Welcome to the official page for the first Introverted Indies Stuff Your Kindle event, running from 15th to 18th December.
Please find below a list of all books included in the event, including blurbs, trigger warnings, and buying links–we hope you enjoy whichever books you decide to buy/download! This is an all genre SYK event so there’s a mixed bag here, from fantasy to sci-fi to romance to contemporary. Hopefully you can find something that suits you!
As there are only 13 books included in this mini event, this is just a scroll down list that shouldn’t take long to peruse. 😊
Let’s dive right on in… Get scrolling and find your next indie read!
The Cruel God’s Awakening (The Commune’s Curse: Book 1) by Lucy A. McLaren (Dark Fantasy)
Trigger warnings:
Historical s*xual assault (referenced numerous times), attempted s*xual assault, violence and mild gore, descriptions of injuries, religious and patriarchal oppression, sexism, misogyny, racism, homophobia, toxic relationships, and an incident of animal cruelty.
Blurb:
An ancient power granted by a cruel god is manifesting in unsuspecting children across the Kingdom of Septima—and the cult-like Commune will stop at nothing to take any who possess it under their control.
Evelyn Folksman is in hiding. Taken in by a tavern-owner, she is haunted by the horrific events that drove her from her home years before. She is forced to face her past when two wayward children, Raif and Rose Huntsman, arrive at the tavern, pursued by Commune soldiers. The children fall under Evelyn’s reluctant care as the trio narrowly escape a raid.
Relentlessly hunted by Commander Jonah Sulemon and Commune agent Lord Eirik Torrant, Evelyn and Raif cannot fathom why they are of such interest to the Commune, until six-year-old Rose unwittingly reveals a terrible secret: she possesses powers more fearsome than any the Commune has unearthed in decades. There are only two options: to be captured and used as pawns, or to trust the mysterious rebels who promise them safety.
***
AVA by Lydia L. Baker (Book 1 in The Broken World Series) (Dystopian Sci-Fi)
Download here for free (UK).
Download here for free (US).
Trigger warnings:
Death of a child, violence.
Blurb:
First, MTech came for the city and we allowed it. They put up the Barrier and we stayed quiet, silenced by the fear of what was beyond. Our elderly were next and still we didn’t cry out; then they came for the women, removed their fertility and stole our future, so I hid. I became Alec and I turned my back on my true self, Ava.
Ava can’t live as Alec any longer, the lie is killing her, destroying all that she is.
The world beyond MTech’s Barrier calls to her and she can’t ignore it. She has to know what, if anything, survived the terrible day that tore her family apart fourteen years ago.
But what if the Outside is far more dangerous than anything Ava has ever faced on the Inside?
***
ANNA by Lydia L. Baker (Book 2 in The Broken World Series) (Dystopian Sci-Fi)
Trigger warnings:
Death of a child, violence, mention of miscarriage.
Blurb:
Anna watched her twin sister, Ava, turn into the very same alien creature that stole her daughter and destroyed humanity—her sister has become an invader, a Ghost.
As the Barrier comes down and humanity fights to destroy the alien plague, Anna is left with an impossible choice: kill the thing her sister has become or find a way to save her, knowing the risk that the creature would pose to her and those closest to her.
With tensions rising between the world inside the barrier and the one on the outside, can humanity find a way to co-exist, or will they simply destroy each other?
***
The Boy Who Played The Queen by C.M. Kuhtz (Fantasy)
Trigger warnings:
Strong language, alcoholism, infidelity.
Blurb:
Two young men meet by chance among the hustle and bustle of a city in which their true desires are punishable by death.
Faral is an illiterate shepherd’s boy, growing up in a remote district of the Hillakes, feeling thoroughly out of place among the sheep. The only reprieve he’s granted are the ancient stories of powerful queens and wily monsters he grew up with. One day, a troupe of players arrives at the local inn, and an unexpected opportunity presents itself: bringing the stories he loves to life.
Tjor is a junior clerk in one of Seagard’s most prestigious trading companies but has always known that, subjected to his family’s death grip on his future, he can’t have the life he truly wants. Though he desperately wishes to please his parents and his beloved sister, he finally acknowledges to himself that the prospect of making an advantageous marriage terrifies him beyond all else.
***
SPACE, COLLISIONS by L.N. Holmes (Literary fiction, magical realism)
Trigger warnings:
Death, sexual content, xenophobia, drinking, addiction.
Blurb:
“L. N. Holmes has a talented pen and a great imagination…” —Renwick Berchild, Nothing in Particular
“Three perfectly paced and elegantly written stories that leave the reader breathless and pensive at once.” —Meredith Allison, Author of Blood & Whiskey Space, Collisions is a micro-chapbook containing three brief stories.
In “When Continents Collide,” a man waits on the shores of the Outer Banks for the collision of the North American and African continents. “Trace” focuses on the intimate secrets shared between one pining woman and her self-destructing lover. In “Spacefall,” two scientists take a break from work to drive to the countryside and bask in their friendship. Each installment in this short collection offers motifs of physical distance and intimate connection.
