What's this? The first reviews for this years' #IndieInkAwards are already in?
These judges are ravenously reading the 102 finalists we have this year!
First up, Margaret Adelle reviews Celestially Yours by Al Hess AND A Bone in His Teeth by Kellen Graves
in her incredible video at https://youtu.be/ZENVH7JNQUk?si=_J4orMOjl_ge-vG1 . I love how she explains the awards, too--great description. I love how she gives initial thoughts and mid-reading thoughts too!
Definitely watch this!
Also, Christiane_reads has her first review up for A Curse of Breath and Blood by KW Foster, which she says left her feeling sad and happy and at times laughing out loud! If you love character-building with just enough world-building to immerse yourself in, definitely check out her review and this book!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DFSuFboSe5H/?igsh=QkF6YVR5Z0VCWA%3D%3D&img_index=1
11 likes, 0 comments - christiane_reads on January 25, 2025: "A Curse of Breath and Blood by @authorkwfoster is out now! Swipe for blurb, tropes, character art and my review! 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' meets 'Six of Crows' in this captivating new romantic fantasy. Read now on Kindle Unlimited! Go check this one out before A Vow of Wrath and Ruin comes out! Don't miss this adult romantasy debut combining the dark fairytale atmosphere of Nettle and Bone with the heart-stopping romance of A Court of Thorns and Roses and the found family dynamics of Divine Rivals. With tension at every turn, this novel explores the sacrifices we make to save the ones we love. AVAILABLE ON AMAZON Triggers: • Addiction • PTSD • Abuse • Violence • Open Door @authorkwfoster @rrbooktours #rrbooktours #rrbtACOBAB #acurseofbreathandblood #authorkwfoster #romantasy #romantasybooks #booktours #bookish #bookstagram #avowofwrathandruin #kwfoster #bookreview".
Also, Brewed_Books has her first review up for Ascendant by Michael R. Miller, which she says was hard to put down. In her words: "This. This is what a coming of age dragon rider story should be."
Check out her in-depth review at: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFdSAukvKdS/?igsh=MWR5cGt4aWptdTloaA%3D%3D
22 likes, 4 comments - brewed_books on January 30, 2025: "Ascendant By Michael R. Miller This. This is what a coming of age dragon rider story should be. First book up for judging on @indieinkawards and it was so hard to put it down. Characters: I loved our main five (3 humans, 2 dragons). They had consistent growth and personalities. I really liked how their attitudes towards each other changed as the story progressed. Ingrained prejudices were challenged, youthful idealism had to grow up, and exciting discoveries are tempered with horrifying ones. Magic system: It was a tad too “level up in a video game” for me, I feel like maybe it could have been less jarring. But I did enjoy the explanation for why a dragon and human would choose to bond and what they do for each other. Maybe a tad bit of info dumping but you kind of expect that from a book like this so I didn’t mind it. World building: I’m intrigued. We only really see one corner, but the book ends with the promise of seeing more of it. And all the hints at the past and the future are great. In all, such a great addition to the dragon rider subgenre (if there isn’t one, there should be). I’m torn. I want to continue on with the series right away but I have a line of books waiting for me 😂 Have you read this one? What did you think?".
OllieCy reviews Yours Celestially by Al Hess, saying: "I am once again in awe of his imagination, story telling, and writing style." and "The characters are so lovable it’s amazing. I’m also impressed with Hess’ ability to showcase very real and positive representation, and to use gender-neutral and neo pronouns, without making it a big deal (normalizing them, the way they should be used)."
Read more: https://www.instagram.com/p/DGH4bBjgfeW/?igsh=QkFHa1VRWVJycg%3D%3D
6 likes, 1 comments - queerly_curated on February 15, 2025: "✨My first read for the @indieinkawards : Yours Celestially by @al__hess ✨ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars, 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ rep After falling in love with Al Hess’ World Running Down (which I read for the Indie Ink Awards last year), I am once again in awe of his imagination, story telling, and writing style. In Yours Celestially, a company provides the ability for your consciousness to be placed in another body after death, offering a second life. While preparing the new body people are sent into Limbo- an online state where people experience the welcoming company of an AI, Metratron, who is seen as a guardian angel to those who have been resurrected. However, the company has been sued, and several people have been stuck in limbo for months pending the litigation. This is a dual POV from a man, Sasha, who is living his second life and Metatron. In his new body, Sasha can physically feel the lovesickness Metatron is experiencing for a man stuck in Limbo, and sets out to find a way to communicate with them and encourage them to make a move. To do so, he starts working at the company, and starts to experience feelings of his own... Hess does an AMAZING job creating a sci-fi world that is fascinating and imaginative, while also being thought provoking. This is also balanced with well-rounded characters with struggles of their own and some sweet romance. The characters are so lovable it’s amazing. I’m also impressed with Hess’ ability to showcase very real and positive representation, and to use gender-neutral and neo pronouns, without making it a big deal (normalizing them, the way they should be used). Sasha is bisexual: he has a kid with his ex-wife, a queer found-family, and a masculine love interest. Metratron... has some gender exploration worthy of discussion but that I do not want to spoil! I also appreciated the inclusion of ASL :) This book is sci-fi. It is queer. It is cozy. It is serious. It is silly. It is brilliant.".
