I wanted to do something different from Black Friday. Instead of chasing discounts and buying from big companies, I picked a few books from indie authors. I put out a call on Twitter asking for recommendations for fantasy books available on the Dutch Kobo store since I own a Kobo device. I know there are a lot of indies in Kindle Unlimited and it’s easier for them to find readers. For wide authors, it’s much harder. I still found more books I wanted to buy than my budget allowed so they’re waiting for their turn on my wishlist.
By buying a book from an indie author, you can support an author in multiple ways:
- You give them money
- You teach the algorithm their book sells
- You can leave a review/rating when you’re done reading
Bonus: you can include them in a book haul and show it off to more readers.
Indie Book Haul
7 Figure Fiction – T. Taylor
Summary
There are only, in my humble opinion, two kinds of readers: Readers who love your books and readers who don’t know they love your books yet. But how do you reach those readers in the second category, no matter what kind of writer you are?
The answer to that question is…Universal Fantasy
Universal Fantasy is why my sales tripled when I “accidentally” wrote three books that landed in the Amazon Top 100.
Universal Fantasy is why some authors get gobs of gushing reviews and some authors who write “way better” get crickets.
Universal Fantasy is the answer to many of the questions you might have thought were unanswerable or simply up to luck, like…
• Will this sell?
• Why is that selling?
• Why didn’t this sell?
• Will readers like what I am writing?
• Why do I love the TV shows/books/entertainments I do?
• Why did I buy that thing I bought when I didn’t intend to buy it?
BE WARNED…once known, Universal Fantasy cannot be undiscovered. Leave this book be if you’re truly satisfied with your current writing life.
But if you’re not afraid—if you’re ready to know the secret hidden inside all bestselling stories, open this gift and find out how to use UNIVERSAL FANTASY to write and market books that SELL to ANYONE.
A Gamer’s Wish – Tao Wong
Summary
Given the opportunity to make his dreams comes true, Henry Tsien decides to make a wish that will change his life forever. Now a newly created, low-leveled Mage in a world that has hidden secrets and histories, he’ll need to find a way to survive, level up and pay his rent.
A Gamer’s Wish is a GameLit novel with some game-like elements.
A Healer’s Gift – Tao Wong
Summary
Daniel was Gifted by the gods at birth, able to heal with a touch even the most grievous wounds. Born in a mining camp, he’s unable to still his restless heart and journey’s to a nearby Dungeon town to take his first steps as an Adventurer. Follow his journey in a world filled with monsters, dungeons and a leveling system. A traditional fantasy story with LitRPG elements.
Captive – Vanessa Garden
Summary
In a glittering underwater world, nothing is as it seems…
For the past twelve months since her parents’ death, seventeen-year-old Miranda Sun has harboured a dark secret — a secret that has strained the close relationship she once shared with her older sister, Lauren. In an effort to repair this broken bond, Miranda’s grandparents whisk the siblings away on a secluded beach holiday. Except before Miranda gets a chance to confess her life-changing secret, she’s dragged underwater by a mysterious stranger while taking a midnight swim.
Awakening days later, Miranda discovers that she’s being held captive in a glittering underwater city by an arrogant young man named Marko…the King of this underwater civilisation.
Nineteen-year-old Marko intends to marry Miranda in order to keep his crown from falling into the sinister clutches of his half-brother, Damir. There’s only one problem. Miranda is desperate to return home to right things with her sister and she wants nothing to do with Marko. Trying to secure her freedom, Miranda quickly forms an alliance with Robbie — Marko’s personal guard. However, she soon discovers that even underwater, people are hiding dangerous secrets…
Dreamer – Maria Rachel Hooley
Summary
Cassie Williams is your typical seventeen-year-old. She loves her friends, the beach, and loves being in love. But Cassie is different in one way–she’s dying, and she’s afraid. Still, she’s never alone. Her guardian angel, Legend, has been watching over her. He knows her fears, and in an effort to make her last months on earth count, he takes on a human form. While Cassie loves being in love, she’s never really been in love, and neither has Legend. Both of them are about to discover perfect moments of an imperfect world fitting both the grace of an angel and the hopefulness of a human in spite of a future all but bereft of possibility.
