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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
November 2, 2020

ACTS OF HOPE

By Martin Elsant
Rating:
4.7 / 5.0

After a somewhat slow beginning, ACTS OF HOPE, Book Two of Martin Elsant’s Inquisition Trilogy, ramps up the tale of a group of idealistic and...

October 9, 2020

HE LANDS IN PALM SPRINGS

By John Shekleton
Rating:
3.8 / 5.0

John Shekleton's LGBTQ romance novel, HE LANDS IN PALM SPRINGS, is a veritable gay male soap opera of ethnically and racially diverse characters embroiled in...

IR Approved
July 20, 2020

STREET OF STORYTELLERS

By Doug Wilhelm
Rating:
4.7 / 5.0

Nuanced perspectives and historical context surrounding Pakistani culture add depth to the coming-of-age story at the heart of STREET OF STORYTELLERS. Author Doug Wilhelm particularly...

IR Approved
July 15, 2020

POLK GULCH

By Andrew Bardin Williams
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Reading, at points, like an alcohol-fueled dream, POLK GULCH by Andrew Bardin Williams is a colorful, meandering look at what it means to make a...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.3 / 5.0

Clint Eastwood fans will gobble up DEAR DURWOOD, an action-thriller with a modern-day Western feel and cool, collected, and highly capable, Durwood Oak Jones will...

IR Approved
July 6, 2020

RING ON DELI

By Eric Giroux
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

RING ON DELI is a rich, incisive story that vividly illustrates the inequities in the American economy and offers a serious look at those fighting...

Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

Burly of plot and premise, yet not as well-built in terms of character development, ANARCHY OF THE MICE by Jeff Bond careens from one dynamic...

IR Approved
June 24, 2020

TAKING TIME

By Mike Murphey
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Character-driven though somewhat light on world-building, TAKING TIME handily navigates the corporate, ethical, and practical ripple effects of time travel without skimping on entertainment.

IR Approved
June 15, 2020

MORE THAN HALFWAY THERE

By David Hartshorn
Rating:
4.9 / 5.0

MORE THAN HALFWAY THERE by David Hartshorn is a beautifully written and heartfelt novel of love and loss, home and family, that will leave readers...

IR Approved
June 12, 2020

THE ULTRA BETRAYAL

By Glenn Dyer
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Glenn Dyer's THE ULTRA BETRAYAL is a historically-accurate, action-packed World War II spy thriller with enough daring adventure and carefully-prepared plot twists to keep the...

June 10, 2020

SHE’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

By Steve Bensinger
Rating:
2.8 / 5.0

SHE’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS proves that what makes a good screenplay does not always make a good novel. Hopefully the Netflix movie will be...

IR Approved
June 5, 2020

THE HIDING GIRL

By Dorian Box
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

The story that author Dorian Box has created for Emily Calby is nothing short of thrilling, but it’s THE HIDING GIRL’s masterful interplay of character,...

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