Hello everyone! Welcome to another post of Indie Recommends Indie in 2022! Today I have Chase Connor with me! I love hosting authors whose books have been recommended by others and I feel honored to host Chase today. Let’s get started!
Chase, thank you for joining me for this series! Kota has mentioned your book in her Indie Recommend Indie post and am thrilled to host an author whose book has been recommended on the series! Since this is your first time on Armed with A Book, please tell me and my readers a bit about yourself. 🙂
Thanks so much! I’m honoured to be involved. I’m a (barely) under 30 gay male author who writes LGBTQIA fiction. I write young adult, new adult, paranormal romance, erotica, literary fiction, middle grade, fantasy… really anything that works for the story I have in mind. I live in the American Midwest with my husband and our four-legged, spoiled, only child. More than anyone would want to know about me and my books can be found at www.chaseconnor.com.
Do you primarily read indie books or big publishers books as well?
I’d say it’s a healthy fifty-fifty split. I’ll read just about anything as long as it piques my interest. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s self-published, otherwise indie, or a big publisher. I simply like great stories told well that give me a character to care about.
Chase’s Indie Recommendations
Icarus by Adam Wing
YA Greek Myth Retelling
Published 2017
Standalone
A myth as old as civilization.
The boy who donned wax wings and flew too close to the sun. Follow the tale of Icarus. And that of the father who tried to save him … but brought his life to an end.
You will come to love him. Then you will watch him fall. Live the tragic story as you never imagined possible.
A lot of us know the story of Daedalus and Icarus and know the tragic ending of the Greek myth. When I purchased this book on Kindle, since it had been recommended to me, I thought that I was going to read a fun retelling of the story of the myth of Icarus. I love Greek mythology, so it seemed like this would be perfect for me. And it was perfect, but it was so much more.
How does a writer take a story that many people are familiar with, know to expect a tragic ending, but still rip the readers’ hearts out? Especially when the story does not deviate much at all from the myth? While reading this, I found myself thinking: “Maybe it won’t end the way I think it’s going to end.” or “Please don’t let this thing happen.”
I had to think about this book for a day before I figured out why Adam Wing was able to still devastate a reader who is familiar with the myth. One, he is a superb writer. Two, he gave the characters’ humanity you don’t get from the myth, and he inserted a level of pathos that the myth itself cannot match. A third of the way through the book, when you are fully invested in the characters, you will feel a sense of dread, knowing what is to come for these people you now love.
Adam Wing did an excellent job of telling an ancient tale in a way that engages the reader, has them flipping the pages, while equally excited to know what is to happen and also dreading it. This was flawless and gorgeous. I can’t recommend it enough
Would Recommend To: Lovers of Greek Mythology retellings and YA with a literary fiction lilt.
Working Wonders by Thomas AllenÂ
Urban Paranormal Fantasy/Horror
Published 2020
Series – Book 1 in The Legend of the Keepers Series
The world-famous occult shop, Working Wonders, sits on the corner of 1st Street and Hurlbert, in the heart of the Business District, one of the areas of the city with the densest populations of supernatural beings.
Two weeks before Christmas, a dead body is found crumpled on Hurlbert, not far from the abandoned Beasley Inn. Sergeant Thomas Parkland is suspicious, not just because of the location of the body, but also because it appears to have been mummified.
Realizing he may be out of his element, Sergeant Parkland reaches out to members of the supernatural community, eventually finding himself inside of Working Wonders. However, the owner of the shop, and his two employees, are reticent to offer any assistance to the police.
Quickly, it becomes clear that Sergeant Parkland’s hunch about the dead body is justified.
By the time the owner of Working Wonders decides to help him solve the mystery, another dead body is found on a wooded pathway in Crockett Memorial Park, a mythical creature of death is on the loose, a violent agent from a clandestine government agency is prowling about, and the world itself may be in danger.
Is it just a coincidence that the solution to Sergeant Parkland’s investigation resides in the upstairs storage room of Working Wonders?
