).

“A coming-of-age LGBTQ+ novel rich in both emotion and insight.”  —Kirkus Reviews

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Read Local SoCal is BookSwell’s monthly feature spotlighting Southern California authors. New book every month. See all features →

You Pick Our Next Read: Vote for the August Read Local SoCal Featured Book

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This summer, BookSwell is bringing back Read Local SoCal — our spotlight on books by authors writing about our own backyard. Each month, we feature one book with a discussion guide, reading recs, and ways to dig in together. Think of it as a book club you can join from anywhere.

For August, we want you to choose the featured book. Vote below on one of four incredible 2026 releases with connections to Southern California.

Cast your vote: [The poll is closed.]

You can also email us at contact@bookswell.club with your suggestion.

Orbital Bebop by Reuben Tihi Hayslett book cover

Orbital Bebop

Reuben “Tihi” Hayslett

A daring collection of speculative stories set from the Moon to the edge of the solar system and back again with queer people of color at the center. Romance, memory, and desire collide with billionaire overlords and fractured futures. Reuben “Tihi” Hayslett is an award-winning author and activist. His debut Dark Corners was named Best Indie Fiction of 2019 by Kirkus.

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My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser by Jamie Jo Hoang book cover

My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser

Jamie Jo Hoang

Told in dual POV, this gripping companion piece to My Father, the Panda Killer, follows a teenage son who defies his sister’s wishes by searching for more information about their absent mother. Meanwhile, his mother’s poignant backstory reveals her struggle with grief and longing, culminating in her heart-wrenching decision to leave her children. Jamie Jo Hoang grew up in Orange County as the daughter of Vietnamese refugees. An LA Times Book Prizes finalist.

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The Killing Spell by Shay Kauwe book cover

The Killing Spell

Shay Kauwe

In this spellbinding fantasy debut set in a future where language magic reigns, a young Hawaiian woman must solve a murder to clear her name. Shay Kauwe was born and raised on the island of O’ahu and grew up on the Hawaiian Homelands in Waimanalo.

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Nerve Damage by Annakeara Stinson book cover

Nerve Damage

Annakeara Stinson

A riotous revenge novel about a woman’s quest to escape her stalker ex-boyfriend—by stalking him herself. ANNAKEARA STINSON is a writer whose work has appeared in Bustle, Brooklyn Magazine, The Inquisitive Eater, IndieWire, Paste, Marie Claire, and more. She has an M.F.A. in fiction from The New School and currently lives in L.A.

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