How to Write a Book Review

How to Write a Book ReviewBeing a book reviewer for the last two weeks and having many of my books reviewed by others, I tend to see a lot of commonality in reviews. Mistakes, gestures, and things that are just inappropriate for a book review. It is one thing to tell someone that their book is great and others should read it. It’s practically a cliché at this point. Reviewers have to make prospective readers thirsty and energized in interest to the point where they want to purchase the book. Book reviews have the same flavor and sensitivity as a sales pitch.

How do I write a book review? Where do I start? How long should it be? Common questions with various answers! I only speak, in this blog post, from personal experiences as a book reviewer. When you begin writing a book review, start off thanking the author for their publication. You can include if you won the book through a giveaway, but know that this is a necessary evil. After being complimentary, start addressing the overall design of the book. What feeling did you get when you looked at the front cover? Does the title give off the main idea? Are the designs on the front and back covers an act of symbolism? Does the small wording on the back cover heighten your interest to open the book? These are the things prospective readers want to know.

The next portion of your book review should address the grammar and punctuation. Yes, something not often placed in reviews. It’s imperative that you get someone else to check your grammar and punctuation. Go through an editor or agent, if you have to. You’ve read the book. So, did you have to stop and almost stutter because the fragments were not revised properly in the sentences? Did the author wean off topic for a long time without reeling you back into his/her main purpose? Prospective readers and book reviewers look for the author’s purpose, focus, and moral in every story. At this point, you can begin considering the format and layout of the book. Was the table of contents outlined correctly? Were page numbers included? Was the book entirely too long with unnecessary information in chapters? Was the font and alignment of each page hard to conceptualize? Think about this when writing your book review.

How to Write a Book ReviewThese pieces to a book review are great, but the most crucial and last component of the book review should be recommendations. Make the sales pitch! State the type of audience who should be reading the book and address any internal/external feelings they may run into. Is the book full of adventure and suspense? Is it religious? Are profane words and derogatory remarks made in the book? Why is this so important? The prospective reader wants to know if they’re the right audience! For instance, I’m a poet and when I read reviews for poetry books, I want to know if the books are centered on the same themes I write about and read about. If I was a counselor and the book is full of adventure, but doesn’t hold a dramatic event requiring counseling for someone, this may not be the book for me. Make your recommendations and state why such audiences are the right candidates.

In closing, have fun with your book reviews! Don’t make it into an assignment or required duty. Don’t treat it as some book report or an exhausting activity one does when they finish a book. Write your review while you’re in a happy mode and when you think and concentrate about the interesting pieces of the book. Even if the book is terrible, don’t come right out and say, “this is the worse book to buy.” Mention the author’s weaknesses and give suggestions on how they could become strengths. Don’t tear down your author publicly, but address horrible matters through private communications.

Good luck and I look forward to seeing some of your book reviews out there!

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Makers Kit

Makers Kit Dino TerrariumIn the digital technology age that we live in, it’s sometimes nice to take a break from the stress of day to day life and make something special with our hands. Makers Kit is a company that really seems to understand the connection between people and making things themselves. I mean think about it, the gifts that you have gotten over the years have all been great, but the ones that really stick out in you mind are the ones that someone took the time to make for you. Simply put, making something with your hands is an art and craft that still has a place in todays’ society!

You not only get a neat kit filled with everything you need to make whatever it is you’re making, but you get two very helpful guides that show you exactly what to do, step-by-step, in video lessons. You might just be surprised how easy these kits make it to create a one of a kind item. Take the Dino Terrarium for example, it’s very straight forward and the finished product is special because you took the time to make it. The world is full of makers, people who love to create, and Makers Kit is giving everyone the opportunity to take time and make something worth having!

You don’t need a lot of space to enjoy one of these kits, in fact you can easily use them in your dorm room, apartment, or anywhere that you have a few feet to move around in. I’m not joking when I say that absolutely anyone can enjoy this product. It doesn’t matter which kit you choose, they offer such a variety that you’re sure to find something that fits your interest. Make your own soap, blend your own tea, or build a terrarium, either way you will find enjoyment in slowing down and making something. For more information or to order a Makers Kit, visit www.MakersKit.com.