Overall, the stories emphasize the common longing to overcome the space that divides.
Fans of “The Ceiling” by Kevin Brockmeier and flash fiction by Kathy Fish will enjoy this collection.
***
The Whispering Pass by Jay Olsen-Thrift (Epic Fantasy)
Trigger warnings:
Fantasy racism, mentions of war and death, suicidal thoughts.
Blurb:
Magic is returning to the world of Daaria, but at what cost?
Deep inside the rainforests of Moonyswyn, an ancient and dark secret from the Eldest Days has been unearthed. A bloody war is tearing the world apart, and the rebellious Provira half-breeds hope to use this secret to turn the tide against the Elviri and Proma. But with this discovery, powerful beings have been unleashed upon Daaria, who haven’t seen the light of day since the second sun rose in the sky.
Nightmares of underground passages and strangers pleading for help have plagued Munne Vere’cha, Warlord of the Elviri, for countless nights. Scholars and healers have been unable to ease her pain. She is mere months away from replacing her father on the Hunting Throne, but when offered the chance to discover the source of her nightmares, she is torn between protecting her people and running away to pursue this wild hope.
Tensions are rising between rival gangs on the city-island of Auora, catching Ray Finnegan in the crossfire. A deadly hallucinogenic drug is circulating through the city, the number of missing persons is growing every week, and someone is pinning the blame on the Syrael Walkers–the gang Ray belongs to. She must stay one step ahead of the city guards, as well as members of her own gang, if she is to unravel the secrets on the streets. She will have to discover how the deadly drug connects to the royal family and Naro, the mysterious leader of her gang.
Seth Kharis is the son of the Provira rebellion’s leader. A tragic experiment several years ago left Seth’s legs useless and confined him to the highest floor of an ancient pyramid in Moonyswyn. Ever since, he has felt like a prisoner to his father’s devices, unable to descend the stairs to the world below. When a high priestess promises a cure to his condition, Seth may finally get to leave his home and step out of his father’s shadow.
The Whispering Pass is the first installment in the epic fantasy trilogy “Chronicles of the Second Sun”. Follow Munne, Ray, and Seth as they navigate their way through the end of an era and witness the rebirth of magic.
***
Kingdom of Fire by Melissa Widmaier (Epic Fantasy)
Trigger warnings:
Abuse, depression, suicide attempt, murder, child loss, assault.
Blurb:
In a kingdom of magic, it is sometimes difficult to tell man from beast. Nal Sinbel, killer of bears—well, actually, just one bear—lives a life of undisturbed obscurity. A prodigious hunter, he wanders the Wastes eagerly trapping and fishing. But he is far from free: his banished family lives at the mercy of magical King Marl, who keeps court on the other side of the Wall.
A chance encounter with a strong-willed princess and her band of youths drags Nal out of anonymity and into danger. Can he confront his parents’ past and stand against his cruel uncle? Or will he find this new existence even more merciless than the Wastes?
***
Prairie Tale: A Winter Short Story by Amy Kelly (Short story, Gothic Prairie, Fairy tale retelling, Low Fantasy)
Trigger warnings:
Child in temporary peril.
Blurb:
Alone in their cabin during a prairie blizzard with her laboring mother, little Mary is the only one available to fetch water when Mama needs it. She rushes out into the snow and wind, fills her bucket, turns, and can no longer see her home through the thick sheet of snow.
Mary’s active imagination—filled with evil queens and witches, princes on horseback, and other fairy tale creatures from her favorite books—coupled with the very real fear of the storm raging around her and the anxiety of not making it back to Mama in time, make it difficult for her discern what’s real and not while she pushes across the prairie, attempting to make her way home.
Will she be able to save herself from the evil that may be lurking within the storm? Will Pa and the midwife arrive in time to help Mama with her baby? Or will the storm—or the witch—get them, too?
***
The Bell Tolling by Amena Jamali (Epic Fantasy)
Trigger warnings:
Direct references: war, violence, and gore; s*xual assault (including r*pe); slavery, trafficking, and the kidnapping of children; depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide; racism; bullying (from adults and children directed toward a child); harm done to children; deaths of children; massacres.
Blurb:
The Land of Icilia suffers under the Blood-soaked Sorcerer, whose evil is so great that it has blotted out the sun. There is no end to his cruelty in sight. Until, amid this darkness, the Almighty sends a savior, the blessed Quest Leader, Lucian. Following the call of his destiny, Lucian gathers together four companions and begins his campaign to retake his world, nation by nation, province by province, heart by heart. But are there some evils even the Divine cannot conquer?
***
Forgotten Memories by Cecilia Agetun (YA Contemporary Fantasy)
Trigger warnings:
Bullying, kidnapping, violence, death.
Blurb:
Being a demon isn’t easy, especially when you’ve grown up learning the importance of love and friendship.
When Jax gets summoned by his best friend and asked to protect his only child, Cassie, who’s been hidden away in the human world, he agrees.
