Hello friend. Today’s Indie Recommends Indie post features author Leslie Griffin and she shares not just some indie books to dive into but also some indie games! Her latest book, Of Water and Dance, book One: The Golden Twins is an epic fantasy that I am looking forward to reading and you can learn more about it at the end of the post.
Welcome to Armed with A Book, Leslie! Since it’s your first time on the blog, can you please tell me and my readers about yourself?
I have a B.A. in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies and a minor in English from the University of Kansas. Over the years I have completed courses on herbalism, Seichim Reiki, and Registered Behavioral Technician training. I am passionate about early childhood development and education as well as teaching others about Autism Spectrum Disorder. Of Water and Dance is my first published piece of fiction, and I’ve previously written articles on herbalism, gardening, self-sufficiency, and traditional medicine in Mother Earth Living Magazine.
I am an avid PC gamer who first fell in love with Fallout 1 when she was in middle school. Currently you can find me playing Kynseed, Medieval Dynasty, Anvil Saga, Sacred Fire, and Ambition. I have two small children, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, two guinea pigs, three chickens, and a husband whose ADHD has brought home dozens of guitars and speakers, medal smithing equipment in the shape of lathes and smelters, enough art supplies to fill a museum, and more DIY solutions than I thought possible.
My family motto is: Sharesies!
Finally: I am a hat-stall between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, eventually landing me in the Hufflepuff House.
Do you primarily read indie books or big publishers books as well?
Currently, my reading lists include exclusively indie books. It is a goal of mine to support as many indie authors as I can, so I’ve been going out of my way to connect with other authors on Twitter. I love building friendships and really connecting with other authors and readers alike.
Previously, I hadn’t really known the difference! I found books that were beautiful, interesting, unique, and would simply gobble them up not knowing the difference! My adventure into self-publishing and becoming an Indie author has definitely opened my eyes to this beautiful community.
Leslie’s Indie Recommendations
Of Swans and Stars: Finding my own North Star, one poem at a time by E McConnell
Poetry
2022
Standalone
Of Swans and Stars is a collection of poems based around four themes; being hopeful, being hopeless, love, then myth and magic.
They are at times angsty or raw, they are sometimes angry and dark, or even whimsical. There are probably too many poems about dragons and of course plenty of poems about love.
This book is about my seeking my own direction in life with all the missteps, the pitfalls and the wrong turns that go hand in hand along the way.
There is a journey to behold within these pages. The author bares their soul, holds your hand, tugs you along, peppering you with soft words and sharp realities. Along the way, healing is happening, in the author… and in yourself.
Just as the author journeys onward, your soul too starts reaching out in search of a North Star to call your own. In these poems you will find a kindred spirit, a wild, wise woman, offering you a guide into parts of yourself you’ve denied, silenced, ignored, parts that are buried deep under your busy schedules.
Don’t be afraid of the emotions brought forth, don’t fight the feelings that wash over you, for each poem is a different kind of anaesthetic, you only feel the discomfort for a moment, and then your emotions flood forth, and you’re able to hold them, turn them in your palm, define them. And when you find you need to gaze upon them again, just go back to that poem, and read her again.
I do not normally read books of poetry, I do not seek them out the same way I devour fantasy and romance novels. But this book, this glorious collection, poems will forever be one that I recommend.
To all my romantics, my wise women, my witches, my earth children, my old souls, get this book and keep her close by. I promise, you’ll need her medicine, her healing, her anaesthetic.
This book will be loved by those whimsical at heart. A great treat to all the wise, wild women in your life. Deeply loved by those who celebrate the wheel of life and the natural ebb and flow of nature.
Gauntlet by John G. Doyle
Time Travel Science Fiction
2019
Book One of The Phoenix Cycle
Time travel, the power sought after and craved by everyone and held by none.
Until now.
Not only is time travel very real to Jericho, he’s used it in the usual ways one would expect—getting rich, predicting world-changing events and, more importantly, traveling to whenever he chooses just for kicks.
But just when he thinks his secret is safe, he discovers two other time travelers. One politely wants him to stop while he’s ahead.
The other wants to end time as we know it and bring the planet to the brink of destruction.
So, no pressure.
Take the billionaire experience from Iron Man, mix it up with the jovial time traveling of Doctor Who, and add in the delicious personality and humour of Deadpool, and you’ve got yourself Jericho. A man with a gauntlet capable of traveling him through time while simultaneously defending him against anyone dumb enough to be angered by his exuberant personality.
There is so much voice and personality in this book. And interwoven with the fun, daring atmosphere, you have a darker story being told. I’m don’t normally gravitate to Sci-Fi, I’m more of a fantasy, paranormal, romance, regency era, highlander type of reader (not all those in one book, mind you). So, the Gauntlet was a bit out of my normal spectrum. But the writing style was so honest and funny, and the plot very intriguing, it kept me coming back for more.
If you’re looking for an Indie author to support, I highly recommend purchasing the Gauntlet.
This series will be deeply appreciated by those with a genuine sense of humour. Who love getting to know their authors through the dialogue within a story, who love a strong voice and of course- time travel!
