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!
Melissa Connelly’s debut novel, WHAT WAS LOST, explores the reverberations abuse can have through a lifetime. Marti brings her teenage daughter to the small Vermont town she ran from as a teenager. A sexual relationship with her art teacher when Marti was fourteen left her pregnant. The repercussions of her choices around the relationship and illegal abortion, and what she thought were choices but were more abusive manipulations, have shaped her life. What she hopes will be a trip of reconciliation and redemption turns out to have even deeper consequences, as she learns what her lies set into motion, and how the agendas of those she trusted were rarely in her best interest. Connelly’s writing is strong and often harrowing and WHAT WAS LOST is a powerful and profound story about how those we trust can shape us, for good or ill.
Ricardo Rosselló Nevares’s THE REFORMER’S DILEMMA is a perceptive and open examination of the difficulties in promoting systemic change, enhanced by the author’s personal experiences as Puerto Rico’s governor. Rosselló offers reform-minded people insightful insights on division, political barriers, and the challenges of leadership in times of crisis like Hurricane Maria. Anyone interested in the complexities of political transformation will find this book to be an engaging read due to his ability to skillfully combine personal tales with more general observations.
TERAMAR BEASTS OF THE FIELD by Thomas Michael Murray is a richly imagined science fiction tale that combines political intrigue, vivid character dynamics, and intense action sequences. The narrative draws readers into a gripping interstellar conflict while weaving themes of survival, betrayal, and resilience, making it a thought-provoking and adventurous read.
N.J. Lujan’s MIRI AND THE HONEYBEE is a heart-wrenching and inspiring tale that follows Miri (a senior Yorkie abandoned by a cruel breeder)—who embarks on a daring journey to rescue her last puppy and, along the way, discovers her own worth and the true meaning of family. Through vivid prose and magical touches, including an unlikely friendship with a brave honeybee, Lujan masterfully weaves themes of resilience, compassion, and justice. Both a poignant animal advocacy story and an unforgettable adventure, this novel will tug at the heartstrings and leave readers of all ages deeply moved and inspired.
Reading Erich Kirchmann’s second book about his travels in France, IT STARTS WITH BONJOUR, is like having a warm conversation with a friend. Kirchmann shares his latest adventure (with his wife) to France, Gascony, and the Côte D’Azur via anecdotes about the people they meet, scrapes they get into and must figure a way out of, and the food! Kirchmann is an affable traveler, curious and interested in his surroundings. As an assistant professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University, he has a natural interest in what makes people tick, especially when he finds it baffling. He encourages his readers to learn from his experiences, both good and bad, as they plan their own journeys. A delight for readers who love armchair traveling; the culinary details are a highlight of the book.
Scott T. Barnes’ MEMORIES OF LUCINDA ECO is a wonderfully written story that skillfully combines mystery, magic, and the strong familial ties that characterize Mexican culture. It chronicles Lucinda’s valiant attempt to free her grandmother from a witch’s curse against the magnificent backdrop of Baja California, telling a gripping tale of bravery and exploration. A compelling voyage into the mystical and the sentimental via Barnes’ lyrical prose and vivid world-building.
THE NINTH INCARNATION by Amanjot Kaur is a captivating tale that blends adventure, culture, and spiritual growth. Seal, a seemingly ordinary cat, embarks on an extraordinary journey across Asia to save her dearest friend, learning transformative lessons in meditation, music, and ancient practices along the way. The story’s rich narrative is further elevated by beautifully expressive illustrations, making this a meaningful and unforgettable read for all ages.
SCRAPS OF GRACE by Jon F. Harmon is a deeply reflective and emotionally charged novel that follows recently widowed Tyler Manion as he navigates grief, single fatherhood, and the unexpected turns of life, all while grappling with his spiritual disconnection. Through the lens of 1990s America—with its economic struggles, cultural shifts, and the looming Gulf War—Harmon masterfully weaves a narrative that blends humor, heartbreak, and thought-provoking themes of redemption, purpose, and faith. With vivid storytelling, richly developed characters, and an unflinching look at life’s complexities, this debut novel is both compelling and soul-stirring, marking Harmon as a writer with remarkable depth and insight.
