Sneak Peek: March 2025 Indie Next List

The March 2025 Indie Next List includes FIVE Macmillan titles!

#1 PICK: WILD DARK SHORE by Charlotte McConaghy
9781250827951 | 3/4/25

3 starred reviews!

“McConaghy’s descriptions of nature’s glory and terror are galvanic, the psychological struggles wrenching, the suspenseful action spectacularly choreographed. McConaghy has attained new heights of intensity and lacerating ecological conviction in this complexly plotted, tragic, and all-consuming tale of the battle to survive in a catastrophically changing world.”—Booklist, starred review

“The reality of climate change serves as the pervasive context for this terrific thriller set on a remote island between Australia and Antarctica… McConaghy writes about both nature and human frailty with eloquent generosity. Readers won’t want to leave behind the imagined world of pain and beauty that McConaghy has conjured.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Sub-Antarctic noir meets a love letter to the rapidly disappearing wild world in McConaghy’s latest (following ONCE THERE WERE WOLVES). As lush as it is taut with tension, this novel is filled with both the joys and ravages of nature.”—Library Journal, starred review

THE RIVER HAS ROOTS by Amal El-Mohtar
9781250341082 | 3/4/25

2 starred reviews!

“This extraordinary novella is El-Mohtar’s solo debut, after the splendid THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR (2019), coauthored with Max Gladstone, went viral. It’s a marvelous story that pulls on old Grimm fairy tales of violence and truth telling, of what it means to be sisters in a story of fae and folklore, and of the kind of true love that exists between sisters. Fans of TIME WAR will find the same lyrical language encapsulated in this small yet epic package, and it comes with a short story from El-Mohtar’s upcoming collection as a surprise bonus.”—Booklist, starred review

“El-Mohtar’s solo debut (after cowriting THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR with Max Gladstone) is a heart-wrenching fairy tale about the bonds of love and family. It’s a murder ballad in book form that will linger long after the final page is turned.”—Library Journal, starred review

OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING by Shubha Sunder
9781644453247 | 3/4/25

“In a striking climax, Pavitra confronts the limits of what she’s been promised by the school and of her ability to move freely between the U.S. and India, and the novel coheres into a crystalline portrait of a woman straddling cultures and expectations while attempting to discover who she is. It’s a knockout.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

GO LUCK YOURSELF by Sara Raasch
9781250333216 | 3/11/25

“In this madcap follow-up to 2024’s THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE KISSMAS, Raasch once again plays fast and loose with holiday spirits as she interweaves political intrigue and spicy romantic comedy… Raasch leaves plenty to explore in future installments. It’s a treat.”—Publishers Weekly

SWORDHEART by T. Kingfisher
9781250400222 | 2/25/25

Halla has unexpectedly inherited the estate of a wealthy uncle. When she unsheathes a mysterious sword and a man appears, he tells her he is sworn to protect whoever wields the sword, which is how he finds himself fending off money-hungry relatives full of devious plans to wrest her inheritance from her. As Halla and Sarkis grow closer, they overlook the biggest threat of all—the sword itself.