September is Self-Published Fantasy Month. I haven't been very involved this year, but last year I did a big post of Self-Published Fantasy Books I recommend and I've been meaning to add more to it. The reason I haven't gotten to it earlier this month is partly the entry at the top of the list that completely absorbed my attention for around 10 days, and partly because weekend before last instead of blogging I was watching the absolutely amazing Fiyahcon panels.
These add up to 21 series/books, but 37 individual books, according to my cover count that I hope I didn't mess up.
New entries since last year:
Stariel by A.J. Lancaster
The Lord of Stariel, The Prince of Secrets, The Court of Mortals, The King of Faerie
This entire series is so good. It's a secondary world romantic fantasy set in an early twentieth century time period. It starts off as an inheritance plot, the old lord has died and the MC is coming back from the big city for the ceremony to see who'll inherit the magical country estate. And the plot gets more complicated with the secrets running deeper as each book grows. The magic is lots of fun, there are fae, always love their mix of allure and trouble, and the characters are a delight. The writing style is lovely and easy to breeze through. So very strongly recommend.
A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
This strange middle-grade novel is so much fun! I loved how creative the use of magic was, all to do with baking. Also some really good points about systems letting children down. Much higher body count than I'd expect from MG novels, and good mix of light and heavy stuff.
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
Another absolutely delightful fantasy romance with faeries. Yes loving this subgenre! This one is a lot sweeter and maybe in some ways gentler than Stariel, but it's also a joy and I highly rec. The dynamic between the romantic leads is so fun and bantery, I couldn’t get enough of them. I loved the way only having half a soul affected Dora, she was still sweet but very emotionally detached from everything.
Heart of Stone by Johannes T. Evans
Another romance! This one M/M, also historical, between a vampire with ADHD and his autistic secretary (terms aren't actually used in the book but author confirmed that's what he was going for). The cheerful/reserved pairing is turning into a favorite dynamic for me. The slowest of possible slow burns it made for a very quick a gripping read. I loved the main couple and the other characters that we get to meet, like the very fun pair of other vampires.
Into the Labyrinth by John Bierce
This book is so much fun. It's a cheerful progression fantasy, set a a magic school with great characters and excellent found family vibes. Personally huge fan of the big dude who's very cheerful and friendly. The magic's very detailed and I love being back at a school, learning about how magic works and reading about interesting creatures. It's a comfort read for when you're in the mood for going back to a familiar sort of magic school setting and story.
The Magpie Lord by K.J. Charles
Another romance? I'm really getting into this subgenre, another super fun and enganging M/M story, this one with a lot more heat and a great dynamic between characters. The plot and atmosphere is that of a dark mystery, with a creepy Victorian mansion and lots of family secrets.
Grimluk, Demon Hunter by Ashe Armstrong
A Demon in the Desert, Demon Haunted
I'd read book one A Demon in the Desert earlier, but added Demon Haunted since the last list. The first book is ok, a fun wild west adventure with a seasoned Orc demon hunter giving off Clint Eastwood vibes, an isolated mining town, a powerful demon and a very cheesy pun, I enjoyed it a lot. The second book gets even better, the characters are more fleshed out and we get to meet the lovely Orc family.
Previous entries on the list, streamlined a little bit and grouped by series in this version:
The Dark Abyss of our Sins by Krista D. Ball
The Demons We See, The Nightmare We Know
Goodreads, Amazon, My full review of both books out in this series
Mid-Lich Crisis by Steve Thomas
Mid-Lich Crisis is the story of Darruk Darkbringer, hero of legend, evil undead necromancer despot, lich and entrepreneur, prophesied to save the world by sacrificing to the blood moon. When his nemesis, Brynn Brightstorm the barbarian, foils his attempts to save the world yet again, he’s forced to try a different approach. If people keep calling him the e-word he’s gonna do his damnedest to prove that he’s not. Excellent use of footnotes.
Less Valued Knights by Liam Perrin
Sir Thomas the Hesitant and the Table of Less Valued Knights, Faycalibur
The most hopeful thing ever, brimming with optimism and humor, feels like a warm hug. Set in and around Camelot it’s a great little adventure with lovely characters such as a reformed evil wizard and a shrinking giantess. Book two sees the characters and the stakes grow, but not enough of the awesome granda Farmer imo.
First book is free on the author's website
Goodreads, Amazon, My full review of book 1
Ladies Occult Society by Krista D. Ball
A Magical Inheritance, A Ghostly Request
A witty and delightful fantasy of manners. Features lots of geeking out magical books, sooo many books, and in book 2 a lot of making dresses and planning dresses and stressing over dresses. Charming characters except for the ones that I would like to very throughly punch in the face with a chair. Much more fun than I'd though slice of life books about books and dresses and family could be.
Goodreads, Amazon, My full review of book 1, book 2
Queens of the Wyrd by Timandra Whitecastle
I absolutely loved it, and it very much surpassed my expectations of “ a fun KotW but with women Vikings”, going full speed on the feel train. Although it started out looking like a fun little adventure, getting the band back together, etc, Queens ended up complex both in scale, and in all the little ways it called out various bullshit, both between the characters, and general perceptions.
