Category: Book Reviews

Book Reviews, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week: Blood Country by Dan Jewell

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if they don’t know about it? 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 let the community know about a great book. So, without further adieu, here’s this week’s book review:

Burned: A Tragic Mystery book cover

Blood Country

Dan Jewell

Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc.

ISBN 9781432765835

Reviewed by: Kam Aures for Rebecca’s Reads

“Dan Jewell’s Blood Country: A Nashville Sideman Mystery begins in January in Nashville. Joe Rose, guitarist and private investigator, receives a call from his ex-wife Patty Hill, an Associate Math Professor at Vanderbilt. Patty had just been talking to her friend Roxanne Hamlin, a country singer, on the phone. Roxanne is trying to leave her husband Vern, also famous in the country music industry, but Vern is not allowing her to leave. Roxanne doesn’t want to involve the police so Patty thinks that Joe may be a good choice to help out.

The domestic situation actually turns into a job opportunity for Joe as he ends up being hired by Vern for a different matter. Vern had received a letter from an anonymous source regarding his father’s murder which happened twenty years prior. In the letter, it is suggested that the man who was accused of killing Vern’s father was not actually the person who committed the crime. So, Joe is sent to investigate and to try to unearth the truth as to who killed King Hamlin.

Jewell does a wonderful job with character development. The individuals we are introduced to throughout the novel are very memorable and intriguing people. The story itself is fast-paced and has many twists and turns. I recommend Blood Country: A Nashville Sideman Mystery for those who enjoy mystery and suspense, particularly those who are also fans of country music as there is quite the focus on the Nashville music scene. I am sure we will see more Nashville Sideman mysteries from Dan Jewell in the future.”

DISCUSSION: Are you trying to obtain book reviews as part of your overall book promotion strategy?

Book Reviews

Should You Pay for a Book Review?

As an author in the self-publishing industry, reviews for your book are very important.  A book published by an unknown author has little chance of gaining attention, while the same book (and the same “unknown” author) with a number of positive reviews can begin to gain momentum.  Those positive reviews can help persuade potential new readers to buy the book and the word-of-mouth continues.

You may have already received reviews from some of your friends or colleagues, so what next?  There are some free review services where you can send a copy of your book.  These services are a great resource; however, because they are free, the reviewers get inundated with books and can’t review every book they receive.  Their services can also take several months and the reviews are not guaranteed to be good.

In addition to free review services, there are some services available where you can pay to be guaranteed a review.  That said, the review is still not guaranteed to be good, but if you are confident in your book (which you should be, after all you wrote and published it!), you shouldn’t need to worry about that.

Here are three pay-for-review services you can start with:

BLUE INK REVIEW

A Standard Review is $395 for the review to be completed in 7-9 weeks.

A Fast Track Review is $495 for the review to be completed in 4-5 weeks.

BlueInk considers for review any book that has been published (self-published and indie published).  They review e-books, on-demand books, printed books in any format, English translations and English-language submissions from outside the United States, as well as galleys. They do not review manuscripts pre-publication.

FOREWORD CLARION REVIEW

The cost is $305 and turnaround time is 6-8 weeks.

Open to all books and publishers, Clarion promises an objective 400 – 500 word review/critique with a quick six to eight week turnaround. The review will be posted on the ForeWord website (if the publisher desires), licensed to the three top wholesale databases, and made available to the book’s publisher. This service is ideal for books that haven’t received review attention elsewhere.

KIRKUS INDIE REVIEW

Standard review is completed in 7-9 weeks for $425.

Express review is completed in 3-4 weeks for $575.

The Kirkus Indie program gives independent authors a chance to obtain an unbiased, professional review of their work, written in the same format as a traditional Kirkus review. A book review can be an essential and powerful tool for promoting your book to literary agents, traditional publishing houses, booksellers, and, most importantly, potential readers.

DISCUSSION: What are your thoughts on pay-for-review services like these?  Do you have experience with any of the above?

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT:
Kelly Schuknecht works as the Director of Author Support for Outskirts Press.  In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.
Book Reviews, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week: Burned: A Tragic Mystery by J.A. Nevling

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if they don’t know about it? 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 let the community know about a great book. So, without further adieu, here’s this week’s book review:

Burned: A Tragic Mystery book cover

Burned: A Tragic Mystery

J.A. Nevling

Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc.

ISBN 9781432724436

Reviewed by: Betty Gelean for Review the Book

“Being burned is a very tragic event, especially when it is a baby who is badly burned, even through the efforts to keep this to a minimum by her father who is also burned. A tragedy which could so easily happen through a brain focusing on the wrong thing at the wrong time. An overtired brain, a stressed brain, or in this case, a distracted brain.

The big game is on TV and Jim, the father, is baby-sitting his nine month old daughter, Anna, who is currently sleeping, to give his wife, Sharon, some time out with her friend Katie. When he hears Anna fussing, he does all the right things, cleaning her, changing her, and putting her bottle on to warm. What he doesn’t realize is going to change all their lives in the next several minutes. A gas explosion is going to set the house on fire, not a small fire but a raging fire. Jim’s efforts to get the baby out of her crib are next to impossible. The crib is burning and as he tries to bring her out avoiding the worst of the flames surrounding her, she falls through the side of the fiery crib. He does the right thing to try to protect her, stumbles outside and passes out.

