pub book reviews

Streitz dives into an impressive and expansive range of topics, tackling them head-on rather than tiptoeing around them as most normally do. In the process, audiences get to reflect on how they interact with their own lives and the stimuli they are constantly surrounded by. Above all else, however, it is the poet’s ability to use language, particularly metaphor, imagery, and satire, to create a remarkably relatable and universal connection with his readers. ... (read more)

Award-winning author Baltazzi has constructed an energizing treatise focused on the search for and acquisition of the experience of happiness, extracting it from what may sometimes seem like an impossibly complex morass of personal and societal restraints through her well-considered methodology. Based on her background as a noted television producer and director with the long-running and highly successful series Survivor , and drawing from perceptions of a multitude of realms—spiritual, social, and practical—she postulates eight core values needed for the process of attaining happiness: faith, love, health, gratitude, forgiveness, peace, detachment, and abundance. Each of these qualities, referred to collectively as “Happiness Essentials,” is explored using certain terms derived from the author’s background in cinematography. ... (read more)

Personal Dram a

Ella and her husband, Cole, buy a few properties in Kansas City's inner city, including an apartment building. They have a dream to fix up run-down neighborhoods and provide comfortable, affordable housing to both Caucasians and African Americans. Ella does most of the management of the properties as Cole is often away. This gives her the opportunity to relate to a variety of people in the area, from crooks to cops, druggies to housewives. She makes some friends, but not everyone in the area is happy with the new residents. During their time in Kansas City, the couple see their friend in the police department arrest a serial rapist and cross paths with a mobster running a gambling ring. Ella’s vision of an inner-city utopia is much more difficult than she imagined. ... (read more)

Children Thinking

Most children adore a good animal story. This one will likely be fought over if there is only one copy on the home, school, or public library shelf. This true tale of a rescued baby otter shares concepts of kindness, hope, healing, and the life cycle. ... (read more)

Daily Trials

While the book begins with the murder of Professor Johnny Wharton, the murder itself is almost superfluous to this brilliantly written novel of intrigue that is primarily set in the mid-1980s. It explores the lives of five women. Four of the women are connected to Wharton, while the fifth becomes an integral part of the book later in the story. These four women include the following: Wharton's wife, Liz, who is an accountant and who volunteers at a dog rescue; their estranged and troubled daughter, Jenny; his grad student Jane (with whom he’s having an affair); and his closeted lesbian coworker, Maddie, who he holds in disdain, and who is the lover of Roz, the fifth woman. The book takes readers through the lives of these women, from the joy and beauty of existence to the trials and tribulations of daily life. ... (read more)

Transcendent Tone

Divided into three movements to mimic an actual concerto, this book’s poems create a representation of the human emotional experience that makes its complexities accessible. Poems like “Early in Morning in Bethesda” examine a relationship’s tenderest moments. “Little Box” embraces an experimental form that is both peaceful and chaotic. “Grief at Full Moon” captures where loss compounds one’s interactions with not only the physical world but also the emotional one, and the memory of a loved one becomes a haunting force that controls one’s being. In other poems, the sanctity of nature becomes a healing, cleansing entity, while “the first grace of snow” offers a turning point in the speaker’s grief cycle. Fueling the musicality inherent in these poems are the experimental structures of lines and stanzas that form a concerto unlike any other. ... (read more)

Masterful Storyteller

This third book in Cannon’s enjoyable fantasy series continues the saga of Sillik. Having returned home to Illicia, “the most powerful and wealthy city in the land,” to learn of his father’s death, he becomes king. With his wife, Renee, by his side, Sillik surrounds himself with trusted advisors. The city is attacked by dragons and the horrible Schula—“green-skinned, long-tusked creatures.” As it becomes clear that the dragons and Schula are attacking other cities, war seems imminent. The Seven Gods and Illicia are pitted against the nine dark forces, which include the formidable gods Mind Breaker and Soulcrusher. As the two factions move toward war, it becomes clear that Sillik and his people will need to harness all their magical powers if they are to defeat the Nine. Will they succeed, or will all be lost in the final battle? ... (read more)

Kind-Hearted Soul

Young Emmeline dreams of becoming a veterinarian or a biologist in the future. She is inspired by her father, who works as a naturalist and travels all over the world. When she convinces him to let her meet up with him on an expedition to the Falkland Islands, Emmeline travels on the Maria Christina , where she becomes friends with a crew member’s son named Demetrio. Disaster strikes when the boat comes under attack and sinks, leaving Emmeline alone when she washes up in the strange land of Pletonia. But she soon makes friends with many of its inhabitants, learning it is natural for them to get reincarnated as various animals. Further, during her journey to visit its rulers, Emmeline discovers that she has personal ties to this fantastical land. However, Pletonia comes under attack by the exiled Valdrimos Pish, who unleashes creatures that kill and stop the reincarnation process. Emmeline and her new friends must work together to find solutions to the crisis. ... (read more)

Mesmeric Drama

Set amid the rustic landscape of Iceland, this tale explores our humanity and the ever-lingering mysteries that confound us with matters of life and death. Sixty-seven-year-old billionaire Daniel “Big Deal Dan” Pallson returns to his native homeland to promote his new proposed luxury hotel and fishing resort. Daniel’s younger brother, Jon, is among the protesters of the resort, with their differences pitting brother against brother in an icy confrontation. Shortly afterward, Daniel suffers a cardiac arrest that nearly kills him. As a result, Daniel is sent to stay with Jon at their 1940s farm, where they both grew up and where Jon now lives with his wife, Anna. The already rocky familial relationships stir up old resentments, especially when Daniel’s ex-wife, Doris, arrives and agrees to stay with them, too, trapping Daniel into an uncomfortable and inescapable situation. ... (read more)

Myths & Magic

Prince Khael Stratton is a mystic who seeks to deepen his knowledge of such arts to help those in need. Following a mission, he reports to the city of Cambridge—ruled over by his brother—and has a close encounter with a pickpocket who steals his signet ring. Alongside his bodyguard, Grant, the prince manages to track down the young woman, Vixen, who suffers from a foggy memory while demonstrating a great talent for skills associated with assassins. Prince Khael finds it an odd happenstance in a time when a terrorist group known as the Chelevkori are making active attempts to eliminate the royal family for a perceived wrongdoing by his grandfather, Loren, and it is further compounded by reports that tyrannical rule has seized the city of Skemmelsham over which he rules. Prince Khael forges a contract with Vixen, and with Grant, they go on a journey to liberate the city. ... (read more)

Cast of Characters

The relationships between instructors working in a dysfunctional sociology department at a fictional Florida university in the late 1980s are realistically explored in this novella by educator McNeill. While many workplaces, whether in government, the private for-profit sector, or even non-profit organizations, have these ego-driven, ideological clashes that create a hostile environment for some employees but provide unfair advantages to others, this story reveals the particular problems that arise in academic settings, and in this case, with dramatic, destructive results. The drama is also a cautionary tale determined by various departmental cliques that disregard the warning signs of trouble ahead for not only department faculty but for the entire university and the outside community as well. ... (read more)

Everlasting Soul

Stories harbor the potential to stand the test of time, carrying over from generation to generation. In Harry’s work, themes of scripture are transposed onto a fictional canvas that gives audiences a unique vantage point of many biblical elements, with a particular emphasis on the end times. The Lord’s sacrifices for mankind, despite the darkest of sins committed unto him, are brought into the light through this narrative. More importantly, the work is about restoring peace, balance, and love, shattering the subverted agendas of humans who wear the guise of peacekeepers while only looking out for themselves. ... (read more)

The book opens with a bold declaration that all forms of perfectionism are unhealthy. Collins and Molitor denounce the concept of “normal” perfectionists who are more productive and achieve greater success. As perfection is inherently unattainable, its pursuit is an inevitable path to frustration, which adversely affects mental and physical health, relationships, creativity, and productivity. Inspired by Kintsugi—the Japanese art and philosophy of “golden repair”—the authors advocate rejecting perfectionism and adopting the “Flawsomism” mindset of celebrating imperfection, striving for excellence, and embracing failure as an opportunity for growth. ... (read more)

Juhani Murros made an unexpected discovery during his visits to art galleries when he worked for an organization in Ho Chi Minh City in 1990. A small still life in an unobtrusive gallery commanded the Finnish physician’s attention. “It was an unpretentious oil painting, yet its dark, mysterious colors and the emotional tension of its disciplined composition set it apart.” Thus began a long journey of discovering the art and life of Van Den, a frugal and kind Buddhist of mixed Chinese and Vietnamese ancestry who studied in Paris for less than two years during 1950-52, a volatile period during the first French Indochina War. ... (read more)

Clear Philosophy

The free will debate has raged for over 2,000 years. Do individuals have control over their own actions and decisions, or are these actions and decisions predetermined by the gods, logic, nature or nurture, or many other forms of determinism? In this new work by Kral, he takes the reader on an intellectual journey that attempts to provide an alternative to the free will question. Upon initial inspection, the question, at its heart, seems to imply either a yes or no with explanations while excluding other answers. However, Kral manages to create a compelling third option, which posits that the question itself is flawed. He argues that “will” cannot be considered free or not free. His reasoning breaks down what the word means in the context of this question, and his results lead him to create an additional theory about the source of human behavior. which he has titled procirclism. ... (read more)

Jazzy & Gritty

This collection by Streitz is the first of four Bar Bibles of Poetry authored by him. In this volume, his attention falls on subjects ranging from bartenders to civil rights leaders, E.D. to selfies. Several poems deal with sex and love, from the lofty heights of romanticism to the street level of strippers and masturbation. He spends time on drunk writers hiding in their homes, dancers who should have been writers, beetles rolling balls of dung, and fathers who find themselves protective and uncomfortable. ... (read more)

Delightful Read

This work is an experience unto itself, one that takes traditional elements of fantasy and plants them into the modern world with supremely original results. Character-driven at its core, Carr’s work follows Trista, an orphan tunnel dweller who calls the depths of the New York subway tunnels her home. In every way, this is a classic coming-of-age story. The book revolves around a protagonist who recognizes that she is different but refuses the call and seeks to conform, to be ordinary, and to fit in. However, she must throw caution to the wind and erupt from her comfort zone or risk losing everything she holds dear. ... (read more)

Vivid Imagery

Caroline (CiCi) Marcum grew up in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, a fishing village on Cape Cod. She graduated high school, attended college, became a teacher, and married. But a tragic accident forever changed the course of CiCi’s life, and she fled to Chicago. Six years later, Caroline finds herself back in Wellfleet carrying for her ailing mother. Lonely and grieving, she reconnects with fellow Cape native Ridley Neal, a fourth-generation fisherman who inherited his father’s sea farm. While Rid is sympathetic to Caroline’s plight, he is embroiled in a legal battle to save his livelihood and cannot provide the emotional support CiCi so desperately needs. ... (read more)

Transformation

Fred counts on his dad when his inability to keep a job and keep his weight in check causes conflict with his mom and sister. When Fredق│└s dad dies and his sister (his primary income buffer) moves away, Fred and his mom are on their own until Fredق│└s wrestling champion girlfriend, Mary Ellen, arrives, giving Fred the boost he needs to defend himself, literally and figuratively. ... (read more)

Within this poetry collection, Australian writer Rodden has arranged forty-one contemporary poems reflecting both urban and rural experiences. Within the first selection, the poem’s speaker is driven to “make for the trees,” an attempt to avoid indoor offices where everyone else seems to be. There arise suddenly throughout these poems vivacious, invigorating lines, such as “In the library I try and try / to cram in all the poets and storytellers ….” Other poems tell of the writer’s experiences working among crews fighting bushfires in the wild. And some selections—such as the slightly eccentric, dry-humored “dead chicken-meat day”—paint a rather zany picture in which “the sign says / two skinned chickens for 6 dollars” as the speaker finds herself panting past KFC en route to work. In “The Loaded Dog,” a rustic pub sporting “Depression swaggy” photographs of “romantic gold miners / in classic beards” offers Devil’s Choice beer—with raspberries. ... (read more)

Textured & Memorable

A jilted lover kills herself after learning that she can’t have the man she desires most. A target of bullies is granted magical powers to seek revenge from a strange, otherworldly entity. The angel of death watches in the wings, taking interest in order to stop a terrible and inevitable fate. An invading force known as The Loons is coming to consume and extinguish the Earth across all dimensions. All of these happenings intertwine and knot together to create an action-packed story of death, rebirth, identity, and destiny, with all of humanity hanging in the balance. ... (read more)

History Alive

Even before stories were written, they were passed along from generation to generation, standing the test of time. Story is central to Romanowski’s memoir, one that delves deep into her Italian roots, how they’ve intersected and fused with American life, and the indelible impact family has had on her own life—and she on theirs. Through prose and poetry, the author meticulously and gracefully guides readers through her family genealogy, zeroing in on one particular figure, her grandfather, who unquestionably has the most profound impact on her worldview. ... (read more)

Cross-Country

If it takes twenty-one days to break a habit, then it certainly takes thirty-four to change a life. In Mortensen’s memoir, he simultaneously dazzles with his wit and inspires with an authentic portrayal of his journey biking from Minnesota to California. This isn’t a ride to glory by any stretch. On the contrary, it is one that provokes the human spirit, impelling both Mortensen and those who read it to dig into the innermost recesses of their being and pull out an unquenchable fire for life. ... (read more)

Compromising Situations

The assignment a rich man gives private investigator Brig Ellis is straightforward enough: intercept the last of a set of twelve historic palomino horse sculptures that he’s collecting during a prearranged hand-off. The apparent ease, though, understates the challenges Ellis encounters, such as the rich man’s sexy daughter, a string of deaths in San Diego and Mexico, and the rich man’s cagey employee. Beyond obtaining the miniature statue, the real test is of Ellis’ character. ... (read more)

Wide-Ranging

At our root, we are all derivatives of atoms, part and parcel of a universal, cosmic story formulated by all the stories that make mankind what it is today. No one is left behind as remnants of the past are fused into the present and the present to the future, an intricate tapestry of atomic history that came to define Earth as a “star-crossed planet,” in the author’s words. In Toliver’s collection of tales, a profound sentiment is expressed with refreshing simplicity: from sunrise and sunsets to the moon hanging over a mountain, all things, even the most minute and seemingly meaningless, are energy-driven reminders of “the place of our species.” ... (read more)

Brevity & Reflection

In Ireland’s latest collection of poems, thoughts and emotions are expressed by location. Leaves both falling and underfoot on a path in the woods place the narrator between life and death. A green and brown leaf located side by side characterize the tired narrator and his old but spry mother walking next to one another. The woods are described by the perspicacious narrator as a metropolis that is bustling and, at times, overwhelming. ... (read more)

Finding Truth

Long-time friends Thomas Pettigrew and Flinders Petrie run a detective agency together. Lately, their business has not thrived, so they have taken on second jobs to supplement their income. Pettigrew works as a physician, while Flinders is a curator at the British Museum. E.A. Wallis Budge, the head curator of the British Museum, hires Pettigrew and Flinders to find a small statue of Aphrodite that has been stolen from the Elgin Collection. Normally, Budge would have sought out the missing artifact, but he is swamped and wants the duo to take on the task. Pettigrew and Flinders accept the job, but as they delve deeper into the investigation, the case becomes increasingly dangerous. ... (read more)

Cohesion & Conflict

Readers enter this tale on the cusp of deep change in Montauk as the traditional fisherman’s life is in jeopardy, and many residents contemplate the hard choices they must make to create balanced new lives. Clancy, a New Yorker who once enjoyed Montauk during his family-deprived childhood, revisits the peninsula. He rediscovers Otto, the man who mentored him in a program for disadvantaged orphans. This places Clancy in conflict with Theresa, Otto’s estranged daughter, who resented the boy during her childhood. She feels doubly betrayed in adulthood by her father after he cheated on and divorced her mother. Unfortunately, Otto is ill and soon passes away, leaving his legacy to Clancy because Theresa refuses to reconcile with her father or to receive any property. Clancy must balance sorting out Otto’s wishes and gaining Theresa’s trust while navigating Montauk’s social order and the community’s challenges with climate, housing, and open space. ... (read more)

