Here are the 25 Indie Next List and 6 Now in Paperback picks on the February 2026 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: Vigil: A Novel
By George Saunders
(Random House, 9780525509622, $28, Jan. 27, Fiction)
“A thoughtful reflection on whether we are due absolution for our misdeeds in life, delivered in Saunders’ classic voice, with humor, twists, and a deeper look at the impact of corporate greed on our world.”
—Christine Bell, Roundabout Books, Bend, OR
Eradication: A Fable
By Jonathan Miles
(Doubleday, 9780385551915, $25, Feb. 10, Fiction)
“A schoolteacher trying to escape a personal tragedy takes a job on a tiny, remote Pacific Island. The brief? Save the world. A haunting fable about grief, guilt, and the elusive nature of ‘the greater good’.”
—Bridget Piekarz, The Book Cellar, Chicago, IL
Crux: A Novel
By Gabriel Tallent
(Riverhead Books, 9780593714188, $30, Jan. 20, Fiction)
“I loved this coming-of age novel set in the California desert. As Tamma and Dan’s last year of high school draws near, they try to navigate what will happen to their lifelong friendship after graduation.”
—Kathy Clemmons, Sundog Books, Santa Rosa Beach, FL
My Husband's Wife: A Novel
By Alice Feeney
(Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar, 9781250337818, $28.99, Jan. 20, Thriller)
“Alice Feeney has a pen made of gold. My Husband’s Wife is a total rollercoaster of deep, human experiences and what someone is willing to do to secure the perfect family. One of the most twisted stories I’ve ever read!”
—Cait Tschida, The Flying Pig Bookstore, Shelburne, VT
Operation Bounce House
By Matt Dinniman
(Ace, 9780593820308, $32, Feb. 10, Science Fiction)
“One of the most interesting takes on colonized planets. What really makes it work are the characters. They’re the kind of people you could actually meet, even if humanity did start over on another world.”
—Kimberly Marcy, Flirting With Fiction, Vancouver, WA
It's Not Her
By Mary Kubica
(Park Row, 9780778387992, $30, Feb. 3, Thriller)
“Wow! The twists had my jaw on the floor at least three times! I would try to guess what the twist would be and Kubica proved me wrong multiple times. This might be her best one yet!”
—Brooke Reno, Spellbound Bookstore, Sanford, FL
How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder: A Novel
By Nina McConigley
(Pantheon, 9780593702246, $26, Jan. 20, Fiction)
“A poignant, compelling, and original paean against the long reach of capitalism, colonialism, whiteness, and the patriarchy — and a moving coming of age story about a murdered uncle, a pair of guilty sisters, and Cosmo quizzes.”
—Rafe Posey, Third Place Books, Ravenna, WA
Nine Goblins: A Tale of Low Fantasy and High Mischief
By T. Kingfisher
(Tordotcom, 9781250400116, $24.99, Jan. 20, Fantasy)
“Here’s what you need to know: Goblins are messy and cranky, but they stick together! Wizards are wild! There’s an elven veterinarian in the woods! And if you encounter a one-eyed teddy bear, show him respect.”
—AJ Paul-Bonham, Forever Books, St. Joseph, MI
Murder Bimbo: A Novel
By Rebecca Novack
(Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, 9781668214619, $28.99, Feb. 10, Fiction)
“Murder Bimbo will fascinate and horrify you. A sex worker is embroiled in a plot to kill Meat Neck, an alt-right ex-football player turned politician. She pens a series of emails to a podcaster and her ex-girlfriend. Which story is the truth?”
—Jennifer Jones, Bookmiser, Marietta, GA
Keeper of Lost Children: A Novel
By Sadeqa Johnson
(37 Ink, 9781668069912, $30, Feb. 10, Historical Fiction)
“Sadeqa Johnson weaves a story around the abandoned mixed-race children of German women and African-American GIs and the woman who made it her mission to find homes for them. Highly recommend!”
—Rachel Stafeil, Sidetrack Bookshop, Royal Oak, MI
When the Museum Is Closed: A Novel
By Emi Yagi, Yuki Tejima (Transl.)
