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!
Space and alien enthusiasts will want to check out the exciting DIARY OF A MARTIAN: THE DISCOVERY by Stephen B. Haunts, which is set in a high-tech futuristic world. Twelve-year-old Elliott Taylor narrates his day-to-day ordinary life on Mars (humankind’s home, owing to climate change forcing them to establish space colonies)—until a school trip changes his life, leaving lasting effects on the colonies. This is an entertaining and engaging sci-fi story that also addresses topics such as loss, forgiveness, and acceptance.
A riveting fantasy book that makes time fade away into the pages as consumed readers are curious to know what happens next. S.R. Watts takes fantasy readers on a spectacular journey in THE CELESTIAL FLAME, an example of world-building at its finest. A perfect amalgamation of theme, action, adventure, and characters readers will want to befriend.
When thirty-two-year-old Professor Louis King receives the devastating diagnosis of an inoperable brain tumor, he decides to cryogenically freeze his body in the hope that a cure may be discovered in the near future. But when he does wake up, he is in 2231 and a distorted Utopian world in which he must quickly adapt to survive. Set against the backdrop of the beautifully touching love story between Louis and his wife Violet, CRYO is an ambitious and promising beginning to Blake Fisher’s series. The novel draws on several dystopian inspirations to provide a cautionary tale that twists with horror and hope in equal measure.
Donald J. Fraser’s THE GREAT FLIP takes a scholarly historic view of political parties and the ideologies that have essentially switched in the time since they were founded. Heavily cited, offering clearly identified bias, and with anecdotes and explanations for party leaders’ governing choices, this deep dive into the role of government is an interesting read, ideal for any student of history, politics, or reader interested in the direction of the nation in the decades to come.
In Bryan Cole’s fast-paced mystery FUTILITY OF DEFENSE, a young paladin is summoned by a voice in his head to confront vicious devils who have been terrorizing the local populace. While the chaos intensifies, he is forced to forge relationships while a larger antagonist puts his abilities to the ultimate test. Cole has expertly interwoven action, magic, a hint of romance and adventure to provide the reader with maximum fun and thrill as they connect with a magnificent hero who has risen from the ashes. An engaging tale with a gratifying conclusion.
For best friends Nelly the Jelly and Camille the Eel, a trip to the Bermuda Triangle is just the beginning of their time-traveling, educational adventure. As soon as the friends arrive in the warm tropical waters, they happen upon a black hole at the bottom of the ocean which quickly sucks them in, transporting them to France during World War II where they are enlisted by maritime legend Jacques Cousteau to assist in war efforts against the Nazis. A great introduction for kids passionate about conservation, especially as related to our oceans, John Dequire’s NELLY THE JELLY AND CAMILLE THE EEL VISIT THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE is a wild, sea-centric sci-fi ride through the past and book serves as an excellent introduction to the history of Jacques Cousteau and his unparalleled contributions to sea exploration and conservation.
MY PERFECTLY IMPERFECT SUMMER is an outstanding romantic adventure unfolding in a treacherous forest in the 1960s when a plan goes south, leaving love and survival hanging in the balance. It features fascinating characters, realistic dialogue and suspense that keep the pages turning. A fun read and highly recommended for both younger readers and adults.
LEAVING HOME, author Andrew Saltarelli notes, is ‘about the past…to understand the future.’ Quoting the likes of Tennyson and Dylan Thomas, this is a book to read languidly with one’s morning coffee, letting the writer’s words infuse your soul with wisdom and reflection.
With a unique concept and storyline Andrew Spink’s INTERSECTIONS is a compelling read. Spink is a rideshare driver and he gets a peek into many people’s lives through his work. Through nine short stories, Spink, in turn, shares a slice of his life, which is by turns exciting, dramatic, and intriguing due to the sheer diversity and number of people he meets everyday. A beautiful, and sometimes thought-provoking read.
