The New Book Review

This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.

Friday, July 12, 2013

One Gay American Gets World of Ink Review

Title of Book: One Gay American
Author: Dennis Milam Bensie
 Publisher: CoffeeTown Press
ISBN-10: 1603811532
ISBN-13: 978-1603811538
Price $13.95
Publication Date: September 2012
Genre of Book: Memoir
Heat Level: LGBT
 
Review provided by: World of Ink Network
 
 
 
About the Book:
 
Dennis Milam Bensie is One Gay American. Born in the 1960s and raised with traditional values in Robinson, Illinois, Bensie desperately wanted romance, a beautiful wedding, and a baby to carry on the family name. He denied his sexuality and married a woman at nineteen years old, but fantasized of weddings where he could be the bride. The newlyweds "adopted" a Cabbage Patch Doll and ironically witnessed a Cabbage Patch Doll wedding (a successful fundraiser staged by a local women's club) where the dolls were granted the type of grand ceremony off-limits to gay couples.

In search of his identity as a gay man, Bensie divorced his wife and stumbled through missteps and lessons that still sting his generation: defending against bullies, "disappointing" his parents, and looking for love in gay bars, bath houses and restrooms. He helped his straight friends plan their dream weddings and mourned his gay friends dying of AIDS.

Although true love has not yet come his way, Bensie has learned to love himself. Bensie is the author of the much-lauded memoir, Shorn: Toys to Men, which recounts his battle with paraphilia. One Gay American tells the rest of his story and draws parallels to gay history, decade by decade, with newspaper headlines and quotations. Bensie is the gay neighbor that you either love or hate. Either way, he's got a lot to say and says it with no apologies.
 
EXCERPT:
My first real kiss from a man was from a stranger in the library restroom. As we stood in the bathroom stall, the handsome, dark-haired guy looked me in the eyes, cupped
my face in his hands and softly kissed me. He was much taller and more muscular
than I. We were the only men in the room and he picked me up in a big bear hug and
lifted me until my feet were actually dangling off the floor. He kissed me again and
looked at me. No one else in the bathroom had ever really looked at me.
I felt love for the first time. Real love … ever so brief. The stranger made me feel whole.
All the other guys I had seen in the restroom were focused on genitalia, but this man
saw me as a man with a face and a heart. I had waited my whole life to be
romantically kissed by a man. In that moment my life changed. I could finally be who I
wanted to be. It was such a significant event in my life, and I was sad that it had taken place in such a depressing place.Was this the best I could do? My first romantic kiss in a seedy public restroom? I didn’t even know the guy’s name.
Most of these guys were just looking for quick sex. If I wanted a partner, where would
I find him? Carbondale wasn’t exactly a Mecca for secure gay men.
I just had to have faith in myself and be patient. I was twenty-two, in my sexual prime.
Did I have to wait for love to come to me? Shouldn’t I go out and look for it?
I knew I probably wouldn’t find it in the library restroom or the gay bar. However, it
would only take one guy just like me. If he existed in Carbondale, then surely we would
find each other in the only gay spots in town.
While I was being hugged and kissed, we both heard the sound of Keys entering the
restroom. My kisser released me and fled. My feet were back on the ground. I
remained in my door-less stall. Keys walked by, as I had seen him do dozens of times,
and took his place in the stall next to mine.
I never saw my kisser again.
I left the library bathroom not knowing if Keys had ruined the opportunity of a lifetime
or saved me from myself.
 
BOOK TRAILER:
About the Book:
An honest tell all story about looking for love, wanting a family and coming out as America discovered its own Gay community throughout the last 40 years. Dennis not only shares about the struggles he faces as a Gay American, but also the heartache, struggles and joys of all those who are Gay Americans as they come out to not only family and friends but to their country. Dennis highlights each chapter with the different headlines or political highlights of the Gay Community in American helping us all realize every American has rights and should be treated equal no matter their race, religion or sexual lifestyle.
 