(Soft Skull, 9781593768270, $18.95, Jan. 27, Fantasy)
“After loving Diary of a Void and now When the Museum Is Closed, I can confidently say that I love the way author Emi Yagi's brain works! Thank you Emi for writing these delightfully unhinged and charmingly unconventional stories.”
—Christine Bollow, Loyalty Bookstores, Washington, DC
This Is Not About Us: Fiction
By Allegra Goodman
(The Dial Press, 9780593447840, $29, Feb. 10, Fiction)
“A great family saga featuring three generations in a Jewish-American family. Each family member brings a fresh perspective and shows you just how important even imperfect family connections are.”
—Kelly Gates, Bike Trail Books, Loveland, OH
This Book Made Me Think of You
By Libby Page
(Berkley, 9798217186990, $30, Feb. 3, Fiction)
“A wonderful, bookish read perfect for any reader who loves books about books. Throw in some grief, a bit of love, an old British bookshop, and you have a warm and hopeful story. So much to love.”
—Christina Tabereaux, The Snail on the Wall, Huntsville, AL
Good People: A Novel
By Patmeena Sabit
(Crown, 9780593801062, $29, Feb. 3, Fiction)
“A masterfully crafted family drama with the pulse and pace of a thriller at the intersection of immigrant dreams and deep-seated cultural values. A complex look at the fragile balance of assimilation, identity, and independence.”
—Julie Slavinsky, Warwick's, La Jolla, CA
Every Happiness: A Novel (Indies Introduce)
By Reena Shah
(Bloomsbury Publishing, 9781639733002, $28.99, Feb. 3, Fiction)
“Stunning and unflinching! In its luminescent prose, you will find complex characters you can’t help but root for and themes that come alive. The longing in Reena Shah’s every word blurs the line between reader and character.”
—Cassie Goodwin, Loudmouth Books, Indianapolis, IN
George Falls Through Time: A Novel
By Ryan Collett
(William Morrow, 9780063463509, $30, Jan. 20, Fiction)
“At first, you’ll expect this book to be a fun time-travel adventure, and it is, but it is also brutally human. George’s modern anxiety transposed into the Middle Ages makes a stunning portrait of the human heart.”
—H Rooker, Still North Books & Bar, Hanover, NH
The Seven Daughters of Dupree: A Novel
By Nikesha Elise Williams
(Gallery/Scout Press, 9781668051948, $30, Jan. 27, Fiction)
“The Seven Daughters of Dupree swept me into the lives of seven generations of women who carry both a mysterious curse and an unshakeable bond. A story about what we inherit — trauma and triumph, pain and power, loss and love.”
—Tracey Duncan, Commonplace Reader, Yardley, PA
The Future Saints: A Novel
By Ashley Winstead
(Atria Books, 9781668024669, $29, Jan. 20, Fiction)
“Ashley Winstead enters new territory in this beautiful look at grief and friendship — and how to move on after tragedy. Theo and the Saints are all such gorgeously flawed people. I wanted to hug them all while I yelled at them (except Kenny, an angel).”
—Andi Richardson, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, VA
How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates: A Novel
By Shailee Thompson
(Gallery Books, 9781668206713, $18, Feb. 3, Thriller)
“This one reads like if your favorite romcom and your most unhinged true crime binge had a chaotic little baby. Thompson threads flirty banter through a razor-sharp revenge plot that turns dating culture inside out.”
—Julia Young, Four Seasons Books, Shepherdstown, WV
A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing: A Novel (Indies Introduce)
By Alice Evelyn Yang
(William Morrow, 9780063419292, $30, Jan. 27, Fiction)
“I love a story that delves into the rich complexities that family dynamics can bring, and this book does just that. A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing is masterful in making you feel deeply for the characters across generations.”
