# Great Indie Books



## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

I know some people complain about the quality of some self-published books, but I have been finding some GREAT indie books lately.

A month or so ago I read _Cross My Heart_ (contemporary young adult fiction) by Katie Klein - really fun read, one of those books you stay up until 2 AM to finish.

Earlier this week I finished _Space Junque_ (sci fi/mythology/apocalyptic fiction) by LK Rigel. It was fast, smart, and genre-bending, and I couldn't put it down.

Now I'm in the middle of _So Over You_ (contemporary young adult fiction) by Gwen Hayes, and it's a hilarious, heart-warming, and clever high school love story. The tone has a similar feel and attitude as the movie _Easy A_--I can very, very easily picture the main character as being played by Emma Stone.

All these books, in my opinion, were fantastic--the writing was solid, the typos were minimal or nonexistent, and the stories and characters were excellent. I highly recommend them.

I guess I love finding good indie books because 1) subsequent titles get out so much faster (the long periods--sometimes years--of waiting around for new releases is one of my biggest frustrations when it comes to trad pub), 2) they are usually MUCH cheaper, which my wallet loves, 3) sometimes the subject matter is more niche or cross-genre than I can find in a regular bookstore (_Space Junque_ comes to mind), and 4) I really like indies, and I am an indie author, so I like supporting them where I can.

Does anybody have any great indie (either self-pub or small press) recommendations they've stumbled upon lately? I mostly read YA (paranormal fantasy, contemporary, whatever), but I love a good sci fi or fantasy book as long as there are some (realistic) female characters in it (all-male, testosterone-laden genre stuff tends to bore me).

My TBR list is shrinking and I'm looking to add to it!


----------



## TheSFReader (Jan 20, 2011)

Kate, I can recommend you

Stray : Touchstone part 1 (Andrea K Höst) $3 at Smashwords
Just one of Andrea K Höst excellent books. A YA three part Sci-fi story (waiting now anxiously for the third and last part) about a girl "trapped" away from home. Mostly funny/light when the hero "escapes" through humor what sometimes would call a dire situation, but also sometimes grave, all in all a good book.

The Hidden Institute (Brand Gamblin) 5$ at Smashwords
A YA novel in a Steampunk setting, The Hidden Institute features a young man learning a way to rise above his "Position" in a mystery Institute. The Hidden Institute is written with a light of humor, and a possesses a neat cast of characters,

These "mini-reviews" are excerpts of my two "Gems" posts on my blog : "Gems among Crap" and "More Gems". Perhaps you can find other suitable ideas in them.


----------



## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

TheSFReader said:


> Kate, I can recommend you
> 
> Stray : Touchstone part 1 (Andrea K Höst) $3 at Smashwords
> Just one of Andrea K Höst excellent books. A YA three part Sci-fi story (waiting now anxiously for the third and last part) about a girl "trapped" away from home. Mostly funny/light when the hero "escapes" through humor what sometimes would call a dire situation, but also sometimes grave, all in all a good book.
> ...


Thanks for the recs!! I forgot to mention that I LOVE steampunk. I'll definitely be checking those out


----------



## Guest (Sep 22, 2011)

Kate, you might do well with J.L. Bryan's Jenny Pox. http://www.amazon.com/Jenny-Pox-Paranormals-Book-ebook/dp/B003X9775G


----------



## John Blackport (Jul 18, 2011)

Badlands, by Seleste deLaney, is a good steampunk book. It's technically by a small, independent press (Carina), and is therefore "indie" to some people, though not self-published

Joseph Robert Lewis has a great self-published series called "The Halcyon Series": The Burning Sky, The Broken Sword, and The Bound Soul


----------



## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

I belong to a great little Under $2.99 Fantasy Book Club and we just finished reading The Death of Torberta by Shannon Mawhiney.  It reminded me of a book version of an art house film.  Our whole group absolutely loved it.

I also really had a great time reading Huntress by Nicole Hamlett.  Charming, fun, easy breezy urban fantasy with a single mom as the kickarse heroine.  I thought it was a great ride!