Sacramento is an ominous town with an apocalyptic vibe in the gruesome, psychological horror, Stephen Rhoades’ THE CALIFORNIA BUTCHER, which explores torture and cannibalism through a disturbing collection of vulnerable, dysfunctional individuals searching for grisly salvation in their troubled lives. Fueled by an extreme fetish site and manipulated by an unearthly serial killer known as “The Butcher”, Rhoades’ characters descend into a violent, fiendish hellscape of their own creation. Raw, dark, and compelling, THE CALIFORNIA BUTCHER is a terrifyingly twisty read offering much more than just a gore-soaked horror-fest.
Patrick Oster’s sixth novel, THE MAN WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS WIFE, is a mix of comedy, action, suspense, and romance. While going through his wife’s things after her unexpected death, Duncan MacEwan finds several false passports, a gun, and a half a million dollars in cash. The retired firefighter, now a photographer, wonders who his wife was, and if she had a secret life. Oster’s writing is precise, provocative, and a lot of fun. The characters are well-developed, engaging, and sometimes infuriating. Duncan’s newfound sense of purpose, and his determination to get answers at all costs for himself, not for a greater good (or less than good) are relatable and fun. The negotiations and compromises on what make a strong marriage are used in fresh ways. A high stakes page turner that doesn’t neglect the love.
Three years after an asteroid hits the West coast – and demolishes 95 percent of California – life continues. Lena Gibson’s AFTERMATHzeroes in on Robin Wilson and her ‘savior,’ Kory, who escape from Idaho’s motorcycle gang and then fall into the Slains’ cult. Their second escape’s a charm. Weighted more to the romance genre than science fiction, the second book in Gibson’s the Love and Survival series captivates with its gripping dialogue and real-to-life characters.
LET THERE BE LIGHT by Siva K. C. Penamakuru is a delightful Diwali tale that artfully blends vibrant cultural traditions with a creative fictional universe. Set in a magical world inhabited by animal-like characters called pasumans, it celebrates the essence of the festival through themes of community, kindness, and reflection. With its engaging storytelling and vivid illustrations by Sara Kuba, this book brings to life the warmth and spirit of the Festival of Lights.
GONE MIA: DEADLY DECEPTION by Tess Raynes is brimming with suspense that will keep readers on the edge with a story of a blossoming romance that takes a chilling twist when a lonely young woman struggling through a slew of seemingly unlucky events discovers her new boyfriend may have had a nefarious part to play in all her misfortune.
THE LEGEND OF CHRIS MOOSE by Allen Northcutt is a heartwarming tale that brings the spirit of Christmas alive through themes of kindness, inclusion, and selflessness. With charming rhymes and vibrant illustrations, it captures the joy of friendship and the true meaning of the season, making it a delightful read for children and families alike.
After an Asteroid hit Earth more than 200 years ago, the world was divided between the Mainland and New Atlantis. New Atlantians Parker and Genna escape their government’s White Shepherds to experience the other side. What they found? A life to be desired until… NEW ATLANTIS by I. Mannien is a well-written mesmerizing read.
Many tour guides tout deep know-how and on-tap experts. Yet few might be able to rival Michael C. Higgins’ EXPLORING WINE REGIONS series, this focusing on Mexico. Abundant color photographs, charts, maps, and individual narratives on 48 wineries and area restaurants contribute to making this a must-have reference when journeying to Guadalupe, Guanajuato, and Querétaro. Narratives are heavy on superlatives; on the other hand, be comforted by the fact that the author spent ten weeks researching the subject.
Every state has its own unique history, and in Delaware, being “first” is part of the charm. DELAWARE: FROM FREEWAYS TO E-WAYS by Dave Tabler recaps the history of America’s first established state (in 1790). Well-researched with photographs and illustrations, the book expands on the author’s first two compilations by reviewing the state’s achievements from the year 1900 to the present.
Terry L. Harmon’s meticulously researched true crime book CONVOLUTED, dissects a murder that took 50 years to resolve. In 1972, Bryce Durham, his wife Virginia, and their teenage son Bobby were brutally murdered in their North Carolina home. The married daughter, Ginny, was not in the house at the time, and it was her husband and their neighbor who discovered the bodies. Was it a random attack by home invaders? Was it a hit? After 50 years, authorities believed that they knew who had committed the murders, but were still unsure of who ordered them. But were they correct? Harmon sets out the details of the case through photographs, transcripts, articles, interviews, and other research (including over 2700 end notes). For aficionados of true crime, CONVOLUTED offers diligent, exacting detail into a complex and fascinating case.