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.

Saturday, April 6, 2019

Terminal Identity Suspense Book Reveals a New Reality

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG 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.

  • Print Length: 280 pages
  • Publication Date: December 1, 2018
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B07KDYKNSY

From the publisher:

"Juliette Dreschler awakens to a startling reality. She is only a shell of the woman she used to be after a life-altering accident left her both physically and mentally changed and now someone has marked her for death."

Terminal Identity shares the fictional (based on real life) experience of a family who is dealing with a traumatic brain injury. Not just a TMI, but an international thriller mystery as well. This true explanation is briefly mentioned in the author’s note at the end of the story.

We have a relative who experienced three falls, and with only a mild TBI has fairly significant challenges – organizational issues and distractibility -- which make it difficult for her to be productive. The story was based on fact, although many people have more than the minimal impairment of the character Juliette. The story rang true for me, which I liked.

One character has to split his time between visiting the hospital, working with the Police, and meeting with a private investigator. The family also has to divide their time especially as the story happens in both Switzerland and the USA. The different time zones, distinct hospital rules in two countries, and necessary international travel complicate the story for added suspense. Romance adds to the story.

A stolen identity is revealed near the end of the story, and it not at all what I first would have imagined -- if I had seen it coming. The plot has plenty of surprises as it moves right along. Some suspicious characters that seem guilty are not, It is hard to know which people can be trusted.

One part of the story-within-the-main-story I enjoyed was about the adoption of a baby. I am partial to adoption stories with an adopted daughter myself. A play within the play, so to speak.

One of the main bad guys is a doctor that you will love to hate!

Terminal-identify-by-Tess-Thompson-Book-Review

Thank you for reading, 
Carolyn Wilhelm

Thursday, April 4, 2019

Poet Aline Soules Calls Carol Smallwood's Chapbook a "Universal Collection"

Visits and Passages by Carol Smallwood
Paperback:134 pages; 
Finishing Line Press (January 4, 2019) 
ISBN-10: 1635348005; $18.99
Available on Amazon

Reviewed by Aline Soules originally for B. Lynn Goodwin's WritersAdvice.com

         In Visits and Passages, Carol Smallwood not only writes in multiple formats (short stories, diaries, fantasy, poetry, and others), she offers her explorations of everything from the color pink to a letter to God. All come from the heart of American life. As Roland Barksdale-Hall notes: “Smallwood paints with delicate strokes a splendid cornucopia of lyrical ruminations on family, nature, literature and places.”  

         In her first piece, “A Visit from Caesar’s Wife”, Smallwood writes: “Avon made me feel a part of things: it was as American as McDonald’s, the Fourth of July, or the Reader’s Digest.” This sets the tone of the entire eclectic collection and the evolution of her world.

         In her memoir about a relative, she recalls Christmas in Poland where the table was set with hay under the tablecloth, the common shepherd who was fed in turn by each villager, the swing used by the whole village, and a beautiful brook where the author waded.  It’s a far cry from a family that grew flax, spun linen thread, and made cloth on a loom to the modern American woman who later writes a piece called Wendy’s where she read the Canterbury Tales over chili, a baked potato, and a senior Diet Pepsi, and observed tabloid headlines like “3500-Year-Old Mummy Gives Birth.” A woman who observes the humanity around her, wondering if a young teenage couple in line will turn into another couple with kids at a back table.

         Interspersed among the prose are poems of memoir and reflection. The poem, “A Lace Piece,” ponders the fragile beauty of lace, its history, its universality, its grace. In “Grandmother Said,” she mixes a memoir of her grandmother with the universality of sewing with needle and thread, possessions her grandmother obviously valued greatly as social objects that addressed loneliness. As Su Epstein notes: “A picture may paint a thousand words, but Carol Smallwood’s words paint a million images.” Mary Langer Thompson calls Smallwood “a keen observer collecting fragments that make up a life.”

        The author raises questions: “What is our definition of home?” she asks in “Home.” In “A Letter to God, Revised,” she asks, “Why such an odd world of 71% water, a round planet rotating around a boiling star with a moon also held by gravity?” She can question all she wants, but she still has to form an opinion. In her “Dear Diary” section, she lists essay topics for class, which are often questions in another form, for example, “The Importance (or Lack Thereof) of Knowing Why the Sky is Blue.”
  
        The author ends the collection with an epilogue, a poem called “Passage,” which she starts with “summer ice, pleasure of the moment: / proof of time’s passage” and ends with “evaporation could be measured / if there were days enough—/but ice has many forms.”  The momentary nature of time and the multiplicity of forms, whether of ice or passages, makes this a universal collection.


MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Aline Soules, is the author of:
 "Evening Sun: a Widow's Journey" (chapbook), https://amzn.to/2OTFXVE and
"Meditation on Woman," https://amzn.to/2CHEhst

Lean more about her on her blog a http://alinesoules.com/blog or at Twitter (@aline_elisabeth). Her work has appeared in such publications as Literature of the Expanding Frontier, Kenyon ReviewHouston Literary Review, and Poetry Midwest.

visits-and-other-passages-carol-smallwood-book-review


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS AND ANOTHER FREEBIE


 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog 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.



Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too! 


Saturday, March 30, 2019

Secondary Teacher Recommends "Kellcey" for Her Twelfth Graders


Title of the book: Kellcey
Author: Kacey Kells
Genre: memoir
ISBN: 978-1-84897-895-9
Amazon link where blog visitors can buy the book





Reviewed by J. G. MacLeod originally for Amazon
Rating: 5 stars

Review: "I just finished reading Kellcey, by Kacey Kells. This book is an important contribution to the MeToo movement and should be required reading for every high school senior or college freshman.

Kells describes an idyllic childhood transformed by tragedy that affects each family member in profound ways. Filled with loneliness and often isolated, Kellcey turns to a relationship with an older boy of whom her mother approves. Unfortunately, Ben’s friend, John, makes crude remarks around Kellcey and Ben has to step in to prevent him from acting on his unwanted advances. This early glimpse into a culture that objectifies women at extremely young ages and teaches boys that this form of toxic masculinity is normal, is difficult to read emotionally as it is so relatable to many women.

I could also relate to much of the landscape in this book, as I have visited the locations where Kellcey lives and travels. Tofino, with its magnificent trees and parks, brought back many fond memories for me, yet set against this backdrop of natural beauty is an escalation of misogyny that will make readers feel incensed once again. Alcohol is often used as an excuse for the mistreatment of women, including name-calling and sexual assault. Unfortunately, none of these events are unrealistic for our everyday interactions. They are all too common and Kells does an excellent job of detailing them using imagery that makes the reader recoil with disgust.

Without inserting too many plot spoilers, Kellcey not only bears witness to what countless other women have gone through, but also offers a message of hope. Kells is clear when she characterizes Kellcey as a resilient young woman who is brave enough to speak her truth, face it, and work to heal. I applaud the author for her courage to write such an honest story and look forward to reading her future publications.
A definite 5-stars from me!"


MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

J. G. MacLeod, an author and secondary teacher and says , " I even . . . [use "Kellcey]" in my classroom and encourage my grade 12 students to read it." Learn more about her on twitter @jgmacleodauthor , her website,  jgmacleod.com, and Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2479609695.

Kellecy-for-grade-12-book-review


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS AND ANOTHER FREEBIE


 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog 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.



Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too! 

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Editor Reviews LB Sedlacek New Poetry Book


Words and Bones
By LB Sedlacek
Published 2018
Finishing Line Press
Genre: Poetry
42 pages
ISBN-10:  1635346320
ISBN-13:  978-1635346329


Reviewed by Cristina M.R. Norcross

In L.B. Sedlacek’s collection, Words and Bones, we see the wonder of every day miracles presented to us using spare, but precise language, and imagery that opens up the sky and earth in unique ways. If we follow the thread of words in these engaging poems, we not only find our way out of the forest of life, we emerge with a deeper understanding of human connection, ways of seeing, and inner knowing. These are poems to be savored and sipped. These words and bones shed light on the mysterious world around us and skillfully offer a poetic guide map.


MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Cristina M. R. Norcross, Editor of Blue Heron Review; author of Beauty in the Broken Places and other titles.



MORE ABOUT THE POET


L.B. Sedlacek’s poetry has appeared in publications such as "Pure Francis," "The Broad River Review," "The Broken Plate," "I-70 Review,"  "Third Wednesday," "Mastodon Dentist," "Big Pulp," and others.  Her latest poetry book, "The Architect of French Fries" was recently published by Presa Press.  She also teaches poetry at local elementary and middle schools, publishes a free resource for poets "The Poetry Market Ezine," and was a Poetry Editor for "ESC! Magazine."  In her free time, LB enjoys swimming, reading, and volunteering for her local humane society.  Find out more:  www.lbsedlacek.com


Subscribe to her newsletter at 
The Poetry Market Ezine

MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG
 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, March 4, 2019

Winning Writers Announces Winners for Their North Street Book Prize!

