I finished reading Nylos in the Cache by Jade Kim Monsen and now I'm looking for more YA fantasy / fantasy by indie authors (as I realize I haven't read indie at all) that have similar vibes. Here are some things I'm looking for:
- Bonus: Magical creatures / channeling magic like Nylos has
- Bonus: Prefer character driven stories over plot driven stories, but there should be a balance
- Bonus: Not heavy world building. I've never finished a Sanderson book bc it's just too much for me.
- Bonus: Generally I still like more mature YA. I liked that Nylos explored darker, more serious themes and topics like race, religion, suicide, abandoned children, etc.
- Bonus: Prefer third person POV, but I'm okay with first person POV
- Not looking for: Heavy sci-fi. Some sci-fi elements are okay, but I don't want the majority of the story based in space/spaceships, etc.
- Not looking for: Romantasy or heavy romance. Some romance is fine, but it shouldn't be central to the story.
- Not looking for: I'm not a fan of cozy fantasy, LITRPG, low stakes, or stories that get a little too whimsical/clever (This is why I can't do Neil Gaiman…among other um reasons).
Trad books I've really liked for reference:
- Piranesi
- His Dark Materials Series
- The Hunger Games Series
- Song of Achilles
- Throne of Glass series
Drop your recs and let me know why you like them. Please books by indie authors only. I wanna support!
by Accurate-Front9440