2025 is coming to a close and I thought it would be a good idea to announce a few more indie book review candidates. These two candidates bring the 2025 nominee list to 30. All non-reviewed candidates will be carried over to 2025 to form a permanent book review candidate pool which will grow with time. 

If you haven't noticed, I review most genres. I can read just about anything if it's well-written, it merely has to hold my attention. I think this blog would get more attention if I focused on just one genre, like fantasy, sc-fi, etc. I can't do that, my mind wanders too much and I'd get bored. I'm just looking for good stories that I can tell the world about. 

BTW, I'm on Substack now. Check me out there. 

I'm back with a few more candidates. If it seems like my posts have slowed down, it's because they have. I'm desperately trying to complete a photography book at the moment, and time has become hard to find. Not to worry, I'm still finding good book review candidates, and next week I'll announce the September 2025 Rule One Book Review nominee. 

In the meantime, here are two more indie book review candidates! 

TITLE: Asterius (Timelessness)
PUBLISHER: Independently Published
AUTHOR: Susana Imaginário
GENRE(S): Myth & Legend (multiple sub-genres)
PUBLICATION DATE: 21 December 2024
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 14/4.7 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #1,228,389 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
I write about mythology, so this book caught my attention on genre alone. However, the blurb really hooked me. It was perhaps one of the shortest and most efficient blurbs I've seen on Amazon. The sample is a first person perspective of a famous Greek myth, which I assume is to refresh the reader on the story of the Minotaur. It is effectively written and clearly serves to prime the story and set up the main character, but is that character the protagonist or antagonist? A monster or a hero? I want to know more! 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 14 August 2025
​STATUS: Reviewed October 2025

​TITLE: This Burdened Clay
PUBLISHER: Independently published
AUTHOR: Thomas Norford
GENRE(S): Horror (multiple sub-genres)
PUBLICATION DATE: February 24, 2025
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 10/4.7 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #1,158,163
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
It was late, and I have no memory of how I found this book (alcohol was not involved). It must have made an impression, because I bought it (maybe it was free, I can't remember). It had a fantastic and original blurb, and the sample pulled me in. The writing, so far at least, is good. My subconscious must know what was is doing. 
This author (it's a pen name) had two followers on X.  I had to make sure his account wasn't a bot (and I'm still not convinced.) I love finding indie authors like this, relatively unknown and with such promise! 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 14 August 2025
​STATUS: Reviewed December 2025 

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!" 

​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

​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

​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: Reviewed February 2026

​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

We're now moving on to the new candidates for the September 2025 book review. In case you missed it, here is the link for the August 2025 book review selection as well as the five candidates that will carry forward into September's review selection pool. 

TITLE: Crew of Exiles
PUBLISHER: Haste Publishing (Small Indie Press)
AUTHOR: Neal Holtschulte
GENRE(S): Science Fiction (multiple sub-genres)
PUBLICATION DATE: October 2, 2022
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 46/4.4 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #1,710,647 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
The X algorithm served this one up to me from an author account I did not follow. It was two easy clicks from the post to the Amazon product page. The cover didn't get my attention, but the well written blurb did. This sci-fi novel's premise sounded original, so I went to the sample. The first few pages were entertaining, mildly humorous and  well-written. This is the kind of story I could get into. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 7 July 2025
​STATUS: Active

TITLE: All the King's Bastards
PUBLISHER: None
AUTHOR: G. Lawrence
GENRE(S): Speculative Historical Fiction.(multiple sub-genres)
PUBLICATION DATE: June 11, 2025​
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 19/4.4 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #79,105 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
Once again, the X algorithm served me a book post from an author account I did not follow. This one appeals directly to history buffs and sets its hooks into the reader's like me fast and hard. The cover is outstanding! It sets a mood that that reflects the book's content and vibe. The pitch is solid, but the sample really pulled me in. I was hit by some great lines in just the first few paragraphs to include this gem: "She supposed this was what they meant by pale as death, for nothing in life was this shade of white, this shade of white with a touch of grey." In only a few pages I came the conclusion this is a highly promising novel. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST:7 July 2025
​STATUS: Reviewed January 2026

TITLE: West of Santillane
PUBLISHER: Dawg House Books (Small Indie Press)
AUTHOR: Brook Allen
GENRE(S): Speculative Historical Fiction.(multiple sub-genres)
PUBLICATION DATE: March 8, 2024​
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 51/4.8 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #291,729 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
This novel completes the trio of books this week  by authors I didn't follow on X, yet the algorithm thought it in my best interest to show them to me. Maybe the algorithm knows  I am a sucker for good speculative history. ​ The cover was fine, but I am seeing a lot of this "woman with back to the viewer" covers lately and they kind of get lost in the noise. The blurb did a good job of setting up the plot as well and appealed to the historical fiction audience. The sample was written in first person. I'm seeing a lot of that lately in indies. The sample did a fine job of setting up the character and the book's setting. However, in my opinion first person is easier to write but more difficult to write well. Yet, the sample appeared to do an adequate job with this and drew me in. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST:6 July 2025
​STATUS: Inactive

Week four is here, and I didn't quite make 20 book review candidates. 19 will have to do.  Next week I will announce the August 2025 book review selection from among these 19 candidates,  as well as those books selected to carry forward to next month's candidate list.

