Sneak Peek: October 2025 Indie Next List

The October 2025 Indie Next List includes EIGHT Macmillan titles!

RED CITY by Marie Lu
9781250885678 | 10/14/25

“Fans of fantasy and romantasy will thoroughly enjoy this book… Lu is a big name in the YA world, and her adult debut is bound to attract adult and teen fans alike.”—Booklist, starred review

“Both heartbreaking and action-packed: an immense achievement.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Magic and machinations abound in bestselling YA author Lu’s vibrant adult debut… Lu builds a rich alternate present that pulls tropes from both magic school and crime drama literary traditions to tell an addictive double ‘chosen one’ story that successfully keeps readers’ sympathies divided. It’s truly enthralling.”—Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

CINDER HOUSE by Freya Marske
9781250341716 | 10/7/25

“Marske unflinchingly explores the ways limited mobility and accessibility can erode one’s sense of self, inspired by her own experiences of being housebound due to long Covid, and how to triumphantly cross those thresholds. Cinderella finds her happily-ever-afterlife in this sharp addition to the fairy-tale canon.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

THE ZORG: A Tale of Greed and Murder That Inspired the Abolition of Slavery by Siddharth Kara
9781250348227 | 10/14/25

“In this enthralling and elegant history, Pulitzer finalist Kara (COBALT RED) revisits the notorious 1781 voyage of the British slave ship Zorg, also known as the Zong… a harrowing glimpse of slavery’s horrors and an incisive investigation into one of history’s most reviled crimes.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

BOG QUEEN by Anna North
9781635579666 | 10/14/25

“Part of the novel’s thrill comes from the way in which North leaves the rest of the mystery for the reader to piece together, and Agnes’s partial access to the truth is made even more poignant through the masterful depiction of how painfully out of sync she is with other people… North reaches new heights with this brilliant novel.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

OVERDUE by Stephanie Perkins
9781250313461 | 10/7/25

“This cozy contemporary romance allows readers to consider their own life choices while enjoying a slow-burn love story.”—Library Journal

SPREAD ME by Sarah Gailey
9781250387332 | 9/23/25

“Gailey’s genre-aware prose sprinkles nods to The Thing and other sci-fi classics in humorous asides while still maintaining the tension and anxiety of being marooned and helpless. The small cast is skillfully drawn, with wonderfully distinct characters and complicated interpersonal dynamics. The creeping terror of things not being what they seem and people not being who they say they are keeps the suspense simmering. It’s a fun, modern take on first encounter horror.”—Publishers Weekly

AMONG THE BURNING FLOWERS by Samantha Shannon
9781639738762 | 9/16/25

“This sweeping fantasy set in bestseller Shannon’s Roots of Chaos universe and dramatically illustrated by Cai, fills in the events directly preceding series opener THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE… devoted fans will be pleased by the depth it adds to beloved side characters and the lore of this lush, meticulously drawn world. For those who can’t get enough of Shannon’s worldbuilding, this will be a treat.”—Publishers Weekly

ALCHEMY OF SECRETS by Stephanie Garber
9781250789150 | 10/7/25

“As dazzling as a jewel box, ALCHEMY OF SECRETS immediately charmed me with its layers of mysteries, magic, and twists. No one does world-building like Stephanie Garber. I want to live in this book!”—Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE THIRTEENTH CHILD