Taking the Pain Out of Writing Book Reviews, While Adding a Touch of Glory

Taking the Pain Out of Writing Book Reviews, 

While Adding a Touch of Glory

by Lois W. Stern

 

Review Acquisition Coordinator for TheNewBookReview 

ADDING THAT TOUCH OF GLORY WHILE WRITING A REVIEW FOR A FELLOW AUTHOR

* Don't forget to include a byline or tag line as part of your review. For example, I end each Amazon review I post with the words: Lois W. Stern, Creator of Tales2Inspire®.

* In the body of your review, try to add something personal about yourself, something that helped you relate to this book. For example, a physical therapist might include a few words about how and why they related to the book's karate champion because of their understanding and appreciation of the relationship between strengthening the body and both physical and mental health. 

* As an author, you can probably think of a way to express your admiration for the book you are reviewing by saying something about how your personal experiences as an author make you keenly aware of (something about the craft of writing). For example a reviewer of  Tales2Inspire ~ The Garnet Collection (Stories in Feathers and Friends), wrote that because of his own writings ("scientific treatises of animal consciousness, my appreciation for the stories in this book runs deeply . . . and have been a pleasure to have read.") This reviewer appears to be from Peru, so his language wasn't perfect, but nonetheless his thoughts ran true.

* I have included a page titled, "Book Club Discussion Question to Spark Your Creativity"  at the end of each of my Tales2inspire® books. Even if it is too late to add such questions to the end of your book, you might try writing questions specific to your book to include as a helpful guide to future reviewers.

* For those of you who have bought into our "Authors Helping Authors" project and are ready to write a review for another of TheNewBookReview listed authors, you might find the following questions helpful stimulants to reviewing a book of most every genre.

Dr. Wesley Britton Review 4th in Dense Science Fiction Series by Fabrice Stephan

Title: A Child of the Federation 

Series: Human Star Pilots Book 4 

Author: Fabrice Stephan

ASIN B08TZJCST1

ISBN: 9798700286237 

Published February 2nd 2021

Available on Amazon

 

Reviewed by: Dr. Wesley Britton originally for BookPleasures.com

 

While I sometimes feel like I’m drowning in an overwhelming flood of new novels in science-fiction,   I am often surprised how impressive so many new efforts are.  That’s especially true when authors present universes and multi-verses painted on wide and deep canvases full of ideas that are tantalizing, if not always easily comprehensible. In other words, impressive doesn’t always mean engaging.

 

One problem reviewing such sagas is trying to squeeze a useful summary into one or two paragraphs. It’s possible to list some of the major plot points, spell out the major conflicts and main players, but does that tell readers much about the spirit and flavor of the books?   

 

In this case, that’s even more tricky as I’m jumping into the “Human Star Pilots” epic four books into the series. Before A Child of the Federation,   Stephan gave us Human Star Pilot: Human Star Pilots Book 1, Interstellar Star Pilot: Human Star Pilots Book 2,  and Space Station Acheron: Human Star Pilots Book 3.   And I’ve read none of them.

 

Over the four tomes so far, the universe Stephan created is so vast, ageless, and sprawling,  odds are few readers will quickly wrap their minds around what is involved, no matter in which book they first jump into the saga.  It’s a story with many plots and sub-plots. The main rudder for the fourth novel is the main character of the forty year old star pilot, Isara. As a “child of the Federation,” she knows next to nothing about who she is until a surprising journey of self-discovery takes her back to the planet of her origins, Filb, the planet which witnessed a horrible ecological catastrophe. She is more special than she knows, even moreso than being one of only six pilots capable of surviving the training of managing hyperspace jumps learned from a borrowed Alien technology. That means she has to live with nanobots in her body that keep her alive during warp jumps.

 

To describe a few things about the Federation, it’s worth noting this isn’t a Federation Gene Roddenberry would recognize: it’s mainly an economic confederacy of which earth is a relative newcomer. Also facing ecological disaster, earth needs the technology of ancient aliens who apparently no longer exist.    The interplay between members of the Federation and the levels of political maneuvering are, well, confusing.  While Stephan is masterful at world-building, the further away the story moves away from Isara’s personal evolution, the more lost in the trees I got. 

 

So my final reaction to the book is that it’s a challenge worth exploring if you really like complex universe building, multiple story-lines, very dense back-stories,    and occasional memorable scenes in between all the description of a universe easy to get lost in.  And, no doubt, more to come.

 

 

More About the Reviewer

Dr. Wesley Britton is an author and frequently contributes reviews to #TheNewBookReview, especially those in the science fiction genre. He also reviews for BookPleasures.com.  

