The 2023 winners are here, after a hard fought “battle of the books!”
The judges on the IRDA panel included top people in all areas of the publishing industry, in concert with IndieReader’s trusty reviewers.
Judging was based on the quality of writing and the originality of the story. There was a first, second and third place winner in each of the fiction and non-fiction categories, in addition to winners in various sub-categories.
Without further ado, IndieReaders, meet this year’s winners and see their acceptance speeches here!
FICTION WINNERS
For the Minds and Wills of Men
Jeff Lanier
Jeff Lanier’s FOR THE MINDS AND WILLS OF MEN is a sophisticated art espionage page-turner that is also a profound introspection on an intriguing time, the Cold War era. Lanier offers readers a gripping crime novel that includes the perfect mix of political and art history, intense characters, and a beautiful love story.
Still, the Sky
Tom Pearson
In STILL, THE SKY, poet and artist Tom Pearson integrates the stories of Icarus and the Minotaur to create a fresh tale through speculative mythology. Told through poetry and mixed media art pieces, the rhythms of the verse support the sharp imagery and sensory detail with a story that is deeply rooted in mythology and draws on additional sources and inspiration including Herman Melville, Maya Angelou and Robert Louis Stevenson.
Last Liar Standing
Danielle M. Wong
Suffering from retrograde amnesia following a hit-and-run accident, Veronica “Vonny” Kwan can remember nothing from the last nine years. As she struggles to piece together her previous life, she suddenly becomes a suspect in the murder of a husband she never knew she had. LAST LIAR STANDING is a brilliantly plotted and utterly gripping psychological thriller that piles on twist after unexpected twist.
NONFICTION WINNERS
The C.R. Patterson and Sons Company
Christopher Nelson
THE C.R. PATTERSON AND SONS COMPANY is an award-winning biographical work by author Christopher Nelson unearthing the impact the Patterson family had on America’s automobile industry. After collecting reams of historical data, Nelson shows how the Pattersons–across three generations–were instrumental in automotive manufacturing. This book is not only a biographical work about the contribution of the Patterson family to the automotive industry, but also an important recovery of a certain piece of Black history that otherwise was in danger of being forgotten.
What They Couldn’t Take
Adira James
Adira James digs deep into her soul and allows readers a glimpse into the horrifying world of the childhood she survived. WHAT THEY COULDN’T TAKE is not an easy read, yet it brings truth and justice for the young sexually abused girl she was and the resilient survivor she has managed to become despite the nightmare she lived through. An essential read for victims, survivors, professionals and support systems world-wide.
Me Power
LaNysha T. Adams
ME POWER by LaNysha T. Adams is an arresting and hard hitting motivational textbook that teaches readers how to find and harness their own power to enable success. Academic and practical, this book will benefit anyone who pays attention to its contents.
CATEGORY WINNERS
The Placeholder
Lynda Wolters
Serenade Kincaid has just lost everything, including her family and half her earnings, blaming it on infertility and spiraling into dangerous territory. But when she tries to find herself by embarking on a no-strings-attached relationship, she’s hopeless at that, too. In THE PLACEHOLDER, Lynda Wolters’ story of love and loss, the character development is so phenomenal reader’s will be smiling, laughing, chastising…and definitely grabbing for tissues.
Category: Best First Book (Fiction)
Yoga of Yarn
Liza Laird
Author and Yogi-yarn lover Liza Laird combines the zen of yoga with the mindfulness handwork can bring in a powerful, unique how-to for beginners and experts alike. Charming illustrations, dozens of well-designed exercises–headlined with benefits–will convince any practitioner to stop, breathe, meditate, and then knit away.
Category: Best First Book (Non-Fiction)
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When We Lost Touch
Susan Kraus
When Grace, a therapist, returns from a cruise, she is flung into the early days of the COVID pandemic. Her work and life turns upside down and inside out as much as do the lives of her patients, and all of it is influenced by information, misinformation, and political bias. Death, Zoom, fracturing mental health, abusive relationships, virtual love, grief, rage, and medical ethics all play a part as the characters in Susan Kraus’s WHEN WE LOST TOUCH fight to live and sometimes lose.
Category: Best Cover Design (Fiction)
Storked!
K. C. Sanford
K. C. Sanford’s STORKED! (Adoption Secrecy and the Search for Identity) narrates the emotional true life story of a child in a “closed” adoption situation, along with the feelings that come with such secrecy. This memoir reads like a mystery, as it invites the reader to follow the author’s quest to find her biological parents, navigating the laws which hinder her in doing so.
