This month, a significant publishing acquisition occurred which turns all of the shares of Quality Solutions/Firebrand Technologies over to a Japanese company's US operations, Media Do International. Firebrand is the parent company of popular ARC distributor and potential review source, NetGalley. Launched in 2008 shortly before BookExpo America by Rosetta Solutions, the … [Read more...] about NetGalley Bought by Japanese Company Media Do
eBook Reviews
The Best Book Review Sites – 2015
Sometimes you buy books on impulse or because you heard it was good. In other cases due diligence is necessary and maybe you want to read a few reviews first. There are many review sites out there that have spoilers that can ruin the reading experience, while others are really solid. Today, we are going to look at the best book review sites out there. BookLikes - BookLikes, … [Read more...] about The Best Book Review Sites – 2015
eBook Review: Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen
Verdict: 3 Stars What does it take to earn a solid, middle-of-the-road three stars in a book? Basically, it involves a book that is single-minded in its goal while being so badly researched and written that you come away feeling mildly dumber for having read it. Mrs. Poe is yet another attempt by a historical novelist to paint a picture of what if. And those novels, when … [Read more...] about eBook Review: Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen
Goodreads Modifies User Terms to Prevent Author Bullying, Reviewers Outraged
After the recent pivotal blowup of author bullying and harassment on book discovery website Goodreads, an issue that has apparently been ongoing but only within the last month received the global attention it now faces, leadership at the site made a startling announcement last night by finally stepping in and publishing guidelines that have been put into effect to prevent … [Read more...] about Goodreads Modifies User Terms to Prevent Author Bullying, Reviewers Outraged
Viral Angry Book Reviews?
There's good news for any author who's ever received a horrible review of his book: bad news travels fast, and a new study Beihang University in China proves it. According to the report, angry or rage-filled posts on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, spread far more quickly and were shared more often than good news or uplifting posts. While the study did indicate that the … [Read more...] about Viral Angry Book Reviews?
eBook Review: I’ll Take What She Has by Samantha Wilde
Verdict: 2 Stars One of the saddest disappointments in reading is to wait longingly for a book based on its author's merits, only to have it turn out wretchedly. Unfortunately, I'll Take What She Has is the epitome of such a book. Truthfully, it shouldn't have come as a surprise that the book is full of angst and discontent, as its title suggests. Despite its easy to … [Read more...] about eBook Review: I’ll Take What She Has by Samantha Wilde
eBook Review: Chanel Bonfire by Wendy Lawless
Verdict: 5 Stars Reading about the abuse that others have endured, especially abuse that they suffered as children at the hands of a near-evil parent, is rarely an enjoyable voyeuristic pastime. But Wendy Lawless' Chanel Bonfire (Gallery Books) is written with such an eloquence and with such masterful storytelling, that it draws the reader into her childhood and her … [Read more...] about eBook Review: Chanel Bonfire by Wendy Lawless
eBook Review: Cascade by Maryanne O’Hara
Verdict: 5 Stars It’s my job to read a book with every intention of picking it apart, word by word, professionally tossing around compliments or disdain. But with Maryanne O’Hara’s novel Cascade (Viking), I was so drawn in by the best storytelling I’ve found in a long time that I forgot it was my job to review it. I was simply too wrapped up in enjoying it. Desdemona Hart … [Read more...] about eBook Review: Cascade by Maryanne O’Hara
A New Report States 15% of All eBook Reviews Will Be Fake by 2014
A new report by Gartner Research points out a very disturbing trend in the ebook industry: fake or paid reviews. Many companies are actively creating duplicate user accounts and posting reviews on a book in an effort to gain more sales. In other cases, self-published authors like John Locke and Stephen Leather pay people to leave positive reviews or leave fake reviews … [Read more...] about A New Report States 15% of All eBook Reviews Will Be Fake by 2014
Flaws in Online Book Reviews
The doors of publishing have been virtually thrown open to self-published authors, but as ever increasing numbers of books become available, discoverability becomes an issue. Authors trying to get attention for their books have nearly as much work to do in marketing as they do in the creative process. While some authors take to their social media outlets to spread the word … [Read more...] about Flaws in Online Book Reviews