Indie Books You Should Read

Please Note: This post contains affiliate links to products, which means that we may receive a commission for purchases. For more information, see our disclosures here. Thanks for your support!

 

Dear Michael,

Given the release of my debut women’s fiction novel at the start of this month, Claudia and I have been discussing reading and books more than usual. When she mentioned that she’s doing a lot more reading on her new Kindle these days and would like some recommendations for quality self-published or small press books, we quickly realized that this is a topic that may interest you as well.

Today’s post is not specific to life abroad, but we still believe you’ll find something that will intrigue you–and there are a number of memoirs that focus on international life / were written by fellow expats so be sure to check out that section in particular if you’d like.

The following list is made up of only books / series I have personally read and can recommend. I have countless other indie books and authors on my “TBR” (to be read) pile. However, I have limited this list to books I have completed, in keeping with our policy to only recommend things we have personally tried on this blog. Of course, reading preferences are very subjective but I feel confident standing behind these titles.

 

Dystopian fiction

Age of the Almek by Tara A. Lake

What it’s about:
They are taught that desertion is death and loyalty is life – The Almek must look to the future and ignite change if they are to cure the water and save humanity.

Man-made pollution has altered Earth’s water making it too toxic for human consumption–with the exception of a single underground, uncontaminated spring in Michigan. The last living humans cultivate the land and manage survival. Together they have formed The Almek civilization.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this novel and the way Lake somehow managed to develop so many complex characters. Despite the large cast, I always felt able to keep them all straight and to feel sympathy for all—well at least most of—the characters. I appreciated how Lake revealed different character’s real connections and motivations incrementally through the novel, shocking us with quite a few twists at the very end.

This is Book 1 in a series, with Book 2 yet to be released.

 

No Pain No Game by Lucie Ataya

What it’s about:
In this alternate version of modern-day Britain, sky-high crime rates and a state of economic crisis mean people live in a climate of fear – while yearning for change, hope and justice.

To tackle the nation’s prison overcrowding issue, Sean Cravanaugh, a fearsome television magnate, has devised a radical and controversial solution: a live televised show, pitching selected convicted criminals against one another in a series of dangerous and painful challenges, a fight for their lives and a rare chance at freedom.

My thoughts:
I found this book to be very well-written, intricate, and thought-provoking. It’s essentially a contemplation of good and evil with Hunger Games-esque vibes. The fact that it’s criminals being put into these inhumane challenges opens the floor to deeper questions of morality. I enjoyed the many different characters and the ways their stories intertwine in the end.

This is a standalone novel.

 

Sci-fi / Fantasy

Heavy is the Head (duology) by Katrina N. Lewis

What it’s about:
Paths cross. Love blooms. War rages.

“By order of His Majesty the king…” These words changed Calla Emery’s life forever. With her father missing and her mother falling ill, Calla is forced to enter the world of nobility to leave her family’s commoner status behind to land a wealthy husband – despite her family’s messy history with the royal family.

My thoughts:
I don’t usually read fantasy books so I can’t speak to genre expectations, but I really enjoyed the writing, characters, and worldbuilding. Katrina N. Lewis has been one of the indie authors who has opened my mind to paranormal fantasy romance and, in these books in particular, shape shifting dragons. I also love what she’s doing with her all Black casts of characters.

This duology is complete and includes: Heavy is the Head: Love & War (#1) and Heavy is the Head: Kingdom Come (#2)

 

A Tangle of Dreams by Nicole Adair

What it’s about:
Gemma and Oliver have been best friends their entire lives. But no matter how well Ollie thinks he knows Gemma, there’s one secret standing between them, one secret she swore she’d never tell: magic is real. And she’s waited her whole life to have it.

On their seventeenth birthday, Gemma and her twin brother, Milo, will be Claimed by one of the three branches of magic. Only then will they have access to the power they’ve always seen but been unable to touch.

My thoughts:
This book takes place in such a beautiful setting in the deserts of Arizona and explores a world where magical powers are real. I most related to Ollie, as the character who came into this magical world without any previous knowledge, much like us as the reader. I enjoyed that the magic system in this book was quite different from any other one I’ve heard of and would also categorize the story as young adult and magical realism.

This is Book 1 in a series, with Book 2 yet to be released. (I’ll be honest, this book wasn’t marketed as such so I didn’t know until I got to the end which kinda annoyed me but I believe if you go in with this expectation you’ll really enjoy it!)

 

Identity Saga by Tenaya MKD

What it’s about:
— Does it matter who you used to be if you know who you are now? —

Every day she wakes up in a new body, in a new life, with no memory of who she is.

Just as she begins to believe she might be in hell, a charming stranger with autumn-colored eyes assures her the truth is even weirder.

There are others like her who can do the impossible, and a dangerous organization is hunting them all.

My thoughts:
I must say, I’m not usually a fan of superhero stories, but this saga has provided me with a very enjoyable introduction! While I’m not really one who can be impressed by fight scenes (not to say that they weren’t great, they’re just not my thing), what I was touched by throughout these books were the human aspects. Between the strained family relations, growing romantic feelings, and deep friendships, there’s a lot to unpack in this series, especially Book 2.

