From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
I Was Anastasia: A Novel by Ariel Lawhon (Doubleday, $26.95, 9780385541695). "By far the best historical fiction title I've read in a long time! Not only is the story historically accurate, but the way it unfolds is unique and significantly adds to the plot and character development. Even though most readers today probably know how the book ends before they even start it, Ariel Lawhon's masterful storytelling will leave you cheering for or jeering at one of the Anastasias--which one is up to you!" --Kari Erpenbach, University of Minnesota Bookstores, Minneapolis, Minn.
Every Note Played: A Novel by Lisa Genova (Gallery/Scout Press, $26, 9781476717807). "In a tightly composed piece of writing, novelist Lisa Genova carries the reader through the grim melody and turbulent sequencing of ALS while expertly relaying the gradual impact of the disease on the lives of patients and caregivers. With medical details balanced against the raw manifestation of the human experience, Every Note Played explores the cruel effects of loss and the profound effects of compassion and forgiveness. Richard and Karina are voluntarily alone, yet uncomfortably united by a sense of need and duty. Genova holds nothing back, producing a story that resonates with meaning and builds to a keen point of understanding." --Joan Gallagher, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Chatham, Mass.
Paperback
Waiting for Tomorrow: A Novel by Nathacha Appanah (Graywolf Press, $16, 9781555978037).
"This haunting novel tells the story of a couple--two outsiders who find each other and fall in love--and the life they build as artists. After their daughter is born, a woman comes into their life to care for her, a woman whose life story is so poignant and heartbreaking that the couple cannot help but be inspired by it. But then boundaries are crossed, trust is betrayed, and lives are changed. This is a gorgeous, devastating book about belonging, art, and the choices we make." --Stef Schmidt, Water Street Bookstore, Exeter, N.H.
For Ages 4 to 8
Natsumi! by Susan Lendroth, illustrated by Priscilla Burris (Putnam, $16.99, 9780399170904). "Natsumi's effervescent personality means she is a bit too energetic for her family's quiet tasks of flower picking, tea pouring, and traditional Japanese dancing. With her grandfather's help, she may just find the perfect activity to match her big personality so she can participate in her village's upcoming festival. Natsumi! is a sensational celebration of culture, identity, and family." --Emma McAndrew, University Book Store, Seattle, Wash.
For Ages 9 to 12
Elementals: Ice Wolves by Amie Kaufman (HarperCollins, $16.99, 9780062457981). "Amie Kaufman has created a magical new world full of distant lands and creatures waiting to be discovered. Ice Wolves pulled me in from the first page and left me wanting more at the last. Great news for wolf-lovers everywhere: this book is about actual wolves!" --Renee Becher, Old Firehouse Books, Fort Collins, Colo.
For Teen Readers
American Panda by Gloria Chao (Simon Pulse, $17.99, 9781481499101). "American Panda is the cutest book I have read in a long time. Mei's parents want her to become a doctor and marry a Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer. When Mei goes off to college, she doesn't want her family to find out that she sleeps through biology and hates germs, or that she's met Darren, who is not Taiwanese. Readers follow Mei as she struggles between keeping secrets from her parents and going after what she loves. When she reconnects with her brother Xing, who was estranged for dating the wrong girl, Mei realizes that it might not be worth it to keep her secrets. American Panda is packed with culture, romance, and family." --Emily Matz, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey, Mich.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
