From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Swordcrossed by Freya Marske (Bramble, $28.99, 9781250341624). "In this vibrant story, a struggling heir hires a charming con artist to be his swordsman at his upcoming wedding. Through sword-fighting practice and an unexpected mystery, white-hot desire sparks and they risk losing everything they hold dear." --Joshua Lambie, Underground Books, Carrollton, Ga.
Hardcover: An Indies Introduce Title
American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Era by Nico Lang (Abrams Press, $30, 9781419773822). "Following eight trans and nonbinary teenagers, American Teenager shows us that there is no one way to be trans--or a teen. At their heart, these trans teens dream of what's after high school, gossip, dread tests and class assignments, and try to figure out life." --Kristin Saner, Fables Books, Goshen, Ind.
Paperback
Chenneville: A Novel of Murder, Loss, and Vengeance by Paulette Jiles (Morrow Paperbacks, $18.99, 9780063252691). "Paulette Jiles has done it again. John Chenneville's travails through the post-Civil War U.S. are written in a way that is thoughtful, profound, and fluid like poetry. Even if you're not familiar with Jiles, once you read it, you'll want more." --Vicki Honeyman, Literati Bookstore, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Ages 4-8
In Praise of Mystery by Ada Limón, illus. by Peter Sís (Norton Young Readers, $18.99, 9781324054009). "Beautiful illustrations accompany this quiet poem written about our awe of the universe. The poem is engraved on NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft, which [launched this month to] journey to Jupiter's second moon." --Aerie Brown, Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, Tex.
Ages 6-11
Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp (Annick Press, $19.99, 9781773218922). "I LOVE THIS GRAPHIC NOVEL! Fantastic illustrations perfectly depict the story's changing moods. Problems are solved righteously with humor. And I love that spiders are depicted as the intelligent, valuable creatures they are." --Kay Wosewick, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, Wis.
Teen Readers
The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew (Joy Revolution, $19.99, 9780593710357). "Jill Tew's debut is everything readers have been waiting for. I was completely sucked in! With its swoony romance, twisty plot, and all the thrills, it's sure to make its way into the canon of YA dystopia." --Vania Stoyanova, Brave + Kind Bookshop, Decatur, Ga.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
