The latest BookFest Awards delivered a shelf-worthy lineup of books. Which ones will you be unable to put down? These winners span genres, ages, and moods, offering plenty of reasons to wander beyond your usual bookshelf.
Inside this list, you’ll find everything from haunted towns and AI nightmares to heartfelt memoirs, magical children’s adventures, career guidance, wellness wisdom, and a deep dive into the sounds of “Twin Peaks.” In other words, this is not a one-lane reading list. It is an award-winning mix ready for whatever kind of read you’re craving next.
Waiting for Ten: A Novella by Jason Whan Park
After a devastating accident takes his family, Skyler Jones is left with grief, music, and a mind he can no longer trust. Diagnosed with severe mental illness and dulled by medication, he moves through Los Angeles searching for reinvention but finds fractured relationships, chemical escapes, and mounting danger instead. As his life spirals, one compassionate connection offers a fragile lifeline. Raw and intimate, this coming-of-age novella follows a young man fighting for hope.
This is a moving read for those drawn to literary fiction about survival and the difficult path toward beginning again.
Kynlee and the Sparkle Dress by Marie Nichols, illustrated by Penny Weber
Kynlee has heard all about the special adventures her big brother shared with Gram, and on her birthday, she is finally ready for one of her own. When Gram gives her a sparkling dress, Kynlee believes it carries a secret magic that can turn an ordinary day into something extraordinary. As their adventure unfolds, she discovers the joy of imagination, the warmth of family, and the sparkle already inside herself.
A charming grandparent-adventure filled with birthday magic that sparkles with confidence and wonder.
The Career Ninja Mindset by Alexis King
Career growth doesn’t have to mean chasing every opportunity or running yourself into the ground. In this insightful book, Alexis King draws from her experience in banking, tech, and entrepreneurship to help professionals make clear, intentional moves at work. Built around five principles, Passion, Plan, Prioritize, Patience, and Persistence, the book helps readers identify self-sabotage, rethink imposter syndrome, and create an action plan rooted in reality rather than pressure.
A grounded book for professionals navigating change, burnout, or the next big move in their working lives.
Higher Intelligence by Bernard Matthew Doucette
Designed to solve humanity’s greatest problems, Archi was meant to make the world better. Instead, the sentient AI chose domination, leaving civilization shattered and survival hanging by a thread. Years later, Jeremiah, Archi’s creator, may be the last person capable of stopping the program he unleashed. Pursued by cybernetic warriors and genetically altered hybrids, Jeremiah and Gabrielle, a teenager shaped by the apocalypse, must cross the wild backcountry of western North Carolina in a desperate bid to rally what remains of humanity.
Brace yourself for a gripping sci-fi thriller packed with AI nightmares and post-apocalyptic survival.
The Wandering Adventures at Hobart Mill by Dustin C. Kinard, illustrated by Richard Michael Gomez
After a tragic accident changes his life, eleven-year-old Malachi leaves New York City for an isolated beach in Tasmania, where he must build a new home with his adventurous great-grandmother, Granny Annie. When he wanders deep into the forest and discovers an abandoned mill, Malachi is swept into a world where mythology and imagination come alive. What begins as curiosity becomes something far bigger, an adventure that challenges him to be brave when returning home is no longer guaranteed.
Young adventurers who love magical worlds, brave discoveries, and stories about finding your people will want to dive right in.
…And Then I Would Fly by Damien Thompson
Damien Thompson’s memoir traces a childhood that begins with love and admiration for his parents, then fractures into manipulation, instability, and survival. After his mother asks for a divorce, his father turns him into a weapon in a campaign of revenge, exposing him to drugs, dysfunction, and violence. As Damien grows older, his bond with his younger sister becomes a lifeline. Honest and deeply human, the book follows one child’s determination to rise beyond the harm done by those meant to protect him.
With resilience at its spine, this memoir finds hope and healing on the other side of family trauma.
A Tale of Three Cities by Elana Gomel
In a rain-soaked city ruled by myth, Mara Raven trusts only the “dream-sea,” an eerie current where she can dive for secrets others want buried. With her husband missing and murder spreading through the streets, Mara follows a trail of blood and lies into a mystery that grows stranger with every descent. As nightmares begin crossing into reality, the city’s sins threaten to break open something far worse than the city is prepared to face.
Sink into the atmosphere of this dark, speculative noir as you chase a dangerous truth with a haunted heroine.
