From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Little Deaths: A Novel by Emma Flint (Hachette Books, $26, 9780316272476). "In 1965, Ruth Malone, recently separated from her husband, wakes to find her children gone. Both are found dead and Ruth finds herself the prime suspect, tried and convicted by the court of public opinion because she is a single parent and rumors abound about her drinking and dating habits. Flint has created a compelling whodunit based on true events, and I was riveted from page one. This is a literary thriller that will have you parked in your reading chair until you turn the last page!" --Sarah Harmuth Letke, Redbery Books, Cable, Wis.
The River at Night: A Novel by Erica Ferencik (Gallery/Scout Press, $26, 9781501143199). "What would you do to save the lives of your friends? In this debut novel, Winifred and her three friends are about to find out. Instead of a trip to a comfortable, fancy resort in some exotic destination, they embark on an excursion to the Allagash wilderness in upstate Maine. What happens next is everyone's nightmare, yet it leads to the kind of wisdom few people ever achieve. This is a tense, disturbing, yet satisfying story of the strength of friendship in the face of a severe challenge." --Linda Bond, Auntie's Bookstore, Spokane, Wash.
Paperback
Dodgers: A Novel by Bill Beverly (Broadway Books, $15, 9781101903759). "Four young black men, following orders, leave their tightly bound South Central Los Angeles community, and drive across the country to perform a hit to prevent a witness from testifying against their boss. They are ghetto born, raised, and trained, so they have outlaw skills and the resulting respect in their community. In wide-open America, they are profoundly out of their comfort zone. What each young man does with his skills, wits, sense of duty, and--for one in particular--a dawning sense of what the future holds for such a lifestyle, forms the core of this powerful novel. Provocative, gripping, and timely, Dodgers is a riveting read that leaves a lasting impression." --Sheryl Cotleur, Copperfield's Books, Sebastopol, Calif.
For Ages 4 to 8
Plenty of Love to Go Around by Emma Chichester Clark (Nancy Paulsen Books, $17.99, 9780399546662). "Plum is everyone's special dog--that is until a new cat moves into the neighborhood. Binky is showered with attention and Plum feels left out and jealous. Binky just wants to be Plum's friend and follows her everywhere, much to Plum's dismay, until her family reminds Plum that she has a big heart and there is plenty of love for both of them. Perfect for families with new siblings!" --Woody Chichester, Buffalo Street Books, Ithaca, N.Y.
For Ages 9 to 12
NewsPrints by Ru Xu (Graphix, $12.99, 9780545803120). "When newsboy Blue--who is really a girl--stumbles into an apprenticeship with a zany inventor and meets a boy named Crow, she doesn't expect to be dragged into a conspiracy involving her newspaper, her country's military, and dangerous weaponry. But Blue doesn't mind adventure and she's ready to protect her new friend at any cost. Ru Xu's inventive steampunk world is the perfect backdrop for a story about choosing: choosing identity, choosing friends, and choosing to fight and protect your choices. Heartfelt and beautifully illustrated." --Nicole Brinkley, Oblong Books & Music, Millerton, N.Y.
For Teen Readers
History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera (Soho Teen, $18.99, 9781616956929). "When Theo is ripped from Griffin's life in a freak accident, the emptiness left behind sends Griffin into a downward emotional spiral. Griffin always believed that even though they broke up when Theo left for college, they would someday end up together. How can you exist when your entire world washes away beneath you? Silvera's book is an unapologetically honest and heart-wrenchingly beautiful story about first love and loss and the cathartic process of diving headfirst into one's grief to come out a better person on the other side. An absolutely stunning novel." --Angelo Santini, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey, Mich.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