Slippery Creatures – KJ Charles
Summary
Will Darling came back from the Great War with a few scars, a lot of medals, and no idea what to do next. Inheriting his uncle’s chaotic second-hand bookshop is a blessing…until strange visitors start making threats. First a criminal gang, then the War Office, both telling Will to give them the information they want, or else.
Will has no idea what that information is, and nobody to turn to, until Kim Secretan—charming, cultured, oddly attractive—steps in to offer help. As Kim and Will try to find answers and outrun trouble, mutual desire grows along with the danger.
And then Will discovers the truth about Kim. His identity, his past, his real intentions. Enraged and betrayed, Will never wants to see him again.
But Will possesses knowledge that could cost thousands of lives. Enemies are closing in on him from all sides—and Kim is the only man who can help.
A 1920s m/m romance trilogy in the spirit of Golden Age pulp fiction.
The Complete Dragon Sisters – Joyce Chng
Summary
A Qing China period magical fantasy, full of joy, hope, and love. An exciting DRAGON-filled adventure for children aged 8-12+!
The complete omnibus edition of the Dragon Sisters magical Chinese fantasy series includes all three exciting Qing-China inspired tales:
Xiao Xiao & The Dragon’s Pearl
When Xiao Xiao, a daughter of an Imperial Courtesan, meets Ming Zhu, a dragon princess, daughter of the Dragon King, a friendship is formed. But will Princess Ming Zhu ever return back to her watery kingdom and reconcile with her father, the Dragon King?
Ming Zhu & The Pearl That Shines
The adventures of Xiao Xiao and Ming Zhu continues, with this half of the story focusing more on Ming Zhu. Of course, there are recipes, festivals and the intensity of a friendship.
Pearl of the Palace
Xiao Xiao and Ming Zhu have been apart a long time, but now the Nian has risen and it won’t go easily. The uneasy stand-off between the ships of the barbarian West and Qing China is destroyed as the Nian takes the most precious treasure in Xiao Xiao’s life. Can the dragon sisters overcome this ancient creature, or will war and earthquakes destroy their world?
A wonderful story of found families, filial loyalty, and young girls finding their voices, and fighting for what they love. Toss in all the talk of delicious food and you might just end up hungry for more!
Mermaid’s Song – Stacy Claflin
Summary
I live a double life—and it’s about to tangle me in its net.
I’m Marra Ayers, a mermaid pretending to be human. Or at least, I was. It’s over now that my uncle died, making my dad the new king of Valora. My parents are dragging me away from the life I love to our undersea kingdom. And to make matters worse, everybody hates us.
My parents send me straight to the Dark Sea Academy, where the building is creepy and the students are worse. The dean pairs me with a student to show me the ropes.
I get stuck with Bash, who’s one wrong move from being expelled, and showing me around is his latest punishment. He’s as gorgeous as he is arrogant. And an incredible guitarist, as it turns out. Not that it matters. We can’t stand each other, and when my orientation is over, we’ll go our separate ways. Good riddance.
Whispers and glares greet me at every turn, and the most popular girl has it out for me. My first night, she tries to kill me. Then, bloodied and bruised, I run into Bash. And this time, he actually seems to care…
He keeps looking at me with concern in his eyes while giving me this crooked smirk. Kind of makes me forget how irritating he is. Almost makes me forget all my problems.
But I can’t let myself get side-tracked by him. I won’t.
If I’m to survive the academy, I need to focus on staying alive. Unfortunately, that means relying on Bash—and he’s a distraction that could very well cost me everything.
The Fallen Star – Jessica Sorensen
Summary
For eighteen year-old Gemma, life has never been normal. Up until recently, she has been incapable of feeling emotion. And when she’s around Alex, the gorgeous new guy at school, she can feel electricity that makes her skin buzz. Not to mention the monsters that haunt her nightmares have crossed over into real-life. But with Alex seeming to hate her and secrets popping up everywhere, Gemma’s life is turning into a chaotic mess. Things that shouldn’t be real suddenly seem to exist. And as her world falls apart, figuring out the secrets of her past becomes a matter of life and death.