Travel with Tutto

Airline travel can be arduous and annoying. The best flight to your destination is one at an ungodly hour with connecting flights. You arrive at the airport only to discover it has been delayed or cancelled. Then you have to worry about the ridiculous baggage fees and all the security searches and standards. Alleviate one less stressful hassle with your luggage and travel with Tutto carry-ons.

Tutto brand luggage is a product of Mascot Metropolitan Inc. This is a greatly accredited brand for the simplistic use of their product, its creative design, its convenient efficiency, and its remarkable capabilities. The Arthritis Foundation favorably assesses it for its four-wheel base that lessens weight and strain on the user’s back and arms, its U-shaped puller bar on either side of the frame that eases maneuvering and takes the bend and stretch of moving luggage. From Homearts magazine, Tutto received a seal of approval for qualities like design, appearance, uniqueness, innovation, and color. A writer from MercuryNews.com states that the lightweight characteristics and the exterior of his Tutto bag allowed him to carry more in a smaller bag. He praises Tutto as the “Rolls-Royce of lightweight luggage”.

There’s a Tutto tote for every need, whether you’re a business person working on the go, or a hobby enthusiast with materials on hand. Provided online are carry-ons and Pullmans for overnight, weekend, or retreat trips. There’s also the “office-on-wheels” and various laptop and PDA cases for stow and go working activity. “Crafts-on-wheels” are ideal for carting scrapbooking affects, and the “machine-on-wheels” for sewing machines and kits. Tutto’s pet carriers are rated the best by the top university of veterinary medicine and Whole Dog Journal. All larger Tutto bags compress to about three inches for storage when not in use.

There are 311 store locations in the United States that carry Tutto bags. With many products being available in an array of color choices, your bag will stand out in the sea of bland, homogenous suitcases known as the baggage claim. Any given bag is well into the hundred dollar range, some over two hundred before shipping and handling. The PDA cases run twenty-seven dollars. Product support is available on Tutto.com for demonstrations on how to use their products or for ordering and replacing parts. Tutto bags are a pricey investment, but they come with a year-warranty promising to replacing or fixing defective items. If Tutto is worth your wallet, then travel with less stress on your next trip!

MiiBottle

A major problem in most modern-day households is the identification of whose drink is whose. I can speak from past experience that this is something that has went on throughout time and didn’t seem to ever have an end in sight. The United States in particular is the largest purchaser of bottled water in the entire world, that should say something for itself. Around 70 million bottles of water are purchased daily in the U.S. and nearly 60 million of them end up in the trash. A contributing factor are those bottles thrown away because you simply don’t want to drink out of someone else’s bottle.

One rising company is changing the way we identify our bottles and making it easy and fun to keep track of which drink is yours! MiiBottle is a simple and easy to use system of identifying your bottle. You simply take one of their variously colored snap-on bottle identifiers and clip it onto the bottle with no hassle or instructions other than that needed. They also boast a neat dolphin design making it that much more entertaining just to regard a bottle as yours. But you may be wondering, what makes MiiBottle such a great company?

Well, for starters their products are made of 100% recycled material! It’s great to know that you have a product that you will actually use, but it makes it that much better to know that the product that you are using is made of recycled material! Another cool thing about this company is, they have solved an issue that is simple yet bothersome, and they have done so in a very innovative way!

We have had the opportunity to try these ourselves and they are as simple and easy to use as they look. You will notice that they have a firm snap around your bottles lid, so there are no worries about them falling off of your bottle. The colors are also very vibrant and look great, especially when there are multiple bottles using them! The packaging is simple and conveys the same overall idea of simplicity and problem solving and lets you know the true purpose of this life changing product, to simply make your everyday life easier, save you money on bottles you may’ve thrown away and provide a fun solution to an age old question, “Is that my bottle?” Now you will know, “Yes, it’s MiiBottle!”

