From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Home Fire: A Novel by Kamila Shamsie (Riverhead, $26, 9780735217683). "One finishes reading Kamila Shamsie's extraordinary Home Fire completely stunned. She has written a brilliant story about two families who share geography and become linked by fate--one that has known exile, death, and family mystery, and another that has adapted to the so-called mainstream. Family, religion, the politics of media, various forms of seduction, and present-day devices all bring themselves to bear in utterly telling form. The U.S., London, Karachi, Syria, and Istanbul all figure into this book, which is of this time and age and beyond. One of the finest writers at work in English today, Kamila Shamsie has written her most heartbreaking, beautiful, necessary book yet." --Rick Simonson, The Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, Wash.
The Half-Drowned King: A Novel by Linnea Hartsuyker (Harper, $27.99, 9780062563699). "A fast-paced and harrowing saga of a sibling pair, both trying to do what is right for the other while navigating the physical and political terrain around them. Ragnvald and his sister, Svanhild, are our protagonists, and the book contains alternating chapters about each of their adventures. One fights a war on the battlefield while the other fights a war in the bedroom, and, fighting internal conflicts, each grows into adulthood quickly in this harsh environment. Rich with battles, love stories, and the breathtaking landscapes of Norway, The Half-Drowned King is a must-read for fans of literary fiction, adventure tales, and well-paced storytelling." --Giovanni Boivin, The Bookloft, Great Barrington, Mass.
Paperback
Mr. Eternity: A Novel by Aaron Thier (Bloomsbury, $17, 9781632860958). "Clever, smart, and brilliantly comic as it deals with our humanity, our resilient spirit, and the tremendous challenges that demand our cooperative attention, Mr. Eternity is a delight. Who can resist the tale of a 560-year-old American man named Daniel Defoe, who has much wisdom to offer the world and its people. This genre-bending page-turner is a blast to read!" --Ed Conklin, Chaucer's Books, Santa Barbara, Calif.
For Ages 4 to 8
Goldfish Ghost by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Lisa Brown (Roaring Brook Press, $17.99, 9781626725072). "Goldfish Ghost begins with the ghost of a goldfish being 'born' upside down above his bowl. He floats around the vacation town of Cape Cod looking for friendship and a place to fit in. It's hard for him to find his new place in the world, but the old lighthouse proves to be a beacon of hope. Goldfish Ghost is heartwarming (despite it being a ghost story), and the illustrations are so beautiful they're easy to get lost in." --Frostie Russell, Books & More of Albion, Albion, Mich.
For Ages 9 to 12
Posted by John David Anderson (Walden Pond Press, $16.99, 9780062338204). "John David Anderson must have a pipeline straight to the brain of adolescent boys, because he is masterful at writing the day-to-day life of the average middle-grade kid. The tribe that Frost has created with his three best friends is infiltrated by a strange and confident girl named Rose at the same time as his middle school creates a new rule about cell phones, and suddenly his closely guarded friendships are threatened. With warmth and laughter and tremendous depth of character, Posted is a novel that shows with specificity and rare truth the ways that kids grow within and beyond their early relationships." --Jamie Thomas, Women & Children First, Chicago, Ill.
For Teen Readers
The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein (Disney-Hyperion, $18.99, 9781484717165). "It is both wonderful and heart-wrenching to be back in the mind of Julie, one of the two stalwart protagonists of Code Name Verity. The stakes may be a bit lower in The Pearl Thief but there is no doubt that Julie will pursue the mystery of an unknown attacker, a mysterious body, and missing pearls with just as much zeal. Themes of recognizing your privilege, figuring out who you love, and coping with family change will resonate with young readers." --Cecilia Cackley, East City Bookshop, Washington, D.C.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
