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Indie book reviews

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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.

January 3, 2025

THE LEGEND OF VALENTINE

By Sheldon Collins
Rating:
3.4 / 5.0

Readers who can overlook the flawed dialogue and cliched storylines in Sheldon Collins’s THE LEGEND OF VALENTINE will enjoy the details of this well-structured story.

IR Approved
December 30, 2024

VERMILION HARVEST

By Reenita M. Hora
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Balancing historical events with drama and romance, Reenita M. Hora’s VERMILION HARVEST is a gripping tale of India's gruesome and heartrending history amid her struggle...

December 20, 2024

A QUEST FOR GOD AND SPICES

By Dean Cycon
Rating:
3.9 / 5.0

Dean Cycon’s A QUEST FOR GOD AND SPICES proves a rollicking adventure chock-full of geopolitical intrigue and vivid medieval detail.

December 9, 2024

ROADS NOT TAKEN

By T.A. Keenleyside
Rating:
3.9 / 5.0

Though its plotting and characters are sometimes uneven, T.A. Keenleyside’s ROADS NOT TAKEN strides boldly through global history with some startlingly sharp prose and persistent...

December 9, 2024

THE PAWN AGAINST THE KING

By Giorgos Katsoulas
Rating:
2.5 / 5.0

Giorgos Katsoulas’s THE PAWN AGAINST THE KING has strong vision, but it doesn’t quite bring enough to enliven the straightforward central conceit.

December 2, 2024

WAIRAKA POINT: The Paradox of Truth

By Trevor Watkin
Rating:
2.9 / 5.0

WAIRAKA POINT: The Paradox of Truth by Trevor Watkin covers an extraordinary amount of ground, including romantic drama, travelogue, and low-key thriller, but suffers from...

Rating:
3.8 / 5.0

An atmospheric tale of star-crossed love and Spain's postwar reckoning, Peter J. Meehan's RETURN TO PAMPLONA: A Lover's Quest in Post-War Spain offers a deeply...

Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

Col. David J. Mason’s THE SELF-LIBERATION OF PARSON SYKES: Enlistment in the Union Army isn’t really the “novel” it claims to be, but it is...

November 22, 2024

THE FERNS

By Meridith Mckinnon
Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

Set in late-19th-century rural Australia, Meridith Mckinnon’s THE FERNS provides an interesting setting, a fast-moving story, rich characters, and multiple timeframes that add complexity and...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.8 / 5.0

Ian Crouch’s A PYRRHIC VICTORY: Volume III—Fate offers readers a window into a pivotal moment in ancient history, bringing to life a historical figure whose...

Rating:
3.8 / 5.0

Kevin Geise’s NO BOUNDARIES: When Two Worlds Collide successfully combines its coming-of-age narrative with adult storylines to create a panoramic view of social change in...

November 13, 2024

TANGLES

By Kay Smith-Blum
Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

TANGLES by Kay Smith-Blum is an emotionally resonant mystery combined with a compelling conspiracy story.

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