The Spectra Unearthed – Christie Valentine Powell
Summary
Keita thought that being a princess was nothing but trouble even before the power-hungry Stygians took over the Spectra kingdoms. Now she’s on the run, hunted at every turn, and able to trust only a few other royal exiles. Of course she’d like to make her life safe again, but standing up to the Stygians means confronting Jasper Smelt. A former friend, Jasper insists he wants nothing more to keep her safe, but his pitch-black dungeon and fiery threats suggest otherwise.
With help from her friends, Keita escapes, but there is no safe place for former princesses. Banding together despite their different cultures, the girls head into Jasper’s desert kingdom. They soon find themselves in the middle of a conflict between the Stygians and a small rebel group. Hanging in the balance is a colony of children abandoned for having abilities different than their families. Keita wants to help, and she hates feeling helpless. But how can she face Jasper, someone with abilities she couldn’t begin to fight, someone constantly seeking her out, someone who fears everything…except her?
Children – Bjorn Larssen
Summary
Gods make lousy parents.
All Magni wants is peace and quiet, but when your father is the God of thunder, you don’t get to live the life you want. When Thor destroys all his son knows and loves, Magni vows to bring prosperity and end the violence… forever. But can you escape cruelty in a universe built on it, or the shadow of your father when everyone calls you by his name?
Maya, her rage more powerful than she knows, wants freedom to pursue her own destiny. Neither torture nor blackmail can make her obedient or pretty enough for Freya, her foster-mother and Goddess of love. Fighting for independence and revenge, can a mere human win a game where Gods dictate the rules?
2020 Stabby Nominee –Best Self-Published/Independent Novel
“A haunting, brutal, and emotional coming of age story, steeped in Norse mythology and written in spare but lyrical prose, Children is a book that demands to be felt rather than read. Its hard-hitting story and dark humor combine to make this a grim book with lots of heart, a book that will stick with me for a long time.” – Angela Boord, author of Fortune’s Fool
“Faced with gods who are interested only in their own goals, happy to use their own children to further their ambition in the face of a foretold end, Children can be read as allegory or fantasy. Drawing on established Norse myths but adding a unique interpretation, Larssen’s tale made me wince with witnessed pain, and cry, and, once or twice, snort with laughter. His evocative prose will linger in my mind for a long time. Not a book easily forgotten.” – Marian L Thorpe, author of Empire’s Daughter
The Van Helsing Paradox – Evelyn Chartres
Summary
“A gal has to look out for herself after all.”
Clara Grey’s parents once said that the world was a dark and dangerous place. There was more truth than fiction to those words. There were things that lurked in the shadows which defied the laws of nature: perversions that fed on the dead, terrorised the living, or escaped the chill touch of the grave.
Clara is a member of the Tower, a religious order of hunters who work outside the confines of the Church. As keepers of the arcane, her order takes an active role to counter these threats. The life of a hunter can be short, and many disappear before their training is complete. So, what does it take to succeed against all odds?
Explore Clara’s origin, a child born before the dawn of the twentieth century. Witness her rigorous training, how she faces adversity, and fights in the Great War to become the derringer wielding flapper she is.
Throughout her tale, keep in mind that no matter the threat, a gal has to look out for herself after all.
The Grand – Evelyn Chartres
Summary
“Even things that go bump in the night need a place to unwind.”
You will find the Grand nestled atop a cliff that overlooks a cursed valley. Surrounded by foreboding mountains, this ritzy French palatial-style hotel is a place where a roaring party’s success can be measured by its body count. This hotel does not cater to the rich and famous. Instead, its staff and facilities accommodate a clientele with a more discerning palate.
The Grand is a collection of Gothic fantasy stories with an overarching storyline that incorporates supernatural themes. The Roaring Twenties serves as a rich historical, linguistic, and cultural backdrop.
Centred on the Grand’s victims, each story brings a different perspective to the hotel, the staff and their esteemed guests. At the Grand it is always best to remember; even things that go bump in the night need a place to unwind.
Very Interesting titles. Happy Reading all of them