While the big names get the front-of-store displays and glossy Instagram campaigns, small press books are over here doing the most—quietly breaking your heart, reinventing tropes, and serving fresh, fearless fiction that deserves way more attention. Think of today’s post as your personal invitation to wander off the bestseller path and into the delicious wilds of the indie book world.
Here are three small press reads that completely consumed me—and might just wreck you too (in the best way):
🕯️ The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty
📚 Published by: Knopf’s literary offshoot (technically Penguin Random House, but still operates like a boutique literary house)
A poetic, eerie, and brilliant debut about a decaying Midwestern town and the young woman who burns through it like lightning in a bottle.
This is what happens when literary fiction grows fangs. Lush language, unsettling imagery, and emotional gut punches delivered with precision. If you like your books weird and wonderful, this one’s ready to haunt you.
Pairs well with: candlelight, a playlist titled “Descent into Madness,” and a long stare into the void.
🪞 Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez
đź“š Published by: Hogarth Press
Gothic horror set in gritty Buenos Aires—where ghosts wear real-world trauma and every story tastes like smoke.
Each story in this collection is a punch to the chest. Enriquez doesn’t flinch from the darkness, but she also doesn’t wallow. These stories move. They blister. They stay with you. Perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia or anyone who enjoys beauty served on a bed of bones.
Pairs well with: black coffee, ash, and a storm warning.
🌵 Godshot by Chelsea Bieker
đź“š Published by: Catapult
A teenage girl in a drought-stricken cult town seeks truth, freedom, and maybe a little holy vengeance.
If you’ve ever read The Girls by Emma Cline or The Handmaid’s Tale and wished they had a little more grit and glitter, Godshot will grab you by the throat. It’s grotesque and gorgeous, filled with warped spirituality, impossible choices, and fierce female rage.
Pairs well with: cherry soda, desert heat, and righteous fury.
đź“Ł Why Small Press Books Matter
Small presses are where innovation lives. They take risks. They publish voices the mainstream still overlooks. And more often than not? They’re the ones quietly shaping the future of literature.
So today, let’s lift up the little guys who are doing the very big work of bringing us unforgettable stories.
Have a favorite small press book? Drop it in the comments—I’m always hungry for more.
literary gluttony 
Leave a comment