Indies Introduce Winter / Spring 2020 Titles

“The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez is set over the course of millenia - a snapshot of humanity on the brink of Earth’s climate meltdown and that same humanity flung far into the future and across star systems. This is at once a space opera and meditation on mourning. It is a queer coming of age story and an exploration of the nature of trauma. It shows the courage of loving another blindly, and the desperate pain of that love. This is science fiction at its best - a sideways glance at the realities of the world we live in, refracting the nuance and complications of life through its lens. The Vanished Birds speaks to where we are now by showing us where we can go - and asking us how much will really change when we arrive.”

“On a winter break vacation with her family, Alison, an 18-year-old college freshman, goes missing – only to turn up dead several days later. The mystery is never solved, and the family attempts to go on with their lives. Years later, Claire, Alison’s younger sister, is living in New York City when a chance encounter draws her back into that fatal vacation. Desperate to find the truth, Claire obsessively stalks a man once connected with her sister’s death. A combination murder mystery/coming of age story, Saint X is filled with twists, turns, and foreshadowing.”

“A lonely young woman is assigned to be the director of the mammal collection of London’s Natural History Museum upon its evacuation to a sprawling country estate at the onset of World War II. Dark forces are afoot as she navigates her relationships with the domineering widower and his mentally fragile daughter who reside with their servants at Lockwood Manor. Why are taxidermized animals from the collection disappearing? What were the circumstances surrounding the death of the lady of the house? Gothic and mysterious with a hint of Upstairs, Downstairs, The Animals at Lockwood Manor will keep you turning the pages until the dramatic ending when all is revealed.”

“An astonishing look at a new widow's attempt to make sense of her husband's death and her newfound independence, through which she rediscovers her love of painting, forms new and profound bonds, rekindles previously dormant familial relationships, and ultimately finds peace in uncertainty. Set in Beijing and Tibet, Braised Pork is a poetic reflection on life and all of its meandering, unpredictable messiness.”

“Yumi Chung has a dream of being a standup comedian, but her parents aren't on board. Suddenly, Yumi finds herself in a situation to attend a summer camp with her all- time favorite comedian, except everyone thinks Yumi is someone else. This book is hilarious, heartbreaking, and heartwarming all at once. And in the end, you absolutely will be standing up and cheering for Yumi Chung!"

“This is a rare coming-of-age, magical realism, coming-out, scientific quest, sister-struggle, animal-loving, letting-go, best-friend tension-filled, epic family drama that is perfect for tweens. It hits all the right notes in a story that is hard to put down and even harder to forget. Open yourself up to its magic.”

“If you’re looking for engrossing, high-stakes fantasy, you need this emotionally rich, gorgeously written novel. It’s about about power that winds up being about love, sacrifice, honor, and family— that we choose and are given. Raybearer is absolutely brilliant, gripping, and one-of-a-kind. I can’t wait to read more from this author.”

“Beautifully written, musical, and lyrical, Private Lessons is a coming-of-age novel that pulled at my heartstrings. Claire's relationship with her mother and father had me weeping early on in the book, and I admired and understood her drive to escape her suburban life. Her Filipino heritage is a part of the story, but doesn't define her, and the microaggressions that she faces is depicted in the way it would be in real life––cutting but ultimately unnoticed by anyone but the target. The lens of Claire's journey is beautiful and brilliant and I enjoyed reading about her growing up.”