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 Merge: A Novel by Grace Walker (Mariner, $28, 9780063446731). "With a sense of dread and unease that brings to mind notes of The Stepford Wives, this slow-burn science fiction thriller gripped me from the first page. This book will give you so much to think about." --Brandy Herr, Arts & Letters Bookstore, Granbury, Tex.
Lucky Seed: A Novel by Justinian Huang (Mira, $30, 9780778387862,). "Good Eggs meets Crazy Rich Asians as a wealthy Chinese family with multiple dysfunctional issues bank on the leading queer son to produce a male heir to continue the traditional namesake and lineage." --Gerard Villegas, Auntie's Bookstore, Spokane, Wash.
Paperback
The Sofa by Sam Munson (Two Dollar Radio, $17.95, 9781953387974). "Many fictional families have dealt with cursed objects unwittingly introduced into their homes. In this case, it's a couch that seems to be the root cause of happenings just strange enough to invite the possibility of the supernatural." --Tony Paese, Books & Company, Oconomowoc, Wis.
Ages 4-8
While We Wait by Bee Johnson (Holt Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9781250901231). "An adorable rhyming picture book that examines the beauty of the little moments. The 'waiting' can be the best part of some days, and with lovely illustrations, this story is a perfect reminder that while we wait, we can do so much!" --Rifka Lichtig, McNally Jackson Books, New York, N.Y.
Ages 10-14
The Last Ember: The Aerimander Chronicles Book 1 by Lily Berlin Dodd (Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers, $19.99, 9780374393120). "A charmingly refreshing take on classic tropes and storylines, full of wit, adventure, and heart. Dodd's unique writing style, quirky characters, and transportive setting make this my favorite pick for upper-middle-grade fantasy fans." --Alyssa Raymond, Copper Dog Books, Beverly, Mass.
Ages 12+
Wavelength by Cale Plett (Groundwood Books, $17.99, 9781779460295). "Wavelength is a debut novel that the queer community will take to its heart. It's got the depth of understanding you'd hope for, while being lots of fun. With an emphasis on LGBTQ+ characters and young romance, this writer from Winnipeg, Manitoba, has gifted us with something fresh." --Linda Bond, Auntie's Bookstore, Spokane, Wash.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
