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!
Abby Reilly’s CHOICE OR CHANCE is a gripping political thriller that combines family drama, power battles, and intrigue. The novel delves into the high-stakes world of political campaigns, incorporating suspense and unexpected developments through vividly drawn characters and sharp dialogue. Set against the backdrop of a heated election, it keeps readers interested with a riveting plot and incisive insights about ambition and duplicity.
In GRAPPLING, a series of short stories inspired by real clients and events, Robert E. Kaplan takes a different approach than in his previous books, including THE VERSATILE LEADER. He takes events and people inspired by life and uses fiction to demonstrate the needs for and the attempts to change, based on his experience as a leadership advisor. Each short story/case study stands on its own. Sometimes the coach/advisor speaks in the first person; other times the entire story is in the third. The different ways these executives struggle with their challenges, both professionally and personally is often fascinating, as is the inside look on how the corporations run, and the toll it takes on those working within them. GRAPPLING can be a useful teaching tool for change to those struggling in the corporate leadership world.
RED AND ME by Terry Lee Caruthers is a captivating and heartwarming narrative that vividly brings to life the resilient spirit of its characters and the rich tapestry of small-town life. The book’s engaging portrayal of a young girl’s enduring bond with her dog, combined with its evocative descriptions and memorable local color, makes it a compelling read that resonates with authenticity.
DAMAGED BEAUTY:JOEY SUPERSTAR by Margaret Gardiner is a story of love, power, and self-destruction, played out against the glittering, yet ruthless, world of the fashion industry. With psychological insight, the novel uncovers the inner turmoil of a woman fighting for her identity and agency in a society that reduces women to their beauty. Gardiner creates an emotional and immersive narrative that stays with the reader long after the last page.
Being true to oneself is a way of finding that special path meant for us—THE YEAR OF SLUTTERY (is author Scarlett D. Jones’ way of forging her own way in today’s online dating world. Times have changed but people haven’t, as past-middle-age folks still do the dance for love and companionship. With its share of explicit and racy passages, THE YEAR OF SLUTTERY is a fun read.
THE PRISONER AND THE TRAITOR by H. M. Richardson is an enthralling start to the Tower of the Deep series, blending immersive storytelling and emotional depth to explore fierce loyalties, betrayal, and the clash of two vastly different worlds involving fourteen-year-old Hennelyn (raised among the warlike Starkhons) and her adopted brother, Arcmas. Hennelyn questions her people’s brutal conquest of the peaceful Bunji when she frees a captured prisoner, branding herself a traitor, while Arcmas (a winged warrior created as a weapon) returns from war, hardened by his training to subdue the Bunji—until Hennelyn deceives him to free yet another prisoner, hoping to open his eyes to the truth. This novel masterfully explores identity, duty, and the transformative power of empathy as Hennelyn and Arcmas struggle to choose between the paths set before them and the uncertain cost of forging their own destiny.
BULLYPROOF offers a nuanced look at “dysfunctional dominance” in our society, and concludes that alpha personalities are both misunderstood, and misunderstand themselves. Using his “Motivational Currency Calculator,” author Rob Fazio gives readers a chance to assess and analyze their own drivers, with a view to making themselves “bully-proof,” and use their own power to better themselves, others, and society.
In the cutthroat realm of winemaking, Donald Sheagley’s THE GLACIER BAY MURDERS offers an interesting blend of mystery and wine culture, spinning together intrigue and dishonesty. As secrets are revealed, readers are captivated by the story’s captivating protagonist, Hunter Kingsley, and its masterfully constructed location on an Alaskan cruise. Its distinctive fusion of crime, industry politics, and scenic adventure will appeal to readers who enjoy cozy mysteries with a hint of suspense.
AT EASE is a richly informative guide to transitioning from a career in the military to a civilian work life. Drawing on years of professional experience, author Emily King details the philosophical as well as practical differences between the two work spheres, and emphasizes that switching from one to the other can be a lot more complicated than simply polishing up the resume – but that the change is not only navigable, but profitable.
