The best indie books you have read.

Note: This list is not for advertising. Please only vote if you are an active Goodreads member and have actually read the book(s) you are voting for.
1

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4.52 avg rating — 19,479 ratings
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2

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3.63 avg rating — 142 ratings
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3

by
3.97 avg rating — 636 ratings
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4

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3.83 avg rating — 1,167 ratings
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5

by
3.57 avg rating — 8,330 ratings
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6

by
3.95 avg rating — 271 ratings
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7

by
4.10 avg rating — 198,568 ratings
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8

by
3.93 avg rating — 3,826 ratings
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9

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3.59 avg rating — 4,250 ratings
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10

by
4.34 avg rating — 2,097 ratings
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11

by
3.77 avg rating — 921 ratings
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12

by
4.05 avg rating — 1,536 ratings
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13

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4.37 avg rating — 263 ratings
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14

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4.19 avg rating — 118 ratings
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15

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3.54 avg rating — 2,115 ratings
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16

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4.30 avg rating — 17,116 ratings
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17

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3.93 avg rating — 243 ratings
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18

by
3.93 avg rating — 1,022 ratings
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19

by
3.87 avg rating — 102,719 ratings
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20

by
4.30 avg rating — 1,539 ratings
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21

by
4.49 avg rating — 98 ratings
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22

by
3.95 avg rating — 164 ratings
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23

by
4.19 avg rating — 263 ratings
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24

by
3.85 avg rating — 633 ratings
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25

by
3.64 avg rating — 147 ratings
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26

by
4.23 avg rating — 1,104 ratings
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27

by
3.70 avg rating — 968 ratings
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28

by
4.19 avg rating — 301 ratings
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29

by
3.95 avg rating — 145 ratings
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30

by
4.46 avg rating — 128 ratings
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31

by
4.58 avg rating — 105 ratings
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32

by
4.32 avg rating — 507 ratings
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33

by
4.29 avg rating — 4,561 ratings
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34

by
3.53 avg rating — 2,130 ratings
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35

by
4.06 avg rating — 115,458 ratings
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36

by
4.35 avg rating — 607 ratings
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37

by
3.86 avg rating — 776 ratings
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38

by
4.53 avg rating — 102 ratings
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39

by
4.32 avg rating — 79 ratings
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40

by
3.24 avg rating — 2,937 ratings
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41

by
3.97 avg rating — 513 ratings
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42

by
3.72 avg rating — 2,518 ratings
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43

by
4.12 avg rating — 143 ratings
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44

by
3.75 avg rating — 613 ratings
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45

by
4.36 avg rating — 138 ratings
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46

by
4.36 avg rating — 313 ratings
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47

by
3.96 avg rating — 18,497 ratings
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48

by
4.13 avg rating — 180 ratings
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49

by
4.37 avg rating — 373 ratings
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50

by
3.90 avg rating — 281 ratings
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51

by
4.26 avg rating — 419 ratings
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52

by
4.31 avg rating — 88 ratings
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53

by
4.18 avg rating — 352 ratings
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54

by
4.17 avg rating — 268 ratings
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54

by
3.75 avg rating — 845 ratings
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56

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3.76 avg rating — 203 ratings
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57

by
4.13 avg rating — 68 ratings
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58

by
4.11 avg rating — 473 ratings
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59

by
4.15 avg rating — 259 ratings
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60

by
3.69 avg rating — 364 ratings
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61

by
4.09 avg rating — 45,578 ratings
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62

by
4.41 avg rating — 304 ratings
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63