@bookstodon @fantasy @lgbtqbookstodon
Check out Margaret Adelle's reviews of Oak King Holly King by Sebastian Nothwell (gay fae romance) & Pray for Him by Tyler Bataglia (ace-psychic-priest struggling with his faith and confronted with having to do an exorcism).
She gives initial & mid-reading thoughts as well as final thoughts so definitely watch this! https://youtu.be/TtTy_iAaAWk
#Bookstodon #BookTube #BookReview #QueerBooks #TransRepresentation #IndieInkAwards #IndieStoryGeek
@bookstodon @fantasy @sciencefiction
Check out Brewed Books' review of Mushroom Blues by Adrian M. Gibson, where she says: "The world building was so immersive. I felt like I was right in there among the spores. And our main characters had such strong voices and such growth.
I would definitely recommend picking this one up!"
Read more at https://www.instagram.com/p/DIyj0VwvsgR/?igsh=MXdlODJsYTlkMHNrZw%3D%3D
#IndieInkAwards #Bookstodon #Bookstagram #BookReview #IndieStoryGeek #FantasyBooks #ScienceFiction
19 likes, 3 comments - brewed_books on April 22, 2025: "Mushroom Blues By Adrian M. Gibson @adrianmgibson Indie Ink Awards nominee @indieinkawards My thoughts here may not directly correlate to the ratings I give as an Indie Ink Award judge. That being said, I absolutely loved it. Five stars. This book addresses a war torn country, now under the control of an invading force. Our two main characters come from either side of this divide. Brought together with the common goal of solving the murders and disappearances of fungal children. We watch personal barriers be torn down between the two of them despite the feelings of most and it doesn’t heal the world but it feels like a good step. We also see the evil present on both sides which is another kind of torn down barrier when they can acknowledge that. The world building was so immersive. I felt like I was right in there among the spores. And our main characters had such strong voices and such growth. I would definitely recommend picking this one up!".
Don't miss reading Kathryn's review of Cleats, Corsets, and the Cutie by Ashish Ratogi, where she says "I did not want this book to end because that is how much that I loved these characters and their journey."
Read more! https://kathrynbooksville.wordpress.com/2025/05/05/cleats-corsets-and-the-cutie-review/
#IndieInkAwards #Bookstodon #BookReview #IndieStoryGeek #Romance #LGBTQBooks
@bookstodon @romancelandia @fantasy
The Book Dragon reviews Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms by Sarah Wallace and SO Callahan which she calls "Bridgerton, but gay and with a dash of fantasy!" and predicts "You’ll leave the book with a lighter heart and maybe some inspiration to follow your passions. Well worth the read."
Check out her thoughts: https://thebookdragondotblog.wordpress.com/2025/05/12/book-review-breeze-spells-and-bridegrooms/
#IndieInkAwards #Bookstodon #BookReview #IndieStoryGeek #FantasyBooks
Kathryn reviews Pretty Average by Arini Vlotman, saying: "I found myself laughing through this book more than I thought I would and was falling in love with the characters."
Read the full review at: https://kathrynbooksville.wordpress.com/2025/05/12/pretty-average-review/
#IndieInkAwards #Bookstodon #BookReview #IndieStoryGeek #RomanceBooks #WorkplaceRomance
Ollie reviews Reclaimed by Seth Haddon: https://www.instagram.com/p/DKa1RWsMnFW/?igsh=MWlweXR3MTM5ajFkeQ%3D%3D
In it, they say: "An example of some amazing 🏳️🌈&🏳️⚧️ rep! Saba has quite a lot of dysphoria, which plays a huge role in the plot. It was written in a way I could really identify with." & "Zek’s descriptions of identity around his disability are great. (Also- YES to the representation and beauty of fat bodies!!)"
