New Indie Releases: April 2024

Hello, book friends! We're about to start a new month, so you know the drill — it's time to check out new books and new authors 📚

Also check out Armed With A Book's new release list!

1 April - Mal by Perla Zul (@PerlaZul_VT)

Once upon a time, Mal was a spinster who could weave magic into his thread. Hired by the royal family, he met the young prince and the two became inseparable. But when the two attempted to save the kingdom, Mal was the only one to pay the price. He wakes up from a hundred year sleep with a body made of thorns and roses, his prince having never returned for him. Now, when that same kingdom he saved doesn't invite him to celebrate the birth of the princess, Mal brings his own gift...

A Sleeping Beauty retelling of loss, regret, and love.

1 April - Self Portrait by E.M McConnell (@McconnellEryn)

Are we the sum of our parts

Or what makes us human

Underneath?

Are we our face

Or our passions?

Are we a body? Or a soul?

This collection of poetry by E.M. McConnell is designed to be more introspective, looking at nature, how it affects us, our inner worlds, how mirth can lift us, and of course what drives us, inspiration, and love.

1 April - Rites of Passage by M. D. Presley

Corbin James has never been so lost. Able to dowse since a kid, he’s adept at finding missing things. But after weeks on the run from the FBI, the teen’s luck has finally run dry.

Enter the enigmatic Mister with a tempting offer: find an enchanter who has disappeared inside the mysterious Harmon House. Recruited into a reluctant crew of motley magicians, Corbin only has days to navigate their shifting loyalties to earn his freedom by entering the Inner Circle.

Lucky for him he’s got his trusty dowsing rod, a defaced 50-cent piece, and enchanted iPod.

2 April - Spectral by A.J. Cerna (@AJCernaWriter)

Spectral is a serialized novel made up of twelve episodes at around forty to fifty pages each. New episodes will release weekly until completion. Each episode is not meant to stand alone, but rather build to a complete story, not unlike a twelve-episode anime series.

Episode 1: Sometimes your darkest moment can forge your greatest superpower.

When Luna wakes to her room engulfed in flames, she knows it’s happened again–a haunting she can no longer ignore.

For as long as she can remember, she’s been controlled by a domineering Spectre, forced to commit acts of violence that threaten her and everyone around her.

Determined to seize control of her life, Luna teams up with Hiro, a generations-old man who promises not only answers, but a method to rid herself of this malicious entity. But to do so, Luna must enter an unfamiliar and unsettling world buried within the futuristic, neon-laden streets of Los Angeles, destroying other Spectres and building her own superhuman abilities along the way.

Between government agents hell-bent on capturing her and a myriad of Spectral threats, it’ll take every ounce of Luna’s being to reclaim the life that’s been taken from her.

Will she finally be able to rid herself of this mysterious entity that's been haunting her entire existence, or will she lose a piece of herself along the way?

2 April - Hopesgrave Easily (Porkskreach Rapscallions) by Francis O'Dowd (@Jam_Jar_Lurker)

Welcome to Fernlaith Hill.

Where every window is black,

water glows in the dark,

and brothers tumble from the sky.

Old ladies keep monsters in sheds,

amateur surgeons practise in sculleries,

and warhorses ride the skies.

Soon those warhorses will blow you up,

the surgeons will slice you open,

and the monsters will tear you apart.

But it’s your big brother you’ll really

need to watch out for ...

He’ll scare the ears off you.

Featuring an exclusive foreword by acclaimed bus driver Baldomero Izquierdo, and over 60 stunning illustrations, this dark urban fairy tale is a must for anyone who’s ever been beleaguered, bejumbled, or fed to a monster.

Can be read as a standalone novel or as part of the series.

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How far will you go to save your brother?

And how far to save your own skin?

In an alternate World War II, deranged hero Retired Air Marshal Hazzlethrop seizes the village of Fernlaith Hill ‘for the greater good.’ With all able adults fighting abroad, she places the rest under a punishing workload and turns the school into a military academy.

A nameless orphan (known as Balloons to his friends) is tasked with leading a squadron of rowdy headbangers. Threatened with drowning should he fail to control them, Balloons panics. To appear tough, he sends his brother Easily on a deadly mission. But the mission is a disaster and Easily is viciously attacked by Hazzlethrop’s arsenal of living weapons – with horrific repercussions.

