IndieReader Discovery Awards 2024 Entrants
Added as our reviewers read them, find the latest verdicts for the 2024 IndieReader Discovery Award entrants, leading up to the big winner announcement in June!
SOAR: A SOUL’S QUEST by Ketan Kulkarni, Christopher Morris, and Francis Yoo is a captivating narrative that explores themes of authenticity, kindness, and empathy. The book intricately weaves together these important concepts, encouraging readers to reflect on their lives and relationships. Through the allegorical tale of Soar, the authors deliver a powerful message of self-discovery and purposeful living, making it a compelling read for those seeking inspiration and personal growth.
BEEBOP: The Honeybee Wannabee Hero by James D. Bell is a fresh and well-imagined children’s book that follows a spunky bumblebee. An orphan by birth, Beebop struggles to adapt in the hive of a new colony that adopted him. He makes a startling and promising discovery, a move he hopes will cement his place in his new home, away from the prejudice and intimidation he has constantly faced. However, things don’t go as BeeBop had planned. He must now learn to overlook the despair and hopelessness that sets in, try to solve a glaring mystery and build his reputation within the colony. The cover art is intrinsic to the book’s message, further enhancing the reader’s understanding of the main theme. With its quirky anthropomorphic additions, this book speaks to young minds, imparting valuable lessons on fortitude, honesty, and integrity.
Peter Eliott’s Shadow Bidder series continues with A BARGAIN WITH DARKNESS, a spellbinding fantasy adventure thriller that is laden with unexpected twists and teeming with characters whose motives and alliances remain shrouded with intrigue. Vazeer the Lash, Eliott’s self-deprecating criminal anti-hero, is desperate to outmaneuver the power-hungry of Hell’s Labyrinth and protect those he loves, but in this intense tale of chaos and betrayal, he may need to take on more darkness to offer others a righteous path toward the light.
Lena Gibson’s SWITCHING TRACKS: Out of the Trash is a shining gem of dystopian fiction that takes readers on a wild journey through its physical descriptions of a futuristic, cross-country adventure and its emotional evocation of hopeful romance amidst struggles of desperation for a better world.
Merging pop culture and political commentary with a narrative coaching style, Jimmy from The Good Fight offers a sharp, original take on critical thinking in ART OF GREY AREA THINKING, encouraging readers to refine outlooks, enhance self-perspective, and cultivate resilience from dualistic polarity.
A zest for exploring the best life has to offer and a fierce motivation to help others turn negatives into positives permeates author, business and personal coach Stephanie Rowe’s unique semi-memoir/self-help book, FIERCELY ME, which was born from, and is based on the author’s experience.
SPEAKING FOR THE EARTH, written by environmentalist John Meier, was initially released to commemorate the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970. While some environmental concerns have improved over the last few decades, others, such as climate change, oil spills, the abundance of plastics, and un-recycled recyclables continue to harm the earth. Readers may find it enlightening to revisit the beginning of America’s environmental movement and the paths we are on today.
DROP THE F-BOMB IN YOUR BUSINESS by Pete Kusiak introduces The Fun First Strategy™, advocating for integrating fun into the workplace to boost productivity, creativity, and happiness. It challenges the traditional “work hard, play hard” culture, suggesting a “play hard, work hard” approach to foster innovation and cooperation. The book provides insights on scheduling fun activities, experimentation, and risk-taking to drive success, aiming to eliminate rigid rules, enhance workplace satisfaction, and improve problem-solving skills for happier and more productive teams.
When a deranged young man decides law enforcement is failing at finding and convicting serial killers, he makes it his mission to do their job for them by embarking on a vigilante killing spree. His targets? Serial killer investigators. In JUDGE NOT, Nikki Stern expertly combines an engrossing plot with relatable characters who remind us that cops are people with families and lives beyond their desks. An excellent read for lovers of mystery thrillers.
