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:
4.2 / 5.0

Stella Atrium’s THE HEART SCARAB: A Dystopian Science Fiction Novel builds on all the best things from its predecessor: rich worldbuilding, intriguing characters, and great...

IR Approved
September 10, 2025

UPLIFT

By Jessica Mann
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Jessica Mann's UPLIFT boasts a well-crafted universe and appealing characters that lift this tale of untouched wilderness and the creatures that live there to entertaining...

IR Approved
September 10, 2025

IT WILL LAST LONGER

By Tara Sanders Brooks
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Penned by Tara Sanders Brooks, IT WILL LAST LONGER is a well-written, cleverly structured novel that examines art and morals in the age of social...

IR Approved
September 10, 2025

THE CALL OF ABADDON

By Colin Searle
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Colin Searle's THE CALL OF ABADDON is a timely and dramatic mixture of dystopian fiction, military SF, and cosmic horror.

IR Approved
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Richard Ryan’s THE WARRIOR’S GARDEN: Tools for Guarding Your Mind Against Big Tech diagnoses real problems in language that will both inform and compel its...

IR Approved
September 8, 2025

A BILLION BLUE WILDEBEEST

By Catherine MacLaine
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Catherine MacLaine’s earnest A BILLION BLUE WILDEBEEST pays a heartfelt tribute to a childhood in Africa, a lifelong love of wildlife, and a troubled cat...

IR Approved
September 8, 2025

ALASKA BLOODLUST

By J. L. Askew
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

J.L. Askew’s ALASKA BLOODLUST is an action-packed private-eye adventure. With plenty of blood, guts, and bullets, the novel’s pulpy plot and well-envisioned action sequences offer...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.2 / 5.0

Joseph Sanders's UNREASONABLE RESPONSIBILITY: Eradicating the Disease of Entitlement is a well-written, insightful, and compelling meditation on the destructive nature of entitlement and how assuming...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Ann Yihyang Kim's EYE IN THE BLUE BOX: Book One of Eyes of Awakening creates a richly detailed parallel dimension that uses sleep deprivation as...

IR Approved
September 5, 2025

BICENTENNIAL SUMMER

By Mary Berelson
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

An alternately heartwarming, heartbreaking, and laugh-out-loud funny novel, Mary Berelson's BICENTENNIAL SUMMER captures the fears, doubts, joys, and regrets of adolescence—along with the troubling realization...

September 5, 2025

BOURBON BASH

By Abby Reilly
Rating:
3.8 / 5.0

Abby Reilly's BOURBON BASH is a spirited small-town mystery that stands out for its immersive setting.

September 3, 2025

APOSTATE: The First Heresy

By C.J. Loveman
Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

C.J. Loveman's APOSTATE: The First Heresy provides a glimpse of the change that can be sparked when someone finds the courage to live authentically and...

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