The 2022 Indie Gift Guide For Genre Lovers Preview

The American Booksellers Association’s Indie Gift Guide for Genre Lovers will be available both in print and as a free e-newsletter delivered to customers by email via Matchbook Marketing. Print editions of the guide will be mailed to stores the first week of November. On October 21, the e-newsletter will be sent to customers of stores that have signed up to send the Indie Next for Reading Groups lists.

This guide includes the following categories: Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Mystery/Thriller, Graphic Works, and Poetry. The tiles are also available as an Edelweiss collection. All titles are trade paperback unless otherwise noted.

The titles appearing in the Indie Gift Guide are:

Romance

American Royalty: A Novel
By Tracey Livesay
(Avon, 9780063084506, $15.99, June 28)
“American rapper Duchess agrees to a royal charity concert to help boost her public image. After meeting Britain’s Prince Jameson, all bets are off as the two try to hide their fling. Tracey Livesay dials up the heat in American Royalty!”
—Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, NC

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail: A Novel
By Ashley Herring Blake
(Berkley, 9780593336427, $17, Nov. 22)
“You know those books you open up and suddenly it’s six hours later and you’ve finished the whole thing? That’s Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail. Enemies-to-lovers meets HGTV, this book is full of queer joy, witty banter, and a dash of heartbreak.”
—Bridey Morris, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison, CT

Husband Material (London Calling)
By Alexis Hall
(Sourcebooks Casablanca, 9781728250922, $15.99, Aug. 2)
“This sequel is sure to delight fans of Boyfriend Material and new readers alike! It will keep you in stitches, except when you weep over Luc’s insecurities or fist-pump at Oliver standing up to his family. This is Alexis Hall at his best.”
—Isabella Basile, Bank Square Books, Mystic, CT

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes: A Novel
By Cat Sebastian
(Avon, 9780063026254, $15.99, June 7)
“Marian and Rob’s chemistry is palpable in this exciting adventure. This romance has everything: witty banter, sexual tension, blackmail, and two bisexual main characters! You are in for quite a ride with Cat Sebastian’s newest novel!”
—Drew Hardin, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH

A Proposal They Can’t Refuse: A Rom-Com Novel
By Natalie Caña
(Mira Books, 9780778386094, $15.99, June 7)
“If you’re a fan of childhood friends to enemies to lovers and fake dating, let your trope-loving heart rejoice: this is your book. You’ve also got an abuelo/grandad duo blackmailing their grandkids into getting engaged — who could say no?”
—Ali Jaksich, Changing Hands, Tempe, AZ

Wicked Beauty (Dark Olympus #3)
By Katee Robert
(Sourcebooks Casablanca, 9781728231792, $15.99, June 7)
“Wicked Beauty is sexy and full of tension. I love how Helen refuses to back down when everything is against her, and how Achilles and Patroclus can’t help but get caught in her rhythm. I seriously can’t get enough of Katee Robert’s writing!”
—Brianna Aldrink, Schuler Books, Grand Rapids, MI

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution
By R. F. Kuang
(Harper Voyager, 9780063021426, $27.99, Aug. 23)
“I’m so jealous of people who get to read this for the first time. A historical fantasy set in the 1800s featuring linguistics, dark academia, & a sprinkle of magic. I devoured this in four days, and it was the best four days of my year so far.”
—Armilene Cabreros, Rediscovered Books, Boise, ID

The Book Eaters
By Sunyi Dean
(Tor Books, 9781250810182, $26.99, Aug. 2)
“A gothic fairy tale with crumbling manors, knights in barely-used armor, dragons that eat human minds, and a runaway princess who stops living off of her diet of fairy tales. A haunting fantasy about rebellion, loss, and how far we’ll go for love.”
—Emma Sidoli, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC

Drunk on All Your Strange New Words
By Eddie Robson
(Tordotcom, 9781250807342, $26.99, June 28)
“Alien murder mystery, plus telepathic translation, plus conspiracy theories, plus some neat little takes on intergalactic publishing business — this one is a wild ride of a science fiction and mystery book. Clever and funny.”
—Anton Bogomazov, Politics and Prose Bookstore, Washington, DC

