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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.

IR Approved
March 26, 2025

ALTIPLANO AND OTHER SHORT STORIES

By David Bassano
Rating:
4.2 / 5.0

David Bassano’s ALTIPLANO AND OTHER SHORT STORIES evokes a very modern malaise with well-imagined scenarios rendered in muscular prose.

IR Approved
March 21, 2025

ALIVE AND BEATING

By Rebecca Wolf
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Rebecca Wolf’s debut novel ALIVE AND BEATING is an insightful, humorous, and soul-stirring harmonization of seven stories into one piercing tale of sacrifice, pain, and...

IR Approved
March 19, 2025

DAMAGED BEAUTY: Joey Superstar

By Margaret Gardiner
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

In Margaret Gardiner’s novel DAMAGED BEAUTY: Joey Superstar, authentic, evocative prose paints an absorbing portrait of a brazen, intelligent young woman.

IR Approved
March 14, 2025

THE FONDLING OF DETAILS

By Panayotis Cacoyannis
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Though some of the plot feels perfunctory at times, Panayotis Cacoyannis’s THE FONDLING OF DETAILS is clear in its scenic evocation of London, its disdain...

IR Approved
March 10, 2025

THE BEAUTIFUL NAME

By Lilly Stewart
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Gripping, moving, and thoughtful, Lilly Stewart’s THE BEAUTIFUL NAME hits hard with gut-wrenching and recognizable depictions of human relationships breaking down under the strain of...

March 3, 2025

LOTUSLAND

By David Joiner
Rating:
3.3 / 5.0

Despite its narrative flaws, David Joiner’s LOTUSLAND still comes across as a heartfelt, accessible, and smoothly written tribute to Vietnam.

IR Approved
January 27, 2025

ENTANGLEMENT: QUANTUM AND OTHERWISE

By John K Danenbarger
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

John K. Danenbarger's ENTANGLEMENT: QUANTUM AND OTHERWISE is likely to frustrate as many readers as it intrigues, but those attuned to its uncompromising sensibility may...

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...

IR Approved
December 27, 2024

SECOND POCKET FIRST

By Gregory Grosvenor
Rating:
4.6 / 5.0

Gregory Grosvenor's SECOND POCKET FIRST succeeds as picaresque entertainment with an interesting protagonist.

IR Approved
December 23, 2024

NEVER ENOUGH WORDS

By Jack Hammond Jr
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Jack Hammond Jr.’s NEVER ENOUGH WORDS is a beautifully told and harrowing tale of the confrontation between humanity and hate.

December 16, 2024

TALENT SHOW

By Denise Haynes
Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

Denise Haynes’s TALENT SHOW offers an interesting glimpse of both the culture of Trinidad in the 20th century and the dynamics of a large family.

IR Approved
December 13, 2024

SILVER LADY: Travels Along the River Road

By Susan E. Sage
Rating:
4.4 / 5.0

For readers seeking a more contemplative take on end-of-the-world scenarios, Susan E. Sage’s SILVER LADY offers a thoughtful, beautifully written exploration of human resilience and...

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