Changed beyond recognition and now a danger to everyone, the villagers want him locked far, far away. Hazzlethrop would rather him slaughtered on the battlefield. Balloons realises their only hope is to escape Fernlaith Hill forever. But the weapons have also escaped, taking with them something precious to Easily. If he is to have any future, the boys must retrieve it.

And that means a journey into the heart of darkness …

Contains a link to a free soundtrack album and other bonus materials.

2 April - The Hidden Guardian (Ranger of the Titan Wilds Book 3) by J.D.L. Rosell (@jdlrosell)

She slew a devil. Held a titan's power. Defied ancient and formidable foes. Yet the greater war remains—and it will rob Leiyn of all she loves.

Returning to her homeland from beyond the mountains, the ranger Leiyn goes to defend Baltesia during its war of secession.

But the Ilberian Union refuses to relinquish its old colony. With the greatest fleet in the world and a host of odiosas at its disposal, a shadowy accomplice further augments the Union's power. The dangers to Leiyn and her comrades are greater than ever before.

To survive, Leiyn will have to rely on more than her magic. She must find allies who possess secret knowledge beyond anything she's imagined.

Allies even lyshans fear.

Baltesia's fight is not for its freedom alone—it is the next front in the war for the world. To protect her country and loved ones, Leiyn must defeat the Union, here and now.

But no battle is won without sacrifice.

2 April - Blazing Flux (The Flux Catastrophe Book 2) by Jonathan Weiss (@JonW_author)

Three months have passed since Revance was destroyed in a devastating mutiny. Ryza and the surviving conscripts work tirelessly to clear vast pools of molten flux from the walking fortress’ wreckage, draining it into the sands and trying not to think about where it’s ending up.

But the situation is getting desperate. Supplies are dwindling. Conscripts are deserting in droves to join the looters. Worst of all, the flux is behaving in ways that Ryza’s sure it shouldn’t.

The resurrected autominds of the battle’s dead won’t stop staring at him, familiar faces have been appearing in the surface of the molten flux itself, and it still hasn’t shown a hint of turning to blazing flux, the volatile gas that should occur when concentrated in more than a bucketful.

When Ryza discovers what’s truly controlling molten flux, he realises nothing’s as it’s meant to be.

Including himself.

8 April - Theater of Curses (Sleuths of Shadow Salon Book 2) by Catherine Stine

Shadow Salon detectives Luna and Celestine take on their second case, when Tim Calhoun insists his Conservatory of Theater Arts has been cursed, and the police have come up dry. He claims a red specter is terrorizing him, upturning his library of historic plays, setting fires in the theater, even brutalizing him. Tim is desperate to solve this terrifying mystery before Hollywood directors and agents flock to Savannah to watch his students perform and hopefully sign them.

The 1811 anonymous play is The Romance of the Recording Angels. Hazardous incidents follow rehearsals. Luna interviews students, inspects dorms and the library, where she unearths a copy of the play with strange red notations. She hires Arthur Dodge, a necro-visionary to find out who drew them. The shocking entity he resurrects reveals that three aerial realms must be unlocked to end an actual curse. But as time runs out, where the realms are, what must be done in them and just why the curse was inflicted remains a mystery.

To uncover clues, Luna uses her water magic and flight skills, while resisting her growing attraction to client, Tim. Celestine shares tips from her automatic drawings. As time runs out, Luna must try anything: Dodge’s visionary tea, Hoodoo Root Worker, Selka Dupree’s spell jars, and farmer Crow Dao’s lessons in realm jumping. If Luna fails to reach the realms, the conservatory will be shuttered, the curse will spread… and worse.

Perfect for fans of paranormal police procedurals, and of Kim Harrison and Charlaine Harris.

9 April - Beneath the Rot (The Rot Book 2) by Stephen Cooper

The Rot.

No longer dismissed as urban legend.

No longer blamed on mass hysteria.

It’s real.

It’s real, it’s evil, and it’s stronger than ever.

Infecting people. Driving them to acts of violent, sadistic depravity. Turning them against their nearest and dearest. Causing widespread terror and panic. Plunging an entire nation into chaos.

Striking at random, without warning. With no way to know who might be next, or what atrocities will be unleashed.

Unless someone can find a way to stop it, before it’s too late...

12 April - Synthetic Sea by Franklyn S. Newton (@Franklyn_Newt)

In the distant future of planet cracking, VR distraction, and corporate greed, grieving private detective Ryoma LeBeau takes what seems to be a simple job on the opulent casino planetoid of Scylla. Captivated by a chance meeting with the cybernetic musician Guin, he finds himself drawn to the smoky anachronistic lounge bar where they perform. But it seems there's a lot more to both Guin and this case and Ryoma can't help but pull at the threads of mystery leading him to the depths of conspiracy and memory.

Inspired by Philip K Dick novels and Ghost in the Shell, Synthetic Sea is a cyberpunk noir entwined with queer romance.

12 April - Moonshadow's Champion (Moonshadow Rising Duology Book 2) by Dianna Gunn (@DiannaLGunn)

In the weeks after the events of Moonshadow’s Guardian, Riana finally has what she’s always wanted: a free life in the human world. No more commands. No more restraints on her will. No more being used as a living weapon.

Yet the scars she earned escaping her old life don’t just mark her body. Nightmares haunt her sleeping hours and news of Jacob VIII’s plans to exterminate the telars harry her waking thoughts.

If she wants to keep the fragile place she’s built for herself and the peace she secured for Moonshadow, she must decide if she will once again take up her blade—this time against her former master.

Elsewhere in Moonshadow, unrest and discrimination have roiled into a deadly storm of force. Revolution is brewing—and even Jacob VIII’s death might not be enough to stop it from sweeping over Moonshadow.

13 April - Unwanted Child: A Healing Memoir by Chantal Agapiti

The journey of a young girl going through emotional neglect, family issues, and broken hearts.

Come with me, as I take a deep dive into my childhood. This is my coming-of-age journey, struggling my way through life. Until I became a young woman. I share challenging events, such as physical and emotional abuse, and toxic relationships.

For a long time, I was clueless, living day by day with the sole purpose of hoping for a better future.

I was a loaded ship sailing in the open sea amidst many storms, yet without any safe port to unload. Despite it all, I managed to keep my head afloat.

In the end, I share real manipulative love stories as a warning to others, having them recognize the signs to get out in time.

If you’re familiar with my writing, you’ll know I love poetry. I’ve added some poems here and there whenever it felt necessary. I enjoy using poems to discuss sensitive subjects. They keep the wording light and let my creativity free.

I’m a thought instigator. I share my thoughts and insights to motivate you whenever you need them. I love to make people reflect on everything, help them find new perspectives, and learn new things.

Learn to let go of past struggles, embrace the present, and have a positive look toward the future.

Dedicated to fellow physical and emotional Trauma survivors.

No matter what you went through or are still going through, it doesn’t define who you are as a person today or who you will be tomorrow.

You have the power to change things, take back control over your life.

I understand some people are still reluctant to seek help, yet admitting you are struggling and can’t get through it alone is a sign of courage and strength. You’re already stronger than you think. If my book resonated with you, you’re welcome to follow me on social media and reach out if you need to discuss it with me. I’m here to help, as nobody should go through this alone.

14 April - Third Name's a Charm: Tales of Trios and Triple Threats by Various Authors (A Charity Anthology)

All good things come in threes.

Once upon a time, a group of authors accepted the challenge from a fairy tale name generator. Not just once or twice, but thrice! Volume three of these quirky stories is a collection featuring trios and triple threats.

In this clean YA anthology, follow the fates of three begotten triplet princesses, be enlisted as the third lucky bodyguard to stave off monsters, see if the third wand works wonders for an unlucky mage, try to discover the true name of a unicorn prince, discover why magical artifacts come in threes, and climb towers with thieves to abduct well-known fairytale characters.

Don’t forget, with the rule of three, there are always exceptions. Venture into this collection of adventurous stories by award-winning and up-and-coming authors, and maybe you’ll be thrice enchanted.

All proceeds donated to a charity in support of reading and literacy.

