FOREWORD ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR THE 2025 INDIES BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Traverse City, MI, March 5, 2026—Foreword is pleased to share the finalists for the 2025 INDIES Awards. This year’s submission pool was exceptional, and our editorial team faced a challenging task in selecting the books that would move forward.
Congratulations to the 2025 INDIES Award finalists. The complete list is available here.
INDIES finalist status recognizes the talent, commitment, and craft of the authors, publishers, and university presses who participated in this year’s competition. These titles will now be evaluated by teams of librarians and booksellers who will determine the gold, silver, and bronze winners across all categories.
Being a finalist for an INDIES Award is a meaningful achievement. Past recipients have seen increased visibility, sustained interest from the trade, and broader reach among readers. The INDIES program continues to uphold a respected tradition of celebrating excellence in independent publishing.
Congratulations again to all the finalists. We look forward to announcing the winners in June.
Warm regards,
Christopher Nesbit
INDIES Awards Director
About Foreword Magazine:
Since 1998,Foreword Reviews has provided trade book reviews of the best titles from independent presses. In print and online, its FOLIO award-winning design and editorial content make the magazine a favorite among librarians, booksellers, and readers—an excellent resource when it comes to purchasing books. Foreword INDIES and the Foreword Clarion Review service complement our online content and print magazine, helping to showcase independent authors and publishers.
Matt Sutherland