This trilogy includes: New Identity, Powered Identity, and a not-yet-published Book 3

 

Non-fiction / Memoir

In Body I Trust by Lauren Dow

What it’s about:
A lot can happen in seven days, especially for someone with mental illness.

Amelia is about to turn 30, but instead of celebrating, she is overpowered by her battle against anxiety and depression driven by the inner voices of her little monster-her eating disorder.

Based on a true story, In Body I Trust dives into the mind of Amelia as she struggles to swim from the deepest, darkest parts of herself back to the surface, before it’s too late.

My thoughts:
Okay, so technically this is fiction, but it’s based on the author’s lived experiences struggling with depression, disordered eating, and attempted suicide so it read more like a memoir to me. It’s not a light read, by any means, but I found it to be really powerful. I would especially recommend it to anyone with a loved one who struggles with these same demons; it helped me understand the disordered thought process so much.

This is a standalone novel.

 

Em’s Awful Good Fortune by Marcie Maxfield

What it’s about:
Part dysfunctional marriage, part global romp, this is not your typical expat story. Em’s Awful Good Fortune is a deeply personal, marriage-coming-apart-at-the-seams look at the struggle between a woman’s desire for partnership and her need for identity. Fueled by twin demons, love and rage, Em stomps her way around the world, coming to terms with the fantasy of having it all: husband, kids, and a career.

My thoughts:
I found this to be a particularly interesting story to listen to as an audiobook. It tells the tale of a “tagalong spouse” as she uproots her life and family to follow her husband’s career through Los Angeles, Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Seoul. For me, the resulting book was a pretty fascinating–and funny–take on her life moving to different countries. (This story is marketed as a novel, but from what I understand it is basically a memoir.)

This is a standalone novel.

 

Nest by Catriona Turner

What it’s about:
When Catriona Turner seized the opportunity to leave Scotland for a three-year stay in southern France with her fiancé, she had no idea that over a decade later, she would have moved on from the Pyrenean foothills to the bustling urban hills of Kampala, the dusty Atlantic beaches of Congo, and the flat suburbs of Denmark.

But adventure came at a price. Away from her career, raising children between international moves, Catriona lost her sense of direction.

My thoughts:
I was enthralled by this (true blue) memoir! It’s filled with the adventures you would expect from a travel / expat story, but it dives so much deeper than that. Author Catriona Turner really opens up about the side of expat life that we don’t talk about enough, revealing mental health struggles and shining a light on the upheaval and loss of self that so often comes along with the beautiful adventures. Nest is a well-written, heartfelt, deep, yet humorous account of finding home within yourself.

This is a standalone novel.

 

At Home Anywhere by Rachael Lynn

What it’s about:
How do you navigate the changes that come with moving across the country, or perhaps perpetually around the globe? Full of hard-won tips and wisdom, At Home Anywhere is part memoir, part loving letter full of advice on how to lead a more joyful and worthwhile life for those who suddenly find themselves uprooted.

My thoughts:
We’ve actually talked about this book on the blog already, so I will direct you to both the review we posted as well as my personal reflections based on the journaling prompts. Still, I couldn’t make the list without it. I’m actually contemplating returning to it in the next couple months as I feel the advice and prompts are valuable to come back to at different points in your journey (as an expat, or just as someone looking to feel more at home within themself).

This is a standalone novel.

 

Women’s Fiction

Take the Plunge by Susan Carew

What it’s about:
Still reeling from the loss of her beloved father and her part in his death, Claire takes refuge in alcohol, cake, and online dating, but nothing helps. These days the only thing that makes her happy is swimming, be it in the pool or the sea.

So when Claire’s swim club organises an open water swimming holiday in Spain, it seems like the ideal antidote to her woes. She persuades her best friend to take the plunge and come along too. After all, what’s the worst that can happen?

My thoughts:
The fact that it’s written by a fellow women’s fiction author living here in the south of Spain makes this book extra cool to me. While reading, I felt totally immersed in the world of swim clubs, open water swimming, and swimming holidays in Spain. The book was filled with the perfect amount of detail about these things to allow readers to feel in-the-know without it seeming like an unwanted swim lesson. For the most part, the story reads as lighthearted and often comical, but also delivers a punch with heavier hitting topics, in particular loss, grief, and the dreaded Coronavirus.

This is Book 1 in a series, with Book 2 yet to be released.

 

To The Grave by Caitlin Moss

What it’s about:
Three friends.
A lifetime of secrets.

No one knows you like your friends. At least, Emma, Steph, and Quinn have proven that time and time again. But as betrayals and life-altering revelations unfold, their friendship will be changed for the better. But also, for the worse.

My thoughts:
This story is so good, it made me cry at the end. Caitlin Moss is kinda my indie author idol. She writes women’s fiction, with a nice amount of romance, but this book in particular is really about the friendship between the four main characters. This is my favorite book of hers that I’ve read so far, but she has six novels out and if you lean toward romance, you’d probably enjoy her others even more.

