March 2024 Indie Next List
Wandering Stars: A novel
Tommy Orange (Knopf)
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“Wandering Stars is an epic tale grounded in truth and elevated by Tommy Orange’s phenomenal storytelling. He brings a gruesome slice of US history to life and gives voice to a generation of Native people who live its legacy.”
— Claire Benedict, Bear Pond Books, Montpelier, VT
March 2024 Indie Next List
Inspired Recommendations from Indie Booksellers
By Danielle L. Jensen
Del Rey
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“A Fate Inked in Blood is a riveting starter to what will no doubt be another steamy, wondrous fantasy series by Jensen. The lore is complex and the characters are quick to cut, with a cliffhanger that left me hungry for the next installment.”
— Isabel Agajanian, The Oxford Exchange, Tampa, FL
By Amy Tintera
Celadon Books
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“Darkly witty and beautifully thrilling, Listen for the Lie is an amazing adult debut from Amy Tintera. This murder mystery is filled with comedy, drama, and a riveting pace that will make readers fall completely in love!”
— Sara Canelon, Adventures By The Book, San Diego, CA
By Scott Alexander Howard
Atria Books
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“This immersive story of a young girl falling in love is complicated by the fact that her home valley borders two other valleys where the past and future live — and no interaction is allowed. Sometimes, borders must be crossed. A new favorite.”
— Beth Mynhier, Lake Forest Book Store, Lake Forest, IL
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“With sharp dialogue and expert character development, Tana French transports readers to the Irish countryside in The Hunter. Asking what we owe our community, this novel secures French’s place at the top of the literary mystery genre.”
— Leslie Logemann, Highland Books, Brevard, NC
By Jennifer Croft
Bloomsbury Publishing
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“In elegant prose, Croft beautifully blurs the lines between reality and fiction, translation and translated, leaving the reader with a deep sense of wonder and awe for the labyrinthine universes that exist between languages and places.”
— Maxwell Shanley, Green Apple Books & Music, San Francisco, CA
By Hwang Bo-reum, Shanna Tan
Bloomsbury Publishing
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“Burnt out and drained, Yeongju fulfills her dreams of surrounding herself in stories and opening a bookshop. What starts off as a tidy, uplifting story of joy and redemption transforms into a choose-your-own-adventure of levity for readers.”
— Thu Doan, East Bay Booksellers, Oakland, CA
By Xochitl Gonzalez
Flatiron Books
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“A captivating read about two Latinas who defy erasure: One, a trailblazing first-gen Ivy Leaguer, the other, a murdered artist hidden by New York’s art scene. Gonzalez highlights resilience against erasure and the quest for justice.”
— Claudia Vega, Whose Books, Dallas, TX
By Lottie Hazell
Henry Holt and Co.
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“Lottie Hazell manages to brilliantly articulate the societal pressures placed on women to be the perfect cook, the perfect wife, the perfect friend, the perfect daughter: to be and do it all. A timeless story told in a new, unique way.”
— Lauren Nopenz Fairley, Curious Iguana, Frederick, MD
By Sasha LaPointe
Counterpoint
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“Thunder Song is an insightful account of growing up Indigenous and Queer on stolen land. LaPointe is not consumed with sitting in trauma, but in finding a way forward joyfully and caring for herself and the people around her. Not to be missed.”
— Margaret Leonard, Dotters Books, Eau Claire, WI
By Leslie Jamison
Little, Brown and Company
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“In Splinters, Leslie Jamison tells the story of her navigating her divorce with a young child. It’s a book about motherhood, but at its core it’s about love: falling in love, falling out of love, a mother’s love. I was in awe the entire time.”
— Hunter Gillum, Beaverdale Books, Des Moines, IA
By Cristina Henriquez
Ecco
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“The building of the Panama Canal is the backdrop of The Great Divide, paired with the omniscient and wondrous writing of Cristina Henríquez. This is a book of great ebb and flow as the richness of varying characters intersect.”