Category: Best Cover Design (Non-Fiction)
The Latitude
Pete Clements
THE LATITUDE by Pete Clements is an exciting, well-paced crime drama involving opioid smuggling in Florida. Well-conceived and smoothly executed, there are enough plot twists and interesting characters to satisfy most crime thriller fans, and the romance angle adds even more spice.
Category: Action/Adventure
To Where You Are
Jason Fisher
TO WHERE YOU ARE narrates a tragic yet inspiring story of surviving and triumphing through the grief and pain that comes with the demise of a loved one. Jason Fisher captivates readers with his incredible writing style, exposing details of his early life, marriage with the love of his life, her sudden, tragic demise and the struggles of moving on while raising his special needs daughter. His story offers a powerful message of hope in the face of severe tragedy, pain, and despair.
Category: Aging/Death & Dying
Letters to a Future Nurse
Leah Parker et al
LETTERS TO A FUTURE NURSE (by Leah Parker and 21 Other Nurses) tells it like it is, a compilation of real-life stories from some of the world’s most underappreciated heroes. With different viewpoints from nurses in the United States, Australia, England, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines, this inspiring collection brings experience, advice, advocacy, and the pros and cons of finding one’s career in the nursing profession.
Category: Anthology
Fenian’s Trace
Sean Mahoney
The audiobook version of Sean P. Mahoney’s FENIAN’S TRACE is narrated by Liam Carney, an ideal choice for the republican publican narrator who provides listeners with a painful summary of Ireland’s early 20th century history amidst the principal narrative following two young boys. The descriptions of characters, life and action are meticulously detailed as are the periods of history recounted by the narrator, without pretension and highly polished by its Irish peculiarity and wit.
Category: AUDIO BOOK (Historical Fiction)
Escape from Mariupol
Anne K Howard
Anne K. Howard’s ESCAPE FROM MARIUPOL (A Survivor’s True Story) is the author’s retelling of a horrifying true-life survival tale of 31-year-old Adoriana Marik, as she flees death and destruction from her home country, Ukraine, after a Putin-led Russian invasion in February 2022. In the darkest times, Adoriana’s only saving grace becomes her gut feeling and reliance on the rare providence of human kindness and her courage and determination to survive. A deeply disturbing story well told.
Category: Biography
Business Finance Was Never This Easy
Harvey Goldstein
Author Harvey Goldstein shares his prodigious knowledge in BUSINESS FINANCE WAS NEVER EASY, filled with tips on managing personal and/or business finances. Filled with easy-to-follow charts, clear-cut formulas, and detail-oriented reasoning, the information will help readers with everything from creating a new budget to putting together an investment portfolio.
Category: Business
The Accidental Virgin
Amanda Quisenberry
After a debilitating accident at age 17 that left her paralyzed from the neck down, author Amanda Quisenberry describes her future in THE ACCIDENTAL VIRGIN. This memoir is about more than a young person’s adaptation into her new physically-limited life, but how being a quadriplegic affects her future as a sensual woman with a lot of love to give. Inspiring, engaging, and emotional, Amanda’s story brings hope and direction to those who must re-evaluate their own reality.
Category: Chick-Lit
Lauren The Cow
T.I. Frazier
Self-confidence, perseverance, courage, and determination are steps toward achieving goals, especially for T.I. Frazier’s LAUREN THE COW who longs to jump over fences. Beautifully illustrated and well-scripted, the story teaches children (and adults) that hard work can pay off. Makes a sweet addition to a home library.
Category: Children’s (Board books and Pre-reading)
Mrs. R. Snugglesworth, Attorney-at-Law
Amy Flanagan
In Amy Flanagan’s MRS R SNUGGLESWORTH, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW, readers follow loveable butter colored English Labrador retriever Mrs R on her journey to become the very best lawyer, facing lessons and challenges along the way with a little humor and lots of fun.
Category: Children’s (Early to intermediate readers) – Tie
Augie the Therapy Doggie
Heather Vina
AUGIE THE THERAPY DOGGIE by Heather Vina is an endearing story of the life of a therapy dog, told by the dog itself, who explains in a charming way and with photos!–his purpose in life. Ideal for children.
Category: Children’s (Early to intermediate readers) – Tie
Freeze Frame
Tyler Beauchamp
FREEZE FRAME by Tyler Beauchamp is a fictional yet solid storyline about a teenage photographer who experiences psychotic episodes. Descriptive paragraphs, witty dialogue, and a rather unique approach to mental health struggles give this fresh coming-of-age novel a thumbs-up for teens and adults alike.
