So let’s get started:
1. Anaerfell – High Fantasy
I’d been meaning to read a book by Joshua Robertson for a looong time so it’s curious I chose a collaboration between him and his brother as my first. Still, this high fantasy is a dark read where the main characters have no intention of being liked but have every intention of seeing their mission to the end, no matter who they have to kill… and trust me, there are a lot of people in the way. If you want a story that goes beyond gray moral areas and dives head first into how low can you go, then this highly developed high fantasy might be your black cup of tea.
2. Beasts of Burden – (Graphic Novel)
One of several library reads, Beasts of Burden is the type of book I’d buy. A brilliantly dark graphic novel where a pack of neighborhood dogs is actually what’s keeping the end of the world at bay. Compelling, gripping, beautifully drawn, and funny even in between the darkness. For people who want a graphic novel with bite in more ways than one, can’t recommend this enough.
3. Blue is the warmest color – Graphic Novel (LGBTQA+)
Reading this book as a heterosexual male, I can’t help but think this beautiful but tragic graphic novel is the type of book that can resonate with LGBTQ+ audiences. It’s heartfelt, real, honest, gritty, and shows the possibility of happiness and how avoiding it because of people’s opinions, even people whom you love, is never the right path.
4. Bone Vols 1 and 2 – Graphic Novels
I started this curious series thanks to a piece written by Neil Gaiman in regards to Bone. He has no shortage of good things to say about the series and it is quirky, and smart, and clever, and random, and all the things you’d expect Neil to love… and guess what? I agree with him. Just bought the third volume.
5. Brotherhood of Secrets – Historical Fiction
Christie Stratos is not only my favorite indie author, she’s one of my favorite authors, period. This second installment of her Dark Victoriana collection is just as dark as her first novel, but offers a different perspective of what’s happening in the town where these stories take place in. Intricately crafted, meticulously edited, it is a lean mean, work of literary delight. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, Stratos is elite, and if you don’t know about her it’s because she doesn’t have a huge advertising budget. The talent is there in spades.
6. Death Note Vol 2 – Graphic novel
I’m doing a small experiment where certain books I read in bookstores. This is part of my effort to hoard less even whilst I get my read on. Death Note is a challenging series to do this with because the story is so good. I’ve read volumes 1 and 2 in Barnes and Nobel (Don’t worry, I’ve also bought other books and not just mooched) and I’ve greatly enjoyed the evolution of the story. While Volume 1 had certain plot elements that I didn’t agree with, Volume 2 had a ton of surprises and always kept me guessing. We’ll see how this series continues but I wouldn’t blame you if you want to buy it.
7. Fried Pickle Noir – Graphic novel
If you go to a convention in the ATL, odds are there you might find what some people refer to as “The Pickle Guy.” JR Mounts is an engaging and charismatic character and his Fried Pickle series is as quirky and random as it is highly infused with terrible laugh inducing puns. This is silly fun to the core and at least the first volume I read, I found a ton of things to enjoy. If you go to a convention and see him, by all means, say hello and get ready for a slice of friendly randomness. Also, his animal print vests are the vest. :)
8. Goodbye darkness, hello light - Poetry
I know Erin from online and I was very happy to see her release this lovely collection of poetry. The genre can be a lot of things, but some of my favorite poetry is the one that is intimate and honest… and this collection is a whole lotta both.
9. La Gran Muralla de la ciudad Corazón – short stories (Spanish)
My fellow Puerto Rican indie author, Maricel Jiménez is best known for her Pixie Piper series (available in English and Spanish). That said, this mostly Spanish short story collection has some beautiful gems in it, which I hope means more from her in her native language. Varied, eclectic, and interesting.
10. The House at Pooh Corner – Middle-grade fantasy
I’ve always had a soft spot for Pooh so it’s amazing that it took me to my late 30’s to read the series. This second instalment of short stories is as brilliant as the first and just as endearing. Tender, silly, sweet, and fun. A perfect read for kids of all ages.
