Why I Don’t Post My Book Reviews to Amazon

I started this blog because I’ve always found that I have some very definite opinions about the books I read. I wouldn’t call myself a voracious reader – more of an avid reader with a limited amount of time in which to read. I never thought much about posting my reviews anywhere else, other than on here. However, when I received a nice request from a fellow book blogger, asking me to post my five star review on Amazon and Goodreads I wanted to oblige. Imagine my surprise when I was greeted with this message from Amazon’s powers that be:

What? Although Amazon has become a super giant in the retail industry, I have only purchased from them once. And that was for an item that I found impossible to find at any of my local retailers. Said item was a mere 19.99 (plus shipping and handling) so it didn’t amount to the fifty dollar minimum requirement. It got me thinking...is it fair of Amazon to do this? After all, Barnes and Noble doesn’t require reviewers to reach a minimum purchase before allowing them to post reviews.

I get the supposed reason behind this. The number of fake positive Amazon reviews has steadily skyrocketed over the past couple or so years. Consumers were sick of it. I was sick of it. I do go to Amazon (and other websites) to check out reviews on a variety of products before I decide to make a purchase. I don’t want to read a bunch of glowing reviews from people who have received a "free product in exchange for a review”. I don’t care what anyone says. Receiving a free product in exchange for a review most definitely skews your opinion. 

Review clubs are now banned from Amazon and that’s a very good thing. Amazon is really starting to crack down on fake reviews and biased reviews. That’s also a good thing. But, requiring reviewers to purchase at least $50 worth of products before granting them permission to post a review is, in my humble opinion, wrong. I get a lot of my books from the library, Half Price Books and at places other than Amazon. Does that make my opinion of these books less valuable? Of course not.

I could go to Amazon, purchase some things and then receive permission to review but I won't, just on principle now. I have since signed up for a Goodreads account (Goodreads was cleverly acquired by Amazon in 2013, by the way) and I've begun posting reviews there. I also post to Barnes and Noble. That's good enough for me. 

What do you think about this? I’d love to know.

Next time...the topic of Amazon verified reviews...

Bob

Book Review of Rosie and Friends Positively Different by Helen Hipp

I recently participated in the Rosie and Friends Positively Different by Helen Hipp book tour by sharing an author guest post here. Now I'm back with my book review!

ABOUT ROSIE AND FRIENDS POSITIVELY DIFFERENT:

Rosie the Pink Hippo asks readers "What advice would you give your friends who want to feel better about themselves" in this adventure book to help readers see that being different can be positive. Join Rosie the Pink Hippo, Olivia the Ostrich, and many others in this educational and eye-opening 28-page illustrated children's book, Rosie and Friends Positively Different, a creative and fun teaching tool intended for parents, caregivers, teachers, and children who may have felt at some point in their life that they were different from their peers.

BOB READS BOOKS REVIEW:

Rosie is positively different indeed. Rosie is a pink hippo and she’s quite happy being different. When the other animals here Rosie thinking out loud, they all stop to listen. They want to know what’s so great about being different. A playful monkey wants to know “why is celebrating your differences so important?” They gather around to hear the important explanation and they all learn some valuable lessons about being different.

This is a positively positive book. I always appreciate books that encourage children and this one certainly does. The illustrations and characters are colorful, cute and expressive. The story allows parents and other adults an opportunity to go into even more detail about what it means to be different and why we should all be celebrating our own uniqueness.

I’d recommend Rosie and Friends Positively Different to anyone who works with children. As an uncle, with two young nephews I know I’m going to be reading this book to them! Thanks to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of her book.

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Bob Martin

PURCHASE ROSIE AND FRIENDS POSITIVELY DIFFERENT ON AMAZON

Putting My Pen to Paper Guest Post by Author Helen Hipp

“PUTTING MY PEN TO PAPER”

By Helen Hipp

I have always found writing difficult and after years of producing numerous college papers, I felt exhausted. It came as a huge surprise that writing would eventually become a cathartic and enjoyable experience for me. I found myself preoccupied with a story that was stuck in my head about my family’s own experience while on safari in Africa. But my thoughts were not the same as sitting down to write, although they were the spark!

Inspired, I decided to share the story with the world by weaving it into a children’s adventure book that celebrates differences – a desire that drove me to create, as I knew that the real-life lessons learned by my son were both significant and relatable to other children with special needs and their parents. Clearly, the motivation behind my writing had clearly shifted. Putting pen to paper no longer feels like work or something I have to trudge through. Instead, it is a passion fueled with purpose.

What made the difference? For me it was, and still is, a meaningful creative process that allows for my enthusiasm, imagination, expression and creativity to unfold in its own time.

What motivates you to pursue your dreams?

What sparks creativity in you?

Are you meant to be a writer?

ABOUT HELEN HIPP

Helen Hipp has had her own kind of safari through the land of a large family. She was always exploring new ways to      define herself. There are many ways to navigate the waters of life says Helen. “You may ride in a canoe, sailboat, motorboat, or you may find yourself on the back of a pink hippo!”

