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 Future Saints: A Novel by Ashley Winstead (Atria, $29, 9781668024669). "Ashley Winstead enters new territory in this beautiful look at grief and friendship--and how to move on after tragedy. Theo and the Saints are all such gorgeously flawed people. I wanted to hug them all while I yelled at them (except Kenny, an angel)." --Andi Richardson, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Va.
Two Women Living Together by Kim Hana and Hwang Sunwoo, trans. by Gene Png (Ecco, $28, 9780063473362). "It's a treat to have a translation of this Korean bestseller. Two forty-something South Korean women choose to defy convention and form a found family. Though they both enjoyed being single, buying an apartment together launched a lively journey." --Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books, Davidson, N.C.
Paperback: An Indies Introduce Title
A Clean Hell: Anarchy and Abolition in America's Most Notorious Dungeon by Eric King, Raymond Luc Levasseur, and Josh Davidson (PM Press, 9798887441597, $22.95) "An excruciatingly honest look at one of the most brutal federal prisons in the country. This important work lays bare the broken prison system and provides the foundation for resistance against injustice and bias within our federal prison system." --Kristin Pidgeon, Riverstone Books, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Ages 4-8
Mungo on His Own by Matthew Burgess, illus. by Julie Benbassat (Clarion Books, $19.99, 9780063216716). "The illustrations are so cute. I wish I could squeeze little Mungo! What a beautiful story about independence, confidence, and bravery. Such an important message for kids as they grow up and into themselves." --Katie Pionk, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey, Mich.
Ages 10-14
Saber-Tooth: A Novel in Verse by Robin Gow (Amulet Books, $18.99, 9781419777387). "Digging a giant hole in the yard as a way to process anger and shame is not Jasper's worst idea, but digging up a manipulative (and vengeful) saber-tooth tiger's bones doesn't give Jasper the emotional resolution he so desperately needs. This story works on all levels: literal, magical, emotional." --Betsy Haberl, Booked, Evanston, Ill.
Ages 14+
The Roommate Arrangement by Samantha Markum (Margaret K. McElderry Books, $20.99, 9781665973076). "Samantha Markum blends the very real struggles of imposter syndrome, gifted kid burn out, and overbearing parental expectations with the joys of crushes, finding forever friends, and the little moments where you realize you truly belong. This story deserves to be cherished, just like the characters within it." --Emily Morgan, The Novel Neighbor, Webster Groves, Mo.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
