Review of "The Legend of Rachel Petersen" by "JT Baroni"

Story Overview:

Christian quits his job when he is passed over for promotion on the grounds of not being technical enough. Moving out of the big town he and his wife buy a house that is in need of some serious work while he starts writing a novel. His beginning efforts are ‘terrible’. But one day he stumbles across a gravestone, on it is the name Rachel Petersen. Christian decides to write her story, where she is a murdering ghost. But when the book becomes a best seller, Christian starts to imagine that Rachel is coming after him.

 

Cover Page:  15/20

The cover has lot of material on the front. The ghostly girl certainly adds to the atmosphere that the author is attempting to create, but the added extras of what I can only presume to be snow (derived from the snow in the storyline) adds to a cluttered cover. Although it will please some people, I don’t personally think it does the cover any good and that it detracts from what should be the main focus of the cover.

Character (and their development):  12/20

The characters are effectively portrayed, but I see little development in them throughout the book.  This could be the little amount of time that the characters have with the reader. Christian and his wife are really only in the beginning and the end, while other characters are only in the middle and neither set really interact.

My major concern is that you spend nearly a third of book investing your time into Christian and his wife, almost cheering him on to become a good writer. Then your perspective is changed to that of the Christian’s book characters and in your mind you are wondering how long you have to invest in these characters. This creates a poor relationship between the reader and the characters. But just as you get comfortable again, the character set changes, then changes back, before just for the end, you are back with Christian as he releases his bestselling novel.

Storyline:  16/20

The storyline, in which ever one you wish to concentrate on is not a bad one. It certainly has its uniqueness. In fact I would go as far as to say that with a little refinement to certain areas of the style and characterisation could turn this novel into the bestseller that the author writes about. Even the story within the story is good enough that a little extra would push it up.

I think the concern is that there is no depth to the storyline, nothing compelling the reader to keep reading once you get to the legend of Rachel. Instead the story is driven by whether Christian will or will not become a successful writer and how he fares. And I don’t think that this is what the author intended.

Style:  12/20

  

The actual writing of the novel is not bad. The style of the sentences and paragraphs is good. But a more descriptive tone would probably have pushed it up a little bit. It did feel at times as if I was reading an account of what was happening line by line. Instead as a reader I want the atmosphere, the actions and the thoughts of the characters to be described so I can imagine the whole world in which the characters live in. This lessens the horror part of the book which could have been on the level of several well known horror books.

Another problem for me was the story within the story, element. It would have been a great story if either of the stories was picked up and ran in throughout the book. But unfortunately the author chose both and the books effectiveness is lost.

Spelling and Grammar:  20/20

I could not see any mistakes so there is nothing more that I can say.

Conclusion:  75/100

This is a book that has a great number of ideas but tries too hard to mesh them all together into a single storyline. This probably would have done better as two short novellas or novels but together they are damage the other. Saying that it is not a bad book and I would say that casual readers of horror may enjoy the book, but not those hard core horror fans or those who like to see the characters develop.

Buy The Legend of Rachel Petersen at Amazon.co.uk      Buy The Legend of Rachel Petersen at Amazon.com  

Connect with the Author

Website 

Three Reasons Why Bad Reviews Are Good

Whether you’re self published or traditional published; bad reviews are a fact of life for authors. When you get a bad review it can sometimes feel like some has pushed a sword through your heart and the pain can put you off from writing for days, weeks or even longer. This can be even more troubling if you get a terrible review from a review site / blog.

So what do we do as authors? Do we throw the proverbial toy out the pram? Some reviews would say that we already do that. And to be honest we are all more professional than that.

I know that when I was growing up my mother always told me – “ignore them and they eventually go away”. Well I’m afraid mum, you were wrong. Unlike the Ostrich (which surprisingly doesn’t bury its head in the sand); burying our head in the sand isn’t going to help us. People will either pick up on the comments or use them to torture us. And there is no target more tempting than a backside sticking up in the air when the owners head is buried in the sand.

