Indie Recommendations
Once upon a time I worried that I'd run out of books I wanted to read. Now after discovering so many amazing indie authors, I worry my TBR will crush me. Or my wallet. Whichever comes first.
This page will be updated as I find more awesome authors to read. I like to live dangerously so if there's any books or authors you'd like to recommend, let me know. I won't tell my TBR.
Fantasy
Kings of Aselvia series
H. S. J. Williams
Epic worldbuilding
Sweet if occassionally dysfunctional found family
Realistic trauma experience
Humor to balance out the darkness
Themes of redemption, purpose, and hope
Seventh City
Emily Hayse
Alaskan-inspired fantasy
Action-packed
Vivid settings
Sweet brother-sister relationship
Where Darkness Dwells
Andrea Renae
Character-driven allegorical fantasy
Light vs dark
Incredible worldbuilding
Themes of grief and loss, and finding hope and light in the darkness
Beyond the Wind Music
Mary Emma Sivils
Portal fantasy
Gorgeous descriptions
Mom MC
Mystery to solve
Themes of finding identity, place, and purpose
Deathmark
Kate Stradling
Magical (and deadly) plague
Cute romance, with banter!
Mix of darkness/impending mortality alongside humor and coziness
The Queen and the Shadow Witch
Leanna Rapier
Portal fantasy
Story world and characters coming to life
Mom MC
Way too relatable writer rep
Themes of family, and finding and holding onto hope (including the true Hope)
A Time of Mourning and Dancing
Abigail Falanga
Fairytale retelling
Mystery and suspense
Intriguing worldbuilding
Fully-fleshed out MCs
Honest look at grief and healing from loss, and reckoning the costs of war and victory
The Ceristen Series
Verity A. Buchanan
Character-driven fantasy
Gorgeous description
Classical style
All the siblings
Epic worldbuilding
Steward Stories
Beth Wangler
Old Testament-inspired fantasy
Immersive worldbuilding
Thought-provoking themes of loss, redemption, and the search for identity and worth
Ashes
Grace Crandall
Medieval-inspired setting
Unexpected twists
Gorgeous prose
MC who doesn't care™... or does he
Calligraphy Guild
R. M. Archer
Asian-inspired fantasy
Ink that can set or change history
Healthy familial and romantic relationships
All the kinds of dragons
Thought-provoking themes of history and identity
Science Fiction
Malfunction Triology
J. H. Moore
Sci-fi meets dystopia
Action-packed
Found family
Terrifying aliens
Themes of the importance of life, identity, and what makes us human
Historical/Historically-Inspired
Could Be Series
Katelyn Buxton
Victorian-inspired setting
Bookish MC
Disability rep
The banter
The parrot!!!
Heartfelt themes of friendship, hope, and doing the right thing even when it's hardest
Princess of the Highlands Triology
Cheyenne van Langvelde
Scotland-set historical fantasy
Gorgeous prose
MCs who deal with fear and anxiety
Sweet romance
Malcolm is a treasure
Themes of holding onto hope and the nature of courage in the face of fear and uncertainty
A Boy Named Rindy
Olivia Talbott
Biographical/inspirational fiction
Vivid descriptions
Uplifting themes
Heart-wrenching story of rejection and desperation under the most dire of circumstances, but also one of hope, forgiveness, and redemption
Courage and Activity
M. Shurtleff
Second-world historical fiction
Philosophical questions
Revenge matchmaking
Characters that struggle with their flaws and challenging ideas but want to do right
Themes of the importance of individual actions and their impact to change society
Land of Hills and Valleys
Elisabeth Grace Foley
Murder mystery with all the twists
Depression-era setting
Plucky MC
Small town drama with all the secrets
Sweet romance
Other Genres
In the Shadow of a Sunbeam
Rachel Rowbottom
Contemporary
Christian fiction as it needs to be
Complex characters and serious topics handled in an honest and powerful way
The twists!!!
Themes of the importance of life, judging by first impressions, and giving a voice to the voiceless
Black and Deep Desires
Claire Trella Hill
Gothic, Paranormal Romance
Deliciously gothicky
Shakespeare-quoting vampire
Mad scientists
Thoughtful themes around family, redemption, and what makes a monster
The Electrical Menagerie
Mollie E. Reeder
Steampunk
Steampunk
Odd couple MCs
Performances and competitions
Disability rep
The robot butler!