The February 2024 Indie Next List Preview

Here are the 25 Indie Next List and 6 Now in Paperback picks on the February 2024 Indie Next List flier.

The February title list is also viewable as a collection on Edelweiss and on the Indie Next List page as an Excel file alongside PDFs for the month’s flier and shelf-talker templates. Learn more and visit Matchbook Marketing’s program page to sign up to send the free Indie Next List e-newsletter to customers.

Additionally, to mark the start of the new month, the January Indie Next List picks are available as a flier, along with past lists, on the Indie Next List page on BookWeb.org.      

The 25 February Indie Next List Picks

#1 Pick: Bride
By Ali Hazelwood
(Berkley, 9780593550403, $19, Paperback, Feb. 6, Paranormal Romance)
“Thank you Ali Hazelwood! Her books are wonderful, romantic book escapes. Add some paranormal spice and you have my kind of perfect! Bride is the great start of a new paranormal world full of werewolves, vampires, and humans.”
—Revati Kilaparti, Old Firehouse Books, Fort Collins, CO

The Women: A Novel
By Kristin Hannah
(St. Martin’s Press, 9781250178633, $30, Feb. 6, Fiction)
“Kristin Hannah’s latest book, The Women, will garner her a whole legion of new readers. This historical fiction set during the Vietnam War is based on the story of a young nurse stationed at the front lines. Raw, powerful, and compelling.”
—Liz Welter, Novel Bay Booksellers, Sturgeon Bay, WI

Martyr!: A Novel
By Kaveh Akbar
(Knopf, 9780593537619, $28, Jan. 23, Fiction)
“Kaveh Akbar is a major new voice in American literature and Martyr! is his tour de force. In a mix of penetrating insight and profoundly funny stories, this entertaining and moving tale holds a mirror up to our society.”
—Casey Protti, Bookshop Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

Come and Get It: A Novel
By Kiley Reid
(G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 9780593328200, $29, Jan. 30, Fiction)
“No one writes class and social hierarchy like Kiley Reid. In Come and Get It, Reid turns her eye to a college campus, digging into all the petty drama, backhanded compliments, and codeswitching. The result is an engrossing, explosive story.”
—Lindsay Lynch, Parnassus Books, Nashville, TN

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde #2)
By Heather Fawcett
(Del Rey, 9780593500194, $28, Jan. 16, Fantasy)
“What an absolutely delightful follow-up to Emily Wilde’s first faerie adventure! The Faeries’ nonsensicality and bizarre behavior made this book feel like old fairytales in the best way. I would read about Emily’s adventures forever!”
—Emily Gilbow, House of Books, Kent, CT

The Fox Wife: A Novel
By Yangsze Choo
(Henry Holt and Co., 9781250266019, $27.99, Feb. 13, Historical Fiction)
“This slow burn of a novel is part mystery, part fable, all character. The novel alternates between the stories of Snow, a fox woman seeking revenge, and Bao, a private investigator who can hear lies, until their stories inevitably intertwine.”
—Fisher Nash, Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels: A Novel
By Janice Hallett
(Atria Books, 9781668023396, $28.99, Jan. 23, Thriller)
“Sometimes you just need a twisting, British-set mystery — this is the perfect book for that reading mood! It unfolds in layers, told through transcripts and messages, raising questions to the very riveting end.”
—Caitlin Doggart, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Chatham, MA

Family Family: A Novel
By Laurie Frankel
(Henry Holt and Co., 9781250236807, $28.99, Jan. 23, Fiction)
“Laurie Frankel is becoming one of my must-read authors. In Family Family, she weaves a complex story around families formed and cemented by adoption. Frankel’s books are gems for handselling; I can’t wait to put this into readers’ hands.”
—Jen Geraedts, Beagle and Wolf Books & Bindery, Park Rapids, MN

Interesting Facts about Space: A Novel
By Emily Austin
(Atria Books, 9781668014233, $27.99, Jan. 30, Fiction)
“Emily Austin is the author for lesbian stories that explore mental health issues! Her writing is so funny, and relatable, I want to absolutely devour every word she’s written. I love Enid and I know queer women everywhere will too!”
—Hannah Cloutier, The Bookery Manchester, Manchester, NH

The City of Stardust
By Georgia Summers
(Redhook, 9780316561488, $29, Jan. 30, Fantasy)
“Full of intrigue and mystery, The City of Stardust is a whimsical adult fantasy novel with intricate worldbuilding and beautiful, immersive writing. This book is perfect for the readers who love to get lost in a whole, different world.”
—Sara Canelon, Adventures by the Book, San Diego, CA