When Sharon arrives at the hospital she learns both that her husband will survive, but Anna has been so badly burned it will mean a long recovery at best, but they don’t know at this point if she will survive. Though the doctor does not want Sharon to see her at this time, she absolutely insists, and this action will clinch the effects that soon will engulf the whole family. Sharon will soon turn her back on her husband and they will be separated. The stage is now set for the mystery part of the book.

J.A. Nevling certainly knows how to write emotion. He also knows how to write a sequence of awful proportions in a way that the reader knows what is going on, but is not horrified to the extent that he/she will find the book so upsetting it will be impossible to read further. The reader instead will stay focused on the story as it unfolds and will have trouble putting it down. This book is meant to be read. It will be emotional by its nature, but there is so much more than the fire and its results. Once Sharon has moved away, Anna is going through her various treatments, and Jim is dealing with his feelings of guilt, remorse, and the loss of Sharon, the mystery portion of the book begins to unfold.

Sharon has found a small apartment and a good job at Prescott Industries, a new life she can not quite separate from the old. When a marriage is based on real love, it doesn’t separate easily. Yet soon it becomes apparent that a transition has happened in Sharon’s personality. She can’t understand it, she often sleeps too much and feels strangely different. She seems to lose time, her ability to focus has changed, and she has some memory lapses. When she is run off the road as a car rams her from behind, she begins to feel someone is out to kill her. The detectives she talks to have some doubts but decide they should look into it. This is a real mystery, and there are several suspects, but the ending is shocking, and at the same time satisfying. This book is a definite adventure in reading. It speaks to the fallibility of people, love in its truest form, runs the gamut of several emotions, and is well worth the read. I enjoyed the book, which seems strange in light of the difficulties involved, but that is how well-written it is.”

DISCUSSION: Are you trying to obtain book reviews as part of your overall book promotion strategy?

Book Promotion Strategy, Book Reviews, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week: A Process Mind by Richards P. Lyon, M.D.

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if they don’t know about it? 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 let the community know about a great book. So, without further adieu, here’s this week’s book review:

A Process Mind book cover

A Process Mind

Richards P. Lyon, M.D.

Outskirts Press (2010)

ISBN 9781432760397

Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (2/11)

“Author Richards P. Lyon, M.D. has really had a wonderful life. And in his new memoir, A Process Mind, Dr. Lyon recalls his life in an unpretentious, humorous, storyteller’s style, beginning with the very first statement, “I am born,” of the first chapter, “In the Beginning.”

Throughout the book’s recounting of his life, Dr. Lyon weaves his assessment of the impact of his Process Mind on the events that make up the story. The author explains at the outset that “My Process Mind works like this: I must understand to remember. This takes more time than is required by the Quick Memory minds. However, it is the remembering that makes the difference, allowing me to tell this story today in the hope that I will be effective.”

Since his retirement, so called, in his eighties, Dr. Lyon has had a considerable amount of time to reflect on his process mindset and he has ultimately distilled it down to: Recognize and unearth the real problem; Fix it; Do it now; and, Be effective. While there is nothing new here, the clarity and conciseness with which it is presented and supported by real life examples, is a testament to clearly understanding what we are fully capable of accomplishing, even at ninety-three years old.

A diversity of successful careers and an exemplary record of reinventing himself result in making Dr. Lyon a humble, yet almost heroic symbol for the power of positive thinking and pursuing your passions. “A Process Mind” will leave many readers believing that more accomplishments await this octogenarian plus. One thing is for certain. Dr. Lyon’s Process Mind will keep on churning.”

DISCUSSION: Are you trying to obtain book reviews as part of your overall book promotion strategy?

Book Marketing, Book Reviews, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week

Self Publishing Book Review of the Week: Did Success Spoil Jayne Mansfield? by Frank Ferruccio

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if they don’t know about it? Paired with other book marketing efforts, 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 let the community know about a great book. So, without further adieu, here’s this week’s book review:

Did Success Spoil Jayne Mansfield book cover

Did Success Spoil Jayne Mansfield?: Her Life in Pictures & Text

Frank Ferruccio

Outskirts Press (2010)

ISBN 9781432761233

Reviewed by Carol Hoyer, PhD, for Reader Views (2/11)

“I must say that many of us always wanted to know more about the mysterious Jayne Mansfield and the author has certainly done his research on her life and family.

Many individuals dream of being a movie star and Jayne was no different. Even though she came from a very strict upbringing she never lost sight that she would become a star. Jayne was a very beautiful child and teenager and did what she wanted. At the age of fifteen she got pregnant much to the dismay of everyone. She met her first husband, Paul Mansfield, during this time and even though he wasn’t the biological father he stepped up to the plate.

She married two more times, but it was hard for her husbands to deal with her fame and publicity stunts. Jayne knew how to get attention and she went for what she wanted and usually got it.

While she was married to Mickey Hargity, she began to party all night long and become very close to Matt Cimber, who would later become her third husband.

Jayne was fun, interesting and had a good heart. She loved her children and she loved acting. It’s sad that there are so many negative stories about her.

The author has provided pages and pages on Jayne throughout her life till the end. There is so much information in “Did Success Spoil Jayne Mansfield?” coming from interviews with family, friends and others in the entertainment field. The author has done an exceptional job in his research and providing references for all his information.”

DISCUSSION: Are you trying to obtain book reviews as part of your overall book marketing strategy?