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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 11, 2026

FORBIDDEN SANCTUARY

By Layla Kara
Rating:
4.8 / 5.0

In FORBIDDEN SANCTUARY, Layla Kara delivers a bold, richly imagined, and emotionally gripping dark-fantasy romance that combines epic worldbuilding with high-stakes intimacy. This is the...

Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

This inventive premise with an enjoyable focus on character could move a bit faster and have a more focused antagonist, but Laura Lee Dooley's OF...

March 10, 2026

PRISON OF NOW

By Jon F. Harmon
Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

Marked by sharp observations and well-rounded characters, Jon F. Harmon's PRISON OF NOW is an absorbing examination of a family dealing with several slow-rolling crises.

IR Approved
Rating:
4.2 / 5.0

Schultz serves up a deliciously irreverent slice of epicurean excess in OVER A GLASS OF WINE: Wine, Food, Love, Sex, Murder. Propelled by a diverse...

IR Approved
March 10, 2026

CHAOS WOODS

By Scott T. Barnes
Rating:
4.8 / 5.0

In CHAOS WOODS, the first book of the Chronicles of the Ever-Guise, Scott T. Barnes delivers a richly imagined, character-driven coming-of-age fantasy that balances cozy...

IR Approved
March 10, 2026

THREADS OF PURPOSE

By Douglas Bell
Rating:
4.8 / 5.0

Written by Douglas Bell, THREADS OF PURPOSE is a thoughtful, artfully written story that deals with the expectations and pressures of being Black in modern...

IR Approved
March 9, 2026

THE DISRUPTION

By W.H. Hilf
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

THE DISRUPTION is a clever, timely sci-fi novel. W.H. Hilf looks at contemporary theories of technology and compellingly moves them into the future.

IR Approved
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

While it could use a final round of editing, Ray Strong’s ZEPHYR’S FLIGHT is already an energetic, thoughtful, and moving piece of YA fantasy.

IR Approved
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Ray Strong's THE WOUNDED SKY is an engaging and entertaining fantasy with fine worldbuilding and a cast of delightful, well-developed characters. But do read its...

IR Approved
March 9, 2026

THE BUTCHER OF NAZARETH

By David Scott Hay
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Strongly imagined and relentlessly told, David Scott Hay’s THE BUTCHER OF NAZARETH stabs a dagger of horror into the murky years which preceded Jesus’ ministry.

Rating:
1.5 / 5.0

Lance van Romunde’s annoyance at governments is genuine, but WITHOUT GOVERNMENTS THE WORLD WOULD BE AMAZING’s lack of a convincing substitute makes nonsense of its...

IR Approved
March 8, 2026

MANCALA MOON

By Asa Bowers
Rating:
4.6 / 5.0

Magical realism greets generational trauma in Asa Bowers's MANCALA MOON, a mind-bending journey of grief and choice.

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