I read this book as an ARC through Net Galley. I expected to love it, the description makes it sound really magical, but it fell short for me. I enjoyed the MC’s journey of self discovery and transformation, but that’s kind of the entire book. There’s very little conflict. I kept waiting for something to happen and it never did.

George is an accountant with a difficult marriage and a boring life. He knows his wife is unhappy and he doesn’t feel close to his children. This is until he finds a mysterious crystal in a stream. When George looks through the crystal, he sees colors surrounding people. At first, he doesn’t know what these colors mean, but he soon joins up with the Makuta tribe and they teach him how to read them. This discovery sends George on a life changing path of discovery and enlightenment.

As I said above, I didn’t love this one. George’s decisions are obvious and everything is so positive, the story loses its luster. This is a great start, but there needs to be more complexity to make a book compelling. I also didn’t appreciate the way George, a white man, comes into a community of Native Americans as their savior. There are way too many of these types of stories and we don’t need another one. If you’re still interested in the book at this point, it came out June 3rd.

4.2 stars! Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this arc read! I’m going to start off by saying that in order for you to truly enjoy this read, you must have an understanding of spirituality. This book speaks heavily on the Native American culture, crystals, auras, believing in the unknown, etc…
Now with that disclosure out the way, this is a fantastic read! Love that this is not a long drawn out read neither. This follows George, an account that immerses himself into work, neglecting his wife and children. One day he finds a crystal that allows him to see the colors of people (their auras). He uses this to see who people truly are. With the use of this crystal, he’s able to help the sick, help those who have lost themselves, also help those whom have lost their way and more!
Throughout this story, George really is able to not see others problems, pain, etc…but it really helps him realize what’s important to him, things that he had been unable to see previously because he was so focused on work (sounds like millions of people in life right?). This is a really great example of self reflection, self discovery, self awareness amongst other things. This book will have you asking yourself, what in your life truly matters to you?
From beginning to end, this story grew and had an excellent ending. It tackles how everyone on this planet contributes to how things work…the good, the bad, the ugly. Again, this book isn’t for everyone but for those that it is for, you will find this very thought provoking and will have you questioning your own life.

The Spirit Reader
By Robert Albo
This is an interesting book dealing with auras and native American culture. A guy finds a crystal that when he looks through it, he can see a person's auras. Once he meets with the local tribe, he finds he is a spirit reader. With practice, things come easier to him.
There is more going on, corruption by business and construction on the native land. Government trying to take more land. Lot of things going on. Never a dull moment. Intriguing story.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this interesting story.

I truly loved this book... it was so so good. I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic .

⭐☆☆☆☆

**Disappointing and Dull**

I had high hopes for *The Spirit Reader* by Robert Albo, but unfortunately, it fell completely flat. The book is overwhelmingly bland, lacking the depth or intrigue I was expecting from something with such a promising title. The entire story is bogged down by constant, repetitive dialogue that does little to move the plot forward or develop the characters. It felt more like reading a long script than a compelling novel. There was very little action, emotion, or atmosphere—just endless conversations that failed to engage. Overall, it was a chore to get through, and I wouldn't recommend it.

This is the story of George Miller, an ordinary man who discovers a powerful crystal, which allows him to see the auras of other people. He begins to interpret these expressions of spirit, and becomes known as The Spirit Reader. He counsels anyone in need, and goes on to transform his entire family, community, workplace, etc.

As a spiritual person and a lover of crystals in particular, I absolutely adored this story! It has what so many other books lack - heart AND soul, and the ending was perfect. If you enjoy magical realism, and wish you could make the world a better place, give this a try. I highly recommend it.

An incredibly poignant and important tale about the importance of culture and and respectful cultural appreciation, conscience, morals, and Indigenous tradition. As a mother, wife, and family member to Indigenous persons this book was incredibly close to my heart, and filled with lessons important for all humanity.

5✨

Robert Albo’s The Spirit Reader is a thought-provoking blend of magical realism and spiritual awakening, exploring the weight of truth and the choices that define our humanity. When mild-mannered accountant George Miller stumbles upon a mysterious crystal in Rapid Creek, his life is upended by an extraordinary gift: the ability to see people’s auras, revealing their deepest pains, secrets, and essences. What follows is a poignant journey of self-discovery as George grapples with the ethical dilemmas of his newfound power—should he use it to expose systemic corruption or focus on individual healing?

Albo’s strength lies in his nuanced portrayal of George’s transformation. The crystal’s visions force him to confront the fractures in his own life—his crumbling marriage, his soulless corporate existence—while external pressures mount. The Makuta tribe sees him as a spiritual chosen one; sceptics demand empirical proof; and opportunists seek to exploit his gift. The Black Hills setting adds a mythic grandeur, grounding the supernatural in the rich tapestry of Native American traditions.

The novel’s pacing is deliberate, leaning into introspection over action, which may frustrate readers craving thriller-esque stakes. However, Albo’s prose is lyrical and evocative, particularly in scenes where George’s aura readings expose raw, intimate truths. Themes of forgiveness, interconnectedness, and the duality of truth (“Is revealing it always kind?”) resonate deeply.

George Miller seems to have achieved the American dream – a solid career as an accountant on track to be promoted to CFO and a family man with a wife and two children. But as anyone who is familiar with the archetype of the Hero’s Journey, George’s success seems hollow. His workaholic behavior has left him with an estranged wife, children who miss spending time with their father, and doubts about the integrity of his coworkers. When he is strangely drawn to retrieve a crystal from a riverbed, his life begins on a whole new trajectory – one that leads to his unknown connection to a local Indian tribe and a calling to serve in ways he never imagined possible.

This is a simple story and one that captured my attention immediately; I finished reading the novel in one day. I appreciated the nuances of George’s journey, his humility in embracing the gift the crystal bestowed and his clarity of purpose in using it to heal on many levels. At first blush, it appears that George must lose everything he values in the material world, but the story is more about bridging the material and spiritual realms for true prosperity and fulfillment.

Overall, this is a well-crafted novel that carries an inspiring message that will appeal to those interested in spirituality, science, and metaphysics.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

George's journey from boring accountant to spiritual guide with his magical crystal totally hooked me, especially seeing how he struggles between using his gift to expose corruption or to heal broken spirits.