With a mindset that centered on creating opportunities out of obstacles, Helen explored career opportunities, by connecting her personal experiences (parenting a child with special needs) with her beliefs, professional skills, and aspirations.

Helen received her M.A. in counseling and began her career as a psychotherapist to help people find answers for their life problems. Her work eventually evolved into a coaching practice, WithinU Life Coaching, focusing on individuals with special needs and their families.

Helen has authored articles for Family Works and Washington Family Magazine and written multiple self-help articles published by ezine.com where she is viewed as an expert in her field. She has been a contributor as a special needs consultant to FOX44 News in Burlington, Vermont.

In addition to her work, Helen has written two children’s books creating a very effective way to motivate kids of all ages to meet their challenges with self-acceptance, confidence and understanding.

Her debut children’s book, A Different Kind of Safari, released in 2013 addresses the many questions life asks by offering up lighthearted, ever-changing perspectives that transform personal challenges into opportunities. Once again, the engaging safari family, led by Rosie the Pink Hippo inspires, and help you see your life differently in her new book, Rosie and Friends Positively Different. With a cast characters experiencing real-life issues such as anxiety, fear, physical differences and poor self-esteem, Helen Hipp’s adventure books provide children with the opportunity to identify, understand and feel supported by the characters handling of similar fears, interests, and concerns.

Readers can connect with Helen Hipp on her website and on Twitter.  

See my book review of Helen Hipp's book "Rosie and Friends Positively Different" here. 

Emotional Paramedics by Susan Barton Book Tour Spotlight and Author Guest Post

Today, I'm welcoming author Susan Barton to my book blog. Susan is the author of several non-fiction books, several children's books and a brand new YA Coming of Age novel, Emotional Paramedics. Susan shares information on her new novel and offers an interesting guest post for readers. Welcome, Susan!

• Paperback: 200 pages

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (August 7, 2016)

• Language: English

• ISBN-10: 1536960322

• ISBN-13: 978-1536960327

                  

ABOUT THE BOOK:

August Gallagher is a sweet and intelligent Brooklyn girl just trying to find her place in the world during the turbulent 1960s. Unfortunately, her mother Alis doesn't make things easy for her. Bad choices, poor parenting and abusive men create chaos at every turn. Yet, through it all, August reluctantly remains a devoted daughter and continues to be Alis's emotional paramedic.

Along the way, August finds friendship, romance and makes a few dangerous enemies. When Alis hits rock bottom, August is forced to come to terms with the fact that it's finally time to cut the dysfunctional cord to save herself from Alis's emotional grasp. This is a wonderful coming-of-age story that will appeal to a wide variety of readers.

*This book deals with serious social issues. It includes some strong language and mature situations. It is recommended for readers 17 and up.

PURCHASE EMOTIONAL PARAMEDICS ON AMAZON.COM

 ABOUT SUSAN BARTON:

Susan Barton is an author, book promoter, marketer and coach. Susan has written several non-fiction and fiction books with several more books in the works. She currently resides in North Texas with her husband and their two dogs. She invites readers to connect with her via her website and on social media:

WEBSITE

AMAZONAUTHOR PAGE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

LINKEDIN

INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST

- AUTHOR GUEST POST -

"Don't Give Up" by Susan Barton

My book, Emotional Paramedics, comes in at just about two hundred pages, yet it took me almost five years to finish and finally publish it. There were several reasons why it took me so long and I’d be lying if I said procrastination wasn’t one of them. As a book marketer/book reviewer, I find myself living the life of a shoemaker. I’m sure you’ve heard it…the shoemaker spends so much time making shoes for everyone in the village that his own family goes shoeless. In other words, I was so busy helping other authors publish and market their books, I had little time to concentrate on my own writing.

A couple of other things had me at a standstill with my latest book. Emotional Paramedics is unlike anything I’ve written before. I’ve also written three children’s books and three non-fiction books and, as proud as I am of them all, a coming of age novel was an ambitious undertaking for me. I struggled with the content and dialogue. The book deals with some very serious social issues and uses strong language at times. Although any strong language in the book is most definitely not gratuitous, I’d seen the scathing reviews where readers condemned a book after a couple of pages simply because they didn’t like the language used. The truth of the matter is that some subjects are just gritty and real, which means they warrant some gritty and real language. Emotional Paramedics is (at times) one of those books. Yet, it’s not all doom, gloom and swearing. Not by any means.

At the heart of the book is a young girl, August, who struggles to overcome some truly awful life experiences, while trying hard not to let the world change her into something she wasn’t meant to be. It’s about a young girl who is determined not to give up and who believes there is something better just around the corner.

I also wondered if anyone else would be as invested in my main character as I was. Would people enjoy the book? Or would they groan and say, “ugh, not another book about a kid with a bad childhood.” Or would they accept it for the story that it truly is – a story of hope, courage and perseverance?