Lots of my SharingwithWriters and TheNewBookReview subscribers and visitors know that I believe in contests, but more importantly, I believe in choosing contests that offer more than a flashy logo to use on their books and in their social networking (though those are nice, too!).  Many contests are expensive, but some--even some of the expensive ones are worth the money if they offer benefits.  One of the ones I support--avidly--is #NorthStreetBookPrize from the Writer's Digest acclaimed WinningWriters.com! They just announced their winners who received the traditional logo/sticker, of course, but also a gift certificate from Bookbaby.com and an hour's consultation from me!  So here is some great reading and networking possibilities for NewBookReview readers, reviewers, publishers, authors, and publicists!

Here are the North Street Book Prize winners.  Read and enjoy! Look them up! And check the #NorthStreetBookPrize coming for 2019 at https://winningwriters.com/our-contests/north-street-book-prize

North Street Book Prize 2018 Winners List


Grand Prize
Emily Bracale, Our Last Six Months (1124720) (graphic memoir)

Memoir
1st:
Francesco Granieri, Pavarotti and Pancakes (1124997)

Genre Fiction
1st:
Carol DeMent, Saving Nary (1125055) (recategorize)

Literary Fiction
1st:
Angela Carole Brown, Trading Fours (1125260)

Poetry
1st:
William Rodriguez, From the Banks of Brook Avenue (1124865)

Children's Picture Book
1st:
Jeannine Bernardi, A Friendship Forever (1125054)

North-Street-Book-Prize-2018-winners-announced


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS AND ANOTHER FREEBIE


 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog 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.



Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too! 

Five of Five Shocking Stars for "Deadly Passion"


Title: Deadly Passion
Author: Joe Congel
Author Website: amazon.com/author/joecongel
Genre: Mystery/Private Detective
Ebook ASIN: B07C29GK9R 
Paperback ASIN: 1718805594
Paperback ISBN-13: 978-1718805590
Paperback ISBN-10: 1718805594
Reviewers Rating: 5 stars out of 5 



Reviewed by Leonard Tillerman originally for Leonardtillerman.com

What ultimately drives one human being to murder another?  To take away everything they are and will ever be.  To snuff out a life which once shone bright with hope and dreams.  In the majority of cases it has to do with some form of emotional investment.  The power of emotions such as love and hate can be exceptionally strong.  Be that as it may, it is a cruel and evil deed which society has no mercy for.  The powers that be will hunt down such vicious killers with every resource they have at their disposal.  However, what happens when that is not enough?  When a murderer evades capture and punishment for their crime and continues to kill?  This is the point in time when the best of the best become involved…and ensure justice is served.  In the novel Deadly Passion by author Joe Congel, we get to see this very same scenario unfold.  If you like your murder mysteries peppered with intense human emotions, betrayal and ingenious sleuths… then this novel will provide what you seek!

The story revolves around the brutal slaying of two women.  They were both butchered in exactly the same fashion- stabbed to death with their hearts cut out from their body.  The puzzling matter however is that the two murders happened 20 years apart from one another. The first case was never solved.  Could a sadistic killer who escaped justice the first time around be back in business?  Enter Private Investigator Tony Razzolito.  He is the cream of the crop when it comes to gumshoe detectives, and has been brought onboard for this case by the police brass themselves.  Of course, this does not sit well with the original homicide detective who was unable to solve this senseless murder decades ago.  Forced to work together, the two must put their differences aside and stop a sadistic killer before they strike again.
To write out the plot for a great detective/murder mystery is no easy feat.  It must contain a number of key elements to be believable and thus successful.  For instance, there have to be victims, suspects, puzzles, clues and a number of breathtaking twists and turns.  All of this needs to be presented in a way in which the reader becomes a virtual participant in the process.  They are solving the crime alongside their favorite detective!  When this all comes together you end up with true reader engagement.  This is exactly the case with Deadly Passion.  The theme of love and revenge is brilliantly supported by exciting and edge-of-your seat story events.  The reader becomes emotionally involved in the process which in turn is exceptionally powerful in creating a captivated reading audience.

