DECEMBER 2025

Every month, we spotlight five books that have received extra attention lately. Don't miss our December picks, all from independent literary publishers:

• Forest Euphoria by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian (Spiegel & Grau | 9781954118904)—“a full-throated celebration of the diversity of the natural world that encourages readers, regardless of how they may identify, to reconsider their place in it”—is featured in The 100 Must-Read Books of 2025 (TIME). Order now.
• How to Be Unmothered by Camille U. Adams (Restless Books | 9781632063953)—a debut memoir that is “a work of art, an excavation of memory, a blend of fierce determination, vulnerability, and a journey toward liberation”—is featured in Best Nonfiction of 2025 (Electric Lit). Order now.
• The Feeling of Iron by Giaime Alonge, translated from the Italian by Clarissa Botsford (Europa Editions | 9798889661290)—a novel that details “a haunting tale of survival, vengeance, and the enduring shadows of history”—is featured in 100 Notable Books of 2025 (The New York Times). Order now.
• God-Disease by an chang joon (Sarabande Books | 9781956046335)—a short story collection that is “a meditation on language, identity, and names, and how deceptively fragile they can all be”—is featured in Best Short Story Collections of 2025 (Electric Lit). Order now.
• Elita by Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum (Northwestern University Press | 9780810147867)—a novel that follows main character Bernadette Baston as she travels to the remote island Elita to consult on a mysterious case—is featured in Books We Love (NPR). Order now.

This year was another exciting year for independent literary publishing! We’re proud to present this list of small-press titles honored by major literary awards in 2025—just in time to share with shoppers looking for the perfect holiday gifts!

Every December, CLMP lists hundreds of books published by indie presses in the previous year. Be sure to bookmark our roundups of Poetry of 2025, Fiction of 2025, Nonfiction of 2025, Children's & YA Books of 2025, and Art, Drama & More of 2025 for reference this holiday season and beyond!

As you're recommending small-press titles and curating holiday displays, we suggest looking back at the lists we've shared since launching Indie Lit on the Shelf in June—including roundups of picture books, middle-grade books, and YA novels; roundups in celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month, Disability Pride Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Filipino American History Month, and Native American Heritage Month; roundups of horror and science fiction; and roundups for National Translation Month and Women in Translation Month. And stay tuned for more in the new year!

Tombolo Books is a locally owned, independent bookstore in St. Petersburg's Grand Central District “dedicated to promoting the value and pleasure of reading throughout St. Petersburg by offering thoughtful inventory curation, extensive literary knowledge, and excellent customer service.”

Bookseller Rachel Knox says, “We've been highlighting small presses since we opened. When the news of the cuts to federal funding and NEA grants reached us, we wanted to make sure we did whatever small part we could to support these presses. We've dedicated a whole bay/bookshelf of our store to indie publishers, with staff favorites and some signage that explains the new guidelines for funding under the current administration. Our customers have responded with so much enthusiasm, and we've seen a big increase in sales of these titles. In our state, where book bans and governmental interference directly affect access to literature, we're proud to be part of a community of resistance, however small it might seem.”

Booksellers, we want to hear how you help readers discover small-press titles! Email us for the chance to be featured in an upcoming Indie Lit on the Shelf.

In our latest spotlight on an indie publisher, Paul Jaskunas, the editor of Full Bleed, says, "We like to showcase projects that we think could swing open a door in a reader’s imagination and lead to a further creation, breakthrough, or collaboration."

Discover poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published last month by independent literary publishers—including Anvil Press, Marsh Hawk Press, Poetose, TRP: The University Press of SHSU, Tupelo Press, Ugly Duckling Presse, and more.

Publishers Weekly has released its 2025 Salary & Jobs Report. Shelf Awareness reports that James Patterson and Bookshop.org have partnered to launch a new literary award for debut books. Publishers Weekly reports that independent distributor National Book Network will close next year. Library Journal reports that a growing number of libraries are exploring or implementing artificial intelligence in 2025, according to a global survey. Publishers Weekly reports that total industry sales were down 4.4 percent in August and sales fell in every segment. Publishing Perspectives reports on the Book Industry Study Group’s recent survey analyzing AI usage among publishing professionals in the United States and Canada.