Toxic City: Walkers in the Mist by Dangel Angello
Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction
2018
Series
The world is now a savage place, where nature is caustic and mankind is deadly. In other words, survival is just another job. Post-apocalyptic London has dragged itself back to a form of civilisation in the shape of the Quads, ruled by the PEA and a proxy-government in hopes to stem unrest within the masses of Walkers that keep the Known World turning. But life is hard. The Agents are merciless, the Bandits are returning and the Mists weaponize the very air. But as one young resident finds out, when the few things you cling to are taken away, life stops being about living. For Val, that’s just not good enough.
Dive into a wasteland, a post-apocalyptic barren country where you could die from radiation, starvation, bandits, or the government on any given day. Enter Val, a young female, who’s short life has shown her more gore, horror, and abuse than anyone should have to endure. But she’s surviving, and that’s all she can ask for. But when Jim, a man who is the closest thing to a father she’s ever experienced, is murdered, she sets out on a revenge journey that ends up turning too many rocks over. Slowly, she starts putting together her own tattered backstory. Will she finally find out the truth of her parents? And when she does, will it ease her pain or only cause more?
The author deserves a massive applause in their world building. I honestly felt like I was playing on of my favourite post-apocalyptic games (Fallout, Sheltered, Wasteland, Metro). The jargon within the book is easily assimilated and if you’ve ever played any of the games listed above, they are very familiar. The research, time, and sheer will that went into this book is phenomenal.
One of the things I loved most was that when one secret is revealed, it’s never *quite* what it seems. There’s always another layer, which keeps the reader needing more. We need answers. Val deserves answers. I cannot wait to continue this journey with Val as she ages and really comes into her own power.
Perhaps she will be the leader of the next “rebellious” group? Or maybe she could infiltrate the government, become one of their Agents and tear it down from the inside? Or maybe… just maybe… she will find the promised land all by herself.
And now for the games!
Betrayal at House on the Hill by Avalon Hill
Board Game, Horror
2010
Standalone with Expansions
- Tile by tile, terror by terror, build your own haunted mansion – and then try to escape it alive.
- With 50 blood-curdling scenarios, each trip to the house on the hill promises fresh horrors.
- Players must work together to survive the nightmare.
- Except for 1 player who becomes the traitor.
- 3–6 players, ages 12 plus, 60 min per game (high reliability)
This is one of my favourite games to play with a group of friends who otherwise might not play board games. The instructions are easily understood, and each game is entirely unique. Plus, the action of turning over tiles to create your own haunted house, working together to explore, and doing your best to prevent the haunting from starting too early, is incredibly fun. Ultimately, one of your companions will become the traitor, forcing the rest of you to work together as you desperately try to escape this haunted maze of corridors and rooms. This game has a plethora of expansions, and truly must be enjoyed on a cool, fall night as you drink a hot cup of tea (or cocoa, or booze).
Highly recommend for groups of friends who may not have a background in playing board games (it’s also amazing for those who do play tabletop games religiously!). The perfect game to play leading up to Halloween. While there are horror elements, it isn’t so scary that you become anxious about your surroundings.
Kynseed by PixelCount Studios
RPG, Sandbox, Adventure, Simulation, Dark Fantasy, Open World
2018 (Early Access)
PC Game
Plant a mystical acorn that grows into a family tree in which your choices create its branches. Raise a family, farm the land, run shops, and explore a world where everyone ages. When you die, step into your children’s shoes and continue your family’s legacy.
I’ve had this PC game since it came out, back in 2018. It is truly one of the most beautiful, relaxing, inspiring games I’ve ever played. You are able to explore villages both in the human and faerie realms, attend rituals that have unique consequences, purchase and run businesses, fight monsters, develop strong relationships with other households, and ultimately, pass your knowledge down to the next heir in your family tree. There is so much lore, magic, and humour in this game that you can find something new and unique each time you play.
For people who enjoyed Stardew Valley, sandbox RPG’s, dark fantasies, 2D simulations, GO BUY THIS GAME! You will not be disappointed. I should also state, its developers are the same who worked on the Fable series from Lionhead Studios.
Leslie’s Book Spotlight
Of Water and Dance
Book One: The Golden Twins
Epic Fantasy
2022
The forest is impenetrable. Mortals do not dare enter and the ancient Gods residing within cannot break free. In this stagnant, earthen prison they’ve waited, and one-by-one they’ve suffocated. But when a Leviathan is found slumbering deep inside a mountain and a Priestess’ destiny is fulfilled, her decision between four different fates ricochets through time and leaves a crack in the wall that separates the realms of mortals and Gods.
With this fissure an unlikely web of people have found themselves intertwined.
A pair of golden coloured siblings born with an ancient, forgotten magic in their veins.
A middle-aged Prince dying from the poisoned blood of his family’s false rule.
A Sergeant whose abilities on the battlefield unwittingly released a dark, immortal secret from within himself.
At the core of their improbable alliances is a secret long buried in stone. A secret that could change the bleak landscape of their home back into the fertile land it once was. But every secret has its price, and in order to expose this one time must shift, and one of them will have to die in consequence.
Find it on Goodreads and IndieStoryGeek.
Readers who enjoyed Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout and Kingdoms of Shadow and Ash by HR Moore should check this one out!
I hope you enjoyed this instalment of the series with Leslie! Connect with her on her website. She is also on Amazon, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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!
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. 🙂
Thanks for hanging out with us today!
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Banner Photo of library by Alfons Morales on Unsplash
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