IndieReader Discovery Awards 2026 Entrants
Added as our reviewers read them, find the latest verdicts for the 2026 IndieReader Discovery Award entrants, leading up to the big winner announcement in June!
In A SHADOW’S VENGEANCE, author T.J. Cooper immerses readers into a vivid fantasy world with compelling character development, crafting a dark tale of adventure as two elven companions seek answers to their past amid building tensions between their people and the brutal men of the North.
CHARLES WHITFIELD RICHARDS: The Artist and His Circle by J. Michael Warner is a biography of Charles Whitfield Richards, spanning a large portion of the 20th century, touching on social change as well as the personal history of this writer, journalist, and artist who lived in several US cities, and was in Paris in the 1920’s. One learns all kinds of interesting details such as the fact that in the 1930’s, Miami was a more important divorce capital than Nevada. Rather than name-dropping, the book focuses on the different aspects of Richards’s life and career, and how the lives of other working artists intersected with his, sometimes forming long bonds, and sometimes drifting away.
THROUGH THE DARK GLASS by Aaron Reid is a dark, sharply written psychological thriller that pulls readers into the unraveling mind of Aaron, an analyst whose growing attachment to a coworker slowly blurs the line between love and obsession. What begins as a friendly connection spirals into manipulation and deceit, ending in a chilling finale. Elegant, haunting, and emotionally charged, this story is a gripping exploration of how easily truth can bend under the weight of desire.
SURVIVE, THEN THRIVE: My Family’s Holocaust Story by Clare Bursky gently tells the story of the Nowes-Strozenberg families fleeing from Poland to Russia during and after World War II, where free work netted only food and shelter to eventual American prosperity. Period photographs give life and light to author Bursky’s story.
ARCANUM: Whispers in the Forest by Kelly O’Hearn is a lush, sensual romantic fantasy that constructs together past lives, mystical obsession, and the subtle power of scent in a tale both grounded and otherworldly. The story follows Sarah Fuller, a successful parfumier in Manhattan, who gives up her seemingly perfect life to pursue an ancient rose in Provence, only to become haunted by dreams of a medieval maiden with mysterious powers. As Sarah’s marriage unravels, her friendships strain, and her sense of self begins to shift, she finds herself caught between her present choices and revelations from a time long past. The novel excels at creating atmosphere: the contrast between sunlight-drenched fields of the South of France and the gloss of New York City sharpens the internal conflict, while tarot, reincarnation, and psychic insight add layers of mysticism that elevate the romance beyond mere escapism. Though at times its pacing slows in favor of mood and reflection, for readers drawn to character-driven stories with spiritual depth and a promise of destiny, it’s a richly rewarding journey.
Pete Clements’ THE LAST FLORIDIAN is an evocative and powerful novel that shows the struggle between Florida’s dwindling natural beauty and urban expansion. Clements writes with emotional depth capturing aspects of identity and resilience .The book is a noteworthy read for fans of literary and eco-themed fiction.
Like a set of Russian nesting dolls, BAD AMERICANS by Tejas Desai slowly treats readers to a collection of short stories and a mini novel, each narrated by characters brought together by a wealthy eccentric for challenging games and lavish multi-cultural feasts. Tensions between characters and reader interest mount with each new story from a very diverse group of Covid survivors. Readers may come away troubled, but enlightened.
BEWITCHERY: TALES OF LOVE & MAGIC, by Amanda Siri Hill, Rae Wilkinson, Rebecca M. Robertson, Inna Lyon, and Whitney Oliver, enchants with five beautifully imagined stories that combine romance, witchcraft, and self-discovery. This anthology is lyrical and engrossing, celebrating feminine power and the enduring fascination of magic and love.
SUMMER FRUIT by Renee Humphrey follows Jack, a reclusive composer and wolf-conservation backer on Hollow Island whose quiet life unravels when his estranged niece shows up and a washed-ashore body drags long-buried secrets into the open. The novel blends small-town mystery, raw emotional wounds, and touches of folklore and nature, while its characters (from a stubborn paramedic to a troubled bounty hunter and vulnerable teens) feel lived-in and real as the community’s past and present collide. It’s a thoughtful, beautifully written story about family, loss, and how the past always finds its way back home.
