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
April 24, 2024

VELVET

By Angel I. Hawkins
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
4.4 / 5.0

Angel I. Hawkins's charming and passionate VELVET speaks with honesty and an appealing immediacy to romance. 

IR Approved
March 15, 2024

SOULSCAPES

By Lee Woodman
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
4.8 / 5.0

By navigating the contradictory aspects of life with grace and acceptance, Lee Woodman’s SOULSCAPES invites readers to question, consider, and delight in the mysteries of...

December 20, 2023

HARMONY: Saga of the Earth

By Apala Banerjee
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
3.0 / 5.0

With all of the proceeds from the book going to environmental charities, Apala Banerjee has stepped up to action with these charming poems and drawings....

IR Approved
December 8, 2023

EXITS

By Stephen C. Pollock
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
5.0 / 5.0

Full of wit, insight, and provocative imagery, EXITS is a masterful collection by award-winning poet Stephen C. Pollock.

IR Approved
November 3, 2023

LETTERS TO UNTITLED

By Tósìn Peters
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Tósìn Peters's poetry collection LETTERS TO UNTITLED offers affecting and personal observations on loss, pain, and the modern world.

IR Approved
October 4, 2023

HALF AGONY, HALF HOPE

By Hannah Wilkinson
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Full of feeling and enamored with wordplay, Hannah Wilkinson’s poems in HALF AGONY, HALF HOPE are sure to make an impact on every reader.

September 1, 2023

13 POETS FROM LONG ISLAND

By John A. Valenti 3rd, Evelyn Kandel [Anthology Editors}, Hattie Abbey, Hank Bjorklund, Victoria Bjorklund, Lila Edelkind, Evelyn Kandel, John Lange, George Pafitis, Gladys Thompson Roth, Sheila Saferstein, George Strausman, John A. Valenti 3rd, Susan Aster Wallman, Judith Zilberstein
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
3.7 / 5.0

Though uneven, the anthology 13 POETS FROM LONG ISLAND has plenty to amuse and provoke thought among lovers of poetry.

IR Approved
August 25, 2023

KINDNESS CAPERS AND CONUNDRUMS

By Aldyth Irvine-Harrison
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

Lovers of poetry who are looking for laughter, literary allusions, and a skeptical-but-not-jaded view of humanity will enjoy the lyrics of Aldyth Irvine-Harrison's KINDNESS CAPERS...

IR Approved
August 25, 2023

SONNETS OF LOVE AND JOY

By Paul Buchheit
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

SONNETS OF LOVE AND JOY collects beautifully crafted and unapologetically old fashioned poems on a variety of subjects. Buchheit’s skills as a poet are clear...

IR Approved
August 4, 2023

IN DOUBTFUL TASTE

By Don Behrend
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
4.0 / 5.0

Even for those who aren't regular readers of poetry, Don Behrend's IN DOUBTFUL TASTE is an excellent read. The rhyming verse ebbs and flows and...

IR Approved
June 2, 2023

IN THE CITIES OF SLEEP

By Elizabeth C Herron
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
4.5 / 5.0

The striking and enchanting poems contained in Elizabeth Herron’s IN THE CITIES OF SLEEP find beauty amid the surprising subjects of war, disease, climate change,...

May 17, 2023

AN OCCASIONAL DAMAGE OF ROSES

By James Victor Anderson
Poetry Fiction
Rating:
3.8 / 5.0

James Victor Anderson's AN OCCASIONAL DAMAGE OF ROSES is an accessible collection of poems written in clear, concise lines that revel in reconnecting with the...

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