Posting book reviews online

Many bloggers (like myself) enjoy posting book reviews on their blogs. It's a great way to interest your blog readers and start book discussions! To take it a step further, I also like sharing my reviews on other commercial book-selling websites, to express my opinion and guide other people---people who will never read my blog, but my personal ratings will be available to them regardless.

Below is a list of websites that encourage reviews to be written, and would be great places for you to add your own book reviews!

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
GoodReads
Alibris
Google Books

Sometimes, to get your reviews out there to help people that are looking at books in a certain category, you may find additional sites for this purpose. For example, homeschool-approved fiction or Christian fiction. If a certain book you've read is featured by homeschool curriculums, it may be available to review on websites like these and others:

Christian Book
Sonlight
Timberdoodle
Rainbow Resource

Ebooks are another whole category! Remember that you can write reviews on ebooks. You can post Kindle and Nook book reviews on Amazon and B&N websites, respectively. Smashwords is another possible option for ebooks from independent authors.

You may want to check out publishers' or authors' websites, where there may be customer ratings. For example, Lamplighter, Tyndale, etc. If your local library has a website, they may have an online reviewing system. My library actually incorporates GoodReads as their reviewing system---thus, if my review (or your review!) is on GoodReads, then it shows up on the library website.

I personally do not post each of my book reviews on all of these websites listed above, but this is a basic list that I run through when I want to get a review out there. There are numerous other websites available that would be great resources to add reviews on.
What sites would you recommend for posting reviews?



P.S. You can friend me on GoodReads!

Sharing Our Bookshelves {January 2012}

It's time for another monthly round of Sharing Our Bookshelves. This time though, we're starting out a new year!

What kind of book goals have you set for yourself to accomplish in 2012?
I hope that if you're posting about books anytime this month, you'll link up below so that some new blog readers can find your posts.


If you saw my last post 'Looking at my reads from 2011' then you'll know I've been thinking about all the books I enjoyed during the twelve months of 2011, including a list of my very favorites.

2011 was a year of firsts for me in some respects in the literary world. The beginning of three new bookish friendships began. That is, with R.M. Ballantyne, G.A. Henty, and with the lovely Lamplighter books. If you have some specific titles of these books that you've enjoyed, I would appreciate your suggestions on which ones I should choose next to read.

There are some notable reads I should mention in addition to my favorite books of the year. For example, in November, I just finished the last of the wonderful books penned by Laura Ingalls Wilder (I have started the series over and over a few times before, but this time I can now say I've read them all---finally.) I also read a drama play for the first time, Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw---Who knew it could be so interesting just to read the lines of all the characters? Also to go on my list of "firsts" for 2011: I was able to read Book #1 of the Nancy Drew series, Secret of the Old Clock. For a reader who loves mysteries, I'm surprised at myself for not reading the good ol' Nancy books until now---I had read a few of the newer stories before this, but not the originals. I'm looking forward to reading more in the new year.

One thing I have enjoyed for several years now is a notebook to keep track of all the books I've read. It helps me remember titles of books, the authors, and the dates when I read those books. In fact, I have more than eight years' worth of a notebook like this! It is an invaluable piece of memory to keep around. If you haven't started your own notebook like this, maybe 2012 is the time to start recording all the books you'll be reading this year.

So then, I look forward to see the wonderful posts you'll be linking up below. Whether it is end-of-the-year lists, or goals for the new year... whatever bookish thoughts you're blogging about, please share so that we can all enjoy.

Looking at my reads from 2011.

At the end of each year, I always enjoy taking a little time to look through all the book titles that I have read during the last 12 months. I usually come across a lot of "I read that book only just this past year?"---especially ones that I loved so much, and it seems like its been ages since I did read it---but it was only a few months ago. This year I accomplished reading 50 books, which almost means one book every week. I enjoyed each of these, but I do have my tip-top favorites. So now...




(in no particular order, because I can't bring myself to use favoritism on my favorites)

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
I'm so glad to have read a classic like this---it is currently my favorite of Dickens' works that I've read so far. If I was to choose a character from any book that I admire most, it would be Sydney Carton. {You can read my full review here.}

Little House in the Highlands by Melissa Wiley
The first in a series of 4 about Martha, the great-grandmother of Laura Ingalls Wilder. She roamed and romped across the wild, heather-filled highlands of Scotland!

A Peep Behind the Scenes by O.F. Walton
Sweet and charming. Just how I thought a Lamplighter book would be. Now I can't wait to read more of these books in this new year.

My Heart's in the Lowlands by Liz Curtis Higgs
Has anyone heard of "arm-chair travel"? The author literally takes you on a trip across the sea to Scotland and "shows" you the landmarks, the quaint shops, houses, kirks, and majestic castles. She talks to you, as the reader, as if you were standing beside her, taking in the same sights, smells, feelings, and noises that she is.

In Freedom's Cause by G.A. Henty
To introduce myself to Henty, this was a great book to do it with. It is the story of William Wallace & Robert the Bruce, two exceptional leaders in the First War of Scottish Independence.

Do Hard Things by Alex & Brett Harris
A perfect book that every teen should read! It holds many invaluable truths. The subtitle of the book says it all: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations.

Basil of Baker Street by Eve Titus
This is one children's book that I will adore forever, now that I have found it. I do so need to read more of little Basil's adventures. {You can read my full review here.}

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen
Exquisitely delightful! Reminiscent of Laura Ingalls' childhood stories, but set in the time right after WWII ended. I can see myself reading it again sometime!

The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne
Heart-pounding suspense with island cannibals and pirate ships. Utter delight and respect for everything God has created. I'm looking forward to more books from Ballantyne.

Christmas with Tucker by Greg Kincaid
This was the perfect addition to my December days. Meshes beautifully with the book "A Dog Named Christmas" by the same author.



Here are some other bloggers who have written end-of-the-year bookish posts:

Jennifer {Blogful of Books}

Eyebright {Defective Compositions}

Katie {Whisperings of the Pen}

Rachel {Young Homemakers}

Lamplighter books .:. and more! .:. e-book downloads

If any of my readers are still interested in getting some of these great e-book downloads from World E-Book Fair, then you should definitely get on there and find the books you'd like--the deadline is August 4th! There's just over one more week left before these books are not free anymore.
I really like all the stuff I've found there this past month. Click here to see my other posts about it.


I found Lamplighter books!
For anyone who is interested in these books from Lamplighter Publishing, or would like to try them out. I've heard so many bloggers talking about these classic books and I was amazed when I found several of them as e-books on this website. Can't wait for when I get to read them! The whole list of Lamplighter books that I found are linked below.

**Note! If you are wanting to keep these e-books, you must save them to your computer. The following website links won't work after August 4th.

from Lamplighter Publishing: The Wide Wide World Tomorrow That Printer of Udell's Teddy's Button Probable Sons The Mansion Self-Raised The Hidden Hand The Gold Thread Christie, the King's Servant The Giant Killer

An Alabaster Box The Cross Triumphiant Christie Saved at Sea A Peep Behind the Scenes Cobwebs & Cables Jessica's First Prayer The Crew of the Dolphin The Basket of Flowers Mount Rhigi Boy

As an additional note, I thought that someone might also be interested in a few other classic literature books that I downloaded. You can see click on some of these links to download the e-books if you're interested.

What Katy Did What Katy Did At School What Katy Did Next Clover In the High Valley Little Country Girl A Round Dozen Understood Betsy Aunt Jane's Hero

The Adventures of Peter Pan Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm New Chronicles of Rebecca Betsy & Tacy Go Downtown Robinson Crusoe The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe