February 2025 Indie Next List
Victorian Psycho: A Novel
Virginia Feito (Liveright)
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“Grotesque, wildly funny, and utterly weird, this novel will have you hooked as the new governess enters the dysfunctional halls of Ensor’s House. What’s her secret? Does she know? Feito takes the Gothic and tames it like a misbehaving charge.”
— Joshua Lambie, Underground Books, Carrollton, GA
February 2025 Indie Next List
Inspired Recommendations from Indie Booksellers
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“This beautiful novel opens as Abe tenderly comforts his dying wife, Jane, reconstructing the life they shared. It includes the intimate stories of the people closest to them and beyond to Central Park, the backdrop for a fascinating array of human behavior.”
— Sheila Daley, Barrett Bookstore, Darien, CT
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“Sixty-something Gail is suddenly without a job, her daughter is getting married tomorrow, and her ex shows up without a place to stay for the wedding (and he’s brought a CAT!). But, hey, a lot can happen in three days. An absolute joyride!”
— Barb Bassett, Red Balloon Bookshop, St. Paul, MN
By Eowyn Ivey, Ruth Hulbert
Random House
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“Black Woods, Blue Sky is dark, wild, gorgeous. Birdie and her daughter move to the isolated Alaskan wilderness with the reclusive Arthur in search of a better life. Blending fairytale with harsh reality, this is an achingly beautiful hymn to all of nature’s cruelty and allure.”
— Jude Burke-Lewis, Square Books, Oxford, MS
By Emily Austin
Atria Books
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“In her latest novel, Austin captures the bittersweet heart of growing up and growing apart. Told over the course of Sigrid’s attempts at a suicide note, Austin guides the reader though Sigrid’s disenchantment with equal humor and heartbreak.”
— Alea Lopes, The Oxford Exchange, Tampa, FL
By Allegra Goodman
The Dial Press
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“For those who loved Frozen River and The Mercies, this is a riveting historical fiction read — from court to a cave, from France to the St. Lawrence Seaway, from love to grief. Marguerite makes her way as a survivor, a tutor, a storyteller, a lover.”
— Sara Rottunda, Valley Bookseller, Stillwater, MN
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“As a man facing the loss of his job and his family, he returns to a secluded cabin in the woods to find he is not alone. The characters, in true Klune form, were vibrant and the world is vivid. It is so easy to recommend this book.”
— Brady Parkin, The King's English Bookshop, Salt Lake City, UT
By Heather Fawcett
Del Rey
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“A conclusion to the trilogy that invites old friends back, shows us new parts of the beautifully bizarre and macabre Faerie world, and has Emily Wilde come into her own as a scholar, a partner, and a monarch. Fawcett concludes this series with a flourish!”
— Emily Gilbow, House of Books, Kent, CT
By Kira Jane Buxton
Grand Central Publishing
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“Tartufo is the ideal breakout novel for readers who don’t know Kira Jane Buxton. Replace talking crows and apocalyptic futures with a Tuscan village that’s seen better days and a truffle of epic proportions. A book that’s sure to delight!”
— Susan Tunis, Bookshop West Portal, San Francisco, CA
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“B.K. Borison climbed into my brain and pulled out my most vulnerable thoughts on love. I’ve never felt more called out by a romance in the absolute best way. The world needs more Sleepless In Seattle moments, and First Time Caller is truly the best!”
— Emily Morgan, The Novel Neighbor, Webster Groves, MO
By Hannah Bonam-Young
Dell
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“Out of the Woods is one of the best marriage-in-distress romances I have ever read. Not only do we get to see Sarah and Caleb work on things, but we also get to see where it all started. Have tissues handy – Bonam-Young’s writing is beautiful.”
— Preet Singh, Eagle Eye Book Shop, Decatur, GA
By Geraldine Brooks
Viking
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“Memorial Days is a beautifully written story of grief over the loss of a spouse. I appreciate how honest Brooks is with her grief, addressing her regrets as well as her intense love for her partner. This book will stay with me for some time.”