Working Wonders is a fast-paced, fantastical urban adventure with touches of horror, humor, and fresh world-building and mythology. When an uber-powerful creature made of death descends on a Texas city during one of the worst winters in recent history, a local magic shop owner, his two employees, and a homicide sergeant they’re not sure they can trust, must find a way to save the day. Working Wonders stands out in that it blends fantasy with realism, creating a world just parallel to that in which we all live, making the suspension of disbelief easy for readers. Thomas Allen blends dynamic characters, mythological creatures, an exciting plot, a descriptive and fascinating backdrop, and leaves the readers’ hearts pounding until the end. Working Wonders is book 1 in a planned series. By the time this “Indie Recommends Indie” is published, book 2 in The Legend of the Keepers Series will have been published in November 2021.
Would Recommend To: Lovers of The Dresden Files, Anita Blake Vampire Executioner series, and anyone who loves exciting urban paranormal/fantasy.
Chasing Ghosts by Dean ColeÂ
LGBTQ+ Ghost Thrillers
Published 2020
Book 1 in The Quentin Strange Mysteries #1
Haunted pasts. Terrifying apparitions. Dark secrets.
Quentin Strange is … well, strange. But it isn’t just his anachronistic sayings and dress sense, the fact that he’s a socially awkward, book-loving loner who’s possibly still a virgin at nearly thirty. He’s seeing and hearing things. Odd things. Ghostly things.
Getting the gig as photographer for The Cricklewood Gazette, he travels with his new partner, journalist Katrina (make sure you call her Kat) Brannigan, to Hilderley Manor, an enormous manor house nestled in the remote countryside of Northern England that is believed to be one of Britain’s most haunted buildings. The pair join a ghost hunting team and a group of fellow guests for a long weekend of ghostly activities.
But something dark haunts the draughty corridors of the house. And it links to a decades-old mystery that is about to be uncovered.
A mystery like no other. A story of the supernatural. Of death, and what it does to the living. The first book in a new series, Chasing Ghosts is a quirky British mystery that explores the supernatural elements of our world with touches of LGBT romance, humour and horror.
Ever since reading Cole’s “His Boy” a while back, I’ve been dying to read his follow-up. I have to say (not that I expected him to), but he didn’t disappoint.
CHASING GHOSTS, the first book in The Quentin Strange Mysteries, is spooky, creepy, funny, sensual at times, heartfelt, a real page-turner. From one scene to the next, I was left on edge, wondering what would happen next. From the arrival of our MC to seances and lucid dreams, this story had me unable to put the book down when I had time to read. If you’re into a great ghost story, solid plots, and characters you will get invested in, this is the book for you.
That’s the most important thing in a series–characters. Cole managed the enviable feat of creating characters I WANT to know more about. I’m dying to read more stories, furthering the adventures of his protagonist. Extremely likeable, yet human, his characters in CHASING GHOSTS have me fully committed to however many books appear in this series.
As always, a great job by this author.
Would Recommend To: Lovers of atmospheric ghost stories (especially those set in old English manor houses), the paranormal, and cosy mysteries.
Bang to Begin by Jethro WeymanÂ
Sci-Fi Horror
Published 2020
Standalone
Reality is Relative.
There is no such thing as universal truth.
But lies are always lies.
From auctions to assassinations, from cosmos to subconscious mind, the roots feeding into these short stories start fine, but thicken and tangle as they grow deeper.
Follow these wayward souls through their darkest moments, each beginning with a bang and each trying desperately to avoid ending with the same.
A metaphysical, visionary exploration of the human psyche and all that it means to be real – discussed via an anthology with a difference.
Full disclosure, I received a free audiobook code via a contest the author ran on Twitter – and he warned me that it was “dark.”
Having said that, after listening to the first story in this anthology (about a macabre charity auction), and remembering the author’s “dark” disclosure, I began to worry that this book would be a case of an author writing dark themes simply to shock. However, by the second story, I was delighted with the twists already coming at me. Weyman set me up for certain expectations, then threw me for a 180. It was delicious.
