Looking for drama? Romance? Personal Development? Business skills? Inspiring people?
Whatever you are looking for in a book, Homebru – Your Local – has it all.
Homebru has truly come into its own. Like a microcosm of the entire publishing world – every flavour and every taste is represented in a carefully curated collection of 39 trending, unputdownable books – all written by local writers or set on home ground.
The campaign ‘Your Local Has It All’ cheekily reminds customers that not only does their local Exclusive Books store (and we all have a local!) have every kind of book to suit any reading taste, but also, and particularly, a range of local books to suit every kind of reader.
It was not that long ago when ‘local writing’ was a small segment of the total and largely international publishing offering on the shelves, a niche in itself. Now, with South African writers turning their pens to everything from celebrity biography to real life crime, BookTok romances and nail-biting domestic noir thrillers, medi-dramas and business, self help on trend topics like adulting and African spirituality, there is nothing you won’t find in the 2025 Homebru selection.
Homebru fiction comes in every shade. Making way for the readers of romance and light fiction that BookTok has brought through our doors, we are excited to include books like Jo Watson’s The Ex Effect, Kelly L Clarke’s Sunshine Kisses and Lindsay Norman’s Khaki Fever.
For a fun read, but something a little more substantial, Paige Nick’s The Book People and Tom Eaton’s An Act of Murder. A book like Elizabeth Wasserman’s Mevrou Smit se reels vir goeie gedrag taps into the cozy crime wave, and Eleanor Baker’s Die Vyf Susters, Juliette Mnqeta’s If the Dead Could Talk and Hell Run Tobruk, by Justin Fox offer nail-biting page-turning escapism.
Tipping the scale of the heavyweights is Penny’s Haw’s Follow Me to Africa, and of course, Antjie Krog’s new book, in English and Afrikaans.
Homebru’s non-fiction offering is just as meaty and varied. Rich offerings are showcased in business, current affairs, African spirituality, history and psychology, with biography particularly exciting, from Khaya Dlanga honest but funny reflections in Life is like that sometimes, the story of icon Sol Kerzner and Mpoomy Ledwaba’s bestselling How Did We Get Here? to fresh and brave personal stories like Tshiamo Modisane’s searing autobiog I am Tshiamo, and in a landmark publishing story – Led by Shephard’s An Initiate’s Memoir by Jeffrey Rakabe.
Rekebe’s book, together with Michelle Kekana’s The Fragile Mental Health of Strong Women: A Novel, were both previous winners of the Jacana From Pitch to Publication initiative, where hopefuls submit to an open box, from which 20 or so candidates are selected to present to the panel of experts. This year, for the first time, Exclusive Books has partnered with Jacana to launch the EB Homebru special edition From Pitch to Publication.
Being a part of EB Homebru’s From Pitch to Publication, powered by Jacana, offers exciting prospects for hopeful authors – the opportunity to win mentorships with established authors / writers, receiving a comprehensive and formal Reader’s Report to progress a potential author’s book journey, and even considered for publication by Jacana and feature as part of Exclusive Books’ Homebru selection for 2026.
Pitch sessions will be held in three cities – Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban – during May. If you would like to be part of the audience of this live and in-person ‘book shark tank’ in your closest city, send a mail to pitch@jacana.co.za before 15 May 2025.
Exclusive Books offers double Fanatics points on all purchases of Homebru books during May. If you are not yet a member, ask your friendly bookseller to sign you up in less than two minutes.
A host of Homebru events will be hosted in Exclusive Books stores in the month of May.
Please visit Events – Exclusive Books Online for more information.