February 2022 Indie Next List
Love & Saffron: A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Love
Kim Fay (G.P. Putnam's Sons)
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“Love & Saffron reminds us of the beauty of letter writing. I loved the simplicity of this book — it filled my heart with love and connection to the human spirit, and left me with the desire to kindle a friendship by sending a letter.”
— Annette Avery, Bright Side Bookshop, Flagstaff, AZ
February 2022 Indie Next List
Inspired Recommendations from Indie Booksellers
By Sequoia Nagamatsu
William Morrow
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“This collection of connected stories describes the world after a devastating plague. The book is beautiful — striking, unsettling, and darkly gorgeous. It defies categorization and creates its own genre. A shimmering gem of a book.”
— Debra Ginsberg, DIESEL, A Bookstore, Santa Monica, CA
By Nina de Gramont
St. Martin's Press
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“A fascinating look into the real-life disappearance of Agatha Christie in December, 1926. Told by her husband's mistress, it is a story of love, loss, and revenge. You’ll wonder what will happen next when you’re not reading it. Excellent!”
— Nona Camuel, CoffeeTree Books, Morehead, KY
By Juneau Black
Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
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“In the industrious town of Shady Hollow, woodland creatures go about their lives until a brutal betrayal shatters the peace. Vera Vixen, a tenacious reporter and cunning fox, unravels a murder mystery in this smart series debut.”
— Margaret Walker, Union Avenue Books, Knoxville, TN
By Katee Robert
Sourcebooks Casablanca
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“A fantastic Neon Gods follow-up, Katee Robert's modern Olympus is full of drama, sinful men, and spice! A reimagined Eros and Psyche with a plus-sized, cunning Psyche, fake marriage, and a murderous mother-in-law. What's not to love?”
— Kristin Saner, Fables Books, Goshen, IN
By Brendan Slocumb
Anchor
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“One of my new favorite novels. The book tells Ray's story, a young Black man who just wants to play his violin in a world set to see him fail. You’ll root for Ray, get angry on his behalf, cry with him, and triumph with him.”
— Laney Sheehan, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews, Chapel Hill, NC
By Weike Wang
Random House
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“A smart, moving, and entertaining book. Joan is the daughter of Chinese immigrants and an ICU doctor in New York City. There's a pandemic looming, but Joan’s going to be okay. A witty and insightful story.”
— Claire Benedict, Bear Pond Books, Montpelier, VT
By Julia May Jonas
Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster
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“Vladimir is an audacious story about gender, power, and shame told through the charged voice of an English professor at a small liberal arts college. The personal and political come to an explosive conclusion in this clever debut.”
— Linda Kass, Gramercy Books, Bexley, OH
By Danya Kukafka
William Morrow
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“Notes on an Execution flows like a quiet river coming to a waterfall — lyrical, tense, and quietly explosive. This book is full of compassion for each character, even the killer to be executed. Kukafka has outdone herself with this book.”
— Annie Philbrick, Bank Square Books, Mystic, CT
By Katherine Faulkner
Gallery Books
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“Such a fun and addicting thriller! I was torn between reading slowly to catch all the nuances and speed reading to figure out what happens. The book pulls punches to the very end. Highly recommended for psychological thriller lovers!”
— Kristen Beverly, Half Price Books, Dallas, TX
By Sue Lynn Tan
Harper Voyager
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“Glimmering with lavish imagery and ethereal world-building, Daughter of the Moon Goddess is a hero's journey where love is essential to coming of age. A remarkable debut filled with monsters, magic, power, and my favorite — dragons.”
— Briana Fields, Left Bank Books, St. Louis, MO
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“John Darnielle interrogates the true crime genre’s highest aspirations and basest instincts. Devil House is a gripping read that questions what the true costs of salacious stories are, and who pays them.”
— Keith Mosman, Powell's Books, Portland, OR
By Rachel Rear
Bloomsbury Publishing
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“Catch the Sparrow did not disappoint! Rachel Rear's writing in this book is just as captivating as another true crime favorite, I'll Be Gone in the Dark. Her gripping story pulled me in and had me hooked from the beginning.”