----------



## mistyd107 (May 22, 2009)

I very highly recommend the Charybdis novels by KA Thompson. Its a series of 5 lengthy novels that are all excellant and all of them are on my favorites list even now.  The first three are available in one volume for I believe 3.99 with books 4 & 5 at 2.99 each fantastic books at a small price


----------



## J.R.Mooneyham (Mar 14, 2011)

I'm unsure if she's totally an indie, or has a contract or two. But Sybil Nelson's Priscilla the Great books are pretty fun reads (well, I've only read the first one so far).

http://www.amazon.com/Priscilla-the-Great-ebook/dp/B004WSQNZ2/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2


----------



## djgross (May 24, 2011)

Ilona Andrews is traditionally published, but just self published this novella (which I adored) for $2.99. As you like Sci Fi/Fantasy with realistic female characters, I thought Silver Shark was worth recommending on the thread.


----------



## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)




----------



## GerrieFerrisFinger (Jun 1, 2011)

From feedback I'm getting. indie books have improved in quality - I'm talking typos , sense of plot, etc. Hope this means publishers/authors are getting the word they need an editor. We all do.


----------



## Selina Fenech (Jul 20, 2011)

KateEllison said:


> I mostly read YA (paranormal fantasy, contemporary, whatever), but I love a good sci fi or fantasy book as long as there are some (realistic) female characters in it (all-male, testosterone-laden genre stuff tends to bore me).


My two recent favourite indie books have been-

Hush Money by Susan Bischoff- http://www.amazon.com/Hush-Money-Talent-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B003YCPGOG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1316743992&sr=1-1

The Overtaking by Victorine Lieske - http://www.amazon.com/Overtaking-ebook/dp/B0050P4ZEC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1316744047&sr=1-1

Both are sort of cross genre paranormal, a little bit more sci-fi in The Overtaking but still reads more like urban or paranormal romance. Both also have great strong female characters! Particularly Hush Mony, Joss is so kick ass in a realistic way.

As for indie book quality, I still see a divide in what I've been buying and reading. There's one level of less polished books coming out. Some of these have decent stories anyway, but often not (or could have been a better story with some editorial guidance). Then there's the other level where books like Hush Money and other indie books that are getting some serious attention are at. They're polished, professional, with great stories! And that's why they're getting the attention they deserve


----------



## caleemlee (Aug 5, 2011)

I've read two really good indie books recently:

A Place of Brightness by Keith Massey 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ESG746/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img
A spy thriller set in Romania

Forever Neverland by Heather Killough-Walden
http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Neverland-ebook/dp/B004E3XV8C
A YA retelling of the Peter Pan story. Great Female lead. Changed the way I look at Captain Hook forever, the same way Robin McKinley's Beauty transformed the way I look at Beauty and the Beast.


----------



## JFHilborne (Jan 22, 2011)

I've also found some excellent ones:
Hit or Missus by Gayle Carline: http://amzn.to/iR7l1S 
Dying for a Date by Cindy Sample ; http://amzn.to/mvWe66, both humorous mysteries.


----------



## Krista D. Ball (Mar 8, 2011)

Huge fan of Frances Pauli's Shift Happens series (2 books in it right now). It's labelled SFR, but it's really science fiction comedy or even science fiction chick lit. They are hilarious and so refreshing, especially after doing a binge of depressing, force-you-to-think-and-ponder-existence SF novels...


----------



## James Everington (Dec 25, 2010)

Yes, among the weak stuff there's some great indie books to be had out there; recent ones I've liked are:

Elephant by Jim Breslin (literary short stories - think Raymond Carver)
Ice Age by Iain Rowan (creepy horror/surreal short stories)
Loisaida by Marion Stein (multi-viewpoint novel set in 80s New York)

James


----------



## RedTash (Aug 14, 2011)

If you enjoy poetry, I'm highly recommending Christina M. Grey's The Hole Between Mine and Yours. It's smart, naughty, feminine...I love it:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ES06JI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=myxangaweblog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B005ES06JI


----------



## Badducky (Sep 20, 2011)

If by "Indie" you mean what is generally meant by Indie, that it came from small presses and independent presses that could include the author, themself, and could include publishing collectives, and could include operations like Two Dollar Radio, Small Beer Press, etc...

"The Orange Eats Creeps" by Grace Krilanovich might be the best fantasy novel of the last year, though it isn't really an urban fantasy novel in much the same way Iggy Pop is not really Elvis Presley, though they use a lot of the same chords and instruments. This was released by Indie Press "Two Dollar Radio"

Civil Coping Mechanism, a collective I think, published "The Narrator" by Michael Cisco which is a monumental masterpiece of New Weird Epic Fantasy.

Both of those books might be a bit heady for most people just looking for entertainment, and might not meet the definition of "Indie" that seems to be proposed by the original post.