11. Keithan Quintero and the Sky Phantoms – Middlegrade Sci-fi
If you like Robotech, you might want to check out this middle-grade adventure out. Another fellow Puerto Rican indie author, Francisco Muñiz was actually a neighbor at one of the Puerto Rico Comic Cons. Apart from a great writer, he’s a great guy and his book is set in near future Puerto Rico. It’s a fun adventure with great race sequences, intriguing mysteries, and a description of a drinkable dessert that still has me wondering what that tastes like.
12. Kurintor Nyusi – High Fantasy
One of the most surprising reads last year was Kurintor Nyusi. Aaron-Michael Hall is a fellow indie based in Atlanta and although she is as friendly and personable as it gets, this book really amazed me with its tight writing, great world building, and compelling storyline, complete with one badass meanie. Diverse, elegant, never predictable… one of the year’s most solid reads for me.
13. Mort - Fantasy
I am a late fan of Terry Pratchett and like a fool I got into Disc World after he passed away. In 5 books, Terry has become one of my favorite writers for the simple reason that I can’t think of a better writer in terms of what you can do with a sentence. Why say anything ordinarily when you can have multiple quotes on every single page. To be clear, Terry Pratchett was absolutely brilliant and after 4 great reads, it’s amazing to read a book that surpasses anything else I’d read from him. I suspect Mort shall be amongst the elite works of Pratchett forever and with good reason. It has an incredibly compelling narrative, characters you can engage with, and a storyline that is pure Pratchett. I’ve been reading the series chronologically and I think it’s the best way for now… we’ll see after I read the next 10.
14. No Cierres los Ojos – horror short story compilation (Spanish)
Dark, brutal, unflinching, crude, scary… so many single words to describe this collection of horror stories from Puerto Rico. It is one of the most Puerto Rican reads I’ve ever enjoyed and with a variety of authors, guaranteed to have several great reads in Spanish. In addition, it’s one of the most exquisitely presented books I’ve ever read, with black pages, white font, and a lot of love in words and format. Can’t wait for the next one.
15. Perfect Break – YA novel in verse form
Anaïs Chartschenko is one of the most unique voices I’ve come across indie or otherwise. I like how she attacks words and always say she is an acquired taste. I say this not to put anyone off, but to invite people to broaden their horizons by reading what is one of my favorite poets. Not one of my favorite indie poets, or indie authors, but one of my favorite people who happens to put words to a page. Perfect Break is a YA novel in verse form capturing the interactions between two friends. Each one has a distinct voice and each poem drives home the narrative that distance can make or break a relationship, but true love knows no limits, especially between best friends. Honest, tender, real, intense… use these words for the book or the author and both apply.
16. Pink Plastic House – poetry
Pink Plastic House is absolutely brilliant and Kristin Garth has one of the most genuine voices you’ll ever read. This collection is impressive but for me, the reading experience was taken up a notch because I got a physical copy with notes from the author. An intimate exploration of what it means for the author to be a woman child who is as innocent as she is sexually alive. Recommended for older audiences and easily some of the best verses I’ve read in the last decade.
17. Portraits of Dread – short stories/horror
Michael J. Elliot likes to write scary things… but beyond the dread, there is a writer who can tug at your heartstrings as easy as he can tug at your lower intestine. This collection of horror shorts has some amazing highpoints that paint a bleak world we wouldn’t like to live in… but that are beyond plausible. Seriously, with stories like this, it’s easy to support indie writers.
18. Writing from the restless – short stories/poetry
Brittany Moore’s short story collection shows the promise of an up and coming author that prefers honesty to a pretty perfect plot. Life can get murky and rough and maddening, and she’s out to capture all those emotions and more.
19. Zodiac – sci-fi/fantasy
I’ll be reading Romina Garber’s second installment in the Zodiac series sooner rather than later. She has created something very special indeed and I only docked the book a star for some typos and the appearance of YA tropes that serve to cater to certain audiences but pale in comparison to the impressive world building and deep philosophical threads beneath the surface of this novel. The narrative is compelling enough, but when Garber decides to get philosophical, you see that maybe those tropes were to lull readers into a sense of safety to hit them hard and profoundly with the underlying exploration of human philosophy. In addition, although the book is finely written, some lines just jump out, hit you on the face, and not only invite you to quote them, but to incorporate them in your life. Will be Wandering Star soon so we’ll see how this narrative progresses but one hell of a first entry in a series.