So we could ask to have the article removed. Although Amazon, smashwords, and other retailers won’t do this without just cause – and no our egos does not count as such – review sites might. However has anyone ever considered the benefit from bad reviews? Well here are three reasons why you might just want to keep those bad reviews around.

1.       It points out where your writing needs improvement.

So your readers say that your book is full of grammar and spelling mistakes? Perhaps your readers say the characters are flat and bore them to tears? Should you throw the preverbal toy out of the pram? Why not instead remove all the “I hate this book” or the “the writer is crappy” remarks and break it down into some bullet points which have some substance – “spelling was not perfect”, “Characterisation was not progressive”. The best part of this method is that you aren’t looking at this from a personal point of view, but from a business point of view. If something is fixable, then fix it and release a new edition, but if not store them in the back of your mind for future releases.

2.       It creates book awareness

Think about some famous books out at the moment. The fifty shades of grey has over 4000 reviews at the moment; 32% of them are 1 star reviews and 49% are 3* and below. Yet the book is undoubtedly a commercial success. Why is it such a commercial success? Because it is so controversial that people are buying it just to see what it is like, is it really so good / bad? When I asked my friends and family why they bought it, they all said they wanted to read what all the fuss was about. This is a good example where a bad review is a great thing for the book in question.

Also, if I am looking at any product I look at all the reviews not just one. Does one review say it is bad against five good ones? What does the one bad review say? If the bad review says “I hate this book”, then I tend to ignore it.

3.       It creates Author awareness

So you get a bad review for one book, what about the other 3 or 4 you have released? Search engines work in peculiar ways. They don’t care so much as what is on a website; they care more how it is labelled and where it links to. Although I do not understand the exact formula, essentially every link into your author webpage or book page is a plus one for the site on the search engines. Even having that one star review that links to your site can serve some benefit – it could move you up the search engine ladder. If you get enough links to your sites, without spamming of course, then you will surpass the blogger’s or the reviewers’ website and people won’t even know that review has existed. And all they see is the carefully selected ‘glowing’ reviews that you have put on your website.

Good day to all.

Blog now accepting Guest Bloggers

The Indie Ebook Review Site is now accepting submissions for guest bloggers. Please read on or on our submissions page for details on how to submit.


Guest Post Submissions

Looking to have a guest post on the website to gain extra exposure, I now welcome submissions for them. It can't simply be a self promotion, but rather something that people that would find useful in their lives. Please read below for the process
.
The Process

1.  If it is your first time guest blogging on our site, then please do write a first draft for submission. If you have guest blogged before, then write a short explanation of what topic you would like to write about on the blog.
2. E-mail us at djlowbridge@gmail.com with the first draft / proposed topic. If this is your first time then please include any urls to previous guest posts you have done before.
3. I will contact you whether we wish to feature the article and if we feel any changes need to be done (if a first draft has been submitted). I will then ask it you would like a particular date for release or not and we will agree for a release date and a final submission date (if required).
4. You may ask to have one link to your website and one to a book and a picture of either you or a book cover that you own the rights to.
5. I will upload your post and set it to go off at the agreed time. On it at the end I will include a blurb about you and your latest release / upcoming release with a link to your website and / or a link to the book on amazon.
6. I will advertise the post at the usual places.

Review for "Wampus Springs" by Wade Faubert

Story Overview:

Lori is savaged by a wolf when she is twelve years old. Her three friends are dead and she has a scar that will remain with her forever. To get away from it all, her family move and for four years she attempts to forget about the horrible day, she almost died. Then just as everything seems to be getting to a sort of normality, a student disappears in her new town and through her nightmares she suspects the wolf is coming to finish the job.

Cover Page:  14/20

Again I am being drawn to the comment of “can’t judge a book by its cover” and that is more true here than ever before. When I look at the cover I think – ‘vampire’. However this book is about werewolves primarily and although the girl on the picture looks the part of a mysterious person; she doesn’t portray the characters particularly well nor does she really tell me much about the story. However on the plus side at least the cover looks professionally done and like it should belong on a book shelf in this genre. This would at least draw an uncommitted browser in.