Suffer the Child

Actress, playwright, and composer Marylee Martin examines the hidden, long-term effects of childhood covert sexual abuse in this award-winning themed memoir. Covert abuse, while solely verbal and mental rather than physical, is a less dramatic but equally damaging form of sexual abuse and is sadly common in all cultures and at every level of society. Children who escape ongoing sexual molestation or more violent forms of physical abuse still struggle in their adult lives and experience similar symptoms of confusion, uncertainty, anxiety, and depression—reactions familiar to victims of overt, hands-on sexual abuse. ... (read more)

Polarizing Issues

While Cossette acknowledges from the outset that his work is rooted in his opinion of the United States’ impending political downfall, it is undeniably an impassioned plea for the nation to examine itself, look in the mirror, and see the swift transformation of the country’s politics for what it is. Though the author’s stance is unquestionable, the intrigue and validity of his thoughts lie in his ability to emphasize the importance of setting aside differences and focusing on the greater good. He suggests that the very integrity of the U.S. Constitution is at stake, being threatened unceasingly by radical beliefs that are determined to uproot the values, morals, and ambitions that have become the bedrock of the American way. ... (read more)

A Christian Apologist

Author Hakanson explores in depth the many rational paths to religious belief, specifically focusing on the wisdom of the Holy Bible. Many people question scripture and God’s very existence and role in the creation of the universe, the earth, and all contained therein. One of the many analogies presented here concerns “the wind”: one can feel it and even predict its results, but one can never see it. Using such lively imagery combined with much erudite material, the treatise seeks to offer Christians a sense of the rightness of defending their beliefs. ... (read more)

Set against the backdrop of Vladimir Putin’s grab for power in Russia and a rash of global terrorist attacks in the late twentieth century, the novel delves into the complex world of covert counterterrorism. At the age of six, Maxym (Max) Mikhailovich Ivanov suffers an unbearable loss when his parents are killed and ten-year-old sister brutally raped and murdered by religious extremists. Escaping the cruel fate of his family, Max hides in a cupboard. He is rescued by the Russian army after being discovered by a Russian soldier, Leonid. The desire for revenge ignites in young Max after seeing the brutalized bodies of his family. Vowing to his rescuers to kill as many of these terrorists as possible, Max, at the young age of six, begins with those who murdered his family. Praised for his execution of the captured terrorists, Max is admired by the soldiers and given a home with Leonid. ... (read more)

Engaging & Thoughtful

In this unique piece of graphic literature, readers embark on a journey to find a solution that ultimately leads to world peace in a chaotic world. The group of superheroes that young Alice and Professor Sorgho pursues has the potential to solve issues like world hunger, soil depletion, and environmental disasters caused by climate change. Readers learn that the solution may very well lie in “climate-smart grains called sorghum.” Nonetheless, Alice and Professor Sorgho encounter a complex problem: no one has seen the Sorgho Squad in a number of centuries, but the team pursues a set of complex clues that lead them and readers on a journey across the globe. ... (read more)

Like many children his age, young Nick loses a tooth while eating his dinner and places it under his pillow for the Tooth Fairy. Overjoyed to discover six dollars under his pillow, he shares the discovery with his friends at school, only to be presented with the question of what he thinks the Tooth Fairy does with all the teeth she collects from the children who lose them. The inquisitive Nick decides to get to the bottom of what the Tooth Fairy is all about and comes up with a foolproof plan. ... (read more)

The Creature

When Bob sees on the local news that a young woman has been found murdered in a parking lot with numerous cuts, he knows in his gut that the killer who murdered his wife and six others five years ago is back. Bob’s best friend, Archie—a detective on the Livingston, Texas, police force—confirms his suspicions. The two men are determined to catch the killer this time. ... (read more)

Unwavering Hope

Paul Davidson has been deeply concerned about his father, Big Rich, who is battling terminal brain cancer. During a recent visit to Des Moines, an unexpected conflict has arisen between Paul and his brother, Richard J. Davidson Jr., resulting in Paul being prohibited from seeing their father. Richard, who has been given his parent's power of attorney, has informed medical staff of visitation restrictions for their father. This has weighed heavily on Paul's mind, especially as his other brother, Joe, is also present with their father. In a separate context, Paul and Luke, Joe's son, have organized a trip with their church to aid a shelter in Chicago. Despite recent tragic events in Chicago, they remain resolute in their commitment to embark on this mission. ... (read more)

Financial Hope

Before Black Friday, there was Black Tuesday, a devastating stock market event that not only sent the market plummeting and in chaos but also ushered in the Great Depression. Then, there is the more recent Black Monday, on October 19, 1987, that rattled investors and, once again, brought the market to its knees. It is this 1987 event that becomes the backdrop of Donaldson’s book, one that is less of a preachy self-help book and more one that will provide readers with immense insight and understanding through direct, first-hand experiences, all minus the added fluff and conceptual conundrums that often plague books on investing. ... (read more)

Vital Scripture

Author Luddeke examines in diligent detail the portions of the Holy Bible that set forth the determination of Satan to make all humanity subject to his evil plans and the ever-watchful wisdom and benevolence of God and Jesus Christ. Luddeke asserts that one need only read the Bible to understand all of history, as, over a fifteen-hundred-year period, all earthly fact was predicted and transcribed therein. Before God created the earth, He existed with a band of angels, among whom was Lucifer, who was God’s favorite. But Lucifer gradually embraced evil—pride and selfishness—based around envy of God’s power. He craved absolute dominion over God’s creations, beginning with Adam and Eve. ... (read more)

Saving Scripture

Citing a material world of nonstop temptation and sin spearheaded by Satan, Luddeke provides the ultimate antidote—the light of Jesus Christ—as the eternal battle between light and dark and good and evil reaches tumultuous levels. To all alike, believer or not, the author speaks to each individual’s destiny, one made possible by Christ’s self-sacrifice and depicted further through the efforts of biblical figures like Peter. On the whole, the work is a fusion of scripture references and the author’s commentary, providing clear and concise insight that even the layman can understand. ... (read more)

Lost Innocence

Lilly wasn’t merely apprehensive about her first appointment with the therapist; she dreaded it. As a mother of a three-year-old boy, she knew perfection wasn’t a necessity. However, she also knew the only way forward was to face her past. Lilly was the third of four children born to Gwen and Vincent. Gwen and Vincent doted on young Lilly, but Gwen’s sister Millie fawned over Lilly and wished she was hers. Millie’s husband, Frank, took a shine to Lilly as well, but his intentions were sinister. As Lilly got older, she came to fear Frank and loathed when Frank and Millie were welcomed into her parent’s home. Lilly didn’t tell her parents but confided in a select few as she began a rebellion that lasted from adolescence through college. ... (read more)

Growing up in a Denver suburb in the sixties and seventies, Spitzer experienced a normal American life. Full of ambition and energy, she was a robust athlete who enjoyed tennis and other sports. An intelligent and curious girl, she liked learning and worked hard in school. Her good grades and proficiency in sports were proof of her early work ethic and ability. “As a child, I had endless amounts of energy and enthusiasm. I loved learning new things and was willing to try anything and everything.” At the age of twelve, her life changed forever when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Immediately admitted to the hospital, she underwent a series of blood and platelet transfusions and tests. As her blood levels rose, she began a three-year regimen of chemotherapy and, when in remission, a three-to-five-week series of radiation therapy on her head. As this was 1975, the treatment for childhood leukemia was uncertain. “I know the doctors had said that I had less than a 10 percent chance of living six months because they just didn’t know how to treat this type of disease.” This memoir tells of her experiences before, during, and after her life-changing diagnosis. ... (read more)

Fascinating Account

The narrative begins with the author arriving in Guam, along with her military husband and three children. She is immediately struck by the beauty of the island despite the “strange admixture of emergent country squalor with the suave sophistication of world-class resorts.” What follows is a recounting of her adventures (and misadventures) in her new home. The reader follows her as she forges new friendships, steadily collecting a circle of neighbors and avid gamers into her community. She also recounts a myriad of events while living on the island, from the excitement of surviving typhoons to the relatable experience of setting up a home and starting a new job in a different country. She describes day-to-day challenges in beginning her job, raising her family, and navigating new friendships. ... (read more)

Fun & Crazy

When eleven-year-old AJ’s mom gets called into her flight attendant job and picks him up from school, little does the young protagonist know that during his weekend stay with Grandpa, things are about to get fishy. Through imaginative, quirky, immersive storytelling on a grand scale, Mazzucato transports AJ and his eccentric friend Livvy to a terrifically tantalizing adventure on the high seas with Grandpa, captain of the Ponce de Leon , and fellow shipmates—all in a quest to capture a humongous fish, elusive and mythic, which is awesomely revered and curiously referred to as Old Gussie. ... (read more)

Good Memories

A fifth-generation Southern California native, Haas, the author of this children’s book, offers up a delightful celebratory ode to all things Huntington Beach, known colloquially as Surf City. Capturing in words and bright, colorful illustrations the sights, sounds, and plentiful sunshine always in store for adventurers to the famous sand-and-surf locale, specifics of the seaside destination are explored and commemorated. These include, among other aspects, the famed Pacific Coast Highway, the International Surfing Museum, Pacific City with its multitude of ice cream selections, evening dusk falling on Main St., moonlit “thrills and spills” at the local skate park, Huntington Beach Pier, Central Park, and the nearby wetlands, which are home to abundant wildlife. Dedicated to the author’s grandchildren, Haas’ book recognizes many favorite spots and activities enjoyed during the children’s regular visits with the author and illustrator at Huntington Beach. ... (read more)

Authentic Voice

Hogan was an early "boomer.” He was born in the late 1940s to young parents and was one of three siblings. The family's religious backgrounds and beliefs were mixed but were in other ways similar to many middle-class families of that era. Grandparents and cousins were on hand, and security, love, and some diversity in numbers were in abundance. Two "coincidences" had profound impacts on Hogan's early life. First, he felt he should move some boards with protruding nails/spikes in them, so he did. As he fell to the ground later on—right at the place where the boards had been—he reflected on what might have happened had he not obeyed his warning. Another interesting occurrence was his agreeing to a "blind date," which led to his meeting his future wife, Georgia. ... (read more)

Opportunities

The author was one of three children born to an unorthodox British couple in 1942. Her mom’s parents were landed gentry, while her father’s were working class. Her parents shared an artistic and adventurous bent, though, and the family lived outside of many societal norms, such as in caravans, a circus, and farmhouses, among other places. When she grew up, Rains lived with her own family in Hong Kong, Scotland, California, and England. Organized around moves and composed of short narratives, the book is almost a linear plotline, digressing to give people’s backgrounds. The majority of the moves happen at the beginning, and the pace of the book here is the swiftest. Rains’ mother’s many projects, her bad cooking, and creative knitting add levity to these chapters. Letters from friends attest to the brightness the author brings to her communities and to the text. ... (read more)

Understanding People

This concise and informative book examines the important principles needed for a company to be effective in its management processes. The text begins by focusing on five management problems: ranking performers, incentive systems, management by objectives, numeric goals, and management by results. It explores dysfunctional companies and the need for increased organizational effectiveness through behavioral changes. In exploring problems, the book then analyzes solutions to a variety of such situations, including rewards and punishment, competition, mistrust, and other issues that cause problems in systems. The focus is on practices based on differing beliefs, increased well-being in teams, separating compensation from work, building a culture of trust, understanding variations in practice, avoiding attachments, being mindful, choosing thoughts and behaviors, letting go of the negative, using affirmations, and a transformation to an “enlightened leadership model.” ... (read more)

Family Secrets

From his frenetic entrance into the world, where he found himself with a cord wrapped around his neck—a “blue baby”—David was exposed to an unfathomable dimension of life, a gut punch to the meaning of humanity. Nevertheless, his resilience became his calling card as he navigated through one mind-boggling circumstance after another. Worthy of commendation for his raw and authentic portrayal, David uses his work as a platform to demonstrate what happens when a child is raised in the ultimate dysfunctional family system. ... (read more)

Complexities & Content

In Toliver’s work, the role of myths and the devastating influence they can have on human history are integral. Throughout this comprehensively researched piece, the author focuses on debunking misconceptions throughout world history. In the process, contending schools of thought, from philosophical to literary traditions, come together to help audiences better understand historical events and, at their core, human behavior. ... (read more)

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A Smart, Sinuous Espionage Thriller Brimming With Heat

Already longlisted for the Booker Prize, Rachel Kushner’s “Creation Lake” — set in rural France — stars a ruthless American secret agent.

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CREATION LAKE , by Rachel Kushner

Rachel Kushner’s new novel, “Creation Lake,” is set in rural France, but not the rural France of guidebooks and Peter Mayle memoirs. No one rhapsodizes over an escargot or a tarte Tatin. We’re in the country’s southwest, where the soil is rocky. More essentially, we are in what Kushner calls the proletarian “real Europe,” with vistas of “highways and nuclear power plants” and “windowless distribution warehouses.”

Kushner’s narrator is an American spy-for-hire. She’s 34, a dropout from a Berkeley Ph.D. program in rhetoric. She is working under an assumed name, “Sadie Smith,” that has unnecessary — for this reader — literary undertones. Sadie has come to this region to infiltrate a radical farming commune bent on violence.

Sadie is not, in the manner of a John le Carré character, longing to come in from the cold. She is already one of the coldest customers serious American fiction has seen in recent years. The isolation, the danger and the emotional hardships of her work (including unwelcome sex) roll off her shoulders. She likes what she does. She has a knack for it.

Biographical details about Sadie are scant, though the reader is made aware of two of her previous assignments. At 24 she infiltrated the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle gang, where she was the “old lady” of an older man she put in prison. Later she convinced a troubled young man to buy 500 pounds of fertilizer for bomb making. When he was found innocent at trial due to entrapment, she was fired by the F.B.I. and went freelance.

I dislike plot description because it’s close to meaningless — everything I’ve said so far could apply to a bland Hulu drama series as well as to a sinuous and powerfully understated novel, which “Creation Lake” is — but here is a necessary bit more.

The farming commune is called Le Moulin. Sadie is well-read in the history of radical movements, but as she befriends the group’s key members, she imbibes their philosophies and absorbs the revisionist ideas that have been passed, like batons, down generations. The leader, Pascal, is a womanizer and a self-styled heir to the French Marxist theorist Guy Debord.

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A Celebration of Indie Press and Self-Published Books

35 Impressive Indie Press Books of 2021

"35 Impressive Indie Press Books of 2021" is a literary listicle of independent press books curated by IBR founder Joe Walters. Fiction, nonfiction, and poetry books make this year's list from presses like Tin House, Two Dollar Radio, Catapult, and more.

“35 Impressive Indie Press Books of 2021”

Curated by Joe Walters

2021 was a badass year for indie press books.

This isn’t anything new.

Indie presses are always pushing boundaries, bending genres, breaking new ground, and changing the scope of the literary landscape.

This year, some of the finest books came from indie presses. They made impressive strides alongside the big-budget publishers with novels, nonfiction, and poetry that grabbed readerly attention not because of their prominent space at your local Barnes & Noble, but because those who read them grabbed the shirts of those who were nearest to them, thrust a paperback into their chests, and said, “ This . You’ve got to read this .”

Here at IBR, we’re reminded every year why our focus on indie press books is just about the best decision we ever could have made.

We’ve sifted through a lot of books this year–from the big indies, the mid-level indies, the small presses with the biggest hearts–and some really amazing ones have come through our gates. This list could have been much longer, trust me, but we managed to dwindle it down to an impressive thirty-five.

These are the books we’re thrusting into your chests. These are the ones we believe that you’ve just got to see.

Without further ado, in no particular order, here is this year’s roundup of Impressive Indie Press Books of 2021.

#1. What Storm, What Thunder

by Myriam J.A. Chancy

Publisher: Tin House Books

Genre: Literary / Disaster Fiction

About the Book:

At the end of a long, sweltering day, as markets and businesses begin to close for the evening, an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude shakes the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince.

