From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next picks:
Hardcover
The Miracles of Prato: A Novel by Laurie Albanese and Laura Morowitz (Morrow, $24.99, 9780061558344/0061558346). "Based on the true story of Fra Filippo Lippi's love for a young nun (whom he immortalized as the Madonna in many of his greatest works), this novel is beautifully evocative of Renaissance Italy, and I found the descriptions of the process of Lippi's artistry to be insightful and enlightening. A wonderful book to take on a journey to Tuscany."--Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, Ohio. [Editor's note: We agree entirely--and then some! See our story here.]
Waiting for the Apocalypse by Veronica Chater (Norton, $23.95, 9780393066036/0393066037). "Veronica Chater's father, believing that Vatican II has corrupted the Roman Catholic Church, drags his family--six children and a wife--off to Portugal to live near Fatima and find a traditional parish and mass in Latin. Waiting for the Apocalypse is a story of monomania inflicted on loved ones, but Chater speaks of her coming of age with honesty, wit, and grace."--Helen Sinoradzki, Annie Bloom's Books, Portland, Ore. [Another editor's note: see our review here.]
Paperback
Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry (St. Martin's Griffin, $14.95, 9780312382858/0312382855). "The ultimate terrorist biological weapon is about to be unleashed on U.S. soil, and our only hope is Joe Ledger. Filled with zombies, terrorists, and some of the best action in years, Patient Zero, an electric thriller, will warm up those cold March nights with pure terror."--Katie Glasgow, Mitchell Books, Fort Wayne, Ind.
For Teen Readers
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey (Houghton Mifflin, $17, 9780152063849/0152063846). "Things change for Jessica when Lucius Vladescu arrives from Romania claiming he's a vampire prince, destined to marry her to bring peace between two vampire clans. But just as Jessica starts to believe Lucius, he changes his mind--how confusing is that? Will she fight for him? Can she stop a vampire war? The many twists along the way keep you guessing right to the end."--Angela Mann, Kepler's Books & Magazine, Menlo Park, Calif.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]