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 Third Hotel: A Novel by Laura van den Berg (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $26, 9780374168353). "Laura van den Berg's The Third Hotel is sublime and unsettling, haunting and sophisticated. The Havana that serves as the backdrop for this story is as surreal, soaked in perspiration, and capitulated to ruin as the sense of loss that drives the novel. This is one not to be missed. A mesmerizing masterwork." --David Gonzalez, Skylight Books, Los Angeles, Calif.
The Family Tabor: A Novel by Cherise Wolas (Flatiron, $27.99, 9781250081452). "When you have the most skillfully prepared, decadent dessert placed in front of you, do you plunge in and devour it? Or do you slowly savor it? This is the happy predicament I find myself in when approaching the work of Cherise Wolas. Harry Tabor, a 70-year-old Jewish man living in Palm Springs, is about to receive the 'Man of the Decade' award for a lifetime of service to refugees. His beautiful, interesting, and seemingly perfect family is congregating to celebrate. In the span of less than two days, the story of their lives unravels and revelations occur. This brilliantly executed novel is filled with secrets, repressed memories, and unforgettable characters under a blazing California sun." --Damita Nocton, The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines, N.C.
Paperback
Ranger Games: A Story of Soldiers, Family and an Inexplicable Crime by Ben Blum (Anchor, $16.95, 9780804169691). "Ranger Games is a fascinating examination of family, duty, psychology, and crime. Ben Blum's cousin Alex wanted one thing in life, to be a U.S. Army Ranger, but after completing the program and right before his first deployment, he seemingly inexplicably wound up driving the getaway car for an armed bank robbery with three other Rangers. Blum digs deep into his cousin's story and the culture of the Rangers to find out why and how, and the result is a riveting, thought-provoking book." --Cody Morrison, Square Books, Oxford, Miss.
For Ages 4 to 8
The Rough Patch by Brian Lies (Greenwillow, $17.99, 9780062671271). "Evan has lost his faithful companion and nothing can help ease his pain, not even the garden where Evan and his dog enjoyed most of their time together. But something extraordinary is happening in that neglected garden--something that will help ease Evan's pain. The Rough Patch is a thoughtful and impressive picture book about friendship and loss. Brian Lies gives us a picture book that will pull at the heartstrings." --Jen Steele, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, Wis.
For Ages 9 to 12
Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome (Holiday House, $16.99, 9780823439607). "In this story of the Great Migration of 1946, 11-year-old Langston misses his mother, who has passed away; his grandmother, who was left behind; and his father, who has to work long hours. As Langston faces poverty and bullying in Chicago, he takes refuge in the library and discovers books and companionship, something that is life-affirming for both him and his father. Finding Langston is exactly the profound book of renewal we need right now." --Alice Hutchinson, Byrd's Books, Bethel, Conn.
For Teen Readers
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman (Greenwillow, $17.99, 9780062671158). "With A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman have edited a wonderful collection of short stories by some of the most prominent YA authors, exploring themes of East and South Asian folklore and mythology. Featuring 15 stories that cover every genre from contemporary to fantasy, readers will be delighted by the breadth and imagination of authors such as Preeti Chhibber, Melissa de la Cruz, and Cindy Pon." --Angela Spring, Duende District, Washington, D.C.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