— Kristy Creager, Mitzi's Books, Rapid City, SD
By Carola Lovering
St. Martin's Press
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“Tell Me Lies made me a Carola Lovering fan, and she has not disappointed since. Bye, Baby is as dark and thrilling as ever and may be my favorite work she’s ever done.”
— Kailey Fox, Kingfisher Bookstore, Coupeville, WA
By Tammy Greenwood
Kensington
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“Based on Greenwood’s experience as a ballet mom, this sometimes-painful journey into adulthood (for both the moms and their daughters!) is also a story of friendship, life aspirations, and moving on from tragedy and heartbreak.”
— Terry Gilman, Creating Conversations, Redondo Beach, CA
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“The Demeter and Persephone legend, placed in a modern setting with constant tension. The novel portrays all the power, control, corruption, and gender disparity in modern society and the unrelenting, visceral ferocity of a mother’s love.”
— Bill Cusumano , Square Books, Oxford, MS
By Jón Kalman Stefánsson, Philip Roughton
Biblioasis
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“Add Your Absence is Darkness to the ever-growing pile of Icelandic classics. This deeply moving novel — full of love, stories large and small, and unforgettable characters — caresses and crashes like the waves against the island’s shores.”
— Stephen Sparks, Point Reyes Books, Point Reyes Station, CA
By Gareth Brown
William Morrow
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“We all know books are metaphoric doors — what if they were literal doors as well? Full of fascinating characters, mystery, and magical books, this debut novel will appeal to fans of The Starless Sea.”
— Keith Glaeske, East City Bookshop, Washington, DC
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“Grief has deepened Crosley’s craft. This memoir is the funniest book of the year, as any of her readers would expect, but it’s also profound and heartbreaking. She is our Nora Ephron; we’re lucky to have her.”
— Sarah McNally, McNally Jackson Books, New York, NY
By Madeleine Gray
Henry Holt and Co.
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“A rollicking romance with a married man explores the whys and wherefores of a relationship destined for disaster, as the ‘other woman’ navigates and attempts to rationalize her forbidden love. Funny, fast, and unique in a delectable way.”
— Seth Tucker, Carmichael's Bookstore, Louisville, KY
By Eliza Barry Callahan
Catapult
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“The Hearing Test is a love letter not just to humanity but human connection. Eliza Barry Callahan is one to watch!”
— Audrey Kohler, BookWoman, Austin, TX
By Rita Bullwinkel
Viking
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“Headshot is completely brilliant. A fierce and intimate account of eight fascinating young women with powerful, refined prose. Rita Bullwinkel puts you inside the minds of her characters while enthralling you as the story plays out.”
— Shane Grebel, Watermark Books & Cafe, Wichita, KS
By Anna Quindlen
Random House
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“Anna Quindlen returns with a poignant novel of grief, friendship, and fortitude. Anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one will appreciate After Annie and the hope it delivers. Read it for yourself, give it as a gift, share it.”
— Pamela Klinger-Horn, Valley Bookseller, Stillwater, MN
By Jeffrey Dale Lofton
Post Hill Press
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“Red Clay Suzie and Philbet’s coming-of-age story stole my heart. Jeffrey Dale Lofton is a writer to watch. Highly recommend!”
— Karen Schwettman, FoxTale Book Shoppe, Woodstock, GA
By Mariely Lares
Harper Voyager
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“A fast-paced fantasy filled with shapeshifting, sorcery, and epic battles. Lares weaves together a rich world from Mesoamerican history and mythology, alongside a thoughtful exploration of mestiza identity and finding a place in the world.”
— Elena Jove, Left Bank Books, St. Louis, MO
By Ellen Baker
Mariner Books
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“Rich, vibrant and full of atmosphere, The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson drew me in from the first page. An intricately layered portrait of family, identity, and survival. Cecily will steal your heart!”
— Maxwell Gregory, Madison Street Books, Chicago, IL
Now in Paperback
Indie Next List Selections Come to Paperback