Character (and their development):  10/20

The characters within the story all seem alike in their dialogue; although many of them are years apart in age. Sometimes with little else to offer us in terms of actions and thoughts gives us little insight into them. I did personally like Lori and Josh, but found Kirk and Jessica a little too ‘teen tearaway’ for my liking. But like most of the characters all the latter two are; are obnoxious late teenagers; something every parent dreads. The development for the main character is appropriate, but it is nothing special.

Storyline:  17/20

The storyline has a great deal of potential and is probably the best part of this book. The idea of something coming back to haunt a protagonist is nothing new, neither is the idea of a new kid on the block having a shady past, but the two brought together here have a huge potential. Even some of the minor characters have an excellent opportunity to shine, with a suspicious police officer from the previous town and the behaviour of the teachers.

Even the ending has something that a couple of years ago I would not have expected. However there is the problem with the storyline. As I read it I thought more and more about a famous series of books based on vampires, and the similarities between that series and this book. Don’t get me wrong, this book has more of a uniqueness to make sure that it isn’t a like for like copy with just a few name changes. But to me it seems obvious where the inspiration has come from.

Style: 8/20

  

Action scenes, description and even character thoughts are all portrayed well. They have a great pace around them and a touch of the best writers – when they occur. The dialogue is what the author mostly concentrates on to drive the chapters on, with little insight to what the characters are doing or thinking though heavy dialogue exchanges. It is a shame because this is what really lets this story down, however saying that; young teens may find this style more appealing than some books that go the other way.

The only down point about the action scenes is that sometimes objects that are interacted with are written in as if the reader knew they were there all the time. I don’t mind an object popping up, but the writing was such that it seemed as if I missed its introduction earlier on in the writing.

The style of the writing also didn’t allow the reader to read the action at the pace it was going, instead going at a constant speed throughout the book. This doesn’t allow the heart beat of the reader to race as the characters’ does or the catching of breath when needing. It also doesn’t encourage the reader to continue reading until the next chapter as almost any place is a good place to stop.

Spelling and Grammar:  10/20

The book is not full of mistakes as some people on the reviews would lead you to believe. There are in fact very few spelling and grammar mistakes, maybe a little more than I would expect from an author, but certainly far less than you are led on to believe.  What I found with the writing was there’s a lot of unnecessary words and sentences which slowed down the reading and made it more uncomfortable to read.

Conclusion:  59/100

This is a book with plenty of promise and potential, but the execution lets it down slightly. There are moments of brilliant writing, but unfortunately it is not consistent. If I was a young teen, or a person who really loved the ‘Twilight’ series, then this is the book that I would buy. But for the casual reader it might be one that would be a disappointment. Don’t get me wrong this isn’t a bad book, and there are plenty of books out there that are worse than this one, but one should not buy this if they like being told what is going on and not hearing it from the characters.

Buy "Wampus Springs" from Amazon.com      Buy "Wampus Springs" from Amazon.co.uk

Buy "Wampus Springs" from Smashwords

Connect with the Author

Author Website

Twitter

Review of "Azuri Fae" by India Drummond

Story Overview:

Following on several months’ from the previous story, Eilidh is now a student in the hidden sanctuary of people who also have her special powers. Munroe is still getting to grips with his basic powers and recovering from his ordeal with the Blood Faerie. However a meeting with the Queen from her own Kingdom and a separate request from the Prince starts a chain of events that will embroil her and her friends in a political battle that will destroy them all or change the face of the Kingdom forever.

Cover Page:  19/20

Again, the cover aspects are much like the previous story; very well professionally done and very typical of the fantasy market. However what I noticed before with relation to the modern aspect is less so in this book, a large majority of the story occurs in rural or magical kingdoms with little of the story really taking place in urban. However you could argue that the cover page again reflects elements which suggest a medieval setting, which again might turn a potential fan away. Though again I will re-iterate my comment that I said in the previous review, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

 

Character (and their development):  18/20

With it being a second book the author might be forgiven by some to give the characters a backseat in development; to be completely at ease with other or to completely have forgotten the events of the previous book. I am glad to say none of that has occurred.

