Winter 2026 Reading Group Indie Next List
Dazzling Debuts
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“It’s a rare joy to like every story in a collection and every story in Crawl was wonderful! Each follows a new protagonist who is in a different place with their gender identity, from quite silly to serious. This was awesome.”
— Annie Tate Cockrum, First Light Books, Austin, TX
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“Marisa hates working, hates faking her way through life and the way we all have to fake it. Her house of cards is in risk of toppling when her entire work team spends a weekend at a corporate bonding retreat. A perfect and perfectly entertaining summation of our modern malaise.”
— Seth Tucker, Carmichael's Bookstore, Louisville, KY
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“Magda Eklund is struggling to deal with the death of her long-time best friend. After finding a notebook with her friend's musings about taking a road trip with Magda to a set of meaningful places from their past, Magda makes the road trip herself.”
— Camille Kovach, Completely Booked, Murrysville, PA
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“An absolutely charming novel set in 1994 Scotland by a debut author. Cora is a teen trying to find out where she fits in her world. I just love how innocent Cora is as she is trying to be an adult — we can feel the teenage angst and pain.”
— Kelly Evert, Village Books (WA), Bellingham, WA
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“A wonderful blend of magic, betrayal, tactics, and a splash of love. A young woman forced into a political marriage fights to find herself and understand the magic within, only to find when she’s at her strongest, betrayal forces her to choose: love, or herself?”
— Casey Luke, The Book Shoppe (IA), Boone, IA
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“(Indies Introduce) An edge of your seat contemporary natural disaster thriller rippling with fear, humor, regret, and hope. Falling in love with this relatable, struggling couple, you can’t help but quake at the thought that not everything will go well for each of the characters.”
— Chris Weber, Third Street Books, McMinnville, OR
Family and Coming of Age
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“Brock Hobson, the kindest and perhaps the most boring man in the midwest, receives a diagnosis claiming he will commit murder. It gives Brock something to contemplate and realize who his people are and why they matter.”
— Peggy Elscott, Rainy Day Books, Fairway, KS
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“Literature has no shortage of stereotypes about queerness and hypersexuality, but this book looks beyond. It carefully slices the tumor from the host, and then it gives the tumor life. Bold.”
— Sayan Ray, Politics and Prose Bookstore, Washington, DC
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“A loose retelling of Wuthering Heights set against the backdrop of competitive pairs ice dancing in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It delves deep into an obsessive, meticulous, cutthroat world and the two passionate, erratic partners at its center. And yes, it nails the landing.”
— Katie Calautti, Frenchtown Bookshop, Frenchtown, NJ
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“A profoundly moving story of a ferryman on his last day of life visiting the spaces and people that left a mark on him. There is a quiet beauty to this story that makes you contemplate the inner workings of the heart, the path one takes, and the kindness that we may be lucky to leave behind.”
— Coco Keehl, 2 Dandelions Bookshop, Brighton, MI
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“This exquisite novel, set in North Dakota’s Red River Valley, develops a lush and layered story with surprising narrative turns. Erdrich’s astute and often poetic descriptions awaken readers to nature's gifts through inspirational characters. Truly memorable.”
— Nancy Migdall, Gallery Bookshop & Bookwinkle's Children's Books, Mendocino, CA
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“Playground uses storytelling to help us cope with, realize and digest some of the harder truths about our existence. Themes of humanity, technology, wealth and environmental exploitation meet head on with the mystical wonder of the natural world, in this case the ocean.”
— Katrina Mendrey, Chapter One Book Store (MT), Hamilton, MT
Other Worlds
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“A Magical Girl Retires lies at the intersection of many of my favorite things — magical girls, dark humor, Anton Hur translations, Kim Sanho art. Think Madoka but run through the gristmill of capitalism.”
— Allison Senecal, Old Firehouse Books, Fort Collins, CO
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“Part survival narrative, part cli-fi, this novel throws you a few thousand years into the civilizations of our future, where life seems to be the same, but different. This story reminds us that the planet and our descendants do and will always have a future, and we shouldn't turn our backs on them.”
— Bradley Sutton, Townie Books, Crested Butte, CO
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“This beautiful novel is at once an examination of the human spirit in the face of adversity and indifference as well as the sometimes tumultuous relationships between mothers and daughters.”
— Jamie Sommers, The End Bookstore, Allentown, PA
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“A pinch of hurt/comfort, a dash of queer romance and a splash of ghosties and ghoulies — the perfect spell to conjure up your favorite Fall read. Parrish’s latest release is a spooky delight.”