TO DIE IS DIFFERENT THAN SUPPOSED by Alissa Butterworth is a haunting and lyrically written family drama that explores the weight of loss, fractured relationships, and long-buried secrets. Butterworth’s narrative is profoundly atmospheric and emotionally intense, combining keen insight with a residual discomfort, as seen through the Gable siblings’ perspectives. The novel’s exploration of grief and the unbreakable hold of the past is a moving and thought-provoking reading experience.
SINGULARITY by Sherri Fulmer Moorer is an engrossing science fiction novel foreshadowing a world dependent on Artificial Intelligence for survival. The book balances a haunting narration with nuanced characters and varied plot devices while exploring the possibility of full integration with Artificial Intelligence for the complete evolution of humanity, along with possible consequences, such as the extinction of the entire human race. Moorer poses thought-provoking questions and ethical dilemmas as Senara and her husband, Killian (lead AI experts on the team), try to prevent a rushed adoption while considering its effects amid push-backs from those with ulterior motives.
OUR BEAUTIFUL TRIBE is a touching children’s tale about belonging. Author Aaron Copeland and illustrator Melissa Lettis succeed in telling a simple yet compelling story of the importance of family, and about how, in spite of the differences in appearances, ethnicity, and culture between us all, we all ultimately derive from the same place, and that our richness lies in that diversity.
I’M THE ANSWER TO YOUR CONFUSION by Jim Lively is a gripping psychological thriller that immerses readers in the unraveling mind of Simon Steed. Through Simon’s mounting unease, spooky experiences, and desperate quest of clarity, the author deftly creates suspense. With its blend of legal drama and psychological tension, the book keeps readers questioning what is real and what is imagined.
NO BOUNDARIES by Kevin Geise features ‘60s and ‘70s history in Fort Wayne, Indiana, alternating with stories of teenagers in the Coldwater Creek community. No major news event or trend is spared, from desegregation and weed to comedian George Carlin and the Watergate affair. Each impacts the group in different ways: Bob Wills’ brother KIA in Vietnam, young love between Brian Johnson and Mindy, how parents like Ryan O’Connor cope (or not). Universal life struggles and resolutions are bound to appeal to a wide range of readers.
CONNECTING DOTS: To Decode the Deception of Satan and to Worship the True God by Kenny Wood is an ambitious and thought-provoking exploration of spiritual deception and the human quest for divine truth. Wood meticulously examines patterns of manipulation within religious systems, aiming to expose what he views as long-standing deceptions that distance humanity from genuine worship of the true God. Drawing from scripture, prophecy, and comparative theology, the book weaves a dense but rewarding narrative that invites readers to reassess inherited beliefs and religious structures with a critical eye. While its prose can be heavy and occasionally over-complicated, Wood’s sincerity and thorough research shine through, making this a valuable resource for those intrigued by the intersection of faith, doctrine, and discernment. It’s a challenging but ultimately enlightening read for spiritual seekers willing to engage with complex ideas and question the familiar.
Struggling to process the loss of her mother ten years earlier and finding herself at an emotional crossroads, twenty-three-year-old Manon Rinsma, armed with a backpack and a pair of red Nikes, books a flight to Los Angeles. For the next six months, Rinsma navigates continents and cultures with no particular plan as she undertakes a journey of discovery, experience, and understanding. Part travelogue and part healing memoir, A FAR CRY FROM YESTERDAY is an immersive and inspiring read that proves difficult to put down. Rinsma is a candid, engaging writer who brings her travels wonderfully to life for the reader while exploring deeply personal issues without exclusivity or indulgence.
An intriguing proposition: What if a business purported to tell the absolute truth to potential customers – with virtually no holds barred? For one week, New York answer man Glen Evans opens shop to the curious and the anxious to help solve their dilemmas. As to be expected: The police, FBI, CIA, ACLU, and other authorities soon start sniffing around. Steven Taunton’s GOD, INCORPORATED is an engaging read that will keep minds whirring.
V-LIFE is a new, amusing take on the vampire genre, combining dark humor, incisive dialogue, and a captivating protagonist on a journey of self-discovery. Sugar Bernstein’s transformation is as captivating as it is entertaining because author Honey Parker skillfully strikes a balance between supernatural mystery and everyday hardships. This clever, action-packed journey has plenty to offer fans of genre-bending literature.