— Bob Lingle, Off the Beaten Path Bookstore (NY), Lakewood, NY
By Daniel Black
Hanover Square Press
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“This book blew me away. Through intimate letters to his son, Jacob reconciles with the man he could have been. Daniel Black creates a stunning work on ancestral heritage, history, family, and the legacy of being a Black man in America.”
— Lauren Nopenz Fairley, Curious Iguana, Frederick, MD
By Lan Samantha Chang
W. W. Norton & Company
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“An expertly crafted novel of literary family intrigue. Full of character depth and a mysterious death, The Family Chao is a page-turner on immigration, family turmoil, racism, small-town drama, and revenge. It will keep you guessing.”
— Danica Ramgoolam, Townie Books, Crested Butte, CO
![Cover Image for Violeta [English Edition]: A Novel](https://images.booksense.com/images/206/496/9780593496206.jpg)
By Isabel Allende, Frances Riddle
Ballantine Books
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“Spanning 100 years, Isabel Allende recounts Violeta’s life in letters to her grandson. The author develops each character in Violeta’s life — children, lovers, and neighbors. This book flows easily and is hard to put down. Loved it!”
— Kathy Clemmons, Sundog Books, Santa Rosa Beach, FL
By Shauna Robinson
Sourcebooks Landmark
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“Being an editorial assistant seems like a dream job for a book nerd. But low pay, long hours, and mundane tasks lead Nora to rethink her career path. Must Love Books is a fun read that I’ll share with family and friends!”
— Melissa DeMotte, The Well-Read Moose, Coeur d'Alene, ID
By Silvia Vasquez-Lavado
Henry Holt and Co.
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“In the Shadow of the Mountain intertwines the lives of sexual assault survivors with Vasquez-Lavado’s experience leading these survivors to summit Mount Everest. A collective story of perseverance, community, and healing.”
— Clancey D'Isa, Seminary Co-Op Bookstores, Chicago, IL
By Mesha Maren
Algonquin Books
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“As much social critique as thriller, Perpetual West is rich and memorable. You'll care for and challenge Elana as you fret over where her husband, Alex, has gone. All along the way, Maren's writing sings.”
— Laura Lilly Cotten, Thank You Books, Birmingham, AL
By Jacquelyn Mitchard
Mira Books
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“A thrilling mystery and complex redemption story that raises questions about criminal justice, love, resentment, forgiveness, and hope. The Good Son is perfect for book clubs and for fans of We Begin at the End and What Comes After.”
— Alyssa Raymond, Copper Dog Books, Beverly, MA
By Kai Harris
Tiny Reparations Books
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“What the Fireflies Knew is a fantastic, powerful debut that tackles difficult themes with empathy and respect. KB's voice is funny and heartbreaking. I expect this to be taught in schools someday alongside Toni Morrison.”
— Ellie Eaton, Busboys and Poets, Washington, DC
By Eva Jurczyk
Poisoned Pen Press
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“Missing manuscripts, disappearing librarians, and university politics — Leisl Weiss is tasked with dealing with it all. The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections hits the mark. No book lover could ask for more!”
— Jann Griffiths, BookSmart, Morgan Hill, CA
By Dane Bahr
Counterpoint
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“Darkness reigns in this twisted novel about a small town on the Mississippi River and a loner living in a houseboat on its banks. The Houseboat is noir at its finest; it feels impossible that this novel is Dane Bahr's debut.”
— Mary O'Malley, Skylark Bookshop, Columbia, MO
By Olga Ravn, Martin Aitken
New Directions
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“The Employees is haunting, poetic, sterile yet bursting with sensation. A series of reflections on what it means to be human, to spend life working, disconnected from the natural world and others. For those who ask ‘is this all there is?’”
— Henry Williams, Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, NC
By Mónica Ojeda, Sarah Booker
Coffee House Press
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“When a group of friends find an abandoned building, their afternoons escalate from scary stories and dares into dangerous rituals and grave consequences. An unsettling novel of friendship, adolescence, and inquietude.”
— Josh Cook, Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA
Now in Paperback
Indie Next List Selections Come to Paperback
