IndieBound: Other Indie Favorites

From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:

Hardcover
Five-Carat Soul by James McBride (Riverhead, $27, 9780735216693). "Sometimes after I've read a great book by an author, I judge. When I picked up a copy of James McBride's new collection of stories, Five-Carat Soul, I was prepared to be disappointed; how could he top The Good Lord Bird? Was I ever surprised, in the best way possible! These stories have all the magnificent qualities of his National Book Award-winning novel: quirky, poignant, and hilarious characters amid myriad situations in life, and humanity at its most human presented in beautiful writing. A couple of multi-story combinations read like novellas, and satisfied my craving to know more about the most interesting of the characters. McBride has set the bar high once again." --Mamie Potter, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, N.C.

Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy (Hachette Books, $28, 9780316352536). "There is so much arguing these days over the existence of women in STEM fields and whether they should be allowed to be there. 'Oh honey,' says Code Girls, wrapping an arm around your shoulder, 'we never left.' In riveting prose, Mundy shows the presence of these women from the very beginning--and then how they were almost forcibly forgotten after the war was over. Women who once had only a life of school-teaching to look forward to (even with a Ph.D.) became people who saved lives and sunk ships. This book exists to remind us that women have always been in these stories, even if they're not shown." --Alice Ahn, Water Street Bookstore, Exeter, N.H.

Paperback
The Tiger's Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera (Tor, $15.99, 9780765392534). "Badass ladies slaying demons, defying conventions, and saving the world on their own terms? Count me in. The Tiger's Daughter is an honest-to-goodness sweeping epic fantasy unlike any I have read. I don't remember ever being so excited for a new series. The characters in this story are so fully realized, the landscapes so vivid, I didn't even realize I'd been so swept away until I turned the last page. I endured with O Shizuka, princess, the divine made flesh, and finest blade in all Hokkaro; I raged with Barsalai Shefali Alsharyaa, demon slayer, horse whisperer, and infamous Qorin warrior. I didn't want to leave them, and I can't wait for the next installment." --Heather Weldon, Changing Hands Bookstore, Tempe, Ariz.

For Ages 4 to 8
Max and Bird by Ed Vere (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, $17.99, 9781492635581). "Max is back! With minimal illustration and vibrant color, Vere teaches children about persistence, dreams, manners, and learning, but, most of all, about friendship. Max chases Bird but also wants to befriend him; Bird wants to learn to fly, and after spending weeks studying books from the library, they both give it a try. In the world of picture books, Max is here to stay. A delightful read that will put a smile on everyone's face!" --Mindy Ostrow, the river's end bookstore, Oswego, N.Y.

For Ages 9 to 12
Tumble & Blue by Cassie Beasley (Dial Books, $17.99, 9780525428442). "Can an ancient golden alligator named Munch help 12-year-old Blue Montgomery escape his fate of losing at everything he does? Blue resents being left for the summer at his grandmother's home in Murky Branch, Georgia. His new neighbor, Tumble, wants to be a hero, so her mission becomes helping Blue overcome his 'fate.' Filled with quirky characters and descriptive language, Tumble & Blue is a unique mix of real life and supernatural happenings. Is there such a thing as fate, or can one's actions lead to a different destiny?" --Barbara Katz, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

For Teen Readers
All the Wind in the World by Samantha Mabry (Algonquin, $17.95, 9781616206666). "All the Wind in the World is truly unlike anything I've read. In this Southwestern romance, Mabry explores how whisperings become legends, and how love and necessity can sometimes cancel each other out. Loved it." --Rachel Strolle, Anderson's Bookshop, Naperville, Ill.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

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