April 2026’s Newsletter: “Books Written by Indie Bookstagrammers”
I network on Instagram a lot these days, so plenty of Indie authors’ books have ended up on my TBR. I thought I’d share some with you today!
This book rec list contains books self-published or produced by bookstagrammers. (Bookstagrammers: Instagrammers who post about books and book-related topics. Like me!) I’ve included both books that I’ve already read, and some that are on my TBR but I haven’t had the chance to read yet.
I hope you find something you’ll enjoy!
Books I’ve Read
“Of Monsters and Mainframes” by Barbara Truelove
Genre: LGBTQ+ Paranormal/Horror Sci-fi
Summary: The starship Demeter was on a usual trip between Earth and a space colony, only to arrive at the colony port and discover that her crew and passengers are dead. Awkward. No one believes her when she claims the culprit was an undead entity hiding in a casket in her cargo hold, and no one believes her when her crew and passengers are repeatedly slaughtered by monsters. So it’ll be up to Demeter— now with the reputation of a ghost ship— her morally-grey medical AI, a good werewolf, an ancient pharaoh, an engineer made from pieces of the deceased, a renegade vampire, and a friendly spider robot to hunt down the vampire Dracula and put an end to his slaughtering once and for all.
My Thoughts: This book was published by Ezeekat Press, an indie publisher run by my favorite Instagrammer. I can tell what drew him to it; if there is a single book on this list that I would recommend you pick up, it’s this one.
It’s perfect for fans of “The Murderbot Diaries” and classic monster stories. It has Muderbot’s humor, heart, and AI protagonists while also staying surprisingly true to old horror lore. You don’t need to have read or watched the classics to enjoy this book, but I think you’ll get more out of it if you have. And I can’t tell you how much I love Demeter and Steward!
The chapter titles are exquisitely hilarious as well, reminiscent of the Percy Jackson books.
Yet, as humorous as the book can be, it also allows its characters to be deeply flawed. They lash out at each other in anger, communicate badly, and make poor decisions based on trauma. And the situations they find themselves in get so dangerous or unfair that I just had to peek ahead to see if they made it out okay.
I could keep ranting about this book for hours, but I’ll stop here and let you read it for yourself.
“The Phoenix King” by Aparna Verma
Genre: Romantic Sci-Fi Fantasy
Summary: Elena is about to inherit the crown of Ravence from her father, but their kingdom is in on the brink of war, and traitors, fanatics, and assassins lurk around every corner. Her betrothed brings reinforcements, but also the former assassin Yassen Knight in his retinue. Although Elena finds herself drawn to Yassen, can she trust him? Yassen carries his own secrets as the day of her coronation draws near, and Elena has yet to wield fire, the ancient gift passed from ruler to ruler in the Ravani bloodline. Will these two save Ravence, or burn it?
My Thoughts: This book has fantastically rich world building. With all of the deep histories, civilizations, political intrigue and rising wars, and secrets that shake kingdoms, it was sometimes reminiscent of the Stormlight Archives. The plot was gripping and kept me guessing. Who’s trustworthy? Who’s the Prophet? Every time I thought I’d called the twists, I had the rug pulled out from under me.
The slow burn romance takes them from distrust to lovers in a gradual progression, investing the reader in their romance without distracting us from the other plot-lines. And this isn’t a book where the heroine needs constant rescue by her love interest, even if he is acting as her guard. They watch out for each other.
The conflict escalation around the 3/4 mark feels like a climax, and the book after that feels like a different story— like we’ve moved into a second book rather than a continuation of what we were reading. That would be my only criticism, if any. I found the shift away from political intrigue a little jarring, but I was so invested in the characters by then that I didn’t really mind.
I can’t wait until my library gets book 2!
“Don’t Let the Forest In” by C.G. Drews
Genre: YA LGBTQ+ Romantic Dark Academia Botanical Horror
Summary: Andrew Perrault loves his twisted fairytales, his twin sister Dove, and Thomas Rye. But senior year is turning out different– Dove is keeping Andrew at a distance, and the monsters Thomas draws are coming alive in the forest outside their school. How much are Andrew and Thomas willing to sacrifice to keep the forest out?
My Thoughts: Lyrical writing. Lush, vivid descriptions. Gothic, creepy pacing. I guessed the truth about the monsters before it was revealed, but the other twist caught me by surprise. It was well seeded— I can look back and see the foreshadowing throughout, now I know what to look for. In fact, the book is full of great foreshadowing.
Books I’m Interested In
“Daughter of the Sun: A Mothmar Novel” by Amanda Auler
Genre: YA fantasy
Author’s Summary: Born without a Gift, Solyana must accept being ordinary amidst the extraordinary. But when blizzards devastate her valley and endanger village life, a prophetic sign emerges, proclaiming Solyana the savior. Fulfilling the prophecy means leaving the valley and journeying into greater Mothmar– where every previous expedition has led to death. Unwinding the mysteries of the past and present, Solyana’s choices could spell survival or extinction for those she loves and unknowingly bind her to another…
Pallah, the object of her father’s disdain and overshadowed by her siblings, is desperate for the home she’s never had. Accepted into a group of elusive zealots under the wrong pretenses, Pallah begins to discover she may be as dangerous to herself as she is portrayed to be to others. On a night that changes her life forever, Pallah discovers her Gift is forbidden. Between her new group of friends and the persistent voice in her head, Pallah is pushed toward a decision that could send her into irreversible darkness.
