The Indie Next List

“Anthony Doerr's novel Cloud Cuckoo Land is a triumph. This cautionary yet hopeful tale of five very different people obsessed with one ancient book will transport you to Constantinople 600 years ago, present-day Idaho, and to a spaceship a generation or two in the future. It's not too late to be good stewards of Mother Earth. Cloud Cuckoo Land reminds us that the children might just save us all.”

“THIS BOOK EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS! As a huge fan of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility, The Lincoln Highway had a lot of pressure and holy cow did it surpass anything I could have hoped for. From the first page, I was immediately drawn into Towles' magical writing and superb characters. This felt like a modern classic, the new and updated version of Huckleberry Finn that I actually wanted to read in high school. You cannot beat the quirkiness of Towles' characters. You feel so deeply about every single one of them and it feels like they leap off the page with specificities with which they are written. Duchess and Woolly, the stowaways, felt like a modern day George and Lennie from Of Mice and Men with Woolly's gentle giant innocence and Duchess' take-the-lead wile. Emmett is the stoic, do-right midwesterner who always fixes the messes. And Billy is the smartest, sweetest kid who inspires those around him. You fall in love with them and are left with all the feels. A glorious five out of five stars for me, The Lincoln Highway will be my go-to recommendation this fall.”

“Full of heart, hope, grief, humor, delicious character development and perfectly steeped tea, Under the Whispering Door is one-of-a kind. I laughed, I cried, I stayed up far too late reading. You don't want to miss this book.”

“My, my, my. This book evoked so many emotions out of me that I finished reading it last night, threw it across my room, and then screamed internally all night, picking it back up occasionally to see if the final few sentences changed, and then tossing it again when they hadn't. Novik has perfected the art of sucking you into her worlds and chucking you right down in a seat next to her characters, making you feel like you're one of them. And when something major happens, say a MASSIVE cliffhanger ending, you're left freaking out and trying to figure out why you feel like you also just got your heart stomped on. It's beautiful, it's terrifying, and I need to know more! I want ten more books in this world, but I'll be content with the next one in my hands as soon as possible so I can soothe my aching heart! ”

“The story of Sarah Ruhl’s smile—how it broke and how it healed again—encompasses so many other stories, so many other journeys: through early motherhood, through postpartum depression, through maintaining an artistic self when you are torn in many directions. She asks why it’s so important—for women in particular—that we always keep a smile on our faces. Most of all, through the intelligence, vulnerability, and wisdom of her voice, Sarah Ruhl shows us how important it is to be the storyteller of your own life. This book will be your new best friend.”

“Only Wiley Cash’s exquisite storytelling could turn a story full of sad and depressing topics into a powerful, beautiful and meaningful story. It is the story of Sheriff Winston Barnes, the longtime sheriff of the small community of Oak Island, NC who is up for re-election and doubts that he will win. It is the story of how something in his past still haunts him and because of that he always tries to do the right thing, not what everyone wants or expects him to do, it is the story of his family and how much they mean to each other, it is a story of the racial unrest in the area in the 80s. And it is also a mystery which starts when a ghost plane and the dead body of a young black resident of Oak Island are found at the small airport and ends with a totally surprising outcome. The narration was as beautiful as the writing and I couldn't stop listening.”

“I didn't think I could love a Miriam Toews novel more than I loved All My Puny Sorrows and Women Talking... but I think Fight Night is her best work yet. I adored it and can't wait to sell it. The audiobook is particularly excellent, too!”

“Ruth Ozeki is back with a beautiful portrayal of the life of young teen Benny who is in the throes of grief at the loss of his beloved father. It has been a year since that loss but now Benny is living with his mother who has begun to hoard things, and he is starting to hear them speak to him. The voices are sometimes little more than a feeling – contentment, softness, or anger and frustration. When those voices follow him into the world outside, he really begins to worry. He flees to a place of safety – the library – where things are quieter. Then he begins to meet interesting people and learns how to find his own path in life and move forward. You’ll love the unknown narrator – Book – and the telling of this tale. The Book of Form and Emptiness is sparkling with Love and Truth – two things we all really need right now. And in the hands of such a consummate writer, they are powerfully rendered. Enjoy!”