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 12 ratings
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64

by
4.54 avg rating — 65 ratings
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65

by
3.66 avg rating — 710 ratings
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66

by
3.20 avg rating — 256 ratings
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67

by
4.52 avg rating — 144 ratings
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68

by
3.26 avg rating — 1,775 ratings
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69

by
4.53 avg rating — 74 ratings
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70

by
4.35 avg rating — 57 ratings
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71

by
3.90 avg rating — 21 ratings
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72

by
3.99 avg rating — 250 ratings
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73

by
3.89 avg rating — 46 ratings
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74

by
3.71 avg rating — 9,492 ratings
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75

by
3.69 avg rating — 3,533 ratings
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76

by
4.31 avg rating — 1,435 ratings
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77

by
4.22 avg rating — 1,413 ratings
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78

by
4.28 avg rating — 82 ratings
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79

by
4.44 avg rating — 234 ratings
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80

by
3.97 avg rating — 126 ratings
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81

by
3.92 avg rating — 134 ratings
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82

by
4.42 avg rating — 12 ratings
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83

by
3.59 avg rating — 731 ratings
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84

by
3.92 avg rating — 165 ratings
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85

by
3.92 avg rating — 62,540 ratings
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86

by
3.46 avg rating — 89 ratings
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87

by
3.94 avg rating — 1,972 ratings
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88

by
3.70 avg rating — 199 ratings
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89

by
3.92 avg rating — 38 ratings
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90

by
3.67 avg rating — 400 ratings
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91

by
4.24 avg rating — 164 ratings
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92

by
3.61 avg rating — 639 ratings
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93

by
4.34 avg rating — 544 ratings
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94

by
4.15 avg rating — 2,046 ratings
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95

by
4.15 avg rating — 121 ratings
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96

by
3.95 avg rating — 172 ratings
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97

by
3.91 avg rating — 136 ratings
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98

by
3.60 avg rating — 172 ratings
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98

by
4.35 avg rating — 116 ratings
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100

by
3.50 avg rating — 840 ratings
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2,043 books · 1,892 voters · list created April 29th, 2011 by deleted user.
57 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Roger 105 books
4 friends
Everly 417 books
1767 friends
Jan 1316 books
82 friends
Elizabeth 147 books
290 friends
Linda 25 books
79 friends
John 10 books
0 friends
Anne 146 books
6 friends
Leopold 48 books
24 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-22 of 22 (22 new)

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message 1: by [deleted user] (new)

What does Indie mean? I googled it but still not sure about this.


message 2: by [deleted user] (new)

As far as I know - Indie music/art/film/books - meant people that were handling things pretty much on their own without the backing from a major studio or publisher.

Indie press also means small press or small publishing houses. Not the big traditional ones.

Now, because of the Internet and availability of eBooks and the ability of individuals to publish their books electronically, to me it means independent authors who are publishing their own work.

Anyone who knows more, please feel free to chime in. :)


message 3: by [deleted user] (new)

hehe I'm a life-long reader so I think it's a great time to be reader too. :)


The Pirate Ghost (Formerly known as the Curmudgeon) I don't know that these are the "best ever" books or anything like that.

They all have the same editing issues. You know, the stray word in the wront tense or spelling and/or missing words here and there.

Having said that, I enjoyed reading every one of them. It takes a certain kind of magic to make a story come alive. These writers have the magic, and it's in their books. They deserve some love. (I loved the books.)

It just makes me wonder how much help a publishing company could have been to them with their polishing machine and army of editors if they had just accepted their work instead of trying to force them into writing to meet a formula?


message 5: by [deleted user] (new)

Hugh (A.K.A. Hermit the Curmudgeon) wrote: "I don't know that these are the "best ever" books or anything like that.

They all have the same editing issues. You know, the stray word in the wront tense or spelling and/or missing words her..."


This list got totally out of hand. I originally meant it as a list that I personally read/reviewed and thought was great... and then it got hi-jacked. lol I don't know how to fix it except start a new list? But I don't know if you can even make a closed list.

I have an Indies-good read shelf which does have only the books I've read and anyone is welcome to check it out or ASK ME!

I'd love to give you suggestions of Indie authors that I found to be really good. Good editing, good cover is a must, but story trumps all. I'm very eclectic so will probably find something you like...

Also I blog about all the Indies I read at alchemyofscrawl.wordpress.com

:)


message 6: by [deleted user] (new)

Coral wrote: "Hugh (A.K.A. Hermit the Curmudgeon) wrote: "I don't know that these are the "best ever" books or anything like that.