— Katie Garaby, Parnassus Books, Nashville, TN
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“An utterly gruesome tale tracking a mermaid who destroyed her husband and his kingdom, and a plague doctor as they wander an entangled forest. Easily the most horrific and violent novella I have ever read. There’s a dangerous underbelly to its language that slowly ensnares you.”
— Robin Limeres, Phoenix Books Burlington, Burlington, VT
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“You open the door to a popular Tokyo ramen shop and instead find yourself in a world where nothing is as it seems: a pawn shop that trades in regrets, a girl with too many secrets, and a mystery to unravel. If every restaurant door doesn't tempt me with an alternate world from now on, I’m going to be severely disappointed.”
— Morgan Holub, E. Shaver, Bookseller, Savannah, GA
Romance
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“A charming enemies-to-lovers story with a marriage of convenience that feels incredibly real in this time of academic uncertainty. Fans of Emily Henry will love this book that probes the meaning of family alongside a slow-burn romance.”
— Laura Kendall, Second Flight Books, Lafayette, IN
By Tessa Bickers
Graydon House
“I found myself captivated by Erin and swept away in her growth and healing journey! This book is reminiscent of The Flatshare mixed with You’ve Got Mail. A deeply romantic love letter to books and the bridges they build!”
— Kahill Perkins, Raven Book Store, Lawrence, KS
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“Sapphic Little Mermaid meets Death Becomes Her by way of a demon in a pink power suit. If you've ever wanted to sell your soul to get your ex back and then accidentally fall for the demon granting your wishes — first of all, same. Second of all, this is your new favorite book.”
— Julia Young, Four Seasons Books, Shepherdstown, WV
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“Molly thought she’d lost her high school crush forever, until she shows up at his funeral and finds Karl, very much alive, standing there with a tray of baked goods. A grumpy-meets-grumpy, slow-burn reunion full of snarky banter, tender moments, and second chances at both love and self-forgiveness.”
— Rosa Mendez, Books by the Bay (TX), La Porte, TX
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“Lyla Sage weaves a charming story about learning to believe in yourself, wrapped in a delightfully spooky small town romance. Sage’s ability to balance humor and internal turmoil was a joy to read. Can’t wait to recommend this!”
— Jenika Morillo, Heartbound Book Shop, Anaheim, CA
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“A cozy fantasy gem. Violet is a refreshingly complex heroine, a former villain determined to reinvent herself with kindness and courage, even when her past threatens to swallow her whole. This debut is a love letter to redemption and growth.”
— Kenzie Hahn, The Bookmatters, Milford, OH
Thrills & Chills
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“Using a real crime as the backdrop of the story, Winstead weaves together seemingly disparate characters, an unreliable narrator, and questionable motives to examine the online true crime detective community. I couldn’t put this book down.”
— Julie Swearingen, Roundabout Books, Bend, OR
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“Welcome to the wedding from hell. It may be the most extravagant nuptials ever planned, but dead bridesmaids tend to put a damper on the festivities. Cate Quinn gives new meaning to ‘mean girls.’ A page-turning work of suspense.”
— Pamela Klinger-Horn, Valley Bookseller, Stillwater, MN
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“A deliciously dark, twisty ride that had me laughing, cringing, and guessing until the very last page. Perfect for fans of fast-paced thrillers with a sharp sense of humor. This book makes group chats feel way more dangerous than they should be.”
— Blake Langrehr, Main Street Books (MO), St. Charles, MO
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“The title is spot on as an elderly woman and her nemesis (an 8 year old boy) wreak absolute havoc on each other and the guests of an Egyptian hotel. I had a smirk on my face the whole time reading this!”
— Julie Slavinsky, Warwick's, La Jolla, CA
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“Though I started The Night Guest before bed, I awoke from sleep every few hours craving the mystery of Iðunn, a sleepwalker with mysterious injuries appearing only after she awakened. I finished this in one night.”
— Chelsia Rice, Montana Book Company, Helena, MT
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“Olga Ravn’s bizarre and beautiful mind has once again captivated me entirely. Narrated by a seemingly omniscient wax doll, this story of witch trials in 1600s Denmark is lyrical and haunting and strange — every single line is worth reading twice.”
— Kat Sokol, Gibson's Bookstore, Concord, NH
Historical Fiction
More Indie Next Lists
- August 2026 Indie Next List
- July 2026 Indie Next List
- July/August 2026 Kids Indie Next List
- June 2026 Indie Next List
- May 2026 Indie Next List
- May/June 2026 Kids Indie Next List
- Indies Introduce
- April 2026 Indie Next List
- March 2026 Indie Next List
- March/April 2026 Kids Indie Next List