The Best New Books of September, According to Indie Booksellers

September is one of the biggest months of the year for publishing. It comes with a deluge of new book releases, including from beloved and bestselling authors. So how do you choose which ones to prioritize? That’s where the Indie Next List comes in. Every month, the American Booksellers Association put together a list of the top 25 new book releases of the upcoming month as their Indie Next List Preview. These are books that were nominated by booksellers at independent bookstores across the country, and they cover all genres and categories. Each book has a quote from a bookseller about why they recommend this book, and these recommendations can be printed out as “shelf-talkers” to display in store. Here are eight of the best books of September, according to indie booksellers. (Some of them actually came out in August, but close enough.) Many of these we also recommend on Book Riot, so I’ve quoted our relevant recs when available. Be sure to click through to the ABA website for the full list, including six Indie Next Picks that are now out in paperback. Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel #1 Indie Next List Pick “A world descending into chaos. Another strangled by repression and sur...