This is a standalone novel.

 

The Dream Tamer Chronicles by Elena Carter

What it’s about:
Where do you go when you close your eyes at night?

Lonely and depressed after her husband dies, Tina gets through her days on autopilot. But her nighttime dreams are anything but regular. Everything changes when she wakes up with proof that her dreams are much more than they seem.

My thoughts:
This series is generally considered (urban) fantasy, but I would consider it women’s fiction as well and put it in this category as I think even the reader who doesn’t like fantasy will still enjoy these books. At its core, it’s an exploration of grief through the dream worlds. I thoroughly enjoyed Elena Carter’s take on the meaning and mystical quality of our dreams. I was very intrigued by the many dream worlds and enjoyed going deeper with the different characters as the series went on.

This series is complete and includes: Follow the Hummingbird (#1), Follow the Blue Rabbit (#2), and Follow the Dragonfly (#3)

 

Most Unlikely by Dani J. Norwell

What it’s about:
Stacy’s life is a mess. At only twenty-eight, her pending divorce from Todd has left her feeling lost and directionless, her doubts over motherhood casting a long shadow on her uncertain future.

But then she meets Harry, the owner of the beautiful home in Havenswood that she and Todd always envisioned living in. Over home-cooked meals and deep conversation, the seventy-five-year-old man turns into one of Stacy’s closest friends. Emboldened by Harry’s unwavering belief in her, she begins to approach life differently, take on new challenges, and grow into a new version of herself.

My thoughts:
Of course, I couldn’t complete this list of recommended indie books without shouting out my very own women’s fiction novel. If you’re someone who enjoys stories about self-discovery, transformation, and friendship I believe you will love this novel. So far, readers are particularly connecting with the multi-generational friendship between Stacy and Harry as well as the fact that Stacy is allowed to be messy as she works through this pivotal moment in her life. This is the first full-length novel that I’ve published, but you can find my other works, Fairly Familiar and Snapshots of Spain (both collections of short stories) on my website as well.

This is a standalone novel.

 

Coming-of-Age / Young Adult

The Things We Couldn’t Save by Nicole Bea

What it’s about:
Clarke and Katie have been best friends since elementary school, sharing sleepovers, pizza bagel recipes, and their jobs at a failing ice cream shop. But Katie’s new relationship with Nick, a street racer from a rival high school, leaves Clarke behind. She fills the Katie-shaped hole in her life with Nick’s best friend and fellow racer, Zayne.

But this is not a love story.

As Clarke and Zayne fall for one another, Clarke’s world is rocked with the thrill of street racing, binge drinking, and living in a moment where it feels like everything is changing.

My thoughts:
It’s important to understand that although this book is very much about a relationship, it’s an unhealthy relationship and readers shouldn’t have romance novel expectations. Although it dives into some heavy topics, I found it to be very addictive reading. It also had very thought-provoking moments / plot twists that left me thinking about it long after I finished the book. This is the only novel I’ve read by this author but she has tons (and writes until multiple pen names).

This is a standalone novel.

 

Summer of ‘85 by Richard Fellinger

What it’s about:
In the summer of 1985 at the Jersey Shore, Cara Cassaday was Dan Fehr’s first love. Since then, Dan has endured a series of mismatched relationships and unfulfilled dreams. Now his second marriage is in trouble and he’s stuck writing for a mid-size newspaper in a small city. When he learns that Cara is among the victims of a gun massacre in a Philly hoagie shop, it triggers a chain of emotionally charged reactions as he confronts the realization of a lost love and a life lost—Cara was The One.

My thoughts:
This novel is told in two timelines–half is a love story (in the summer of ‘85), with all the summer love, coming-of-age vibes and the other half is the man’s current day reality, in a bit of a midlife crisis after finding out his summer love was killed in a mass shooting. I’ve never read anything else quite like it and really enjoyed the originality.

This is a standalone novel.

 

Christmas As We Know It by Sarah Sutton

What it’s about:
Christmas as I know it is blown away with the winter wind when my mom drops a bomb the size of the Rockefeller Tree—we’re going to Florida for winter break, AKA the land of no snow. And since this is the last Christmas season of my high school career, my last chance to spend the holidays with my friends before we all go off to college, the news is anything but merry and bright.

My thoughts:
If you enjoy young adult romance novels, Sarah Sutton is an author to add to your list! She’s quite well known in the indie book world with nine different romance novels across two different series. (Though my understanding is that each series is considered a series because the stories take place in the same universe, not because you need to read them all in order.) This is the only book of Sarah Sutton’s that I’ve read yet, so I am specifically recommending this holiday one. It’s very enjoyable, fast reading.

This is a standalone novel.

 

I hope you found something you would enjoy on this list and choose to support one of these independently published authors! If you do so and enjoy the book, I encourage you to leave a review on the site where you purchased it as this can help indie authors tremendously. Then, be sure to pass on the recommendation to a friend. Happy reading to all!

Sincerely,
Dani