Good Urban Fantasy Superhero book done by the author, directly and alone? Rob Rogers has released Devil's Cape for the Kindle. It was, at one point, published by a traditional press, but that press folded within a month of his excellent book's release. He's been kicked around since, and I think anyone interested in a great, entertaining novel that is a poster child for the failure of mainstream, traditional publishing, should go check it out.

http://www.amazon.com/Devils-Cape-ebook/dp/B004H1U3G4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1316780560&sr=8-2


----------



## Krista D. Ball (Mar 8, 2011)

Badducky said:


> "The Orange Eats Creeps" by Grace Krilanovich might be the best fantasy novel of the last year, though it isn't really an urban fantasy novel in much the same way Iggy Pop is not really Elvis Presley, though they use a lot of the same chords and instruments.


Best sales pitch ever for a book. Sold.


----------



## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

Well, it depends on what kind you like. If you like time travel, I'd recommend:

 or 

I consider time-travel novels a form of fantasy, but not everyone does. Anyway both novels have realistic female characters and the male ones are not excessively testosterone-driven, so you might enjoy them.


----------



## rweinstein6 (Aug 2, 2011)

Two Books I really enjoyed were:
Dark Blonde by David H. Fears is a hardboiled detective novel (not YA obviously, but I wanted to throw it in here because it's REALLY good)
The Zygan Emprise: Renegade Paladins by YS Pascal (YA) was a really good sci-fi/fantasy. 
Hope you pick one of these up and enjoy.


----------



## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Well I am happy to post to this thread.
I will admit that all of my best indie books come from authors who are KB members - that is because I find more than enough good books to read from referrals here. The Books and their authors are:

Boyd Morrison - The Ark (any of Boyd's books - he now has a publisher, but I list him because I read his works before he got the deal).

Jeff Hepple - Gone For A Soldier and other boooks

K.A. Thompson - Charybdis and the follow-on books

R.J. Keller - Waiting for Spring

Layton Green - The Summoner

C.S. Marks - Elfhunter, the whole series

A. Sparrow - Xenolith

Carolyn Kephart - Wysard and Lord Brother

Mike Hicks - In Her Name (all of his books)

D.A. Boulter - Pelgraff

Monique Martin - Out of Time

great stories by Margaret Lake.


There are others that I have left out I am sure.


----------



## Tara Maya (Nov 4, 2010)

djgross said:


> Ilona Andrews is traditionally published, but just self published this novella (which I adored) for $2.99. As you like Sci Fi/Fantasy with realistic female characters, I thought Silver Shark was worth recommending on the thread.


I'm a fan of hers. Thanks for letting me know about this!


----------



## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

Badducky said:


> If by "Indie" you mean what is generally meant by Indie, that it came from small presses and independent presses that could include the author, themself, and could include publishing collectives, and could include operations like Two Dollar Radio, Small Beer Press, etc...
> 
> "The Orange Eats Creeps" by Grace Krilanovich might be the best fantasy novel of the last year, though it isn't really an urban fantasy novel in much the same way Iggy Pop is not really Elvis Presley, though they use a lot of the same chords and instruments. This was released by Indie Press "Two Dollar Radio"
> 
> ...


By "indie" I include ANY independent author, whether published by a small press or self-published, yes.


----------



## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

GUYS, thanks for all the recs! I stepped away from the KB for a day or two b/c I was on a road trip ... and I come back to all these awesome recommendations. I appreciate every one, thanks!


----------



## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I also tend to count the smaller publishing houses along with self-publishing authors when I think of the term 'indie'. I think for some its a pejorative (or at least demeaning) term, but in my mind it's more about being outside the traditional publishing structure than anything .....

anyways, here are some of my independent science fiction/fantasy recommendations:

Brave Men Run by Matthew Wayne Selznick: a superhero/mutant coming of age book in an alternate 1980's.
The Second Coming by David H. Burton: a post-apocalyptic dark fantasy set 500 or so years in the future.
The Gods of Dream by Daniel Arenson: this is a dark fairytale set in the land where our dreams come from.
Regression by Kathy Bell: an alternate history/time travel novel
A Land of Ash by David Dalglish: a short story anthology set in an apocalyptic US where the Yellowstone Caldera has erupted.


----------



## lisarusczyk (Jan 16, 2011)

I edit indie books for a living and they never fail to amaze me. There are so many good writers out there it's ridiculous. I've loved every one I've worked on.

