Starting this year, we will be charging a $10 yearly fee for our Reward Card. The rewards will remain at $10 for every $100 spent on merchandise, so if you plan on spending at least $100 with us for the year, the Reward Card will pay for itself! You can keep your old Reward Card and reuse it, and if you renew in January, any current balance you have towards your next $10 reward will roll over to your new Reward Card. If you're interested in renewing or signing up for a 2012 Reward Card and haven't already done so, simply ask us about it the next time you're in the store so you can continue earning your rewards! 

The Forgotten Waltz by Ann Enright

(W.W. Norton, hardcover, $25.95) 

Man Booker Prize-winner Ann Enright's newest novel is set in modern-day Dublin and is told from the perspective of the main character, Gina, who tells her story of marriage, adultery, and discontent in a very clear voice. Gina is not a likeable character, but she is a very human one. The end of the book is excellent and will make you take notice.

-Recommended by Jackie, store volunteer 

The Boy Who Shoots Crows by Randall Silvis

I picked up this book because I like murder mysteries. I was surprised to find that while there is a murder that needs to be solved, that is secondary to the major characters in the book. The story is one where the person who seems to have everything can see things spiral completely out of control. The ending of the book has a twist I did not anticipate but which wonderfully answered all of my questions. What I enjoyed most is how extremely well the characters are developed. You can see them and feel like you know what they are thinking outside the lines of the book. If you are not a murder mystery fan you will still enjoy the story.

With the end of the year comes a slew of "best of" lists. Check out the 2011 Indie Next List Highlights, showcasing books that independent booksellers across the country have loved and recommended throughout the year; and the 2011 Indie Bestsellers, with books that have sold nationwide at independent bookstores, thanks to customers like you. We have many of these books in stock and can order anything you want that we don't already have.

January's #1 Indie Next pick is Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron (Algonquin, hardcover, $24.95), which follows the life of gifted Rwandan boy Jean Patrick Nkuba during a 10-year span in which his country is undone by the Hutu-Tutsi tensions. In an environment increasingly restrictive for his people, the Tutsi, Jean Patrick holds fast to his dream of becoming Rwanda's first Olympic medal contender in track. When the killing begins, he is forced to flee, leaving behind the woman, the family, and the country he loves. Finding them again is the race of his life. View other January Indie Next recommendations!