Award-winning author Myriam J. A. Chancy masterfully charts the inner lives of the characters affected by the disaster—Richard, an expat and wealthy water-bottling executive with a secret daughter; the daughter, Anne, an architect who drafts affordable housing structures for a global NGO; a small-time drug trafficker, Leopold, who pines for a beautiful call girl; Sonia and her business partner, Dieudonné, who are followed by a man they believe is the vodou spirit of death; Didier, an emigrant musician who drives a taxi in Boston; Sara, a mother haunted by the ghosts of her children in an IDP camp; her husband, Olivier, an accountant forced to abandon the wife he loves; their son, Jonas, who haunts them both; and Ma Lou, the old woman selling produce in the market who remembers them all. Artfully weaving together these lives, witness is given to the desolation wreaked by nature and by man.

Brilliantly crafted, fiercely imagined, and deeply haunting,  What Storm, What Thunder  is a singular, stunning record, a reckoning of the heartbreaking trauma of disaster, and—at the same time—an unforgettable testimony to the tenacity of the human spirit.

#2. I Will Die in a Foreign Land

by Kalani Pickhart

Publisher: Two Dollar Radio

Genre: Literary / Historical

In 1913, a Russian ballet incited a riot in Paris at the new Théâtre de Champs-Elysées. “Only a Russian could do that,” says Aleksandr Ivanovich. “Only a Russian could make the whole world go mad.”

A century later, in November 2013, thousands of Ukrainian citizens gathered at Independence Square in Kyiv to protest then-President Yanukovych’s failure to sign a referendum with the European Union, opting instead to forge a closer alliance with President Vladimir Putin and Russia. The peaceful protests turned violent when military police shot live ammunition into the crowd, killing over a hundred civilians.

I Will Die in a Foreign Land  follows four individuals over the course of a volatile Ukrainian winter, as their lives are forever changed by the Euromaidan protests. Katya is an Ukrainian-American doctor stationed at a makeshift medical clinic in St. Michael’s Monastery; Misha is an engineer originally from Pripyat, who has lived in Kyiv since his wife’s death; Slava is a fiery young activist whose past hardships steel her determination in the face of persecution; and Aleksandr Ivanovich, a former KGB agent, who climbs atop a burned-out police bus at Independence Square and plays the piano.

As Katya, Misha, Slava, and Aleksandr’s lives become intertwined, they each seek their own solace during an especially tumultuous and violent period. The story is also told by a chorus of voices that incorporates folklore and narrates a turbulent Slavic history.

While unfolding an especially moving story of quiet beauty and love in a time of terror,  I Will Die in a Foreign Land  is an ambitious, intimate, and haunting portrait of human perseverance and empathy.

#3. These Bones

by Kayla Chenault

Publisher: Lanternfish Press

Genre: Horror / Black & African American

In a neighborhood known as the Bramble Patch, the Lyons family endures despite poverty, racism, and the ghoulish appetites of an underworld kingpin called the Barghest.

As the years pass and the neighborhood falls into decay, along with the town that surrounds it, what’s left of the Bramble Patch will learn the saying is true: These bones are gonna rise again.

#4. Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body

by Megan Milks

Publisher: Feminist Press

Genre: LGBTQ+ / Coming of Age

Meet Margaret. At age twelve, she was head detective of the mystery club Girls Can Solve Anything. Margaret and her three best friends led exciting lives solving crimes, having adventures, and laughing a lot. But now that she’s entered high school, the club has disbanded, and Margaret is unmoored—she doesn’t want to grow up, and she wishes her friends wouldn’t either. Instead, she opts out, developing an eating disorder that quickly takes over her life. When she lands in a treatment center, Margaret finds her path to recovery twisting sideways as she pursues a string of new mysteries involving a ghost, a hidden passage, disturbing desires, and her own vexed relationship with herself.

Margaret and the Mystery of the Missing Body reimagines nineties adolescence—mashing up girl group series, choose-your-own-adventures, and chronicles of anorexia—in a queer and trans coming-of-age tale like no other. An interrogation of girlhood and nostalgia, dysmorphia and dysphoria, this debut novel puzzles through the weird, ever-evasive questions of growing up.

#5. Fire & Water

Edited by Mary Fifield and Kristin Thiel

Publisher: Black Lawrence Press

Genre: Short Story Anthology / Climate & Environment

Fiction. A Sàmi woman studying Alaska fish populations sees our past and future through their present signs of stress and her ancestral knowledge. A teenager faces a permanent drought in Australia and her own sexual desire. An unemployed man in Wisconsin marvels as a motley parade of animals makes his trailer their portal to a world untrammeled by humans. Featuring short fiction from authors around the globe; FIRE & WATER: STORIES FROM THE ANTHROPOCENE takes readers on a rare journey through the physical and emotional landscape of the climate crisis–not in the future; but today. By turns frightening; confusing; and even amusing; these stories remind us how complex; and beautiful; it is to be human in these unprecedented times.

#6. Ariadne, I Love You

by J. Ashley-Smith

Publisher: Meerkat Press

Genre: Dark Fantasy / Paranormal

Jude is dragged out of Alt-Country obscurity, out of the dismal loop of booze and sadness baths and the boundless, insatiable loneliness, to scrub up and fly to Australia for a last, desperate comeback tour. Hardly worth getting out of bed for-and he wouldn’t, if it weren’t for Coreen.

But Coreen is dead. And, worse than that, she’s married. Jude’s swan-song tour becomes instead a terminal descent, into the sordid past, into the meaning hidden in forgotten songs, into Coreen’s madness diary, there to waken something far worse than her ghost.

#7. Waiting Impatiently

By Andrew H. Housley

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Genre: Spiritual Fiction

Here’s a gritty story of a man’s spiritual metamorphosis.

As the world begins to shut down in the face of a pandemic, Ian — a well-worn yoga teacher and Zen student — wavers as he stands at the precipice of his life, attempting to accept the gift of self-examination while burying the pieces of his painful past.

In Waiting Impatiently by Andrew H. Housley, we experience the birth and process of self-transformation found through the catalyst of sorrow and lost love. Through Ian’s journey, we are offered the uniquely poignant perspective of a man’s internal struggle with Self. In a desperate moment, he arrives at the Monastery, a place where time stands still. Here, he finds solace to soothe his soul and to meditate on the Zen riddle, “can you manifest your true nature while staring at the pieces of your broken heart?”

#8. Lean Fall Stand

by Jon McGregor

Publisher: Catapult

Genre: Psychological / Suspense

Remember the training: find shelter or make shelter, remain in place, establish contact with other members of the party, keep moving, keep calm. Robert ‘Doc’ Wright, a veteran of Antarctic surveying, was there on the ice when the worst happened. He holds within him the complete story of that night—but depleted by the disaster, Wright is no longer able to communicate the truth. Instead, in the wake of the catastrophic expedition, he faces the most daunting adventure of his life: learning a whole new way to be in the world. Meanwhile Anna, his wife, must suddenly scramble to navigate the sharp and unexpected contours of life as a caregiver.

From the Booker Prize-longlisted, American Academy of Arts & Letters Award-winning author of  Reservoir 13 , this is a novel every bit as mesmerizing as its setting. Tenderly unraveling different notions of heroism through the rippling effects of one extraordinary expedition on an ordinary family,  Lean Fall Stand  explores the indomitable human impulse to turn our experiences into stories—even when the words may fail us.

#9. I’m Not Hungry But I Could Eat

by Christopher Gonzalez

Publisher: SFWP

Genre: Short Fiction / Hispanic American

Long nights, empty stomachs, and impulsive cravings haunt these stories. A college grad reunites with a high school crush when invited to his bachelor party, a lonely cat-sitter wreaks havoc on his friends’ apartment, happy hour french fries leave more than grease on lips and fingers, and, squeezed into a diner booth, one man eats past his limit for the sake of friendship. Exploring the lives of bisexual and gay Puerto Rican men, these fifteen stories show a vulnerable, intimate world of yearning and desire. The stars of these narratives linger between living their truest selves and remaining in the wings, embarking on a journey of self-discovery to satisfy their hunger for companionship and belonging.

#10. That Was

by Sarayu Srivatsa

Publisher: Platypus Press

Genre: Literary / Coming of Age

Orphaned at six with no memory of what happened to her family, Kavya was raised in the bustling city of Bombay by her uncle and aunt. In fleeting moments, like her time in Bangalore with spirited teenager Malli or her summers in Kyoto with budding architect Yasunari and his ageing grandparents, the truth of her traumatic past is revealed.

With an eclectic cast of characters—including timid photographer Ryu, rebellious artist Akiko, and the mysterious S-san—she searches for clarity on the streets of Tokyo and truth in the mountain villages of the Himalayas. In this poignant coming-of-age story, what Kavya discovers within turbulent dreams and vibrant memories will shape and nurture the woman she will become.

#11. Winterset Hollow

by Jonathan Edward Durham

Publisher: Credo House Publishers

Genre: Fantasy / Suspense

Everyone has wanted their favorite book to be real, if only for a moment. Everyone has wished to meet their favorite characters, if only for a day. But be careful in that wish, for even a history laid in ink can be repaid in flesh and blood, and reality is far deadlier than fiction . . . especially on Addington Isle.

Winterset Hollow  follows a group of friends to the place that inspired their favorite book—a timeless tale about a tribe of animals preparing for their yearly end-of-summer festival. But after a series of shocking discoveries, they find that much of what the world believes to be fiction is actually fact, and that the truth behind their beloved story is darker and more dangerous than they ever imagined. It’s Barley Day . . . and you’re invited to the hunt.

Winterset Hollow  is as thrilling as it is terrifying and as smart as it is surprising. A uniquely original story filled with properly unexpected twists and turns,  Winterset Hollow  delivers complex, indelible characters and pulse- pounding action as it storms toward an unforgettable climax that will leave you reeling. How do you celebrate Barley Day? You run, friend. You run.

#12. Born Into This

by Adam Thompson

Genre: Short Fiction / Australian / Indigenous

The remarkable stories in  Born Into This  are eye-opening, razor-sharp, and entertaining, often all at once.

From an Aboriginal ranger trying to instill some pride in wayward urban teens on the harsh islands off the coast of Tasmania, to those scraping by on the margins of white society railroaded into complex and compromised decisions, Adam Thompson presents a powerful indictment of colonialism and racism.

With humor, pathos, and the occasional sly twist, Thompson’s characters confront discrimination, untimely funerals, classroom politics, the ongoing legacy of cultural destruction, and — overhanging all like a discomforting, burgeoning awareness for both black and white Australia — the inexorable disappearance of the remnant natural world.

by Paolo Pergola

Publisher: Sagging Meniscus Press

Genre: Literary / Existential

Lapo is a marine biologist who wakes up one day in a hospital bed after an accident that caused him amnesia. When distant memories slowly resurface and the weight of modern life becomes apparent, he realizes that having an empty head was not so bad. Like a present-day Oblomov, Lapo clings to his hospital routine to avoid the outside world, fending off the attacks of family and friends who continuously pester him. As the days go by, the pressure for Lapo to go back to his normal life keeps mounting. Will he ever leave the hospital or will he settle there for good?

Lost pieces of his history may provide the answer. Interspersed with intimate thoughts and daydreams about the lives of the fish he used to study, Lapo’s epic struggle is filled with irony and depth in equal measure. Nostalgic and provocative, Reset is an existentialist journey through the inner world of a man who has lost the thread of life and finds it again in nature and his past.

#14. Swan Song

by Elizabeth B. Splaine

Publisher: Woodhall Press

Genre: Historical Fiction

Ursula Becker’s operatic star is on the rise in Nazi Berlin…until she discovers that she is one-quarter Jewish. Although Hitler is aware of her lineage, her popularity and exquisite voice protect her and her family from persecution. When William Patrick Hitler arrives in Germany and is offered employment by his Uncle Adolf, a chance encounter with Ursula leads to a romantic relationship that further shields the young diva from mistreatment. But for how long?

Ursula is ordered to sing at Hitler’s Berghof estate where she throws down a gauntlet that unleashes the wrath of the megalomaniacal leader. Fearing for her life, Ursula and Willy decide to emigrate to England. But as the ship is about to sail, Ursula disappears. Willy crosses the globe in an effort to find her, even as his uncle taunts him, relishing in the horror of the murderous cat-and-mouse game.

#15. Alien Stories

by E.C. Osondu

Publisher: BOA Editions

Genre: Short Fiction / Science Fiction

Celebrated Nigerian-born writer E.C. Osondu delivers a short-story collection of nimble dexterity and startling originality in his BOA Short Fiction Prize-winning  Alien Stories .

These eighteen startling stories, each centered around an encounter with the unexpected, explore what it means to be an alien. With a nod to the dual meaning of  alien  as both foreigner and extraterrestrial, Osondu turns familiar science-fiction tropes and immigration narratives on their heads, blending one with the other to call forth a whirlwind of otherness. With wry observations about society and human nature, in shifting landscapes from Africa to America to outer space and back again,  Alien Stories  breaks down the concept of foreignness to reveal what unites us all as ‘aliens’ within a complex and interconnected universe.

#16. Moon and the Mars

by Kia Corthron

Publisher: Seven Stories Press

Genre: Historical Fiction / African American

An exploration of NYC and America in the burgeoning moments before the start of the Civil War through the eyes of a young, biracial girl—the highly an ticipated new novel from the winner of the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize.

“Corthron, a true heir to James Baldwin, presents a startlingly original exposure of the complex roots of American racism.” —Naomi Wallace, MacArthur “Genius” Playwriting Fellow and author of One Flea Spare

In  Moon and the Mars , set in the impoverished Five Points district of New York City in the years 1857-1863, we experience neighborhood life through the eyes of Theo from childhood to adolescence, an orphan living between the homes of her Black and Irish grandmothers. Throughout her formative years, Theo witnesses everything from the creation of tap dance to P.T. Barnum’s sensationalist museum to the draft riots that tear NYC asunder, amidst the daily maelstrom of Five Points work, hardship, and camaraderie. Meanwhile, white America’s attitudes towards people of color and slavery are shifting—painfully, transformationally—as the nation divides and marches to war.

As with her first novel,  The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter , which was praised by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Robin D.G. Kelley, and Angela Y. Davis, among many others, Corthron’s use of dialogue brings her characters to life in a way that only an award-winning playwright and scriptwriter can do. As Theo grows and attends school, her language and grammar change, as does her own vocabulary when she’s with her Black or Irish families. It’s an extraordinary feat and a revelation for the reader.

#17. The Gold Persimmon

by Lindsay Merbaum

Publisher: Creature Publishing

Genre: Horror / Thriller

Clytemnestra is a check-in girl at The Gold Persimmon, a temple-like New York City hotel with gilded furnishings and carefully guarded secrets. Cloistered in her own reality, Cly lives by a strict set of rules until a connection with a troubled hotel guest threatens the world she’s so carefully constructed.

In a parallel reality, an inexplicable fog envelops the city, trapping a young, nonbinary writer named Jaime in a sex hotel with six other people. As the survivors begin to turn on one another, Jaime must navigate a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Haunted by specters of grief and familial shame, Jaime and Cly find themselves trapped in dual narratives in this gripping experimental novel that explores sexuality, surveillance, and the very nature of storytelling.

#18. Beautiful, Violent Things

by Madeline Anthes

Publisher: Word West

Genre: Short Fiction / Literary

“Drunk ghosts, feral mothers…riveting obsessions and unbelongings and captivities-the fragmented texts in  Beautiful, Violent Things  seethe and grip and fluoresce without apology. In these eleven dispatches, Madeline Anthes carefully weaves desire and estrangement, reimagines power as a woman’s capacity for hollowing a man, the ability to deliver impossibilities from her misappropriated body. The speakers in this collection compose a primal song, reprise-with blood and feathers and new ferocity-the iconoclastic feminisms of Kate Chopin and Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Anthes is alive on the page, a writer to watch.”

– Tara Stillions Whitehead, author of  Blood Histories

#19. Reunion of the Good Weather Suicide Cult

by Kyle McCord

Genre: Thriller / Psychological

This gripping drama follows Tom Duncan, the sole survivor of the largest cult mass suicide in U.S. history, as he works to rebuild his shattered life. After a Netflix documentary accuses Tom of masterminding the plot that led to the deaths of one hundred thirty-seven people, including his wife, he finds himself exiled from his home and family. Tom seeks redemption through a weekend memorial with other cult members who escaped before the grisly end.