Some favorites that come to mind are:

The Templar Concordat - Terrence O'Brien
Whirl - Emma Raveling
Wizard of Time - GL Breedon
The Gorge - JL McPherson
Setup on Front Street - Mike Dennis
Imperium - Nicholas Olivo

There really are too many to count, but these stayed with me.


----------



## ToniD (May 3, 2011)

For mystery/thriller readers, I'd recommend:

The Devil's Deep, by Michael Wallace

The Shop, by J. Carson Black

Both writers have signed with T&M, but these were Indie-pubbed before that.


----------



## Cliff Ball (Apr 10, 2010)

I enjoyed these Indie books, mostly because I like sci-fi/fantasy

Venom of Vipers by KC May 
Falling Star by Philip Chen
The Sword and the Dragon by MR Mathias
Forbidden the Stars by Valmore Daniels


----------



## Tamara Rose Blodgett (Apr 1, 2011)

"Beautiful Disaster" by Jamie McGuire Ya crossover, contemporary romance.
"Destiny Binds" by Tammy Blackwell, YA paranormal romance

*must buys*!


----------



## Mel Comley (Oct 13, 2010)

I'm working my way through Michael Wallace's books at the moment.

The Righteous was the first of his books that grabbed me, I've also read Devil's Deep and now I'm on The Red Rooster.

He's a wonderful writer and I can see why Thomas and Mercer snapped him up.


----------



## Scott Daniel (Feb 1, 2011)

I really enjoyed "The Friday House" by DK Gaston. http://www.amazon.com/The-Friday-House-ebook/dp/B004G5ZUDW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1316952368&sr=1-1


----------



## lib2b (Apr 6, 2010)

I agree with you about LK Rigel's books 

In terms of YA fantasy, Sherwood Smith, though trad pubbed, has been self pubbing some of her backlist as well as self pubbing and using small presses for some new books.

Crown Duel - originally trad pubbed, but ebook self pubbed with new content added
A Stranger to Command - small press (prequel to the above book, but best read second)

A Posse of Princesses - small press
Wren to the Rescue (Wren Books) - originally trad pubbed, but ebook self pubbed. The first two books in this series are out in ebook as well as a brand new 4th book that went straight the self pubbed route. The 3rd book as an ebook is in the works from what I understand.


----------



## Coral Moore (Nov 29, 2009)

Mel Comley said:


> I'm working my way through Michael Wallace's books at the moment.
> 
> The Righteous was the first of his books that grabbed me, I've also read Devil's Deep and now I'm on The Red Rooster.
> 
> He's a wonderful writer and I can see why Thomas and Mercer snapped him up.


I'll second The Righteous. Best of the indie books I've read this year. It's exciting and has great characterization.


----------



## Michelle Muto (Feb 1, 2011)

Katie Klein is VERY gifted. 

Now, I read mostly in the YA genre, and I typically prefer paranormal, so here's my picks:

Swarm by Megg Jensen
Bone Dressing by Michelle Brooks
Meant to Be by Tiffany King
Mortal Obligation by Nicole Chase
Hex by Ramona Wray
Portal Chronicles by Imogen Rose


----------



## William G. Jones (Sep 6, 2011)

Coral Moore said:


> I'll second The Righteous. Best of the indie books I've read this year. It's exciting and has great characterization.


Just bought it and looking forward to it. The reviews look amazing.


----------



## J.L. McPherson (Mar 20, 2011)

Alan Ryker's _Burden Kansas _ is outstanding. Another one that comes to mind is _Killer_ by Stephen Carpenter. I just finished reading _The Harvest _ by Scott Nicholson, the dude is just an amazing storyteller. Pretty much anything by David Daglish is going to be great and the _Bigfoot Wars _ series by Eric S Brown was one of the funnest books I've read in years.

Lisa, thanks for the kind words !


----------



## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

Michelle Muto said:


> Katie Klein is VERY gifted.
> 
> Now, I read mostly in the YA genre, and I typically prefer paranormal, so here's my picks:
> 
> ...


Oh yeah, Megg Jensen and Tiffany King are really cool people too ...

I THINK I've downloaded the sample for Bone dressing and Portal Chronicles, but I'll have to check. Thanks!