While the plot of this novel is beautifully written, I do believe it essentially remains a character-driven story.  There are a number of significant players in this tale who develop and grow in great detail.  From Razzolito and Scott to Cahill and Havens.  We get to learn more about the variety of characters, and what drives them, with each passing page.  Once again the reader becomes emotionally invested and interconnected with them and their particular plight.  What’s more, by utilizing his unique writing style and point of view, the author allows us insight into the minds of victims and villain.  Engagement at its best!
Overall, I loved this novel.  While the story events are intelligent and intricate, it remains easy to read.  This is due to the smooth writing and crisp dialogue which seamlessly flows from page to page.  If you are in the mood for a classic and enthralling murder mystery… this is the book for you!  Undeniably a true page turner.
5 out of 5 Shocking Stars for this one!  *****

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joe Congel grew up in Central New York. After thirty-five years of braving long winters enhanced by lake effect snow, and ridiculously short summers, he made his way below the Mason-Dixon Line to beautiful Charlotte, NC.
He spent the last twenty plus years helping to raise two wonderful kids into adulthood and now spends his time enjoying his grandchildren, baseball, playing guitar, reading, and of course, writing stories that he hopes people will want to read. 
You can find Joe’s books at: https://www.amazon.com/Joe-Congel/e/B072Q1XWB1
 Follow Joe on Twitter at: @JoeCongelAuthor  
Visit Joe on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/JoeCongelAuthor/ 
You can reach Joe via email at jc.razzman@gmail.com
MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER
My name is Leonard Tillerman and I am an educator and writer.  I have spent the last 25 years as an English teacher and school Principal.  I also have over 20 years of experience as a blogger and freelance writer offering my services to various publications.   I am passionate about the written word.
While I am extremely passionate about writing…the same can absolutely be said about reading!  There is nothing I like to do more than sit by the fire and read a great book.  In fact, I have read so many books in my lifetime that I lost count a long time ago.  That brings me to this point.  I would like to help readers and authors find one another.  In particular, I strive to help Indy Authors reach a larger audience by providing honest and comprehensive reviews of their work. So many great writers and authors are just not having their voices heard. My Grandfather was an amazing writer who wrote 5 amazing books.  They were never published as it was such a difficult market to break into.  I want to help people like him.  
There is nothing in this for me other than satisfaction.  I never charge for reviews and will never offer a review to someone I know personally.  I do not think I would be able to write an honest review if that was the case.  In return for my book reviews I achieve satisfaction as great writers get exposure, as well as visitors to my website who will look around and explore the pages.  That is all I get or want.  
Twitter: @mywritersnook   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeonardTillerman1

Five of Five Shocking Stars for "Deadly Passion"


MORE ABOUT THIS BLOG AND GETTING REVIEWS AND ANOTHER FREEBIE


 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

This blog 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.



Note: Participating authors and their publishers may request the social sharing image by Carolyn Wilhelm at no charge.  Please contact the designer at:  cwilhelm (at) thewiseowlfactory (dot) com. Provide the name of the book being reviewed and--if an image or headshot of the author --isn't already part of the badge, include it as an attachment. Wilhelm will send you the badge to use in your own Internet marketing. Give Wilhelm the link to this post, too! 

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Mother/Daughter Writing Team Dedicate Book to Adopted Children Everywhere

Title: A Mom
Authors: Daughter and Mother team, Betsy and Carolyn Wilhelm
Genre: Children's Picture Book, Children's Literature
Illustrator: Pieter Els
ISBN: 978-0-9997766-5-0
Dedicated to adopted children everywhere

As an educator holding a masters degree in gifted education, Carolyn Wilhelm's books for children are filled with subtle lessons with an emphasis on the word "subtle." That the protagonist in this book shares what she thinks a "mother" does is Asian and the mother is Caucasian is a subtext. The story is really about a mother and daughter relationship and love. The underlying message is discernible through the lovely, simple illustrations by Pieter Els and a gentle allusion to "color" in the text that the reader might easily miss. Which is how it should be. After all, that is the point of this lovely little eighteen-page booklet which is just the right size for a just-one-more-story at bedtime.

MORE ABOUT THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WRITING TEAM

I. Reid is the pen name of the daughter of this team, who happens to be adopted and look quite different from her mother.  Carolyn Wilhelm is the other half of the team who, as an educator, recognized the need for gentle stories about adoption and about interracial adoption in particular. This book is dedicated to "All adopted children everywhere." You can find Reid blogging at https://www.thewiseowlfactory.com/guest-posts-by-i-reid/. Find Wilhelm's teaching aids for teachers and parents at The Wise Owl Factory on Pinterest and she tweets @WiseOwlFactory.

MORE ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Pieter Else has a long list of experience from thirty years plus studying and working in graphic design and educational technology.  Find his clip art at http://surferkiddies.com and reach him by e-mail at surferkidsclipart@gmail.com.

Mother/Daughter Writing Team Dedicate Book to Adopted Children Everywhere


MORE ABOUT THE NEW BOOK REVIEW BLOG

 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.