From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Woo Woo: A Novel by Ella Baxter (Catapult, $27, 9781646222551). "Surreal and chaotic. Take a wild ride with Sabine as she plunges her emotional depths prior to her art show opening. I enjoyed exploring the artists' work that Baxter opens each chapter with. It's fascinating to see who and what inspires creativity." --Jennifer Wood, East City Bookshop, Washington, D.C.
The Collaborators: A Novel by Michael Idov (Scribner, $28.99, 9781668055571). "A dynamite spy thriller full of pulsating suspense, dead bodies, and vivid characters. Why did the billionaire's daughter and rogue CIA sleeper agent team up to comb the world to find dangerous answers? This will keep you page-turning to find out." --Maureen Palacios, Once Upon a Time, Montrose, Calif.
Paperback
American Bulk: Essays on Excess by Emily Mester (Norton, $17.99, 9781324035237). "It's so refreshing to read cultural critique written by someone who's in the trenches with the rest of us. American Bulk is the essay collection we need as we're bombarded by algorithmically intelligent ads and our one-click-buy existences." --Laurel Kane, White Whale Bookstore, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Ages 4-8
All the Books by Hayley Rocco, illus. by John Rocco (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9780316512749). "Piper Waterstone loves her books! She loves them so much she wants to keep them forever. When she discovers the library, she learns the art of sharing and friendship in this beautiful picture book." --Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books, Nashville, Tenn.
Ages 6-11
Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp (Annick Press, $19.99, 9781773218922). "I LOVE THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL! Fantastic illustrations perfectly depict the story's changing moods. Problems are solved righteously with humor. And I love that spiders are depicted as the intelligent, valuable creatures they are." --Kay Wosewick, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, Wis.
Teen Readers
For She Is Wrath by Emily Varga (Wednesday Books, $20, 9781250877383). "Varga's Pakistani-inspired retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo is a fierce, compelling tale of sisterhood, adventure, and vengeance. Fans of Chloe Gong will love this enemies-to-lovers romance!" --Alyssa Raymond, Copper Dog Books, Beverly, Mass.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
