Four Exciting Indie Press Books to Add to Your Reading List

“These nine startling stories” by the critically acclaimed author of After the Parade “capture the subtleties of feeling--and being made to feel--out of place,” praised Kirkus. From a queer teacher whose classroom is no longer a safe space, to a plane crash survivor attempting reinvention in California, to a woman grappling with her childhood friend’s loss of innocence, the collection reflects on loneliness, the elusive promise of happiness and America’s obsession with guns. “Ostlund proves herself a master of the form.”

As forest fires rage and guests disappear, two women form a tense, unexpected bond in a family-owned hotel on the brink of climate disaster. Publishers Weekly called this haunting story of trust, danger, and resilience “a work of psychological suspense” that imagines “a world that no longer offers respite.”

The latest from the acclaimed Spanish artist and author of When I Sing, Mountains Dance, unfolds in the mystical Guilleries mountains of Catalonia, where a family curse tied to a 400-year-old devil’s bargain echoes through generations of women. “Solà blends lyrical retellings of legends with visceral descriptions of the characters’ maladies,” says Publishers Weekly. “Readers will be transported by this intoxicating tale of resilience.”

The Zabelle author’s latest historic saga vividly captures one Armenian family's tumultuous journey through war, exile, and survival, from the mountains of Cilicia to the streets of Beirut and finally to contemporary New York City. “Nancy Kricorian’s novels tell the stories of the Armenian diaspora, exiled but always seeking community,” observed The Boston Globe.