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!
Eva Frances’ THE NEXT ROUND is romantic chick lit that lives up to its category. Based in Australia, Andie Herrera and Chris Vaughn hook up again and again over seven years, presented through flashbacks. Real people inhabit this love story; the dialogue sparkles, the situations are down to earth, and the characters, easily relatable. A quick read that calls for more.
Mark Leggett’s TEXAS TOAST is a riveting mystery novel that wonderfully balances an action-packed plot full of suspense and dark themes with witty dialogue for comedic relief as a young woman from Texas travels to a small Michigan town on a mission to find her mother’s killer.
MOTHER OF RED MOUNTAINS, Apple An, fictionalized account of life in the People’s Republic (1940s to 1960s) acts as a reminder of communism’s beginnings – and prompts readers’ thinking about its present-day realities. It tracks the family and career of Jun Jun as she transitions from capitalism to a ‘good soldier’ who follows State’s orders. Told simply with a sympathetic protagonist the narrative brings out the contrast between old and new ways – and the inherent conflicts working mothers face.
KISSING TOADS by Danissa Wilson is a witty and heartfelt coming-of-age tale set in the 1980s and 90s, following Annie’s search for love amid the highs and lows of dating. Wilson’s sharp humor and authentic storytelling make this novel a compelling exploration of self-discovery, resilience, and the surprising places where true love can be found.
The fictional life stories of Sam and John, two brothers who are the sons of English immigrants, William and Elizabeth, are chronicled in Cheryl Lynn Sibany’s THE MAGPIE’S TALES. Aside from his desire to become a successful farmer in Canada’s North-West Territory, William is also a devoted father who wants to see his son Sam grow up to be a respected member of the community. Much to William’s delight, Sam enlists in the South African army, leaving his brother John to handle all farm chores. However, it soon becomes apparent that William’s ambitions and intentions for his kids have the injurious potential to quickly destroy the family. This gripping story explores themes of tragedy, love, separation, and ambition in the face of adversity. Briskly paced and well-imagined, its resonant plot will linger long after the reading is done.
DIAMONDS THROUGH WATERLOO creates a vivid and engrossing story by skillfully blending historical events with excellent storytelling. This book is a fascinating read for both history buffs and fiction fans because of author Larry Forcey’s attention to historical accuracy and gripping character development, which bring the past to life. Historical fiction readers will value the thorough research and captivating narrative that are interwoven throughout.
CITY OF NIGHT is the first book in Aaron Gibson’s Mark Bender series of thrillers, set in Australia. Mark survived an attempted execution during his final tour of duty in Afghanistan. Returning to civilian life hailed as a hero, but a broken man, he carries the deaths of those he couldn’t save with him. When his twin sister convinces him to find out what happened to his missing first love from high school, he’s drawn into an ever-tightening net of power, deceit, and a centuries old secret society. The city of Sydney and its surrounding area serves as an additional character in the story, adding an excellent layer of both physical and emotional geography. The action is fast-paced and well-choreographed, the dialogue strong, and the sensory detail well-chosen and visceral. CITY OF NIGHT is a page turner that is satisfying in and of itself, while also a strong setup for the series.
DARKNESS BEHIND THE MOUNTAIN by Amir A. Sada is an epic fantasy that goes into the timeless struggle between human ambition and the rather transcendent realms of elves. The narrative is centered on a power-hungry human king determined to annihilate the elven race for his own gain, interlacing a tale rich with suspense, magic, and well-crafted characters. Sada’s storytelling captivates readers, immersing them in a world where the thirst for power clashes with the essence of magic. The book is packed with tension that will leave readers glued until its conclusion.
Kay Smith-Blum’s finely written debut unfolds the stories of neighbors, Mary Boone and Lucas Hinson, living under the toxic shadow of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation during the 1940s. Trapped within an abusive marriage and beginning to realize the devastating consequences of the radioactive waste being pumped into their environment, Mary is determined to play her role in exposing the horrors of Hanford, but at what cost? Told through dual timelines that twist and converge, TANGLES effortlessly moves between genres to gift the reader a beautifully touching love story and a brutal mystery set against the dawn of the nuclear age and its impact. Impeccably researched, forensic yet deeply human, TANGLES also resonates with contemporary relevance.