About the Author: 
Dennis Milam Bensie grew up in Robinson, Illinois where his interest in the arts began in high school participating in various community theatre productions. Bensie’s first book,  Shorn: Toys to Men was nominated for the Stonewall Book Award, sponsored by the American Library Association. It was also a pick in the International gay magazine The Advocate as “One of the Best Overlooked Books of 2011″. The author’s short stories have been published by Bay Laurel, Everyday Fiction, and This Zine Will Change Your Lifeand he has also been a feature contributor for The Good Men Project. One Gay American is his second book with Coffeetown Press and it was chosen as a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the Indie Excellence Book Awards. He was a presenter at the 2013 Saints and Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans. Dennis lives in Seattle with his three dogs.

You can find out more about Dennis Milam Bensie, his memoirs and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/lhtvxyt
 
To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com


 

----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Kirkus Indie Reviews Memoir

Title of Book: Betty's Child
Author: Donald R. Dempsey
Author Website: http://bettyschild.com
Genre: Personal Memoir
ISBN: 9780988439016
Formats: Trade paperback and e-book
Reviewer's Link: http://tinyurl.com/qy5uho9

 
Reviewed by Kirkus Indie

 
A highly visual debut memoir from Don Dempsey spanning his pre- to early adolescent years in urban Ohio

Dempsey illuminates the steep uphill scramble he had as a young man in a bad neighborhood. The memoir opens cinematically on a night of petty stealing, which escalated to the sort of theft that exposed young Donny to violent retribution. Donny attempted to guard himself, his younger brothers and his canine companion, Benji, from the string of hothead men his mother—the eponymous Betty—welcomed into the family’s rotating rental houses. In addition to fending off soul savers from the church Betty attended in order to run her scams, Donny turned down invitations to participate in crime more difficult than theft. Most of the book’s sequences—a teacher’s good-hearted but ultimately futile efforts to defend Donny from a bully—efficiently reveal the wit and determination, not to mention anger, that helped Donny survive.

Neither alarmist nor self-pitying, the memoir sees Donny through mounting losses of his sense of safety, his friends, his sanity-saving dog and his proximity to his brothers. While this account certainly couldn’t be called feel-good, it also isn’t altogether bleak. Early in the book, Donny poses a question to himself: “Would I wind up toothless, clueless and broke because of heredity—or because of where and how we lived?” Determined not to consider either factor an excuse, as a preteen boy he decided that, despite his abuse and neglect, he would choose better for himself.
 
By turns heartrending and humorous, the book’s main events are accompanied by resonant dialogue that reveals the speakers’ natures. Distinguishing his from similar accounts, Dempsey’s discipline as a writer lends the real-life tale the feel of a fictional page-turner. In scene after vivid scene, Dempsey presents his inspiring true story with accomplished style.
 
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

University Professor Reviews Award-Winning Historical Romance

The Sandoval Sisters' Secret of Old Blood
Sandra Ramos O'BriantAuthor's Web site: www.thesandovalsisters.com
Genre: Historical Romance
ISBN: 978-0615615103
Published by La Gente Press, 2012
Available in print and e-book
 
 
Reviewed by Dr. Michele Shaul, Professor, Department of Foreign Languages Queens University of Charlotte originally for http://www.writing.ie/
 
