Indie authors live and die by Amazon (and Goodreads) reviews. No one wants to read a book nobody loves written by a person nobody has ever heard of. You need reviews to get readers, and you need readers to get reviews. It's a conundrum.
Then there's the validation that a good review supplies to the independent author. We don't tend to have a huge number of readers, so those few positive reviews can be the only encouragement we get in the midst of our desperate and lonely struggles with the written word.
So, I humbly beg of you, if you read a book and enjoy it, take a minute to leave a review. It doesn't have to be long or eloquent to have a positive impact on a struggling artist.
Here are some snippets from reviews people have left on Amazon for my book, She Dies at the End. I have such gratitude for the people who have taken the time to write these kind words. I was so terrified when I published my debut novel that everyone would hate it. Imagine my relief that it is at least enjoyable!
Some of the tightest pacing from a breakout novel I've seen in a long time. I ended up staying up far too late two nights in a row, needing to see what happened next.
There are so many successful elements here: masterful foreshadowing, maintaining of tension and suspense, dialogue, character building, even romance. More than that, though, it's just a great story.
I have to give Manay credit for making vampires sexy again.
Well-written, superbly paced, and full of interesting characters. A great piece of writing and a great story. I'm looking forward to the next November Snow book! Heartily recommended.
By the end of the first chapter, I was in love with November, the main character. By the middle of the second chapter, I couldn't put the book down.
I finished the book two days ago, and I still think of the characters as if they will show up in front of me, just to give me an update. To me, that is the mark of an excellent book. I crave book two.
I thought I didn't care for fantasy/sci fi. As I read this book, I thought of the way I connected with Stephen King's Salem's Lot, and I finally understood. I LOVE a good fantasy novel, as long as it is well written. This one is superb.
I LOVED these characters. I miss them already. I need that sequel.
It was easily one of the most memorable books I've read this year, if not THE most memorable.
At one point near the end I idly found myself thinking, "I can't wait until the movie comes out," before I checked myself to remember that this is a first novel of a new author and probably film rights have not yet been considered. I still think it would make a good movie!
It's 1 AM. I've been up reading yet another novel. I regret nothing. This novel is AMAZING. I do not use ALLCAPS lightly.
Really great books teach, and this one does. However, don't let that fool you. It's about as sexy as any story I've read lately. I can't even adequately describe it's level of awesome.
This is a wonderfully written paranormal story! It captures the reader from beginning to end. I could barely put it down to go to sleep!
I loved it! I dreamt of the characters for a few days afterwards!
What I really loved about this novel was the emotional maturity of the characters. So unlike the annoying teen angst typical of the vampire genre, this novel is full of thoughtful consideration, compassion, and a refreshing self-awareness.
The plot is complex, but concise in its storytelling. With each turn, Manay easily sets the scene with exquisite imagery, allowing readers to see, touch, taste and hear everything that the heroine experiences.
I recommend you download the book and stay up late to read it. One of the best things I've read lately.
Be somebody's hero: review a book today!
Then there's the validation that a good review supplies to the independent author. We don't tend to have a huge number of readers, so those few positive reviews can be the only encouragement we get in the midst of our desperate and lonely struggles with the written word.
So, I humbly beg of you, if you read a book and enjoy it, take a minute to leave a review. It doesn't have to be long or eloquent to have a positive impact on a struggling artist.
Here are some snippets from reviews people have left on Amazon for my book, She Dies at the End. I have such gratitude for the people who have taken the time to write these kind words. I was so terrified when I published my debut novel that everyone would hate it. Imagine my relief that it is at least enjoyable!
Some of the tightest pacing from a breakout novel I've seen in a long time. I ended up staying up far too late two nights in a row, needing to see what happened next.
There are so many successful elements here: masterful foreshadowing, maintaining of tension and suspense, dialogue, character building, even romance. More than that, though, it's just a great story.
I have to give Manay credit for making vampires sexy again.
Well-written, superbly paced, and full of interesting characters. A great piece of writing and a great story. I'm looking forward to the next November Snow book! Heartily recommended.
By the end of the first chapter, I was in love with November, the main character. By the middle of the second chapter, I couldn't put the book down.
I finished the book two days ago, and I still think of the characters as if they will show up in front of me, just to give me an update. To me, that is the mark of an excellent book. I crave book two.
I thought I didn't care for fantasy/sci fi. As I read this book, I thought of the way I connected with Stephen King's Salem's Lot, and I finally understood. I LOVE a good fantasy novel, as long as it is well written. This one is superb.
I LOVED these characters. I miss them already. I need that sequel.
It was easily one of the most memorable books I've read this year, if not THE most memorable.
At one point near the end I idly found myself thinking, "I can't wait until the movie comes out," before I checked myself to remember that this is a first novel of a new author and probably film rights have not yet been considered. I still think it would make a good movie!
It's 1 AM. I've been up reading yet another novel. I regret nothing. This novel is AMAZING. I do not use ALLCAPS lightly.
Really great books teach, and this one does. However, don't let that fool you. It's about as sexy as any story I've read lately. I can't even adequately describe it's level of awesome.
This is a wonderfully written paranormal story! It captures the reader from beginning to end. I could barely put it down to go to sleep!
I loved it! I dreamt of the characters for a few days afterwards!
What I really loved about this novel was the emotional maturity of the characters. So unlike the annoying teen angst typical of the vampire genre, this novel is full of thoughtful consideration, compassion, and a refreshing self-awareness.
The plot is complex, but concise in its storytelling. With each turn, Manay easily sets the scene with exquisite imagery, allowing readers to see, touch, taste and hear everything that the heroine experiences.
I recommend you download the book and stay up late to read it. One of the best things I've read lately.
Be somebody's hero: review a book today!
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