In Reunion of the Good Weather Suicide Cult by Kyle McCord, we see how well-meaning people seeking spiritual community can become ensnared in webs of intrigue and deadly manipulation. Through the lens of a Netflix documentary as well as Tom’s personal struggle, this book takes readers on a journey through the dark heart of a simple Iowa commune gone horribly wrong.

#20. Tastes Like War

by Grace M. Cho

Genre: Memoir / Asian American

This evocative memoir of food and family history is “somehow both mouthwatering and heartbreaking… [and] a potent personal history” ( Shelf Awareness ).

Grace M. Cho grew up as the daughter of a white American merchant marine and the Korean bar hostess he met abroad. They were one of few immigrants in a xenophobic small town during the Cold War, where identity was politicized by everyday details—language, cultural references, memories, and food. When Grace was fifteen, her dynamic mother experienced the onset of schizophrenia, a condition that would continue and evolve for the rest of her life.

Part food memoir, part sociological investigation,  Tastes Like War  is a hybrid text about a daughter’s search through intimate and global history for the roots of her mother’s schizophrenia. In her mother’s final years, Grace learned to cook dishes from her parent’s childhood in order to invite the past into the present, and to hold space for her mother’s multiple voices at the table. And through careful listening over these shared meals, Grace discovered not only the things that broke the brilliant, complicated woman who raised her—but also the things that kept her alive.

#21. Now Beacon, Now Sea

by Christopher Sorrentino

Genre: Memoir / Family / Grief

A wrenching debut memoir of familial grief by a National Book Award finalist—and a defining account of what it means to love and lose a difficult parent, for readers of Joan Didion and Dani Shapiro.

When Christopher Sorrentino’s mother died in 2017, it marked the end of a journey that had begun eighty years earlier in the South Bronx. Victoria’s life took her to the heart of New York’s vibrant mid-century downtown artistic scene, to the sedate campus of Stanford, and finally back to Brooklyn—a journey witnessed by a son who watched, helpless, as she grew more and more isolated, distancing herself from everyone and everything she’d ever loved.

In examining the mystery of his mother’s life, from her dysfunctional marriage to his heedless father, the writer Gilbert Sorrentino, to her ultimate withdrawal from the world, Christopher excavates his own memories and family folklore in an effort to discover her dreams, understand her disappointments, and peel back the ways in which she seemed forever trapped between two identities: the Puerto Rican girl identified on her birth certificate as Black, and the white woman she had seemingly decided to become. Meanwhile Christopher experiences his own transformation, emerging from under his father’s shadow and his mother’s thumb to establish his identity as a writer and individual—one who would soon make his own missteps and mistakes.

Unfolding against the captivating backdrop of a vanished New York, a city of cheap bohemian enclaves and a thriving avant-garde—a dangerous, decaying, but liberated and potentially liberating place— Now Beacon, Now Sea  is a matchless portrait of the beautiful, painful messiness of life, and the transformative power of even conflicted grief.

#22. A Constellation of Ghosts

by Laraine Herring

Publisher: Regal House Publishing

Genre: Memoir / Speculative

A ghost is not what you think it is, says Raven. A ghost is a commitment. When Laraine Herring receives an unexpected colon cancer diagnosis, her father, thirty years dead, returns to her as a raven, setting off a magical journey into complicated grief, inherited trauma, and ancestral healing. As she struggles with redefining her expectations for her life, she slips further and further underground into the ancestral realm, where she finds herself writing a play directed by her father-as-raven. Raven says, It will be a cast of only four: you and me and my mother and my father, and we will speak until there are no more words between us. And then you can decide the ending. Tick, tock, write. A Constellation of Ghosts takes the reader into the liminal spaces between one world and another, where choices unspool into lives, and the stories we’ve told ourselves fall apart under the scrutiny of multiple perspectives like flesh from bone, reminding us that grief is the unexpected ferryman who can usher all of us back together again.

#23. Madder: A Memoir in Weeds

by Marco Wilkinson

Publisher: Coffee House Press

Genre: Memoir / LGBTQ

Madder, matter, mater— a weed, a state of mind, a material, a meaning, a mother. Essayist and horticulturist Marco Wilkinson searches for the roots of his own selfhood among family myths and memories.

“My life, these weeds.” Marco Wilkinson uses his deep knowledge of undervalued plants, mainly weeds—invisible yet ubiquitous, unwanted yet abundant, out-of-place yet flourishing—as both structure and metaphor in these intimate vignettes.  Madder  combines poetic meditations on nature, immigration, queer sensuality, and willful forgetting with recollections of Wilkinson’s Rhode Island childhood and glimpses of his maternal family’s life in Uruguay. The son of a fierce, hard-working mother who tried to erase even the memory of his absent father from their lives, Wilkinson investigates his heritage with a mixture of anger and empathy as he wrestles with the ambiguity of his own history. Using a verdant iconography rich with wordplay and symbolism, Wilkinson offers a mesmerizing portrait of cultivating belonging in an uprooted world.

#24. To Those Bounded

by Donald Edem Quist

Publisher: AWST Press

Genre: Black & African American Studies

An examination of Black exceptionalism and the mythos of criminality among African American men.

Edited by Tatiana Ryckman. Is it possible to be free while bound by an American myth? TO THOSE BOUNDED explores the effects of living in the far-reaching shadow of stereotypes, and the pressures one feels when their actions are always framed as reinforcing or rejecting an ethnic caricature. In this collection the author reflects on how popular media have shaped his identity, and how he’s learned to navigate the expectations it creates. Drawing inspiration from  MAUD MARTHA  by Gwendolyn Brooks and  PENS…ES  by Blaise Pascal, the personal vignettes that compose TO THOSE BOUNDED examine Black exceptionalism and the mythos of criminality among African American men.

#25. Craft in the Real World

by Matthew Salesses

Genre: Publishing & Writing

The traditional writing workshop was established with white male writers in mind; what we call craft is informed by their cultural values. In this bold and original examination of elements of writing—including plot, character, conflict, structure, and believability—and aspects of workshop—including the silenced writer and the imagined reader—Matthew Salesses asks questions to invigorate these familiar concepts. He upends Western notions of how a story must progress. How can we rethink craft, and the teaching of it, to better reach writers with diverse backgrounds? How can we invite diverse storytelling traditions into literary spaces?

Drawing from examples including  One Thousand and One Nights , Curious George, Ursula K. Le Guin’s  A Wizard of Earthsea , and the Asian American classic  No-No Boy , Salesses asks us to reimagine craft and the workshop. In the pages of exercises included here, teachers will find suggestions for building syllabi, grading, and introducing new methods to the classroom; students will find revision and editing guidance, as well as a new lens for reading their work. Salesses shows that we need to interrogate the lack of diversity at the core of published fiction: how we teach and write it. After all, as he reminds us, “When we write fiction, we write the world.”

#26. Wife | Daughter | Self

by Beth Kephart

Publisher: Forest Avenue Press

Genre: Memoir / Essays / Identity

Wife | Daughter | Self  investigates identity and the writing life through the perspective of one of the nation’s top memoir teachers and critics.

How are we shaped by the people we love? Who are we when we think no one else is watching? How do we trust the choices we make? The answers shift as the years go by. The stories remake themselves as we remember. Curiously, inventively, Beth Kephart reflects on the iterative, composite self in her new memoir—traveling to lakes and rivers, New Mexico and Mexico, the icy waters of Alaska and a hot-air balloon launch in search of understanding. She is accompanied, often, by her Salvadoran-artist husband. She spends time, a lot of time, with her widowed father. As she looks at them she ponders herself and comes to terms with the person she is still becoming. At once sweeping and intimate,  Wife | Daughter | Self  is a memoir built of interlocking essays by an acclaimed author, teacher, and critic.

#27. Before the Earth Devours Us

by Esteban Rodriguez

Publisher: Split/Lip Press

Genre: Essays / Personal Memoir

In Esteban Rodríguez’s debut essay collection  Before the Earth Devours Us , a young boy emerges from the valley of childhood memories, curious and seeking to understand a world that is violent, uncertain, and as full of loss as it is of life from the people who inhabit it. Here, the pages unfurl with uncles engaged in physical conflict; dogs roam neighborhoods and alleyways; a dead bird is used as a play object; and our protagonist, through observation and conflict of his own, begins to make sense of the impact he and his body have on others. Lyrical, engaging, and always honest, Rodríguez’s memorable collection reminds us that the past is never beyond language’s redemption.

#28. White Magic

by Elissa Washuta

Genre: Essays / Native & Indigenous

Bracingly honest and powerfully affecting,  White Magic  establishes Elissa Washuta as one of our best living essayists.

Throughout her life, Elissa Washuta has been surrounded by cheap facsimiles of Native spiritual tools and occult trends, “starter witch kits” of sage, rose quartz, and tarot cards packaged together in paper and plastic. Following a decade of abuse, addiction, PTSD, and heavy-duty drug treatment for a misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder, she felt drawn to the real spirits and powers her dispossessed and discarded ancestors knew, while she undertook necessary work to find love and meaning.

In this collection of intertwined essays, she writes about land, heartbreak, and colonization, about life without the escape hatch of intoxication, and about how she became a powerful witch. She interlaces stories from her forebears with cultural artifacts from her own life― Twin Peaks , the  Oregon Trail II  video game, a Claymation Satan, a YouTube video of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham―to explore questions of cultural inheritance and the particular danger, as a Native woman, of relaxing into romantic love under colonial rule.

#29. Things That Crash, Things That Fly

by Scott Gould

Publisher: Vine Leaves Press

Genre: Memoir / Travel / Fatherhood

As a husband and wife make plans for an Italian vacation with friends-to visit her family’s Tuscan village-she makes an unexpected, last-minute addition to the itinerary: she plans to leave him upon their return to the States. And her bombshell includes a strange caveat. He isn’t allowed to breathe a word of it to their traveling companions. So begins  Things That Crash, Things That Fly,  the groundbreaking new memoir from award-winning writer Scott Gould.

Gould navigates that awkward vacation with his soon-to-be estranged wife in Serra, Italy, then sets out on another, longer journey-a winding route through heartbreak and anger, confusion and futility, despair and discovery. When Gould wangles (under dubious circumstances) a fellowship to research the death of William Guilfoil, a young WWII fighter pilot who crashed and died in the hills near Serra, he instead sets his sights on clarity and closure in his ex-wife’s ancestral home. As he grinds through an uncharted future, his story and Guilfoil’s become intertwined, and Gould gathers the fragments of a fractured heart. With a brutal honesty tempered with surprising humor, he tells us how he begins to stitch them back together.

Things That Crash, Things That Fly  is about many things: lost love, daughters and fathers, evaporating marriage, Italian sandals, friendship, bad knees, acrobatic birds, secrecy, oddly placed piercings…but most of all, Gould’s inventive memoir is about how it’s truly possible to rise and soar, even after you’ve struck the ground.

#30. Funeral for Flaca

by Emilly Prado

Publisher: Future Tense Books

Genre: Memoir / Hispanic & Latino

Funeral for Flaca  is an exploration of things lost and found-love, identity, family-and the traumas that transcend bodies, borders, cultures, and generations.

Emilly Prado retraces her experience coming of age as a prep-turned-chola-turned-punk in this collection that is one-part memoir-in-essays, and one-part playlist, zigzagging across genres and decades, much like the rapidly changing and varied tastes of her youth. Emilly spends the late 90’s and early aughts looking for acceptance as a young Chicana growing up in the mostly-white suburbs of the San Francisco Bay Area before moving to Portland, Oregon in 2008.  Ni de aquí, ni de allá , she tries to find her place in the in between.

Growing up, the boys reject her, her father cheats on her mother, then the boys cheat on her and she cheats on them. At 21-years-old, Emilly checks herself into a psychiatric ward after a mental breakdown. One year later, she becomes a survivor of sexual assault. A few years after that, she survives another attempted assault. She searches for the antidote that will cure her, cycling through love, heartbreak, sex, an eating disorder, alcohol, an ever-evolving style, and, of course, music.

She captures the painful reality of what it means to lose and find your identity, many times over again. For anyone who has ever lost their way as a child or as an adult,  Funeral for Flaca  unravels the complex layers of an unpredictable life, inviting us into an intimate and honest journey profoundly told with humor and heart by Emilly Prado.

by B.K. Fischer

Genre: Narrative Poem / Nature

A poetic retelling of Noah’s Ark set in the near future,  Ceive  is a novella in verse that recounts a post-apocalyptic journey aboard a container ship.

This contemporary flood narrative unfolds through poems following the perspective of a woman named Val, who is found in the wreckage of her flooding home by a former UPS delivery man. As environmental and political catastrophes force them to flee the Eastern Seaboard, Val and her rescuer take refuge alongside a group of pilgrims seeking refuge from the catastrophic collapse of a civilization destroyed by gun violence, climate crisis, and social unrest.

The ship of cargo and refugees is run by the captain Nolan and his wife Nadia, who set sail for Greenland, now warmed to a temperate climate. The couple place Val in charge of caring for a neurodivergent young boy who holds knowledge of analog navigation. Mourning her missing daughter, Val experiences both isolation and a wellspring of compassion in survival, an indefatigable need to connect. She and the other pilgrims weather illness and peril, boredom and conflict, deprivation and despair as they set sail across stormy, unfamiliar waters.

Drawing from the Anglo-Saxon poem  The Seafarer , the Bible, and the Latin root word in receive,  Ceive  is a vision of eco-cataclysm and survival―inviting meditations on biodiversity, illness, social law, sustenance, scripture, menopause, sensory perception, human bonds, caregiving, and loss, all the while extending a call for renewal and hope.

#32. The Animal Indoors

by Carly Inghram

Publisher: Autumn House Press

Genre: Black & African American / LGBTQ

Poems following a Black queer woman as she seeks refuge from an unsafe world.   Carly Inghram’s poems explore the day-to-day experiences of a Black queer woman who is ceaselessly bombarded with images of mass-consumerism, white supremacy, and sexism, and who is forced, often reluctantly, back indoors and away from this outside chaos. The poems in  The Animal Indoors  seek to understand and define the boundaries between our inside and outside lives, critiquing the homogenization and increasing insincerity of American culture and considering what safe spaces exist for Black women. The speaker in these poems seeks refuge, working to keep the interior safe until we can reckon with the world outside, until the speaker is able to “unleash the indoor news onto the unclean water elsewhere.”

#33. Leap Thirty

by Diane Lowell Wilder

Publisher: June Road Press

This visceral debut collection is a dance across the decades. In thirty spare and gripping poems, Diane Lowell Wilder recasts midlife as a second coming of age: a time of new vulnerabilities and strengths, breakdown and renewal, constraint and release. In the process, she lands on vital sources of affirmation and resilience—in being a parent, in embracing change, in letting go, in reclaiming agency. Here is the aftermath of divorce and the landscape of later romance, the strain of watching parents age, the anxieties of motherhood, an aching hip, bold moves, fresh starts. Ever aware that the past and future are always bound up in the present, Wilder shows us how a poetic exploration of personal history, even when it means wrestling with loss, can help us gain perspective and maybe even a new sense of freedom and direction.

#34. Peculiar Heritage

by Demisty D. Bellinger

Publisher: Mason Jar Press

African & African American Studies. Women’s Studies. The shock of American violence and hate shouldn’t be shocking at all. This is our peculiar heritage from an ugly institution. Still; we are not without resistance and PECULIAR HERITAGE; a collection of imagery and rhythm-heavy poems; is a resistance narrative to the present political climate and a regime in the U.S. that rejects culture and inclusion. Bellinger’s poetic style is heavy on imagery and rhythm. Combining love poems–of self; of nature and life–with heavier; weight of responsibility narratives and poems; PECULIAR HERITAGE explores how we live in a country built on freedom; individualism; and exceptionalism; but only for the ruling class.