 
Sandra Ramos O’Briant’s debut novel The Sandoval Sisters’ Secret of Old Blood won Best Historical Novel and Best First Book at the 15th annual ILBA, 2013.  The story sets the stage for a fascinating series about Anglo/Hispanic interaction in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the struggle to control the Santa Fe Trail.
The author introduces the Sandoval sisters Oratoria, Pilar, and Alma who are independent and resistant to the restrictions placed on women in that place and time. Each controls her own destiny, making unconventional choices and always standing by family and friends.
Told in the sisters’ voices, the reader learns of each woman’s loves and losses and follows them on their trail to the end of the novel when the sisters need to come together to preserve their lands and livelihood from the new legal system that threatens the patrimony of many in what is now the Southwest United States.
Oratoria, the eldest, is not a sister by blood. Purchased at age five for the price of a bag of flour, Oratoria was originally Estevan’s gift to his lonely sixteen-year-old bride. Oratoria becomes a family favorite and indispensable to them all, truly integrated as a family member. She is the keeper of the old diaries that provide insight into the Sandoval heritage as well as instruction on cures and spells. She raises her sisters, making sure they are educated and independent thinkers. She is there when they need her and sacrifices herself to protect their livelihood.
Headstrong Alma, determined to not marry her father’s choice for her, runs off with the love of her life (Bill) only to discover once they arrive at his family home that she really does not know him as well as she thought. Cultural clashes between her Spanish background and his Anglo family, clashes with his domineering, mean spirited mother and betrayal by a woman she believed was her friend present the reader with an interesting read and better understanding of the climate of the times and the challenges faced by those who married across boundaries.
The youngest sister Pilar is more of a free spirit than the other two sisters yet she is most suited to marriage to Alma’s rejected elderly suitor, Geraldo. Because of his patience and maturity, Geraldo provides Pilar the blessing of love but more importantly, independence and autonomy. Pilar is able to fend for herself (and others) upon his death. She is more than up to the challenge presented by being one of the landed, moneyed families of the region.
Woven among the stories of love and life is eroticism, mystery, witchcraft, folktales, superstition, political intrigue, corruption, violence, and told with a fluid style that grabs you from the first page and leaves you hungry for more at the end.
About the Author
Sandra Ramos O’Briant‘s work has appeared in numerous journals.  A complete list of her work can be found at www.thesandovalsisters.com
 
 
 
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Nutrition Newsletter Reviews New Diet Book



Title: The Food Is My Friend Diet
Author: Ruth Frechman, MA, RDN, CPT
Author Website: www.ruthfrechman.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ruthfrechman
FB fan page: www.facebook.com/thefoodismyfrienddietbbook
Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of1qpEuUJ4U
ISBN: 978-0984597918
Genre: Diet/Health
Winner 2012 NIE Award

 

Reviewed by Colleen Sloan, RD, LD/N for Nutrition 411 – Where Health Care Professionals Go for Information

Did you know that we all make “food friends”? Some of our “food friends” are good for us and others are not the best choice. The Food Is My Friend Diet teaches readers how to make “good food friends,” such as fruits and vegetables, and curb emotional eating by developing new ways of coping. This book is full of science-based guidelines for weight control and physical activity, written in a fun and interactive tone.

The Food Is My Friend Diet is a perfect combination of healthy lifestyle counseling and comic relief, with the help of comedian Jackie Fabulous. Jackie provides a unique perspective on the program and shares her experiences that the reader can relate to on an individual level. The Food Is My Friend Diet takes the reader on a 30-day journey through 30 educational and inspiring chapters. Each chapter ends with a “check-in” tool, where Ruth summarizes the chapter and encourages the reader to take action by setting a goal.

This book is a must-have for anyone looking for a real-life solution to weight management.

 
 
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Inspirational Doggy Tale Gets Five Big Stars


Title:  Through Frankie’s Eyes: One woman’s journey to her authentic self, and the dog on wheels who led the way
Author:  Barbara Techel
Web site:  www.joyfulpaws.com
Genre or category:  Inspirational memoir
ISBN:  978-0-9800052-9-5
Order Your Copy Today!

Five star review
 
Reviewed by Paulo Levi originally for Amazon


While reading Through Frankie's Eyes, I was frequently reminded of Harold Kushner's now classic essay, When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Frankie the dachshund became disabled through no fault of her own, much less of her guardian Barbara Techel's. But as Kushner points out in his book, we humans seem to have a need to view such events either as punishment for something we have done (or failed to do) or as destiny's cruel way of letting us know that our faith in God and in ourselves is being tested. Although Techel experienced the full impact of these feelings at first, she was able to transcend them through her determination to help Frankie overcome her disability, and through Frankie's own example in retaining the will to live the life of a happy and loving dog no matter what. In the process of adjusting to Frankie's new circumstances and to the changes brought about by them in her own life, Barbara Techel found her own calling in helping others through her work with special needs children, the elderly and the terminally ill, always with Frankie at her side as a therapy dog.

