Maybe you've seen the hashtag #IndieApril on social media lately. This is the month when many bloggers spotlight books that are either self-published or published by a small press. (Yes, Thinklings is one of those!) In honor of Indie April, we've compiled a list of our favorite indie books, of the fantasy and sci-fi varieties.
Without further ado, here's our list:
1. Akithar’s Greatest Trick by Jason Dorough: Perfect for fans of Six of Crows. A magician and his crew must pull off several daring tricks/heists to escape their locked-down city after their tyrannical ruler sends his special task force to hunt down all magic users and strip them of their powers. 2. Thief of Midnight by Catherine Butzen: After a surge of child abductions in major cities, monster hunter Abby and her partner, John, are put on the case. These aren't just ordinary kidnappings; demons and bogeymen are behind them, and the hunters are going to have a devil of a time stopping them! 3. Intermix Nation by M.P. Attardo: In a post-apocalyptic North America ruled by a despotic government, interracial marriage and mingling are strictly prohibited. After her parents are murdered, Nazirah, a mixed-racial pariah, reluctantly joins the growing resistance. She craves vengeance but comes to learn that nothing—and no one—is purely black or white. 4. Bryony and Roses by T. Kingfisher: a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Caught in a snowstorm, Bryony takes refuge in a mysterious manor full of dark enchantments. Is the Beast who lives there her captor or fellow prisoner? She must untangle the house's secrets before it destroys both of them. 5. Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls by D.E. Cunningham: This middle-grade adventure reads, at times, like a video game, as Marco visits different realms and collects keys to summon a weapon to save his family. The book also thoughtfully portrays children dealing with the trauma of one parent's death and the other's mental health struggles. 6. Black Marks by Pete Aldin: Jake Brennan will do anything—including drugs—to keep from turning into a murderous monster every full moon. But after he gets involved with spunky ER doctor Gwen Cheevey, Jake must embrace his dark side in order to save her life. 7. Fairy Godmothers, Inc. by Saranna DeWylde: hilarious and charming, starts a series. The town of Ever After, Missouri, needs a reboot. Three local fairy godmothers concoct a scheme to turn it into a wedding destination, which includes convincing exes to marry... What could go wrong? 8. Skin Deep by Kendra Merritt: a Beauty and the Beast retelling with great disability rep. Leon is cursed to live as a bear for a mistake he made in his youth. Scarred enchantress Anwen vows to break his curse. But as the two grow closer, Leon realizes the part he played in her injury and fears he'll lose her forever if she finds out the truth. 9. Inker and Crown (Guilds of Ilbrea #1) by Megan O’Russell: The Guilds who rule Ilbrea will kill to protect their nefarious secrets. Adrial, heir to the Lord Scribe, and his found family collect these secrets in hopes of one day bringing the tyrants down. But how can they go up against the nearly all-powerful sorcerers? 10. Waxing Is Useless by M.J. Hudon: A middle-aged, Catholic soccer mom finds out that her tanking health is not just autoimmune-related, but also heralds her transformation into a werewolf. The Spokane Guardians, a local pack, show her the ropes and invite her to join them in their fight against supernatural predators. ...And, of course, we definitely recommend all the books we've published. :D Why is Indie April important? Why do we need small publishers? Well, there are simply too many fantastic books being written, and the Big Five publishers tend to only want a certain few types of stories. This means that many amazing, worthy manuscripts are rejected, by agent after agent after agent.... We don't think that's right. Thinklings—which was founded by editors—believes that books should only be judged based on their quality. So, like Sam Gamgee, we're here to help "share the load" and give more great books a chance! Don't be afraid to read self-published or small-press books; they're often very high quality. A lot of love, time, and attention get poured into many of them. We won't tell you that every indie book is amazing; it's always helpful to ask around and get recommendations. (That goes for Big Five books too!) So, happy Indie April, and as always, read long and prosper! P.S. - Speaking of book recommendations, why not sign up for our newsletter? Twice a month, we'll send you a themed list of fantasy and/or sci-fi book recommendations, and sometimes music or movies too. (Not to mention jokes, games, puzzles, and memes!)
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