2025 INDIE BOOK REVIEW NOMINEES, ROUND 6

I'm a little late posting this week's candidates. I've been on the road over the past few days and, frankly, I'm exhausted.  Better late than never. Presenting RULE ONE BOOK REVIEWS Week Six Candidates...but first...

...Two quick administrative notes:

First, I'm abandoning the scaling graphic for review candidates. It's overkill, takes too long to generate, and doesn't accomplish anything the descriptive "Why this got my attention" paragraph doesn't already do. Live and learn.  

Second, "Putting Down Roots" by Joe Powers, which is review candidate #018 from week 4, is now back on the "Active" list of candidates. Why? I just felt like I might want to go back and read it at some time.  If I could review every candidate, I would. Of course, I'm only one person and have to make choices. It doesn't mean I will review this book, but now it has an active chance. Maybe one day I'll find a few readers who might want to write book reviews with me and help me with this backlog. 

As KC Kasem used to say "And now, on with the countdown!" 

---

INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #023

​TITLE: Common Well
PUBLISHER: BookBaby (Self Publisher)
AUTHOR: Stephen E. Meyer
GENRE(S): Science Fiction (multiple sub-genres)
PUBLICATION DATE: June 13, 2023
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 92/4.2 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #290,836 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
The X algorithm is starting to learn my behavior, because it showed me a post from this author that I didn't follow. The cover didn't pull me in, but the original, tight, and well-written blurb did. The sample followed the blurb's promise of quality and a classic sc-fi flavor. The first few pages gave off an Azimov vibe. It made me want to read more. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 14 July 2025
​STATUS: Inactive

---

---

INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #024

​TITLE: An Eye For An Eye for An Eye
PUBLISHER: Self Published
AUTHOR: Marc Nash
GENRE(S): Crime Thriller
PUBLICATION DATE: September 28, 2013
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 4/4.5 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: Unranked 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
X said I should look at this. This book has been on the shelves for a while with what appears to be little attention. I went right to the sample, curious as to why.  The quality sample promised an entertaining experience, with unique author voice and style, and tempted me to keep reading. I back-tracked to the well-written blurb, which hinted at a paranormal crime thriller, which is a popular genre. In my opinion, based on the genre, blurb and sample, this book should have received more attention.  I then examined the cover.  While original, it didn't grab my attention and doesn't seem to represent the story to what I think is its target audience.  Regardless, I found this novel intriguing. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 14 July 2025
​STATUS: Active

---

---

INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #025

​TITLE: Hedgehogs: Zombie hogs attack in this hilarious horror comedy mashup
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
AUTHOR: Iseult Murphy
GENRE(S): Comedy, Horror
PUBLICATION DATE: July 26, 2022
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 34/4.6 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #553,699 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
This author and I are in the same X writing community, hence book cover popped up on my feed. The title is blatantly campy and is almost as long as the blurb. Hell, the title is the blurb. Come to think about it, with a title like that this book doesn't need a blurb. I'll tell you what this novella is, it's a 1980s straight-to-VHS-horror-flick. It's like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, or The Evil Dead, or Fright Night. The cover hits all those feels dead-on (win). Sometimes horror is intentionally funny because it's so bad it falls into the campy realm. Horror is not easy to write, especially in this age of desensitized readers. Comedy is difficult enough on its own.  Intentionally trying to make horror funny is EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT.  I read the sample, expecting a big fail because, even for what appears to be a campy novella, this is ambitious project for any writer. What did I find? Tension, instant character development, and what might be a promising set-up.   
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 14 July 2025
​STATUS: Active

---

---

INDIE BOOK REVIEW CANDIDATE #026

​TITLE: The Vitamin Kid
PUBLISHER: Self Published
AUTHOR: Tyler & Harry Kirk
GENRE(S): Contemporary Fiction
PUBLICATION DATE: July 11, 2024
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 12/4.7 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY:#262,657
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
This title is all over my X algorithm all the time. Maybe it's because the author and I are in the same X writing community, but this seems to show up more often than books by others in that community. The cover did nothing to grab my attention, except maybe lead me to believe this was literary fiction.  I passed it by for weeks and X kept serving it up trying to convince me otherwise. Finally, I went to the Amazon page and read the blurb. It was good and clearly represented the book. Then I read the sample, and realized I was dealing with two talented writers and possibly an intriguing boxing story set in the 1920s. The story shows promise. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 14 July 2025
​STATUS: Active

---