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
September 6, 2023

DIARY OF A MARTIAN: The Discovery

By Stephen B. Haunts
Young Adult
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

The first installment in a fast-paced upper middle-grade adventure that offers a fun, heartfelt sci-fi story with messages of a sustainable future, DIARY OF A...

August 16, 2023

UNCLUTTER: A Survivor’s Story

By Winnie D Pagora
Young Adult
Rating:
3.6 / 5.0

Though frequently dark and harrowing, debut novelist Winnie D Pagora's UNCLUTTER (A Survivor’s Story) is an effective and affecting YA novel that tackles difficult subjects...

August 11, 2023

EXTINGUISHING SHADOWS

By Heather Beal
Young Adult
Rating:
3.9 / 5.0

Heather Beal's EXTINGUISHING SHADOWS is an accessible and fast-paced text planted firmly in an underworld of magical folklore and vampire fantasy that remains fresh with...

IR Approved
July 31, 2023

BROKEN SKY

By John Harvey
Young Adult
Rating:
4.7 / 5.0

John Harvey's BROKEN SKY is a terrific, action packed YA novel that is imaginative, carefully structured and driven by entertaining characters. A winning start to...

July 12, 2023

CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS GIRL

By Dan Birk
Young Adult
Rating:
3.3 / 5.0

Though debut author Dan Birk's CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS GIRL isn’t quite up there with the best YA spy novels, the author has created a...

IR Approved
July 12, 2023

RAINBOW STATE

By Mariah Ashley
Young Adult
Rating:
4.6 / 5.0

Mariah Ashley's RAINBOW STATE is a rousing mix of family drama and adolescent relationships rendered with uncommon grace, exploring the complexities of grief, healing, and...

IR Approved
July 7, 2023

MAGDA, STANDING

By Christine Fallert Kessides
Young Adult
Rating:
4.2 / 5.0

Debut author Christine Fallert Kessides' wonderfully rich young adult novel, MAGDA, STANDING, includes period details which are convincingly evoked and a fully realized protagonist in...

IR Approved
May 31, 2023

THINGS TO SEE IN ARIZONA

By Mary Vensel White
Young Adult
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

An artful blend of travelogue, romance, mystery, and teen coming-of-age, Mary Vensel White's THINGS TO SEE IN ARIZONA is a well-written, imaginative and satisfying read.

IR Approved
May 8, 2023

MISFIT’S MAGIC: The Last Halloween

By Fred Gracely
Young Adult
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

A warm and lively young adult fantasy following a teen wizard and his oddball friends as they confront an evil force threatening their small town,...

IR Approved
April 28, 2023

MAPKEEPER: Journey Through the North

By Natalea Waller, Emily McKeehan
Young Adult
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Authors Emily McKeehan and Natalea Waller join forces to weave an exciting tale of magic, intrigue, and surprisingly relatable young adulthood in MAPKEEPER: Journey Through...

IR Approved
April 26, 2023

AMAGANSETT ’84

By Shelby Raebeck
Literary Fiction, Young Adult
Rating:
4.8 / 5.0

A touching coming-of-age story set in a sleepy eastern Long Island fishing community, and by turns poignant, romantic, and tragic, AMAGANSETT '84 by Shelby Raebeck...

IR Approved
April 24, 2023

MAP OF A SOUNDLESS CLOCK

By Matthew Rudd Reynolds
Young Adult
Rating:
4.4 / 5.0

Matthew Rudd Reynolds’ MAP OF A SOUNDLESS CLOCK is a richly-woven YA fantasy, filled with believable characters and a tightly plotted story.

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