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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
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Engaging and grounded in real leadership experience, Peter D. Banko’s THE NECESSARY GOODBYE: How Great Leaders Fire with Clarity, Confidence, and Compassion is a useful...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Author Jacques Beaudry-Losique’s POWER PLAYS: How the Battle for Electrons Will Define the 21st Century delivers a rigorous, accessible, and insightful analysis of the national...

Rating:
3.4 / 5.0

Though it's too fanciful to maintain plausibility, Ross Smith's KURSK DOWN: A 24-Hour Countdown to Disaster is full of fun thrills and spills.

IR Approved
April 3, 2026

BLOODY BLACK

By Rhiannon Hargadon
Rating:
4.7 / 5.0

Rhiannon Hargadon’s BLOODY BLACK is an emotionally intense reimagining of the Blackbeard legend, offering a fierce heroine and a dark, immersive narrative that will stay...

April 2, 2026

THE KEEPING

By Rochelle Ransom
Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

Though a solid work of suspense, Rochelle Ransom's THE KEEPING has some rough edges that prevent it from fully delivering on its premise.

April 2, 2026

THE DREAMER (The Black Stone Cycle Book 1)

By Linda Patricia Cleary
Rating:
3.4 / 5.0

Written by Linda Patricia Cleary, THE DREAMER: The Black Stone Cycle Book 1 launches a promising YA space adventure filled with found-family dynamics and emerging...

IR Approved
April 2, 2026

THE THINGS WE WOULD BEAR

By Rachyl Moore
Rating:
4.2 / 5.0

Offering strong characterization and evocative prose, Rachyl Moore’s THE THINGS WE WOULD BEAR is a contemplative and emotionally grounded sci-fi novel that thoughtfully examines the...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.4 / 5.0

Michael Schwartz's I'M ONLY A GOOD DADDY BECAUSE YOUR MOMMY DIED offers trauma survivors a light to shine through the darkness. It movingly demonstrates that,...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Marlene Zaedyan's THREE SILENT CRIES: Three Battles, One Unheard Scream at a Time is a somber and very moving collection that deals with issues of...

IR Approved
April 1, 2026

RAILROAD MAN: Legacies Son

By Dan E. Hendrickson
Rating:
4.2 / 5.0

In RAILROAD MAN, LEGACIES SON, author Dan E. Hendrickson delivers a deeply atmospheric and nuanced historical drama that masterfully balances the internal wreckage of war...

IR Approved
April 1, 2026

WHEN I RETURN TO LOVE

By Eric Harris
Rating:
4.3 / 5.0

Writing about love while avoiding saccharine and snobby sentiments, Eric Harris's WHEN I RETURN TO LOVE keeps the promise it makes in the introductory poem:...

IR Approved
March 31, 2026

THE AWKWARD AGENDA

By Beth Morton
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Beth Morton's THE AWKWARD AGENDA is a satisfying adventure through grief, disability, and mental health that features loveable characters, gripping conflict, and plenty of swoon...

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