The Final Strife: A Novel (Indies Introduce)
By Saara El-Arifi
(Del Rey, 9780593356944, $28.99, June 21)
“It’s a tome, but it’s an excellent tome. El-Arifi has created a brutal, heartbreaking world, but you never lose sight of hope. The characters are so richly detailed, and the strong incorporation of trans/non-binary/queer characters is wonderful.”
—Stacey Morin-Wilson, Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA

Leech (Indies Introduce)
By Hiron Ennes
(Tordotcom, 9781250811189, $27.99, Sept. 27)
“Leech heralds the arrival of a new star in Weird Lit. As the story unfolds with deliciously mounting suspense, the Gothic tropes aren’t quite what they seem — neither is our narrator. A fugue on identity, oppression, empathy, and breaking free.”
—Jonathan Hawpe, Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY

Upgrade: A Novel
By Blake Crouch
(Ballantine Books, 9780593157534, $28, July 12)
“Classic Crouch! A mind-bending, speculative, and propulsive story that at it’s center has a ton of heart! He has the rare ability to write novels full of ‘big ideas’ that are also incredibly moving and thoughtful.”
—Jason Hafer, Reads & Company, Phoenixville, PA

Mystery/Thriller

The Cloisters: A Novel
By Katy Hays
(Atria Books, 9781668004401, $28, Nov. 1)
“I got utterly lost in The Cloisters; it’s rich with ruthless scholars, gothic settings, obsessive archival research, and nuanced observations on privilege and female academic ambition. It’s a wicked, illuminating addition.”
—Anna Friss, Serendipity Books, Chelsea, MI

The Devil Takes You Home: A Novel
By Gabino Iglesias
(Mulholland Books, 9780316426916, $28, Aug. 2)
“Gabino Iglesias stitches together genres with the precision of a surgeon. He serves up thrills and stomach churning gore for the genre heads while examining guilt, racism, and the addictive nature of violence with fierce literary quality.”
—Gregory Day, BookPeople, Austin, TX

A Dreadful Splendor: A Novel
By B.R. Myers
(William Morrow Paperbacks, 9780063209831, $16.99, Aug. 23)
“An English estate with hauntings, seances, and a cast of brooding characters make this a riveting page turner. Satisfyingly creepy and charmingly romantic, it’s the perfect gothic murder mystery.”
—Jane Simons, The Dog Eared Book, Palmyra, NY

Lavender House: A Novel
By Lev AC Rosen
(Forge Books, 9781250834225, $26.99, Oct. 18)
“Lavender House takes of all of the family drama and suspense of Knives Out and puts a noir and gay twist on it. Rosen has put his queer spin on the PI novel in a way that reminded me of Joseph Hansen’s groundbreaking Dave Brandstetter novels.”
—John McDougall, Murder By the Book, Houston, TX

Shutter: A Novel
By Ramona Emerson
(Soho Crime, 9781641293334, $25.95, Aug. 2)
“A riveting read featuring a memorable forensic photographer. Rita Todacheene, a Navajo woman, can commune with ghosts. Most are harmless — until she works a gruesome crime scene, where a ghost haunts her until Rita investigates the murder.”
—Audrey Huang, Belmont Books, Belmont, MA

Things We Do in the Dark: A Novel
By Jennifer Hillier
(Minotaur Books, 9781250763167, $27.99, July 19)
“The very first sentence sucks you right in and doesn't let you go. Paris is found covered in blood, standing next to the dead body of her husband, while she’s still holding one of his straight razors. She didn’t do it; that doesn’t mean she’s innocent.”
—Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser, Marietta, GA

Graphic Works

Everything Is OK
By Debbie Tung
(Andrews McMeel Publishing, 9781524863272, $16.99, Sept. 27)
“Tung does a phenomenal job making her mental health and her journey through therapy relatable and accessible. The advice in this book centers self-compassion, which can be so difficult for people experiencing mental illness, but so important. ”
—Olivia Marchese, Author’s Note, Medina, NY

Gender Queer: A Memoir Deluxe Edition
By Maia Kobabe
(Oni Press, 9781637150726, $24.99, July 5)
“I am in awe of Maia Kobabe for being so open about eir gender journey. As an agender person, I love learning about other people’s experiences with gender. This novel showed me how personal gender is, yet how trans people have always existed and found their people.”
—Brick Aquilo, Tattered Cover Book Store, Denver, CO