15 April - Eye of the Ouroboros by Megan Bontrager (@megbontra @QuillandCrow)

The woods surrounding the insular town of Mill Creek, West Virginia, have a habit of taking people and refusing to give them back. The National Parks Service Search and Rescue Team knows this, just like they know when you find a door in the woods, you don’t go through it. But park ranger Theo Buchanan has a knack for sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. Determined to find the truth behind her sister Flora’s strange disappearance, she boldly steps through one such door, catching the attention of the Federal Bureau of Reality. She quickly learns how far they are willing to go to keep their secrets locked tight, even if it means silencing those who stumble upon them permanently.

Together with her journalist ex-girlfriend, a fellow ranger, a conspiracy theorist, and a rogue member of the Bureau’s Requisitions Department, Theo must brave the horrors of the Infinite Corridor and its web of connected realities to find Flora…before the Bureau does.

15 April - The Hunter (The Hunter of Fareldin Book 1) by K. Aagard (@AagardKylee)

Strider is content to die...

After 50 years, his revenge is complete and his purpose fulfilled. When a teenager steals the Hunter's sword, his wolf companion Greer sees a way to help them both: in convincing Strider to escort the girl home safely, there's hope his friend might find the will to keep on living - to keep on fighting.

But this is no ordinary job. His young employer is deeply entangled in a dark plot that threatens her and her fiefdom. Strider must employ his magic and battle training to ensure their survival against soldiers and mercenaries out to claim their bounty.

Can these unlikely allies find a way to survive, or will their differences and secrets destroy them all?

16 April - The House at the End of Lacelean Street by Catherine McCarthy (@serialsemantic @dark_matter_mag)

Truth has a price.

It's midnight and in the midst of an ice storm when Claudia Dance boards the bright yellow bus to Lacelean Street, a destination she has never heard of. She has no coat, no luggage, and no clue as to why she left home. In fact, she has no memory of her past whatsoever, and yet she feels compelled to make the trip. She will come to realize that salvation lies within the red-brick house at the end of Lacelean Street, a salvation granted by the strange power that dwells within. Sanity will be questioned, limits tested, and answers revealed... But at what price?

16 April - The Odyllic Stone by Alex Scheuermann

When Aster Rutherford, the postmaster's son and his childhood friend, Zinnia Hollyhock deliver a letter to the Pelware Mines, they are attacked by a birdlike monster that turns men to stone. Even worse, Buckwheat Village is plagued by an illness that's incapacitating villagers, including Aster's own father.

A chance encounter with Kara Reeves, the brash quartermaster of the Blue Skies, leads Aster to hitch a ride to the capital city in search of a doctor. Aster's quest takes him from the dizzying spires of New Portsmith to the caves of Munayallpa and the forests of Tembour. Along the way Aster reconnects with his estranged mother and comes face-to-face with the god of a foreign land. Can Aster and the crew of the Blue Skies overcome pirates, politics, and monsters to cure Buckwheat Village before it's too late?

19 April - It Always Finds Me by Various Authors (@QuerenciaPress)

it always finds me is a horror anthology from Querencia Press with work featured across poetry, cnf, fiction, hybrid, and visual art from 39 contributors.

19 April - Fallen Legacy (Elysia Dayne Book 3) by Wil Chan

Love. Loss. Obsession.

Continuing the Elysia Dayne saga:

What difference can a day make?

After their night together, life couldn't be rosier for Elysia and Isabella. The next day, they finally reach the Astorian Palace - and safety. Little do they know, but Elysia will be forced to face her sternest test to date.

While she is introduced to King Corwen and Queen Callista in a procession at the Royal Court, she sees something that may destabilise the monarchy. Before she can act, the dominoes fall over all at once. Accused, arrested, and silenced with poison that was supposed to kill her, the Azurian is left fighting for her life…

In the past timeline, a young Elysia arrives at the Borderlands after being inducted into the military. She loses one of her closest friends to a sneak attack before wreaking havoc in the heat of her maiden battle. With everyone on tenterhooks, what dangers will be awaiting Elysia and her friends in Northwind?

19 April - Checkmate by K.D. Tabith

Would you betray your kingdom for your soulmate?

Shapeshifter Theodori Hunter Wolfborn must conquer the kingdom of Siacchi to prove his worth. To do so, he kidnaps a man known for his strategic genius – a champion in the much-revered and ancient game of dominance and submission, Cesse. A man who will help Theo secure a clean, bloodless victory.

Only, Theo has kidnapped the wrong person.

