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!
THE LITTLEST PELICAN PART 2 by Susan Marie Chapman is a spirited adventure that follows a young pelican battling adversity during his final tryouts for the Pelican Squad. When a rival’s dive goes disastrously wrong, Little Pelican risks everything to perform a daring rescue that forges unexpected alliances and transforms enmity into newfound friendship. Chapman’s engaging narrative, paired with ’s vibrant illustrations, delivers an uplifting tale of courage and self confidence that will leave readers inspired and moved.
Despite the unfortunate title (GERI O SHIMASU translates, according to the author Alia Luria, as “I Have Diarrhea”), this book is a delight, a lively, entertaining, and not infrequently profound account of the author’s stay in Japan for a semester as a law student. Luria’s tone is chatty, sometimes bawdy, but always the voice of someone deeply interested in what’s going on around her, so much so that her explanatory footnotes often run away with her. She delights in the details of cultural differences, ranging from etiquette on public transport to the Japanese view of drag shows to the contrast in violent crime rates, women’s independence, and other factors of Japanese and American life. By no means rose-colored or idealized, it’s nonetheless ultimately a loving and thoughtful account. The prose is additionally enhanced by regular intervals of haiku that demonstrates Luria’s ability to capture an emotion or sensation in a mere few well-chosen words.
CHIN DOWN EYES UP offers a unique perspective on the practice of martial arts. Practitioners Kris Wilder and Lawrence Kane write forcefully, drawing on decades’ worth of experience to deliver insights, anecdotes, and wisdom on mental attitude, approaches to learning, and lessons learned from those who have excelled in fields both within and beyond the martial arts, intended for students of all styles.
Sam Cromartie’s THE WEATHER GIRL’S ASSASSIN is a high-stakes political thriller set in Daytona Beach, where a bold reporter upends a prime-time broadcast to challenge powerful governmental forces and expose a sinister frame job against a US senator. Caught in a web of conspiracies, she finds herself pursued by a lethal operative while an FBI agent, still hurting from a personal loss, is assigned to shadow her, only to question the orders when he discovers the evidence is anything but clear-cut. As these two unlikely allies join forces to unravel a labyrinth of corruption and retribution, the novel delivers a relentless and pulse-pounding narrative that will captivate fans of smart, provocative thrillers.
In SWERVE, author Jonathan Maas presents an introspective novel that explores philosophical themes by utilizing radical characters and complex ethical dilemmas when a seemingly ordinary professor commits a split-second error with fatal consequences that threatens to unravel his entire future.
Stella Atrium’s TRIBAL LOGIC: A Dystopian Science Fiction Novel, is an intricately layered and thematically rich conclusion to The Tribal Wars saga, offering a dystopian narrative as thoughtful as it is thrilling. Atrium’s prose is confident and immersive, painting a vivid portrait of a fractured world where tribal loyalties, colonial exploitation, and shifting power dynamics collide. The novel follows Jesse Hartley and Hershel Henry through a dense web of interstellar politics, cultural conflict, and moral compromise, allowing personal and political stakes to merge with affecting consequence. The characters are flawed, stubborn, and deeply human, their relationships shaped by both tenderness and betrayal in a setting that feels harshly real despite its science fiction veneer. Atrium excels at crafting dialogues that reveal far more than the words exchanged, and the world of Dolvia emerges not as a backdrop, but as a living, breathing force that shapes every decision and moment of survival. While the pacing occasionally slows under the weight of its own intricacies, the payoff is both emotionally resonant and intellectually rewarding. This is dystopian fiction at its most mature and unflinching — a narrative less concerned with spectacle and more invested in the difficult truths of power, loyalty, and cultural inheritance.
Working as a High Resident Physician for PRIMA, a revolutionary healthcare system backed by AI precision diagnostics, is a dream role for Dr. Hope Kestrel and a chance to develop the groundbreaking artificial intelligence even further, ensuring that tumors, like the one that killed her mother, could become treatable. But when a patient dies and Hope is blamed, she begins to uncover troubling flaws and manipulations in the reliability of the algorithms. Set in Seattle, 2035, Lycette has written an intense, polished, and sinister novel that resonates with chilling credibility and contemporary relevance. Driven by a cast of well-developed characters, THE ALGORITHM WILL SEE YOU NOW fuses a fascinating work of science fiction with a nail-biting medical thriller to produce a compelling, thought-provoking read.
Richard Gadz’s THE EATER OF FLIES transports readers to a richly imagined 19th-century London that is rife with mystery and fear by fusing gothic horror with scathing social critique. The story features a dark, atmospheric narrative that re-imagines vampirism in a new, unnerving way, thanks to its cast of morally complicated characters, such as the mysterious Ruby Wester and the haunted Captain Harker. Fans of literary horror and Victorian noir will find this an engaging and gripping read.