20. Zoo - poetry
It’s fitting that Ogden Nash’s Zoo is last on this list because it serves as a reminder that sometimes you need to lighten things the hell up. It’s silly, cheeky, laugh-out-loud quirky and will invite you to put words to paper and laugh as you express your inner cheeky monkey.
And there you have it. I had some other pretty solid reads last year, but I think 20 titles is enough to go around lol. Hope your reading year is off to a great start.
Peace, love, and maki rolls
3. Blue is the warmest color – Graphic Novel (LGBTQA+)
Reading this book as a heterosexual male, I can’t help but think this beautiful but tragic graphic novel is the type of book that can resonate with LGBTQ+ audiences. It’s heartfelt, real, honest, gritty, and shows the possibility of happiness and how avoiding it because of people’s opinions, even people whom you love, is never the right path.
4. Bone Vols 1 and 2 – Graphic Novels
I started this curious series thanks to a piece written by Neil Gaiman in regards to Bone. He has no shortage of good things to say about the series and it is quirky, and smart, and clever, and random, and all the things you’d expect Neil to love… and guess what? I agree with him. Just bought the third volume.
5. Brotherhood of Secrets – Historical Fiction
Christie Stratos is not only my favorite indie author, she’s one of my favorite authors, period. This second installment of her Dark Victoriana collection is just as dark as her first novel, but offers a different perspective of what’s happening in the town where these stories take place in. Intricately crafted, meticulously edited, it is a lean mean, work of literary delight. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, Stratos is elite, and if you don’t know about her it’s because she doesn’t have a huge advertising budget. The talent is there in spades.
6. Death Note Vol 2 – Graphic novel
I’m doing a small experiment where certain books I read in bookstores. This is part of my effort to hoard less even whilst I get my read on. Death Note is a challenging series to do this with because the story is so good. I’ve read volumes 1 and 2 in Barnes and Nobel (Don’t worry, I’ve also bought other books and not just mooched) and I’ve greatly enjoyed the evolution of the story. While Volume 1 had certain plot elements that I didn’t agree with, Volume 2 had a ton of surprises and always kept me guessing. We’ll see how this series continues but I wouldn’t blame you if you want to buy it.
7. Fried Pickle Noir – Graphic novel
If you go to a convention in the ATL, odds are there you might find what some people refer to as “The Pickle Guy.” JR Mounts is an engaging and charismatic character and his Fried Pickle series is as quirky and random as it is highly infused with terrible laugh inducing puns. This is silly fun to the core and at least the first volume I read, I found a ton of things to enjoy. If you go to a convention and see him, by all means, say hello and get ready for a slice of friendly randomness. Also, his animal print vests are the vest. :)
8. Goodbye darkness, hello light - Poetry
I know Erin from online and I was very happy to see her release this lovely collection of poetry. The genre can be a lot of things, but some of my favorite poetry is the one that is intimate and honest… and this collection is a whole lotta both.
9. La Gran Muralla de la ciudad Corazón – short stories (Spanish)
My fellow Puerto Rican indie author, Maricel Jiménez is best known for her Pixie Piper series (available in English and Spanish). That said, this mostly Spanish short story collection has some beautiful gems in it, which I hope means more from her in her native language. Varied, eclectic, and interesting.
10. The House at Pooh Corner – Middle-grade fantasy
I’ve always had a soft spot for Pooh so it’s amazing that it took me to my late 30’s to read the series. This second instalment of short stories is as brilliant as the first and just as endearing. Tender, silly, sweet, and fun. A perfect read for kids of all ages.
11. Keithan Quintero and the Sky Phantoms – Middlegrade Sci-fi
If you like Robotech, you might want to check out this middle-grade adventure out. Another fellow Puerto Rican indie author, Francisco Muñiz was actually a neighbor at one of the Puerto Rico Comic Cons. Apart from a great writer, he’s a great guy and his book is set in near future Puerto Rico. It’s a fun adventure with great race sequences, intriguing mysteries, and a description of a drinkable dessert that still has me wondering what that tastes like.
