From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison (Berkley, $30, 9798217188574). "Kiss Slay Replay makes the time-loop wedding weekend feel fresh by grounding every bloody turn in friendship, regret, and the lives we keep pretending we still want. I tore through it and immediately wanted to start over." --Stephanie Rose, Death by TBR Books, Bremerton, Wash.
Crocodilopolis: A Novel by John Manuel Arias (Bloomsbury, $29.99, 9781639738434). "A rich, fiery modern retelling of Cain and Abel with all the lush greens of Costa Rica. As a spider spins a web to catch his prey, Seth conspires to trap his brother Osario in the death roll of a crocodile; the ripples in the water reflecting their lineage of envy and corruption." --Sarah Valencia, Politics and Prose Bookstore, Washington, D.C.
Paperback
Saving Noah: A Novel by Lucinda Berry (Poisoned Pen Press, $19.99, 9781464292132). "This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is dark and heavy, and it does not shy away from uncomfortable themes. It pushes you to examine beliefs, assumptions, and morality in a way no book has done before or since for me. (Be sure to check the trigger warnings before you pick it up as the topics are HEAVY.)" --Candace Lynn, Sower Books, Lincoln, Neb.
Ages 4-8
I Will Eat You in the End by David Duff, illus. by Marianna Coppo (Neal Porter Books, $19.99, 9780823463930). "Deeply funny and pleasantly existential, a stellar book about mortality and interdependence for kids and adults alike. Simple, effective art with lots of charm, to boot. I really love this one!" --August Clarke, Seminary Co-Op Bookstores, Chicago, Ill.
Ages 8-12
Sisters Alone by Shifa Saltagi Safadi (Putnam Books for Young Readers, $18.99, 9798217111091). "Safadi hit it out of the park with this middle grade novel in verse centering two Syrian sisters who in the midst of grieving their mother must find a way to survive a winter storm alone together. With beautiful and heartfelt poetic language, Safadi engages young readers in exploring important themes of mental health, sisterhood, friendship, and hope." --Fatuma Hydara, Tuma's Books, Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Ages 13+ (Indies Introduce)
Tom Burne Has Left the Chat by Seán Farrelly (Faber & Faber Children's, $12.95, 9780571388219). "When seventeen-year-old Jamie takes Tom Burne's phone after his suicide, he becomes deeply invested in Tom's digital life and tragic death. This profound mystery exploring grief, mental health, identity, and belonging in the age of social media is told with humor and candidness via Jamie's authentic teen voice. Plus, it transports you to Ireland!" --Alyssa Raymond, Copper Dog Books, Beverly, Mass.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