----------



## Michelle Muto (Feb 1, 2011)

A few more I can recommend:

The Dirty Parts of the Bible by Sam Torode (clearly not YA)
Favorite and Life On Hold, both by Karen McQuestion
Wrecker by Dave Conifer (again, not YA)
Bullied by Christopher Smith
Vampire in America series by D.B. Reynolds. They're from small press publisher ImaJinn (definitely NOT YA!!!!)


----------



## hmadkins (May 8, 2011)

I recently finished "Gothica" by Jack Wallen. It was a fantabulous horror novel. The kind that makes my skin crawl. I actually had to stop reading at a couple points and give myself a break because my heart was pounding so. Very lyrical writing.

For YA, I highly recommend Talia Jager. Her YA dramas are very raw and real, and her two paranormals are fresh. She's great.


----------



## samanthawarren (May 1, 2011)

I've read sooooo many awesome indie books lately. Here are some of my absolute favorites:

Vs. Reality by Blake Northcott
Six Moon Summer by SM Reine 
Pale Queen's Courtyard by Marcin Wrona 
Legacy of the Empress by Rebecca Knight
Knight Errant by KD Sarge
 
And I'm currently reading Voidhawk by Jason Halstead


----------



## M.Eddie Mc (Mar 10, 2011)

Heather Marie Adkins is good, and The Temple sounds like it might be to your liking. Paranormal YA with Romance, but not so much that it knocks you over the head.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Temple-ebook/dp/B0057XOQ1E


----------



## LizzyFord (Jan 4, 2011)

I was trapped at the airport waiting for my flight for about 8 hours Friday, so I downloaded a few indie books on my Kindle. I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed them all! They were:

"Coexist: Keegan's Chronicles" by Julia Crane. http://www.amazon.com/Coexist-Keegans-Chronicles-1-ebook/dp/B0055HFZ3A/  This one is a YA fantasy about elves who live among us and a war between the light and dark elves, which occurs around the romance of two elves who were never supposed to meet but did. I was mad at Julia at the end - I loved her main male character, Rourke, and was just so heartbroken by what happened to him. Julia's got a really strong storytelling ability, and her story line was unique. If she got a reaction out of me, I know the story was good.

"The Temple" by Heather Marie Adkins. http://www.amazon.com/The-Temple-ebook/dp/B0057XOQ1E/ I don't remember if this is a YA or not, but it's about a girl with superhuman powers coming of age. She moves to London and takes a job that ends up taking her directly to her fate - and her soul mate. Heather has a strong, terrific writing style. I wasn't expecting what happened at the end, but it played out so well. I love happy endings!!

"Kissed by Darkness" by Shea MacLeod. http://www.amazon.com/Kissed-Darkness-Sunwalker-Saga-ebook/dp/B0058PIWJ8/ This one is a paranormal romance about a vampire slayer who runs into something worse than a vampire: a Sunwalker, a super sexy creature of super human strength who the protagonist thinks is a bad guy until she discovers he's ... sort of not. He's kind of a mysterious figure, and I liked him quite a bit! This one is more mainstream paranormal romance.

That's all I have for now ... I'm traveling again this weekend, so I should have the chance to read more books at the airport.


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

****Reminder:  we're in the Book Corner -- please don't suggest your own books. : ****


----------



## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

lib2b said:


> I agree with you about LK Rigel's books
> 
> In terms of YA fantasy, Sherwood Smith, though trad pubbed, has been self pubbing some of her backlist as well as self pubbing and using small presses for some new books.
> 
> ...


There's a prequel to Crown Duel!?? That was one of my favorite books as a teen!

*runs to find it*


----------



## alan nayes (Jan 11, 2011)

My most recent reads are:
LIFE IS BUT A DREAM by Cheryl Shireman 
THE TEMPLE by Heather Marie Adkins
COEXIST by Julia Crane
KATIE'S HELLION by 4000-book-a-month-sales Lizzy Ford
I ZOMBIE I by Jack wallen
ROMANCE NOVEL by P J Jones
and I'm currently reading SECRET BLOODLINES by Talia Jager. 

All came highly recommended and I concur!


----------



## PJJones (Apr 5, 2011)

Picking one book is hard as I tend to genre hop. It really depends on my mood. 

I did not read IZombieI by Jack Wallen, but I did laughed out loud when I read Shero, the Transgender Superhero. 

I also love any of Shea MacLeod's and Lizzy Ford's paranormals. I'm reading The Temple right now by Heather Adkins and the plot is quite unique. I've never read anything like it. 

Alan, I read Barbary Point when it first came out and I hope you publish more like it. Really. 