—Annastasia Williams, Bookshop at the Bottom, Knoxville, TN
Heap Earth Upon It
By Chloe Michelle Howarth
(Melville House, 9781685892531, $20.99, Feb. 3, Fiction)
“This is such a quietly suspenseful novel about four siblings and the woman who enters their lives in their new town — something feels off from the start. It unfolds with a steady, compelling tension.”
—Lea Kocurek, Cellar Bird Books, Grand Rapids, MI
The Company of Owls
By Polly Atkin
(Milkweed Editions, 9781639551804, $25, Feb. 3, Memoir)
“Like a cup of herbal tea, this memoir — written by a poet with chronic illness — will leave you with a soothed heart and mind full of owls. Atkin observes tawny owlets near her cottage in Grasmere, and offers a beautiful nature cure.”
—Aggie Zivaljevic, Kepler's Books, Menlo Park, CA
A Clean Hell: Anarchy and Abolition in America's Most Notorious Dungeon (Indies Introduce)
By Eric King, Raymond Luc Levasseur, Josh Davidson
(PM Press, 9798887441597, $22.95, Jan. 20, Political Science)
“An excruciatingly honest look at one of the most brutal federal prisons in the country. This important work lays bare the broken prison system and provides the foundation for resistance against injustice and bias within our federal prison system.”
—Kristin Pidgeon, Riverstone Books, Pittsburgh, PA
Women of a Promiscuous Nature
By Donna Everhart
(Kensington, 9781496740724, $18.95, Jan. 27, Historical Fiction)
“Based on the true story of The American Plan of the early twentieth century, aiming to prevent the spread of venereal diseases to WWI service members. A very real testament to the plight of women who endured terrible treatment in the name of righteousness.”
—Mamie Potter, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC
Two Women Living Together: The Bestselling Korean Memoir
By Kim Hana, Hwang Sunwoo, Gene Png (Transl.)
(Ecco, 9780063473362, $28, Jan. 20, Memoir)
“It’s a treat to have a translation of this Korean bestseller. Two forty-something South Korean women choose to defy convention and form a found family. Though they both enjoyed being single, buying an apartment together launched a lively journey.”
—Jan Blodgett, Main Street Books, Davidson, NC
February 2026 Indie Next List Now in Paperback
Dream State: A Novel
By Eric Puchner
(Vintage, 9780593687789, $19, Jan. 20, Fiction)
“Dream State is a wide-ranging, richly textured novel that defies any simple description. Starting in a familiar past, old college pals prepare for a wedding in Montana and end up decades ahead in an uncomfortably plausible near future.”
—Stan Hynds, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT
Fire Exit: A Novel
By Morgan Talty
(Tin House, 9781963108491, $17.99, Jan. 27, Fiction)
“A gorgeous and all-consuming novel, Fire Exit lays bare the consequences of one man’s decisions, and his resolve to reconcile his past by taking care of his aging mother and seeking a connection with his unknown daughter. Unforgettable.”
—Olivia Marchese, Author's Note, Medina, NY
The Lotus Shoes: A Novel
By Jane Yang
(Park Row, 9780778310686, $18.99, Feb. 10, Fiction)
“A suspenseful novel, The Lotus Shoes follows Linjing and her maidservant Little Flower in 19th-century China. As the two struggle to define their own relationship, they are caught between old traditions and their desire for freedom. Completely absorbing!”
—Janet Hutchison, The Open Door Bookstore, Schenectady, NY
The Sirens: A Novel
By Emilia Hart
(St. Martin's Griffin, 9781250842732, $19, Feb. 3, Fiction)
“Somehow, Hart engages readers with both a contemporary mystery and an atmospheric historical imagining. The two narratives are expertly written and woven in a story that’s both unlike any other yet resonates as familiar. It’s literary magic!”
—Jen Wills Geraedts, Beagle and Wolf Books & Bindery, Park Rapids, MN
Tartufo: A Novel
By Kira Jane Buxton
(Grand Central Publishing, 9781538770825, $18.99, Jan. 13, Fiction)
“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
This Is a Love Story: A Novel
By Jessica Soffer
(Dutton, 9780593851289, $19, Jan. 27, Fiction)
“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