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.

IR Approved
February 12, 2025

I, NO OTHER

By Yarrow Paisley
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Readers seeking standard narratives may find the fractured realities and linguistic acrobatics of Yarrow Paisley's I, NO OTHER too disorienting. However, those who relish fiction...

December 11, 2024

LIFE AND DEATH IN SUBURBIA

By Robb Skidmore
Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

In LIFE AND DEATH IN SUBURBIA, author Robb Skidmore captures in clean and precise prose a place and time—exploring several interesting character studies.

March 27, 2024

WILD ATLANTIC WAY ANTHOLOGY

By Mary Heeran White
Rating:
3.8 / 5.0

A book firmly embedded in its physical space—Ireland's craggy West coast—Mary Heeran White's WILD ATLANTIC WAY ANTHOLOGY is an insider’s exploration of a place that’s...

Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

In THE HISTORICAL LAMENTATION CLUB AND OTHER STORIES, author M.T. Rizzo explores big—and often very clever—ideas. Unfortunately, a lack of interesting characters and abstract plotting...

IR Approved
December 15, 2023

SELECTED STORIES

By Michael Glenn
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Michael Glenn's SELECTED STORIES profoundly transform apparently mundane experiences into revelations about human nature.

June 5, 2023

THE BLACK HOLE PASTRAMI – Stories

By Jeffrey M. Feingold
Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

IR Verdict: Jeffrey M. Feingold writes with tremendous charm and has a gentle, affectionate attitude towards his characters and their situations in THE BLACK HOLE...

IR Approved
May 8, 2023

FEAR, WEAR AND TEAR

By Shawe Ruckus
Rating:
4.4 / 5.0

An astute observer of the human condition who shows an increasing maturity in FEAR, WEAR AND TEAR, author Shawe Ruckus triumphs in highlighting the ordinary...

March 24, 2023

KALI MA: A Collection of Short Stories

By El. T. Fullah
Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

El. T. Fullah writes with confidence and overall the stories in KALI MA are entertaining and show great potential, but this flash fiction is impatient...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Elmore Collins' short, poignant tales pack a solid emotional punch, capturing the loneliness, frustration, and emotional isolation of a generation in THIRTEEN FICTIONS FOR MIDDLING...

January 23, 2023

INTERSECTIONS

By Andrew Spink
Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

Though the framing device is not always convincing, Andrew Spink’s debut short story collection, INTERSECTIONS, contains several moving and well-told tales.

IR Approved
December 9, 2022

LOVE STORIES

By Katherine Villyard
Rating:
4.8 / 5.0

With LOVE STORIES, author Katherine Villyard marries her vast intellect and riveting imagination in a short-story collection of speculative fiction that shines with straightforward yet...

IR Approved
November 4, 2022

THERE GO I (A Collection of Short Stories)

By Bill VanPatten
Rating:
4.6 / 5.0

Those familiar with author Bill VanPatten's work will relish his immersive take on small-town California, but for everyone else, THERE GO I (A Collection of...

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