July 2024 Indie Next List
The God of the Woods: A Novel
Liz Moore (Riverhead Books)
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“Liz Moore is on another level. The God of the Woods is the best kind of twisty story — not everyone is who they say they are, not everyone can be trusted, and everyone has something to hide. A missing person tale unlike any other.”
— Sarah Hutton, Village Books (WA), Bellingham, WA
July 2024 Indie Next List
Inspired Recommendations from Indie Booksellers
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“An utterly beautiful and haunting story. No one writes characters like Whitaker — they’re flawed, but you can’t help but love them. I will be thinking about Patch and Saint for a very long time and can’t wait to sell the book!”
— Elizabeth Barnhill, Fabled Bookshop & Café, Waco, TX
By Claire Lombardo
Doubleday
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“Unsurprisingly, this was absolutely brilliant. Lombardo writes human emotion and flaws incredibly. I can’t stop thinking about this book. It was smart, beautiful, and the most accurate depiction of a marriage I have ever read.”
— Greer Williams, Athena Books, Old Greenwich, CT
By Catherine Newman
Harper
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“Catherine Newman has perfected the art of making you laugh out loud, then cry just sentences apart. This funny, tender story follows one family’s weeklong vacation in Cape Cod. Newman has crafted a story rich with what it is to be human.”
— Beth Bissmeyer, Carmichael's Bookstore, Louisville, KY
By Julia Phillips
Hogarth
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“Bear is a haunting novel set on a remote island off the Pacific Northwest coast. Two sisters dream of a better life off the island, when a strange bear appears and changes their lives. This story, fairy tale, allegory, will stay with you.”
— Elyse Adler, Parnassus Books, Nashville, TN
By Marjan Kamali
Gallery Books
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“This beautiful book takes you on an emotional journey, following a profound friendship during the Iranian revolution. The plot is rich and the characters are captivating. Your heart will break in the best way.”
— Sarah Dupriest, Rainy Day Books, Fairway, KS
By Isabel Banta
Celadon Books
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“A pitch-perfect reclamation of the ’90s & early ’00s pop craze, for anybody who listened to boy bands, girl groups, or their solo spin-offs. This story doesn’t end like Britney’s, or Christina’s — it gives pop stars the endings they deserve.”
— Drew Broussard, The Golden Notebook, Woodstock, NY
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“Oh. My. Gosh. This book is absolutely everything. To say that Julie Soto writes characters with chemistry that sizzles and crackles would be a wild understatement! She's your next favorite romance author. Trust me.”
— Leah Grover, Scrawl Books, Reston, VA
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“Zaher has a powerful, unique voice that embodies notions about self, becoming naturalized in a place away from home, and what it means to be a woman with desires and obligations. This made me consider what it’s like to exist in the grey spaces.”
— Viktor Hughes, Loudmouth Books, Indianapolis, IN
By Aysegül Savas
Bloomsbury Publishing
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“The Anthropologists is a slim, impactful novella that cuts to the heart of human experience. Aysegül Savas conveys the complex vagaries and bone-deep loneliness of adulthood. This is a stunning and unique novel.”
— Jo Swenson, Gibson's Bookstore, Concord, NH
By Sarah Beth Durst
Bramble
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“This cottagecore cozy fantasy absolutely ran away with my heart. It features a librarian more comfortable with books than people, a sentient spiderplant, stolen spellbooks, mythical creatures, found family, and jam.”
— Carrie Deming, The Dog Eared Book, Palmyra, NY
By Rufi Thorpe
William Morrow
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“Thoughtful, funny, empathetic. Margo’s deep fears of not being a ‘good’ person resonate. Her career on OnlyFans felt original and exciting without minimizing the prejudice and violence that surround sex work. An ultimately uplifting read.”
— Maggie Kane, Little City Books, Hoboken, NJ
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“An amazing dual POV romance that demonstrates why Ali Hazelwood is one of the best romance writers out there. It was angsty, it was steamy, and it was just a fun ride. As always, the perfect mix of laughter and butterflies.”
— McKenna Jones, Anderson's Bookshops, Naperville, IL
By Chuck Tingle
Tor Nightfire
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“Unsettling, perfectly paced, and nothing short of brilliant, Bury Your Gays highlights the monsters that spawn when AI and corporate greed go hand in hand. You will flinch, you will feel, and you will understand Tingle’s mantra — Love Is Real.”
— Andrew King, Secret Garden Bookshop, Seattle, WA
By Paul Tremblay
William Morrow
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“Horror Movie chronicles the creation and aftermath of a fictional, disastrous cult-classic ’90s film. When you think you know what’s going to happen, Tremblay twists the knife. A sharp dive into one character’s traumatic experience.”
— Anna Moritz, Changing Hands, Tempe, AZ
By Laura van den Berg
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
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“Unnerving, odd, sometimes spooky, sometimes very funny. Here is a world of warped reality — by grief, by pandemic, by Major Weather Events, by technology, sometimes even by our own minds. This is one of Laura van den Berg’s best.”
— Santiago Nocera, Greedy Reads, Baltimore, MD
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“I found this story of two young lovers on the run in 1890s Montana to have the grit of a Cormac McCarthy novel, and the adventure and peril found in Cold Mountain. I expect this stunning novel to stay with me for a long time.”
— Linda Grana, Reasonable Books, Lafayette, CA
By Miye Lee, Sandy Joosun Lee
Hanover Square Press
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“Penny is a new hire learning to help the customers select the perfect dreams at the Dallergut Dream Department Store. Dallergut’s philosophy: only offer dreams that enhance a customer’s reality. This book is a healing, mysterious escape.”
— Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop, Athens, GA
By John Vercher
Celadon Books
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“I held my breath while reading Devil Is Fine; struck by the utter tangibility of everything unfolding. Vercher channels the weight of grief, racism, individual frailty, and communal failure into a novel that also elicits humor and humanity.”
— Stephanie Jones-Byrne, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, Asheville, NC
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“Inspired by Mulan, this epic fantasy of The Three Kingdom War is told with gusto and a courageous female character. A combination of magic, compelling storytelling, action-adventure, and romance makes this one to read!”
— Gerard Villegas, Auntie's Bookstore, Spokane, WA
By O.O. Sangoyomi
Forge Books
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“I love this historical novel that is full of West African mythology. Epic in feel but self-contained, it runs the full range of emotions. I love the creativity and descriptive writing, and can’t wait to see what Sangoyomi writes next.”
— Jamie Southern, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, NC
By Kristy Woodson Harvey
Gallery Books
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“Harvey delivers another beautiful and heartfelt novel filled with romance, mystery, and her signature Southern charm. A multigenerational story told through dual timelines, A Happier Life invites readers to deeply savor its pages.”
— Susan McBeth, Adventures By The Book, San Diego, CA
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“With insight, empathy, and humor, Ethan Joella puts you right into the hearts and minds of his complicated, fully-formed characters. In The Same Bright Stars, Joella takes the every-day and turns it into something poignant and extraordinary.”
— Susan Kehoe, Browseabout Books, Rehoboth Beach, DE
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“I’ve never read horror like this before, and I’m excited to see more and more BIPOC authors step boldly into this genre. I can’t wait to see what else Donyae Coles comes out with. Whatever it is, it’s on my autobuy list!”
— Shakeria Green, Lark and Owl Booksellers, Georgetown, TX
By Suzi Ehtesham-Zadeh
Dzanc Books
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“Zan is a collection of stories that puts me in the heart of Iranian women’s lives. Beautifully written, tragedy captured — there is much to learn from stories like these.”
— Matt Aragon - Shafi, West Side Books , Denver, CO
Now in Paperback
Indie Next List Selections Come to Paperback