Spirit Caller by Krista D. Ball
Spirits Rising, Dark Whispers, Knight Shift, Mystery Night, Dead Living, Blood Family
A series of 6 novellas, that I always want more of. It’s an urban(rural?) fantasy about Rachel, who can see ghosts and has moved to a very small town in Newfoundland, dealing with various ghostly threats to herself and the town. It’s got parts that are scary, intense and deals with some dark themes, but also much cozy awesome friendships and a dopey crush. I like light with my darkness, and this book shines.
Goodreads, Amazon, My full review of books 1-3, 4-6
Yarnsworld by Benedict Patrick
They Mostly Come Out at Night, And They Were Never Heard From Again, Where the Waters Turn Black, Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords
Books that weave together fantasy and folklore. They Mostly Come Out at Night is in a sort of Native American inspired setting, a dark fantasy where legends come to life in remote woods. Where the Waters Turn Black is about a girl and a monster, in a polynesian inspired archipelago. Those Brave, Foolish Souls from the City of Swords sort of North America with spanish colonizers and a very strong theme of not meeting your heroes. They can pretty much be read in any order. I think And They Were Never Heard From Again, the short story or novella, is still free on Amazon if you want to get a taste.
Goodreads, Amazon, My full review of Where the Waters Turn Black, Those Brave, Foolish Souls From the City of Swords, They Mostly Come Out At Night
DFZ by Rachel Aaron
Minimum Wage Magic, Part-Time Gods, Night Shift Dragons
DFZ (Detroit Free Zone) is the new series by Rachel Aaron, taking place in Detroit, 20 years after the events in Heartstrikers. I thought it was fun, exciting and quick.The story follows Opal, a young Korean Mage, moved to the DFZ to get away from her controlling family. She works as a cleaner, but more in a Storage Wars kind of way, bidding for apartments and selling the stuff that’s in them, plus cleaning, after people get evicted. It also scratches the “mundane job in a fantasy world” itch. It's lots of fun, heavy on magic, spirt magic and in the end of the series a good amount of dragons.
Goodreads, Amazon,My full review of books 1 and 2 in this series , book 3
Changing Faces (New Game Minus #1) by Sarah Lin
I think this could be a good choice for some people looking check out some LitRPG, but aren’t really that familiar with game mechanics. Bloodwraith, formally an undead necromancer, switched bodies with the adventurer that almost killed him.Now finds himself reincarnated in the adventurer’s body, starting out in The Forest of Beginnings, where he is plagued by accursed boxes.
The Dark Profit Saga by J. Zachary Pike
Orconomics & Son of a Liche
What happens in a world where the 40% of the economy is based on loot from monsters, when you start running out of loot?
You could say Orconomics is just a book of adventuring fun on a background of a financial crisis, but that would be selling it short. It’s great commentary on the unsustainability of any economy based around a bubble, if you replace “Professional Heroics” with “Loans or other stuff I don’t normally pay attention to” you’ve got our daily life.
Goodreads, Amazon, My full review of Orconomics and Son of a Liche
Fortune’s Fool (Eterean Empire #1) by Angela Boord
Not my usual fare, but a lovely chonker mixing politics, revenge and romance in a setting inspired by Renaissance Italy. It's strength is in the characters and just how detailed everything seems.
The Mage-Born Anthology by Kayleigh Nicol
A short story anthology following 7 very different siblings, having to hide the same secret. The first character very much wants to be left alone with her books, so relatable.
Balam, Spring (Ustlian Tales #1) by Travis M. Riddle
Balam, Spring starts very idyllic countryside mystery, think Murder She Wrote, and then strays a bit into some horror territory. The protagonist is a sort of doctor.
Self-Published Fantasy Month is a month-long celebration highlighting the best of what the self-published fantasy community has to offer. They’re a bunch of bloggers, authors, and podcasters hoping other reviewers, bloggers, podcasters, bookstagrammers, and vloggers will join as we spotlight fantastic indie authors and their incredible works. Check out their website, twitter and instagram for more self-pub love.
I love this list, and I see a bunch of books I’d live to read. Especially Queens of the Wyrd, which I always see everywhere😁
These look good! I love T. Kingfisher’s horror so I’ve been interested in her juvenile fiction. Glad you give it a glowing review.
This is good list to have! The Lancaster books sound really fun.
The Rachel Aaron stuff looks good too. Being from Michigan I love the idea of the DFZ Detroit Free Zone 🙂
My favorite from this list is Half a Soul which I discovered recently (along with its sequel Ten Thousand Stitches) and really adored. Stariel books, I hear you there. But Krista D. Ball is a new find for me, I need to go look up more of her books. Thank you for the recs!
Queens of the Wyrd is so good, and now it’s got a new pretty cover!
I’ve loved her YA stuff and I keep meaning to check out her horror lol
The DFZ is so cool! I’ve never been to Detroit but I love how it’s described as a living city
I’ve been sleeping on Ten Thousand Stitches and I really need to get to it. Krista’s books are some of my favorites all around, highly rec!