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The search for candidate indie books for the August review goes on, and next week I'll post 5 more. However, before I start reviewing candidate books, I want readers and authors to understand how I rate books. Over the next few weeks I'll be posting "Special Reviews" as examples of 3 ,4 ,5 and 5+ star indie books. I'm reposting my review of The Calling: ALAANA'S WAY as an example of a Four Star book review. This review was originally published on Underground Book Reviews. I've modified it to fit this blog's review format, but otherwise the review is generally how it was presented on December 7, 2015.  Rule One's definition of a Four Star "Noteworthy Book" The overall story experience was highly satisfying, and will likely to appeal readers outside the genre . This indie novel met or exceeded the level of a contemporary traditionally-published books in its genre for the following reasons: This book is a rewarding reading for consumers of that genre, and would be a good book to introduce the genre to others. This novel met or exceeded the editing quality of traditionally published novel. If spelling or mechanical errors were present, they were rare, hard to notice, and didn't detract from the novel's overall experience. The cover was memorable, of high quality, represented the content, and attuned to its genre market. The novel's structure (plot, characters, flow, dialogue, etc) immersed the reader and provided an effortless reading experience. The story not only met genre expectations , but brought something original to the literary form.   TITLE: The Calling:ALAANA'S WAY Book 1
PUBLISHER: None Listed AUTHOR: Ken Altabef GENRE(S): Fantasy (Teen & Coming of Age, Historical Fantasy) PUBLICATION DATE: October 30, 2014 Ambitious. That’s how I would describe Ken Atlabef’s saga of a twelve year old Inuit girl and her perilous journey of transformation. In bringing THE CALLING to life, Altabef had to tackle several formidable challenges. Not only did he have to bring a native American culture to life for the average reader, but make their legends and spiritualism real. He had to do all this through the eyes of a young girl. Alaana is a young Inuit girl on the edge of womanhood. Her tribe, the Anatatook, thrive somewhere in the frozen north. In this world modern technology is unknown and white men are only distant, seldom encountered trading partners far to the south. The story opens with three shamans fighting a desperate battle against a deadly fever ravaging Alaana’s people. This novel quickly sets itself apart as the author treats the spiritual world no differently than the real world. In the course of the story, the venerable shaman Manatook reveals Alaana is destined to become a shaman, and personally undertakes her training. However, women are not supposed to become shamans and Alaana finds herself torn between the calling of a powerful god, and the equally powerful call of her family. However, there is something Manatook isn’t telling her about her calling, and his own past. The story starts quickly, and then settles into a rhythm which alternates between three distinct settings. The first setting is daily life in Alaana’s tribe as they struggle to survive on the frozen tundra. Altabef does an excellent job breathing life into the heartaches, joys and conflicts of Anatatook life. He makes Alaana’s family life real and relatable, despite the huge cultural barriers he must overcome to translate a very different culture into our own. No doubt, some readers will be dissuaded by the difficult names, but that’s not the authors fault. In fact, Altabef masterfully compensates for this by quickly imprinting each unique character into the reader’s mind. The second setting is the spirit world where Manatook takes Alaana during her shaman training. These journeys are wrought with wonder and peril and are beautifully written. Here, Alaana finds both friends and terrifying enemies. To the reader, these spiritual characters become every bit as real as those in the flesh and blood world. The third setting isn’t really a place, its the relationship between Alaana and her mentor, Manatook. I say that, because together, Alaana and her mentor exist in a place between worlds and become catalysts for events in both. Not only are they catalysts, they are lynchpins, bending and fusing the two realms into one. I can say so many great things about this novel, from the dialogue to the sweeping scenery to its solid editing. While I think Altabef succeeded bringing this ambitious vision to life, there were a few minor issues. Sometimes the switch between settings could be a bit jolting and confusing. Also, he often switched character perspectives from paragraph to paragraph, making the blending of the spiritual/physical characters difficult to sort out. It tended to slow down in a few places, too. While Alaana’s interactions with her family, tribe and spirit creatures were fascinating (and well written), about halfway through the book I wanted the overarching conflict to reveal itself more clearly and the story to progress. This cross-cultural fantasy epic may not be for everyone, but THE CALLING is my kind of book. Original in both scope and execution, I highly recommend it.
