Here are the 25 Indie Next List and 6 Now in Paperback picks on the November 2025 Indie Next List flier.
The November 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 October Indie Next List picks are available as a flier, along with past lists, on the Indie Next List page on BookWeb.org.
The 25 November Indie Next List Picks
#1 Pick: Wreck (Indie Signed Exclusive Edition)
By Catherine Newman
(Harper, 9780063480247, $26.99, Oct. 28, Fiction)
“Catherine Newman might just be the funniest fiction writer working today. If you fell hard for Rocky and her family in Sandwich, then prepare yourself for yet another rollicking, rich literary meal.”
—Rosamond Kreshak-Hayden, Broadside Bookshop, Northampton, MA
Good Spirits: A Novel (Ghosted #1)
By B.K. Borison
(Avon, 9780063430402, $18.99, Oct. 21, Romance)
“Being haunted by the Ghost of Christmas Past, who just happens to be a rugged Irish sailor with a mustache? All too charming. This book evokes all the cozy Hallmark movie feelings, and will leave you sparkling.”
—Carolyn Aasland, Spoke + Word Books, Milwaukie, OR
Brigands & Breadknives (Legends & Lattes)
By Travis Baldree
(Tor Books, 9781250334886, $28.99, Nov. 11, Fantasy)
“Brigands & Breadknives blows up the expected premise in the opening chapters and allows our hero to set out on her own (however accidentally) into an adventure filled with thrills, laughs, friendship and real maturity.”
—Myles Mickle, Village Square Booksellers, Bellows Falls, VT
The Everlasting
By Alix E. Harrow
(Tor Books, 9781250799081, $29.99, Oct. 28, Fantasy)
“The Everlasting is at once an epic, expansive journey through time, exploring the nature of nationalism, propaganda, the power of storytelling, and a deeply personal, searingly intimate love story.”
—Lily Wilson, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC
Girl Dinner
By Olivie Blake
(Tor Books, 9781250883452, $29.99, Oct. 21, Fiction)
“A darkly satirical novel exploring power, lust, and a sinister wellness trend among wealthy women. Blake’s sharp prose delves into the complexities of femininity and societal expectations. A thought-provoking read.”
—Kailey Fox, Kingfisher Bookstore, Coupeville, WA
Cursed Daughters: A Novel
By Oyinkan Braithwaite
(Doubleday, 9780385551472, $29, Nov. 4, Fiction)
“Cursed Daughters is a gorgeous, haunting novel about a generational curse. Weaving between three women in the cursed Falodun family, Braithwaite explores the weight of expectation from family and culture and what it means to make your life your own.”
—Olivia Marchese, Author's Note, Medina, NY
The Devil She Knows
By Alexandria Bellefleur
(Berkley, 9780593952504, $19, Oct. 21, Romance)
“Top-notch humor mixed with the delicious chaos of a deal with a demon gone wrong was the exact read I needed. The Devil She Knows leaves you feeling entertained, laughing, and hot all at the same time?!”
—Sammie Virella, Anderson's Bookshops, Naperville, IL
Bad Bad Girl: A Novel
By Gish Jen
(Knopf, 9780593803738, $30, Oct. 21, Fiction)
“This is Gish Jen's autobiographical novel, all about her mother and their relationship, spanning decades through wars and Mao's regime. It starts as more of a novel but by the end it reads almost fully as a memoir.”
—Anton Bogomazov, Politics and Prose Bookstore, Washington, DC
Daddy Issues: A Novel (Dial Delights)
By Kate Goldbeck
(Dial Press Trade Paperback, 9780593730812, $18, Nov. 18, Romance)
“I loved how well Goldbeck wrote the trials of having to start over in the wake of the pandemic. She nailed the hopelessness of having to pivot your whole life while battling insecurities and the frightening joy of falling in love.”
—Claire Bone, Wild Sisters Book Company, Sacramento, CA
The White Hot: A Novel
By Quiara Alegría Hudes
(One World, 9780593732335, $26, Nov. 11, Fiction)
“A potent novel about opportunity — the many ways it gets taken away from women and what it can cost to get even the barest approximation of more. Quiara Alegría Hudes fills her debut novel with a joyous, voice-driven lyricism.”
