When we’re looking for our next reads, the convenience of checking out bestsellers is a tantalizing option. There are countless titles in publication that have gigantic followings — supporters and haters alike, screaming from the rooftops about the author, the plot, the problems, and the passion behind a novel’s acclaim. On the flipside, there are plenty of enthralling books that are considered more underground than mainstream novels.
To move away from the buzz of bestsellers, we want to spotlight books by independent publishing houses that tell poignant and relative stories about the lives of those around us. Books by a multitude of different voices, run by smaller businesses, that tell riveting stories about strong emotions, hardships, laughter, and the versatility of life. Grouped by publisher, here are ten underrated novels we recommend:
Two Dollar Radio
A Door Behind a Door by Yelena Moskovich
Taking place in 1991, Olga immigrated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the Soviet diaspora. She tries settling down and meets a girl whom she begins falling in love with, but is awoken from her peace by a phone call from her past. As her bleak childhood and present life begin to collide, Olga takes us on a journey through the underground Midwestern Russian mafia in pursuit of her missing brother and the serial stabbings in her neighborhood.
A Door Behind a Door has an artistic writing style that dedicates itself to prose, voice, and unsettling the reader.
Pages of Mourning by Diego Gerard Morrison
Fellowship writer Aureliano wants to write a Magical Realism story as a way to document the unexplained disappearance of his mother. Following the turmoil of the drug war in Mexico and the disappearance of 43 students, who were later found dead, Diego Gerard Morrison challenges Magical Realism as a narrative tool to confront life, violence, and the inability to cope with death in the face of uncertainty.
The gut-wrenching history that inspires Pages of Mourning is turned dreamlike through Diego Gerard Morrison’s lyrical voice.
Coffee House Press
Saint Sebastian’s Abyss by Mark Haber
After a decades-long rivalry that ended the friendship between two art critics, one of them receives an egregiously long email (that is considered short) from the other on their deathbed, seeking the other’s presence. On his flight to Berlin, he reflects on the work that gave them both acclaim: Saint Sebastian’s Abyss, by painter Count Hugo Beckenbauer.
Comical, sensitive, and obsessive, Saint Sebastian’s Abyss by Mark Haber shows us the cutthroat world of art history and the dedication to debating thematic elements and meaning in the arts.
No Names by Gregg Hewett
Two working-class boys, Mike and Pete, in the ‘70s formed a connection with their love of punk music, creating a band called No Names. Over ten years later, Mike is a recluse living on an island in the North Atlantic, when a letter from a dedicated teenage fan named Isaac arrives. From the teenager’s praise of the only album No Names produced, Mike is reminded of the times that connected him to the lonely teen feelings that inspired him to make music.
For lovers of the underground punk scene and coming-of-age narratives, this story follows the beauty and hardships of self-discovery, sexuality, and creation in a tender narrative.
Other Press
Carnality by Lina Wolff
A Swedish writer searches for a miracle worker named Lucia in Madrid, Spain. Along the way, she meets a man at a bar who offers to tell her a fantastic story about the threat to his life, an evil nun, the corrupt inner workings of a TV show, and more. All in exchange for a place to hide for a few days.
Carnality is a double-edged and spiritual journey that takes us through the unseen and whimsical side of society.
Breathing Through the Wound by Víctor del Árbol
Also taking place in Madrid, renowned painter Eduardo spirals into self-destruction after his wife and daughter are killed in a tragic accident. He breaks out of his stupor when a grieving mother commissions him to paint a portrait of her son’s killer. Drawn to the unusual request, Eduardo sets out to discover what makes a killer and how to spot one.
Breathing Through the Wound is an engrossing spider web of deceit, crime, and discovery.
Catapult
These Letters End in Tears by Musih Tedji Xaviere
The forbidden love story between a Christian girl and a Muslim girl, Bessem and Fatima, in Cameroon, is brought to life through devastating letters. In a country where same-sex relationships are forbidden by law, the secrecy of their romance puts their lives at stake. Thirteen years later, one of them lives a quiet life as a university professor, the other has disappeared. As life moves forward, Bessem grows obsessed with getting to the bottom of what happened to her lost love.
Believe it or not, the title is a promise of what’s in store for you while reading this book.
The Liquid Eye of a Moon by Uchenna Awoke
Fifteen-year-old Dimpka leaves his small village in Nigeria after his father is passed over as village head for a younger man. On his journey of self-discovery, Dimpka yearns to understand what’s important in life and what to achieve in order to reach fulfillment.
Awoke’s poignant story about adolescence captures funny and serious moments that are sure to connect with readers.
Tin House
Village Weavers by Myriam J. A. Chancy
Torn apart by a deathbed revelation, best friends Gertie and Sisi navigate different ends of the social and economic ladder as they grow up. Six decades later, both are reunited in the United States, where they must reckon with the past and potentially make amends.
Exploring class struggle, economic backgrounds, and the taboo surrounding social statuses around the world, Village Weavers tackles prominent subjects that question the cycles allowing for generational oppression to persist.
The Maker of Swans by Paraic O’Donnell
In a single night of violence at an English estate, the butler Eustace recognizes the gunman on the lawn as his employer, Mr. Crowe. For the seedy world of the rich and powerful, there are still codes of conduct that must be followed, and Mr. Crowe has found himself at the center of a scandal.
Secrets threaten to unravel the lives of those closest to Mr. Crowe as faith is tested and gifts are more than meets the eye.
It takes trial and error to know what stories pull you in. But once a book speaks to you, it’s hard not to fall in completely. We hope you enjoy these unique voices and continue to explore more indie publishers for your next reads.
Want some literary fiction recommendations? We have a list for you.
If you’re interested in the Bookstr team’s contemporary favorites, you can find them on Bookshop.
