IndieReader Discovery Awards 2025 Entrants
Added as our reviewers read them, find the latest verdicts for the 2025 IndieReader Discovery Award entrants, leading up to the big winner announcement in June!
Deborah M. Foster’s WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT BEING POOR? delivers a raw and unflinching look at the real struggles of growing up amid poverty, intertwining a personal memoir with meticulously researched insights. Through intimate narratives, letters, and a vivid recounting of life’s challenges, Foster illuminates how systemic obstacles and everyday hardships shape the lives of those on the fringes, without resorting to simplistic explanations. Poignant and thought-provoking, this memoir not only challenges widespread myths about poverty but also offers a message of hope and resilience for families fighting to overcome insurmountable odds.
S.G. Blaise’s ELDRYAN ELDERS captures readers in a richly woven web of cosmic intrigue and personal transformation. Protagonist Lilla confronts her deepest fears and uncertainties as she navigates a perilous jungle planet, where the fate of the Seven Galaxies hangs in the balance. Blaise’s narrative delves into profound themes of destiny, free will, and the corrupting nature of power, all while maintaining a brisk pace that keeps readers engaged. The author’s descriptive prose brings to life the vivid landscapes and complex characters, each grappling with their own moral dilemmas and emotional vulnerabilities. Lilla’s internal struggles, particularly her self-doubt and guilt, add depth to her character, making her journey of self-discovery all the more compelling. The interplay between light and darkness adds a philosophical layer to the narrative, prompting us as readers to reflect on the nature of good and evil. While the story is steeped in action and suspense, it’s the emotional resonance and character development that truly set this novel apart.
John T. Umhoefer’s TREMPEALEAU is a thoroughly engrossing mystery featuring troubled homecomings, missing people, bizarre geological features, hidden riches, and quite possibly the end of the world. The story unfolds seamlessly, moving back and forth between the present era and the past, through multiple points of view, without ever losing track of itself or getting too tangled. Richly drawn characters, lively action, and intriguing revelations keep the reader’s attention until the final page. This is a great book for lovers of dark small-town secrets with just a touch of the supernatural.
S. G. M. Brailsford’s THE GRID propels readers into a heart-racing world where the most advanced autonomous system ever designed becomes a chilling instrument of death. Reporter Sara uncovers a disturbing pattern beneath the Grid’s seemingly random accidents, revealing that these “unavoidable tragedies” might not be accidents at all. With mind-bending twists and relentless tension and pace, this book is an electrifying piece for fans of high-stakes sci-fi thrillers and edge-of-your-seat suspense.
Experiencing life in the 1960s and 1970s is different for people of all walks of life—rich, poor, white, Black, gay, and then-some. THE MEMORY OF FICTIONS- OR JUST TIDDY BOOM by Leonce Gaiter brings a young man through his personal life’s journey as a gay Black boy dealing with familial relationships and impending adulthood. Fictional, solid, and semi-autobiographical, the author brings his own story to life in a twisting sense of redemption.
Kevin Barry O’Connor’s SHAKE THE JAR is a taut, genre-blending thriller that fuses modern suspense, Irish history, and the intriguing concept of ancestral memory, delivering a cerebral yet emotionally resonant narrative. The novel follows protagonist Key Murphy as he uncovers secrets that challenge his understanding of identity and destiny, set against a backdrop rich in cultural heritage. O’Connor’s narrative is both fast-paced and thought-provoking, offering readers a unique blend of action and introspection. His ability to weave complex historical elements into a contemporary storyline showcases his skill as a storyteller and his deep appreciation for Irish culture. While the intricate plot occasionally challenges the reader to keep pace, the payoff is a story that is as intellectually stimulating as it is thrilling. For fans of thrillers that offer more than just surface-level excitement, Shake the Jar provides a compelling journey into the depths of memory and the ties that bind us to our past.
Dr. Khashayar Farzam’s THE DOCTOR’S PERSPECTIVE is a timely and insightful examination of the complex world of men’s health, hormone therapy, and performance enhancement. Drawing from his clinical experience and extensive research, the author delves into topics such as testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), anabolic steroids, and performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), offering an evidence-based perspective that separates medical facts from prevalent myths . The book addresses critical issues like hypogonadism, cardiac and prostate health, obesity, and the psychological effects of hormonal imbalances, providing a comprehensive overview of these often misunderstood subjects. Farzam’s engaging writing style makes complex medical concepts accessible, making this book a valuable resource for healthcare professionals, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the evolving landscape of men’s wellness.
In FAITH BEYOND THE SHADOWS, Charlene Campfield and Leon Campfield Sr. guide readers through a gripping dystopian journey, blending Christian scripture with vivid imagery as a young girl embraces a divine mission to reunite her family amid the dark forces that have overtaken humanity.
