book reviews – K. J. Farnham

It’s been about a month since my last post, so it’s time for some updates . . .

Click Date Repeat Again

CDR #2 is the main reason for my scarcity here and on other social media lately. My plan for June was to buckle down, finish it up, and send it off to my editor on the 24th. Things were moving along nicely until my keyboard conked out, no longer allowing me to type several letters! After hours of troubleshooting, I ordered a new one. Then I took a few days off because it’s extremely difficult to write without the letter A! Thanks to Amazon Prime, I had my new keyboard within 48 hours. However, the day after it arrived, I went to the Scripted Social Author Event in Des Moines, Iowa. Even though I was not a signing author at the event, I had the privilege of being a volunteer. And guess who I got to help with her line…KIM HOLDEN! AHHHH! It was such an AMAZING weekend! When I returned from Iowa, I had a few days to work, and then we welcomed house guests who stayed with us for a several days. Long story short, I ended up sending only about 75% of the book off to my editor on the 24th. But now that the 4th of July weekend is over and the guests are gone, I’ll be wrapping the book up this week.

IMG_20160706_233257751 — This is the first 75% of CDR. I printed it out to reread/edit while I waited for my new keyboard.

Despite my week-long setback, I’m still planning to publish CDR #2 at the end of August. Obviously this could change, but I’m going to do my best to make sure it doesn’t! The cover is being designed this month, so watch for the reveal near the end of July or beginning of August.

IMG_20160706_233336945 — This is what the final 25% looked like before I started working on finishing it up a couple of days ago. I’m making steady progress once again . . .

Click HERE to add Click Date Repeat Again to your to-read list on Goodreads!

New Family Members

As some of you know, we said goodbye to our 17-year-old cat (Hal) a few months ago. Hal was also known as Hugh in Click Date Repeat. 🙂 My husband asked immediately after Hal was gone if I wanted to get a new cat but I just wasn’t ready. Fast forward to a couple weeks ago when my kids and I went to the local pet store to purchase a sponge for the hermit crabs. To our surprise, they recently added a new area for cats from local humane societies and shelters. One thing led to another, and . . . we ended up adopting two kittens! Eric (black and white) is 1 year old, and Sebastian is 7 weeks.

Holiday Fun with Family and Friends

It was so much fun spending time with my sister and her kids over the 4th of July weekend! We saw a movie, went to the local 4th of July parade and carnival, celebrated my niece’s birthday, spent some time enjoying a local lake (kayaking, paddle boarding and pedal boating), attended a party, and viewed an awesome fireworks display. Talk about a jam-packed weekend . . .

Book Reviews & Ask KJ

In light of my push to complete Click Date Repeat Again, I’ve had to sacrifice more than just a consistent social media presence. I’m now eight books behind schedule for 2016, and I only expect that number to grow. I do plan to spend a couple of weeks in August getting caught up, but I’m not sure that I’ll have time to write the reviews right away. I will eventually get back to posting at least two reviews a month though. I just can’t promise when.

As for Ask KJ, for which I planned to write a monthly post, that too will return. I’m just not sure when…

Until next time, friends! 🙂

When choosing books to read, I rely heavily on reviews. Sure, I also consider covers and blurbs, but in the end, it really is what’s on the inside that counts.

Why do I read multiple reviews when choosing a book?

Reading a variety of reviews increases the odds of me choosing a book that I will enjoy. I can’t stand feeling ripped off after investing time in a book that didn’t impress me, even if I got it for free.

Another reason I read reviews is simply for enjoyment. To be honest, I’ve come across a lot of reviews that are more entertaining than some of the books I’ve read! (Check out the one- and two-star reviews for Fifty Shade of Grey to see for yourself.)

What do I consider when looking at reviews?

Breakdown of Ratings – I understand that people like different things. As my stepmother always says, “That’s why they make chocolate and vanilla ice cream.” With that in mind, I never dismiss a book simply because it has one- and two-star reviews. However, if more than 50 percent of a book’s reviews are lower than three, I won’t read it unless a Goodreads friend with similar reading interests gave it a positive review.

Length – I ignore one-sentence reviews that give zero insight into why specific ratings were chosen. I at least need to understand why a person liked or disliked a book. Did it move too slowly? Was the dialogue realistic? Did it end with a cliffhanger?

Mention of Typos – If a reviewer mentions the need for more editing, I generally won’t read a book. I can handle a few errors, but if there are so many that a reviewer feels the need to mention them, I am likely to pass. I might make an exception if I notice that the author has responded (in a non-combative way) to the reviewer asking for help locating the typos or simply stating that the errors have been/will be rectified. I’ve even seen authors offer to provide a refund to reviewers who mentioned being distracted by typos. Seeing authors reach out in this way tells me that they are passionate about providing the best possible reading experience to customers.

Disclosures – If a reviewer mentions being provided with a free copy in exchange for an honest review, I take the review seriously. The fact that someone is disclosing this in the first place tells me that the review is likely to be genuine.

Reviewer History – If a book doesn’t have very many reviews (or if a particular review strikes me as bogus), I investigate the histories of reviewers. On Amazon, this can be done by clicking on a reviewer’s name. In most cases, I can tell if someone’s review is genuine based on his review history. For example, if someone has only completed one book review (for the book I’m trying to decide on), then his opinion doesn’t mean much to me.

Is Amazon my only source for book reviews?

No, but it is the source I refer to most. If a book has very few reviews on Amazon, I also check to see what people have said on Goodreads and certain book blogs. I have seen books with only a few reviews on Amazon and dozens of reviews on Goodreads, and vice versa.

How important are book reviews to you when deciding what to read?

Tag: book reviews

What have I been up to lately?