When beautiful twenty-three-year-old Kaori Hirakata is found poisoned in the bedroom of her parent’s house in a privileged neighborhood, suspicion immediately falls upon Kaori’s boyfriend, Hiroki Sato, who has links to the Yakuza and vanishes on the night of her murder. Twelve years pass, and the case grows cold, but Aki, Kaori’s brother, is haunted by her death and resolved to find answers, however dangerous and painful they may be. Opening in rural Japan in 1988, SAYONARA, MY SWEET, is a beguilingly good murder mystery soaked in Japanese culture and driven by the tortured Aki and enigmatic Chief Inspector Ito. O’Harra has produced a well-written, carefully constructed, and gently intriguing narrative, which spans three decades until the final, stunning twist.
THE ANDROBIOTICA FILE: NEARLY HUMAN by David Gittlin is an engaging science-fiction novella that masterfully blends mystery, suspense, and futuristic innovation. Gittlin’s imaginative world-building and exploration of android technology make this story a thrilling ride for fans of speculative fiction and cyber intrigue.
W. Royce Adams’ AS TIME GOES BY offers an insightful and at times wry look at a life lived in twentieth-century America. In easy, conversational prose, Adams leads the reader through anecdotes about growing up, love, work, and illness with a singular sanguinity and wisdom.
HIDDEN GIRLS by Julia MacDonnell is a poignant and deeply personal exploration of secrets, loss, and redemption. Through her evocative storytelling, MacDonnell sheds light on the emotional complexities of adoption and the lifelong impact of hidden pasts, making this a moving and thought-provoking read.
Corey Lynn Fayman’s sixth novel, THE ESMERALDA GOODBYE, is set in circa 1955 Southern California and features idealistic rookie cop Jake Stirling, who is caught up in a web of intrigue and a rising body count filled with mobsters, gamblers, stars like Zsa Zsa Gabor, Lee Marvin, and the infamous J. Edgar Hoover. His missing father’s case notes from his own career complicate matters. Jake learns who he can and can’t trust, often at enormous personal cost. Weaving the famous (and infamous) characters with the fictional ones almost gives the novel a true crime flavor, and it doesn’t flinch from the social and political events of the era. The hardest challenge Jake faces is where to draw his own lines of ethics and duty as those around him bend theirs to suit themselves. THE ESMERALDA GOODBYE will please those readers who like history and movieland glamour mixed with their mysteries.
In L. Ryan Storm’s heartwarming YA novel SLIP, a teenage girl (PJ) tries to figure out her life amid panic attacks that take her nine minutes and fifty-three seconds back in time. This situation worsens when a cute boy in her art class starts showing interest in her, remaining steady and intentional despite her best efforts to dissuade him due to fear. In this must-read for YA fans, serious issues such as mental health and suicide are artfully tackled and balanced with authentic dialogue and loving relationships, such as with PJ and her vivacious best friend, Mariana.
LISTEN TO YOUR ANIMALS by Karen Wickerson offers a heartfelt journey into the world of animal communication and telepathy, revealing how deeply animals understand and connect with their human companions. With touching anecdotes and practical insights, the book invites readers to explore a more intuitive relationship with their pets and the messages they share.
POPE PAUL VI AND HIS QUEST FOR PEACE: 1963-1978, VOLUME ONE: “NEVER AGAIN WAR!” by Rev. John F. Tuohey, PhD, is a richly detailed exploration of the pope’s unwavering commitment to world peace. Through historical insights and personal reflections, the book offers a compelling account of Pope Paul VI’s diplomatic efforts, his pivotal role at the Second Vatican Council, and his profound advocacy for nonviolence and justice, making it an essential read for those interested in global peace movements and Catholic history.
Linda Rӧnn’s memoir of her experience in the culture of rapidly deteriorating reproductive rights, BEHIND BULLETPROOF GLASS, is both powerful and heartbreaking. Born and raised in Sweden, married to an American, she is eager for her second child. Then, a call from the doctor, with prenatal test results, shatters everything. Linda and her husband are faced with a heartbreaking decision, complicated by the judgement and rising anti-abortion fervor in the country. Rӧnn does not shy away from either the physical or emotional pain of the time leading up to the abortion, the abortion itself, the aftermath, and then the time around what would have been the delivery date. She has to juggle her own mental and physical health with her responsibilities to her job, her husband, and her toddler. Additionally, she has to deal with the trauma and stigma around the term “abortion” in the United States. She cites the security measures of the bulletproof glass in the health care organizations in the process, and the way her own profession (health care) shunted her off to a different organization to avoid controversy. She compares the health care system in this country to that of Sweden and the EU, setting out the sharp contrasts. Brave, sad, and relevant, BEHIND BULLETPROOF GLASS is a memoir that goes beyond helping the author heal; it helps anyone who has faced this decision.