Category: Coming-of-Age
The Last Spiritwalker
Liv Strom
Liv Strom’s debut novel, THE LAST SPIRITWALKER, is a glorious dark fantasy–both brutal and beautiful. trom’s writing is gorgeous and sensory and the story’s pace is fierce, ratcheting up stakes and tension from page to page.
Category: Dark Fantasy
Carbon Dating, Cold Fusion, and a Curve Ball
David D. Moon
Author and scientist David Moon compiles a number of scientific teachings within seven meticulously written chapters in CARBON DATING, COLD FUSION, AND A CURVE BALL. The materials presented are intended to educate non-scientists–with ample references and an appendix of mathematical derivations of equations and supplementary problem examples–for engineers and physical scientists interested in exploring the hypothesis of earth’s element transmutations and the resultant modifications with which to date earth’s natural materials via radioactive elements.
Category: Education
Rescue Matters
C.J. English
RESCUE MATTERS by C. J. English is a touching true-life story of good people making a difference and bringing new hope by saving the lives of homeless, disadvantaged animals in North Dakota. While the book is mainly about dogs, the stories may inspire readers to strive to make a difference in their own surroundings, no matter how small it may be.
Category: Entertaining
Reclaiming the Sacred
Jeff Golden
Jeff Golden’s RECLAIMING THE SACRED is an enriching 375-page work that hands reader the keys to the ever-so-elusive issues of life. From teaching from how to turn lack to abundance and sadness to happiness, Golden’s book effectively uses thousands of expert voices to guide his readers in their journey to a better, more fulfilling life. This book is a toolbox for thousand-plus life issues, so is a must-have for all, whether black or white, young or old, or for anyone looking to embark on an important phase of their life.
Category: Environment
Till Myth Do Us Part
Darius Ebrahimi
With TILL MYTH DO US PART, the first book of The Seed of Yggdrasil Series, author Darius Ebrahimi has created a beautifully written page-turner with exquisite world-building that is spellbinding, captivating, and completely unique.
Category: Fantasy
Health in Flames
V. Thomas George
HEALTH IN FLAMES by V. Thomas George is an enlightening book educating readers about how the modern, capitalistic world is detrimental to our overall physical and mental health. Succinctly using the extended metaphor of fire while citing credible research, the author convinces readers that their health is not just dependent on any single variable, but rather, it is heavily influenced by their mindset and lifestyle at large.
Category: Finance/ Investment/Economics
But I Want To Fly
Michelle E. Villalobos
A woman wakes up one day and realizes that she’s acquiring stuff while losing her soul. Vee wants to find her passion, her calling, her true purpose in life. In other words, she wants to fly. How she figures out what she needs to do, and then the steps to follow through and do it, make for a delightful read in BUT I WANT TO FLY!, written by Michelle Villalobos and illustrated by Kiki Kalahari. The art and design are wonderful–everything from the glorious slipcase to the pages combining text and visuals.
Category: Gift/Holiday/Specialty
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Hashman
Alex Grand & Joshua S. Berman
Alex Grand & Joshua S. Berman’s HASHMAN presents an absorbing, full-color visual thrill ride through the life of Joey Berkowitz, hustler extraordinaire, whose unfiltered antics involve, but are not limited to, organized crime, drugs, money laundering, and psychology. Drenched in vibrantly good artwork that is complemented by a well-executed, unashamedly honest, and hugely entertaining narrative, HASHMAN blasts the reader through the psychedelic 1960s right up to Berkowitz’s reinvention as a cannabis legalization kingpin. A riotously good treat for fans of the format.
Category: Graphic Novel
Love Snaggs
Melanie Joy Mezzancello
LOVE SNAGGS (A Little Dog’s Courageous Journey) by Melanie Joy Mezzancello is a sweet tale– for both children and adults–about a Yorkie mix who is seeking to find his family. Vivid descriptions and a touch of humor bring this story about the unavoidable truth of when we must say goodbye to furry family members all together.
Category: Kids
Eleftheria
Rob Loveless
In ELEFTHERIA, Rob Loveless crafts an engaging and multilayered mystery with thoughtful commentary on anxiety, depression, body image, and the need for human connection. With his array of POV characters battling a variety of demons, including a killer acting on delusions of being the Greek god of death, Loveless excellently ensnares the reader in a guessing game all throughout the novel as to the truth of the killer’s true identity.