12. Kurintor Nyusi – High Fantasy
One of the most surprising reads last year was Kurintor Nyusi. Aaron-Michael Hall is a fellow indie based in Atlanta and although she is as friendly and personable as it gets, this book really amazed me with its tight writing, great world building, and compelling storyline, complete with one badass meanie. Diverse, elegant, never predictable… one of the year’s most solid reads for me.
13. Mort - Fantasy
I am a late fan of Terry Pratchett and like a fool I got into Disc World after he passed away. In 5 books, Terry has become one of my favorite writers for the simple reason that I can’t think of a better writer in terms of what you can do with a sentence. Why say anything ordinarily when you can have multiple quotes on every single page. To be clear, Terry Pratchett was absolutely brilliant and after 4 great reads, it’s amazing to read a book that surpasses anything else I’d read from him. I suspect Mort shall be amongst the elite works of Pratchett forever and with good reason. It has an incredibly compelling narrative, characters you can engage with, and a storyline that is pure Pratchett. I’ve been reading the series chronologically and I think it’s the best way for now… we’ll see after I read the next 10.
14. No Cierres los Ojos – horror short story compilation (Spanish)
Dark, brutal, unflinching, crude, scary… so many single words to describe this collection of horror stories from Puerto Rico. It is one of the most Puerto Rican reads I’ve ever enjoyed and with a variety of authors, guaranteed to have several great reads in Spanish. In addition, it’s one of the most exquisitely presented books I’ve ever read, with black pages, white font, and a lot of love in words and format. Can’t wait for the next one.
15. Perfect Break – YA novel in verse form
Anaïs Chartschenko is one of the most unique voices I’ve come across indie or otherwise. I like how she attacks words and always say she is an acquired taste. I say this not to put anyone off, but to invite people to broaden their horizons by reading what is one of my favorite poets. Not one of my favorite indie poets, or indie authors, but one of my favorite people who happens to put words to a page. Perfect Break is a YA novel in verse form capturing the interactions between two friends. Each one has a distinct voice and each poem drives home the narrative that distance can make or break a relationship, but true love knows no limits, especially between best friends. Honest, tender, real, intense… use these words for the book or the author and both apply.
16. Pink Plastic House – poetry
Pink Plastic House is absolutely brilliant and Kristin Garth has one of the most genuine voices you’ll ever read. This collection is impressive but for me, the reading experience was taken up a notch because I got a physical copy with notes from the author. An intimate exploration of what it means for the author to be a woman child who is as innocent as she is sexually alive. Recommended for older audiences and easily some of the best verses I’ve read in the last decade.
17. Portraits of Dread – short stories/horror
Michael J. Elliot likes to write scary things… but beyond the dread, there is a writer who can tug at your heartstrings as easy as he can tug at your lower intestine. This collection of horror shorts has some amazing highpoints that paint a bleak world we wouldn’t like to live in… but that are beyond plausible. Seriously, with stories like this, it’s easy to support indie writers.
18. Writing from the restless – short stories/poetry
Brittany Moore’s short story collection shows the promise of an up and coming author that prefers honesty to a pretty perfect plot. Life can get murky and rough and maddening, and she’s out to capture all those emotions and more.
19. Zodiac – sci-fi/fantasy
I’ll be reading Romina Garber’s second installment in the Zodiac series sooner rather than later. She has created something very special indeed and I only docked the book a star for some typos and the appearance of YA tropes that serve to cater to certain audiences but pale in comparison to the impressive world building and deep philosophical threads beneath the surface of this novel. The narrative is compelling enough, but when Garber decides to get philosophical, you see that maybe those tropes were to lull readers into a sense of safety to hit them hard and profoundly with the underlying exploration of human philosophy. In addition, although the book is finely written, some lines just jump out, hit you on the face, and not only invite you to quote them, but to incorporate them in your life. Will be Wandering Star soon so we’ll see how this narrative progresses but one hell of a first entry in a series.
20. Zoo - poetry
It’s fitting that Ogden Nash’s Zoo is last on this list because it serves as a reminder that sometimes you need to lighten things the hell up. It’s silly, cheeky, laugh-out-loud quirky and will invite you to put words to paper and laugh as you express your inner cheeky monkey.
And there you have it. I had some other pretty solid reads last year, but I think 20 titles is enough to go around lol. Hope your reading year is off to a great start.
Peace, love, and maki rolls