Can Solyana find the truth to the prophecy before she is thrust into the awaiting abyss? Can Pallah discover her true purpose before her world collapses in on itself?
“Depths of Vanalf” by Brady Hunsaker
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Author’s Summary: Magic is earned by venturing through the depths of Vanalf, a dangerous cave filled with monsters, and depending on how people survive, they emerge with different powers. As an initiate, Hallik is determined to go through Vanalf despite the danger, hoping that the magic will help him locate his lost father, but when monsters start showing up on their island, the entire nation is on high alert. This could only mean one thing. The shield that has been protecting them from the fallen world is failing, and it’s only a matter of time before it breaks completely. Hallik pairs up with three others, hoping they can find a way to restore the shield, but their path must first take them through the depths of Vanalf.
“Dragon Thief” by Black & Raven Penn
Genre: YA Fantasy
Author’s Summary: Asher of Steel Rim is an outcast dragon rider who steals from nobles to help save what remains of his family. But, when one particular job catches the eye of a band of magi outlaws, they want to recruit him for his biggest job to steal a true dragon egg. It might be the opportunity he’s been waiting for. Not just to gain riches, but to get revenge on the head of the Mage Hunters—The Black Valkyrie.
“Guard in the Garden: A Cozy Fantasy” by Z.S. Diamanti
Genre: Cozy Fantasy
Author’s Summary: Felton Holdum spent his entire life training to become one of Galium’s elite dwarven warriors. When a bloody battle leaves him injured, he has no choice but to move into his eccentric twin aunts’ quaint home in the town’s quiet Garome District. With his life of military service seemingly over, the captain of the city guard gives Felton his only chance at a fresh start in the new life he never wanted. But when a human woman barges through his front door, the grumpy dwarf starts to wonder if there is more to life than war. The sunshine woman invites him to visit her garden, where Felton gains a new nemesis and a new purpose in life.
Come enjoy the hospitality of the whimsical Garome District. Meet new friends as you sample new breads at the bakery, play a game of Castle Brick at the tavern, and taste homemade pies during the annual pie baking contest at the Fall Festival.
“Virgin River meets The Hobbit” in this heartwarming, feel-good fantasy.
“Memory of Tea and Magic” by Katherine A. Darling
Genre: LGBTQ+ Cozy Fantasy Romance
Author’s Summary: Can the past be overcome or will it tear them apart? When Greyson finds Cyrus injured and with no memories, he struggles with what to do. Cyrus is his enemy, the warrior who stood against Greyson and his people’s rebellion, crushing it. But why did Cyrus come to his mountains? Greyson needs to know, and what it might mean for the future of his people. Any other feelings are just a distraction.
Cyrus wakes up in the middle of the woods with no memories, but something tells him he can trust the broody mage. Time in Greyson’s mountain cabin only affirms that belief. The more time he spends with Greyson, the more an attraction grows between them. While Greyson seems almost desperate to restore his memories, Cyrus doesn’t care. He’s content, happy even, with Greyson. Besides, what if he remembers something he doesn’t want to?
As Greyson leads them across the mountains, searching for a solution to Cyrus’ memory, will they be able to resist the growing feelings between them? And if Cyrus remembers, will the past tear them apart?
“Well of Dreams” by Kayla Ann
Genre: YA Dystopian Fantasy
Author’s Summary: The gods predicted the end, but they never counted on mankind’s will to survive…
After an apocalyptic event that left the world in ruin, the surviving nation of Evrópa returns to the reverence of ancestral magic and mystic runes. Seventeen-year-old Larissa Daldóttir has little time to dwell on such folklore– not with a monthly produce quota to meet and an illegal second-born sister to hide. Enslavement, if not death at the hands of the Empress, awaits her family should Halla be discovered.
When Larissa is mistaken to be in league with the resistance against the Empress, she must flee with Halla. Wounded and hunted by agents of the Empress, Larissa’s survival relies on a mercurial shapeshifter and a mysteriously familiar young man from her forgotten past. Running from both her past and the Empress, Larissa has no choice but to trust in the tenuous bonds built through heartache and tragedy. In a race to find the resistance before the Empress finds them, Larissa and Halla unintentionally unravel secrets of their history that not only unhinge the stability of the crown but their very lives.
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. Instagram is full of fantastic Indie books that deserve more recognition.
If you have any Indie books you’ve seen that you think I’d enjoy, feel free to send a rec my way. (My TBR is already out of control, what’s a few more?)
Thanks for reading!
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