Category: LGBTQ+ (Fiction)
Chasing Normal
Craig Greiwe
CHASING NORMAL (Growing Up, Letting Go, and Finding Joy in Being Different) is Craig Greiwe’s inspirational life story of standing up for himself and fighting for what’s right, even when the odds were stacked against him. The author reminds readers to be grateful for what they have and resolve their situations no matter the odds. A genuine trial and tribulation story that will leave readers inspired to continue to strive for success.
Category: LGBTQ+ (Non Fiction)
Simplify Your Health
Lucas Ramirez
SIMPLIFY YOUR HEALTH (A Doctor’s Practical Guide to a Healthier Life) by Lucas Ramirez is a self help guidebook, providing both engaging and informative chapters on how to achieve good health. Eight chapters of clear and concise instructions inform readers on what they should do to ‘alleviate the burden of disease’. A must read for those seeking simple steps to improve their quality (and hopefully length) of life.
Category: Health/Medicine/Nutrition
The Rape of Persephone
Monica Brillhart
THE RAPE OF PERSEPHONE is the first book in a trilogy by Monica Brillhart that adapts the myth of Persephone with an original twist exploring the humanity of the Greek gods and details Kore/Persephone’s life, including an in-depth narration of Persephone’s abduction, her relationship with Hades, and the power struggles among Hades’ brothers. The descriptions, narration style, and depth of characterization are fascinating, delivering an intriguing re-telling of classic mythology.
Category: Historical Fiction (tie)
The Final Puzzle
Juhi Ray
Juhi Ray’s THE FINAL PUZZLE is a cornucopia of Indian culture and tradition. The best of both fantasy and history, the author combines the two brilliantly in a mystery told in an engaging style that will leave readers wanting more.
Category: Historical Fiction (tie)
House Poor No More
Romana King
HOUSE POOR NO MORE by Romana King offers expert advice to homeowners on how to raise the value of their homes while maximizing their finances. This book is well-organized and full of practical advice and the personal anecdotes and examples make this an upbeat, engaging reading experience.
Category: Home & Garden
The Desecrated
John Gray
John Gray’s THE DESECRATED is a supernatural horror story with an excellent heroine and a superior setting. Located primarily in a New York city morgue, the book is full of atmosphere, menace, and memorable characters.
Category: Horror
Blood Perfect
T.L. Bequette
As a favor for a college friend, criminal defense attorney, Joe Turner agrees to defend Allston Walker, charged with attempted murder. BLOOD PERFECT is a wonderfully twisty crime thriller that immediately hooks the reader. Author T. L. Bequette has created a witty, forensic, yet deeply human protagonist in Turner to complement a brilliantly constructed, completely intriguing, and well-written plot creating a must-read for fans of the genre.
Category: Humor (Fiction)
Spirituality, Evolution & Awakened Consciousness
Lorraine Nilon
SPIRITUALITY, EVOLUTION & AWAKENED CONSCIOUSNESS is just what the doctor ordered to calm the heart and insert positivity into center the soul. Lorraine Nilon does a spectacular job pulling the reader into the depth of spirituality, cleansing the energy, and making them more empowered than ever. The breathtaking artwork, enlightened vocabulary, peaceful tone, and empowering theme are reasons why this book will end up on bookshelves, libraries, and bookstores all over the world.
Category: Inspirational/ Spiritual
The Last Professional
Ed Davis
Some are running away from troubles; others keep running toward their next great adventure. Either way, danger surrounds the dwindling community of freight train riders in Ed Davis’ THE LAST PROFESSIONAL, a glorious love letter to the lure of riding the rails, wandering souls, and the complicated human experience.
Category: Literary Fiction
Lost in Beirut
Ashe and Magdalena Stevens
LOST IN BEIRUT by Ashe Stevens is a story of love, war, and loss. When Ashe gets cajoled into planning a concert for 50 Cent in Beirut, the American actor ignores the red flags of walking into terrorists’ hands in Lebanon. While there he gets hooked up with Amira, a billionaire girl who represents trouble. In the face of a kidnapping by Hezbollah terrorists, can Ashe afford to be lost in Beirut as a condition for marrying the love of his life?
Category: Memoir (tie)
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch
Kristine McGuire
American History isn’t just about wars, dates, and politics – it’s about how people lived, through good times and bad. MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH by Kristine McGuire gives readers a dramatic look at what it was to live and work in the wild plains of Wyoming, back in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Well-researched and creatively written, these true stories show a different side to what it means to achieve the American dream.
Category: Memoir (tie)
Paws in Paris
Elizabeth M Grieco
Elizabeth M. Grieco’s middle-grade novel, PAWS IN PARIS (The Adventures of Tenny and Bella), follows the titular characters–two house cats–trying to navigate the busy and dangerous streets of Paris in a desperate attempt to find a way home. With a plenitude of adventures, a bit of magic, and lessons for young readers, this magnificent tale is a pleasure to read.
Category: Middle Grade
The French House
Courtney Lochner
A fascinating and cerebral psychological thriller packed with layers of intrigue and invitation, Courtney Lochner’s THE FRENCH HOUSE is written in beautifully sophisticated and elegant prose and will captivate readers until the final page.
Category: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Welcome to the Free World
Lloyd Raleigh
To free himself and others from a world controlled by AI, Will faces government oppression, conspiracies, and daunting threats in Lloyd Raleigh’s thought-provoking debut novel, WELCOME TO THE FREE WORLD, a tense dystopian thriller and a spectacular post-apocalyptic coming-of-age novel that deftly weaves in discussions about climate change and freedom.
Category: New Adult
Resurrection
MC Hunton
RESURRECTION by MC Hunton explores a world where the seven deadly sins are powerful, demonic beings parading the earth and corrupting the souls of men. This story has remarkable world-building, provides endless surprises in a fast-paced, compelling, and captivating way. It also features lots of action, strange characters, and graphic and violent scenes and sets the stage for what promises to be a fascinating sci-fi series.
Category: Paranormal
Baby Ecology
Anya Dunham, PhD
BABY ECOLOGY by Anya Dunham, PhD, is a resource for new and experienced mothers (and fathers) who want to be the best parents possible. With easy-to-read chapters and practical advice, the author offers various approaches for sleep, feedings, environments, family dynamics, and (mostly) everything in between – with the pros and cons of each decision.
Category: Parenting (Child Care/Family)
Boise: City of Trees
David R. Day, BoiseDev
BOISE: City of Trees by David R. Day and BoiseDev is a rich and vibrant celebration of Boise, Idaho. From the architecture to its natural beauty (from Lake Idaho and the Smokey Mountains to the many parks and the City of Trees in the book’s title), it combines lavish color photos and interesting text and makes an excellent coffee table treasure and/or teaching resource.
Category: Photography
Violet
Sabrina Simon
Written with more than the typical flowery words of most poetic verses, VIOLET by Sabrina Simon offers true meaning and realism behind her personal moments. Passion, sensitivity, empathy, and truth are among the emotions and discoveries shining through the author’s meaning, as each passage is a separate story of her own epiphany. Words have the power to heal; VIOLET provides teen readers a way to articulate their own demons.
Category: Poetry (Non-Fiction)
A Short Primer on Why Cancer Still Sucks
David J. Stewart
Dr. David J. Stewart’s considered prose and meticulous referencing make A SHORT PRIMER ON WHY CANCER STILL SUCKS a comprehensive, academically rigorous and easily comprehended guide that warrants a place on the shelves of health conscious individuals and is serious enough to be useful to healthcare practitioners.
Category: Politics/Current Events
Reckonings
Karen E. Osborne
Not only has Roxy Quinton never told her family about her teenage rape, but she doesn’t know the paternity of her eldest daughter, and this toxic secret is coming to light whether she intends it to or not. Karen E. Osborne’s RECKONINGS portrays the complicated authenticity of life while also delving into race, family loyalty, and survivor shame — with triumph.
Category: Popular Fiction
Darkwater
Michael J. Scholtes
Michael J. Scholtes’ DARKWATER (A Pastor’s Memoir of Depression and Faith) bares with extreme vulnerability a raw and intense journey through chronic depression and anxiety as the author wrestles with mental illness and tries to thrive despite the thorn in his flesh. With a perfect blend of therapy and faith, the book offers a message of hope for those going through the “dark waters” of life.
Category: Psychology/Mental Health
Mass Confusion
Susan R. Dolan
MASS CONFUSION (Why I Rejected The Church For So Long And What Changed) by Susan R. Dolan is an amusing and moving autobiographical look at the author’s return to the Catholic faith–beginning with her very early childhood and continuing through into her adult life in the present day.
Category: Religion
Operation Mom
Reenita M. Hora
OPERATION MOM by Reenita M. Hora is a surprising and witty book detailing an incensed daughter’s elaborate plans to set her mother up with someone new on modern dating apps. Featuring a hilarious mother-daughter dynamic, the book beautifully develops the characters of Ila and her mother, Veena, as they tackle modern phenomena such as social media together.