DENITHOR THE LIBRARIAN by Eric Hook is a clever twist on classic fantasy, where the battlefield is replaced by an enchanted library glowing with elven craftsmanship. Den’s journey from disillusioned soldier to apprentice librarian, guided by the sharp-tongued ghost Ulric, brings humor and heart to a richly imagined world.
GRAVITY ALWAYS WINS by Doug Dirickson follows Seven Andrews from a small Georgia farm to the chaos of military service and covert missions, then home again as a scarred one-legged man determined to uncover the truth about his father and the dark secrets that shaped his life. Part gritty thriller, part emotional coming-of-age story, the book mixes tense action—helicopter missions, undercover ops, and run-ins with cartels—with quiet, honest moments of loss, rehab, and family reckonings, making Seven a character you’ll root for long after the last page. If you like character-driven stories that pair high-stakes adventure with real human cost, this raw and unflinching novel is worth the ride.
THE NAPOLEON OF AFRICA takes readers on a vivid journey through a time of great change and ambition. Phil Smart brings history to life with warmth and honesty, making each moment feel genuine and real. The characters are relatable, their struggles and hopes easy to connect with. The story’s pace and atmosphere draw you in from the first page and keep you there until the end. More than just entertainment, this book gently reminds us how courage and determination can truly shape history.
Cameron A. Straughan’s THE SURREAL ADVENTURES OF ANTHONY ZEN follows its delightfully oblivious protagonist through a series of absurd and dreamlike escapades with humor, satire, and surrealism. With talking animals, nonsensical commutes, and odd encounters that mirror the chaos of modern life, Straughan crafts a witty commentary on the absurdities of adulthood. It seems a wildly original collection that turns the ordinary inside out, inviting readers to laugh and embrace the bizarre, child and adult alike.
SON OF THE BORDERLANDS by Joseph P. Sterk is a richly imagined fantasy epic that follows Agni Kazirian, a winged outcast whose defiance of a god’s will sets him on a path toward empire and myth. Joseph P. Sterk gives us a hero who doesn’t just chase destiny; he wrestles with it, questions it, bleeds for it. The result is a story that feels as internal as it is epic.
WHEN THE CREATURES COME by J.D. Vaile is a haunting, subtly surreal novel that explores the fragile boundaries between memory, identity, and reality. The story revolves around an enigmatic figure known only as X, around whom orbit characters grappling with vanishing places, fragmented conversations, and the eerie disappearance of what once felt solid. In this quietly collapsing world, the so-called “creatures” arrive after moments of stillness and shift the landscape through erasure and silence. Told through linked voices and shimmering prose, Vaile’s debut is a tender yet unsettling meditation on loss, the unsaid, and the strange comfort of not being found.
DOWNRIVER: MEMOIR OF A WARRIOR POET by Ryan McDermott is a candid first-person memoir that powerfully recounts his journey from a turbulent childhood to leading soldiers in Iraq and then navigating life after war. Through vivid storytelling and poetry, McDermott captures both the weight of trauma and the resilience that allows him to rebuild, making his story not only moving but ultimately hopeful.
The Griffin Brothers’ novel SCARBEARER immerses readers in a meticulously built fantasy world where “Scarbearers,” people marked by magical scars, struggle to master their volatile gifts and carve out a place in a society that fears them. The book shines in its character work, from Fionna’s patient and often humorous attempts to coax Cendra’s power into flame to the band’s heartfelt debate over whether killing a hellcat that was simply trying to survive was justified, and in the way it portrays the bonds forming among outcasts as they navigate moral complexity and prejudice. Scott and Doug Griffin’s vivid prose, natural dialogue and thoughtful themes of belonging make this opening volume a rewarding read for fans of character-driven fantasy.
MISS BLUE JACKET by Gary McIlroy tells the little-known story of Frances Lloyd Garrsion, the mother of abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. Following her journey from New Brunswick through New England to Baltimore, McIlroy weaves the social context into this historical novel, the story of a strong woman determined to provide for her family after her husband’s abandonment, and how her faith supported her through it.