#35. We Are Invited to Climb

by Andrew Yoon

WE ARE INVITED TO CLIMB is a collection of partly computer-generated chance poems exploring “the bigandsmall.” At once a celebration of the impossible and the very real, the poems are made of refrigerator hums and upside-down kites. Watercolor stains and valley peaks. Written using groundbreaking new techniques in generative poetry, the world Yoon creates reckons with contradiction: the sameness of other and self, choice and constraint, sense and nonsense. Through whimsy and experimentation, Yoon taps into the depths of humanity– the algorithm we all share.

And…that’s all you’re getting from me this year! What were your favorite indie press books this year?

About the curator.

Joe Walters  is the founder and editor-in-chief of Independent Book Review and a book marketing specialist at Sunbury Press. When he’s not doing editorial, promoting, or reviewing work, he’s working on his novel and trusting the process.

Thank you for reading “35 Impressive Indie Press Books of 2021” by Joe Walters! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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10 comments on “ 35 impressive indie press books of 2021 ”.

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Thanks! Now I know of a couple more appropriate publishers to send my book to. Tupelo Press really liked it but it wasn’t fur their label, if that’s the right term. I used to be in music biz! Good luck!

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Thanks for sharing such a great information.. It really helpful to me.

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THE ELEMENTALS by Abby Lattanzio might be another great read! I work as an editor for Curious Curls Publishing, and we can always use more readers for our titles!

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The Good Pub Guide 2021: Britain's Most Loved Pub Annual Since 1983 Paperback – March 10, 2021

Get your pub on with Britain's bestselling travel guide for over 35 years.

***Featured in the Guardian , the Times and Mail Online and on BBC Radio 4 ***

Now in its 39th edition, The Good Pub Guide remains Britain's best-loved guide to pubs around the country. Organised county by county, yearly updates and reader recommendations ensure that only the best pubs make the grade.

Whether you're seeking a countryside haven or a bustling city inn, a family friendly eatery or somewhere with great craft beer, The Good Pub Guide will never steer you wrong. It offers comprehensive information on everything from opening hours and prices to pub dogs, with starred reviews marking truly outstanding establishments.

Discover the best in each county for beer, food and accommodation, and find out the winners of the coveted titles of 'Pub of the Year' and 'Landlord of the Year'. Packed with honest, entertaining and up-to-date information, this is the only pub guide you'll ever need and the perfect gift for any pub lover and opens with special contributions from James Blunt, Seedlip founder Ben Branson, Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown and best-selling author Christopher Winn.

• Part of series Good Pub Guide
• Print length 992 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Ebury Press
• Publication date March 10, 2021
• Dimensions 5 x 1.75 x 8 inches
• ISBN-10 1529106508
• ISBN-13 978-1529106503
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ebury Press (March 10, 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 992 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1529106508
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1529106503
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.45 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 1.75 x 8 inches
• #105 in Beer (Books)

About the authors

Luke waterson.

Raised in rural Somerset, Novelist and Travel Writer Luke Waterson developed a penchant for travelling at an early age and, following completion of an English Literature and Creative Writing degree at the University of East Anglia, duly set forth to travel the world. He has developed a particular passion for the Americas (he's travelled across the lot of them extensively - north, central and south) and for Eastern Europe (he's lived in Slovakia for four years) but has never lost his love for getting lost within the rolling, damp green British countryside on a hike ideally incorporating a country pub or three. He lives, perhaps appropriately, in lonely Mid Wales.

Luke's first novel, "Roebuck - Tales of an Admirable Adventurer" - a swashbuckling adventure set amidst the Amazon rain-forest of the 16th century - was published in December 2015. His second novel, "Song Castle" - following the traumatic travels of a group of bards undertaking the dangerous journey to perform at a festival of song in 12th century Wales - was published in April 2018. He also writes for Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, the Telegraph, the Independent, BBC Travel, Adventure.com, National Geographic and a clutch of in-flight magazines including N by Norwegian and Morning Calm by Korean Air.

Ebury Press

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The Indie Author's Guide to Free Reviews

For an indie author trying to draw attention to her recently published or soon-to-be-published book, reviews are hugely beneficial. Commentary from bloggers or critics—even when the assessment is mixed—make a book seem more legitimate, while at the same time offering insight into its genre, subject matter, style, and potential audience. But, in an increasingly crowded indie market, it can be difficult to get noticed—and thus, reviewed—on sites like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Goodreads. And paid review services can be expensive, adding to the already significant financial strain many encounter when self-publishing a book.

So what’s a budget-conscious, review-seeking indie author to do? These online resources help authors connect with bloggers and writers who review indie books for free.

[Note: this article was originally published in July 2014 and was updated on May 8, 2017.]

What to Expect and How to Prepare

Whether an indie author is researching book bloggers using a reviewer directory -- such as IndieView -- or submitting a book directly to a blog known for reviewing self-published titles -- such as Dear Author -- she should be sure to read each site’s review policies carefully. Directories sometimes have guidelines for contacting bloggers, and individual reviewers and/or book blogs will often have a checklist of requirements for submissions (e.g., print format only, no books of a certain genre, etc.). Self-publishing expert Joel Friedlander, writing for Writer’s Digest , also suggests having jacket images, a cover letter, an author photo, an author bio, a press release, and a sufficient number of hard copies (if you are publishing in print) at the ready.

Reviewer Directories

Reviewer directories provide lists of bloggers and writers who review self-published books, often for free. Here are three examples of the reviewer directories you can find online:

First launched in 2010, IndieView is a site that connects indie authors with volunteer reviewers. In order to find a potential reviewer, an author can visit the site’s directory , which lists the names, websites, genre preferences, and review policies of each of its more than 300 reviewers. After finding a promising match, an author can then contact the reviewer directly, typically via her website. IndieView does a good job of maintaining a robust and respectful reviewing community. In order to remain on its list of reviewers, members must “actively post reviews,” accept e-book submissions, and never charge for reviews. In addition, many of the reviewers will post their reviews to sites such as Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, and Shelfari. IndieView’s directory model can prove time-consuming, since an author will have to research each reviewer’s site, policy, and past reviews individually. But, given its size and the sheer variety of genre preferences represented, it’s a good place to start.

Book Blogger List

The Book Blogger List uses a model similar to that of IndieView, providing a directory of book bloggers (organized by genre preference) that accept submissions from authors. The biggest upside to the Book Blogger List is that it requires all of its bloggers to remain active : Blogs are monitored every two months, and lapses in activity result in removal from the site’s directory. On the downside, the site doesn’t explicitly require its bloggers to review for free (although most do), so authors should be sure to read each blogger’s review policy carefully. And, as with IndieView and other reviewer directories, it’s important to respect each blogger’s stated genre preferences. “Don’t approach a blogger who only reads children’s lit to read your non-fiction business book,” the site recommends .

Book Reviewer Yellow Pages

Operated by Christy Pinheiro, Book Reviewer Yellow Pages (formerly Step by Step Self-Publishing) is an online resource for indie authors that includes an exhaustive list of book blogs that review self-published books . The list includes information about which genres each blog specializes in, and which book formats (print or e-book) they accept.

Traditional Media

While it remains true that traditional media doesn't regularly review self-published books, this is -- very slowly -- beginning to change. In 2012, the New York Times reviewed a self-published title for the first time. And in 2014, the Guardian ran The Guardian Legend Times Self-Published Book of the Month , which showcased the best self-published books. Still reviews of self-published titles from traditional media are few and far between.

I n May of 2014, Publishers Weekly launched BookLife , a site aimed at indie authors that allows self-publishers to submit their books to PW for review consideration for free. To date, the magazine has reviewed more than 1,700 self-published titles. Additionally, BookLife features how-to articles for self-publishers and an annual contest for indie authors with a writing stipend of $5,000 going to the winner.

Blogs and Individual Reviewers

An indie author can also skip the directories and reach out to book blogs directly. The following blogs have a reputation for reviewing self-published books. They are, of course, only examples: as Indie View and Book Blogger List’s directories attest, bloggers willing to review self-published titles number in the hundreds.

Dear Author

Dear Author is a popular book blog that covers mainly romance, historical fiction, and contemporary fiction. According to owner Jane Litte, the site’s writers review around 30 books per month, some of which are self-published. Though “only a tiny fraction” of indie submissions receives reviews on the site, Litte says there are a few things authors can do to stand out. “Authors should familiarize themselves with the review policies of the blog,” she says. “We receive a number of submissions from self-published memoirists or nonfiction authors or authors of short stories and poetry. We don’t review those books.”

In addition, she says, “Having a professional cover, blurb and excerpt can elevate your self-published book above others…Don't give the reviewer a reason to say no…because [of] a poorly crafted and edited blurb, an amateur cover, or a less than gripping excerpt.” Finally, “knowing the audience for your pitch can go a long way in pushing your query ahead of others,” Litte says. “It might take extra time, but targeted pitches are better than mass mailings which many bloggers, including myself, routinely delete.”

Maryse Black

Maryse Black is a book blogger with a sizable fan base ( more than 40,000 Likes on Facebook and a mailing list of more than 6,000 ) who reviews self-published books on her website, Maryse’s Book Blog . Her preferred genres range from young adult and fantasy to contemporary fiction. While she doesn’t guarantee reviews, she does provide helpful information about what types of books she’s drawn to , and, as a rule, always reviews free of charge. A review from Black can be a significant boon: According to the Associated Press , her review of New Adult indie author Jamie Stengle’s book Slammed helped spur the book’s popularity; it went on to appear on the New York Times bestsellers list for e-books

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The Ultimate Guide to Getting Book Reviews

• March 30, 2020

In this post, we cover:

• The different types of review
• How to get reviews and editorial reviews
• How to make the most out of your reviews
• How to deal with negative reviews

Ultimate Guide to Getting Book Reviews: Main Types of Review

There are many different kinds of book reviews and publications, each one having evolved separately from one another for different purposes and different kinds of audiences.

1. Reviews in mass media

Mass media reviews in newspapers and magazines were traditionally the only way to let people know about books and are still highly influential, especially the Review sections of major publications like the New York Times, The Guardian, for example. Also influential are radio and TV book review and interview programs, like the Oprah or Richard and Judy book clubs.

2. Reviews in book trade publications

People connected with the publishing industry read book trade publications. Publishers, agents, booksellers, librarians, marketing agencies, and book reviewers all read publications and associated websites like Publishers Weekly, Foreword Reviews, Kirkus Reviews, and Library Journal, among others.

3. Reviews by book bloggers

Book bloggers are avid readers who have developed often significant online followers. They can be very influential in creating fan buzz about books.

4. Reviews by readers given an advance copy for review

Advanced Reader Copy shortened to “ARCs,” describes the process of providing a copy of your book, prior to publishing, to a select group of readers with a request that they write a review once you publish. A

5. Online customer reviews

Customer reviews appear on a book’s sales page on online retailers. Readers who have purchased a book, or who might have received advance copies of the book, write online customer reviews. Reviews on sites such as Amazon, Goodreads, and Audible can be very influential. A reader can, on the spur of the moment, choose to buy or not to buy a book based on online customer reviews.

There are many good reasons why online book reviews have become front of mind:

• Research indicates they influence readers’ decisions to buy.

• They are public and perpetual: posted for all the world to see and they don’t go away (unless the online retailer decides to remove them.)

• They are relatively accessible and democratic—anyone with an account for a particular online retail store, or with their own blog, may post a review.

• More online reviews equals greater visibility within online stores and on search engines.

6. Editorial reviews (paid and unpaid)

Let’s clarify what we’re talking about when we say “editorial reviews.” Editorial reviews, also called endorsements, are those glowing comments you find on front covers, back covers, inside in the front matter, and on your book’s page with the distributor/retailer (e.g. Amazon).  These endorsements are often from people working for big-brand media outlets (New York Times Books Review, The Guardian Review); other famous, notable or clued-in authors, or others who have lots of credibility with your target reader.

Authors, both indie and traditional, can pay for editorial reviews–though you don't have to, you can also put the leg work in to build your network and reach out to influencers. It very much depends on your budget. If money is tight, there are more effective things you can do for booksales. But if time is tight and you have the money, paying for an independent review on one or more of the editorial review sites gives your book a start.

Among the most reputable fee-for-review services are ALLi Partner Members 
 Foreword's Clarion Reviews , BlueInk , Kirkus Indie Reviews , and Publishers Weekly’s BookLife .

As with every other aspect of publishing (and indeed of life) there are disreputable review services out there. For more on this, connect with ALLi Watchdog Desk. Sign into the allianceindependentauthors.org and then navigate to SERVICES > WATCHDOG DESK.

Ultimate Guide to Getting Book Reviews : The Principles

Depending on the type of review you're after, the principles of reach-out to reviewers are generally the same: research, well-structured pitch,

Principle 1: Research 

For advance reviews, customer or blogger reviews:

• Make sure the people you're contacting do actually post reviews regularly. Are there reviews on their social media? Photos of books? Shout outs to authors?
• Check they review in the same genre your book is in
• Search for their name and contact details. Reviewers with websites often have quirky titles like: Books and Coffee or I Love Books.com. These regular reviewers often get swamped with requests. Most requesters won't bother searching for their name and reach out with something like this: Hey, Books and Coffee, I'm the author of… will you review my book . That's not going to work. Take the time out to find their name on their about page or social media and you're way more likely to get a response when you email them. And take time to craft a pitch that explains to them why your book is a fit for them.

Principle 2: Create a Template Email

The structure of a good endorsement review email (or letter or social media message if you are reaching out via a method other than email) goes like this:

• subject line
• intro tailored paragraph (Hi Mr. Tom Hanks, I know you have a keen interest in World War II history and I think you’ll be interested in a book I’ve just written titled [title]. I’m hoping you’ll agree to provide a review.)
• what the book is about – this can be a modification of your blurb
• links where they can access their ARC (advance review copy). Consider using a service like Prolific Works or BookFunnel and consider providing two options: an excerpt with a few sample chapters and the full manuscript. If you also have a website or webpage provide that link as well.
• your requested deadline – this should be at least four weeks, and six to eight is probably better.
• a line explaining that reviews received before the deadline will be considered for front or back cover treatment, and, acknowledging they are busy and that you’ll gladly accept their review even if they are unable to meet your deadline.
• Some authors will attach their book cover too.
• Sign off thanking them for their time

Principle 3: Be Organized

Find a method to organize the information you've collected about potential reviewers however suits you: word, excel, something more fancy like Trello or Asana. You'll want columns for name, company, email address, social media handles, mailing address, which book(s) they’ve reviewed, and a column or space to add notes about your communication. Like, when they tell you they’ll be happy to provide editorial reviews for your self-published book, and they’ll get back to you in two weeks.

Ultimate Guide to Getting Book Reviews : Influencer and Editorial Reviews

If you want review, blurb or praise quote from influencers or any kind of influential review e.g. in a mass-media newspaper or review outlet, here are some tips:

• Leave a longer amount of time for contacting potential influencers. They have busy schedules and will likely need a longer period of time to review the book.
• Make sure they do review books. You can always check their website to see if they have a no review policy. Also check that they review in your genre.
• If you write nonfiction, you'll need to research influencers and leaders in your sector. Make sure whoever you're asking to review is actually relevant. Also if you've quoted an influencer in your book, consider asking them to review it. Most people are honored when they're quoted, so this is a great way in.
• Expect a lot of no's. Influencers are busy people and will often get asked to review or praise dozens of books a week. You are not going to get 100 % yeses, but likewise, you're unlikely to get 100% nos. But when you purposefully go out and ask for editorial reviews for self-published books, good things happen. You might get an invitation to write a guest blog on a high-traffic blog site, or to be a guest on a podcast, or something else you already had on your book marketing to-do list anyway. It’s a win-win.
• Resist the temptation to follow up with them, except perhaps once if you haven’t heard within two to three weeks. Be polite, don’t badger, never make them feel like you assume they have an obligation to do anything. A simple outreach to tell them you’re just checking to be sure they received your original message, and that’s it.

The Ultimate Guide to Getting Book Reviews : How to Get Reviews

We've already mentioned the better paid review outlets: 
 Foreword's Clarion Reviews , BlueInk , Kirkus Indie Reviews , and Publishers Weekly’s BookLife .

Do a Google for ‘ book review bloggers ‘ you'll get pages of listing and reviewers. These listings are fabulous, yes. But to actually get the reviews, you're going to have to do the work and pitch the reviewers.

