From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover: An Indies Introduce Title
The Travelers: A Novel by Regina Porter (Hogarth, $27, 9780525576198). "I'm blown away by the fact that this stunning work is a debut effort. It's a sweeping history of our country and the traumas we have yet to fully heal from, spanning the American South in the '50s through the early days of Obama's presidency. It's told through a series of narratives that connect unexpectedly and beautifully... the writing is both powerful and restrained." --Vanessa Diaz, The Book Catapult, San Diego, Calif.
Hardcover
Bunny: A Novel by Mona Awad (Viking, $26, 9780525559733). "Mona Awad tells a harrowing story of a writer trying to overcome her writer's block while simultaneously refusing to look deeper into herself or acknowledge her own needs or desires. This lack of self-knowledge leads her to a friendship with a group of young MFA students who are always 'workshopping'... with disastrous consequences. The writing feels cinematic at times, moody and illustrative. Home, identity, love (both romantic and platonic), inner (and outer) demons, and academic elitism all play a part in this spectacle of creation and destruction. Awad creates a kind of magic that changes with the wind, a contemporary Prometheus tale." --Katrina Feraco, The Toadstool Bookshop, Keene, N.H.
Paperback
The Secrets Between Us: A Novel by Thrity Umrigar (Harper Perennial, $16.99, 9780062442215). "This wonderful novel--loosely a sequel to The Spaces Between Us--is the rich, moving story of an amazing friendship, one that would never have occurred under the old restrictions of India and as the new India feels its tentative way. The lives of Bhima and Parvati are ones of unbelievable poverty and struggle, but the dignity and richness their friendship manifests took my breath away. A bit Dickensian in the best ways, this novel had me in tears several times. These women are two I will not soon forget." --Michael Coy, Third Place Books Ravenna, Seattle, Wash.
For Ages 4 to 8
Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison (Kokila, $17.99, 9780525553366). "I LOVE this charming and empowering story about Zuri, a girl who gets a little help from her dad to achieve the perfect hairstyle for a very special occasion. Hair Love is a sweet and heartwarming celebration of natural hair and loving daddy-daughter relationships with absolutely perfect pictures from one of my favorite illustrators. This picture book will have you cheering enthusiastically alongside Zuri!" --Tomoko Bason, BookPeople, Austin, Tex.
For Ages 9 to 12: An Indies Introduce Title
Midsummer's Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca (little bee books, $16.99, 9781499808889). "An enchanting treat of a middle-grade novel, LaRocca's debut is baked to perfection. You don't need to be a Shakespeare fan to enjoy this modern fantasy twist on A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the third act (so to speak) takes a wonderful, unexpected turn. It's the perfect book for young bakers and those who love stories about family and friendship!" --Paul Swydan, The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, Acton, Mass.
For Teen Readers
Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian (Balzer + Bray, $17.99, 9780062839367). "Like a Love Story broke me and fixed me at the same time. Set in New York City in 1989, it chronicles the lives of three teens as they navigate the AIDS crisis. Abdi Nazemian captures perfectly what it felt like to be both excited and repelled by the thought of finding other gay kids to share experiences with, as well as the constant fear of wondering if AIDS was inevitable for all young gay men. I finished Like a Love Story with tears streaming down my face; they were tears of recognition to see myself so accurately reflected on the pages of a book." --John McDougall, Murder by the Book, Houston, Tex.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
