Indie book reviews

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.

February 3, 2025

MOONSET ON DESERT SANDS

By Sherri L Dodd
Rating:
3.4 / 5.0

Through a veil of mysticism and cozy tea-drinking perfect for an autumn night, Sherri L. Dodd's MOONSET ON DESERT SANDS offers a quirky cast of...

IR Approved
February 3, 2025

BEIJING BOUND: A Foreigner Discovers China

By Glen Loveland
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Glen Loveland’s first book, BEIJING BOUND: A Foreigner Discovers China, is an endlessly fascinating snapshot of life in Beijing at the very beginning of the...

January 31, 2025

HARPAZO: Book One of the Trib Trilogy

By Nathalie Bujold Ryan
Rating:
3.5 / 5.0

Nathalie Bujold Ryan’s HARPAZO: Book One of the Trib Trilogy benefits from good dialogue and characterization.

IR Approved
January 31, 2025

DAY OF EPIPHANY

By Jerome J Bourgault
Rating:
4.7 / 5.0

Jerome J. Bourgault's DAY OF EPIPHANY is a powerful, affecting account of life in Catholic-run Canadian orphanages during the Duplessis era.

IR Approved
Rating:
4.6 / 5.0

With self-deprecating wit, accessible language, and flashes of hard-won enlightenment, Thomas Kudla's WAKING UP AT THE GATES: POEMS OF RECOVERY, HEALING, & TRANSFORMATION finds unexpected...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

With resilience, determination, and self-awareness among its core values, Todd Zive's THE MENSCH METHOD: Achieving Success Through Character in Life and Business offers a transformative...

IR Approved
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

Laura Dowling's extensive global experience and engaging, conversational style elevate THE EVERYDAY LEADER: Inner Mastery, Outer Impact from a typical leadership manual to an invaluable...

IR Approved
January 27, 2025

ENTANGLEMENT: QUANTUM AND OTHERWISE

By John K Danenbarger
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

John K. Danenbarger's ENTANGLEMENT: QUANTUM AND OTHERWISE is likely to frustrate as many readers as it intrigues, but those attuned to its uncompromising sensibility may...

IR Approved
Rating:
4.2 / 5.0

Alex Abraham writes clearly and concisely in TRAUMA AND ECSTASY: How Psychedelics Made My Life Worth Living, unafraid to open up in this empowering story...

IR Approved
January 27, 2025

THE ETRUSCAN

By Linda Lappin
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Linda Lappin’s THE ETRUSCAN successfully immerses readers in a world of ancient ruins, complex relationships, and haunting beauty.

IR Approved
January 24, 2025

JOURNEYING HOME

By Emily Saxe Nydam
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Emily Saxe Nydam's JOURNEYING HOME is an absorbing family drama that successfully explores how the lives of two women separated by 100 years of history...

IR Approved
January 24, 2025

FROM PATRIARCHY TO PARADISE (It’s about time)

By Jerry Schaefer
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Through its unique blend of historical analysis, personal narrative, and earned wisdom, Jerry Schaefer's FROM PATRIARCHY TO PARADISE offers readers both a clear-eyed critique of...

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