Hello!
I've taken the time to put together a special edition newsletter to share an exciting reading experience that I had the opportunity to be a part of as an independent bookseller. This past summer I had the great pleasure of being on the panel to choose books for the Adult Indies Introduce Winter/Spring 2022 list!
Each year, the American Booksellers Association puts together the Indies Introduce program which brings booksellers together from across the U.S. for conversation and connection centered around exciting upcoming debut adult, middle grade, and young adult titles. There is a panel of 8 booksellers selected for the kids list and for the adult list. The booksellers on each panel read Advanced Reader's Copies (ARCs) submitted by the publishers and work diligently to narrow down a list of over 40 titles to just 10 titles that represent the best debut novels that we want indie booksellers to help champion.
It was an honor and a delight to work with the seven other booksellers on this panel to bring you our favorite adult debut books for the first half of 2022. It was so difficult to narrow down the list to just 10 titles- there were just so many fantastic books to choose from! We wanted to put together a diverse list of titles, fiction and nonfiction, from a wide array of authors with different backgrounds and views. Together we decided on a final list that we know will impress readers of all sorts. There really is something for everyone!
Please take a look at the wonderful books featured on the Indies Introduce Adult and Indies Introduce Kids Winter/Spring 2022 lists. Some of these titles are out now and on our shelves. The rest are available to preorder today and they are worth the wait!
Thank you and happy reading!
Katrina
katrinabksco@gmail.com
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by Blair Fell
This was my favorite book on the list!
The Sign for Home does exactly what books and stories are supposed to: it offers a perspective you've never heard from before. I learned so much about ASL, tactile ASL, and the life of someone who cannot rely on all of their senses. I absolutely loved the characters- they are all so genuine and full of humanity, heart, and soul. They jump right off the page and into your heart. I highly recommend this novel- it's a much needed, refreshing read!
On sale 4/5/2022
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by Melissa Fu
Peach Blossom Spring is an epic novel that spans decades and continents, starting in China in 1938 and going through modern day US. We follow Meilin and Renshu as they flee China, seeking refuge and trying to survive. Decades later, Lily just wants to know her family history- to know who she is by finding out where she comes from. A beautifully written, arching story that wraps you up and whisks you away.
On sale 3/15/2022
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by Sasha LaPointe
Beautifully written, this is a memoir of an Indigenous woman finding herself and her home, despite all of the hardships in her life. There's punk rock, poetry, strength, and wisdom in her story. Lapointe also tells of her grandmothers before her, and how her ancestors' lives have helped to shape and influence hers. Filled with the spiritual beliefs of the Coast Salish peoples, this is an important story to tell.
On sale 3/8/2022
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by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado
What an intense but inspirational story of survival and climbing mountains- real and personal!
“This story moved me to tears in every chapter. It is heart-wrenching and well-written, sad and dark and also light and beautiful, and full of shadows the author is courageous enough not only to walk through, but to become."
—Samantha Kolber,
Bear Pond Books, Montpelier, VT
On sale now!
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by Keri Ni Dochartaigh
This haunting, poetically written memoir blends nature writing with the story of a family surviving in Derry, Ireland during the height of the Troubles.
"Prose that reads, at times, more like poetry captures the burning desire to find balance and peace within the heart and soul of an ancient land and its modern inhabitants. Superbly beautiful, raw, heartbreaking writing that takes its place among the stars.”
—BJ Hegedus,
Postalworks Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA
On sale 4/12/2022
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by Silje Ulstein
This is a captivating mystery full of unexpected secrets twisted together like the coils of a serpent. A dark and unexpected novel that will snake its way into your thoughts and not let go. Multiple storylines ebb and flow, coming together to reveal shocking secrets that change how you look at the characters as they try to shed their skin. This intense debut thriller set in Norway is definitely not one to miss!
On sale 3/15/2022
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by Xochitl Gonzalez
This is a novel with such real characters they practically jump off the page. It delves into family, culture, and politics- all told with great humor and wit!
“Get ready to root for Olga! I absolutely loved this book. It beautifully captures the Puerto Rican experience with humor and bravery. It felt like home and when a book feels like home, I can't help but invite everyone over.”
—Rosa Hernandez,
Third Place Books,
Lake Forest Park, WA
On sale now!
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by Vauhini Vara
Mixing science fiction and historical fiction, this novel spans decades and blows minds.
“Vauhini Vara’s debut has one hand on the current moment and one on the future that is already knocking at our door. A sweeping family saga that probes the depths of the American Dream and the immigrant experience, all the while asking questions about the ethics of technology, the values of consumption, and what it truly means to be human.”
—Rebecca Speas,
One More Page Books,
Arlington, VA
On sale 5/3/2022
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by Edgar Gomez
“An honest reflection of embracing yourself, High-Risk Homosexual tells the story of Edgar Gomez as he struggles to find his stride as a gay, Latinx man admist a culture of machismo and masculine ideals. With wit, earnesty, and deeply-felt reflection, Gomez’s writing brings force to the experience of discovering yourself and finding pride in and against the models of masculine, Latinx life."