Learning to play guitar can be a daunting task, especially for those who have little experience in music theory. THE GUITAR DECODER RING by Asher Black introduces a more mathematical way to understand scales, intervals, and methods. Learn how notes build into chords and ways to improvise solos on a more creative path. Called “SIGIL,” this guitar language helps players learn the fretboard methodically.
Deeply inspired by what might be best described as the classics of (largely) American guitar music, Ayla Webb‘s BATTLE CREEK is the story of the formation and growth of a fictional, multi-genre band and their surreal road to fame. With its musical dedication going so far as to indicate tracks to listen to as you read, the book takes on a kind of multi-medium feel. Rock, punk, metal and country all seep from the pages as we hear stories of festivals and life on the road, black leather and acoustic guitars, plaid flannels shirts and safety pins, with stops at The Who and Mumford and Sons, The Beatles and Bowling for Soup. There’s the odd bit of love, despair and emotional development, too. This is a music aficionado’s paradise with a solidly winding backstory, both of the fictional band as a whole and its individual members, not least mysterious guitarist Ricky , whose increasingly odd behavior leaves the rest of the band concerned they might crash as fast as they flew. It’s all down, dirty and very rock ‘n’ roll.
An in-depth, academic read, Batya Casper’s ELECTRA: A Gender Sensitive Study of Plays Based on the Myth, is a thorough exploration of the Greek Electra myth and how its many adaptations over time have been shaped by the male perspective, to the detriment of the female one. Through a theatrical lens, the author explores the role Electra has played as the central figure in numerous plays over the centuries. With a focus on the societal woes of the time in which each version was written, the myth shifted as needed to reflect the author’s interpretation. Starting with the Greek tragedies – both entitled Electra – by Sophocles and Euripides, and continuing to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, through pre-war France and the writings of Giraudoux, and many more – the book leaves no stone unturned.
How do you keep a massive secret from the person you love–and have married? Though not exactly a microcosm of Israel/Palestine’s past and present, the union of Ruti/Ratiba, a Jew and Ibrahim, an Arab, poses questions that are reflective of the continuing conflict in this Middle East country. Batya Casper’s ISRAELA is the story of one family and one nation divided; lovers of historical fiction will get a sharp sense of what it means to live there amidst strive and struggle, love and intermittent peace.
Set in the 1960s, Carolyn Fried‘s ORGY AT 8 explores the intricacies of marriage and sexual behavior through eight connected couples, some of whom are involved in affairs and casual relationships. When two of the couples host a themed party, an unexpectedly hedonistic night ensues with significant consequences for all. A quirky, unusual novella with an appeal to the visual and a screen-writerly tone to the narrative, the intriguing vignettes of the various couples and their peccadilloes are amusingly observed with an occasionally satirical eye which becomes ever more surreal and bacchanalian as events unfold.
Author Dana Hammer creates a new twist on an apocalyptic society by combining vampiresque cannibalism with a zombiesque virus in THE CANNIBAL’S GUIDE TO FASTING. The fast-paced story keeps the reader intrigued as characters struggle with their new reality. An interesting take on society as some fight inner impulses to not be monsters while others embrace it wholeheartedly.
In A UNICORN’S GUIDE TO THE MULTIVERSE, author Daniel McCaslin delves deep into the dark theme of a suicidal mind yet handles it with a quirky finesse. Even in the depths of despair, Charlie–a tormented character–finds a wonderment of purpose in life through a fantastical multiverse quest. The reader traverses beside this character into a world of magical chaos and entertainingly finds a true sense of hope.
“The meaning of life” is one of those age-old questions that can never really be answered, but in Matthew Kelly’s THE ROCKING CHAIR PROPHET, that topic is re-visited in an intuitive and thoughtful way. When a man tragically loses his family, he becomes a recluse—later returning to civilization with the gift of knowledge and understanding to share with the world.
Utilizing repetitive thoughts to maximize emotional impact, Paul Indigo‘s LOVE DELETED blends science fiction with dramatic relationships in a detailed, heartbreaking story about erasing one’s feelings while moving forward with the old memories.