From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson (Minotaur, $28, 9781250909954). "Madeline inherits her aunt's bookstore and mansion. She finds herself in the middle of much drama and mystery, with a murder to solve. In the midst of everything, Madeline finds kindred spirits and possibly a home." --Alexandra Bender, Fonts Books, McLean, Va.
Private Rites: A Novel by Julia Armfield (Flatiron, $27.99, 9781250344311). "No one does atmosphere like Julia Armfield: vivid and utterly engrossing. Private Rites is a haunting story about family, grief, and love in a slow-burn apocalypse. You won't be able to come up for air--or want to." --Evan Fornicola, Left Bank Books, St. Louis, Mo.
Paperback
Not in My Book: A Novel by Katie Holt (Alcove Press, $19.99, 9781639109753). "WOW! I loved this book. Great characters, great uses of several romance tropes in a great way, and I was crying through the last few pages. An exciting debut; I can't wait to read more of Katie Holt's work." --Nicole Miller, Barbara's Bookstore, Chicago, Ill.
Ages 7-10
Ten-Word Tiny Tales of Love by Joseph Coelho, illus. by Various (Candlewick, $18.99, 9781536241297). "What if you had to condense your adoration into just ten words? I absolutely love this coffee table worthy picture book with ten-word expressions of love. Stunningly illustrated by some of the best, it's a perfect gift for anyone who makes your heart sing." --Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines, N.C.
Ages 8-12
The Graveyard Gift by Fern Forgettable, as told by Piper CJ (Random House Books for Young Readers, $14.99, 9780593810477). "This book gave me all the Wednesday Addams vibes. Young Rosemary can see how people die. She's a student at Fern's school for other demi-fae. When a classmate goes missing, she'll have to use her gifts to find him. Mystery, friendship and so much more!" --Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Teen Readers
I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner (HarperAlley, $26.99, 9780358682394). "This Austen retelling allows for a new queer look at regency England. The characters' relationships kept me reading and urgently wanting to know what would come next. For fans of any genre, this graphic novel is adorably written and will have you reading more and more." --Landon Krandall, Back Cove Books, Portland, Me.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