I have recently read M. Edward McNally's shorts, volumes I and III and now am reading volume II. Don't ask why I'm working in that order, or why I am reading two books at once. I have no idea. My favorite so far has been volume III. I absolutely LOVE the terrier story, mostly because terriers are my favorite dogs and he was spot on with the dog's character. Actually, he's pretty spot on with people, too. I'm rambling. I need some sleep.


----------



## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

It seems like a ton of people are reading The Temple right now ... the cover is gorgeous too. I will definitely be checking that one out in the future, I think.


----------



## lib2b (Apr 6, 2010)

KateEllison said:


> There's a prequel to Crown Duel!?? That was one of my favorite books as a teen!
> 
> *runs to find it*


There is! It's all about the hero in Crown/Court Duel while he's basically at military school. I liked Crown/Court Duel better, but it was still a good read and nice to get to know Vidanric better.

Also, the e-book version of Crown Duel has added bonus scenes from Crown Duel from Vidanric's POV instead of Mel's that we get in the normal book.


----------



## KateEllison (Jul 9, 2011)

lib2b said:


> There is! It's all about the hero in Crown/Court Duel while he's basically at military school. I liked Crown/Court Duel better, but it was still a good read and nice to get to know Vidanric better.
> 
> Also, the e-book version of Crown Duel has added bonus scenes from Crown Duel from Vidanric's POV instead of Mel's that we get in the normal book.


This is so amazing. Thanks for letting me know!


----------



## Coral Moore (Nov 29, 2009)

J.L. McPherson said:


> Alan Ryker's _Burden Kansas _ is outstanding.


That's another good one! While we're on the subject of vampire books. I was also really impressed with Jennifer Rainey's _These Hellish Happenings_ A more humorous treatment of vampires that I really enjoyed.


----------



## emilyward (Mar 5, 2011)

I'm totally bookmarking this thread for future visits!

Personally, I loved the Talent Chronicles by Susan Bischoff and Solstice by PJ Hoover. Both YA and contemporary fantasy.


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

****a reminder. . . .here in the book corner self promotion is not permitted.  Please do not suggest your own titles.  ***


----------



## klouholmes (Jul 16, 2011)

I enjoyed KC Hilton's The Magic of Finkleton. It has historical and rural atmosphere and also takes the young reader into a scary weather challenge - and with language that works for the age group.


----------



## amiblackwelder (Mar 19, 2010)

I would recommend Wiccan, or Dark Love, or the many others that are so good! Hush Money


----------



## I love books (Aug 12, 2011)

I'm currently reading The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan. The story really draws you in.


----------



## JackDAlbrecht (Sep 24, 2011)

Imago Chronicles: Book One, A Warrior’s Tale. It is a great book by Lorna T. Suzuki. It has recently optioned for a movie as well, and the protag is actually a woman named Nayla Treeborn. I think you would love it.


----------



## ToniD (May 3, 2011)

Anybody have any recommendations for great Indie books in the mystery/suspense/thriller category? I've read and loved books by Michael Wallace, J Carson Black, Mary McDonald, and Mary Anna Evans, and I'm looking for more in that vein.


----------



## N. Gemini Sasson (Jul 5, 2010)

For something a little different from what's been mentioned so far, I've read and enjoyed:

The Last Letter by Kathleen Shoop - HF set in the late 19th century Badlands

Einstein's Shutter by Vincent Yanez - A poignant memoir of self-discovery in post 9/11 NYC, told with a dose of humor

Broken Laces by Rodney Walther - A recently widowed single father tries to reconnect with his son and build a new life

Jack: A book about a dog where the dog doesn't die at the end by Ray Braswell - A humorous read for dog lovers


----------



## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

ToniD said:


> Anybody have any recommendations for great Indie books in the mystery/suspense/thriller category? I've read and loved books by Michael Wallace, J Carson Black, Mary McDonald, and Mary Anna Evans, and I'm looking for more in that vein.


LJ Sellers has a GREAT series.

Is the first book.


----------



## mistyd107 (May 22, 2009)

BTackitt said:


> LJ Sellers has a GREAT series.
> 
> Is the first book.


this is another fantastic series


----------



## ToniD (May 3, 2011)

BTackitt said:


> LJ Sellers has a GREAT series.
> 
> Is the first book.


Thanks for rec!! In fact, that book is in my also-boughts. Two good reasons to give it a read.


