Read Local SoCal is BookSwell’s year-long campaign connecting readers in Southern California with local authors — particularly Black, Indigenous, Asian, Latinx, LGBTQ+, women, nonbinary, and indie writers. Each month spotlights one book by one author. We provide a free discussion guide, recommend companion reads, and amplify the readers, book clubs, and creators who are already lifting these books up.
The 2026 program runs from June through mid-November, with a new featured book on the first of every month. From 2027 onward, the program runs January through mid-November.
This month
June 2026: Before You Can Fly by Jase Peeples. A 1980s queer YA coming-of-age novel from Evernight Teen, called by Kirkus “a coming-of-age LGBTQ+ novel rich in both emotion and insight.”
2026 calendar
June
Before You Can Fly
Jase Peeples
July
Amarisa’s Cooking Pot
Désirée Zamorano
August
The Killing Spell
Shay Kauwe
September
There’s Only One Sin in Hollywood
Rasheed Newson
October
Coming soon
WeHo Reads
Early November
Coming soon
WeHo Reads
How the program works
- One featured book per month. Selected by BookSwell with attention to Southern California voices.
- Free discussion guide. Delivered by email when you sign up on the month’s landing page.
- Companion reads. Curated pairings for every featured book, with affiliate links that support indie bookstores.
- Community amplification. We highlight book clubs reading along, micro-influencer recommendations, and reader posts on social.
Stay in the loop
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