If you missed my previous candidate posts, you can catch them by clicking here:  Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3  For those of you who've stuck with Rule One until I can "prime the pump", thank you. I sincerely hope you browse these 19 books from the past four weeks, find one or two that catches your eye, and buy them. I've already purchased a few myself and look forward to reading them. Please support these promising indie authors.  

TITLE: A Last Chapter of the Greatest Generation: The Life and Family of Col. Frederic A. Stone, M.D. 
PUBLISHER: Bookbaby (Small Indie Press)
AUTHOR: Judson I. Stone
GENRE(S): Biography (multiple sub-genres)
PUBLICATION DATE: February 3, 2017
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 3/5 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #3,859,203
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
This makes the list for pure content. 
These type of biographies, written by a loved one and published independently, are so often overlooked. It's clear this book has been overlooked, too. The pitch was clear and effective. The sample solid writing and good editing.  This promises to be a captivating retelling of a forgotten hero from America's Greatest Generation, a man who fought for the freedom we all take for granted today.  It's abundantly clear Col Stone's story needed to be told before it was lost to history. THIS is a great example of why indie publishing is so critically important.
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 22 June 2025
​STATUS: Inactive

​TITLE: Putting Down Roots 
PUBLISHER: Bookbaby (Small Indie Press)
AUTHOR: Joe Powers
GENRE(S): Paranormal
PUBLICATION DATE: June 1, 2025
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: None listed yet
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: Not yet listed 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
I was bitching the other day on X, like grumpy old men tend to do, about my perceived lack of originality in indie publishing. Then, the interwebs (actually, the author's wife) serves this book up to me. The pitch says it's about an evil killer tree. I've never seen a book about a killer, evil tree. Dear X, I apologize. Behold, a fresh idea! The great thing about this well written pitch was it didn't sound campy. It sounded good! It has an appropriately catchy title, too, though it could use a better cover..  The sample displayed effective writing and editing. This one makes the list for original content. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 22 June 2025
​STATUS: Active

​TITLE: Steve's Alien Rescue Club
PUBLISHER: W-III (Small Indie Press)
AUTHOR: D.L. Wilburn Jr. 
GENRE(S): Science Fiction (multiple sub-genres)
PUBLICATION DATE: April 10, 2025
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 5/4.5 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #205,751
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
This book drips with "Spielberging"  influence, and the pitch makes no secret of this. Its sells itself as a 80's nostalgia. The pitch is fine, as is the cover. The sample is what drew me in and put it on this week's list. The opening scene was simple and not flashy by any means, yet provided just the right amount of hook and foreshadowing to draw the reader in what promises to be a satisfying read.  Yes, I am a sucker for 80's nostalgia, which gives this book an unfair advantage. Guilty. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 22 June 2025
​STATUS: Inactive

Happy Father's Day!
How did Week 3 get here so fast? We have one more week of candidates and then I will announce the August review selection. I will post more special reviews (and candidate books) next month to hold you over until the debut August Review. 

TITLE: The Magic of Meatloaf
PUBLISHER:  Blue Octopus Press (Small Indie Publisher)
AUTHOR:   Jessica Rosenberg
GENRE(S): Fantasy (Contemporary Fantasy,  Women's Fantasy Fiction)
PUBLICATION DATE:May 30, 2025
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 83/4.6 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #9,274
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
Random doomscrolling on X brought me to this book. The author wisely pinned the book's Amazon product page to her X profile. Two clicks later and I'm looking at the  sample. Nothing specifically about this really initially jumped out at me, it was more of its entire presentation. The cover was fine, but the title was original and acted as a stepping stone to the pitch.  The book has this "Alice" meets the "Witches of Eastwick" vibe. It's original, and that's what really drew me in. I supposed this book is written to appeal to women hitting midlife, but as a man I didn't find the pitch the least bit exclusionary. The sample, written in first person sample gets busy comfortably building a cast of interesting, realistic characters. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 16 June 2025
​STATUS: Active

TITLE: The Reporter
PUBLISHER:  
AUTHOR:  B.M. Simpson
GENRE(S): Romance (Literature & Fiction)
PUBLICATION DATE: October 14, 2022
AMAZON REVIEWS/RATINGS AT DISCOVERY: 4/5.0 Star Average
AMAZON KINDLE RANKING AT DISCOVERY: #2,020,668 
WHY IT GOT MY ATTENTION:
It came across my X feed one morning, and come to find out the author and I follow each other. On this particular post, the author remarked he was in an extended sales drought. Curious, I clicked to the Amazon product page, which overall sends mixed vibes to a potential reader. Is it a crime drama about a reporter discovering clues about his father's death?  Or is it literary fiction about a man uncovering his past amidst personal drama? Or, as the Amazon sales page states, a "romance," even though  the pitch doesn't feel like a romance. The cover does features a couple, and the pitch mentions a girlfriend, so  I went to the sample, a bit curious if it would set a romance tone. The sample provided a decent hook with good drama and  writing, but in no way felt like a romance. Is this book is on the wrong bookshelf? I don't know, but based on the sample I would have kept reading. 
DATE PLACED ON CANDIDATE LIST: 16 June 2025
​STATUS: Active

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. 

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.

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: Inactive

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: Reviewed August 2025

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

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

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