The Warm Hands of Ghosts: A Novel
By Katherine Arden
(Del Rey, 9780593128251, $28.99, Feb. 13, Historical Fantasy)
“If anyone is going to get me to read a WWI novel, it’s Katherine Arden, and thank goodness she did. The pages sparkle with grief and magic, heartbreak and love, death and life. This one will stick with me.”
—Margaret McCampbell, Reads & Company, Phoenixville, PA

The Book of Love: A Novel
By Kelly Link
(Random House, 9780812996586, $31, Feb. 13, Fantasy)
“What can’t Kelly Link do? Seriously, this novel blew me away. It is brimming with magic and surrealism and weirdness (in true Kelly Link fashion), as well as the most heartfelt warmth and intimacy and sincerity. 10s across the board.”
—Amali Gordon-Buxbaum, Books Are Magic, Brooklyn, NY

The Tainted Cup: A Novel
By Robert Jackson Bennett
(Del Rey, 9781984820709, $28.99, Feb. 6, Fantasy)
“Robert Jackson Bennett’s books always sound so intriguing. The Tainted Cup is the first I’ve read, and I’m so glad I did. His utterly original world and refreshing premise put me into an entirely new reality, and I enjoyed every second of it!”
—Heather Herbaugh, Mitzi’s Books, Rapid City, SD

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect: A Novel
By Benjamin Stevenson
(Mariner Books, 9780063279070, $30, Jan. 30, Mystery)
“A must-read for classic mystery lovers, where all the characters, suspects, and victims are mystery authors, agents, or publicists. Brilliantly written, funny, and quirky, it’s a book lover’s book you won’t want to miss.”
—Nancy McFarlane, Fiction Addiction, Greenville, SC

What Feasts at Night
By T. Kingfisher
(Tor Nightfire, 9781250830852, $19.99, Feb. 13, Horror)
“A strangely cozy but creeping novella for fans of ghostly encounters. Kingfisher’s returning characters remain as entertaining and loveable in a new and haunting setting, further building the world they started in What Moves the Dead.”
—Isaiah Scandrette, Folio Books, San Francisco, CA

The Bullet Swallower: A Novel
By Elizabeth Gonzalez James
(Simon & Schuster, 9781668009321, $26.99, Jan. 23, Fiction)
“Based on stories passed down through her family, the author weaves a shimmering tale of a bandido on a mission to avenge his brother’s death. The Bullet Swallower invites us to consider how we — and our families — can repay our karmic debts.”
—Victoria Ford, Comma, a Bookshop, Minneapolis, MN

Love Novel
By Ivana Sajko, Mima Simić (Transl.)
(Biblioasis, 9781771965989, $15.95, Paperback, Feb. 6, Fiction)
“Claustrophobic and cutting, this is an honest portrait of a modern marriage and all the tender, violent actions that love can extract. This novel also excellently comments on the unlivable conditions we’re collectively spiraling towards.”
—Torrin Nelson, Queen Anne Book Company, Seattle, WA

A Wild and Heavenly Place: A Novel
By Robin Oliveira
(G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 9780593543856, $28, Feb. 13, Historical Fiction)
“I enjoyed this immersive tale of love, heartbreak, and survival spanning Scotland to rugged Seattle in 1879. Lovers strive to overcome adversity in the reversals of fortunes and unbearable hardships that force life-changing decisions.”
—Annette Steinmetz, The Well-Read Moose, Coeur d'Alene, ID

The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder: A Novel
By C. L. Miller
(Atria Books, 9781668032008, $27.99, Feb. 6, Mystery)
“Charming and cozy, this murder mystery plus antique treasure hunt manages to be both a page-turner and a comfort read. Miller delivers twists and turns along with a satisfying tale of a woman rediscovering her talents and her strength.”
—Colleen Schneider Cameron, Read Between the Lynes, Woodstock, IL

The Curse of Pietro Houdini: A Novel
By Derek B. Miller
(Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster, 9781668020883, $28.99, Jan. 16, Fiction)
“This is a sweeping story of Italy during WWII, told by a fourteen-year-old orphaned by the allied bombing of Rome. The brutality of war can tear any family apart.”
—Karen Bradley, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey, MI

