From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Everything's Fine: A Novel by Cecelia Rabess (Simon & Schuster, $27.99, 9781982187705). "It's hard to step away from this wonderful debut. Part romance, part office politics, Everything's Fine addresses race, class, money, ethics, and identity for two twenty-somethings, Josh and Jess, out navigating the world as adults." --Terry Gilman, Creating Conversations, Redondo Beach, Calif.
Leg: The Story of a Limb and the Boy Who Grew from It by Greg Marshall (Abrams, $28, 9781419763601). "Fans of David Sedaris and R. Eric Thomas will love this memoir of a man who loved creating and acting from a young age. The family is hilarious, and I loved that Greg being gay was no big deal--just one part of a moving, touching story." --Sissy Gardner, Parnassus Books, Nashville, Tenn.
Paperback
Ghost Eaters: A Novel by Clay McLeod Chapman (Quirk Books, $16.99, 9781683693789). "A dark and chilling story about a group of friends who discover an addictive drug that allows them to see dead people. Well, more like forces, and it gets intense. This was impossible to put down, but please read it with the lights on!" --Laura Harvey, Copper Dog Books, Beverly, Mass.
For Ages 4 to 8
We Are Going to Be Pals! by Mark Teague (Beach Lane, $18.99, 9781665911863). "Opposites do attract! And when the rules of friendship are applied even in the unlikeliest pairs of--people?--the results can be golden. Mark Teague nails it with a Serengeti's worth of wit, wisdom, and charm." --Kathy Adams, Valley Bookseller, Stillwater, Minn.
For Ages 8 to 12
Greenwild: The World Behind the Door by Pari Thomson (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $17.99, 9780374391379). "Greenwild is pure magic. It grabs you and never lets go for an instant. The world-building is reminiscent of Harry Potter (in the best ways), but the plant magic wielded by the Botanists was refreshingly original and utterly captivating." --Kate Snyder, Plaid Elephant Books, Danville, Ky.
For Teen Readers
The Faint of Heart by Kerilynn Wilson (Greenwillow, $18.99, 9780063116221). "In this world, June is the only person left with a heart; when she finds an abandoned one, she starts a quest to put hearts back into others. A metaphorical story about the importance of feeling and connection, with absolutely gorgeous art." --Melissa Fox, Watermark Books & Café, Wichita, Kan.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