Search for Book Reviewer Listings: such as this huge list of review sites from Reedsy . Or what about this one from Dave Chesson at Kindlepreneur. Check out the list by genre. One more: Top 100 Book Review blogs

Free Downloads: Over time, doing selective giveaways will increase the amount of reviews you get. Estimates reckon that for every 100 completed reads, .06 people will review. Not even one. Tough stats. Giving away copies to the right people (not willy nilly) and asking for an independent review in return will help.

Newsletter swaps: If you have a mailing list you have the ability to swap recommendations in your emails with other authors. Your mileage may vary, and always make sure the person you're asking to read and review your book is reputable and trustworthy.

Ask on social media: If someone tells you they've read your book, politely ask if they would leave a short review. You may find this uncomfortable, but it works.

Schedule messages, memes and posts: how many times have you posted on your Facebook page or instagram story asking for reviews? If you feel uncomfortable ask indirectly. Put up memes about how much they mean to an author, or how important they are in general rather than asking directly, though the latter works better! Point is, schedule a reminder in once a week for the next year and I bet you see a huge increase in reviews.

#Bookstagram: Bookstagram is a movement on Instagram uniting all book reviewers and social media users. Typically a Bookstagrammer will post a gorgeous picture of your book and / or leave reviews. Some double up as book review bloggers. This is a time-intensive method of getting reviews, but it does pay off as you often get stunning photos of your books in the process. And if you ask whether you can repost them or use them, they'll often say yes.

To find bookstagrammers:

• Go to Instagram
• Search for #bookstagram #booklover and or any other variation of ‘book' something in the search bar.
• Go to each profile, and check if they have an 'email me' button OR a link to their website on their bio. If they do, bingo!

The Ultimate Guide to Getting Book Reviews: What if You Get a Negative Review?

Negative reviews – we will all get them at some point, no matter how great we think our books are. Indeed, some writers even see it as a badge of honor to get a savage 1*, because it demonstrates to the world that your reviews aren’t all from your friends. But that doesn’t stop it hurting, at least for a little while – especially if the reason for the review feels unfair.

Don't respond. Ever. Professionals don't get into public spats about things that are opinions. You'll come off looking worse and only antagonist the reviewer. walk away, get a cup of coffee, and move on with the more important things in your day (which is everything else).

Put a positive spin on it. If you've received a number of reviews all saying the same thing, such as: needed more worldbuilding. use it as a learning opportunity to develop your craft. It's a gift really, to be told where to direct your attention so you can focus your development in the right areas.

If you're getting predominantly one-star reviews, then you've either marketed to the wrong genre or the quality of your book isn't what it should be.

Remember reviews aren't for authors, they're for readers. Though it's nice to see praise of our work, reviews aren't for the author. Reviews are there to help other customers decide whether or not they would like to purchase your book. Don't be afraid of bad reviews either. If someone wrote, “didn't like it, far too Steampunk heavy” don't worry. That's going to be a steampunk lover's dream. So just as much as you might lose one reader, bad reviews help other readers buy books. If they’re a serious potential customer for your book, they won’t be put off by the odd crazy, and they’ll be smart enough to realize which reviews are credible.

Ultimately, if reading reviews—be they positive or negative— affects you or your mental health or your motivation to write in any way, then you should probably stop reading them. Lots of authors do this. The alternative response–if you can do it–is to read, learn if there's any learning in it, then forget about it. This means treating the good reviews as dispassionately as you treat the bad.

The Ultimate Guide to Getting Book Reviews:  H ow to USE Your Reviews 

Once you've got reviews, use them! So many writers secure a review and then do nothing with it. If you've managed to get ARC reviews or reviews from influencers, use them.

Great one-liners also lend themselves well to:

• Endorsement quotes for your book covers. Have your designer add the quotes to the cover.
• “What Readers Say” pages at the start of your books. Go to a bookstore and have a look inside the cover of a few books to see how these are styled and laid out and how many quotes you might need.
• Information sheets  for booksellers if you're trying to sell selective rights.
• Social media graphics for potential new customers. Here's one I've created for an upcoming release:

I used Canva to create the graphic and the elements in my book cover to create the background and colour scheme. Canva is a free program and you can upload your own book cover images to their site.

Two Notes of Caution

If you are in any doubt that any reviewer may not be happy to see you share their review, then ask permission first. This particularly applies to bookbloggers, who are reviewing in their own space and under their own copyright – unlike Amazon reviewers, which Amazon actively encourages you to share (though reviewers may not realise this). Alienating a bookblogger by violating their copyright is a bad idea, especially if you are hoping they will review your future books.

• If quoting an extract  rather than the full review, the conventional – and ethical – practice is to indicate what you’ve omitted with an ellipsis […] to show that you’re quoting out of context, and alerts the reader to check the rest of the review, which may not be so flattering, if they wish to. (Most won’t.)

DON'T FORGET

How to get your first 50 book reviews: the guidebook.

Our Quick & Easy Guide to getting reviews is based on the experience of ALLi members and on ALLi’s Ethical Author policy.

ALLi’s latest Quick & Easy Guidebook focusses on how to get your first 50 book reviews (available for sale on the ALLi bookshop or free to members in the Member Zone: log in –>go to Advice –>Quick & Easy Guides). This is the ultimate guide to getting book reviews.

I did pay for membership. I may have used a different email: [email protected] or [email protected]

I gave my copy of my membership to my husband, the hoarder in chief and tax accountant. We live in PR. It is cold here now. That means I can wear long pants. Donna S. Cohen RN newest book: A Nurse’s Guide to Plastic Surgery—Loving Yourself While Loving Your Wallet. I would like someone else to handle the marketing!!!!

Very comprehensive and well done article on how to get your book reviewed. Thank you. Team Golfwell are retired people in New Zealand and they do free book reviews > https://www.teamgolfwell.com/free-book-reviews.html

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Ten Honest Review Sites for New Authors

Books flood into review sites, and the sheer numbers overwhelm book review editors. They must make choices: the big New York publishers or the little guys?

Publicists are Tweeting the editors and importuning them with e-mails. “Well, are you going to review my guy or gal or not?”

Probably not. There’s just not time. And the number of newspapers with book review sections keeps shrinking.

If this is publishing’s new reality, how are unknown authors supposed to get pithy, cover quotes? Hire a publicist? Sure, but not everyone can afford that.

If you want to throw a “Hail Mary,” you can join the National Book Critics Circle and gain access to the members of that organization. Alternately, you can monitor the group’s Twitter feed and collect Twitter addresses. Be forewarned, however.

Without a publicist, small presses, independent publishers, and self-published authors have very little chance of making it into the book review sections of national newspapers.

But, don’t give up yet. There are paid and unpaid review sites that will give you what you want–a “money quote.”

The Money Quote

Long before a book goes to press, the author or publisher needs to solicit reviews. Why? Because it’s good to have a “money quote.” That’s a single sentence you can put on the cover to promote it.

Here’s the money quote for my novel, Montpelier Tomorrow . “An affecting, deeply honest novel; at the same time, a lacerating indictment of our modern health care system.”– Kirkus Review

And, here’s a money quote for Bonds of Love & Blood . “MacDonald applies insight, power, and delicacy to create characters between whom the psychic space virtually sizzles.”– Foreword Reviews

You need quotes like these in your marketing campaign. That campaign can involve Tweets, blog tours, press releases, podcasts, and speaking engagements. But, all that effort begins with you deciding which review sites you’re going to target.

In this post I’m going to cover free review site and sites that charge money. Sometimes the same review organization will do both. ( Foreword Reviews, Kirkus Review , and Publishers Weekly/BookLife are examples of two-tiered review sites.)

The Skinny on Review Sites

I’ve seen disparaging comments on the web about sites that charge authors money in exchange for reviews. Honestly, it’s a very competitive world out there, and most sites that want you to pay for a review do not guarantee a positive outcome.

The reviewer can pan your book or give it a lukewarm endorsement. In that case (since you’ve forked over money), you can ask the site not to publish; but that’s the only break you’re going to get. Money doesn’t buy happiness, and it doesn’t buy a five-star review.

I’ve solicited both paid and unpaid reviews. Some of the paid reviews have been the best, not because I bought the reviewers’ good opinion, but because the readers took time to read thoroughly and respond in a “feelingful” way.

Apart from reviews, what authors want most is that vital connection with readers. Our chances improve if the review sites allow reviewers to self-select from among the many books available for review. One site, for instance, says they receive 1,000 books per month. There’s no way the editor who manages that rising tide can possibly know which readers who will be receptive. As I said, review sites are literally being inundated.

Review Sites | Free or Cheap

The Midwest Book Review — This is a site that favors small presses. If the book has not yet been published, the author or publisher can pay a $50 “reader fee” (which is an administrative fee) and MBR will assign a reviewer. At that point the author or publisher will send the reviewer a pre-publication manuscript, galley, uncorrected proof, ARC, or pdf file . Turnaround isn’t instantaneous, so it’s important to allow enough time, especially if you want a money quote for your book cover.

If your book is too far along to qualify for a pre-publication review, you can still try to get one from MBR, one of the oldest and most respected review sites in the country. The editor, James Fox, asks that you send two copies of the book, a press release, and a physical address to which they can mail the review.

If the book isn’t picked up by one of their volunteer reviewers during the 12 to 14-week time window, you can submit a review from any other reviewer (with their permission), and they’ll run the review in their newsletter.

While you’re on their site make sure you take note of their info about Book Review Magazines Used by Librarians and Other Book Reviewers . The latter is a helpful list because it includes review sites for academic books.

Foreword Reviews is one of my favorite sites for small and independent presses and for indie authors .

“To be considered for a review in the pages of Foreword Reviews magazine, a review copy (printed or digital) of the title in question must be received in the Foreword offices at least two months prior to the book’s firm publication date. Once we have our hands on your book, our managing editor will carefully critique whether it meets our editorial standards. We receive hundreds of worthy titles every month. Due to space limitations, we’re only able to review 150 books per issue of the quarterly magazine. If your book did not make the cut, we also offer objective, 450-word reviews (including a star rating) by Clarion Reviews , Foreword ‘s fee-for-review service.”

These folks produce a beautiful magazine, and their reviewers are great. Unlike Kirkus Review (more on that in a minute) Foreword Reviews does not charge for its reviews. I’m very proud that my short story collection, BONDS OF LOVE & BLOOD , is a finalist for their IndieFab awards and that they featured the book in their January issue. The magazine spotlights many books published by university and small presses.

New Pages is a great site for small and independent presses, but not so great for self-published authors and presses that use a POD printer. New Pages doesn’t charge for their reviews, and they are also inundated with new books.

“If you want your book to be considered for a review, please send two copies. We need to keep one in the office to check against any review that might be submitted. Advanced Reading Copies are acceptable.”

Their address is New Pages, PO Box 1580, Bay City, MI 48706. If your book is self-published or published by a POD publisher (such as CreateSpace), they will not review your book , but they will list it on their “Books Received” page. If, in their initial screening, they think your book looks promising, they will offer it to their reviewers, but it is up to the reviewers to choose.

Even if you can’t get a review from these folks, the site is still worth visiting. Don’t overlook their  New Pages Guide to Review Sources .

BookLife is a new venture for Publishers Weekly , the big gorilla in the publishing zoo. (If your book’s publisher produces works by multiple authors, then the publisher must submit the book through the Publishers Weekly’s GalleyTracker portal.)

Prior to launching BookLife, an author could only get a book review on PW if the author’s publisher submitted the book and if PW accepted the book for review. With BookLife you’ll have a chance at getting your book reviewed, but only if the book meets their standards .

Amazingly, the review is free. You’ll also find that they’re offering a host of other services, including helpful info about ISBN numbers, social media, and publicity. That is undoubtedly where they intend to make money.

Kirkus Indie Reviews is one of the sites acquisition librarians consult, and Kirkus reviews carry weight with readers. Kirkus Indie needs a lot of lead time–7 to 9 weeks ($425) for a standard submission and 4 to 6 weeks ($575) for a rush job.

If you’re publishing with a small or independent press, and they did not submit your book prior to publication, you can still get it reviewed under Kirkus’s Indie program.

“In the interest of introducing consumers and industry influencers to self-published books they might otherwise never discover, Kirkus Indie does not put any restrictions on publication dates for submissions. You may order a review for a book that’s been on the market for 10 years or for a book that doesn’t even have a publication date yet.”

Kirkus Indie reviews are eligible for Kirkus stars.

I’ve had two books reviewed by Kirkus Reviews . Click the link at left, and see if you can tell the difference between the one I paid for and the one I didn’t. (Hint: The publisher of BONDS OF LOVE & BLOOD submitted an ARC to Kirkus prior to publication.)

Kirkus Review clearly states that they do not review POD (print-on-demand) books except in their Indie program, but both my books were produced using POD technology, and they reviewed them.

Review Sites That Want You To Show Them The Money

Some of my favorite reviews have come from review sites that require a modest payment. Often these sites employ volunteer reviewers, but sometimes, they pay their reviewers for taking the time to write a coherent review.

The US Review of Books is a site that has given both my books great reviews. They state that they “ do not sell editing or manuscript review services on the side . This practice creates a clear conflict of interest with the integrity of a fair and honest review.” ( Kirkus Review does sell editing services.) A basic review with US Review of Books costs $75, but if you’re close to your pub date, you can get an express review for $129. If you’re on Twitter and you include the hashtag #USReview in your Tweet, they will retweet to their list.

An added feature of the US Review of Books site is that it supports the Eric Hoffer Award . This is an award for new books, and it also honors books that have been around for awhile. I’m thrilled that the cover of BONDS OF LOVE & BLOOD is a finalist for the da Vinci Eye award.

The Readers’ Favorite Book Review and Award Contest is one of the review sites that every indie author needs to know about. I know there are a lot of sites out there that have a gajillion categories and steep entry fees. They bilk new authors with the promise of recognition. However, Readers’ Favorite Book Review is different. The people who run the site have high integrity.

The site will do one free review of your book, and the reviews are done by real readers. You can rank your reader, just as your reader ranks you. But, there’s more! For $129 you get three reviews, and for $199 you can order five. In addition to putting the reviews on their site, they will post the reviews to Goodreads and Barnes & Noble (but not to Amazon because Amazon doesn’t accept paid reviews. Oddly, Amazon doesn’t accept reviews from Midwest Book Review , even though that site has been around a long time and has a solid reputation for objectivity.)

If you enter the Readers’ Favorite Award Contest and are one of their finalists, you become eligible to join their Forum. Contest winners share strategies they’ve used to market their books, and I can’t think of another site that’s as genial and helpful as this one.

Last year I won a Gold Medal for Drama for MONTPELIER TOMORROW , and I was invited to attend their award ceremony in Miami, held in conjunction with the Miami Book Fair. It was a first-class event. These folks truly are dedicated to indie authors, and the writers you meet, either in person or online, soon become your friends.

Pacific Book Review is a site that provides reviews and extra features, such as author interviews. The PBR Basic Review Package costs $300, and they post the review to Oasis (a library site), Barnes & Noble, Google Books, the Apple iStore, Authorsden.com, Bookblog.com, and Writers Digest Book Blog. They use professional reviewers who know how to think about–and write about–books.

If you’re in need of another review, they have a second review site called Hollywood Book Reviews . For another $200 you can order a professionally written review/press release and see it posted on all major sites.

Reader Views is another good site for indie authors, as well as small and university presses. Their basic package for one review costs $119, but they have a disclaimer saying that the cost isn’t actually paying for a review, merely for their processing. If you need reader reviews for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads, on top of a book review, ask about their book giveaways . What’s good is that you get the reviewers’ email addresses so that you can send them a “thank you” note.

That’s a start! What sites have you found? I’d love to hear about your successes.

Marylee MacDonald is the author of MONTPELIER TOMORROW, BONDS OF LOVE & BLOOD, BODY LANGUAGE, and THE BIG BOOK OF SMALL PRESSES AND INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS. Her books and stories have won the Barry Hannah Prize, the Jeanne M. Leiby Memorial Chapbook Award, a Readers' Favorites Gold Medal for Drama, the American Literary Review Fiction Prize, a Wishing Shelf Book Award, and many others. She holds an M.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State, and when not reading or writing books, she loves to walk on the beach and explore National Parks.

