Your Shelf Life Book Reviews –– Review Policy
I've gotten so many requests from authors to review their books that I need to explain Your Shelf Life's review policy. First off, I am a writer, not a reviewer. Every review I post takes away from my writing time. I'm very careful about what books I read and review. I do reviews for my own pleasure and as a break from writing. I'm unwilling to make my reviewing into an obligation or a burden.
You will see book reviews on Your Shelf Life. These are reviews of books I've found myself or which good friends have recommended. Despite the fact that reviews appear here, this is not a review site. I do not take outside books for review. Please do not contact me asking me to review your book.
I'm sorry to have to refuse your request. I know how hard it is to have your book reviewed in the beginning, but I'm a writer, not a reviewer. My time–like yours–is very valuable. A search of the 'net will reveal many reputable sites that do take books for review. Some may even specialize in your genre. Keep looking for reviewers! You will succeed.
One reviewer that I like very much and recommend heartily is Red Adept Review. They do terrific, thorough, and very professional reviews––free of charge.
Another good review site is Todd A. Fonseca's Review my Book on Amazon.
Still another is Midwest Book Review.
Since you will see reviews on this blog, I'm going to set out my policies. First, as I said, I don't do reviews on request and I do not solicit books to review. Second, if you see my reviews here or on Amazon or elsewhere, you'll notice that they're pretty much all five-star reviews. Does that mean I'm a soft touch? No. I ONLY WRITE REVIEWS FOR BOOKS I REALLY LIKE. So if you see a bunch of very high reviews under my name, that doesn't mean that I only give terrific reviews, it means that I didn't review the bazillion other books I've read. I'm not into "star-wars"––you know, "You gave my book a bad review, so I'll give your book a worse one." (And then I'll organize my friends to slam your book.) This stuff happens. I won't buy into it. Third, I do not charge for the reviews I write, other than accepting a complementary review copy of the book. This is standard industry practice.
My very best wishes to you for success in your writing adventure.
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Sandy Nathan is the winner of twenty-one national awards, in categories from memoir, to visionary fiction, to children's nonfiction. And more.
Sandy's books are: (Click link to the left for more information. All links below go to Kindle sale pages.)
The Angel & the Brown-eyed Boy
Numenon: A Tale of Mysticism & Money
Tecolote: The Little Horse That Could
Stepping Off the Edge: Learning & Living Spiritual Practice
Two sequels to The Angel & the Brown-eyed Boy are in production with a late (very late) 2011 publication date, or early 2012. If you liked The Angel you'll love Lady Grace and Sam & Emily.
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Thanks, Sandy. This post nicely encapsulates how I feel about my own reviewing, though for me a book must be what I might consider a classic to give five stars. Three stars and up and I want to review the book and bring it to readers' attention. Anything less and I won't take the time...
Everyone has their own way of doing things. Yours sounds good. The key for me, besides good writing, is that a book "ring my chimes." It has to do something special for me or I don't review it.
Yeah, that would be the top two criteria for me too. I actually wish they had 1/2 stars as they do on Library Thing. There have been several times where I would have liked to give 3 1/2 or 4 1/2 stars.
Yes, a book may be totally cool but have some flaw, like typos all over or editorial issues. It doesn't deserve a 5 (or 4), but it's too good for the lower score.I get aggravated by the trend to judge and evaluate everything that is rampant in our society. I have an MA in counseling, and maybe my training there is poking through, but I'd like us to just let each other be. That's another reason I don't review books that aren't really special. I know how hard it is to write and publish a book, I don't want to dis- anyone. And yet, we need some way of telling others about our experience. A puzzle.
It really is, and also the reason I don't review books that I can't in all good conscience recommend. If the book is written by someone I have 'friended' on social media and has glaring editing issues, I may send them a personal note to that effect. I try to be as gentle as possible, pointing out the good parts and giving some hints on how they may be able to get someone to do a bit of editing. I do this as a friend and then, as you say, I let them be. I appreciate how much time and effort go into writing and also how subjective it is to the reader.If the book has no redeeming quality, in my view, I simply feel sad and say nothing...
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