Luka Lockehart, renowned Cesse player, has trained all his life to hide his stigmatized abilities to shapeshift, guided by the unwavering hand of his mother. He never expected he would have to put his training into practice when he is kidnapped by a northern warlord – and he certainly didn’t expect to find this man – this monster – so attractive. Now he must hide his feelings and his identity, for if Theo finds out that he is not the man he says he is, it is not only Luka’s life that is forfeit, but his entire country.

Luka and Theo are locked in a deadly game. As the secrets between them only continue to grow, so does the unmistakable pull they feel toward each other, even when such feelings might very well ruin all they’ve ever hoped to achieve.

Something has to break. It will be their kingdoms – or their hearts.

19 April - Gates of Sorrow (Aulirean Gates Book 2) by J E Hannaford

‘You will be the path we walk. You will be the last scale on a wing, the piece of the puzzle that makes everything complete.’

Deep beneath the Black Palace in Lieus, Suriin pays the price for trusting Natke. Cut off from her magic and unable to rescue herself, she waits on aid from Darin and the Howlers. The cost of her rescue? The future she’d always dreamed of.

Thanks to Darin and Chase, the Howlers’ access to magic is no longer restricted, but as they prepare to hunt down the xotryl and its new companion, they receive disturbing news from Dal. Natke is hunting. She will stop at nothing to get home to Tebein.

Far away, on Tebein, Elissa’s only hope to rescue her people is to travel to the moon of Mythos and find a way to re-open the Aulirean Gate on Lieus.

20 April - They of the West (Scrublands Book 1) by Dani Finn (@DaniFinnwrites)

Dralen never could leave well enough alone.

He knows better than to go near the canyons. That’s where the Logans live, wild men of the hills said to devour lone travelers in frenzied midnight feasts.

But the mysterious cloaked figure he saw down by the canyons had to be there for a reason. And he can’t get his Urpa’s poem out of his head: something about “They of the West” and “Treasures buried in memory’s mine.”

Folks used to mine for topaz in the canyons, and other stones too. Magical ones, some said. But the Logans and the cave-in put an end to all that.

Dralen knows he’ll get in trouble if he goes after the cloaked figure, and he’s doubly sure he doesn’t care. Maybe They know something everyone else has forgotten in this little nothing town. Dralen is called to follow Them, but the closer he gets to unraveling the mystery, the more it seems his own journey is just beginning…

They of the West is a fantasy novella set in a brand-new world, a coming-of-age story about friendship, family, and self-discovery. It is the first book in the Scrublands, a planned trio of novellas. It is appropriate for older young adult and adult audiences; content warnings include smoking, drinking, cursing, and brief references to sexual topics.

23 April - Under Far Galaxian Skies (Inner Universe Book 4) by Natalie Kelda (@NatalieKelda)

Balfour has committed the ultimate crime: the murder of his sister’s boyfriend. It doesn’t matter that it was accidental.

Sentenced to working as ship labourer, Balfour is convinced he deserves it when he's captured by pirates and forced to a distant galaxy. He barely escapes enslavement, fleeing into a city more deadly than anything he’s ever known.

Venomous reptiles hunt him. Iron-fisted tarilla chiefs are on the brink of war.

Balfour must adapt quickly or prepare for a slow, torturous death in the hands of people more bloodthirsty than the Star-Eaters of old.

But the biggest threat is his lingering self-loathing. If he can't fight through it, nothing else will matter — because he won’t live long enough to see it.

Under Far Galaxian Skies is the first in a trilogy that can be read on its own or as a continuation of the first 3 books in the Inner Universe Series.

23 April - The Illuminad: The Complete Trilogy by Joseph Sale

The Illuminad Trilogy is a fantasy-horror epic like no other. Described as “impressive as Clive Barker in his prime” by Brian Barr, author of Serpent King, and as “Unmissable” by Bram Stoker Award Nominated author Ross Jeffery, this omnibus features all three novels in the series: Dark Hilarity, The Tunnel and The Tower Outside of Time.

In Dark Hilarity, tweens Nicola and Tara meet their idol, the cretinous Jed Maine, lead singer of a screamo band. But Jed has a dark secret, and soon the best friends find themselves transported to another world, one in which Jed is about to enact an insane plan.

The Tunnel tells the story of Georgie Jones and Tracey Gundu as they strive to save London from a reptilian monster that may just be the reincarnation of a killer.