Eilidh is certainly affected by the events of the first and since then has certainly been developing ‘off page’. Her questioning loyalties concerning her connection between the exiled people she trains with, her natural home where her father lives and Munroe and the affections she has for him is brilliant player out with every twist and turn in her head. But at no point, when the going gets tough, does the author allow the character to sway from the set personality, which is certainly true of every character that the author has written for in this book.

Munroe’s change has make him a little like a love sick puppy in this book, but without him becoming someone who is so annoying you hope he is but in mortal peril just to get him unconscious for a while. However when it comes to duty he can certainly rough it out with the best of them and it is a joy to see some of his dialogue with the other characters, especially with his police sergeant and the Royal Prince. The tension that Munroe’s ways and Eilidh’s certainly gives parts of the book bite and I certainly felt sorry that they couldn’t just get away from it all to sort out their own problems before being dumped into other people’s troubles. Their relationship has so many layers however it never got dull to read about it during the book.

Secondary characters have again been well written for, each with a unique personality, way of talking and habits, giving the world a sense of depth and richness. A special mention has to be given to Oron who really came out in this book, whereas in the first book he wasn’t featured enough to appreciate his character.

Again, my main disappointment is with the antagonist. With less time spent with them than the previous instalment, it was hard to engage them. Without spoiling the ending, by the end of the book I was not emotionally invested enough to react to their actions.

Storyline: 18/20

This books has many layers are all interwoven like a fine thread that when they all connect create a wonderful story. So many parts of the story seem like another author might have ended it at that point, but this author gets the reader feeling comfortable that they are nearing the end and suddenly hits them with another events that will make them wish to read more and read quickly. A lot of the scenes were brilliantly played out and the author has done well to create a structure and story with so many elements that fit well in an order that both entertains and makes sense.

My observation is that despite the previous book, this one had a few predicable twists, either that or reading one book after the other got me too use to the way that the author writes and thinks, casual readers may not be able see what is coming up. Despite that, I do feel the book has an excellent and well thought out story.

Again unfortunately I can’t reveal too much about the story as that would give away a lot about the book.

Style: 20/20

The style of this book is very much the same as the previous book. The writing is excellent at getting the reader to get to the pace of what is going on within the book, action scenes which are fast moving are written so you have to read fast, the slower more sedate scenes also written so the reader is at their speed. It’s a brilliant way of getting the reader’s heart pumping just when it is needed. The author does a great job in their build up to the main events and if you are paying close attention you can see the little clues dotted around to warn you of the coming storm.

The detail is brilliant and makes the reader feel that they can touch, smell and taste the environment that the characters are. The thoughts of the characters are well played out and brilliantly woven into the story to add to the storyline.

Another great part of the story is that the author has made it so that if you are new to the series, you needn’t have read the first book, although it would be of help still. By doing so the author allows a reader who has bought this book first to read it, get to know the characters well without feeling there is a tonne of information they are missing and buy the first one if they so wish later on. I think this was a great moment from the author.

Spelling and Grammar:  19/20

Considering the flawless and I mean flawless show last time; I was disheartened to see a couple of mistakes in this book. However having read countless books, indie, traditional and small press I can honestly say that the number of mistakes in this book is only second to her first book and miles better than a dozen or so traditional books that I have read in the past year. If I were the author I would not be concerned, after all we are only human.

Conclusion:  94/100

This book is an excellent sequel to the first in the series that moves the story on in a fashion that any author should be proud of. With enthralling tales, twists that will shock most readers and characters that you just wish you could invite over for dinner; I would recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy.

Buy "Azuri Fae" from Amazon.co.uk          Buy "Azuri Fae" from Amazon.com

Connect with the Author:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/IndiaDrummond

Facebook Fan page: http://www.facebook.com/india.drummond.author

Blog: http://www.indiadrummond.com