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GREAT INDIE READS

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The Great Indie Reads section spotlights the work of exceptional independent authors as chosen by DartFrog Books.

This month's recommendations

Margaret of Thibodaux: A Novel

Margaret of Thibodaux: A Novel

by Jo Taylor

Summary:

At once humorous and heartbreaking, Margaret of Thibodaux is a captivating Southern story of longing and self-discovery, told from the perspective of a feisty and determined yet vulnerable teenage girl as she learns that love and nurturing can come in the most unexpected packages.

DISCUSSION GUIDE
Retirement Planning That Delivers: 5 Powerful Strategies for Better Bucket-List Results, a Longer Healthspan, and More Memorable Experiences

Retirement Planning That Delivers: 5 Powerful Strategies for Better Bucket-List Results, a Longer Healthspan, and More Memorable Experiences

by Pete Bosse PhD CFP

Summary:

Discover How to Stop Worrying About Retirement and Start Enjoying the Best Years of Your Life!

DISCUSSION GUIDE
The Woman Who Went Overboard: A Thriller

The Woman Who Went Overboard: A Thriller

by Florence Wetzel

Summary:

A psychological thriller set in the cozy atmosphere of a cruise ship, The Woman Who Went Overboard is a story of romantic obsession, and a haunting tale of how far one woman will go to get the man of her dreams.

DISCUSSION GUIDE

Recent Great Indie Reads Books

April, 2025

What We Give Away: A Delicious Standalone Novel (Bold Journeys Book 4)

What We Give Away: A Delicious Standalone Novel (Bold Journeys Book 4)

by Paulette Stout

Summary:

Steamy, emotional, and deeply resonant, What We Give Away is a love story about breaking free, reclaiming joy, and finding the courage to live—and love—on your own terms. Perfect for fans of slow-burn, high-stakes romance with a powerful message, this novel will stay with you long after the final page.

DISCUSSION GUIDE
THE INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES OF CHANA IN JUDEA: Historical Fiction Series Starter for Middle School

THE INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES OF CHANA IN JUDEA: Historical Fiction Series Starter for Middle School

by Emil Buchman

Summary:

Dive into ancient Judea with determined 12-year old Chana in this action-adventure series starter for middle-schoolers!

DISCUSSION GUIDE
Uninvited Valor--The Forsaken Soldiers of WWII: Based on the Epic True Story of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team

Uninvited Valor--The Forsaken Soldiers of WWII: Based on the Epic True Story of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team

by John C. Kiyonaga

Summary:

Debut author John Kiyonaga draws on his own father’s experience serving with the 442nd RCT, a unit consisting entirely of Japanese-American enlisted soldiers and considered the military’s most decorated unit. Expertly weaving fiction with history, Uninvited Valor is the story of men called into brotherhood—and greatness—by circumstances beyond their control, and their decision to go for broke, risking everything for the country that has forsaken them.

DISCUSSION GUIDE

March, 2025

The Left Hand

The Left Hand

by Brittnay J Sears

Summary:

Step back in time with this swingin' new thriller that follows the lives of the women behind the men in an American crime family. This romantic period piece will have you falling in love with the characters, even as you witness their darker moments.

DISCUSSION GUIDE
In Judgement of Others

In Judgement of Others

by Eleanor Anstruther

Summary:

In this darkly comic tale of psychosis in the Home Counties, the stage is set for a blistering examination of mental illness, how we treat it and why we don’t. While Tessa is sectioned in a secure psychiatric hospital, the relationships in the community unravel, and by the time she’s released, all that we thought we knew, and all of our judgements, are thrown into question.

DISCUSSION GUIDE
The Novel Matrix: The Complete Novel Writing Guide

The Novel Matrix: The Complete Novel Writing Guide

by Brad Pauquette

Summary:

The Novel Matrix explores the natural principles of storytelling that humans instinctively understand and expect in great stories. This is the foundation from which great artwork is born.
The Novel Matrix also relates plot, characters, conflict, and setting together in a way that no other craft book has done. Written in simple, nonacademic language, this is the honest, elegant solution for long-form storytelling you've been waiting for.
Armed with this information, you'll never begin another novel manuscript only to abandon it partway through the writing.
Never again will you completely overhaul a novel manuscript because it just doesn't work, but you have no idea why.
The solution is The Novel Matrix.

DISCUSSION GUIDE

February, 2025

Maze of Destiny (Mullah Abdullah Book 2)

Maze of Destiny (Mullah Abdullah Book 2)

by Hussin Alkheder

Summary:

Maze of Destiny offers a glimpse into the human cost of war and the enduring power of the human spirit.

DISCUSSION GUIDE
The GIVER Method: How To Transform Lives Through Generosity

The GIVER Method: How To Transform Lives Through Generosity

by Jake Talbert

Summary:

You get back what you put out into the universe... So it's time to see just how powerful you really are!

DISCUSSION GUIDE
Americanata: Three Sisters in Italy, 1938

Americanata: Three Sisters in Italy, 1938

by Becky Fahrig Landrum and Mike Landrum

Summary:

Except for her unusual year in Italy, my mother lived a typical life as a middle-class American wife, mother, and grandmother in small towns of the west and midwest. In 2001, Mom and I published her memoir, Americanata: Three Sisters in Italy, 1938. After she passed away in 2012, I’ve wanted to bring readers up to date with the rest of her life and to include details that have come to light about the trip in 1938. Becky Landrum was indeed a remarkable person and it is a rare privilege to be her son.

DISCUSSION GUIDE

About the Books

The Great Indie Reads is a collaboration between Bookclubs and Dartfrog to expose book clubs to new, independent authors and books! Dartfrog books are the best in independently published literature. DartFrog uses professional editorial standards to curate book store and book club worthy books from self-publishers, hybrid publishers, and smaller traditional publishers. We're bringing recommended DartFrog books to you, each with a book club discussion guide. Enjoy!

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