He thought it would be simple – protect the girl while she learns the truth about herself and the abilities she holds. What he hasn’t counted on is the shock that runs through him when they touch, immersing him in feelings and memories he can’t place.
As he tries to figure out the nature of the bond that connects them, he realises that something else is at play – a magic that could be working for or against them. Will he be able to honour his promise and keep Cassie safe?
***
The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick by Megan Mary (Mystery/Fantasy/Speculative/YA)
Trigger warnings:
Loss of parents.
Blurb:
Hannah Skye, a young woman in search of meaning, receives a cryptic letter from her missing and eccentric Aunt Jewelia. Her experience of a recurring powerful pumpkin patch dream unfolds into a spiritual journey to a mysterious island of eternal autumn, Maple Hollow, where she discovers the mystical Skye Manor and her magickal family legacy.
Haunted by shapeshifters bent on trapping people in their nightmares, Hannah, with the help of wise villagers and feline companions (including a talking cat dream guide), must solve the riddle, unlock her powers, and dive into the dream dimension to save her aunt by Halloween night, when the veil between the worlds is thinnest.
Escape into this metaphysical mystery of magick, where spells, music, and dreams converge in a vortex of secret societies and spiritual inheritance. Travel beyond time and space into a world of unexpected portals, ancient traditions, and dreamscapes.
***
From Within The Light by C. Warner-Thompson (Angel Paranormal Romance)
Download a copy for free here (US).
Download a copy for free here (UK).
Trigger warnings:
Increasing spice as series progresses.
Blurb:
Cassie Fayewood hates her life. Her father is always away working, and her mother is constantly nagging her to be better. She wants nothing more than to get away, until something changes.
A young man catches her eye. Tall, dark, tattoos. There’s immediately something about him that Cassie feels drawn to. Matthew Kale is your typical ‘I can do anything’ college guy, but something changes in him every time he meets her gaze. There’s something beautiful about him, something angelic. Cassie doesn’t know him but the knot of familiarity—the tangle of butterflies she feels whenever she’s near him—have they spoken before?
Time won’t wait for her to find the answers she needs.
Neither will the demons hunting for her soul.
***
The Decision They Made by Maria P. Frino (Historical family saga)
Buy here for $3.99 (Aus).
Buy here for 99c (US).
Buy here for 99p (UK).
Trigger warnings:
Child abuse, adult themes, war.
Blurb:
A captivating, historical family saga set during WWII up to the 1980s. Two sisters, Amelia and Simona Lillostra, share a secret. One so distressing to them it is never to be revealed. They didn’t count on a young Russian man entering their lives, a man related to Amelia’s Russian lover from WWII. When TV anchor, Larissa Mina meets Alexey Dubrovsky at an awards night, neither has any idea there is a secret in both their pasts. What is this dark family secret and why were two loving sisters torn apart?
See how Larissa and Alexey inadvertently discover the secret and how it forces the families to reassess their lives. Will the love of the two sisters bring them back together?
This fictional family saga is set in Italy, Russia, and Australia. It shows how dysfunctional love can affect future generations and how secrets affect families and people’s lives. For readers who enjoy stories about dark secrets and lies, romance and war stories.
***
Not Just for Christmas by Tracey Mayhew (Small Town Romance)
Buy here for 99c (US).
Buy here for 99p (UK).
Trigger warnings:
None
Blurb:
‘Tis the season to be jolly… Or is it?
Kate Marsh has it all: a perfect village to call home, a job she loves and an adorable, albeit grumpy, three-legged cat. There’s only one problem: a developer is set on destroying the face of Appleford forever. Even worse, the face of the company is the charming Brandon Caine, a man Kate finds herself drawn to from their first meeting.
Brandon Caine isn’t the man Kate thinks he is: he isn’t looking to destroy Appleford, only enhance it. With Christmas just around the corner, he is determined to show Kate, and the rest of Appleford, that he isn’t the bad guy.
As the holiday season draws near, and much to their friends’ and families’ delight, Kate and Brandon grow closer, but the question remains: can Brandon prove to Kate that his feelings for her are not just for Christmas?
***
The Kindness Challenge by Melissa Cate (Contemporary Christmas novella)
Buy here for 99c (US).
Buy here for 77p (UK).
Trigger warnings:
Grief and loss of spouse/parent.
Blurb:
Leah’s family is reeling after losing her husband earlier in the year. Thanksgiving has passed, and she is trying to find a way to bring him home for the holidays, even if he can’t actually be there.
As she plans for her family’s beloved tradition of completing daily kindness challenges during the month of December, she comes up with an idea that will ensure her husband is still part of the holiday celebration.
Twelve-year-old Lucy and nine-year-old Micah miss their dad and the special touches he would bring to their kindness challenge every year. They’re quiet and reserved as December begins but eager to fulfil the daily tasks. Leah hopes that remembering their dad throughout the month will make their eyes shine bright once again.
Lucy A. McLaren 
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