In The Tower Outside of Time, the stories of Tracey, Georgie, Tara, and Nicola all come together. With the tower opened by a black magician, all hell breaks loose, and it is up to the four heroic women to make the perilous journey to the place outside of time, and face the root of all evil.

23 April - Shrouded Guard (Shrouded Curses Book 1) by Amanda N. Newman

Living a double life is never easy…especially when it’s shrouded with secrets and lies.

Hunter Wildmoor lives under two identities. By day, he’s viewed only as a troubled bad boy at Hydhexa School of Magic. At night, he’s the legendary Shrouded Guard, courtesy of being raised in and training with the Guardian’s Guild since he was old enough to pick up a staff. But guild life isn’t easy. The training regimen is brutal, the missions demanding, and being the Guild Master’s right-hand man only brings on more pressure.

As if it isn’t enough to balance schoolwork and guild duties, by order of his uncle, Hunter is forced to keep his affiliation with the Guardian’s Guild a secret, an easy enough task for Hydhexa’s main outcast. At least, it was until a new student comes to Hydhexa and insists that she wants to be Hunter’s friend, no matter how much he tries to push her away.

It can’t last, though. After being assigned to a group project with two of the most accepting people he’s ever met, Hunter can’t help but find himself growing close to his newfound friends. His guild responsibilities become more demanding and his already abusive uncle only becomes more violent. To make it worse, he’s set his sights on Hunter’s new friends as potential guild recruits.

But Hunter has to do something, even if it means risking his own safety and uncovering some of the guild’s darkest secrets along the way.

Content Note: This book contains scenes depicting physical abuse, self-harm, cursing, trauma, anxiety, gaslighting, verbal abuse, and bullying.

29 April - We Met in the Forums by Rob Ulitski

In the darkest corners of an anonymous internet forum, Josh and Leo share a morbid fascination for all things grotesque and macabre. When they move into a shared apartment on the coast, shifting their online relationship into the real world, they find themselves entangled in a mysterious epidemic.

Thrust into a fight for survival, the pair investigate first-hand accounts of a deadly disease spreading at the beach, using the forums to uncover the truth as the population is divided by conspiracies and widespread hysteria.

Weaving internet mystery with body horror, 'We Met In The Forums' is a chilling exploration of the depths we’d go to find the truth, and how even the strongest bonds can be broken by the incomprehensible.

30 April - Whispers of the Nordic Draugr: A Steamy, Mythological Romantasy by Caroline Helenasdotter (@author_helenasdotter on Instagram)

In the misty realms of 16th-century Scandinavia, where myths dance with reality, Katarina finds herself ensnared in a perilous dance between the mortal and the ethereal. Possessed by the elusive mare, her world fractures, and the shadows grow darker. But amidst the chaos, a reluctant guardian emerges - Ulrik, the enigmatic master of her estate, harboring demonic secrets darker than the midnight sea.

Haunted by a past veiled in blood and sorrow, Ulrik battles not only his own demons but the sinister machinations of Vasilij, his tyrannical draugr maker. Bound by an unholy pact, their fates entwine with Katarina's, as love and darkness collide in a deadly game of fate.

As Ulrik and Katarina traverse the treacherous landscapes of love and fear, they must confront not only the malevolent mare but the looming specter of Vasilij, whose hunger for power knows no bounds. In a tale woven with romance and terror, their journey unfolds, where every step taken could lead to salvation or damnation.

Enter a world where passion ignites amidst the howling winds, and where the line between hero and villain blurs in the flickering light of ancient legends. Prepare to be ensnared in the spellbinding tale of Katarina and Ulrik, where love defies even the darkest of shadows.

Experience a spellbinding blend of love, passion, folklore and mystique.

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Hi! I'm Marie, a Filipino fantasy author and book reviewer currently based in the UK. I’m the co-author of The Prophecies of Ragnarok, a Norse myth new adult urban fantasy trilogy, and I also have several short stories published in anthologies and literary journals.

You can find more info about me and my books, and also subscribe to my newsletter for more content, here. And if you like what I do, please also consider supporting me on Ko-fi! 🩷 https://ko-fi.com/mariesinadjan

Also check out my latest release, Among Thorns and Stardust ✨