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We made it the second week and I'm still here screening potential books for review. I would estimate that for every book that makes it on the list, I screen five more books that didn't. I've already bought a few candidate books. It doesn't mean they are selected for review, just means I wanted to read them. Purchase and reading does not equal getting a review. Sometimes the promise doesn't match the reality. As a reader and consumer of indie lit, I have high standards. A book is a book, whether it's published by Penguin, Tor or by the author themselves. If it doesn't hold my interest or falls apart mid-story, I'll put it down and move on to the next candidate. I am a sssllloooowwww reader and my time is precious. With that said, I won't announce a review candidate unless I've read enough of it to have some degree of confidence it won't end up a dud. HOWEVER...I must say it appears to me that the quality of indie novels has improved dramatically since the early days of self-publishing when I got into the book review game. In my opinion, the most notable improvement is editing. Perhaps this is due to the improvements in editing software, but that is just a guess. Whatever you're doing out their, indie authors, keep it up. We've got two more weeks of more candidates and then I announce August review selection on 30 June. In July, the candidate announcements begin anew for the September review. You can review last week's candidates here. Congrats to this week's candidate selectees because you snagged this readers attention! You should be proud of that, because it's a notable accomplishment in today's oversaturated book market. INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #006 TITLE: Zān PUBLISHER: None Listed AUTHOR: Joshua C. Patton GENRE(S): Science Fiction (Teen & Young Adult Indigenous Science Fiction, Teen & Young & Adult Apocalypse & Post-apocalypse, Teen & Young Adult Dystopian) PUBLICATION DATE: May 27, 2025 AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 2/5.0 Star Average. AMAZON KINDLE RANKINGS AT DISCOVERY: #507,093 WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION: The author's post popped up on my X feed, though at the time we did not follow one another. This book had only been on the market a few days. The cover wasn't an attention-getter but the pitch really drew me in. The initial sample was heavily exposition, but it was well done and also caught my attention. It read like the author knew the genre well. I read a little further... DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 8 June 2025 STATUS: Active  INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #007 TITLE: A Memory of Song PUBLISHER: None Listed AUTHOR: Scott Palmer GENRE(S): Fantasy (Authurian Fantasy, Military Fantasy, Epic Fantasy) PUBLICATION DATE: May 29, 2024 AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 67/4.0 Star Average. AMAZON KINDLE RANKINGS AT DISCOVERY: #4,333,873 WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION: The X Algorithm served this one up to me. I didn't follow the author and he didn't follow me. The cover and title communicated "A Song of Fire and Ice" vibe. The pitch had that flavor, too. I know where this fits on the shelf. The pitch did its job of inviting me to browse the sample. The novel's opening starts with adequate action and tension, luring the reader into the story. DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 8 June 2025 STATUS: Active  INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #008 TITLE:The Hag Stone PUBLISHER: Heaton Gray LLC (small indie press) AUTHOR:W.J. Small GENRE(S): Historical Fiction (Magical Realism, Historical British & Irish Literature, Women's Literary Fiction) PUBLICATION DATE: April 7, 2025 AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 22/4.7 Star Average. AMAZON KINDLE RANKINGS AT DISCOVERY: #483,464 WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION: This author found me on X. We now follow one another. The title is catchy, but is negated by the cover, which a bit busy and the overall details melt into each other. The pitch was well written, and tightly and effectively introduces character, setting and stakes. The pitch offsets the cover, and led me to the well-written sample. The handoff between the pitch and opening beautifully pulled me in, and set the mood for further reading. Of note, the genre is 'women's literary fiction," but the opening hints at appeal to a wider audience. DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 8 June 2025 STATUS: Active  INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #009 TITLE: Staring at Nothing PUBLISHER: TCA Books (Small indie press) AUTHOR: Brett Douglas GENRE(S): Horror (Post-apocalyptic science fiction) PUBLICATION DATE: December 11, 2024 AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 4/5.0 Star Average. AMAZON KINDLE RANKINGS AT DISCOVERY: #483,646 WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION: I stumbled across this author on X, through we didn't follow each other. The cover and pitch gave off a slight Michael Crichton aroma, but it was the pitch that specifically got my attention. It was tight, well written and hit all the right feels to grab the attention of both horror and techno-thriller fans. The concept, in my opinion, was a fresh and modern take on the Frankenstein theme. The sample was clean and functional, if not a bit a sterile and unimaginative. It wasn't the sample I was expecting from such a snappy pitch, but I would keep reading. DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 8 June 2025 STATUS: Active  INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #010 TITLE: Snow: Cursed PUBLISHER: Page Publishing (Vanity Press) AUTHOR: Willa R. Finnegan GENRE(S): Fantasy (Urban Fantasy, Fantasy Action & Adventure) PUBLICATION DATE: October 10, 2024 AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY:22/4.9 Star Average. AMAZON KINDLE RANKINGS AT DISCOVERY: #320,251 WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION: I stumbled across this author on X, through we didn't follow each other. It became clear by the title and pitch this is a reimagining of the Snow White fairy tale. There is a lot of that going around lately, so I didn't much pay attention to it from an originality point of view. For that reason, the pitch, though well written, was forgettable UNTIL the third paragraph, where it set the hook. I went to the sample and it set the hook the even deeper , building nicely on the pitch's third paragraph. The genres Amazon assigned this are rubbish. This is a straight-up fairy tale, and it lets you know that immediately because that's exactly how the sample is written. Unpretentious, simple, effective, yet teasing of something deeper than just a reimagining of an ancient fairy tale. I'm intrigued. DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 8 June 2025 STATUS: Active  I'm still finding candidate indie books for the August review, and next week I'll post 5 more. However, before I start reviewing candidate books, I want readers and authors to understand how I rate books. Oer the next few weeks I'lll be posting "Special Reviews" as examples of 3 ,4 ,5 and 5+ star indie books. I'm reposting my review of Spireseeker by E.D.E. Bell as an example of a Three Star book review. This review was originally published on Underground Book Reviews. I've modified it to fit this blog's review format, but otherwise the review is generally how it was presented on July 28, 2014.  Rule One's definition of a Three Star "A Good Book" The overall story experience was positive, especially for readers of the genre, even if the reviewer did not necessarily enjoy the subject matter. This indie novel approaches the level of a contemporary traditionally-published book in its genre for the following reasons: This book may be worth reading for consumers of that genre, though it does not transcend genre. This novel met or exceeded the minimal editing quality of a traditionally published novel. If spelling or mechanical errors were present, they were rare, hard to notice, and didn't detract from the novel's overall experience. The cover met minimal acceptable quality, somewhat represented the content and did not detract from the novel. The novel's structure (plot, characters, flow, dialogue, etc.) allowed reader to reasonably experience the story without unnecessary effort or distraction. The story reasonably met genre expectations, even if not necessarily expressing meaningful originality.
 I never try to review a novel from a writer’s or editor’s perspective. Instead, I try to focus on what the average reader, for that specific genre, would realistically expect. This is the only way to be fair to both author and reader. As I waded into E.D.E. Bell’s debut novel, Spireseeker, keeping this focus became increasingly difficult. The writer and editor in me kept coming out.
Spireseeker is the story of Beryl, a young woman who lives a sheltered existence with her grandparents on a quaint island. She knows she’s different, but not how different until agents of an evil power attack her home. In the course of the story, Beryl comes to discover she is really an elf, an ancient race charged by the “Creator” with, well, protecting Creation. Soon, Beryl discovers her destiny and that she possesses extraordinary powers. Sometimes running to danger, sometimes away, Beryl encounters a host of allies and enemies on her way to confront Aegra, an elf gone bad and bent on enslaving the world. While adding a few unique twists, Spireseeker doesn’t stray far from the common fantasy tropes. I would classify it as “elf fantasy,” one of high fantasy’s many sub-genres. Elf fantasy has, of course, elves. It also possesses Tolkien-esque world building, complex magical lore, and an organic, earthy spirit. When well written, I enjoy this genre. Spireseeker clearly falls in this category. E.D.E. Bell’s love and knowledge of this genre obviously shines through. Let me be clear about this, E.D.E Bell can write, and when she is 'in the zone' Spireseeker is enjoyable, and sure to please fantasy purists. However, Spireseeker is excessively long, especially for a debut novel. Epic fantasy novels are usually lengthy, and we all know that sometimes a good book can’t be long enough. Length would not have been an issue for Spireseeker if the book kept me engaged. It didn’t, because the novel’s plot and action were repeatedly interrupted by vast stretches of unproductive dialogue and narration. In my opinion, its almost 600 pages could have been easily cut by half. Now, with that said, let me explain why I might be wrong. There is a breed of fantasy fan out there that can’t get enough elf lore, backstory, and mystical world building. To them, The Silmarillion, the ultimate elf lore book (and only 365 pages), is a light snack. It is this kind of material that fills much of Spireseeker’s long, static stretches. If you are a hardcore elfphile, Spireseeker might be your kind of novel. Here's the first-ever batch of indie review candidates on Rule One. These candidates are competing for the 1 August Book Review. Between now and August I plan to post several "special reviews" to fill the content gap until the monthly "normal" candidates can make their way through the selection and reading process. Did I mention I am a slow reader? If you need a reminder, here's how Reader One Book Reviews works. All of this week's candidates fall into the speculative fiction or horror genres. Under "GENRE(S)" I list the overall genre, then in parentheses I list all the