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!
THINLY VEILED by Eliza Modiste reels the reader in from the very start. The language may be too vulgar for some, and it may even be gratuitous, but Modiste has a knack of drawing the reader on, cliffhanger after cliffhanger, regardless of language choice. This is definitely chick-lit but not just of the romantic kind, and far from the Hallmark genre. Gritty, dangerous and dark, it reads quickly and realistically.
In author Kurt B. Ellis’ words in his introduction, BOY IN THE BARN is not for the faint of heart and should only be read by those with a strong constitution. Through the fictional re-telling of his family’s history, Ellis highlights how a cocktail of inbreeding, mental health issues and intergenerational abuse and trauma led to his awful experiences as a child, thereby furthering the inherited trauma. A toxic combination of conservatively-held views, both deeply religious and racist, were the foundation on which their morals were built and passed on through generations. Through his powerful story, hopefully readers will come away with the understanding that they can persevere through anything.
Animals are amazing creatures blessed with intuition and resilience. SECOND CHANCES: MOONLIGHT MILE RANCH SERIES BOOK 1 by Mel Sobolewski tells stories of pets and farm animals that survive traumatic situations—moving on with the love and support of compassionate humans. Perfect for school-aged children, SECOND CHANCES is a reminder for all of us to treat animals and people with respect and dignity.
With immensely descriptive world-building, R.M. Schultz’s THROUGH BLOOD AND DRAGONS creates a fantasy story that brings dragon fighting to life and provides an air of action-packed mystery as the protagonists search for answers that will save their people from both sides of the battling regions.
EFFORTLESS HEALTH by Theresa Mathews is a detailed guide designed to help people struggling to achieve the healthy body they desire. The author includes personal anecdotes and experiences to enrich the straightforward, evidence-backed advice presented as she tackles issues from lack of sleep to weight loss. The book will be helpful for readers looking for realistic, manageable and sustainable advice they can follow for better health.
A riveting symphony of seismic whispers, Lonnie Busch’s ALL HOPE OF BECOMING HUMAN indulges in the thrilling choreography that bundles Archeologist Rebecca Duccati and a celestial metallic conundrum through the interstices of our earthly landscape. FBI agent Zach Demzey, investigating extraterrestrial dreads, converges with Duccati in a cataclysmic race against fate, blending suspense, horror, and existential sci-fi with masterful literary harmony.
Mori Grant’s epic and thought-provoking space opera, DEAD-LINER, takes place on the Lucia, a starship that traveled for almost 700 years from a dying Earth to a new planet. The book’s layers of plot keep revealing deeper and darker secrets, along with the themes of found family, isolation, loneliness, and conformity, exploring how fear and power in the name of “greater good” can corrupt and warp.
VESSELS OF WRATH by Thomas Holland follows Police Chief Ray Elmore as he solves a high-stakes case in the town of Split Tree. With prosaic visual imagery and attention to detail, the author breathes life into the setting of Arkansas in the 1960s, capturing the hopes and fears of the era and its people with historical authenticity. The protagonist here is a war veteran, shaped by his own past, yet still growing as the case proceeds, his character development sketched realistically. The suspenseful plot, rife with twists along with a cast of unlikely characters, is perfect for readers who enjoy crime thrillers and the mystery genre.
THE YAWNING GAP by C. V. Vobh follows Cor, as he leaves behind his humble, rural village to discover a world plagued by death, destruction and calamity. With an engrossing narrative, the story revolves around the young man’s adventures, who along the way befriends spirits and creatures, meets wizened men, and learns things about himself and the world around him. The author’s world-building skills are superb as the author paints a beautiful fantasy world, complete with old traditions, magical beings and vivid landscapes.
Author Rochelle Ransom switches between two parallel timelines in her mysterious drama, ‘TIL BETH DO US PART. In the present, teenage Peyton goes back to her late mother Beth’s own teen years in the mid 2000s, biting off more than she could chew as she reads about surprising scandals. It all builds up to the reveal of the driving question of who killed Beth: an answer that’s so surprising, most readers would be hard pressed to see it coming.