—Clancey D’Isa,
Seminary Co-op Bookstores, Chicago, IL
On sale now!
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by Daphne Palasi Andreades
“A poetic celebration of the working class, immigrant families in Queens. It’s a novel about womanhood, becoming, leaving and finding home, and female friendship. Brown Girls pays tribute to the beauty, complexity and depth of family, self, and identity through a chorus of voices that is innovative and captivating. I can’t wait for this book to be in the world and for y’all to read it!”
—Michelle Malonzo, Changing Hands,
Tempe, AZ
On sale now!
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by T.P. Jagger
“The perfect middle grade book for fans of mystery and puzzles. While reading the book, you will want to be part of friend group, The GEEKs, as they go through town on a treasure hunt to solve the puzzles left by the famous puzzle maker, Maxine, in order to save their town. This book is filled with heart, dynamic friendship, and you won’t be able to put it down.”
—Shoshonna Roberts, Maggie Mae’s Kids Bookshop,
Gresham, OR
Ages 8-12
On sale now!
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by Lisa Stringfellow
“A wonderfully told tale of family, friendship, grief, and longing. A Comb of Wishes explores what happens when legend and real life meet. When a powerful mermaid is determined to reclaim what is rightfully hers, Kela begins her journey to discover what really happens when you get the one thing you most want in the world.”
—Susan Williams, M. Judson Booksellers, Greenville, SC
Ages 8-12
On sale 2/8/22
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by Nancy Tandon
“Rory’s inability to pronounce the letter R leads to being a target for bullies. A clever speech therapist introduces Rory to Muhammad Ali and the fighter’s chants give him courage and help him improve his speech a little at a time. Sensitive, engaging, realistic story with characters that ring true to life as a sixth grader.”
—Shirley Mullin,
Kids Ink
Children’s Bookstore,
Indianapolis, IN
Ages 8-12
On sale 1/18/22
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by Jamar J. Perry
—Isabella Ogbolumani, Buffalo Street Books, Ithaca, NY
Ages 8-12
On sale now!
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by Erica Martin
“A moving poetry book that teaches about the Civil Rights Movement in a dynamic way. Martin’s use of word and space come together in a powerful way that makes you sit and be in the emotion.”
—Shoshonna Roberts, Maggie Mae’s Kids Bookshop,
Gresham, OR
Ages 12+
On sale now!
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by Ebony LaDelle
“OMG! I instantly fell in love with this book from the first page. I love Prince, and the influence he has on his friend group. We need more Princes in the world. Honestly I could say so much more about it, but do yourself a favor and just read it. I literally hugged this book when I finished it. So, so good!”
—Melanie Knight,
Books Inc.,
Berkeley, CA
Ages 12+
On Sale 5/31/22
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by Ann Fraistat
“Wilder Girls’ successor is finally here — and it’s eerier and more atmospheric than any reader could hope for! Filled with iridescent wheat, bioluminescent melons, and a mercury-esque blight, Hollow’s End is the perfect setting for impending doom. Fraistat’s debut highlights both the comforts and horrors of small towns, old families, and the secrets they bury.”
—Laura Graveline,
Brazos Bookstore,
Houston, TX
Ages 12+
On sale 3/15/22
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by Judy I. Lin
“Imperial intrigue, a royal contest, secrets, and death weave together to flavor a heady brew to be savored. The secret art of the shénnóng-shi wafts through this beautiful tale of Ning as she works to free her father and save her sister from a sinister poison plot. It’s a story of grief, hope, love, and finding your own magic.”
—Susan Williams,
M. Judson Booksellers, Greenville, SC
Ages 13+
On sale 3/29/22
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by Laura Gao
“Told through Laura Gao’s signature kinetic art style, Messy Roots combines hilarious inner dialogue, early 2000s childhood references, and moments of pure vulnerability, creating a graphic memoir that is both effortlessly accessible and beautifully honest. It is a gift to be allowed in on Gao’s journey of self-discovery.”
—Laura Graveline,
Brazos Bookstore,
Houston, TX
Ages 14+
On sale 3/8/22
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by Andrew Joseph White
“Hell Followed With Us is a utopian model for queer community masquerading as a dystopian YA novel. Andrew Joseph White has dared to create a story where queer kids of all stripes love, fight alongside, and care for each other despite their personal differences, the hellish world outside, and the myriad of things looking to kill them. It is as beautiful as it is hard to read. This is what horror can and should be.”
—Cliff Helm,
Left Bank Books,
St. Louis, MO
Ages 14+
On sale 6/7/22
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Books & Company
1039 Summit Ave
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
262-567-0106
info@booksco.com
Monday - Friday 9-7 Saturday - Sunday 9-5
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