When struggling, sleep-deprived intern Dr. Noah Meier makes a potentially fatal treatment error following news that a fellow intern had committed suicide, he desperately attempts to rectify his mistake and turns to a surgical colleague. However, the patient unwittingly exposes the secrecy culture within the hospital’s toxic environment and a shocking connection to Noah’s father, the illustrious surgeon, Dr. Thomas Meier. Author JL Lycette’s nerve-shredding and powerful medical thriller offers a blistering sub-textual commentary on the horrendous demands faced by young doctors and also explores profound ethical questions rooted in fact. As an exhausted Noah fights to retain integrity and expose the truth, Lycette piles on twist after twist, ensuring THE COMMITTEE WILL KILL YOU NOW effortlessly hooks the reader from the opening and never relinquishes its suffocatingly brilliant grip until the final page.
I KNOW I’M A BIG KID WHEN – JE SAIS QUE JE SUIS GRAND PARCE QUE… by Nathalie Gallant-Fraser is a heartwarming bilingual milestone book that celebrates the everyday triumphs of young children with charm and creativity. With interactive elements like cut-out emblems and a customizable “Big Kid Certificate,” this book makes learning and growing up a joyful and empowering experience for both children and parents.
Sol Luckman’s GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE is a provocative and transformative guide that challenges conventional perceptions of mortality and consciousness. Blending shamanic wisdom, metaphysics, and energy medicine, Luckman invites readers on a journey toward self-realization and spiritual freedom. The book delves into concepts such as inner alchemy, the manipulation of attention as a vital resource, and the idea of life as a dream or simulation, urging readers to question their reality and reclaim their innate power. Practical techniques for energy recovery, trauma release, and holistic restoration are interwoven with philosophical insights, making complex metaphysical ideas accessible and actionable. Luckman’s engaging prose and fearless exploration of esoteric topics provide a refreshing perspective on personal transformation. For those seeking to break free from limiting belief systems and explore the depths of human potential, this work serves as both a guide and an inspiration.
THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE 3 C’S by Bill C. Myers not only urges the reader to develop their skills in compassion, connection, and creativity, but offers substantial practical guidance in the form of activities, journal prompts, thought experiments, and other concrete actions to assist in doing so. The author uses evidence-backed arguments as well as more anecdotal, emotionally persuasive tools, and while the advice given is not necessarily original or unique, it is generally sound, healthy, and rooted in loving kindness to oneself as well as to others. This book will probably be most helpful for the reader who is searching for a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives, and who is willing to follow a steady, disciplined but not hugely demanding practice in order to find it.
I’M NOT DEAD…YET by Dr. Joshua J. Caraballo is an emotionally charged, thoughtfully told memoir that highlights the power of authenticity in the face of adversity. The audiobook delivers a strong performance, with clear, heartfelt narration that captures the pain and triumph of the author’s journey, making the listening experience intimate and deeply moving.
MEMOIR OF A MANGLED MIND by Steven Simmons Shelton is a harrowing and unflinching exploration of living with dissociative identity disorder due to profound childhood trauma. Shelton’s candid recounting of his fractured mind and the devastating consequences of his alters’ actions is both gripping and heartbreaking, highlighting the often-misunderstood realities of mental illness. His journey from a life of crime, shame, and self-destruction to redemption is a powerful reminder of resilience, making this memoir an essential read for those seeking to understand the depths of trauma and the path to healing.
GROVER WILCOX GOES TO THE CIRCUS is Martin Lastrapes’s fifth novel (he also has a collection of short stories). Grover, an English professor, has a kitchen accident and discovers he is fireproof. At the same time, his father, a firefighter, falls into a coma, and the doctors can’t figure out why. A chance meeting and a trip to a traveling circus in town convince Grover to join said circus to help pay his father’s medical bills. Grover gets to know and befriend the eccentric, talented, and unique group of performers, especially the beautiful fortuneteller Xyla, who first invited him to join them. The longer he travels with them, however, the more of the darker side of their lives and the circus itself are revealed. The book is beautifully written and multi-layered with elements of mystery, fantasy, romance, and even a little horror and a speculative, fantastic, and sometimes dark delight.
Melissa K Magner presents a captivating fantasy narrative in OF THE SUN AND THE SEA, weaving together complex world-building and dynamic character relationships to highlight the importance of overcoming self-limiting beliefs in the embrace of destiny as a young woman is suddenly transported to an unfamiliar magical realm.
YOU ARE NOT HERE by Michael Albanese is a book inspired by the poem “Ithaka” by Constantine Cofey, a poem about journeys, becoming, and finding oneself and one’s fortune on the way rather than expecting them at the final destination. It’s full of short anecdotes, poems, and discussions of philosophical and personal topics ranging from imposter syndrome, appreciation of that which is beautiful but ephemeral, loneliness and the need for belonging, perseverance and faith, the inevitability of the final end and the need to consider carefully what we busy ourselves with on the journey. Alternately funny, thought-provoking, and occasionally emotionally wrenching, YOU ARE NOT HERE is a book for those who are looking for, or trying to create their own, meaning in the journey we’re all traveling from birth to death. Striking black-and-white illustrations reflect and reinforce the text, providing images that catch the eye and the mind.