These may sound like the ingredients for a sad story, but this is definitely not the case. In fact, Through Frankie's Eyes is a celebration of the power to overcome and of the sheer joy of being alive. Techel's heartfelt and readable prose conveys a sense of forward motion, from the uncertainties in her own life and in Frankie's initial prognosis to a newfound serenity and an enduring sense of purpose. Read this book, and you will not fail to be moved and inspired by it.

 
About the Author

Barbara Techel is an award-winning author and advocate for dogs with IVDD and dogs in wheelchairs. Her book was an Indie Excellence Finalist Award 2013!  Sign up for her newsletter and receive her e-book free:  For the Love of Animals, A Collection of Short Stories
Become a fan on Facebook of National Walk ‘N Roll Dog Day & help her honor and celebrate all dogs in wheelchairs and the lessons of love, hope and joy they teach us.

 
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Monday, July 1, 2013

World of Ink Puts YA Adventure in Spotlight



Title of Book: Andy Smithson
Subtitle: Blast of the Dragon's Fury
Author: L.R.W. Lee
Author Website: http://www.lrwlee.com
 Twitter URL: @LRWLee
 Publisher: Createspace
ISBN: 978-1482312645
ISBN -10: 1482312646
Available in eBook and Print
Publication Date: April 2013
Genre: Middle Grade Adventure

Review provided by: World of Ink Network
 
About the Book:
 Ten-year-old Andy Smithson is magically brought to the Land of Oomaldee while he is doing dishes one night. Unbeknownst to him, he is there to break a 500-year-old curse.  Andy learns that his quest is the Dragon’s Lair to find an ingredient critical to breaking the curse - the scale from an elusive red dragon, the fiercest of all dragon species. Andy nearly destroys the castle amidst adventures battling fire-breathing dragons, fighting vicious vulture attacks, escaping people-eating giants and more.

EXCERPT:
 Sitting on his bed with the afternoon sun shining through the window, Andy tried to slow down his racing thoughts.  It was all so overwhelming.  It had been fun to think of himself as Chosen when that just meant he felt special.  Now, however, he wasn’t sure.  It sounded like a whole lot more than just retrieving a red dragon scale was about to happen.  The weight of it all pressed hard.  He was scared.  He felt alone.  For the first time since he had arrived in Oomaldee, he missed his home, his parents and (he couldn’t believe he was thinking this, but… yes…) even his big sister!  He punched his pillow hard once, and then again and again and again.  He stopped only when feathers began flying everywhere.
Why me?  he thought.  There’s no way I can do to this! 
“You’re right, Andy!  You can’t do this on your own. ” It was his inneru.  “You need help.”
As his inneru said this, a second amethyst-colored stone landed on his bed, barely missing his head.
“Hey, watch it!  You almost hit me in the head!” Andy said.  As soon as he had said it, he felt stupid for yelling at no one.  Where do these things keep coming from?  he wondered.  As before, he picked it up and it started pulsing. Then he heard a trumpet blast.
“Methuselah has appeared to you, Andrew Ferrin Smithson.  It is the sword of your forefathers.   You will become known by it.  It is time that evil is extinguished from the land.  This will be accomplished by your hand.”
“My forefathers? What do you mean?” Andy interrupted.  The message paused.
“Your ancestors are from the Land of Oomaldee.”
Really?  Andy thought.
“It is not I who gives Methuselah, but One far greater.  It is given and taken as the times require,” the message continued.  “You have been appointed to wield it for such a time as this.”
But I’ll screw this up. I know I will, just like I did when I almost tore the castle down. Whatever kind of evil this message is talking about sounds really bad.  There’s no way I can do this, even with this sword, Andy whined.
“Stop!” Andy’s inneru interrupted. 
Andy sat up, startled.
The message continued, “Take courage.  You do not yet see your own abilities because you have never been tested.  You have never demonstrated to yourself or anyone all that you can do.  Put your fears aside and trust that you can succeed in the challenges that lie ahead.”  The message completed and the sphere disappeared, once again, giving no indication who had sent it.
“This is not about you,” reminded the inneru. 
I know…  thought Andy.  It’s about all the people in the Land of Oomaldee.  It is about the King, Mermin, Alden, Marta, Hans and everyone I’ve come to love here.
“You don’t usually think about others first,” continued his inneru.
          Maybe this is my chance to change that, Andy thought.
 
