Quick takes on 5 indie books

First off, time flies when you’re editing! It’s been a while since I posted anything, and the next Order of the Spirits book is the reason why. I’m super busy editing Book Two so I can publish it ASAP, but the radio silence here is getting kinda eerie. So, here are my thoughts on some books that I’ve read recently!

  By the way, you can find more book and comic "reviews" from me over at Goodreads. For some reason, I never promoted my Goodreads page here before… Maybe give it a follow if you have an account there? Anyway, let’s get to today's selection!
 

1. Twisting Every Way (Amy Sutphin)

Twisting Every Way is an intriguing story and a fine introduction to what could be a great adventure with complex characters. It took a few chapters for the character’s journey to begin, but overall, I enjoyed this novella.

We follow Emya. She’s a young mage with no training and a bunch of trust issues. She leads a secluded life in a small village that begrudgingly takes care of her, but when her home gets ambushed by mysterious warriors, things start to change. The story’s a bit of a slow burn, mostly because Emya’s cautious personality, but the writing is good and consistent.

The worldbuilding also worked for me. As the story gradually introduces details and characters, we learn more about magic and how it shaped this world. This isn’t as whimsical as it sounds, though. Magic is rather dangerous in this universe, and mages are often seen as part of the problem—which all nicely ties in with Emya’s journey.

The story is solid and it sets foundation for a compelling journey. However, I feel this novella lacks a conclusion… I know that the sequel is coming out there, but I still wish the book had a meaningful closure on its own.
 

2. Dead End Drive (Ian Kirkpatrick)

I listened to the audiobook version of Dead End Drive, and the production quality is superb! The narrator clearly knows his craft—every character felt unique and genuine.

The story itself provides a familiar premise where there’s an estate and a large cast of characters who want to murder each other over it before sunrise. However, I don’t think that plot is necessarily what the book is about. It took me a few chapters to get accustomed to it, but this story is more about some messed-up individuals. It explores how they got that way, why they think and act as they do, and it shows to what end those chosen paths eventually lead them to.

Themes of innocence and control mark this book, with plenty of envy, greed, and trauma cast in the mix. All of this makes for an interesting read, though, given the different degrees of twisted personalities involved, I can see why not everyone would enjoy it. The sheer number of characters and the deep dive into their backstories also means the narrative flow isn’t your usual run of the mill, but again, I think that served the purpose of this story well.

The book is true to itself, and other than it took a bit before it clicked with me, I have no other complaints. Dead End Drive does what it sets out to do, and after the initial acclimation, I had fun with it!
 

3. All Things Weird & Strange (various authors)

All Things Weird & Strange is a quick read and a collection of 6 short stories from 6 different authors. These stories all exhibit supernatural occurrences, some in modern, others in futuristic settings, and we mostly follow younger characters.

I enjoyed the first five stories, whereas the last one had a very imaginative idea, but I felt missed the mark with its execution. There was also a story with some formatting issues in the ebook version (that might’ve been fixed by now), but regardless, this book was a fun read.

My favorite story was It’s a Twin Thing, by Shelly X. Leonn. It’s about two siblings, and it read as a suspenseful introduction to intriguing characters with superpowers! The other stories were also nice, but this one really left me wanting more...

Anyway, as the title suggests, the accent of this book is on the weird and the strange element, and I felt that all stories successfully maintained that vibe. There were some very interesting concepts in this collection.
 

4. Saga of the Scout (Cliff Hamrick)

Saga of the Scout was a bit bumpy at first, but it’s a fun survival story with some fantasy elements.

The book follows a teenager named Ethan as the world gets wrecked by a strange apocalypse. Modern technologies fail against this new element, most people turn rabid under its influence, and some savages appear! The explanations behind these events are slowly revealed (or hinted at) throughout the story, and they take this book into the realm of fantasy. Still, for the most part, this is a coming-of-age and a survival story for Ethan.

He’s on his own in destroyed Texas and he wants to get home. He grows and changes throughout this journey, and not everyone he meets along the way is a friend. Due to the grim mood and bleak setting, parts of this book reminded me of The Telltale’s TWD games, but there’s plenty of creative choices that make this read stand on its own.

The pacing is great and the overall story rather entertaining. I suppose the blend of post-apocalyptic and fantasy tropes won’t work for everyone, but I didn't mind. The book also offers a satisfying conclusion, so even though it’s part one in a series, it really can be read as a stand-alone.

What didn’t quite work for me was the writing style at times. It does get better as the story progresses, but I felt that the first few chapters could’ve been more effective when it comes to writing, especially in terms of early character development. Though, I think that’s the only gripe I had with Saga of the Scout. It’s a fun book, and I really liked it.
 

5. Solomon's Knot (Allison Wade)

Solomon's Knot is a quick read and a short introduction to a fantasy world in which monsters plague the Earth.

The main hero is a young monster hunter named Asher and throughout his journey we learn about two factions of disconcerting principles that are heavily connected to the monster problem. The more Asher learns, the more he questions everything that he’d been taught, and though I found the plot predictable, it was still an enjoyable read.

I liked the gloomy atmosphere of this story and the gruffness of the characters involved. I also liked the fast pacing, though the ending did feel a bit too sudden. The story continues in the sequels, though, and as an opening act, this book does its job.

I only wish a bit more was said of the world itself. I got vibes of historical, urban, and dystopian eras, but I was unsure which of those was predominant. Still, it’s a fun story, and it got me interested in the sequels.

I'll probably share more reviews here in the future, but for now, that's it!
Catch ya all next time!