To learn more check out their oficial website at MiiBottle.com or like the MiiBottle Facebook page to keep up to date on news and info regarding this creative new product! If you are interested in helping them Kickstart this product and get it sold in more places while getting yourself a pack or two of these cool little things, check out the MiiBottle Kickstarter page to make a donation!

DC Universe Online Free!

The MMORPG DC Universe Online starting today is for free on the website to play on PC and PS3. The Game has a paid version and a free version, which there is minor differences in the versions. In the game you can create your own super hero and be a mentored by one of the great super heroes of DC. You do a variety of missions in the game and you can do which ever ones you choose. Every villain and hero in the DC Universe is in this game. You have Joker, Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, Sinestro, and many more. The star heroes are all here including Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lanturn, and many others.

The game works through allowing you to choose what side your on good or evil. You can fight against the heroes to conquer the world or help the heroes save it. Brainiac seems to be the main villain since I have only been playing it for a few days. My hero is amazing and unique in his own way. You choose from what his powers are to the way he moves and every detail of his looks. Everyone will have a different adventure through there play of DC Universe Online. Fans of the WoW series will diffidently want to take a go at saving the world or taking it over.

Sony Online Entertainment allowing this game to be free gives people who can’t afford to pay monthly have a chance at this vast world and have fun saving the world as their own fantasy hero or villain. The games best qualities have to be that you can join together with others and make a super hero team and work together and save the world. Every superhero/comic book fan has always dreamed of being their own superhero and working a team like the Justice League saving the world.

This game is beyond amazing and should be played by anyone and everyone, gamer’s to just plain old comic book nerds. It’s free so don’t waste this opportunity and test out one of the best MMORPG of the year.

Make Money Online With Fiverr

Many people at their homes look for quick and easy ways to make a few dollars on the side. There are so many different places that claim to be a real source of online income, but how many of them are reliable? We decided to put the website Fiverr.com to the test. At Fiverr you tell everyone what you will do for $5 and they choose to buy your “gig” or not. A “gig” is what your service is called on Fiverr. Now, here’s where the confusing part comes in!

While the website is named Fiverr, suggesting that you actually make money in five dollar increments, you only get to keep four of those five dollars. Fiverr themselves take a dollar from each gig you sell. While this fee is very reasonable, some people do not like it. What sets Fiverr apart from the other money making websites out there? Well, it’s very simple to use, manage your gigs, receive payments that get sent to your PayPal, make a few dollars on the side, and of course Fiverr has a huge audience so your gig’s are sure to get viewed!

Oh, one more thing that you REALLY need to know about, because I find this quite annoying myself, is that once you complete a gig the money you get from it is held for 14 days to clear in their system. This allows you to build up more profits within those 14 days, but by then you of course have more money that needs to clear. You can withdraw after the 14 days and send the money straight to your PayPal account, but PayPal takes out their share, so it’s actually best to build up around $50 before you withdraw although you can withdraw at no minimum! So, all-in-all, we love Fiverr, and if you can put up with their small quirks and flaws, you can make some serious pocket change over some time. You won’t get rich, but you will get a few extra dollars! This is a real solution to making money on the side, it works, it’s not hard to use, it just takes time and your willingness to do things for fiver dollars and only get to keep four of it. So go ahead and give it look, Fiverr.com!

The SwitchEasy Cara iPad 2 Case

Have you been questioning which case would be best for your brand new shinny iPad 2? We feel ya, that’s why were here to let you know about one of the coolest iPad 2 cases on the market. The Cara by SwitchEasy is a fashionable addition to anyones tech accessories as well as a very functional piece of equipment for your iPad 2. It comes in three base colors, black, white, and red, but there are also a variety of colors that alternate from front panel to back pannel that are available on their website.

Now what makes this case so great, other than the fact that it looks like it’s from about two hundred years from now? I’m glad you asked! This case has the awesome feature of locking the home screen when you flip the front part shut! Who doesn’t love that? It saves your power while saving you time. To add to it’s simple and beautiful design as well as it’s flawless functions, this case protects the iPad pretty well! You have the front covered and the back secure, so go ahead, we just helped you decide on a case, now it’s you turn to take the next step and buy it.