From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcovers
Schroder: A Novel by Amity Gaige (Twelve, $21.99, 9781455512133). "This deeply layered novel about an embattled father reclaiming his only joy drew me in with the intense beauty of its language and the doomed journey of its unreliable narrator. In Erik Schroder, Gaige gives us a character who should repel but whom I loved for his humanity and the way he expressed his love for his daughter and she, her love for him. Schroder takes the reader into the arrested heart of a foreigner whose need to appear American is ultimately his undoing. That we care about him is a testament to Gaige's skill and compassion." --Vicki DeArmon, Copperfield's Books, Sebastopol, Calif.
Calling Me Home: A Novel by Julie Kibler (St. Martin's Press, $24.99, 9781250014528). "Two women, one old and white, one young and black, make a cross-country journey that will create a bond between them stronger than age or race or family. Told from each woman's perspective, this is a look at race relations in this country in 1930s Kentucky. Isabelle, at the age of 17, falls in love with Robert, a year older, and a black man, whose mother and sister work for Isabelle's family. Their forbidden love will devastate their families, their own lives, and the lives of future generations. Dorrie, present-day Isabelle's hairdresser and friend, will learn about Isabelle's past while gaining help and insight into her own family problems. You will laugh and cry as you read this incredible story." --Karen Briggs, Great Northern Books and Hobbies, Oscoda, Mich.
Paperback
The Stonecutter: A Novel by Camilla Läckberg, translated by Steven T. Murray (Free Press, $15.99, 9781451621860). "Läckberg writes intricately crafted plots with prose that quickly draws you in. As this story opens, Detective Patrick Hedstrom is not having a good day as his new daughter is firmly against her parents enjoying a restful night. His day is about to get a lot worse. Tired and grumpy, he answers a call about a fisherman finding a body. The fisherman pulled up a child with his lobster pots, and the child turns out to be the daughter of Patrick's good friends. When it is determined that the child did not drown accidentally but was murdered, the tension mounts as it seems the village has disturbing secrets that go back generations. The latest work from a major talent." --Deon Stonehouse, Sunriver Books, Sunriver, Ore.
For Ages 9 to 12
The Bird King: An Artist's Notebook by Shaun Tan (Arthur Levine/Scholastic, $19.99, 9780545465137). "According to Tan, 'drawing is its own form of thinking.' The Bird King is an invitation from the Academy Award-winning artist to browse through his elegant, whimsical, and mysterious thought processes. Each page of this deceptively small collection will both capture you by providing a glimpse into the origins of Tan's previous works and bid you to create your own story to accompany his images. This volume is an attractive and key addition to the collections of aspiring artists, writers, and fans of graphic novels." --Kerri Poore, Politics & Prose Books and Coffee Shop, Washington, D.C.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
