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!
In his eloquent memoir, THE GUIDE, Greg Munck details his tumultuous upbringing. As a young adult Munck enlisted in the US Marines, giving him a sense of purpose. The pressure helped him to discover his true self, enabling him to let go of long-standing wrath, resentment, and rage. This is a moving story of identity that includes wisdom that may alter the reader’s perspective on their own challenges and shocks due to life taking an unexpected route.
A nuanced, deftly characterized exploration of grief, loss, and growing up, Jamie Zerndt’s AFK is at its best when conveying the most significant yet prosaic events in life.
A. R. Latif’s VULTURES IN THE HOUSE OF SILENCE is a series of meditations on Islamic thought, a humanist critique of modern society, and a rollicking adventure spiked with triumph and tragedy. Set in the rich historical and cultural milieu of 13th-century Iraq, following the trauma of the Mongol invasions, the novel explores a complex, magical world through the eyes of two lost children, without ever losing sight of the humanity that underpins all religious and cultural belief.
HEIR OF ATARGATIS by A.G. Whitt intricately follows Jasmine’s journey from the devastating loss of her father and fiancé to her soul-searching trip to Ireland with friends, where her encounter with Seamus ignites a spark amid the shadows of her past. As Jasmine’s ancestral secrets resurface and she vanishes mysteriously at the Cliffs of Moher, Seamus, aided by his estranged brother and a professor, races to unearth the truth before she is lost forever to the sea. Whitt’s debut novel skillfully blends romance, suspense, and Irish folklore, promising an engaging start to a compelling series that explores themes of love, loss, and the mysteries that bind us to our past.
GRUMPY AND GREEN PARROT FIND A NEW HOME IN NAPLES by Susan Marie Chapman is a heartwarming tale that showcases the resilience and adaptability of its avian protagonists, highlighting the power of friendship and new beginnings. The book’s narrative charm and positive message make it a delightful read for all ages.
IN THE SHADE OF THE CRIMSON TREE by Mandar A. Pattekar is a mind-blowing fantasy novel that dives into a detailed world of cultural heritage and ancient wisdom. The author has masterfully woven together concepts of loyalty, sacrifice, and the quest for independence which is engaging and thought-provoking simultaneously. Through finely-crafted characters and lifelike depictions, the book eloquently addresses human experience and the importance of perseverance in challenging times.
CARRIE’S SONG by Dale Marie Taylor is a sweeping historical novel set in 1890’s Nashville. Thirty years after slavery, blacks still face lynching, inequity, and prejudice. Then, there’s the caste system within their own community, depending on how dark or light their skin. Carrie is a talented musician at Fisk University, studying under W.E.B. Du Bois, and attending rallies where Ida B. Tarbell speaks on the subjects of women’s suffrage and lynching. As she falls in love with Edward Smith, her younger sister falls in love with a white man, the catalyst for even more trouble. The historical complexities are meticulously researched and detailed, and the weaving of the tumultuous change and how it affects daily life is skilled. The novel ends on a cliffhanger, as this is the first book in Taylor’s The Flight of the Heart Series.
Part professional memoir, part corporate survival guide, Teena Hostovich’s WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE offers concise, practical advice for navigating the complexities of corporate America, drawing from her own impressive journey from receptionist to C-Suite executive. While firmly rooted in the corporate world, Hostovich’s insights were hard-earned and surprisingly applicable to anyone seeking to create a fulfilling life and career.
Written by Bryan Wiggins + Lee Thibodau, MD, THE CORPSE BLOOM blends the details of medical drama with the suspense of a thriller plot in this riveting story of a surgeon who believes his new role leading organ transplant surgeries for impoverished Mexicans is philanthropic, only to discover nefarious agendas behind the clinic that put his entire life in jeopardy.
When the U.S. military offers brilliant yet maverick biochemist Will St. John a huge contract for a testing procedure, he jumps at the chance. He’s just made a life-changing scientific breakthrough and requires finance. However, Will soon realizes he’s unwittingly complicit in a far-reaching, fatal cover-up. Failure to comply is not an option but when the stakes are raised with deadly consequences, Will can no longer remain silent. THE NOVEMBER MOLECULE is an accomplished, involving, and nail-biting thriller that has been meticulously researched. With a fast-moving narrative that twists with conspiracy and is driven by the deeply charismatic Will St. John, Richards’ debut novel proves difficult to put down.
Having suffered with survivor’s guilt for almost a decade after being blamed for a fatal car crash, Emma Gillen’s world is turned upside down by the return of her unstable cousin Lucy. Sarah P Blanchard’s DRAWN FROM LIFE is a complex and skillfully crafted psychological thriller.
With FINAL VIDEO GAME, Craig Speakes delivers a clever and surprisingly nuanced sci-fi YA adventure that explores the probable consequences of our increasing reliance on technology and artificial intelligence. With a thought-provoking premise and some highly relatable characters, Speakes crafts an engaging page-turner that will captivate “readers aged 9 to 109” and likely leave many pondering the not-so-distant future.
THE CASE OF THE WANDERING CORPSE, by David Cairns of Finavon, is an exhilarating addition to the Major Gask Mysteries. Gripping from page one, the story follows Findo Gask and Erroll Rait as they are called upon by a friend for a domestic dispute case; however, they quickly find they must navigate the cut-throat social and political landscape of the 1860s Melbourne gold rush. The author displays an excellent grasp of antiquity and narrative as this sequel spans over 20 years of history and covers two continents.
Fantasies about living the high life become reality for a struggling actor, but all is not what it seems. Sometimes written in “English” English, Mo Fanning’s HUSBANDS—LOVE AND LIES IN LA-LA LAND, is an amusing yet disturbing fictional account of Hollywood’s dark side. First set in England but later in America, HUSBANDS is well written with crafty characters and unpredictable scenarios that bring the goods, making it a fine and engaging read.
Jordan P. Spalding’s beautifully presented BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER is an enchanting little book that explores the duration of a single breeding season from migration to migration of a female Black-Throated Blue Warbler. The novella is a fascinating blend of scientific fact and artistic fiction that examines the natural cycle of this wild migratory bird while sub-textually offering a poignant reflection on the human experience. Spalding charmingly articulates Blue’s (the little warbler) aspirations and emotional responses, gifting the bird with a wonderfully understated yet individual personality.
In FOREVER YOUNG, author Ron Ricci and illustrator Lyn Meredith craft a heartwarming tale of an unlikely friendship between a moth and an orchid that highlights the delicate balance and interdependence of all life on Mother Earth. This beautifully conceived book also carries an important message about the responsibility we have to cherish and protect the natural world, making it a must-read for young readers as they learn about the true meaning of friendship, sacrifice, and the delicate balance that sustains us all.
PARKINSON’S: How to Reduce Symptoms Through Exercise by Kristine Meldrum is part science, part physical therapy/exercise, and part motivational. A pioneer in the establishment of neuro-wellness classes, Meldrum not only promotes the four different types of exercises – cycling, treadmill, progressive strength training, and ‘rock steady boxing’ (a trademark) – she also explains the whys and how exercise stimulates the brain’s neuroplasticity. Kudos and narratives from research physicians (the Cleveland Clinic, Northwestern University and abroad) plus real-life case histories solidify the absolute importance of this book for Parkinson’s Disease patients and their caregivers.