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
Invitation to a Bonfire: A Novel by Adrienne Celt (Bloomsbury, $26, 9781635571523). "Adrienne Celt's Invitation to a Bonfire is a propulsive literary thriller masterfully constructed and written with an extraordinary, raw urgency that will leave readers breathless. Inspired by the marriage of Vladimir and Vera Nabokov, Celt explores the love and ambition of two strong-willed women who compete for the passions and artistic control of a literary icon. The novel's characters are original and vividly drawn, with all the complexity and contradictions of their emotions and intentions fully realized. This is a story that you will not be able to put down, and certainly one of the most memorable and satisfying reads of the year. Adrienne Celt is a writer to watch." --Lori Feathers, Interabang Books, Dallas, Tex.

Southernmost: A Novel by Silas House (Algonquin, $26.95, 9781616206253). "Asher, a rural evangelical preacher in Tennessee, welcomes two gay men into his congregation after a flood washes away most of his town. His change of heart results in him being ousted from his church and losing custody of his son in the midst of an ugly divorce. Unable to stand the separation from his boy, he steals him away and flees to Key West in search of his estranged brother. Living on the run, Asher must learn how to make peace with the past as he discovers a new way of living and thinking. Silas House's writing is captivating and honest and proves how different ways of life can coexist and even combine to create something cohesive and meaningful." --Carl Kranz, The Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Va.

Paperback
Mirror, Shoulder, Signal: A Novel by Dorthe Nors (Graywolf Press, $16, 9781555978082). "Once again, Dorthe Nors writes with precision and depth about the experience of single, childless women in their 40s, which is under-explored in literature. Loneliness and invisibility factor in, but not in the way that the dominant spinster/maiden aunt narrative would have us believe. Nors uncovers nuance, heart, and connection with her signature stripped-down prose and humor. A vital and important book for us all." --Melanie McNair, Malaprop's Bookstore/Café, Asheville, N.C.

For Ages 4 to 8
The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault (Atheneum, $17.99, 9781481469975). "The Honeybee is a sweet, beautiful book with an interestingly layered palette and an important message for youngsters. Arsenault's painterly style is so fresh and striking, and the text makes for a gentle read-aloud." --Gretchen Treu, A Room of One's Own Bookstore, Madison, Wis.

For Ages 9 to 12
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (Nancy Paulsen, $17.99, 9780399544682). "Amal is living a decent life in her Pakistani village. She loves school and plans to go to college and become a teacher. But when she offends a member of the most influential family in the village, her dreams and goals are suddenly upended and she is sold as a servant to pay her father's 'debts.' Saeed takes on challenging subjects--indentured servitude and the treatment of women--and makes them accessible to a middle reader, while making the reader cheer for Amal as she finds her way again." --Melissa Fox, Watermark Books & Café, Wichita, Kan.

For Teen Readers
I Felt a Funeral, in My Brain: A Novel by Will Walton (Push, $17.99, 9780545709569). "Avery has a lot to deal with--recuperating from a serious injury, coming to terms with his family history of alcoholism, navigating his changing relationship with his best friend, and coping with the death of his beloved grandfather. In Walton's capable hands and original voice, Avery's difficult summer is full of tenderness, wit, and the transcendent beauty of both poetry and pop music. I Felt a Funeral, in My Brain is a book for anyone who has ever been moved by a poem or a song, anyone who is or has been an adolescent, and anyone who has or will ever experience loss and grief--which is to say, here is a book for all of us." --Emilie Sommer, East City Bookshop, Washington, D.C.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]

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