BOOK TRAILER:

Overall Thoughts:
The story plot is simple and easy to follow. There are also lessons readers will learn as they venture with Andy and his friend Alden as they try to find a red dragon scale, easily said than done. The book is a traditional fantasy for middle grade readers. The subject matter is age appropriate and enjoyable. For advance readers, they may find the story a bit slow at times, but if they enjoyed Leven Thumbs then they will ultimately like this book series as well. There is a lot of information shared to help explain situations and story plot, but overall I found it a fun weekend read.
About the Author:  
Since the age of eight, L. R. W. Lee knew she wanted to write a book. Fortunately or unfortunately, she required of herself that she have something significant to say; she sought to contribute to others in a way that could change their lives. Because a degree in Accounting at Cedarville University, as well as work in public and corporate accounting, did not provide riveting fodder for a best seller, she waited. Upon selling her business in early 2012, she had time to write and, more importantly, something significant to share.

L. R. W. Lee’s favorite musical is The Sound of Music. She hates scary movies, but loves piano and strings music, sunsets in Hawaii and a good cup of decaf, French press coffee (yes, decaf!). She also loves Ansel Adams prints and all manner of kinetic art. 

~You can find out more about L.R.W. Lee, her middle grade fantasy adventure series and her World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/bnfe6ax


~To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Two Big Thumbs Up for Trisha Slay's New Book

Trisha’s website: http://trishaslay.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrishaSlayAuthor
Twitter: @SlaytheWriter Twitter hashtag: #NSLASlayPaperback: 316 pages
Publisher: Deeds Publishing (May 21, 2013)
ISBN-13: 978-1-937565-58-9
Not So Long Ago, Not So Far Away is available as a print and e-book at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto (originally published for Bring On Lemons Blog
 
 
 
I don’t remember watching Star Wars and I was born two months after it was released in theaters, but novelist Trisha Slay made me feel as if I had been there in the theater taking in each frame of the film. Slay’s novelNot So Long Ago, Not So Far Away was so well written that I imagined myself a troubled teenager, coming of age and being transformed during the summer months of 1977.

Erika (the lead character) is the reason I loved this book, because she is every teenager girl; awkward in her own skin and unsure of herself. Not only does she struggle for acceptance, but struggles will self-doubt. Erika doesn’t see what the rest of the town sees which makes her character so real.

Erika had been the chunky side-kick to her teen beauty queen best friend, Cassie. When Cassandra disappeared, all the attention moved to Erika who had been plotting Cassie’s escape. Each question made Erika question whether she had really known Cassie at all. Erika even had her own doubts; she wondered if Cassie had arrived safely in Hollywood to live out her dream.

The summer was dragging on for Erika, with no word from Cassie. Erika would write letters to her friend. Letters she never intended to mail, but letters that helped her feel less alone, less like an outcast. Erika felt totally misunderstood and completely alone – that was until Star Wars was released. The movie and her summer cleaning at the Bixby Theater made all the difference in the world to Erika.

Not So Long Ago, Not So Far Away is filled with interesting characters and even though the majority of the novel takes place at the Bixby Theater, Slay paints a lovely picture of the world surrounding Erika. The Bixby may be crumbling, but it is a lovely historical theater filled with plenty of rooms to explore.

Sonny and Jeff are fascinating characters, but the most intriguing character in the book may be the missing teenage beauty queen Cassie. I couldn’t decide if I loved her, felt sorry for her, or hated the way she seemed to leave her supposed best friend in her shadow.

Even though the story took place before I was born, you get the idea that parts of it happen every day in schools across the nation.

If you want to find out how Erika’s life was transformed, you’ll have to read Not So Long Ago, Not So Far Away for yourself. I’m hoping Slay is working on a sequel because I can’t get enough of these characters and I want to know what happens next. I would definitely recommend this book to others; I give it two thumbs up!

Submitted by:
Crystal J. Casavant-Otto
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.