sub-genres Amazon lists on the product page. I do this to be fair to the book, though I think whomever classifies the books for Amazon is on hard drugs. I discovered all these authors on X. I would really like to find a more diverse book selection to round out these lists. If you are an author on X get my attention (but not with a DM!). I post the next five candidates next Sunday. INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #001 TITLE: Bastards of Liberty PUBLISHER: Raccoon County Press (small indie publisher) AUTHOR: Matthew Zorich GENRE(S): Fantasy (Alternative History/Alternative History Science Fiction/Historical Fantasy). PUBLICATION DATE: February 20, 2023 AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 20/4.5 Star Average AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #255,627 WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION: The X algorithm served this one up on my X feed several times. Come to find out, this author and follow each other, though I am not familiar with his work. The title is excellent, and when combined with the cover compelled me to click on the Amazon link. There, the novel's pitch dug the hook in a little deeper. It was tight, well-written and broadly appealing to a wide range of speculative fiction fans (like me). The novel's premise is highly original, striking a "Tolkien meets Turtledove" vibe. The writing sample, while a tad lukewarm, would have kept me reading. DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 1 June 2025 STATUS: Active  INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #002 TITLE: Dragons In The Dungeon PUBLISHER: Quarter Castle Publishing (small indie publisher) AUTHOR: Diane McGyver GENRE(S): Fantasy (Mythology and Folk Tales/Fairytale Fantasy Folklore). PUBLICATION DATE: March 31, 2023 AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 2/5.0 Star Average. AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #2,402,659 WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION: This one popped up to my X feed once, which resulted in me following the author. The title is adequate, the cover isn't bad and completely fits the genre and the pitch. The novel's Amazon pitch felt watered-down and didn't grab my attention until I read the last paragraph, where it directly appealed to Gen-X D&D nerds. If I had not been an old geek, I may have kept scrolling. What puts this novel on the candidate list is the sample. The first few pages were full of action, compelling characters, and good dialogue. I'm interested. DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 1 June 2025 STATUS: Active  INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #003 TITLE: The Clatter Man PUBLISHER: None Listed AUTHOR: Janelle Schiecke GENRE(S): Horror (Horror Literature & Fiction) PUBLICATION DATE: May 6, 2025 AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 28/4.7 Star Average. AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #140,078 WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION: The X algorithm served this one up to my X feed multiple times, and it led to me following the author. It has a solid title supported by a cover that hits at the heart of the horror genre. The Amazon pitch was short, effective and also completely appropriate to the genre, which made me eager for the sample. This novel's total presentation felt highly professional and appealing to horror fans. The writing sample was adequate, if a bit stiff, but kept me engaged. DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 1 June 2025 STATUS: Active  INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #004 TITLE: The Europan Deception PUBLISHER: None Listed AUTHOR: Ryan M. Patrick GENRE(S): Science Fiction (Hard Science Fiction, Space Opera Science Fiction) PUBLICATION DATE: May 6, 2025 AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 7/5.0 Star Average. AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #876,795 WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION: The author and I follow one another, and that's how it popped up on my X feed. The pitch sells the novel as straight-up sci-fi action thriller, and does it effectively. The cover doesn't hurt the sales job, either. There should be no doubt about where this novel belongs on the shelf. When I explored the sample, the book opens with an adequate "a man comes to town" opening. DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 1 June 2025 STATUS: Active  INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #005 TITLE: Shattered Skies PUBLISHER: None Listed AUTHOR: Kenny Soward GENRE(S): Technothriller (Technothrillers, Dystopian Science Fiction). PUBLICATION DATE: October 9, 2024 AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 602/4.5 Star Average. AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #14,657 WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION: The author and I follow one another, and that's how it popped up on my X feed, though I am not familiar with his work. The pitch was boilerplate for the genre, and did its job to communicate the genre and basic plot. The cover was adequate. The sample was what sold me on putting this on the candidate list. The writing was crisp, lean and flowed smoothly in and out of dialogue. It quickly set up a character and a situation without over-description. DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 1 June 2025 STATUS: Active   I'm finding some good potential indie reads out on X this week. The first five candidates will be posted right here on Sunday, 1 June. Each week through 22 June I'll post up to five new candidates. On 29 June I will announce the book selected for the August 2025 review. Why August? I need July as a buffer because, well, I need time to actually READ the book! (Did I mention I'm a slow reader?)