—Keith Mosman, Powell's Books, Portland, OR
Flat Earth: A Novel
By Anika Jade Levy
(Catapult, 9781646222810, $26, Nov. 4, Fiction)
“Levy uses her acidic wit to reduce the pure meaning out of our cultural moment. Flat Earth is the cleanest satirical snapshot of the New York downtown scene; here are people I know, places I’ve seen.”
—Conor Hultman, Book Culture, New York, NY
There Is No Antimemetics Division: A Novel
By qntm
(Ballantine Books, 9780593983751, $29, Nov. 11, Sci-Fi)
“WOW. Equal parts horror and very cool science fiction. Messed me up a bit emotionally, unsettled me, and titillated me! If the first few chapters don't hook you right away — shame!”
—Allison Senecal, Old Firehouse Books, Fort Collins, CO
Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore (Indies Introduce)
By Char Adams
(Tiny Reparations Books, 9780593474235, $32, Nov. 4, History)
“Black-Owned is a timely and essential work that feels deeply personal to me as a Black bookstore owner. A must-read for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, history, or the vital role of independent bookstores in our communities.”
—Natalie Pipkin, Black Worldschoolers Mobile Bookstore, Indianapolis, IN
Fallen City
By Adrienne Young
(Saturday Books, 9781250794192, $32, Nov. 4, Fantasy)
“Absolutely amazed and so, so happy with Adrienne Young’s adult fantasy debut! I really think this could be the fantasy book of the Fall season! It’s all-consuming, a page turner, and completely overpowering.”
—Mirna Villeda, Timbre Books, Ventura, CA
Crawl: Stories
By Max Delsohn
(Graywolf Press, 9781644453612, $17, Oct. 21, Short Stories)
“Intimate, hilarious, both sexy and devastatingly un-sexy, and joyfully queer, reading Crawl feels like sitting down to gossip with your smartest and most interesting friends.”
—Madisen Gummer, P&T Knitwear Bookstore, New York, NY
The Isle in the Silver Sea
By Tasha Suri
(Orbit, 9780316595087, $30, Oct. 21, Fantasy)
“A beautiful novel full of (doomed?) romance, magic, and pageantry. Also a timely criticism about why stories matter: who gets to tell them, who gets to curate them, and what happens when we suppress them.”
—Keith Glaeske, East City Bookshop, Washington, DC
Son of the Morning: A Novel (Deluxe Limited Edition)
By Akwaeke Emezi
(Avon, 9780063323186, $32, Nov. 4, Romance)
“Hot damn what a novel! This is the angel/demon story I have been thirsting for, for years. Emezi's prose is deeply sensual and dark, a rum-filled bonbon on the tongue exploding as you bite in.”
—Alicia Jessmon, Left Bank Books, St. Louis, MO
The Strength of the Few (Hierarchy #2)
By James Islington
(S&S/Saga Press, 9781982141233, $34, Nov. 11, Fantasy)
“If I thought the first book was great, there are no words to describe this one. It is so well written and fascinating. It was so cool to see the same character develop in three different situations. A work of literary art.”
—Addyson Allgier, Mitzi's Books, Rapid City, SD
An Academic Affair: A Novel
By Jodi McAlister
(Atria Books, 9781668092330, $19, Nov. 11, Romance)
“Enemies to lovers, dual POV, and so many cute grammar references — sign me up! As an all-around grammar nerd, this book hooked me. I found both Jonah and Sadie to be well-rounded, flawed, messy, beautiful characters.”
—Julie Swearingen, Roundabout Books, Bend, OR
The Ferryman and His Wife: A Novel
By Frode Grytten, Alison McCullough (Transl.)
(Algonquin Books, 9781643757452, $17.99, Nov. 18, Fiction)
“A quiet and moving story of a man on the last day of his life. We encounter the people who touched his life and are reminded that each of us leave lasting impressions with those we meet on our life path.”
