New this week
The latest additions to The Library's collection
If you have a complete or in-progress work you’d like added to The Library or an indie-published book to include in the Buy Indie section, follow this guide, and we’ll help spread the word.
And thanks again to everyone for helping us support indie authors!
In the stacks
Contemporary
The Wee Small Hours | Rosa Temple | Romance (N) (I) (F)
A serialised contemporary romance. Insomniac and physiotherapist, Annie lives in a sleepy market town. She has a group of unlikely friends that become invaluable when her family moves to the other side of the world. Shy and retiring unwittingly becomes the object of attraction of not only social media but two very different suitors.
Historical
GOTHARMONY | Shadia Alfan | Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Humor, Romance (N) (I) (F)
Verity had lived the life her parents had carefully crafted for her: a sheltered existence within the confines of the Ashford Estate, where music flowed through her veins as naturally as the air she breathed. From a tender age, she was immersed in the symphonies and sonatas that adorned the Ashford legacy, her soul entwined with the melodies of her ancestors. But everything changed upon her return from the prestigious music institution. As she stepped foot back onto the familiar grounds of the estate, a sense of unease lingered in the air, as if the very notes that once brought solace now whispered secrets she couldn't decipher.
Nonfiction
Accidental Mentors: Inspirational Stories of Women Who Have Shaped My Life by Just Being Themselves | Annette Marquis | Memoir (B) (C) (F)
In "Accidental Mentors," Annette Marquis pays tribute to sixty-five remarkable women who have shaped her life over the course of six decades. Through a collection of poignant vignettes, Marquis reflects on the profound lessons imparted by family members, friends, teachers, colleagues, and even brief acquaintances. From learning to embrace her identity as a lesbian to navigating personal tragedy and professional challenges, Marquis illustrates how each woman left an indelible mark on her journey. With candor and gratitude, she celebrates the power of female connection and mentorship, reminding readers that even the most seemingly insignificant interactions can have a lasting impact. "Accidental Mentors" is a heartfelt testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative influence of the women who guide us along the way. Marquis's engaging storytelling invites readers to reflect on their own "hidden figures" and the wisdom gleaned from unexpected sources. This deeply personal memoir is a must-read for anyone seeking inspiration, self-discovery, and a renewed appreciation for the unsung heroines in their lives.
If You Only Knew: A Memoir of Family Secrets and their Undoing | Annette Marquis | Memoir (B) (I) (F)
In this memoir, Annette Marquis takes readers on a journey of self-discovery as she unravels the complex web of family secrets that have shaped her identity. From her early childhood questions about her red hair to her struggles with sexuality and self-acceptance, Marquis candidly shares her experiences of growing up in the shadow of her parents' hidden past. Through a series of revelations and personal challenges, she learns to embrace her authentic self, find forgiveness, and stand up for her beliefs. "If You Only Knew" is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of living one's truth.
Speculative
The Glaciermen | Xavier Macfarlane | Action-Adventure (N) (I) (F)
(May be partially paywalled after completion, est. late 2024)
A boy survives a plane crash on the ice sheet of Southern Greenland, soon learning that man is not the apex predator, and an ancient evil holds the secret to survival. A science team searches a long-frozen airline crash for clues to unlock the mysteries hidden in DNA, but discovers something much more sinister underneath the ice. "The Thing” meets “Apocalypto.”
Shade | PennPowel | Action-Adventure | (N) (I) (F)
Updated: The weekly serial Shade is now entirely free
Alyssa Knight thought getting caught in a bushfire at thirteen would be the worst moment of her life. Then she went to New York. The city has been under martial law since a gang war in 1989. Only Marine officers, like Alyssa’s father, and rebels get to leave these days - the Marines to visit their families, the rebels to prison cells. The worst of these rebels - Shade - has just escaped, and he has a score to settle with Colonel Knight. Fearing Shade will go after his family, the Colonel brings them to New York where he and his men can protect them. Alyssa thinks this is a bad idea. She’s not wrong.
Fantasy
Zagros | Keyon Hejazi | Historical Fantasy (N) (I) (F)
In the Zagros Mountains of Ariana, where the coveted haoma plant flourishes, Omid, a Median drover, and Azita, a Gutian tribeswoman, grapple with loyalties and ambitions amid rising tensions between the grieving satrap of Media and the Gutian nomads accused of murdering his daughter.
Cherrytown | Jason A. Smith | Historical (N) (I) (F)
Cherrytown is set in an alternate American Revolution filled with demons, vampires, fairies, magic, and werewolves. The story follows two characters: an alcoholic demon hunter named Samuel Burtwhistle and his old mentor Captain Francis Edmund Swift. Samuel has stumbled upon an ancient demonic book that sucks up the souls of towns, and Swift has been hired by His Majesty King George III to retrieve the book from Samuel so that the British can use it to finally end the war.
Science Fiction
Destination Europa | SDG Lemaître | Sci-Fi, Thriller/Mystery (N) (I) (F)
The R.G. Leifr, flagship of the FSS colonisation fleet, is en route to Europa with a hundred and twenty souls on board — crew and colonists preparing to pioneer humanity’s most ambitious settlement project yet. Yet as Jupiter draws closer, tensions are rising and strange things are beginning to happen. Habitat engineer Aquilla O’Neill has to navigate the fraught relationship between Earther and Martian factions, as well as his own mission — and his own broken heart. Can he find the answers he needs, and will the Leifr arrive at its destination?
Short Fiction Collection
Terrific | Daniel Sherrier | Speculative, Superhero (S) (I) (F)
Welcome to Olympus City, where super-powers, physics-defying tech, and unearthly creatures are all possible now. Human nature, however, remains unchanged. No one is born a perfect superhero, but a few strive to live up to the ideal anyway.
Are you publishing a book, comic, or story/poetry collection on Substack that you’d like to add to The Library? Send it our way!
Buy Indie
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From the Archive
Featuring a different, randomly-selected book every week
Shades of Night Anthology | M.E. Beckley | Fantasy, Anthology (N) (I) (F)
An old man comes to a little town called Springcombe and shares tales of things past, things to come, and things that may never be. After an apocalyptic crisis ended modern civilisation, our world and its people have been plunged into a new medieval era ravaged by beasts set free from the human imagination. We are closer to the end of the world than the beginning. The rules of physics have weakened and bent; magic rules here. In a series of tales, this new world is detailed by the Chronicler.