Not to worry, though, as I am going to post a special edition "inaugural" review in July of a previously-read indie book, yet to be announced. It will prime the pump and carry me over to August, as well as act as a prototype for my review format and style. This will provide an opportunity for feedback to make necessary adjustments before the first "real" review in August. I may even post a few old reviews from my Underground Book Reviews days in June and July so readers and authors can get used to my style before the first official review in August. I may post extra, special-edition reviews from time to time, above and beyond my normal reviews. These reviews will not be from the regular candidate pool, won't be eligible for any official accolades (should I ever decide to bestow awards). June's candidates will be for August's review. July's candidates will be for September's review, and so forth. That's how this will roll, at least until I can think of a better way. In a given month I'll post one regular review and maybe some bonus content like special reviews, book-related articles, etc. Who knows, I'm making this up as I go. In terms of the candidate announcements, as I said there will be up to five nominees per week, up to 20 a month. This doesn't count those carried over from previous weeks. I will explain and rate why each candidate got my attention in terms of three factors: cover, pitch and sample. As a reader, why did this book get my attention? I think that's almost as important to indie authors as the review itself. Thats about it for now. See you in three days when the first candidates are announced. Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m Back in the Book Review Game Here’s a little background: I co-owned a small business called Underground Book Reviews, which specialized in reviewing independently published books across most genres. We operated for about five years, during which I honed my skills as a book reviewer. We closed the business for various reasons and moved on, but my associates and I learned many painful lessons about book reviews during that time. It’s been about ten years since I wrote a serious book review. In that time, I’ve watched the indie book market balloon into an oversaturated mess, flooded with poorly written books. The truth hurts, but most indie books are subpar—it’s the nature of the business, and it won’t change. Nor should it. This flood of mediocrity is the price of total creative freedom in the market, and I’m fine with that. However, finding a quality indie book in this Jupiter-sized haystack is daunting. Authors naturally believe their books are great and want readers to buy them. Sales platforms like Amazon, which take a significant cut of profits, want readers to buy as many books as possible. Neither is truly on the reader’s side. Who advocates for the reader who clicks “Buy Now” and ends up with a dud? Below, I outline the challenges modern readers of indie literature face, based on my 16 years of experience with indie and traditional publishing. The Reader’s Plight in the Indie Book MarketThe modern reader is overwhelmed by an oversaturated indie market. Millions of English-language titles exist, with more added every second. Barriers to entry are absurdly low. In the Information Age, content is cheap, and AI has made it even cheaper. There are no reliable, high-volume quality gatekeepers in this bloated market (except authors themselves, who are biased). Sales platforms like Amazon have unreliable review and rating systems, often flooded with paid or friend-driven reviews. Goodreads, meanwhile, is notorious for “troll” reviewers. While many book review websites, blogs, vlogs, and social media pages exist, they come with baggage. Many indie reviewers lack objectivity, especially those who are indie authors themselves. These author/reviewers may avoid constructive criticism to dodge retaliatory negative reviews on their own books or because they’re reviewing friends’ or associates’ work. Accepting complimentary review copies can further compromise impartiality. Many review outlets are businesses or monetized, prioritizing content volume and positive reviews to drive traffic over high-quality, objective critique. Finally, poor writers often make poor reviewers. Readers seeking high-quality indie fiction are at a severe disadvantage, and many have abandoned indie fiction altogether. What can be done to find and highlight quality indie books? Not much, except to dive in and start searching. That’s exactly what I’m doing. Why Am I Doing This?I love reading good books and sharing them with others in a way that does justice to their quality. This blog is all about the reader. What are my qualifications as a book reviewer? I was a founder and submission editor for the online literary magazine Underground Book Reviews. I have reviewed and/or edited reviews for many books across multiple genres. Oxford University published one of my reviews in a textbook as an example how to write a proper book review. Rule One: It’s All About the ReaderThis blog is for readers, not authors. While I’ll respect all authors, my mission is to create a trusted space where readers can find honest, impartial reviews of quality indie books. Discovering even one great book is enough. This blog is not a business, a platform for my own writing, or a way to get free books. It's also not about generating "content" or being an influencer (whatever that means). Let me repeat: it’s all about the reader. Here’s how it will work:Starting in June 2025, I’ll begin searching for indie books to review. My first review will be posted the first week of August 2025 ( though I will post several "special" reviews prior to that). Here’s how it will work
