From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
The Cat Who Saved Books: A Novel by Sosuke Natsukawa, trans. by Louise Heal Kawai (HarperVia, $24.99, 9780063095724). "The Cat Who Saved Books is a love letter to book lovers, championing the emotional impact that stories have in the hearts and lives of readers. Tiger adds a bonus charming and Ghibli-esque aesthetic to this thoughtful, tender novel." --Andrew King, Secret Garden Bookshop, Seattle, Wash.
Murder Under Her Skin: A Pentecost and Parker Mystery by Stephen Spotswood (Doubleday, $27, 9780385547123). "Murder Under Her Skin will light a fire under eager fans of Pentecost and Parker. Filled with snappy dialogue, clever plot, and richly imagined characters--readers will clamor for the next installment. It is cracking good fun!" --Pamela Klinger-Horn, Valley Bookseller, Stillwater, Minn.
Paperback
A Different Distance: A Renga by Marilyn Hacker and Karthika Naïr (Milkweed Editions, $16, 9781571315519). "Friends, poets, and Paris residents Marilyn Hacker and Karthika Naïr wrote a renga (a linked poem) over the course of a year, from March 2020 to March 2021 during the full lockdown. Reading this collection is a lovely, lovely experience." --Jen Wills Geraedts, Beagle and Wolf Books & Bindery, Park Rapids, Minn.
For Ages 4 to 8
Milk and Juice: A Recycling Romance by Meredith Crandall Brown (HarperCollins, $18.99, 9780063021853). "An adorable and funny tale of two plastic containers and their love connection through the process of recycling. Kids and adults will enjoy this very engaging story with a hint of education on the side." --Judith Lafitte, Octavia Books, New Orleans, La.
For Ages 8 to 12
Just Roll with It (A Graphic Novel) by Lee Durfey-Lavoie, illus. by Veronica Agarwal (Random House Graphic, $12.99, 9781984896995). "This book is so cute! I know RPGs are really hot right now, but this book uses RPGs to talk about something more. It shows the realities of OCD, and models how parents and friends can properly interact with someone they think is struggling." --Kellie Otis, Books of Wonder, New York, N.Y.
For Teen Readers
If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich (Wednesday Books, $18.99, 9781250805805). "This absolutely blew me away. For boy band fans, for those who've memorized the lyrics to every Camp Rock song, or for anyone who knows how hard, complex, and beautiful it is to come out as queer whether you're famous or not--this is our book." --Miriasha Borsykowsky, Phoenix Books, Burlington, Vt.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