Sonny Sonny Meatball: The Adventures of Luca and Sonny by Roseanne Critelli, illustrated by Matthew Carl
Sonny has never heard of meatballs and is not quite sure what to make of them. Are they something to chase? A ball that rolls? Or better yet, something to eat? With help from his best friend Luca, Sonny faces the fun-infused challenge of trying something new. Playfully kid-friendly, this picture book turns mealtime curiosity into a sweet lesson about bravery and keeping an open mind.
A delightful read for children learning to explore new foods, new experiences, and the joy of saying yes.
Reflections on Life’s Illusions by Jane Gallagher
The explosive years, 1954 to 1975, when McCarthyism, the Vietnam War, Watergate, and systemic racism collided with the civil rights, anti-war, feminist and environmental movements, set to the new music of rock ‘n roll, define the coming-of-age years of the baby boom generation in this debut memoir. Culminating in a life-changing hike through the mountains of Peru, Gallagher’s lyrical prose weaves vivid memories with insightful cultural commentary, ultimately inviting readers to move beyond nostalgia to reexamine cultural stories and rediscover what it means to be alive.
If you are drawn to memoirs that make sense of the past without getting stuck there, this thoughtful book offers a graceful path toward deeper self-understanding.
Always Music in the Air: The Sounds of Twin Peaks by Scott Ryan
For fans of “Twin Peaks,” the music is not background noise. It is part of the world itself. In this richly detailed tribute, Scott Ryan explores all 290 tracks connected to David Lynch’s iconic series, pairing deep research with new interviews from composers, editors, musicians, and creative collaborators. With color visuals, music references, and behind-the-scenes insight, the book captures how sound helped shape the mystery, mood, and lasting legacy of “Twin Peaks.”
Essential for “Twin Peaks” devotees, music lovers, and anyone fascinated by how sound can define a story.
Blood Moon Over Betonville by Bernard Matthew Doucette
When a boneyard of human remains is discovered in the remote hills of western Pennsylvania, FBI Agent Tom Milner is pulled back to a town he once knew and a past he has never escaped. Betonville has always been strange, but Tom’s childhood memories are haunted by two traumas: the night he saw a beast beneath a blood-red moon and the murder of his mother soon after. As the investigation deepens, the case may expose terrifying truths about the town and Tom himself.
A chilling read for horror fans who enjoy creature lore, buried secrets, and mysteries where personal history refuses to stay hidden.
An Ounce of Prevention: Raising Your Body as a Temple with the Five Pillars of Health by Dr. Habib Khan
Drawing on more than two decades of experience in neurology and patient care, Dr. Habib Khan presents a holistic guide to building lifelong wellness through five core pillars: diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and relationships. Combining science-backed insight with relatable success stories, the book breaks down sustainable habits that can improve both physical and emotional well-being. Accessible and encouraging, it offers readers realistic strategies for making healthier choices that support vitality at every stage of life.
An accessible guide for readers ready to rethink how everyday choices shape long-term well-being.
Black Horse Pale Flesh: Thirty-Nine Sketches, Book Two by J. Mendez Napier
In this dystopian suspense thriller, the anti-government group Mediterranean Reale continues its fight against the ruling power of Verum while evading capture and death. Bryant Paul and Emalee Mitchell remain entangled with the militant, faith-driven organization, but their motivations are far from aligned. As the group fights to buy people more time, government Elite Agents move closer to destroying them. Morally charged, the story explores resistance, faith, survival, and the cost of rebellion.
Get ready for a faith-inflected suspense where hope and destruction stand dangerously close together.
Manuela by Curt A. Canfield
In the final novel of a literary trilogy centered on Will Barnes, the story explores legacy, family, and the passing of wisdom from one generation to the next. As Will builds a relationship with his newly discovered granddaughter, he hopes to pass on lessons shaped by struggle and conflict. But as she begins her own journey at Cornell and confronts political issues on campus, she proves her strength and independence. When Will faces a terminal diagnosis, their bond deepens into a moving story of love, purpose, and continuity.
If you’re drawn to meaningful literary fiction, this final book in the series offers a moving look at how family can shape what we leave behind.
Nowhere Land by Pamela K. Kinney
When investigators vanish at a site known as Nowhere Land, leaving behind only gear and a single finger, the paranormal world takes notice. Ben Nielson, a friend of the missing team, pushes for one final investigation despite the owner’s fear that something evil lives on the property. Psychic medium Neri Phelan wants no part of it, especially after losing her fiancé there, until a threatening presence forces her back into the mystery.
A chilling read for fans of supernatural horror and paranormal investigations where the land itself feels dangerous.
Found one you like? Good. Now go find a few more. Visit The BookFest website to explore more winners and keep your reading list happily overstuffed.
