Indie book reviews

IndieReader’s reviewers are tough, but fair

Our Reviewers won’t judge your book as compared to other self-published titles, but against other books, period. Our ratings are based on the following criteria, although reviewers are able to award partial stars (i.e. a 1.3 or a 4.7), rather than rounding up or down to a whole or half number.

1/5

Really bad 
Work on it.

2/5

Mediocre
1-2 bright spots.

3/5

Good
Worth reading.

4/5

Very Good
1-2 spots that need work

5/5

Excellent!
Must-read.

* IndieReader receives compensation for most of the books it reviews, along with copies of those books.

Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

Eichin Chang-Lim's TALKING ABOUT ADOLESCENCE: Supercharge Your Body and Brain Power packages brain science in a way that teens can follow, even if it doesn’t...

IR Approved
October 11, 2024

SLEEPING IN THE SUN

By Joanne Howard
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

Joanne Howard's SLEEPING IN THE SUN tells the story of an American missionary family in British India with style and poise.

Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

The prose and poetry in Anthony R. Balista's short book, OUR OWN WESTSIDE LOVE STORY: With Words from Tony to Marie Including Poems Born of...

IR Approved
October 9, 2024

RAISED BY WOLVES, POSSIBLY MONSTERS

By Michael Swerdloff
Rating:
4.7 / 5.0

Raw, compassionate, and perceptive, Michael Swerdloff's memoir RAISED BY WOLVES, POSSIBLY MONSTERS is a vital excavation of toxic masculinity's rot—and an urgent call for individual...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Briskly plotted and charming, S.A. Reeves’s THE BOOKSHOP MYSTERIES: A BITTER PILL is a delight by and for murder mystery aficionados.

IR Approved
October 4, 2024

TELLING A THUMPER

By Paul M. Fleming
Rating:
4.2 / 5.0

An uncommon coming-of-age story with a unique perspective, TELLING A THUMPER by Paul M. Fleming will keep readers guessing right up to the final page.

IR Approved
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

FLICK YOUR HEART-LIGHT ON, LET YOUR FEARS BE GONE!: Helping Children Connect to Their Heart to Soothe Their Mind by Tonia Cianciulli is a warm...

October 2, 2024

IN MY WRITE MIND

By Joel Emery
Rating:
3.8 / 5.0

Joel Emery’s IN MY WRITE MIND has both clear, useful meditations on mental health and a poignant personal narrative.

September 30, 2024

THE ETERNAL SECRET

By Mary Romasanta
Rating:
3.3 / 5.0

Mary Romasanta's THE ETERNAL SECRET is a fast-paced, compelling story involving a scientific study of near-death experiences.

IR Approved
September 30, 2024

THE PURSUIT

By Jim Ruth
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Though based around one family’s story, Jim Ruth's THE PURSUIT is a very readable and well-designed narrative history book that offers plenty for a general...

IR Approved
September 27, 2024

FURY IN HER EYES

By Phillip Vega
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Phillip Vega’s FURY IN HER EYES effectively balances a compelling coming-of-age story with small, moving scenes of family members holding together during the COVID-19 crisis.

September 27, 2024

GLOW IN THE DARK

By T.J. Scripps
Rating:
3.7 / 5.0

T.J. Scripps’s GLOW IN THE DARK is an inventive opening volume in an ongoing story. As the book progresses, readers will soon find they are...

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