Rule One Star Rating System*Note: I don’t post One or Two-star reviews. If I did, I would theoretically define them as the following: One Star: "Not Ready for Publication" The overall reading experience was unsustainable. This indie novel does not reasonably meet minimal acceptable quality standards for a published work for one or more of the following reasons: In need of significant editing as spelling, formatting or mechanical errors were common, highly noticeable and detracted from the book's overall experience. The cover did not meet minimal acceptable quality, did not represent the content and may have detracted from the novel. The novel's structure (plot, characters, flow, dialogue, etc.) was significantly flawed and strongly inhibited reader from following the story due to unnecessary effort or distraction. The content did not meet basic literature expectations, was highly unoriginal, possibly plagiarized, or indicated the high probability of AI generation. Do not review. Two Star: "An Unsatisfying Book" The overall reading experience was lacking. This indie novel does not reasonably approach level of a contemporary traditionally-published book, in its genre or others, for one or more of the following reasons: This book does not meet the expectations for consumers of that genre. Editing quality was poor, as spelling or mechanical errors were present, noticeable and detracted from the novel's overall experience. The cover did not meet minimal acceptable quality, did not represent the content and may have detracted from the novel. The novel's structure (plot, characters, flow, dialogue, etch) inhibited reader from experiencing the story due to unnecessary effort or distraction. The story was highly unoriginal. Do not review. Three Stars: "A Good Book" The overall story experience was positive, especially for readers of the genre, even if the reviewer did not necessarily enjoy the subject matter. This indie novel approaches the level of a contemporary traditionally-published book in its genre for the following reasons: This book may be worth reading for consumers of that genre, though it does not transcend genre. This novel met or exceeded the minimal editing quality of a traditionally published novel. If spelling or mechanical errors were present, they were rare, hard to notice, and didn't detract from the novel's overall experience. The cover met minimal acceptable quality, somewhat represented the content and did not detract from the novel. The novel's structure (plot, characters, flow, dialogue, etc.) allowed reader to reasonably experience the story without unnecessary effort or distraction. The story reasonably met genre expectations, even if not necessarily expressing meaningful originality. Four Stars: "A Noteworthy Book" The overall story experience was highly satisfying, and will likely to appeal readers outside the genre . This indie novel met or exceeded the level of a contemporary traditionally-published books in its genre for the following reasons: This book is a rewarding reading for consumers of that genre, and would be a good book to introduce the genre to others. This novel met or exceeded the editing quality of traditionally published novel. If spelling or mechanical errors were present, they were rare, hard to notice, and didn't detract from the novel's overall experience. The cover was memorable, of high quality, represented the content, and attuned to its genre market. The novel's structure (plot, characters, flow, dialogue, etc) immersed the reader and provided an effortless reading experience. The story not only met genre expectations , but brought something original to the literary form. Five Stars: "An Excellent Book" The overall story experience was rewarding and memorable. This indie novel is highly worthy of a wider audience for the following reasons: This book is rewarding reading for consumers of any genre. This novel fully met or exceeded the editing quality of traditionally published novels. Spelling or mechanical errors were virtually undetectable to the average reader. The cover was memorable, of high quality, represented the content, and attuned to its genre market. The novel's structure (plot, characters, flow, dialogue, etc) swept up the reader in a wholly satisfying reading experience. The story exceeded genre expectations, as well as introduced a new dimension to the art form. Five Stars Plus: "A Transcendent Book" The overall story experience challenges and elevates the reader on an emotional and intellectual level. This indie book is "must-reading" for wider audience. This book meets all the requirements of a 5-star review but goes farther by transcending genre. The reader is transformed by the experience, and will think of the book often and perhaps occasionally reread it. The book not only brings something new to the genre, but something completely new to literature itself. This book is a potential award-winner and must-read. See You in June 2025That's it. Start watching this space in June 2025 as I begin posting candidate books as I find them. If you are an author, I can't find your book unless I see it on X because that's where the authors are. You can find me there: https://x.com/IllusionExotic
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