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

_***again, as a reminder, we're in the book corner. Authors should not suggest their own books. Thank you.  ***_


----------



## Harry Shannon (Jul 30, 2010)

Dave Zeltserman is best known for hardboiled stuff, but has some delightful award-winning Julius Katz and Archie mystery stories out on Kindle now (first published in Ellery Queen magazine).

PS Just remembered some are free as a teaser


----------



## emmameade83 (Nov 14, 2011)

Bone Dressing by Michelle Brooks was a fun read. Young adult paranormal re past lives. 
Taming the Vampire for those who enjoy a spicy story


----------



## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

I love love loved this book:










http://www.amazon.com/Kafkas-House-ebook/dp/B003NNV10O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1321284997&sr=1-1

Dawn


----------



## N. Gemini Sasson (Jul 5, 2010)

If you like to savor language, here are two beautifully written books:

Just finished The Silver Mist by Martin Treanor (I believe this is from a small press). One of those stories where I read absolutely every word, didn't want it to end, but couldn't stop reading. I stayed up until 2 a.m. to finish it last week. It's about a young woman with Down's Syndrome who sees the world around her in a different and captivating way. (FYI - I shed a few tears over this one.)



And now reading Daisychains of Silence by Catherine MacLeod. Daisy's memories return to her while visiting her mother, who's now afflicted with dementia.


----------



## Jan Strnad (May 27, 2010)

ToniD said:


> Anybody have any recommendations for great Indie books in the mystery/suspense/thriller category? I've read and loved books by Michael Wallace, J Carson Black, Mary McDonald, and Mary Anna Evans, and I'm looking for more in that vein.


Then you should definitely check out Harry Shannon's Mick Callahan series!


----------



## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

BTackitt said:


> LJ Sellers has a GREAT series.
> 
> Is the first book.


Love this series. My credit card stands ready to snap up the next Det. Jackson.


----------



## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Kinda surprised no one has suggested these yet. So here they are:

   

Blood of Requiem isn't quite YA (the other three are), but it's very, very good.


----------



## Lyndl (Apr 2, 2010)

David McAfee said:


> Kinda surprised no one has suggested these yet. So here they are:
> 
> 
> 
> Blood of Requiem isn't quite YA (the other three are), but it's very, very good.


I'll second these two nominations. Portal Chronicles were mentioned earlier in the thread and is a great series. I recently read Blood of Requiem and loved it! It has my favourite kind of dragons


----------



## StephenEngland (Nov 2, 2011)

I personally love thrillers--the suspense/espionage kind. My favorite NY authors are Daniel Silva and Tom Clancy, just to give you a feel for my taste.

As far as indies. . . Robert Bidinotto's debut thriller, Hunter, was excellent.
Gary Ponzo's Nick Bracco thrillers are also pretty good. R.E. McDermott's Deadly Straits is a nautical thriller by a lifelong seaman, and it shows.


----------



## Guest (Nov 15, 2011)

What a lovely post. I don't read much YA, but I did love the movie Easy A and I agree there are some great indie books out there.


----------



## ScottLCollins (Dec 7, 2009)

I just finished Wendy and the Lost Boys by Barbara Silkstone. Fun and funny. Great female protagonist!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FKHKTE/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_g351_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1AMMKC3MW5G4GZTR7CJ0&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846


----------



## Colin Taber (Apr 4, 2011)

You might want to consider Treespeaker, which is an enjoyable and refreshing fantasy read. I'm pretty impressed with the author, the title is a polished debut.


----------



## BRONZEAGE (Jun 25, 2011)

HF of substance and with an unusual setting, by Lisa Yarde:

 and


----------



## emmameade83 (Nov 14, 2011)

I'm hearing good thinks about Kait Nolan's *Red*, a YA paranormal book. It's getting great reviews. I have dozens of books on my to-read list including this.


----------



## James Conway (Jul 7, 2011)

Space Junque sounds very interesting. I'll have to check it out.

But I know what you mean about Indie authors. I looked around for about 5 years for a traditional publisher before publsihing on Kindle. I think that a traditional publisher would think that my book is too much of a "niche" book to be profitable. So Kindle and the internet have really opened up the doors for a lot of great writers who otherwise would never have seen the light of day.

_sorry, no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar_


----------



## teashopgirl (Dec 8, 2011)

I'd like to recommend THE BOYFRIEND THIEF by Shana Norris. Enjoyable contemporary YA.


----------

