Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.
When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review:
The Secret of Bald Rock Island
by Charles A. Salter
Publisher: Outskirts Press
ISBN: 9781478770848
Synopsis*:
Can Kelcie solve the island’s TWO mysteries in time?
Ten-year-old Kelcie Oglethorpe’s fisherman father disappeared at sea years ago. Since then, Kelcie has befriended Bald Rock Island’s beloved Mr. Bartleby, a kindly man devoted to the village and its children. He often warns of a mysterious creature he once saw on the island’s bald dome which towers a hundred feet above the sea, yet is hollow inside and connected to sea life by underground channels. Kelcie decides to help Mr. Bartleby solve the island’s two enduring mysteries-what happened to her father, and what the sea creature might be. She learns that Mr. Bartleby was her father’s lifelong best friend. During that terrible storm off the coast of Maine, Mr. Bartleby risked his own life to do everything possible to save Kelcie’s dad, but no sign was ever found.
Kelcie criss-crosses the island in search of clues and thinks she knows where she can find the ultimate answers. She resolves to explore the forbidden area of the island, and as she puts the final pieces of the puzzle together, a new storm arises. Can she solve the mysteries and return to safety before the new storm claims her as the previous one did her father? And what will she do when she finally confronts the mysterious creature face to face?
* courtesy of Amazon.com
What a fun read. This book is short but it reads like a full length novel. I found both Kelcie and Mr. Bartleby enjoyable characters. They were kindred souls. After hearing Mr. Bartleby’s story of the monster of Bald Rock Island, I like Kelcie was very intrigued to solve the mystery of what happened to her father and just what type of monster did Mr. Bartleby see that day. I am so glad that Kelcie did not let her age stop her from taking charge and solving the mysterious disappearance of her father. Plus, she did meet the monster and if I had come face to face with it like she did I would have screamed too. Yet she showed compassion as well. I would say that Mr. Salter accomplished his goals with this book by teaching children to be caring and fearless. I thought that the book was well written and easy to follow along so that my nephews or other young readers could read this book by themselves with no struggles. I want to read the second book in this series. A great series for children.
– Amazon reviewer Cheryl
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Self Publishing Advisor
Self Publishing Advisor 