Hard by a Great Forest: A Novel
By Leo Vardiashvili
(Riverhead Books, 9780593545034, $29, Jan. 30, Fiction)
“Set in war-torn Tbilisi, Georgia, this is a story of love, loss, and sacrifice. Somehow, Vardiashvili captures the anguish of losing one’s home with glimmers of hope and humor.”
—Pat Rudebusch, Orinda Books, Orinda, CA

The Busy Body: A Novel
By Kemper Donovan
(A John Scognamiglio Book, 9781496744531, $27, Jan. 23, Mystery)
“This crazy caper will keep you eagerly turning the pages until the mystery is solved. The funky cast of characters are all-too relatable and their exploits keep getting nuttier until the final reveal. This is a fun, truly entertaining read.”
—Sarah Badger, Bright Side Bookshop, Flagstaff, AZ

True North: A Novel
By Andrew J. Graff
(Ecco, 9780063161412, $30, Jan. 16, Fiction)
“Andrew Graff shines again in True North. Join the Brecht family as they navigate the rapids of river, marriage, and their future as they try and save a family-owned rafting company and come to terms with what’s truly important in their lives.”
—Betsy Von Kerens, The Bookworm of Omaha, Omaha, NE

I Love You So Much It’s Killing Us Both: A Novel
By Mariah Stovall
(Soft Skull, 9781593767600, $28, Feb. 13, Fiction)
“A beautiful punch in the gut like a mosh pit on a Saturday night. Mariah Stovall’s debut sweeps us into the tender-yet-vicious embrace of teenage friendship, connecting past, present, and future, and the heroes of post-hardcore, punk, and emo.”
—Mikey LaFave, Avid Bookshop, Athens, GA

Fury: A Novel
By Clyo Mendoza, Christina Macsweeney (Transl.)
(Seven Stories Press, 9781644213711, $17.95, Paperback, Feb. 13, Fiction)
“I was consumed by this novel. This book is consistently shifting and moving. It is stunning what Mendoza has achieved here. I will be haunted by these characters and story for days.”
—Oscar Almonte-Espinal, Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books, Philadelphia, PA

The 6 Now in Paperback Titles

BFF: A Memoir of Friendship Lost and Found
By Christie Tate
(Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster, 9781668009437, $17.99, Feb. 6, Memoir)
“Tate’s honesty leaves me in awe of her. In B.F.F., she writes about her struggle to form and maintain close female friendships and the work she does to fix it. In this memoir, she brings the reader in to see all the darkest parts of herself.”
—Mallory Melton, BookPeople, Austin, TX

City Under One Roof: A Novel
By Iris Yamashita
(Berkley, 9780593336694, $17, Jan. 16, Mystery)
“I couldn’t help feeling claustrophobic with the closed in atmosphere of the setting and being cut off from the outside world. It’s sinister as almost everyone is hiding from something, but you don’t know what, or who, to trust. Loved it!”
—Eileen McGervey, One More Page Books, Arlington, VA

Everybody Knows: A Novel
By Jordan Harper
(Mulholland Books, 9780316458023, $18.99, Jan. 30, Mystery)
“What Don Winslow’s The Force did with the NYPD and New York, Everybody Knows does with Hollywood and Los Angeles. A wonderful yet wretched exploration of human nature, you will struggle to put this book down or ever forget it.”
—Hilary Kotecki, The Doylestown & Lahaska Bookshops, Doylestown, PA

The House of Eve: A Novel
By Sadeqa Johnson
(Simon & Schuster, 9781982197377, $17.99, Feb. 6, Historical Fiction)
“The House of Eve follows two young Black women in the 1950s as they struggle with racism, colorism, and the many paths to motherhood. It will break your heart and make you realize everyone is fighting their own battle. Incredible.”
—Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, VA

Really Good, Actually: A Novel
By Monica Heisey
(William Morrow Paperbacks, 9780063235427, $18.99, Jan. 16, Fiction)
“This book follows a woman’s first year of singledom after her brief marriage unceremoniously falls apart. Depression, delusion, and self-pity all star here, but the author handles it all with tenderness and a dash of humor.”
—Tracy Affonso, Wellesley Books, Wellesley, MA

The True Love Experiment
By Christina Lauren
(Gallery Books, 9781982173449, $18.99, Feb. 13, Romance)
“This book embodies joy. It will cause side effects such as: pacing the room, squealing with delight, and calling your BFF. I literally vibrated with the need to share my excitement about Fizzy’s story. It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever read.”
—Leah Atlee, Bright Side Bookshop, Flagstaff, AZ