They all have the same editing issues. You know, the stray word in the wront ..."


Ask Suzanne to help you. She is a librarian who can correct and clean up lists. She does it all the time.I hope I didn't spell her name wrong. Susanne maybe


message 7: by [deleted user] (new)

lol it would go from 386 to 93. How do I contact a librarian?


message 8: by [deleted user] (new)

Nope, I looked at the rules and all lists are public. My shelf has my private Indies-good read so please friend me and check that out or ask me if you are unsure.

I'm not saying everyone else on the list is bad, I'm only one reader and have just listed the books that I've read and thought were good.

:)


message 9: by [deleted user] (new)

Alice wrote: "Coral wrote: "lol it would go from 386 to 93. How do I contact a librarian?"

Susanne is on most Listopias. You can also go on the group for librarians and ask for help. I have voted on hundreds ..."


No problem Alice. Thanks for your help!


message 10: by The Pirate Ghost (new)

The Pirate Ghost (Formerly known as the Curmudgeon) I appologize for intruding. If I could take mine back, I would.


message 11: by [deleted user] (new)

Hugh (A.K.A. Hermit the Curmudgeon) wrote: "I appologize for intruding. If I could take mine back, I would."

For intruding? I don't understand. You're welcome to comment.


message 12: by [deleted user] (new)

Oh shoot, now I feel bad. No one else is going to delete anything so you shouldn't. I have a private list so this is no problem.

I just had no idea this list would catch on. Sorry!


message 13: by Linda (new)

Linda Rae ~☆ Alice☆~ wrote: "What does Indie mean? I googled it but still not sure about this." Indie writers--we write and publish our own books without use of a traditional publisher.


message 14: by Charles (last edited Feb 10, 2013 03:25PM) (new)

Charles O'Donnell Linda wrote: "~☆ Alice☆~ wrote: "What does Indie mean? I googled it but still not sure about this." Indie writers--we write and publish our own books without use of a traditional publisher."

An independently (read: self) published author. With Kindle, iBooks, Nook and more, it's easier than ever to self publish. Which means tens of thousands of self-published books hit the eBook sites every month. Including mine!


message 15: by Riley (new)

Riley Banks How is 50 Shades an Indie book? It was a commercial success!


message 16: by BookChic (new)

BookChic Club Riley wrote: "How is 50 Shades an Indie book? It was a commercial success!"

Because it was self-published. Doesn't matter how well it sold or whatever. Since E.L. James self-published (or went through a small publisher) it, it's an indie book.


message 17: by [deleted user] (new)

E.L. James (shudders can't believe I said that name) is not an indie book. It was bought up by Random House. Kinda ya know a big ass publisher. So no, should not be on this list.


message 18: by BookChic (new)

BookChic Club It was originally self-published though and then once it was a success, bought up by Random House and distributed widely as paperbacks.


message 19: by [deleted user] (new)

BookChic wrote: "It was originally self-published though and then once it was a success, bought up by Random House and distributed widely as paperbacks."

Nope was never self pub'd. It was published by the writers coffee shop. And all the poor schmucks that read it as fanfiction bought it and 6 months later Random House bought it up.


message 20: by BookChic (new)

BookChic Club Still though, the Writers Coffee Shop is not a major publisher and therefore an indie one and the book belongs on this list. The reason Random House bought it is because it was such a huge seller despite being a title from a little-known independent publisher. It doesn't matter if the book was later bought by a major publisher and mass-produced. What matters is the initial publication- was it self- or indie-published? If yes, it belongs here.


message 21: by Robby (new)

Robby Drae "Virion: The Black Cell" by RLM Sanchez is such a fascinating read. One of the first indie authors I have taken the time to check out and because of him I have found so much hidden talent. Go check out his book! I can't wait for book 2! Virion: The Black Cell


BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) deleted user wrote: "E.L. James (shudders can't believe I said that name) ..."

😙


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