This collection of short stories, all interconnected (though I won’t explain much so as not to ruin its brilliance) elicit terror, chills, thrills, and even laughs. Readers will find themselves wondering what in the world is going on one moment, then minutes later find themselves delighted at how Weyman threaded his stories together. Well-written and fabulously narrated with deliciously evil descriptions, all of the characters and scenes dripped with grotesque sci-fi and horror elements, while somehow still staying grounded in reality.
That’s quite an accomplishment.
Most impressive to me, Weyman opened this collection with a story so dark that hoping for this book to end on a positive note seemed pointless. However, in the end, I found that I was left with a vengeful smile. Maybe the world is shit, but that doesn’t mean that stories can’t have a hopeful ending. Even if the journey is a bit fucked up.
Would Recommend To: Lovers of dark science-fiction horror.
The Weird Sisters of Wynter’s Hill by Helen Whistberry
Private Eye & Ghost Mysteries
Published 2019
Book 1 in Malhaven Mysteries #1
Jim Malhaven is a lonely hack reporter stringing along on assignments no one else wants at the local paper until he gets the scoop of his life. There’s a mysterious wraith haunting the local cemetery, and it’s up to him to get to the bottom of the ghostly goings-on. Along the way, he’ll cross paths with a trio of weird sisters, uncover a sinister conspiracy, have more than one brush with death, and meet a gal with honey blonde hair and a killer smile. Is she that certain someone he’s been looking for all his life, or is there a villain hiding behind that lovely face? This twisty tale is the first in a new series of mystery novels paying loving homage to the hard-boiled detective novels and movies of the 1940s and 50s with a paranormal bent that will leave you guessing until the final shocking revelation.
This was a delightful mystery set in the 1950s, and it was obvious from page one that the author did her research so that the clothes, dialogue, and settings matched the era. I feel odd calling this book “delightful,” but from the very first page, I could hear the MC’s voice, picture what he looked like in my head, and felt transported into the world the author created. Every piece of dialogue is perfect. Every character description is perfectly succinct, giving just enough information so that the reader can imagine what the author thinks her characters look like, yet leaving enough to the imagination to keep the writing from feeling heavy-handed. It took me a while to read this book (because, life, right?), but setting it down was difficult since I just wanted to keep reading page after page. Helen Whistberry is now one of my authors to watch and one whose entire catalogue I want to eventually read. The author will drag you into her world and make you never want to leave. You won’t be disappointed.
Would Recommend To: Lovers of private eye/detective mysteries with a ghostly twist.
Chase’s Book Spotlight
A Surplus of Light
LGBTQIA Coming-of-Age
Published 2018Â
“He’s a psycho.” That’s what Mike is told when he asks who the kid is with the dark swoop of hair and eyes that look like icebergs floating in milk. From that moment, it becomes Mike’s mission to find out everything about this kid. The kid who can fight better than anyone, but doesn’t want to. The kid who is the greatest artist Mike’s ever met. The kid who only wants to be his friend during the lightest days of summer. The kid who tells him that being his friend at school will only ruin Mike’s reputation. Regardless of what the kid tells Mike, he doesn’t realize that summer is the best time–it has the most light–and it makes it easier for Mike to see who he truly is. And there’s no way Mike will back off once he sees this kid for who he truly is.
Readers who enjoyed Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe will enjoy A Surplus of Light. Purchase it here.
Connect with Chase on his website and Twitter. You can also reach The Lion Fish Press on their website.
Did you add any books to your TBR today based on this post or did you see any you have already read? Tell us in the comments!
Thank you so much for hanging out with Chase and me.
If you are an indie or small press author who is an avid reader and wants to be featured, sign up using the form on the Indie Recommends Indie home page. This is a fantastic way to bring attention to fellow indie authors as well as your own book. 🙂
Banner Photo of library by Alfons Morales on Unsplash
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