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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:
4.8 / 5.0

Tim Lennon's STAND UP SPEAK UP: How Survivors Created a Movement to End Sexual Violence is a chilling exposé of the widespread nature of sexual...

Rating:
1.0 / 5.0

Banafsheh Zia’s OPERATION CAST LEAD: The Case is a difficult read that ultimately fails to prove its central thesis, regardless of the information it presents.

IR Approved
October 20, 2025

WHEN THE TAMARIND TREE BLOOMS

By Elaine Russell
Rating:
4.4 / 5.0

Elaine Russell’s WHEN THE TAMARIND TREE BLOOMS is a tender and culturally grounded coming-of-age novel that immerses readers in 1930s Laos through vivid settings, symbolic...

October 20, 2025

THE CATALOGUE

By Ty Mitchell
Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

Ty Mitchell’s pacing is near perfect in his propulsive thriller, THE CATALOGUE. However, the bad guys never coalesce into a realistic threat, and some big-swing...

IR Approved
October 20, 2025

FAMILY MATTERS

By David Kranes
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

A dreamy and meandering tale punctuated by dramatic and painful events, David Kranes's FAMILY MATTERS perfectly captures the protagonist's feeling of disassociation from reality, separation...

Rating:
3.8 / 5.0

Written by Sy S. Kanaan, HOW TO BUILD AN ARMY OF GARGOYLES & DILEMMA OF A FAIRY DUST DEALER is an entertaining way for horror...

IR Approved
October 17, 2025

THE WATCHWOOD INHERITANCE

By Ann Huchingson
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Middle-grade readers who enjoy stories with haunted mansions, small-town summer adventures, first crushes, and mysteries that echo through history are sure to love Ann Huchingson's...

IR Approved
October 17, 2025

GANYMEDE

By Bill VanPatten
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Bill VanPatten's GANYMEDE is an inventive and unique take on a mythological character whose origins are vague at best.

October 17, 2025

SHAGGY’S CHEESEBURGERS

By Ron Ladner
Rating:
3.6 / 5.0

With its numerous photographs and input from members of the Shaggy’s crew, SHAGGY’S CHEESEBURGERS by Ron Ladner will certainly be an essential read for any...

IR Approved
October 17, 2025

BITTERSWEET CATHARSIS

By Amel Dali
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Amel Dali's BITTERSWEET CATHARSIS is a powerfully authentic poetic memoir that documents a journey through unimaginable pain to a place of profound healing. Chronicling personal...

October 15, 2025

WHEN PHOTOGRAPHY MEETS POETRY

By Amel Dali and Magdi Bissada
Rating:
3.8 / 5.0

In their collaborative collection WHEN PHOTOGRAPHY MEETS POETRY, photographer Magdi Bissada and poet Amel Dali create a gentle, heartfelt dialogue between image and verse. Bissada's...

Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

MUST: Becoming the Person You Are Meant to Be is a comprehensive motivational manual for self-improvement. Stephen Rue uses all of his experience and expertise...

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