Kenny is a young man with a fondness for “rescuing” plush dolls from their claw machine prisons – aka UFO catching – at his local arcade. In his endless pursuit of all things cute and cuddly, he learns some valuable life lessons; in particular, getting what you want requires patience, and don’t ever be too quick to anger that he spells out in his LIFE LESSONS FROM A UFO CATCHER (An Autobiographical Manga). Kenny’s wholesome quest would be ideal for young teens with a penchant for adorable anime and retro 80’s vibes. The colorful arcade world shines beautifully through the illustrations and the interactive musical elements make you feel more present in the story. Based on author Kenny Loui ’s real life passion, it goes to show that you are never too old to chase after your dreams, no matter how small or unimportant they may seem to others.
GOTHIC REVIVAL by Michael Mullin is an incredibly suspenseful psychological thriller, written from the multiple perspectives of the antagonists who make up the ensemble cast of the story. The author handles this masterfully, and it ramps up the tension effectively, building towards the book’s fantastic final act. A great read for fans of the thriller genre in general, and novels in the style of Alice Feeney in particular.
Rae St. Clair Bridgman’s THE KINGDOM OF TROLLS is the fourth novel in her middle grade adventure series, but still plays out like a standalone, accessible to potential newcomers. As her fictional adventurous family travels from Winnipeg to Reykjavik, they go on a deep dive into the weird and wonderful aspects of Icelandic culture. Naturally, there’s a lot of elves and trolls and their associated legends to go around, but also, the infamous Phallological Museum, named on the page but with intentionally vague descriptions to preserve the family friendly atmosphere.
A charming and colorful quick-read comic about lies told by a Korean mother to her child during a childhood in San Francisco, Kenny Loui’s THERE IS NO SHRIMP… AND OTHER LIES MY MOTHER TOLD ME is instantly relatable to anyone who had a certain type of playful adult in their lives growing up. It covers anything from attempting to fly like Superman by jumping on the bed, to the classic “how are babies made” (according to the author’s mother, any kind of physical contact between genders). The result is beautifully illustrated series of short and amusing stories and an easy, comfortable read which oozes wit and charm.
George John Black’s CRYSTAL LAKE sprawls through several different time periods and countries as it captures an expansive family drama. Based on his life experiences and those of his father, Black’s book jumps from World War II France to post colonial Africa, from the tough colonias of Honduras to the glamour of Dubai. Truly, his family is one of long and unpredictable lives.
BIPOLAR HEAVEN AND HELL by George “Many Waters” Davis describes life in a bipolar cycle of emotional drama. The author shares his true experiences with nearly a lifetime of struggles and how his faith in Christianity (and medical help) led to living on a steadier path. The story is an eye-opener for those who have little to no experience with bipolar individuals, and those who are affected by their own friends and family members.
H. Allenger’s THE DAMNED OF MAGDEBURG is a fantastic read – while on the surface a work of historical fiction, it is actually more concerned with the behavior of individuals when faced with impending apocalypse. The story focuses on a group of individuals living in a city in the 1600s, besieged by the catholic league at the will of the Holy Roman Emperor. Throughout the book, each protagonist must grapple with their fears and emotions, and ultimately confront the feelings of guilt they have as sinners, and the role that these sins have played in bringing about the impending apocalypse. Overall it is a thoroughly gripping read, and so timely given the continued fallout from the COVID pandemic.
Combining fact and fiction, author Jim Altfeld brings WHITE’S TAVERN to life with gritty characters, colorful language, descriptive scenes, and a touch of realism in mob-infested Chicago of the early 1970s. Crafted with realism, the patrons of this raggedy old Windy City bar are involved with drugs, brawls, dirty dealing, mob activity, and political wrangling. Written in a conversational tone, WHITE’S TAVERN invites readers into its eventful history.