From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Reputations: A Novel by Juan Gabriel Vásquez (Riverhead, $25, 9781594633478). "With direct and forceful narrative and a translation as smooth and peaceful as the quiet narrator himself, this book takes the reader on a days-long search for the past and the present in modern day Bogotá. A prominent political cartoonist is shaken when a forgotten uncertainty from the past resurfaces. This psychological study of the concept that what we believe makes us who we are is a masterpiece!" --Nicole Magistro, The Bookworm of Edwards, Edwards, Colo.
Mercury: A Novel by Margot Livesey (Harper, $26.99, 9780062437501). "This riveting psychological novel delves into the lives of Donald and Vivian, a married couple whose stability is threatened and ultimately undermined when Vivian, whose former life as an aspiring equestrian was cut short, meets Mercury, a magnificent horse with a tragic history. What unfolds may seem like destiny to Vivian, but to Donald, a staid and deliberate ophthalmologist still mourning the death of his beloved father, it tests everything he's ever known, including his faculty for navigating the world. A truly remarkable study of human nature and the blindspots that hinder us all." --Mary Cotton, Newtonville Books, Newton, Mass.
Paperback
The Life-Writer by David Constantine (Biblioasis, $14.95, 9781771961011). "Occasionally tragic and always tender, Constantine's novel is a moving exploration of the ways in which we relate to the people we love. After the death of her husband, Katrin--a literary biographer who has dedicated her career to recording the lives of obscure and largely unsuccessful writers--finds herself drawn to a new project: telling the story of the early life and first love of the man she would later marry. A remarkable story of grief, rediscovery, and reconciliation." --Sam Kaas, Village Books, Bellingham, Wash.
For Ages 4 to 8
Return by Aaron Becker (Candlewick, $15.99, 9780763677305). "The last book of Becker's trilogy ends on a perfect note. Unlike many fantasy stories, it will take the efforts of both children and their parents to solve the problems of a fantastical kingdom. Beautiful, dynamic illustrations sparkle on every page in this glorious book that celebrates the power of drawing and invention." --Marika McCoola, Porter Square Books, Cambridge, Mass.
For Ages 9 to 12
The Best Man by Richard Peck (Dial, $16.99, 9780803738393). "This is a timely coming-of-age tale filled with appealing characters, especially Archer, the narrator. Bookended by two weddings, The Best Man follows Archer from first grade through sixth. Readers encounter quirky classmates, quirkier teachers, and some sobering incidents with bullies, along with friendships and much goodness among the characters. Mostly, this is a book about family and the ways in which family makes us who we are. The Best Man is a triumph for Peck and a generous and important gift to readers." --Christopher Rose, The Spirit of '76 Bookstore, Marblehead, Mass.
For Teen Readers
The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron (Scholastic, $18.99, 9780545945219). "Every 12 years, all of the people in Canaan lose their memories and must recreate them from journals that are tied to them with string. Nadia is the only one who remembers and the only one who knows that the books everyone relies on are not really the truth. Filled with complex ideas and fascinating questions about how memories create who we are, The Forgetting is a story to treasure." --Laura Delaney, Rediscovered Books, Boise, Idaho
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