Men I Trust
By Tommi Parrish
(Fantagraphics, 9781683966500, $34.99, Nov. 22)
“The story of a broke single mother trying to be a working artist while going to sobriety meetings, dealing with a deadbeat ex, and figuring out how to be happy. Each page is a stunning work of painted cartooning, expressive and intimate.”
—Reilly Hadden, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT

Shuna’s Journey
By Hayao Miyazaki, Alex Dudok de Wit (Transl.)
(First Second, 9781250846525, $27.99, Nov. 1)
“This is a gorgeous new English translation of one of Miyazaki’s earliest print works. It’s easy to see parallels between later works like Princess Mononoke and Castle in the Sky, which makes it awesome from an archival perspective as well.”
—Heather Freeman, Page 1 Books, Evanston, IL

Space Trash Vol. 1
By Jenn Woodall
(Oni Press, 9781637150405, $21.99, Sept. 6)
“Totally charmed by this new graphic novel series! I can’t wait to get my hands on the next installment. The characters are sweet and spunky, and I’m already intrigued by the larger machinations at play. I see a lot of potential here!”
—Austin Carter, Pocket Books Shop, Lancaster, PA

Wash Day Diaries
By Jamila Rowser, Robyn Smith
(Chronicle Books, 9781797205458, $19.95, July 5)
“Wash Day Diaries reads as a love letter, from seeing a character wrap her hair with a t-shirt to showing the community aspect of getting your hair done. This is a really cute yet nuanced depiction of wash day and how it changes for everyone.”
—Ndobe Foletia, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews, Chapel Hill, NC

Poetry

Alive at the End of the World: Poems
By Saeed Jones, D. A. Powell (Foreword)
(Coffee House Press, 9781566896511, $16.95, Sept. 13)
“Alive at the End of the World reminds us that the apocalypse isn’t just one day in the future: it’s right now, and for many communities, it continues like a tired and petulant nightmare. With every poem, Jones still digs up levity and tenderness.”
—Anna Weber, White Whale Bookstore, Pittsburgh, PA

Ask the Brindled: Poems (National Poetry)
By Noʻu Revilla
(Milkweed Editions, 9781639550005, $16, Aug. 9)
“Ask the Brindled reminded me of the power of poetry to reclaim and resist. Brimming with queer Indigenous brilliance, I fell in love with Revilla’s generous sharing of 'Ōiwi culture, cosmology, and history. It was a distinct pleasure to learn from this book.”
—Halee Kirkwood, Birchbark Books & Native Arts, Minneapolis, MN

Normal Distance
By Elisa Gabbert
(Soft Skull, 9781593767334, $16.95, Sept. 13)
“Gabbert writes poetry for the modern reader in a raw, undeniable reality. A plus for poetry fans are little (sometimes snarky) references to other works; with her smooth delivery, recognizing them is not necessary to enjoy her work.”
—Dusty Baker, Austy’s, Salem, IN

So Tall It Ends in Heaven: Poems
By Jayme Ringleb
(Tin House Books, 9781953534408, $16.95, Sept. 20)
“This collection is tender and thoughtful, like a whispered conversation at night under the stars. These poems about fathers and love feel like constellations, timeless yet anchored in a moment. This is a book to come back to again and again.”
—Meghan Bousquet, Titcomb’s Bookshop, East Sandwich, MA

Woman Without Shame: Poems
By Sandra Cisneros
(Knopf, 9780593534823, $27, Sept. 13)
“A beautiful collection of poems laying bare the journey of one the most legendary literary chingonas of our times. An unapologetic, warm self hug to a beautiful brown aging body, a bow of respect to the ancestors, and a middle finger to the haters.”
—Rosaura Magaña, Palabras Bilingual Bookstore, Phoenix, AZ

The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On: Poems
By Franny Choi
(Ecco, 9780063240087, $25.99, Nov. 1)
“Choi has crafted a fight song for the apocalypse. Musical, defiant, queer, pushing — Choi dances with language at the protest to invite us to save each other. You will read this, read it again aloud, and copy down poems to send to your friends.”
—Fawzy Taylor, A Room Of One’s Own Bookstore, Madison, WI