From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
A Forty Year Kiss: A Novel by Nickolas Butler (Sourcebooks Landmark, $27.99, 9781464221248). "Can a love be rekindled after forty years? Charlie has been living with regrets since the ending of his first marriage to Vivian. He arranges a meeting to find out if she's still the one. A Forty Year Kiss is a tale of love, hope, and change." --Mary McBride, Monstera's Books, Overland Park, Kan.
The Lamb: A Novel by Lucy Rose (Harper, $27.99, 9780063374607). "A coming-of-age story meets the cabin-in-the-woods cannibalism trope. The senses are engaged for a moody, atmospheric ride spattered in blood and rot as Margot makes sense in a world of neglectful trauma and relative isolation." --Danielle Smith, Auntie's Bookstore, Spokane, Wash.
Paperback
Out of the Woods: A Novel by Hannah Bonam-Young (Dell, $18, 9780593871867). "Out of the Woods is one of the best marriage-in-distress romances I have ever read. Not only do we get to see Sarah and Caleb work on things, but we also get to see where it all started. Have tissues handy--Bonam-Young's writing is beautiful." --Preet Singh, Eagle Eye Book Shop, Decatur, Ga.
Ages 4-8
Scamp by Anden Wilder (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9780316558266). "A delight from first page to last. This joyous, beautifully illustrated cat tale jumps off the page with true-to-life emotions. A new side of the story lends freshness to this simple tale told oh-so well! Meow!" --Maureen Palacios, Once Upon a Time, Montrose, Calif.
Ages 10-14
All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, $17.99, 9781547605897). "The story of a young girl haunted by the grief of losing her best friend. Sage navigates daily life without her friend and the guilt she feels for her part in her friend's death. A beautiful novel in verse showing us it is ok to be sad on the long journey to hope and healing." --Rayna Nielsen, Blue Cypress Books, New Orleans, La.
Teen Readers
The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman (Putnam Books for Young Readers, $19.99, 9780593698716). "This twisty private school mystery centers on a young couple found murdered in a dorm room. We follow a student reporter and the victim's roommate as they try to put the pieces together and solve the crime. Excellent!" --Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books, Millerton, N.Y.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