#IndieInkAwards #Bookstodon #Bookstagram #BookReview #IndieStoryGeek #HistoricalFantasy
0 likes, 0 comments - queerly_curated on June 2, 2025: "✨ For someone who doesn’t usually enjoy this genre, I had so much fun reading Reclaimed by Seth Haddon for the #IndieInkAwards! ✨ ✨An example of some amazing 🏳️🌈&🏳️⚧️ rep! You can find my full review on TheStoryGraph (@ OllieCy) and other reader reviews on indiestorygeek.com. But here are some brief things to note: - Saba has quite a lot of dysphoria, which plays a huge role in the plot. It was written in a way I could really identify with. While this view of the trans-experience isn’t THE only trans-experience, I think Seth does an amazing job showing it and painting Saba’s conflicting feelings. I highlighted many quotes in Saba’s reflections of identity. - Zek’s descriptions of identity around his disability are great. (Also- YES to the representation and beauty of fat bodies!!) - I was expecting a much spicier book 🌶️🌶️. There is only one sex scene, but everything was done so well that I can’t complain. - I’d like to note that Saba uses “female” terms for his anatomy. There is nothing wrong with this and every (trans) person is different, but it is something to note for other trans-masculine readers who see themselves in Saba and might be surprised by this language. - I did find the answer to the mystery a little difficult to follow, but maybe that’s just me. There is lots of political intrigue, which I enjoy. We dive pretty deeply into the motivations and reactions of one “villain” in particular at the end, and a bit into the others, but there is a lot of complicated deceit at play, and I wish this was maybe explained just slightly better. - I really like the author’s voice. It felt like I was hearing an exciting tale from someone I’d love to chat with forever! (This review does not necessarily reflect my score for the book in the awards). . . . . . #IndieInkAwards2024 #IndieBookReview #QueerBooks #TransRepresentation #ReadQueerAllYear #BookCommunity #IndieAuthorLove #BookstagramRecs #OwnVoices #DiverseReads #BookLoversUnite #BookishLove #LGBTQBooks #Bookstagram #BookTok #ReadersOfInstagram #queerbookstagram #gaybookstagram #romantasy #romantasybooks".
Ollie reviews Bookstories by Sarah Tollok, which they say "does a great job of giving you that “small-world!” excitement- two seemingly disconnected characters meet, or things seem to come full-circle, and it made me want to scream with joy. There are so many smaller stories, interconnected, packed into one giant story. And I loved every one of them."
Read more at https://www.instagram.com/p/DLBp8eGsSEO/?igsh=MzNsYms2Y3h4d2Uw
#IndieInkAwards #Bookstodon #Bookstagram #BookReview #IndieStoryGeek #QueerBooks #LGBTQBooks
2 likes, 0 comments - queerly_curated on June 17, 2025: "⭐️ Book Review ⭐️ My third read for this year’s @indieinkawards: 📖 Bookstories by Sarah Tollok 📖 🏳️🌈Bi MC and trans supporting character🏳️⚧️ I absolutely love a book about books. This story is particularly unique in this genre, and does a particularly great job celebrating stories, the idea of intimately learning about someone through their writing, and sharing books with each other. This book follows many different characters, and does a great job of giving you that “small-world!” excitement- two seemingly disconnected characters meet, or things seem to come full-circle, and it made me want to scream with joy. There are so many smaller stories, interconnected, packed into one giant story. And I loved every one of them. One thing I want to note is that while the characters are likable, I didn’t find the way they behave and talk to be very believable. However, the story itself was engaging and brilliant. 📖📖📖📖 (This review does not necessarily reflect my score for the book in the awards). . . . . #books #lgbtq #gaybooks #gaybookstagram #queerbookstagram #booksaboutbooks #summerreads #diversereads #supportindie #indieauthor".
Cat reviews Upscaled by Joseph John Lee, saying it "brings in a lot of humour, there are some moments I found myself laughing out loud at the silliness of it all and the tale builds up to a brilliant ending" & it's "a ya, but it feels like it would suit middle grade readers too seeing as Ailis is that age group and the adventure is very much a middle grade one."
Check it out: https://thestrawberrypost.wordpress.com/2025/07/22/book-review-upscaled-by-joseph-john-lee-indieinkawards/
#IndieInkAwards #Bookstodon #BookReview #IndieStoryGeek #Dragons #IndieAuthors
S. Kaeth