2 Responses to “Ten Honest Review Sites for New Authors”

I review for the following three virtual book tour companies: 1. Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours . Lori offers free review tours for cozy mysteries. She charges for other genres as a way to support the free cozies.

2. Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tours . They set up and run tours for authors of historical fiction. They have done and do scores of tours. I do not know their pricing structure.

3. TLC Book Tours . Again, scads of tours under their belts and in the pipeline (I have some reviews scheduled out through August.) I do not know their pricing structure here, either.

There are a few other sites for which I review, but they are smaller and/or I haven’t worked with them as much.

Thanks so much for these great links. I knew about TLC, but not the other two.

All Content © 2024 Marylee MacDonald

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MacMillan Publishers Review: Are They Worth It?

For writers, navigating the publishing industry can be a daunting task. It is without doubt a competitive industry that can be difficult to break into, but with persistence, patience and the right strategy, it is not impossible to achieve success. One of the first steps to navigating the publishing industry is to research the market and determine what type of writing is in demand. This can help you tailor your work to fit the needs of publishers and readers.

Once writers have completed their work, they will be faced with what at first glance may appear to be a jungle of publishers all with various pros and cons, reasons for and against making a submission to them. Regardless of which publisher a writer chooses to submit to it is important to follow their guidelines and be professional in your approach. Ensuring that the Make work is polished and ready for publication before submitting it, as first impressions are crucial, will maximise the chance of success. 

One publisher that the majority of writers will have likely considered at some point in their careers making a submission to, is Macmillan. In this review, we will delve into their history, their current services they offer to writers and ultimately whether or not making a submission to them is the right decision. 

What is MacMillan Publishers?

Macmillan is a publishing company that has been in operation for over 175 years. Founded in London in 1843 by brothers Daniel and Alexander Macmillan, the company started out as a small bookstore and quickly grew into a major publishing house. Macmillan has published many notable authors over the years, including Lewis Carroll, W.B. Yeats, and Rudyard Kipling. 

During World War II, Macmillan played a key role in distributing books to troops and providing educational materials to soldiers. In 1999, the company merged with Holtzbrinck Publishing Group to form Macmillan Publishers, which now operates in over 70 countries and publishes a wide variety of books, including academic and scientific works, fiction, and children’s books. Macmillan has a rich history and continues to be a major player in the publishing industry today.

And in the present day, with a wide range of imprints and divisions, Macmillan publishes everything from textbooks and academic works to fiction and nonfiction titles for adults and children. Some of their best-known imprints include St. Martin’s Press, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and Henry Holt and Company. 

Macmillan also has a strong digital presence, with e-books and audiobooks available through various online retailers. The company has been at the forefront of innovation in the publishing industry, with initiatives like the Tor online community for science fiction and fantasy fans, and the First Second graphic novel imprint. 

Macmillan is committed to diversity and inclusion in both their workplace and the books they publish, and they will likely continue to be a major force in the world of literature for the foreseeable future. 

What Type of Books does Macmillan Publish?

Macmillan has published countless notable books over the years, but just to provide an insight into the calibre and stature of these titles, below are ten of the most noteworthy

1. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

2. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

3. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

4. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

5. Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne

6. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

7. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

8. Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie

9. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

10. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

These books have become classics and have left an indelible mark on the literary landscape, cementing Macmillan’s reputation as a premier publisher.

Who Would Benefit from Publishing with Macmillan?

Macmillan Publishers has a diverse range of imprints and divisions, and they publish a wide variety of books. As such, there are many different types of writers who could potentially benefit from publishing with Macmillan.

First and foremost, Macmillan is known for publishing literary fiction, so any writers of literary novels, Macmillan could be a great fit. They have published works by some of the most celebrated writers of the past two centuries, including Lewis Carroll, Oscar Wilde, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Macmillan also has a strong presence in the world of children’s literature, with imprints like Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, and Roaring Brook Press. For writers of children’s or young adult literature, Macmillan is likely worth consideration. 

In addition to literary fiction and children’s literature, Macmillan publishes a wide range of nonfiction titles, including memoirs, biographies, and books on history, science, and politics. 

Overall, the type of writer who would benefit from publishing with Macmillan is one who is dedicated to producing high-quality, well-written books that have the potential to reach a wide audience. 

Macmillan is a respected publisher with a long history of publishing important and influential works, and writers who want to make a significant impact on the literary landscape may well find that publishing with Macmillan will allow them to achieve that goal.

What are the Alternatives to Macmillan?

While Macmillan Publishers is a prestigious and well-respected publishing house, there are several reasons why a writer may not wish to submit or publish with them. One of the main reasons is the highly competitive nature of the publishing industry. Macmillan receives thousands of submissions every year, and only a small percentage of those are ultimately selected for publication. This means that even if you are a talented writer with a great manuscript, you may not be able to secure a publishing deal with Macmillan.

Another reason why a writer may not want to publish with Macmillan is the issue of creative control. When you sign a publishing contract with a traditional publisher like Macmillan, you are essentially giving up control of your book. The publisher may make changes to your manuscript, cover design, and marketing strategy, which can be frustrating for some writers who want to have a say in how their book is presented to the world.

For these reasons and more, many writers are turning to self-publishing as an alternative to traditional publishing. Self-publishing allows writers to maintain full creative control over their work and to publish their books on their own terms. 

With the rise of online platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and IngramSpark, self-publishing has become more accessible than ever before.

Self-publishing also offers writers the potential to earn a higher percentage of royalties than they would with a traditional publisher like Macmillan.

Ultimately, whether to submit or publish with Macmillan or to self-publish is a personal decision that each writer must make based on their individual goals and priorities.

Macmillan Review – Final Thoughts

In short, Macmillan’s status as one of the ‘big five’ publishers is more than deserved and both their back catalogue plus forward thinking ethos is to be admired.

As stated above, however, that does not mean that making a submission makes the most sense for a writer. The truth is, that combining a submission to Macmillan, alongside plans to self publish will cover all bases and in turn keep as many doors open for the ultimate goal; a writer having their book published. 

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Blog • Understanding Publishing

Posted on Apr 30, 2020

Lulu Publishing Review: READ THIS Before You Use Them!

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Martin Cavannagh

Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.

Over the last two decades, Lulu has become one of the biggest self-pub platforms in the business. Lulu publishing, or “Lulu Press” as the company is now called, offers both print-on-demand and distribution services for books. And they're a popular choice among self-publishing authors for POD — in terms of notoriety, Lulu is right up there with KDP Print, BookBaby, and the other major players in the print-on-demand apce.

However, Lulu has also acquired a negative reputation for taking substantial cuts of author royalties, forcing many authors to either price their books ridiculously high or to receive no royalties at all. This may leave today's authors wondering:  is publishing through Lulu Press even worth it?

To help you make the final call, we've reviewed all their services here, complete with costs, quality levels, and comparisons to similar companies. If you just want the TL;DR, feel free to jump to the end via the table of contents. Otherwise, let's jump right into the review.

Print-on-demand service

Rating: 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐.

We'll start Lulu's claim to fame: their print-on-demand service for print books, photo books, comic books, and more. As an author printing a “typical” book with few images, you can choose from the following customization options:

• Interior — premium color, premium black & white, standard color, or standard black & white
• Paper type — 60# cream, 60# white, or 80# coated white
• Book binding — coil, hardcover, paperback, or linen wrap
• Cover finish — glossy or matte

Note that hardcover is only available for books of 20 pages or more, and saddle stitch is only available for pamphlets. So if you upload a short PDF just to test Lulu's options, you may see saddle stitch instead of hardcover, but this will change once you upload your actual book.

Speaking of which, while the upload process only takes a minute, you will have to spend some time formatting your book beforehand. Lulu has very specific requirements for PDFs, as outlined on this page .

Though formatting your PDF according to these rules isn't a deal-breaking hassle, it does make things more complex than users might anticipate! We'd say Lulu's POD setup process is easier to navigate than that of the notoriously tough IngramSpark, but more difficult than using KDP Print. This knocks the overall POD experience down from five stars to four.

In any case, make sure to read through all those requirements   before uploading your PDF and finalizing your design choices, and preview your book  in full  to confirm everything looks good. Then you're ready to fill out the rest of your project details and place your order!

Looking for an easy, FREE way to format your book for publication? Reedsy Studio can help.

What about print quality and costs?

As you'll see once you finish designing your book, Lulu's printing costs depend on the materials you choose and the number of pages you have. For a 200-page book with B&W interior, lightweight pages, a paperback cover, and matte finish, Lulu estimates a print cost of $5.34 per unit:

For reference, if you choose hardcover instead, the cost rises to $12.30 per unit. With hardcover binding AND premium color interior, the print cost inflates to a whopping $27.50 per unit. Check out the table below to see how these print costs compare to other POD companies!

Printing costs notwithstanding, most authors seem pretty satisfied with the production quality of Lulu-printed books. They report high-resolution covers, thick pages, and well-aligned text that doesn’t bleed through. Note that a few users have noted lower-quality materials and longer shipping times with large orders, especially around the holidays.

But overall, the printing side of Lulu’s business holds up. It's certainly as good as, if not better than, most other POD services in terms of the final product. However, if you're really committed to getting high-quality print books, you should consider investing in offset printing instead.

Lulu POD service vs. other POD services

Curious how Lulu stacks up to KDP Print, IngramSpark, BookBaby, and Blurb in terms of print-on-demand? Consult this table to compare their POD services on user friendliness, print costs, product quality, and more.

Print book distribution

Rating: 2/5 stars ⭐⭐.

Now let’s talk print book distribution . Lulu distributes print books to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, the Ingram network, and more, including its own Lulu Bookstore. All in all, this global distribution service reaches over 40,000 retailers around the world. But Lulu's extensive distribution network comes at a (literal) price: lower royalties.

There seems to be a lot of confusion over Lulu Press royalties, so allow us to clear some things up. Lulu doesn’t “steal” royalties from authors, as some reviews claim. However, they do intentionally obscure their pricing model on pages like this , claiming you’ll receive “80% of profits” from your printed book.

When you get into the nitty-gritty of pricing your book, you’ll realize that “80% of profits” doesn’t mean 80% of your sales. Rather, it’s 80% of the amount left after print costs and distribution fees (taken by Amazon and other retailers). The other 20% goes to Lulu. Here's what that looks like:

As a result, you’ll need to price your print book fairly high in order to make any money. For our 200-page paperback book, which is relatively short and made of basic materials, the list price to earn a single dollar per sale is $13.18 (see above). If we want to earn $5 per sale, the list price jumps up to $23.18, with the distribution fee increasing accordingly.

Another option is to distribute only to the Lulu Bookstore, which doesn’t incur any distribution fees. Still, you have to consider the negative impact of not listing your book on major retailers. You can promote your own Lulu listing, but nobody’s going to find it organically. On top of that, you can’t even run price promotions to attract readers, like you can on Amazon.

So why would anyone distribute through Lulu?

The key thing to remember is that you’re not really paying to “distribute through Lulu,” you’re paying to print with Lulu. And the printing and distribution plans are a package deal — it’s not like you can print with Lulu and then distribute through another company.

Also, to be fair, high distribution fees aren’t unique to Lulu. Other POD companies charge substantial “middleman fees” as well; for example , BookBaby charges a flat fee of $399. KDP Print, IngramSpark, and Blurb recoup the cost through book sales, same as Lulu does.

But no other major print-on-demand company takes quite as much as Lulu. BookBaby and Blurb don't have user bases nearly as large, and KDP Print and IngramSpark both offer better expanded distribution plans and royalty shares than Lulu. That’s not even accounting for the fact that you can use KDP Print to distribute directly to Amazon — a market that’s obviously much more valuable than the Lulu Bookstore.

Lulu distribution vs. other print distribution services

Want to see exactly how these companies' print distribution services stack up? Check out this table comparing their costs and retailer networks. (Note that the distribution fee here also includes company commission, e.g. Lulu's 20% of your “gross profit”.)

*Both IngramSpark and Blurb let authors give wholesale discounts to retailers. This allows retailers to acquire print titles for less, which lowers the resulting distribution fees.

Ebook creation and distribution

Rating: 1/5 stars ⭐.

We won’t mince words here: there’s very little point to creating and distributing an ebook through Lulu publishing. The only reason you might consider doing so is if you’re already distributing the print version through Lulu and want to streamline the process for yourself.

Otherwise, it makes no sense to distribute your ebook via Lulu’s channels. Though there’s no printing cost, the distribution fees continue to apply, which means you’ll still have to set a high list price in order to make money. And in today’s cutthroat ebook market, most self-published ebooks over $2.99 simply aren’t going to sell.

It’s  very easy to format your ebook without involving Lulu at all, and you can price it more competitively by going through an ebook-friendly aggregator like Draft2Digital or Smashwords. You can upload separately to each retailer if you want to save even more money!

Just don’t distribute ebooks through Lulu, or indeed any POD-focused company like BookBaby or IngramSpark — they're simply not designed with ebook authors in mind. (And KDP Print is merely the POD counterpart to Kindle Direct Publishing , which is actually a good place to start if you've never distributed an ebook before.)

Customer service

Rating: 3/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐.

In terms of user support through the POD setup process, distribution, and help with printing and shipping issues, reports are mixed. The good news is that uploading your book for print-on-demand is so simple, it probably won't require support. The less-than-good news is that if you do  need to get ahold of someone, it might be a little tricky.

Lulu Press does have a virtual “Help Center” with frequently asked questions, so if an issue comes up, you're likely to find the solution there. However, the answers to these questions can be a bit muddled. This is in part because some of them are quite complicated, but also because providing clearer explanations of their pricing model might cause Lulu to lose business.

Users who've managed to get ahold of Lulu reps say they're helpful and friendly, but it may take a long time for your issue to be resolved. As we mentioned re: print quality above, you may face additional problems if your order is larger and/or if you place it around a busy time like the holidays.

As for how their customer service compares to other POD companies', we'd say Lulu is about average. KDP Print can get similarly overwhelmed with requests from users, and IngramSpark's learning curve is so steep that most people end up struggling even with support.

If customer service is extremely important to you and you want to be guided through every step of printing your book on demand, choose BookBaby ! Their setup process is as easy as Lulu's and support reps are extremely responsive. (However, do keep in mind that their flat-fee distribution system may not be ideal for you.)

Editing, design, and marketing services

Rating: n/a.

Until recently, Lulu Press offered their own “in-house” services for editing, design, and marketing. These have now been replaced with a list of affiliates that provide similar services. However, upon close inspection, many of these companies are relatively new, inexperienced, and/or overcharge for the services they offer.

If you’re looking for a professional editor, designer, or marketer who’s experienced, qualified, and who will give you a fair quote, we have great news: you’re only a click away.

MEET THE BEST PUBLISHING PROFESSIONALS

Polish your book with expert help

Sign up to browse 2000+ experienced editors, designers, and marketers.

Should you choose Lulu Press?

Lulu produces fairly high-quality print books, but its distribution services leave a great deal to be desired. If you're only printing with them, you should be fine — but distributing your Lulu-printed books might get messy.

And if you’re still conflicted over whether or not to choose Lulu, here are our recommendations in the plainest terms possible!

✅ You should choose Lulu Press if:

• You want to order a small number of print books for yourself; and/or
• You’d like quality print books for your readers and don’t really care about profits.

That said, you can get even better quality printed books with Blurb , as long as you don't mind a slightly higher printing cost per unit. And if you really want to pull out all the stops, look into offset printing — there's a high upfront cost, as you have to order lots of copies at once, but the quality is unparalleled.

❌ You should not choose Lulu Press if:

• You want to actually make money through print book sales;
• You’re planning to distribute an ebook rather than a print book; and/or
• You’re in need of other services such as editing and design .

For some users, Lulu’s print production quality makes up for what it lacks in other areas. But we’d stress the importance of looking into all your options for POD before you commit— don’t go with Lulu just because they showed up when you Googled “publish a book”. By staying informed, you can ensure that you make the best print-on-demand decision for yourself, your readers, and, ultimately, your career as an author.

