Indie book reviews

Now
Reviewing
Audiobooks!

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
May 18, 2026

THE GYRE: A Novel

By Stacy Carlson
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

Glittering with historical detail and full of psychological intrigue, Stacy Carlson's THE GYRE offers meditations on the mysteries of the High Arctic.

IR Approved
May 17, 2026

LOVE, DEATH, AND PEN PALS

By L. Ryan Storms
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

With an appealing main character and an intriguing central conflict, L. Ryan Storms's LOVE, DEATH, AND PEN PALS is a cozy romantic fantasy that sells...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Capella Cao's WINGS & ROOTS: Wisdom from a Forgotten Garden has something to offer people of all ages. Much as new seasons change a garden,...

May 16, 2026

TWINE: A Novel

By Joshua Senter
Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

Joshua Senter’s raw, startling TWINE paints a vivid portrait of a rural town full of complex characters, even as superfluous passages dictating backstory bog down...

Rating:
3.7 / 5.0

Kris Land’s THE INFINITY WITHIN: Break Through Fear, Trust Your Inner Power, and Create a Life That Reflects Who You Truly Are delivers an accessible...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Actors of all levels will appreciate the ability to pick up THE ACTOR'S BOOK OF SCENES: 50 Original Comedy and Drama Scenes for Working Actors,...

May 14, 2026

FIVE HOURS

By E.K. Mercer
Rating:
3.6 / 5.0

Author E.K. Mercer’s FIVE HOURS delivers a focused and immersive narrative, though its occasional pacing inconsistencies and reliance on heightened description affect its momentum.

May 14, 2026

DUG UP

By Shari Marshall
Rating:
3.7 / 5.0

Shari Marshall’s DUG UP is a cozy small-town mystery that features grave robbing, a bit of the paranormal, and plenty of hazelnut coffee. It's perfect...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.8 / 5.0

Presenting complex psychological ideas through stories, accessible prose, and compassion, Yarona Boster's UNSPOKEN SIGNALS: Essential Parenting Skills to Raise Emotionally Secure Children is an essential...

May 13, 2026

SKETCH: A Novel

By Ros Hill
Rating:
3.8 / 5.0

In SKETCH: A Novel, Ros Hill's fluid, descriptive prose and structured non-linear narrative outshine the book's pacing issues.

IR Approved
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Claude Hanhart’s guidebook GARBAGE IN, FASTER: Why AI Needs Conversation Architects masterfully argues that while artificial intelligence can accelerate the writing process, the human being...

IR Approved
May 12, 2026

THROUGH OUR OWN WRONG EYES

By Florence D'Angelo
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Florence D’Angelo's THROUGH OUR OWN WRONG EYES: A Story of Hardship and Redemption is a quiet historical epic about suffering and strength. Both heartbreaking and...

Get A PROFESSIONAL REVIEW FOR YOUR BOOK!