—Betsy Von Kerens, The Bookworm of Omaha, Omaha, NE
Queen Esther: A Novel
By John Irving
(Simon & Schuster, 9781501189449, $30, Nov. 4, Fiction)
“A new novel by John Irving is cause for celebration! Revisiting the orphanage from The Cider House Rules we meet Esther, one of a delightful collection of characters. Irving’s storytelling is incomparable.”
—Sue Kowalski, The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn, Glen Ellyn, IL
Sacrament: A Novel
By Susan Straight
(Counterpoint, 9781640097131, $29, Oct. 28, Fiction)
“A portrait of a community in crisis and upheaval with a diverse, fully realized cast whose dignity and love for each other shines bright. Susan Straight has captured the sacrifices of COVID first-responders and proved there’s beauty in our complex, contradictory humanity.”
—Luis Correa, White Whale Bookstore, Pittsburgh, PA
The Queen of Swords
By Jazmina Barrera, Christina MacSweeney (Transl.)
(Two Lines Press, 9781949641875, $24, Nov. 11, Biography)
“I want people to CLAMOR for translations of Elena Garro! After reading such an amazing biography about this iconic Mexican author, there needs to be a revival of her work so we can read more of her, everywhere.”
—Sara Crow, Crow & Co. Books, Hutchinson, KS
The Great Work
By Sheldon Costa
(Quirk Books, 9781683695059, $18.99, Nov. 4, Western)
“The Great Work is just that: a great work. Kitt was my favorite character, his development was well thought out. Plus, who doesn't love a story about a giant salamander that may or may not be real, and alchemy?”
—Jenna Gehman, Towne Book Center & Cafe, Collegeville, PA
The Bridesmaid: A Novel
By Cate Quinn
(Sourcebooks Landmark, 9781464245701, $17.99, Nov. 4, Thriller)
“I am obsessed with this story, from the high society celebrity wedding to the forensic attorney solving the crime. I love a book that keeps me glued to the page, and Cate Quinn delivers that from the first chapter.”
—Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, NC
November 2025 Indie Next List Now in Paperback
The God of the Woods: A Novel
By Liz Moore
(Knopf, 9780593418925, $19, Oct. 28, Fiction)
“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, Bellingham, WA
Like Mother, Like Mother: A Novel
By Susan Rieger
(Dial Press Trade Paperback, 9780525512516, $19, Nov. 11, Fiction)
“A fun read full of characters that you root for. A few of them may be prickly, but they have such depth and grace that you can’t help but fall in love. I love the friendship between Grace and Ruth the most; we could all use a friendship like that in our lives.”
—Corrie Stone-Johnson, Black Rock Books, Buffalo, NY
The Mighty Red: A Novel
By Louise Erdrich
(Harper Perennial, 9780063277076, $19.99, Nov. 4, Fiction)
“A stunning look at small town life. A beautiful look at a place and a way of life that is harmful to those that live it. Erdrich draws you right into the hearts and souls of her characters and their surroundings.”
—Marisa Neyenhuis, Chapter One Book Store, Hamilton, MT
Rental House: A Novel
By Weike Wang
(Riverhead Books, 9780593545553, $18, Nov. 4, Fiction)
“Weike Wang’s sharp insights on marriage, family, and home shine on every page of this slim novel. A treat for anyone who’s ever silently (or not so silently) questioned the absurdities of in-laws. I dare you to read this on your family vacation!”
—Sherri Puzey, Zibby’s Bookshop, Santa Monica, CA
The Serpent and the Wolf
By Rebecca Robinson
(S&S/Saga Press, 9781668074671, $19, Nov. 18, Fantasy)
“The Serpent and the Wolf is a spellbinding debut that deftly blends high-stakes political intrigue with a steamy, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. There’s much to admire in this tale of power, passion, and peril.”
—Jessie Fischer, The Book Nook, Saranac Lake, NY
Shy Creatures: A Novel
By Clare Chambers
(Mariner Books, 9780063258235, $19.99, Oct. 14, Fiction)
“An inventive and satisfying novel. Not just a story you’ll look forward to cozying up with, but a brilliant affirmation of non-conformity, self-determination, and the power of art. For fans of Elizabeth McCracken, Tessa Hadley, and Ann Patchett!”
—Kristen Iskandrian, Thank You Books, Birmingham, AL