— Daniel Jordan, Pearl's Books, Fayetteville, AR
By Nickolas Butler
Sourcebooks Landmark
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“Can a love be rekindled after forty years? Charlie has been living with regrets since the ending of his first marriage to Vivian. He arranges a meeting to find out if she’s still the one. A Forty Year Kiss is a tale of love, hope, and change.”
— Mary McBride, Monstera's Books, Overland Park, KS
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“Sure, Vi finds a sentient blob outside of a drag show in her Midwest college town, and sure she tries to turn that blob into the perfect boyfriend. But at its core, Blob is about falling back in love with the parts of yourself that you thought you lost forever.”
— Mikey LaFave, Avid Bookshop, Athens, GA
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“A coming-of-age story meets the cabin-in-the-woods cannibalism trope. The senses are engaged for a moody, atmospheric ride spattered in blood and rot as Margot makes sense in a world of neglectful trauma and relative isolation.”
— Danielle Smith, Auntie's Bookstore, Spokane, WA
By Neko Case
Grand Central Publishing
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“Electric, angry, joyful, scrappy, and full of life. The Harder I Fight the More I Love You is a powerful work that is moving even if you are not familiar with Neko’s music. A celebration of the power of art and being our true selves in the world.”
— Caleb Masters, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, NC
By Olivia Wolfgang-Smith
Bloomsbury Publishing
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“Using a marriage of convenience as the framework for this layered portrait of queer love, Wolfgang-Smith’s historical fiction feels timeless yet speaks perfectly to the present. Mutual Interest feels new and unexpected in the best way.”
— David Vogel, Literati Bookstore, Ann Arbor, MI
By Marie Benedict
St. Martin's Press
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“Crime writer Dorothy Sayers gathers four actual female mystery novelists (including Agatha Christie!) to solve the murder of a young nurse. Through language, costume, and ambiance, Benedict once again brings the 1930s to life. Wonderful!”
— Mindy Ostrow, The River's End Bookstore, Oswego, NY
By Kristin Koval
Celadon Books
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“Penitence tells the story of a small town Colorado murder, woven with the guilt and anger of another loss from many years ago. Touching on youth incarceration, families, love, and trust, this debut makes me want to see what Kristin Koval will bring next.”
— Gail Dickson, The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn, Glen Ellyn, IL
By Krystelle Bamford
Scribner
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“Prepare to be consumed by this eerie debut. A group of cousins venture into an impenetrable forest in search of a missing child from their group. Like many youthful escapades, their mystery is much more innocent than the one they uncover.”
— Melissa Sagendorph, Harvard Book Store, Cambridge, MA
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“Last Twilight in Paris is another incredible historical fiction novel by Pam Jenoff, detailing Lévitan, a department store in the middle of Paris during WWII that was used as a Nazi labor camp. Captivating, moving, and fast-paced!”
— Kathy Morrison, Newtown Bookshop, Newtown, PA
By Betty Shamieh
Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster
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“Too Soon explores love and freedom in the confines of history through three Palestinian American women: Arabella travels to the West Bank to direct a gender-swapped Hamlet, her grandmother Zoya’s flight from the Nakba in 1948 Jaffa, and her mother Naya’s life in a forced marriage.”
— Olivia Marchese, Author's Note, Medina, NY
By Callan Wink
Spiegel & Grau
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“Callan Wink has an ability to describe the look and smell of a setting like I’ve never experienced. This is the story of two brothers fighting to survive in a modern West by partaking in an illegal poaching trade. A suspenseful and timely family novel.”
— Josie Williams, Invitation Bookshop, Gig Harbor, WA
By Amanda Peters
Catapult
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“This short story collection is filled with stunning prose, ranging chronologies, and characters that will stick with you after even the shortest vignette. A beautiful homage and moving contribution to the lineage of Indigenous storytelling.”
— Camille Thornton, The Bookshop (TN), Nashville, TN
By Tree Abraham
Soft Skull
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“Tree Abraham’s elseship recounts a tale of unrequited love between her and her housemate via striking prose and mixed media visuals. This book serves as both an emotional autopsy of the heart and a case study of true unconditional love.”
— Emma Fong, Books Inc., San Francisco, CA
Now in Paperback
Indie Next List Selections Come to Paperback