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Author Idelle Kursman Shares "The Paris Library" with #TheNewBookReview Readers

Title: The Paris Library

By Janet Skeslien Charles 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Atria Books 2021 

ISBN: 978-1-9821-3419-8

Published on February 9, 2021

Available on Amazon

Reviewed by Idelle Kursman

Book lovers everywhere will savor reading The Paris Library.  During the years leading up to the Second World War, Odile Souchet is a young girl living in Paris who relishes her job as a librarian at the American Library in Paris. She is also developing strong friendships and finding love, but then the Nazis invade France and thrust hardships upon French citizens--food is scarce; curfews are imposed; and Jews, communists, so called “enemy aliens,” and anyone opposed to Nazi rule are imprisoned or worse.    

 Odile tries hard to carry on but she inadvertently betrays a friend at the closing of the war. Odile eventually leaves the country and settles in Montana, where years later she becomes a mentor to a young girl experiencing growing pains and family issues.  I found it moving to read about a caring, sincere person who has made terrible mistakes and yet uses those experiences to help another person make wiser decisions.  A winner!

About the Reviewer

Idelle Kursman is the author of True Mercy and The Book of Revelations. She also does editing and SEO copywriting. To contact her, please log onto her website at https://www.idellekursman.com.

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Finding Great Professional Reviewers Using Repected Cision List and More!

• I use this Writers & Publishers Network service from for my new books just as often as I can.  And I have a new AUDIO book I want this list of professional reviewers (meaning there is no charge to authors or publishers!)  to see! Deadline May 25, 2021. 

Get advance reviews for Summer and Fall releases!

Is your book coming out this Summer or Fall? Was the book released since November 2020?   Get your book in front of 2,800+ legitimate book reviewers, Amazon reviewers, and book bloggers   Solve the mystery of getting a book in front of legitimate reviewers. WPN has the answers to these questions: • Where do I find reviewers and book bloggers? • How do I get in front of Amazon Key Reviewers? • What do I present to them? • Do I send a print book or an ebook? Feature your book in this service from WPN. Open to members and nonmembers.   Sign up now and be part of New Releases from...for June 2021 Deadline for next issue is May 25, 2021   Book must have been released since November 2020 or will be released this Summer or Fall. This targeted e-newsletter goes to the top 2,800+ book reviewers, Amazon reviewers, and book bloggers. The list is pulled from Cision, the world’s leading database for print, online, broadcast, and all other media such as book bloggers and podcasters. We update before sending out the newsletter so everyone receiving the newsletter is an active, legitimate reviewer. The fee to participate is $250 per book for non WPN members. For members, it's $175. Includes book cover, 75-word description, one or two great reviews, full information for ordering book, etc. View the February issue SIGN UP NOW!

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. 

#TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

News of the World Book and Movie Discussion Questions Free Guide

News of the World Book and Movie Discussion Questions Free Guide 

• Author: Paulette Jiles
• Publisher: William Morrow
• Language: English
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• ISBN-10: 0062409204
• ISBN-13: 978-0062409201
• Pages: 224

Oh, this book made quite an impression on me and I cannot stop thinking about it. I had no idea the situation this story presents happened many times. Let's just say a child taken from her family for years, and is then returned, but her parents are dead. The story takes place five years after the end of the Civil War. The hero, Captain Kidd, fought in two wars and lived through the third. He raised two daughters and felt his parenting days were over. He promises to take a girl back to her aunt and uncle which requires traveling 400 miles through dangerous territory. It was indeed the wild west at that time, and they face dangers and unpleasant conditions. 

First, please note the book does have some discussion questions in the back. Those may be preferable. Here are a few more possible questions. 

Click this link for a free instant download PDF with the questions for the book and movie. 

The author adds a note about a book by Scott Zesch's book, The Captured. What was the astounding information she included? Do you think that book would be interesting? Why or why not? 

The movie was very different from the book. Many details were changed. Here are the movie questions, without giving away too much in the way of spoilers. It had basically the same ideas as the book, with different details. 

I hope you find the story as interesting as I did! 

Thank you for reading, 

Carolyn Wilhelm

Carolyn Wilhelm is the author and sole owner of The Wise Owl Factory LLC site and blog. She has a BS in Elementary Education, an MS in Gifted Education, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction K-12, and has completed the KHT Montessori 12 month program. She makes mostly free resources for teachers and parents. Her children's books are available on Amazon. She was a public school teacher for 28 years. She writes for The New Book Review and Sharing with Writers and Readers.

