From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover: An Indies Introduce Title
Convenience Store Woman: A Novel by Sayaka Murata, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori (Grove Press, $20, 9780802128256). "Keiko Furukura has worked at her local convenience store for 18 years. Every day, she ensures that the shelves are tidy, the hot food bar is stocked, and the featured items are adequately displayed. She greets every customer with a cheerful 'Irasshaimase!' and no one notices that she's never fit in anywhere else. Murata draws lush descriptions of the beauty of order and routine out of simple, spare prose, and every page crackles with the life she's created. Because of the humor, the wit, the almost unbearable loveliness of it all, Convenience Store Woman, a small book about a quiet life, makes an enormous impact on the reader." --Lauren Peugh, Powell's Books, Portland, Ore.
Hardcover
Well, That Escalated Quickly: Memoirs and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist by Franchesca Ramsey (Grand Central, $27, 9781538761038). "Franchesca Ramsey hadn't planned to be an activist, but that was before her insightful and seriously funny YouTube video What White Girls Say... to Black Girls was viewed more than 12 million times. She was inundated with media requests along with both fan and hate mail. After some missteps, she decided to use her voice and her talent to fight injustice. Determined to provide ways for us to listen to each other, Ramsey, who will soon have a show on Comedy Central, has written an insightful book that brings us laughter as well as tools for understanding our differences and our shared humanity." --Elaine Petrocelli, Book Passage, Corte Madera, Calif.
Paperback
The Last Ballad: A Novel by Wiley Cash (Morrow, $15.99, 9780062313126). "Ella May has never had much of anything. She labors long hours in a textile mill in North Carolina trying to feed her four young children on nine dollars a week. When Ella sings one of her songs at a meeting of workers who are hoping to form a union, she finds herself something of a local celebrity. Written in beautifully evocative prose, this novel about bigotry and labor unrest in the 1930s exerts a powerful impact that pulls the reader into the vortex of the struggle for social justice. It deserves a place of honor in the canon of great Southern literature." --Alden Graves, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, Vt.
For Ages 4 to 8
Brave Enough for Two by Jonathan D. Voss (Holt, $17.99, 9781250127488). "At its heart, this is a story about comfort zones, trust, bravery, and, most importantly, friendship--a soul-warming story to share with those you love any time of the day. Perfect for fans of Winnie the Pooh and The Velveteen Rabbit, Brave Enough for Two is a modern classic in the making." --Ashlee Null, Vroman's Bookstore, Pasadena, Calif.
For Ages 9 to 12: An Indies Introduce Title
Heartseeker by Melinda Beatty (Putnam, $16.99, 9781524740009). "An excellent beginning to a story kids will become immersed in! The protagonist, Only Fallow, cannot just see when people are lying, she can't tell a lie herself without it being incredibly painful. When news of Only's abilities reaches the king, he commands her to work at his side to parse out traitors and corruption at court. Heartseeker's every chapter is action-packed and the stage is set for a blockbuster second book. I cannot wait!" --Nichole Cousins, White Birch Books, North Conway, N.H.
For Teen Readers
Anger Is a Gift: A Novel by Mark Oshiro (Tor Teen, $17.99, 9781250167026). "Anger Is a Gift is a feat worthy of all the awards and accolades it is sure to receive. Mark Oshiro has written a fully intersectional book with characters ranging across gender, sexuality, disability, and mental health and covering topics such as systemic racism, disability access, police brutality, anxiety, first love, and more. With fast-paced and compulsively readable writing, Anger Is a Gift is a much-needed addition to the literary canon. Fans of The Hate U Give, Dear Martin, and All American Boys will enjoy this novel." --Shauna Sinyard, Park Road Books, Charlotte, N.C.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
