IndieBound: Other Indie Favorites

From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:

Hardcover
The World of Tomorrow: A Novel by Brendan Mathews (Little, Brown, $28, 9780316382199). "The World of Tomorrow is so wise and so ambitious in scope, with characters so complex, sympathetic, and real, that you will be hard-pressed to set it aside at a reasonable hour. Mathews' success in rendering the physicality of New York City just before World War II, the complexities of the Irish-American experience, and the first awful rumblings of the Holocaust, along with all the details of class, race, family, tragedy, comedy, heroics, and jazz, make this a truly immersive reading experience. With beautiful prose, a plot that manages strand after strand of narrative without ever becoming knotted or coming undone, and a cast of characters as alive as any on the page, this novel is a masterpiece." --Robert McDonald, The Book Stall at Chestnut Court, Winnetka, Ill.

Fever: A Novel by Deon Meyer, translated by K.L. Seegers (Atlantic Monthly Press, $26, 9780802126627). "Fever, which grabbed me from the beginning, takes place in South Africa several years after a devastating illness wipes out most of the planet. It starts as a thrilling survival tale between a brilliant father and his 13-year-old son and quickly evolves into a fascinating study of human nature and the perils of building a new civilization from scratch. The survivalist details throughout the novel are especially fascinating, as are the conflicts within the society as it grows. A dense, captivating read that drew me in and kept me hooked." --Elissa Englund, Bank Square Books, Mystic, Conn.

Paperback
Close Enough to Touch: A Novel by Colleen Oakley (Gallery Books, $16, 9781501139291). "It was just a kiss, but it nearly killed her. Jubilee is allergic to people. She can't be touched by strangers, well-meaning or not. She retreats into her shell, away from the world, but her high school years pass, then her parents are gone, and, finally, she must move out into the world or die. She finds a home for her quiet life in a library, until Eric finds her and insists that she discover the truth of a life lived without fear. Close Enough is filled with real life, real people, and the search for happiness that we all recognize. It is a truly moving story from a rare gem of an author." --Linda Bond, Auntie's Bookstore, Spokane, Wash.

For Ages 4 to 8
The Book of Gold by Bob Staake (Schwartz & Wade, $17.99, 9780553510775). "Isaac Gutenberg has a distinct lack of interest in anything and everything until a shopkeeper tells him about the Book of Gold, said to turn to gold when opened and hold the answers to everything. This sets Isaac on an adventure to find the legendary book, opening lots of books and discovering lots of interesting things along the way. I, of course, know the fascination of discovery that comes with reading, and as a bookseller, I love being able to pass that on to other readers and potential readers. No one has done such an excellent job of capturing the feeling of discovery and the wonder of reading as Bob Staake has in The Book of Gold. This is a must-have for all book lovers, young and old." --Melissa Oates, Fiction Addiction, Greenville, S.C.

For Ages 9 to 12: An Indies Introduce Title
Greetings from Witness Protection! by Jake Burt (Feiwel & Friends, $16.99, 9781250107114). "After years of being bounced around the foster care system, Nicki Demere is offered a chance to live with a family that is looking for a second child. The catch is that this family is in the Witness Security Program, and the theory is that an additional family member will add another layer of disguise and make it more difficult for the mob to hunt them down. Nicki agrees to go along, and in the process gets a new name, a bland profile, and a little brother with issues. Jake Burt's middle-grade novel is filled with humor and suspense, and Nicki/Charlotte is an absolutely terrific character." --Dave Shallenberger, Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, Ga.

For Teen Readers
Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen (Knopf, $17.99, 9781101940440). "Wild Bird is about a girl adrift in the choices she's made--in drugs, alcohol, and the friends she's chosen--and a family that doesn't know how to bring her back to them whole, if not undamaged. Wren Clemmens struggles to discover who she is and who her true friends are when her parents send her to an eight-week-long wilderness camp, the last chance they have to rescue her from herself. Filled with great wilderness tips, this was a one-sit read and I recommend it highly. It is never too late to be a warrior!" --René Kirkpatrick, University Book Store, Seattle, Wash.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

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