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
Only Here, Only Now: A Novel by Tom Newlands (HarperVia, $28.99, 9780063393455). "This debut is the thunderous announcement of a brilliant novelist with a keen wit. Like Derry Girls done by Dave Eggers, Only Here, Only Now is fiercely original, unabashedly Scottish, heartrendingly poignant, and hilarious to the point of tears." --Steve Iwanski, Charter Books, Newport, R.I.
Hardcover
I Might Be in Trouble: A Novel by Daniel Aleman (Grand Central, $29, 9781538766347). "Daniel Aleman nailed his adult debut. This book was funny, relatable, heart-wrenching, and heart-stopping. I'd recommend this book to damn near anyone--especially anyone who feels adrift and is looking for a book that will make them feel hopeful." --Renee Becher, The Crowded Bookshelf, Fort Collins, Colo.
Paperback
An Earthquake Is a Shaking of the Surface of the Earth: A Novel by Anna Moschovakis (Soft Skull, $16.95, 9781593767839). "A glimpse into the fractured psyche of a former actress living in a city where the Earth shakes. The dystopian otherworldliness takes a backseat to the obsessive unwellness of our unnamed narrator. Part sci-fi, part mystery, deeply literary." --Andrew Preston, CoffeeTree Books, Morehead, Ken.
Ages 3-6
Bert, the Bowerbird: The Small Bird with a Big Heart by Julia Donaldson, illus. by Catherine Rayner (Boxer Books, $18.99, 9781915801845). "With adorable rhymes from Julia Donaldson (author of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom) and gorgeous illustrations by Catherine Rayner, Bert, the Bowerbird is a wonderful tale of bird-based romance and self-acceptance. Don't settle, Bert!" --Charlie Marks, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Va.
Ages 8-12
Jasmine Is Haunted by Mark Oshiro (Starscape, $18.99, 9781250337290). "Latinx main characters! Age-appropriate LGBTQ+ themes! Paranormal activity! Mark Oshiro beautifully delivers this story of grief, moving on, and finding community who understands." --Karen Fiorini, Little Shop of Stories, Decatur, Ga.
Teen Readers
What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould (Wednesday Books, $20, 9781250340672). "Five teens are forced into a wilderness trek masqueraded as a cure to them being 'troubled teens.' When their guides disappear, they begin to suspect there's something wrong in this forest. I couldn't stop reading this deliciously dark and queer story." --Katlin Kerrison, Story on the Square, McDonough, Ga.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