Category: Romance
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Percivious: Origins
JJ Cook, AJ Cook, MD
PERCIVIOUS: ORIGINS, by JJ Cook, is a cinematic space drama about aliens and humans, the ancient past and possible future, all centered on a new pandemic and the will to survive and save what it means to be humane. The alluring plot and realistic characters make for a very satisfying read.
Category: Science Fiction
Emotional Magnetism
Sandy Gerber
EMOTIONAL MAGNETISM (How to Communicate to Ignite Connection in Your Relationships) by Sandy Gerber provides insight, reflection and even a quiz to help the reader find their ‘emotional magnet’. A fun and enjoyable read for the person who seeks to communicate better.
Category: Self-Help
Intimate Inequalities
Cristen Dalessandro
INTIMATE INEQUALITIES, written by Cristen Dalessandro, provides a view into the lives of the millennial generation’s social issues and plights in the dating realm. Simultaneously the book also encompasses comprehensive information about ageism, gender, LGBTQ, and women’s rights issues to capture a broad picture of the millennial generations’ social problems.
Category: Sexuality/Relationships
Music from a Strange Planet
Barbara Black
Barbara Black’s MUSIC FROM A STRANGE PLANET is a collection of twenty-four curiously compelling short stories that develop intriguingly eldritch and otherworldly qualities while they explore the occasionally sinister and sometimes sordid side of everyday, mundane life. Black writes with depth, originality, and subtle humor using the theme of the natural world, especially the insect realm, to reinforce an often surreal but ultimately poignant commentary on the fragile vulnerabilities of the human condition.
Category: Short Stories/Fiction
Marathon Man
Alan Corcoran
Alan Corcoran’s MARATHON MAN is an inspirational, well-structured and well-edited memoir written with an admirable level of openness and honesty in which the author astutely codifies thirty-five days of running the streets of Ireland into a touching, meaningful and cautionary tale.
Category: Sports/Fitness/Recreation
Beyond the Next Village
Mary Anne Mercer
BEYOND THE NEXT VILLAGE is a captivating read about the experiences of an American nurse who pursues her dream to live and work in Nepal. Mary Anne Mercer’s interesting account of the challenges of providing medical care in rural villages make this book unforgettable with excellent storytelling that reveals a unique perspective about life in a developing country.
Category: Travel
The Man Who Hacked the World
Alex Cody Foster
THE MAN WHO HACKED THE WORLD explores the adventures of the infamous John McAfee, told by his ghostwriter, who masterfully narrates their first encounter and life-threatening escapades. Alex Foster presents a compelling story filled with intrigue, transparency, wit and incisiveness about the ordeals of a fascinating personality in recent history and offers a rich, inspiring and unbelievable narrative that finds meaning in the chaotic climate of a criminal underworld.
Category: True Crime
The Burly-Q Girls: The 6
Linda Hughes
The first book in Linda Hughes’ series about a group of old friends and former burlesque dancers, THE BURLY-Q GIRLS: The 6 immerses readers in the hilarious, entertaining (and slightly dangerous) escapades of these seasoned characters as they track down their former manager who absconded with their retirement funds.
Category: Women’s Fiction
Dear White Woman, Please Come Home
Framing DEAR WHITE WOMEN, PLEASE COME HOME through heartfelt letters to the white women which whom she hopes to one day reconnect, Williams puts her completely vulnerable self on display and invites the reader to do the same without code-switching for her white readers. Through these thoughtful letters, the meaning behind them is felt all the more aptly because of the author’s insistence on being honest and real.
Category: Women’s Issues
A Cage for Angels
Dani Hall
Artfully crafted, A CAGE FOR ANGELS by Dani Hall is a dystopian story so true-to-life it could actually happen. Hall’s clever writing is full of suspense, intrigue, rebellion and hope, creating a world that fully immerses the reader in a “can’t put down” story.
Category: Young Adult/Fiction
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Cult Girls
Natalie Grand
Based on a true life experience, Natalie Grand’s CULT GIRLS sends a powerful message about cults and how they operate, digging deep to explore issues difficult to explain while sending messages of hope to those in need. The dynamic combination of the written word accompanied by compelling illustrations by Cassandre Bolan make this award-winning, mind-blowing graphic novel a must read. Kudos also for empowering women and, at times, offering up a wry sense of humor.
Category: Young Adult/Non Fiction