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

The New Book Review Reviewer Wesley Britton Shares “Fast-Paced” Fantasy

 

Toxic - Adult Edition

Karina Kantas

Publication date : April 12, 2019

Publisher: Electric Eclectic 

ASIN : B07QN8S1YZ

https://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Adult-Electric-Eclectic-Book-ebook/dp/B07QN8S1YZ

 

 Reviewed by Wesley Britton originally for BookPleasures.com 

In this short, tight dystopian novella, author Karina Kantas touches on some hot button bases with extremely economical storytelling.

The core of the feminist story is the coming-of-age of a girl named Lexi who is living with a controlling boyfriend named Aron. While they have hot sex, and readers of the Adult Edition of this tale will get to experience a long, vivid description of that hot sex, Lexi’s growing independence and distaste for her restrictive life as a Malok in the mountains sends her on the road to becoming a Ranger, one of the fighters being trained to battle the Outcasts, quasi-humans who live underground and compete with the Maloks for control of the addicting and life-supporting Terra plant.

At the same time Lexi is affirming herself,  the man of her childhood dreams returns to be the new leader of her people. An old foe of Lexi’s, a woman named mae, is by his side and Lexi assumes the two are a couple.    So one subplot to the saga is Lexi slowly learning the truth about her would-be suitor with whom, ah, back to that hot sex thing. Almost.

    

The final third of the book, and I’m not providing any spoilers here, sends all the main characters into a violent and vicious battle with the Outcasts where Lexi discovers many truths about herself, her future, and the most important people in her life.

 

So, in one fast-paced adventure, readers get a feminist champion, some erotic, sensory passages, a futuristic society with a spartan culture, an extended vicious battle—what more could you ask for in a read that can be completed in one evening? How about a happy ending?     How about the author’s promise to give us a second volume so we can follow the fates of the warriors we got fascinated by in volume one?

 

If you like your reading fast, furious, and unrestrained, Toxic is well-worth an evening of your time.  I gather there’s a milder version of the book that might appeal to readers not accustomed to rough and ready fiction, but I can’t speak to it. I like being entertained by sex and violence and interesting characters in an interesting world.

 

 

This review first appeared at BookPleasures.com on April 20, 2021:

 

 

https://waa.ai/m3x2

 

 

 More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Frequent New Book Reviewer LB Sedlacek Takes On "Ignition Point" by Gary Beck

Title: Ignition Point
Author: By Gary Beck
Publisher: Cyberwit Press
116 Pages
Copyright 2021
ISBN: 978-93-90601-02-8
http://www.cyberwit.net

Reviewed by LB Sedlacek 

Beck’s passion for poetry leaps off the pages in this new poetry collection.  Each poem covers a real life event, observation or emotion.  The words are vivid and raw, but also soothing.

From “Last Resort”:  “I lost my job / when they hired a kid / at half my salary.”

From “To the Fires”:  “Combustible materials / frequently fall / into the wrong hands.”

You feel like you are a part of his poetical world as you read each poem.  The poems wash over you with feelings of relating to the situations in them or they come at you in a hurry making you really think about things.

From “Purchase Power”:  “persistent to obtain / the promised land, / denied entry / by callous servants / of the lords of profit,”

My favorite poem from the collection was “Renewal.”  Lines from the poem:  “Magnolias briefly bloom / dazzling the eyes / with elegant beauty, / intoxicating the  nose / with nature’s finest scent / never duplicated / in contrived laboratories.”

What ease I felt reading this poem and imagining the giant magnolia trees in my back yard where I grew up. 

Life in the big city (NYC), cell phones use, and so many other interesting views fall into the rest of the poems that round out this collection.

From “Purchase Power II”:  “Patrons of the art world / bid at auction / competing for masterworks / against rival appetites, efforts rewarded / by acquisition,”

There’s so much to feel, think and absorb here.  This is a must have collection for your poetry shelf!

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

~LB Sedlacek is the author of the poetry collections “I’m No ROBOT,” “Words and Bones,” “Simultaneous Submissions,” “The Adventures of Stick People on Cars,” and “The Poet Next Door.”  Her first short story collection came out last year entitled “Four Thieves of Vinegar & Other Short Stories.”  Her mystery novel “The Glass River” was nominated for the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award.  She writes poetry reviews for “The Poetry Market Ezine” www.thepoetrymarket.com  You can find out more about her at www.lbsedlacek.com

Facebook:  @lbsedlacekpoet

Twitter @lbsedlacek  

Instagram:  @lbsedlacek  

Tumblr:  @lbsedlacek

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. 

Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing