“Writers live or die by their reviews” is an expression that’s often tossed around. It may be an exaggeration, but there are certainly a few kernels of truth in the saying. Today, with the abundance of books available online, both published and self-published, (I believe there is somewhere in the vicinity of 12 million books for sale on Amazon) it’s very difficult for an author to stand out in the crowd. Thus, the need for reviews.
We all do it. I do it. When I shop online for a product, I check out the ones with the most reviews. I read them. I evaluate them. After all, we’re not standing in a store, touching the product, seeing first-hand if it’s something that we need or want. We rely on the experiences of others. And, the same applies to books.
With the help of my publisher, Black Rose Writing, we’ve been trying various promotional activities. One was two days of free e-books on Amazon. The idea was to get the book into the hands of readers and hope they leave a review. Another was to make it available on NetGalley, a site with members who read and review books that interest them.
Recently, I received an e-mail with a copy of a beautiful 5-star review from a NetGalley reviewer. I was so proud and happy. I couldn’t wait for the review to show up on Amazon and/or Goodreads. But, no one has control over where, when, or if the reviewer decides to publish their opinion, and obviously this wonderful reviewer hasn’t had time to take care of it yet. So, I decided to take the bull by the horns, pat myself on the back, and publish it on my blog. If you’ve read Sins of the Fathers and enjoyed it, feel free to mention it on Amazon. In the meantime, Happy Reading!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Full Text:
I was given a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was not familiar with McCarthy’s work prior to my reading of Sins of the Fathers, though after reading I can say I will be looking for more work from her. The writing style made this a page-turner for the majority of the book. I don’t always pick up mysteries, but in this case, I am glad that I did.
Charlie Butler is on the receiving end of some strange mail. The letters that she are receiving are more creepy than anything, but that doesn’t matter because the police don’t take her seriously anyway. This leads her to seeking out a private investigator. Simm and Charlie don’t get along well at all in the beginning. It isn’t until things get worse for Charlie that the two begin to work together for the greater good.
The investigation will take them all over the world and will be more dangerous than they ever could have anticipated. What Charlie learns is something that she never could have imagined. I enjoyed the edgy writing style and the variety of twists and turns that ensued. As a mystery, it ticks all of the most important boxes. I loved the characters and couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next.
If you have the time, I definitely recommend picking up Sins of the Fathers. It’s a great read.