Elliott lives her life in a daze, seemingly incapable of forming new connections while barely maintaining the ones she does have. Enter Jason – a stoic stranger who she can’t pin down, but who seems to see her in a way no one else does. Jason has a secret though – he’s a serial killer – and instead of running from him, Elliott leans in – way in – and manages to find love in the most unexpected of places, while going down a path she never imagined for herself. With a fascinating heroine at its center, GUTTED is not your typical romance – even before the killing – but it is nonetheless a compelling read. How far to the outskirts of and disillusionment with society and can one be pushed before they feel tap into the darkest parts of themselves? Sometimes all it takes is a push from the right person and you find yourself there.
In a series of soul-baring personal essays, Stacey Powells documents the life events that led to and after her mental breakdown in EMPTY CUPBOARDS. Written with genuine detail of her emotional turmoils and triumphs, she leads readers along her journey as she dispels stigmas surrounding mental health issues. Her most important message is readers are not alone, imploring everyone to seek help to heal.
THE BRAVEST SOLDIERS is an enlightening historical second book in The Immense Sky Saga by Elaine Schroller. It offers an in-depth look at the lives of the women left on the home front during World War II, their predicament and hopelessness, as well as the stress of waiting for their husbands and children to return home safely. Adrenalizing, authentic, and intriguing: this is a must-read for anyone desiring to learn more about the effects of World War II on Australian families.
FESTIVAL: by John Strother exudes a delightful charm, blending humor and engaging storytelling. The narrative unfolds with wit, bringing the vibrant characters to life through authentic dialogues and small-town drama. The dynamic cast, from Conrad and OutlawX to the carousel of kids, contributes to the novel’s appeal, making it a highly recommended read.
Friendship and camaraderie come together in this sweet tale; GRUMPY AND GREEN PARROT FIND A HOME IN NAPLES by Susan Marie Chapman. With colorful pictures by illustrator Natalia Loseva, the story teaches young children that, while new places and things might seem scary sometimes, they’re also fun and exciting. GRUMPY AND GREEN PARROT is an adventure series where animal friends live together in peace and harmony … with a few little bumps along the way.
Since the age of seven, Joshua Bennet has known that monsters were real – yet his father kept Josh largely shielded from those harsh realities and he never thought he’d have to worry about those nightmares again. But after his father’s untimely (and suspicious) death, Josh uses his knowledge as a reporter and sets out on a journey to find answers, no matter the cost – about his father’s death and his past as a monster-slayer. He decides to track down the only person who would have them: his father’s friend and fellow slayer, Digger. What begins as a man’s quest to find closure with the loss of his father becomes a tale of self-discovery and finding one’s own strength in the face of unspeakable terrors. An adventurous and compelling read, Arjay Lewis’ DIGGER is a great horror novel steeped in the supernatural, action-packed and full of unexpectedly captivating creatures of the dark.
BOB TALES: Susan Sullivan and illustrated by Lauren Reeves, is a vibrant journey brimming with nature and adventure. Bob is a scruffy and lonely cat who ravages for food in garbage cans. One day, kind homeowners take him in and an instant emotional attachment is formed between them. When they pack up suddenly and leave, Bob sets out to go find them. Along the way, he meets friends and foes alike, some making him realize that he is slightly different from the other animals. With simple text and engaging visuals, this life-affirming story is a great starting point for conversations with children about courage, trust and believing in themselves.
Laura Urgell’s COOLING THE FLAME offers a comprehensive guide for parents to navigate the complexities of anger management in children, providing valuable insights and practical solutions to support emotional growth. By empowering parents with tools to nurture emotional intelligence and resilience, this book lays a strong foundation for healthy relationships and effective communication, essential for children’s future success.
DISRUPTER, a remarkable story written by Dr. Cornelia E. Davis, a truly inspiring human being, details her commitment to the humanitarian cause of eradicating smallpox from West Bengal, India. It sheds light on what it was like for a young woman during a challenging phase in India’s history, facing social, environmental, and cultural obstacles head-on with unwavering determination. Richly woven with anecdotes, it offers a genuine reflection of India in the 1980s and captures the essence of this tantalizing project to which Dr. Cornelia dedicated two years of her life, making a significant impact. The story is brilliantly told, and her words paint a vivid picture of the time she spent serving in the field.