OUT OF THE TUB, by Carol Josel, delves into the truths and accomplishments of William Howard Taft, 27th president and 10th Chief Justice of the United States. Written with humor (the book’s title refers to the myth that Taft once got stuck in a tub) and attention to detail, the biography humanizes him and his long and storied career as an attorney, teacher, judge, President and Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court—the only man in American history to serve as both. Complete with a detailed family tree, timeline, and bibliography, the book is a must-read for history lovers as it includes information about Taft’s personal and professional relationships with some of the biggest names in politics before, during, and after the First World War.
WHISPERS AMONG THE PRAIRIE, a historical romance set on the Great Plains in the late nineteenth century, sees Morning Dove and her tribe face the onslaught of White soldiers, before a chance meeting with Michigander Clinton McKay changes her life for ever. Debut author Michelle Roberts imbues the narrative with melodrama and lush descriptive passages in the service of a story that shows love is possible across all cultures and despite all the barriers in its way.
T. Kudla’s creative and intensely personal work, BLUE BALLOON BURSTING, CHERRY BLOSSOM BLOOMING, skillfully combines poetic language with a story that transforms. His open and motivational examination of identity and resiliency encourages readers to celebrate genuine self-discovery and appreciate the beauty of life’s convoluted path.
Word lovers will enjoy the definitions, grammar, punctuation, and spelling lessons in To A T Editorial Group’s compilation, SOME WORDS ABOUT WORDS (VOLUMES 1-3), as it reminds readers, writers, and editors about the intricacies of the English language. More than just a style guide, SOME WORDS ABOUT WORDS is a handy resource for the words we use in everyday life.
SKETCHES FROM THE PERIPHERY by MP Summers shines a compelling light on the geopolitical and tribal intricacies of the Darfur conflict in the mid-2000s through the profound experiences of spiritually restless college dropout Alexander Barr, who accepts a role as an overseas contractor in the region. When his paths cross with Cassandra, a journalist undertaking her own metaphysical journey, the pair embark on a fleeting yet intense relationship, exploring their philosophical values and each other against the striking, war-torn landscape of Western Sudan. SKETCHES FROM THE PERIPHERY is a beautifully crafted and beguiling novel, full of sharp, searching sensibility and sentiment.
MISERY PLAZA by J.J. Alo is the second installment in the Southern New England Horror Anthology series. The narrative follows Joseph Griffin, an infamous outlaw who, under the alias William Potter, seeks refuge with his children in the secluded village of Missouri Plaza. This seemingly quaint town harbors residents with dark secrets, and Griffin’s quest for a fresh start is thwarted by both human threats and an ancient, otherworldly menace he inadvertently awakens. Alo’s immersive storytelling is truly commendable, blending Western and sci-fi horror elements seamlessly. The novel’s rich character development and relentless tension make it a layered, gripping and atmospheric experience, akin to a Stephen King novel.
A rugged sci-fi romp from black holes and Hawking radiation to evolutionary time-travelers from other universes, Kyle Conroy’s GREEN BANK is an action-packed debut. For all its hard science and adventure, though, it hits hardest with a clear vision of the disaster inherent in capitalist technocrats outstripping government and ethics in the pursuit of both knowledge and profit.
Robert A. Walker’s TWO CROWNS, THREE BLADES continues the Legends of Baelon series with a gripping narrative that delves into the complexities of vengeance, loyalty, and the burdens of power. The story follows King Axil of Aranox, who, mourning the loss of his family, declares war on the Guild of Takers, setting off a chain of events that intertwines the fates of various characters, including the determined Sibil Dunn and the introspective Overseer Reynard Rascall. Walker’s prose vividly brings to life the treacherous landscapes and the intricate political machinations of Baelon, immersing readers in a world where every decision carries weighty consequences. The characters are richly developed, each grappling with personal demons and moral dilemmas that add depth to the overarching plot. While the pacing occasionally slows to accommodate the detailed world-building, the narrative’s emotional resonance and the intricacy of character arcs maintain engagement throughout. This installment not only advances the series’ overarching themes but also stands as a compelling tale of its own.
Offering a well-researched road map for negotiating reasonably priced legal services, Léonie Rosenstiel’s LEGAL PROTECTION clearly compares options like LegalShield, Rocket Lawyer, and LegalZoom. For people looking for reasonably priced legal solutions, the book demystifies legal complexity for individuals, families, and small businesses, enabling readers to make well-informed judgments on their legal needs by providing them with real-world examples and practical ideas.
Tim and Sara Corbishley cannot believe their luck when they win an all-expenses-paid vacation to a luxury resort in New Orleans. Their first impressions of the opulent Sundial Inn exceed expectations, but three days later, they find themselves on the flight home, traumatized, bruised, and with no memory of what occurred after entering the hotel, which closed in 1954. From a supremely intriguing beginning lightly glossed with black humor, THE SUNDIAL INN evolves into a disturbing supernatural horror full of twisted complexity. Author Stephen John Ross capably uses multiple timelines and shifting perspectives to showcase a chilling tale of unearthly retribution that ends in surreal mayhem and with the enticing hint of a sequel.