Maybe you’ve been considering writing a book and are filled with the same concerns and doubts that I was when I first began writing Emotional Paramedics. I’d like to encourage you to continue writing. Do it for yourself and then share your story with everyone you know. Be like August and don’t give up!

Wishing you much success and happiness in all you do!

Susan Barton

The Girls by Emma Cline Book Review

I knew this book was coming up on my book club reading list so I had reserved it at my local library. All I can say is it's a good thing I didn't pay for it.

It's 1969 and fourteen-year-old Evie Boyd is a bored and lonely teenager. Her parents are too involved with their own problems to pay much attention to poor Evie so, when she meets an older girl named Suzanne, Evie is smitten. Suzanne introduces Evie to Russell, a clever cult leader who knows exactly what to do and say to convince little lost children to do his bidding.

I HATED the author's writing style. It read like a never-ending, rambling and ridiculously bad poem. There were words for pages and pages, yet nothing of great importance was ever said. The characters were so poorly and superficially developed I literally could not care about any of them.

The glaring period discrepancies made me wonder who researched 1969. There were too many things that just did not ring true to the time period. I got the feeling that there was such a rush to publish this awful book that no one took the time to do the proper editing and research.

What I find extremely interesting is that there is very little information to find on Ms. Emma Cline. A pretty, photogenic face does not an author make. Skip this one. It's been hyped up and that's about it. A very poor retelling of the Manson story.

1 out of 5 Stars
Bob 

Why I Blog About Books

I've always loved to read. Even as a little kid I was an avid reader. Some of my favorite times were spent at the local library. My mom used to take us for a walk into town and we'd stop at the library. She always brought along a bag for us to fill with our chosen books and she'd make sure to read them all to us over and over again. We'd spend hours in the kid's section, looking for books and playing with the puppets and toys. Those were fun times and they also built a firm foundation for us as children. By doing these things with us, I now realize that my mom was telling us how important reading is in our lives. Good job, Mom!

So now, when I'm older, I love finding a good book that I can lose myself in. I'm fortunate, in that I enjoy all types of books - all genres, basically. Just as long as it's good. And, by good I mean that it needs to have a strong plot, some unexpected twists and turns, and some really great characters who are fully developed, relatable and likable. If I spend time choosing a book and reading it and it doesn't deliver for me I feel cheated.

I'd much rather write a positive review than write a negative one. In fact, I HATE giving a book a bad review. I know that some author has put his or her heart and soul into writing that book and it hurts when people criticize what they've done. Sometimes I'm torn about whether I should write a book when I know it'll be negative. But what keeps me from shying away from writing a negative review is that I know a lot of readers (myself included) rely on reviews to choose their books. If I go easy on a book just because I don't want to hurt an author's feelings is that really fair to other readers? No, it's not. And I really don't want to forgo writing a negative review altogether because I've already invested a certain amount of time and money on the book.

My reasons for blogging about books doesn't always involve book reviews. Sometimes it's just to spread the word about a new book I've heard about. Or it's about writing in general. There are many other avid readers out there. There are many independent authors looking for ways to promote their books. I'm always willing to connect with authors and other readers. Blogging is a great way to do that.

How about you? If you also blog about books, why do you do it? I'm interested in hearing your thoughts! Leave me a comment below.

Bob

I'm Now Accepting Book Tour Stops

Just a short post to let authors know that I'm now willing to host tour stops and other book events. If you're an author and are planning to take your book on tour please let me know. I'm happy to help spread the word!

To let me know about your upcoming book tour just fill out the contact form in the sidebar and I'll get back to you asap. I look forward to promoting your book!

Bob

Goodbye Pixel of Ink Hello Goodreads Deals

As a long-time subscriber to Pixel of Ink I relied on their daily emails to find deals on books - many of them freebies. Yes, some of those freebies were less than wonderful, but some were actually pretty good books. Unfortunately, Pixel of Ink is no longer in existence. I was shocked to learn they'd folded, leaving a simple cryptic message on their website.

The talk on the Web is that Amazon finally put their almighty foot down and put a stop to the previously overlooked, but prohibited practice, of using affiliate links in email campaigns....which is exactly what Pixel of Ink and other book promotion sites were doing, but getting away with it for years. Why the sudden crackdown by Amazon? Perhaps it's because Amazon has recently gotten into the email book promotions game via the now Amazon-owned Goodreads.

Problem is, Goodreads Deals is nothing like Pixel of Ink and the others. I signed up just to get a firsthand look and have so far been underwhelmed with the promotions that have landed in my inbox. NOT ONE FREE BOOK AMONG THE MEAGER BUNCH. I'll probably end up cancelling this email subscription, since it's been a waste of time so far. I miss the freebie promos that Pixel of Ink provided, but that's big business for ya.

Thoughts on the subject? I'd love to hear them!

B

Books for Soldiers

Have you heard about Books for Soldiers?

It's a great way to help our troops by donating new and used books to them. After you register on the site you can check out the requests from men and women from all branches of the U. S. Armed Forces. Check it out!

Are you a Books for Soldiers volunteer? Let me know so I can say thanks!