From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Evil Genius: A Novel by Claire Oshetsky (Ecco, $28.99, 9780063466487). "I'm obsessed with Oshetsky's fiction like Celia Dent is obsessed with finding her way to a better life, and just like her mission, I'm always pining for the next tale Oshetsky will spin. She's a masterful writer of literary fiction." --Chelsia Rice, Montana Book Company, Helena, Mont.
So Old, So Young: A Novel by Grant Ginder (Gallery/Scout Press, $30, 9781668051771). "I loved the premise of this book--following a group of college friends for 20 years through the lens of multiple social gatherings. Getting to know these characters as a fly on the wall was truly unique." --Bobbi Irving, Penguin Bookshop, Sewickley, Pa.
Paperback
Stag Dance: A Quartet by Torrey Peters (Random House Trade Paperbacks, $18, 9780593446355). "Filled to the brim with visceral and liberatory queer writing. I found two of these stories years ago and they molded me into the reader I am today. To say I'm over the moon that people will finally read these stories is an understatement. Flawless!" --Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Va.
Ages 4-8
Judgy Bunny and the Terrible Beach by Scott Rothman, illus. by Linzie Hunter (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, $18.99, 9781728296722). "Such a cute book! We have all been Judgy Bunny at some point in our lives--everything is too overstimulating and we're just in a bad mood. But with a little bit of patience and kindness even the most judgy of Judgy Bunnies can learn to have fun!" --Imaan Ramezanzadeh, Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, Wash.
Ages 7-10
Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria by L.M. Wilkinson, illus. by Lavanya Naidu (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, $13.99, 9781665986588). "Remarkable! This illustrated fantasy novel is Redwall for a younger generation: adventurous, whimsical, and fun. May we find the Bravepaw in us all!" --Nicole Brinkley, Oblong Books, Millerton, N.Y.
Ages 14+: An Indies Introduce Title
The Free Verse Society by Delali Adjoa (Peachtree Teen, $19.99, 9781682638408). "This book broke me open. Yes, there are dark themes, but the story is a welcome breeze, a breath held and released, a scab falling off to reveal the healed skin beneath. What I thought was a story about two troubled kids in a poetry group turned into so much more." --Sydne Conant, Ink Cap Books, Stoughton, Wis.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