Reedsy rating: 1/5

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Tellwell Publishing   Reviews

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Reviews 4.6.

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MY FIRST BOOK

I found Tellwell to be very supportive and informative during my first publishing experience of this kind. I registered some disappointment with the marketing aspect of the process but I greatly experienced the company's organized approach, its informative webinars and its ongoing guidance. I'm happy with the outcome.

Date of experience : August 25, 2024

A client of mine had lots of issues…

A client of mine had lots of issues with Tellwell. She had to spend unnecessarily because they did a very poor job in editing her book. Communication was also frustrating. I really hope they do better.

Date of experience : October 10, 2023

Reply from Tellwell Publishing

Dear Joy, thank you for your review. We appreciate the opportunity to reflect on past experiences and continuously improve our services. Since your client's book was successfully published in 2022, we have in fact implemented numerous improvements to enhance our processes and communication. In your client’s case, we provided a free re-layout of the interior after an incorrect version of the manuscript was uploaded by her post-editing—this was not an issue of poor editing, but rather user error. We always strive to support our authors, even when challenges arise. We encourage all authors to follow our established processes, which are designed to ensure a smooth and efficient publishing experience. We’re committed to learning from every project and translating those lessons into tangible improvements for each author we work with. Thank you for your feedback, and please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected] if you have any further questions. Sincerely, Simon @ Tellwell

I am so happy that Tellwell Publishing…

I am so happy that Tellwell Publishing gave me that big push to do what I always wanted to do. Write a children's book. My coach was always there to answer my questions and figure out how to put my manuscript in the computer. He was a great blessing. It just got out to sell but is doing well. I will always refer anyone of my friends to Tellwell Publishing if they want to write a book. Once Again Thank You Tellwell Publishing Your Team is Fabulous 👍. Diana Longoria Henson.

You will not go wrong in choosing Tellwell

You will not go wrong in choosing the Tellwell team. They are highly professional, encouraging, helpful and courteous. They deliver a fine product. With them I have realized what I thought was an impossible dream: the writing of my life over 83 years.

Great first experience

Initially, the rep from Tellwell was the main reason I was willing to pay for self-publishing. He was incredibly patient, answered my multitude of questions and made me feel like the product would be one that I loved. The editor that I was assigned communicated like an old friend, using constructive criticism to help make my work better and a boatload of encouragement, helping me feel like my product was worth being on the market. I choose to pay for the marketing service, which was a fantastic decision. There was an hour long phone conversation and follow-up that proved he had done his research on my project and had ideas catered that I had never considered. The one service that was disappointing was the design/layout. Since the book required an extensive number of photographs and it was important to me that it was visually stunning, I had hoped that layout/design would be more consistent with spacing, font, style, so I could focus on the bigger picture. The questionnaire I filled out in Tellwell's program, lost my input. This created a long lapse in publication as I had a lot of creases to work out, requesting all the changes necessary for the product I had envisioned. The product is now in my hands and I'm pleased with the quality and design. This is a great route to take if you want control of your work with a support team to add their expertise. The steps of the process are clearly laid out and user-friendly, with lots of opportunity for human support and video tutorials.

Date of experience : August 17, 2024

The Perfect Publishing Experience

I found the people at Tellwell extremely pleasant, professional and helpful, and always quick to respond. I was impressed by how transparent the whole process was and will not hesitate to recommend them to other authors in the future.

Date of experience : August 26, 2024

The team was wonderful and allowed me…

The team was wonderful and allowed me to focus on my creativity!

Date of experience : August 31, 2024

10/10 would recommend.

Right from the very start, Tellwell made me feel apart of their family, welcoming my project with an open mind. The professionalism and mannerism was incredible. The due diligence shown by the team made this process an incredible one. I want to send a special thank you to my project manager Charlene. Her immense help, along with suggestions and recommendations made this process feel rewarding and a lot easier than I expected. From the editors to the artists, I couldn't of asked for a better team.

Date of experience : August 08, 2024

As a horror poet

As a horror poet, who now does his own art. I needed to work with the team. This requires flexibility and understanding, which this company went above and beyond that. Friendly, transparent, helpful, are just a few words to explain the experience I've had! They worked with me in such a way my art, and words was not altered only poped out on the pages! My cover was only enhanced from its original beauty! Definitely recommend and will return myself!

Date of experience : July 28, 2024

Publishing with Tellwell

I published with Tellwell in 2022, and I was very pleased with the outcome. I had an amazing project manager who went above and beyond helping me to publish my book.. THE MEMORY BOX. In April of 2024 I published my second book THE TURBULENT TWIN.

Date of experience : August 02, 2024

Thank you for your wonderful review, Judith! Congratulations on publishing your second book, we're honored to be part of your publishing journey. Simon @ Tellwell

Making the publishing journey a smooth one.

The competence and patience displayed while guiding me through the publishing process.

Date of experience : August 22, 2024

Tellwell Talent Experience

Tellwell Talent took my finished, edited manuscript and made it into a beautiful book that is professional and polished. Although I used my own photo for the covers ( I have two books) they managed to develop both into unique covers. I have not had any issues with my books being loaded onto platforms and receive my royalties regularly. If you are ready to go with your book, use Tellwell and you will be pleased with the result. Jennifer Harris-author.

I was very happy with the results of my…

I was very happy with the results of my first experience with Tellwell. So much so that I recommend my fellow author, who now will use them for publishing her book.They were professional, committed, honest and I value that especially as I was treading in unfamiliar ground. I’ll be using them for my next book.

Incredibly experienced, supportive team

Couldn't rate the Tellwell Publishing team more highly. At every step of the process there has been a super knowledgeable, professional and incredibly helpful team member assisting to achieve my goal and dream of releasing my first book. Thank you Tellwell Team!

Tellwell made the daunting process of publishing...

Tellwell made the daunting process of publishing a book so simple and straightforward. The book "Developing Authentic Leaders" came out beautifully and one that I am proud of. If I publish another book, I would most definitely use them again. I have recommended Tellwell and will continue to do so to other authors.

Date of experience : July 19, 2024

Tellwell was a great experience

Tellwell was a great experience with their toolkit and expertise allowing me to focus on my book and its mission not the grind of the publishing process. Plus, the important questions that drove my publishing options and the publishing process was well supported with great teaching aids, so I was able to fully participate in the publishing process. It’s the pace to go to publish your book!

Date of experience : July 25, 2023

Hello Nigel, it's great to hear our resources and expertise allowed you to focus more fully on your book and its mission, and that you found the experience so positive overall! Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. - Simon @ Tellwell

Best publisher for me!

I am the author of 8 books, with only some of them published by TellWell. From that experience, I would recommend TellWell above the 3-4 others that I have used, and here's why: TellWell responds to any email on the same day, with one guide assigned to each author; TellWell is consistent in their editorial adjustments; TellWell makes suggestions simple and specific (and even says why), and TellWell has excellent distribution channels, including Amazon in all its places. I am working on my next book and wouldn't publish with anyone but TellWell! Brenda Peddigrew, Ph.D.

Date of experience : July 30, 2024

The product we received was defective

The product we received was defective. When we brought the issue to the attention of Tellwell, they offered nothing more than a few suggestions on how we could fix their manufacturing mistakes ourselves. We have since taken our business elsewhere.

Date of experience : May 01, 2023

Dear Karon, thank you for your feedback. We sincerely regret hearing about your experience and understand the disappointment when expectations aren’t met. While our books typically leave our partners’ facilities in perfect condition, we acknowledge that manufacturing defects, though rare, can occur. Our print partners are committed to quality, and replace defective copies when issues are promptly reported. In this instance, there was a significant delay of over six months from the books' delivery and your initial positive feedback to when the issue was brought to our attention. This extended period makes it exceedingly difficult for us to determine the nature of the initial concerns accurately, including whether they stemmed from the manufacturing process or were due to external factors affecting the books after delivery. The delay also meant the books were no longer eligible for replacement at no cost. Your feedback helps improve our communication and resources around the necessity of reporting any print issues promptly. Thank you for the opportunity to learn from this experience and improve our services for all our authors and readers. We understand that you have chosen a new partner for your future print needs. Despite this, we want to express our willingness to explore ways we might still make this right, acknowledging the time that has elapsed. Please email us at [email protected] to discuss possible paths forward.

Two Great books with Tellwell Publishing

My first book was written in 2015. An unexplained inspiration descended upon me and wasn’t meant to be denied. The content was my autobiography with a lifetime of events to be shared. Upon completing my writing, fear overwhelmed me about what was meant to come next. I researched publishing companies, prices, and opportunities; then I phoned some of them. My search led me to Tellwell Publishing. From my initial contact with them I felt they were trustworthy and was never disappointed. The staff is friendly, professional, talented and knowledgeable. In 2022, I published my second book with Tellwell Publishing and feel even more proud of their finished product. Leaving a review for Tellwell Publishing is like talking about a best friend. I continue to do book signings successfully with my most recent one at Indigo Regina in May. Tellwell's work is excellent!

Date of experience : May 11, 2024

Hello Patricia, thank you for your heartfelt review! It's wonderful to hear that our team met your expectations and that you continue to enjoy success with your book signings! We aspire to be more than just a service provider, and it's an honour to hear that for you it feels like talking about a best friend to leave us a review! - Simon @ Tellwell

Team Tellwell…

Tellwell is a company of integrity and great talent. Each team member is an expert in their particular area and do everything to optimise a seamless publishing experience. After working with them on my first book Foresight, found the team to be approachable in guiding me through the entire publication process. I have now worked with Tellwell on 8 projects.

Date of experience : July 26, 2024

Hello Monique, thank you for your wonderful review! We're honored to have worked with you on eight projects and delighted to hear that you continue to find our team approachable and our process seamless. Your kind words about integrity and expertise mean a lot to us, especially coming from a prolific creator such as yourself. We hope to continue our collaboration with book nine! - Simon @ Tellwell

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Book Marketing for Self-Publishing Authors

Home / Book Marketing / BookBub Reviews: Great For Readers & Authors

BookBub Reviews: Great For Readers & Authors

Table of contents.

• What is BookBub?
• Why should I use BookBub reviews?
• How are BookBub reviews unique?
• How do I get my book on BookBub?

BookBub Tips & Tricks

This is not a BookBub.com review . It’s a review of BookBub reviews.

Confused? Don’t be! BookBub reviews are an excellent tool for authors to engage with their readers.

Maybe you want to learn more about BookBub promotions or just how to maximize your benefits on BookBub. Good news: I cover all that in this article, too.

Does BookBub work? Yes, BookBub works at connecting readers with both New York Times bestsellers and indie authors alike, mainly utilizing promos and huge pricing decreases to sell books like crazy.

Do you have to pay for BookBub? No, consumers don’t have to pay for BookBub. In fact, there are lots of free book deals on BookBub, so it’s almost like they’re paying you . Authors and publishers do have to pay to advertise on BookBub, but not to recommend other books.

Check out our other articles on Book Marketing .

• Why you should bother with BookBub reviews
• Benefits of BookBub

BookBub is the largest book promotion site in the world, full of user-generated reviews for books of any genre.

This free service sends daily email notifications to its many subscribers to inform them about amazing audiobook and ebook deals in the genres the reader selects, such as fantasy, children’s books , crime, women’s fiction, mysteries , etc. BookBub takes the reader to a retailer to download onto a Kindle, Nook, etc.

Authors and publishers pay significant money to become a BookBub feature. Since getting a feature is selective and competitive, many writers simply buy less expensive, less exclusive ads on BookBub.

Both features and ads on BookBub are great book marketing tools .

Because a BookBub featured deal leads to proven book sales, authors are willing to deeply discount their books just to feature for a limited time on the site.

Book Marketing Made Simple

Over 47,000+ authors, NYT bestsellers, and publishing companies use Publisher Rocket to gain key insight to the market.  Help your book now

Many writers don’t bother with the paid ads or features on BookBub. Just setting up your author profile, claiming books as yours, and developing an extra following on BookBub can increase your sales and reader retention — readers love to engage with their favorite authors.

You can also link directly to your author website from your BookBub author profile. Getting a backlink from a site this popular is worth hundreds of dollars a year, but you can take advantage of this opportunity for absolutely free.

BookBub is good for readers looking for great books and great deals. It’s also good for authors looking to build an audience, utilizing BookBub’s recommendation feature that increases reader engagement.

How much does BookBub cost for consumers? BookBub costs nothing for consumers. Readers who want to subscribe to BookBub’s great deals in multiple genres can sign up for free.

How much does BookBub cost for advertisers? Advertising your book on BookBub costs $50 or more per day. Getting a BookBub feature can cost up to $3,000 — but it’s usually more than worth it.

BookBub reviews and recommendations offer one more way for readers to engage with you. Plus, author recommendations hold extra credibility.

On the one hand, when you, an author, recommend a book — like you can easily do on BookBub — readers feel more connected to both you and the author you’re recommending. Readers can follow you not only for your new release but for your next recommendation, increasing engagement and audience retention between books.

On the other hand, authors may take advantage of BookBub recommendations to promote other writers’ books. As long as everyone is honest, two authors can “swap” recommendations for each other’s books. (Please, don’t recommend a crappy book. Be honest with your readers.)

On the downside, if readers check out your book, and it has few positive reviews — even if that’s because it’s a new book or first book — they may be scared to invest their money. That’s where a book launch team would solve your problems.

What makes BookBub reviews unique is the ability for authors to leave recommendations on other authors’ books.

These reviews are clearly labeled “Author.” They lend extra credence to a book’s merit since an author is willing to go out on a limb and risk a little bit of their reputation on the quality of another’s book.

If a reader connects with an author, then sees a recommendation from said author, they are more likely to check out a book.

Also, if an author gives out recommendations, a reader is more likely to follow that author, likely increasing engagement and retention between books.

Reader reviews on BookBub function much like reader reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, or other services. A typical BookBub review may include:

• Whether they recommend the book
• Star rating out of 5
• Textual review
• Reasons they liked the book (optional tags)
• How long ago it was posted
• Ability to like, follow, comment on, or share the review

Books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo , Apple Books (iBooks), etc., already appear on BookBub. You don’t have to “get your book on BookBub,” although you should attach your books to your author profile, which you do have to create yourself.

Once you claim and create your author profile, click the “My Books” button on the left of your Partner Dashboard. Click the green “Add Books” button. When a search bar pops up, type in your book name, and it should come right up.

Try these actionable steps to increase your sales, discoverability, following, etc. using BookBub:

• Claim an author profile. Make it look professional by adding a photo and a great bio .
• Make sure all your books are associated with your author profile.
• Recommend other books using your author profile, encouraging reader engagement.
• Get other authors to (honestly) recommend your book on their author profiles.
• Link to your author website from your BookBub author profile and vice-versa.
• Link your social media to BookBub, and BookBub profile to social media.
• Consider paying for BookBub ads (custom ad budget).
• Submit your book for a BookBub feature ($113-$3,984). Remember, it’s very competitive to get accepted for a BookBub feature.

Will you use BookBub?

No matter what, I would most definitely recommend using BookBub’s free features: author profile, linking to your author website, book reviews/recommendations, swapping (honest) reviews/recommendations with other authors .

The paid options on BookBub are also very enticing. BookBub is the most popular book promotion site in the world. If you manage to land a BookBub feature, fork over the money. It is worth it, and you are among a lucky few!

Advertising on BookBub kind of works like Facebook boosts : you set your budget, and BookBub spends as much of it as they can to advertise your book on their site.

BookBub and BookBub reviews are great tools for traditional publishers , as well as self-publishing authors.

Check out these other Kindlepreneur resources for self-publishers:

• Best Book Writing Software: Coupons + Discounts
• Best Proofreading Software for Self-Publishers
• Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs
• The 9 Best Self Publishing Companies
• Best Podcasts for Writers and Self Publishers
• The Ultimate Guide to Goodreads for Authors
• How To Analyze Your Competition And Create Your Own Author Success

BookBub reviews are great for readers and great for authors. It’s free to browse, so it’s definitely worth checking out.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

• BookBub Tips & Tricks

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